Tag: 3BL

After nearly 500 days of war in Gaza, a ceasefire was announced today. Since conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, almost 46,000 Palestinians and 1,600 Israelis have died. Nearly 2 million people in Gaza — roughly the entire population — have been displaced.

The region is facing deadly food insecurity and have little or no access to basic hygiene, clean water, protection, or shelter. For nearly a year and a half, there has been no safe space in Gaza, and survivors have endured months of harsh winter, airstrikes, landmines, bombardments, and critical levels of malnutrition.

Despite the welcome news of a ceasefire, the aftermath still poses significant risks to civilians. Action Against Hunger is calling for increased humanitarian aid. There are only 600 trucks per day currently scheduled to deliver necessities — far from enough to feed a population on the brink of famine.

“Thousands of families have been in extreme hunger for months, not knowing when or where their next meal will come from,” said Natalia Anguera, Action Against Hunger’s Head of Operations for the Middle East. “The opening of the land crossings announced in the ceasefire is vital. We are calling for the opening of as many entry points as possible to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the whole population of the Strip, a territory where internal mobility restrictions could leave entire areas without the necessary support.”

Before the conflict, around 500 trucks of humanitarian aid entered the Strip every day, but in 2024, only about 100 trucks per day entered on average. “We welcome the 600 trucks per day agreed in the ceasefire, but it is important to remember that even before the conflict, the humanitarian community was already claiming that 500 trucks per day was insufficient,” said Anguera. “It is more necessary than ever to increase the amount of aid, given that the level of destruction and humanitarian needs are extraordinarily more critical now than they were before October 2023.”

Anguera added that there are numerous limitations on importing certain supplies. “In addition to the entry of trucks, we need to ease on restrictions on the type of materials allowed, especially those related to the rehabilitation of water and sanitation services and essential items to cope with the winter, such as platforms for levelling tents and waterproof clothing,” she said.

Gaza After Ceasefire

“In the aftermath of the ceasefire, we hope to be able to recover the activities we were doing before October 2023, which focused on ensuring that Palestinians have the tools to lead,” said Anguera. “It is essential that all humanitarian activities that follow are of a complementary nature to Palestinian civil society organizations and NGOs. For example, if bakeries and hospitals can be rehabilitated and functioning, we will be able to expand our support to women’s cooperatives in Gaza or increase our nutrition activities in the most affected areas, such as northern Gaza.”

The level of destruction in Gaza is enormous, said Anguera, and humanitarian organizations will have to support shelter spaces for people who have lost their homes, as well as rehabilitate countless houses and structures.

Action Against Hunger has been working in Gaza for more than 20 years. Since October 2023, the organization’s teams have had to focus all their efforts on scaling up the emergency response under unprecedented working conditions. In Gaza alone, Action Against Hunger increased its staff from 60 to 130 humanitarian workers. These efforts have enabled Action Against Hunger to help more than one million people in Gaza and the West Bank through activities to prevent and treat malnutrition among women and children, including through the distribution of meals and clean water, support to farmers and small businesses, the production of fresh food and vegetables in Gaza, and much more.

Action Against Hunger in Gaza

Action Against Hunger has been working in Gaza since 2005. Since Oct. 7, Action Against Hunger teams have reached more than one million people. Teams distribute hot meals hygiene kits; truck clean water to communities; connect people with shelters; and provide assistance with removal of solid waste management.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

After nearly 500 days of war in Gaza, a ceasefire was announced today. Since conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, almost 46,000 Palestinians and 1,600 Israelis have died. Nearly 2 million people in Gaza — roughly the entire population — have been displaced.

The region is facing deadly food insecurity and have little or no access to basic hygiene, clean water, protection, or shelter. For nearly a year and a half, there has been no safe space in Gaza, and survivors have endured months of harsh winter, airstrikes, landmines, bombardments, and critical levels of malnutrition.

Despite the welcome news of a ceasefire, the aftermath still poses significant risks to civilians. Action Against Hunger is calling for increased humanitarian aid. There are only 600 trucks per day currently scheduled to deliver necessities — far from enough to feed a population on the brink of famine.

“Thousands of families have been in extreme hunger for months, not knowing when or where their next meal will come from,” said Natalia Anguera, Action Against Hunger’s Head of Operations for the Middle East. “The opening of the land crossings announced in the ceasefire is vital. We are calling for the opening of as many entry points as possible to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the whole population of the Strip, a territory where internal mobility restrictions could leave entire areas without the necessary support.”

Before the conflict, around 500 trucks of humanitarian aid entered the Strip every day, but in 2024, only about 100 trucks per day entered on average. “We welcome the 600 trucks per day agreed in the ceasefire, but it is important to remember that even before the conflict, the humanitarian community was already claiming that 500 trucks per day was insufficient,” said Anguera. “It is more necessary than ever to increase the amount of aid, given that the level of destruction and humanitarian needs are extraordinarily more critical now than they were before October 2023.”

Anguera added that there are numerous limitations on importing certain supplies. “In addition to the entry of trucks, we need to ease on restrictions on the type of materials allowed, especially those related to the rehabilitation of water and sanitation services and essential items to cope with the winter, such as platforms for levelling tents and waterproof clothing,” she said.

Gaza After Ceasefire

“In the aftermath of the ceasefire, we hope to be able to recover the activities we were doing before October 2023, which focused on ensuring that Palestinians have the tools to lead,” said Anguera. “It is essential that all humanitarian activities that follow are of a complementary nature to Palestinian civil society organizations and NGOs. For example, if bakeries and hospitals can be rehabilitated and functioning, we will be able to expand our support to women’s cooperatives in Gaza or increase our nutrition activities in the most affected areas, such as northern Gaza.”

The level of destruction in Gaza is enormous, said Anguera, and humanitarian organizations will have to support shelter spaces for people who have lost their homes, as well as rehabilitate countless houses and structures.

Action Against Hunger has been working in Gaza for more than 20 years. Since October 2023, the organization’s teams have had to focus all their efforts on scaling up the emergency response under unprecedented working conditions. In Gaza alone, Action Against Hunger increased its staff from 60 to 130 humanitarian workers. These efforts have enabled Action Against Hunger to help more than one million people in Gaza and the West Bank through activities to prevent and treat malnutrition among women and children, including through the distribution of meals and clean water, support to farmers and small businesses, the production of fresh food and vegetables in Gaza, and much more.

Action Against Hunger in Gaza

Action Against Hunger has been working in Gaza since 2005. Since Oct. 7, Action Against Hunger teams have reached more than one million people. Teams distribute hot meals hygiene kits; truck clean water to communities; connect people with shelters; and provide assistance with removal of solid waste management.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

The Fastmarkets Circular Steel Summit in Houston, Texas, brought together stakeholders and industry leaders from the scrap-to-steel supply chain this week to review the latest trends, technologies, and market dynamics driving scrap and secondary materials activity across North America.

On Wednesday, January 15, Tamara Lundgren, Chairman and CEO of Radius Recycling, delivered the keynote address on the role of the incoming administration in revitalizing American manufacturing, a sector that has lost over 4 million jobs since the turn of the century.

In the address, Lundgren touched on the increased dependency of U.S. companies on foreign countries and how this relationship has heightened their exposure to geopolitical, climate, labor and other risks.

“We have seen stalwart U.S. companies, little by little, become completely dependent on components and production from countries that engage in non-market policies and practices, like industrial targeting, excess capacity, pervasive state subsidies, opaque and discriminatory regulations, and currency manipulation,” said Lundgren.

Lundgren outlined tools to achieve a manufacturing renaissance through trade policy development and oversight, tax reform, and reducing regulatory burdens specifically for the metals industry, which plays an essential role in rebuilding manufacturing across the value chain.

“The good news—and there most definitely is good news—is that there is consensus across the political spectrum that onshoring manufacturing is critical for U.S. economic growth and national security,” Lundgren explained. 

Nasdaq

In this episode of Nasdaq ESG Trendsetters, we hear from Nick Cerise, Chief Marketing Officer at TTEC, a leading customer experience technology and services organization focused on the design, implementation, and delivery of transformative customer experience for brands around the world.

ESG is at the core of TTEC’s operations and has always been integral to its business practices. Cerise highlights why ESG is important to TTEC, sharing insights into the organization’s impact strategy and the team behind its execution.

TTEC’s Impact Strategy

While many organizations get the environmental and governance components right, they often struggle with the social component, according to Cerise. He shares, “The S is at the core of what we can drive real, impactful and sustainable change within. And that’s what we’ve built an entire practice around and how we go to market and what we deliver to businesses all over the world.” And the social component of ESG is where TTEC focuses most of its impact strategy.

TTEC’s impact strategy is grounded in a seven-pillar framework designed to drive impact for both clients and the organization. These pillars include:

Impact Locations: Identifying the communities where TTEC wants to drive change.Impact Education: Creating development programs in partnership with local educational facilities to help individuals progress and develop their skills.Impact Sourcing: Building partnerships with local communities to identify and bring marginalized individuals into TTEC’s ecosystem.Impact Careers: Designing career paths and digital work readiness programs to help individuals build professional careers.Impact Community: Developing strategies to maximize the impact on the community, such as hiring local service providers.Impact Measurement: Measuring the social impact of TTEC’s programs and providing this data to clients for their ESG reports.Impact Investing: Identifying organizations that want to invest in the community and support impact entrepreneurs.

ESG Strategy Execution Is a Team Effort

While the impact practice is led by Cerise, he explained that TTEC’s ESG strategy execution is a team effort. In addition to Cerise, TTEC’s ESG council is made up of leaders across the organization. The environmental side is led by the Global VP of Real Estate, the social side is led by the Chief People Officer, and the governance side is led by the Chief Risk and Legal Officer. Together, this council is responsible for tracking ESG commitments and ensuring alignment across the organization to deliver the best outcomes.

Beyond the internal team, TTEC has partnered with Nasdaq ESG Solutions to support the organization’s ESG progress. From engaging the Nasdaq ESG Advisory team for a materiality assessment to implementing Nasdaq Metrio for streamlined reporting, Cerise explains the value in Nasdaq’s support and alignment with TTEC’s strategy.

Advice for Other Companies

Cerise poses an important question, “How do you align, authentically, the change that you want to drive to the brand that you want?” He emphasizes the importance of being authentic to the brand and identifying the most important areas to drive impact. TTEC helps brands develop programs that align with their core impact objectives through “zones of impact opportunity” workshop sessions, utilizing the seven-pillar approach outlined above. This process helps brands create meaningful social change that is aligned with their values and the communities they serve.

Cerise’s insights provide a comprehensive overview of TTEC’s approach to ESG, highlighting the importance of social impact and the strategies employed to drive meaningful change. TTEC’s commitment to ESG serves as a valuable example for other organizations looking to tell their own ESG story.

Nasdaq

In this episode of Nasdaq ESG Trendsetters, we hear from Nick Cerise, Chief Marketing Officer at TTEC, a leading customer experience technology and services organization focused on the design, implementation, and delivery of transformative customer experience for brands around the world.

ESG is at the core of TTEC’s operations and has always been integral to its business practices. Cerise highlights why ESG is important to TTEC, sharing insights into the organization’s impact strategy and the team behind its execution.

TTEC’s Impact Strategy

While many organizations get the environmental and governance components right, they often struggle with the social component, according to Cerise. He shares, “The S is at the core of what we can drive real, impactful and sustainable change within. And that’s what we’ve built an entire practice around and how we go to market and what we deliver to businesses all over the world.” And the social component of ESG is where TTEC focuses most of its impact strategy.

TTEC’s impact strategy is grounded in a seven-pillar framework designed to drive impact for both clients and the organization. These pillars include:

Impact Locations: Identifying the communities where TTEC wants to drive change.Impact Education: Creating development programs in partnership with local educational facilities to help individuals progress and develop their skills.Impact Sourcing: Building partnerships with local communities to identify and bring marginalized individuals into TTEC’s ecosystem.Impact Careers: Designing career paths and digital work readiness programs to help individuals build professional careers.Impact Community: Developing strategies to maximize the impact on the community, such as hiring local service providers.Impact Measurement: Measuring the social impact of TTEC’s programs and providing this data to clients for their ESG reports.Impact Investing: Identifying organizations that want to invest in the community and support impact entrepreneurs.

ESG Strategy Execution Is a Team Effort

While the impact practice is led by Cerise, he explained that TTEC’s ESG strategy execution is a team effort. In addition to Cerise, TTEC’s ESG council is made up of leaders across the organization. The environmental side is led by the Global VP of Real Estate, the social side is led by the Chief People Officer, and the governance side is led by the Chief Risk and Legal Officer. Together, this council is responsible for tracking ESG commitments and ensuring alignment across the organization to deliver the best outcomes.

Beyond the internal team, TTEC has partnered with Nasdaq ESG Solutions to support the organization’s ESG progress. From engaging the Nasdaq ESG Advisory team for a materiality assessment to implementing Nasdaq Metrio for streamlined reporting, Cerise explains the value in Nasdaq’s support and alignment with TTEC’s strategy.

Advice for Other Companies

Cerise poses an important question, “How do you align, authentically, the change that you want to drive to the brand that you want?” He emphasizes the importance of being authentic to the brand and identifying the most important areas to drive impact. TTEC helps brands develop programs that align with their core impact objectives through “zones of impact opportunity” workshop sessions, utilizing the seven-pillar approach outlined above. This process helps brands create meaningful social change that is aligned with their values and the communities they serve.

Cerise’s insights provide a comprehensive overview of TTEC’s approach to ESG, highlighting the importance of social impact and the strategies employed to drive meaningful change. TTEC’s commitment to ESG serves as a valuable example for other organizations looking to tell their own ESG story.

The COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, brought together leaders, experts, and stakeholders from across the globe to tackle some of the most pressing issues surrounding climate change. With representatives from various sectors—governments, private companies, NGOs, and academia—the event served as a platform to align diverse interests and find actionable solutions for a sustainable future. Here’s a detailed look at the key discussions, outcomes, and expectations as the climate action community looks ahead to COP30 in Brazil, in addition to the podcast episode available here.

Inogen Alliance had a presence at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking the second time we had a global delegation involved in COP with seven Associate companies. Our team attending and presenting included our local Associate, Sustainera Solutions with Ilkin Hajiyev and team. They worked in collaboration with AzerSun Holding as an official sponsor of COP29, consulting on sustainability topics and events. We also had Associates attending and presenting from Antea Brasil, Hilton Lucio; Antea Group USA and President of Inogen Alliance, Angelique Dickson; Antea Group UK, Alex Ferguson; denxpert, Robert Szucs-Winkler; Integral Consult Egypt, Dr. Amr Osama Abdel-Aziz; and Tonkin + Taylor New Zealand, Brett Ogilvie and Paddy Pringle. Dr. Abdel-Aziz has been involved in COP negotiations for the past 10 years in the formal role of Advisor to the Minister of Environment of Egypt and as a lead negotiator for mitigation and Transparency. Read more about the Blue and Green Zone events our team presented in here.

Our global team shares outcomes, perspectives and insider views below from their attendance.

What is COP? A Convergence of Stakeholders for Global Climate Action

COP, or the Conference of the Parties, is a pivotal gathering under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It brings together member states, private organizations, and civil society to negotiate and decide on global climate actions.

“COP is a multifaceted event where stakeholders converge to align on common goals,” said Hilton Lucio, CEO of Antea in Brazil. “It’s not just a negotiation platform but also a social and professional ecosystem, fostering collaboration across disciplines.”

Angelique Dickson shared her perspective on attending COP, “The sheer volume of intellect and passion in one space was astonishing. One of the really inspiring things about COP29 was being surrounded by thousands of people who feel the urgency around climate change. It wasn’t political—it was about global collaboration to address this critical issue. Being surrounded by people committed to the same goal made me hopeful, even though consensus-building among diverse stakeholders is daunting.”

Amr Abdel-Aziz, Chairman of Integral Consult in Egypt, added, “COP is where decisions impacting climate, development, and economies are made. For example, the decision at COP28 in Dubai to transition away from fossil fuels was a landmark moment, signaling the beginning of the end for the fossil fuel era.”

From the perspective of Ilkin Haji, founder of Sustainable Solutions, “COP is an inclusive platform bringing together governments, private sector players, and NGOs. Achieving sustainability requires collective efforts, and COP is the perfect setting for such collaboration.”

Alex Ferguson highlights a main theme from this year’s event: “COP29 was about financing: identifying where climate funds would come from and how they would reach the projects and regions that need them most. Discussions emphasized the need for robust environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards to ensure funds are used effectively.” Check out more from his perspective in an article here.

Key Takeaways from COP29

Major Decisions and Achievements

COP29 stood out for its tangible outcomes, which included:

New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Finance: “A landmark agreement to mobilize $300 billion annually by 2035 for climate action in developing countries,” explained Abdel-Aziz. “While the figure sounds monumental, the real value—adjusted for inflation and contributions from developing nations—is more modest. Nevertheless, it signals global commitment and opens the door to substantial private sector involvement.”Finalization of Carbon Market Rules: Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, governing carbon markets, was operationalized. “This development paves the way for billions of dollars in carbon trading and incentivizes emission reduction projects globally,” said Dr. Abdel-Aziz.Sector-Specific Mitigation Focus: “Although some controversial topics stalled, progress was made in urban systems and building-related mitigation programs,” he added. “This aligns with global targets to limit warming to 1.5°C.”Adaptation Efforts: Decisions on adaptation indicators and resilience-building projects were laid out, with a promise of more concrete actions at COP30.

Challenges and Polarization

While COP29 achieved notable successes, challenges persisted. “The discussions around top-down versus bottom-up approaches to sectoral targets highlighted divisions among countries,” Abdel-Aziz noted. Some critical topics were postponed to COP30.

Negotiators failed to reach agreements on certain key initiatives set in motion at COP28 in Dubai. Agreement on the UAE Work Programme on Just Transition was postponed as negotiators deliberated the complexity of the program and worked to align on a holistic approach. Similarly, countries were unable to find alignment on how to respond to results from COP28’s global stocktake, which assessed progress made towards reaching the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Angelique Dickson observed “One recurring theme was the disparity between small nations, especially those highly impacted nations like the island nations versus a big country like the US, who is still producing a very large carbon footprint. The disparity is very great there, and that urgency is different, and so I think that is difficult when you have that many parties negotiating to come up with a consensus agreement on how to move forward.”

Regional and Private Sector Impact

“The event spurred energy transition projects, increased awareness in the private sector, and accelerated regulatory development in Azerbaijan,” said Ilkin Haji. He pointed to the adoption of a new taxonomy for sustainable investments as a significant step forward.

Hilton Lucio observed that “the growing presence of private sector stakeholders at COP underscores their role in translating national climate goals into actionable business strategies.”

“At COP29, it was clear that private investment would play a critical role in achieving climate goals. For consultants, this opens up opportunities to help businesses navigate new guidelines, access funding, and implement impactful projects. The private sector’s contributions will be vital in bridging gaps left by government efforts,” states Angelique Dickson.

Side Events: Catalysts for Collaboration and Innovation

Side events at COP29 provided valuable platforms for in-depth discussions and cross-sector collaboration. “These events allow you to get more into the details and gain more exposure to substantive issues,” said Haji. “For example, in one of our events on water scarcity, we had companies presenting technological innovations, consulting firms sharing insights, and businesses discussing their challenges. These discussions painted a full picture of current and upcoming challenges.”

Lucio added, “The richness of the ecosystem makes it impossible not to absorb new ideas. Whether it’s preserving forests for water management or creating tourism potential to protect natural resources, the interconnectedness of climate resilience issues becomes clear.”

Opportunities for Progress

Dr. Abdel-Aziz highlighted the Mitigation Work Program as a key area of focus for COP30. “We hope Brazil’s presidency will help harness the potential of this program by sidestepping polarizing issues and advancing meaningful solutions to achieve the 1.5°C target,” he said.

Haji expressed optimism about incremental progress. “I hope we see more clarity on mechanisms for fund disbursement,” he said. “And while it might sound wishful, I’d like to see less polarization. Climate catastrophes don’t discriminate between developed and developing countries.”

Lucio reflected on Brazil’s role as host: “Brazil is a place for collectiveness, not polarization. Our strong diplomatic relationships, diversified economy, and active NGOs create the perfect setting to advance climate solutions. With COP30, we have the opportunity to build on the solid foundation laid at COP29 and previous conferences.”

The Role of the Private Sector in Future COPs

Private sector engagement at COPs has grown exponentially. “Since Dubai, the presence of the private sector has increased dramatically,” said Lucio. “Companies are translating national contributions into actionable strategies, aligning their goals with climate targets.”

For governments, private sector involvement is crucial for achieving Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). “Public-private partnerships, innovation, and investment in renewable energy and infrastructure will be key to turning commitments into tangible outcomes,” he added.

“The business case for renewable energy and sustainable practices is stronger than ever, driven by the need for reliable resources and consumer demand. As sustainability becomes essential for long-term success, the private sector’s contributions are critical to accelerating the transition to a greener economy,” Alex Ferguson adds.

Final Thoughts

COP29 in Baku underscored the complexity and urgency of global climate action. While progress was made in areas like finance and carbon markets, much work remains. As the world looks to COP30 in Brazil, there is hope that the event will foster collaboration, innovation, and actionable solutions as they are uniquely positioned to lead on critical climate issues due to their diverse economy, vibrant civil society, and extensive natural resources. Whether through high-level negotiations or grassroots side events, COP continues to be a critical platform for shaping the future of our planet.

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HAMILTON, Bermuda, January 15, 2024 /3BL/ – Bacardi Limited commits to donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross to help people affected by the 2025 California wildfires following massive destruction in the area. In addition, the family-owned company is mobilizing pallets of water to assist first responders on the front lines. Separate from this donation, Bacardi is providing support to its people directly impacted through relief assistance, flexible work schedules, free counseling services, and more.

“As a family-owned company, we believe in coming together in times of need and hope that this contribution is part of larger efforts to rebuild homes, communities and livelihoods,” says Tony Latham, Regional President Bacardi North America. “Our hearts and compassion go out to the many who have lost so much and we want them to know they are not alone.”

Bacardi funding will support the Red Cross relief efforts on the ground across Southern California. Already, more than 400 Red Crossers are are on the ground providing support and the organization is coordinating closely with local partners to provide food, shelter, emotional support and other critical aid. With the help of partners, the Red Cross has provided more than 20,000 meals and snacks, along with relief items, including hygiene supplies, for thousands of affected families.

“The American Red Cross is on the ground helping those impacted by the devastating wildfires in California,” says Anne McKeough, Chief Development Officer at the American Red Cross. “We are so grateful for partners like Bacardi as we work together to provide relief and hope for communities in the wake of this heartbreaking disaster.”

Corporate responsibility has always been a priority for Bacardi. Company founder and BACARDÍ rum creator Don Facundo Bacardí Massó began this tradition in 1862 when he volunteered as the chief organizer of disaster relief in his hometown of Santiago de Cuba after a horrific earthquake. Since then, the company continues to build upon his commitment to assist in times of catastrophic natural disasters. Most recently, Bacardi donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross to support relief across five U.S. states following Hurricanes Milton and Helene. In addition, the company supported relief efforts after Hurricane Dorion in 2019, Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017 and other moments of devastation for communities across the globe. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Bacardi rapidly adapted 14 of its global production sites to help produce nearly 400,000 gallons (1.5 million liters) of sanitizer and donated more than half a million units to local communities, from postal workers and healthcare workers to firefighters and police, and nonprofit organizations.

About Bacardi Limited 
Bacardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, produces, markets, and distributes spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, PATRÓN® tequila, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, D’USSÉ® Cognac, ANGEL’S ENVY® American straight whiskey, and ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur. Founded more than 162 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 8,000, operates production facilities in 11 countries and territories, and sells its brands in more than 160 markets. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, ­including Bacardi International Limited. Visit http://www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Media Contact: 
Jessica Merz, VP Global Corporate Communications, jmerz@bacardi.com

Advancements in gut microbiome research could strengthen existing hunger treatments and prevent malnutrition relapse

Originally published in Think Global Health. 

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is the leading cause of death among children around the world—a crisis driven by climate change, armed conflicts, and widening inequality. Today, some 30 million children face SAM. Without treatment, a malnourished child is 11 times more likely to die than one who is healthy.

Researchers are working toward a better understanding of the connection between nutrition and gut health that would help in more effectively treating and preventing hunger-related deaths. Gut health is critical to overall well-being: An imbalance in bacteria can have negative impacts on the digestive, immune, and nervous systems. Recent research reveals that children who initially recover from SAM but later relapse are more likely to be suffering from a poor gut microbiome. Given this insight, scientists are presented with exciting new possibilities: What if they could influence the gut to help restore a healthy balance of bacteria and prevent relapse?

Read more in Think Global Health. 

Heather Stobaugh is a senior research and learning specialist at Action Against Hunger.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Originally published in FedEx’s 2024 Global Economic Impact Report

FedEx has been transforming transportation and logistics services for more than 50 years, advancing our purpose to connect people and possibilities around the world as a result. From pioneering overnight delivery to inventing package tracking to expanding international trade — innovation is in our DNA, which has empowered us to continue pushing boundaries to make supply chains smarter for everyone. These efforts enable the success of our customers, build prosperity in the communities where we operate, and accelerate the flow of goods and ideas that generate economic growth across countries and regions. We call this impact the FedEx Effect.

This report quantifies the FedEx Effect by showing the value of the company’s economic contributions around the world. For the fourth consecutive year, we have measured a range of factors, including the impact of our company’s revenues, capital expenditures, and spending on wages, as well as the ripple effects generated by our core services. To reflect the scale of our operations, we have calculated the impact that FedEx makes on the global economy as a whole, as well as on the economies of the United States and our major operating regions.

Today, FedEx connects the vast majority of the world’s gross domestic product. As a result of this reach, FedEx contributed more than $85 billion in direct economic impact to the global economy in fiscal year (FY) 2024.1 In addition to this direct impact, FedEx spending to maintain its operations and its business services stimulates economic activity at other companies across the global economy — which is considered the company’s indirect impact. In FY 2024, FedEx indirectly contributed an additional $39 billion in net economic output 2 around the world. In the global Transportation, Storage, and Communications sector,3 the company’s indirect impact was the largest contribution totaling an estimated $20.4 billion.

The extensive FedEx supply chain multiplies this impact. In calendar year (CY) 4 2023, FedEx contracted with approximately 100,000 suppliers, 90% of which are small businesses.5 FedEx spending with these suppliers drives further economic growth and supports local job creation.

Our global reach also gives FedEx a unique opportunity to make positive contributions to the world beyond the impact of our business activities. FedEx is committed to supporting the communities where we live, work, and serve through FedEx Cares, which provides charitable donations in the form of direct financial support, employee volunteering, and in-kind shipping services. FedEx is also investing in sustainable technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable power to reduce the environmental impact of our operations, while contributing to the research and development of the next generation of sustainable breakthroughs, such as carbon capture.

While this report highlights the impact of our operations during FY 2024, FedEx remains committed to the spirit of innovation and progress on which our company was founded. We recently consolidated our major operating companies into Federal Express Corporation — becoming a single company operating a unified, fully integrated air-ground express network under the respected FedEx brand. The change will allow us to become a more flexible, efficient, and intelligent network to better serve our customers. We are also combining the data and insights from the 16 million packages we deliver per day globally with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to create new digital tools and solutions that are helping us run and change our business, digitize our customers’ supply chains, and move up the value chain in e-commerce.

We believe that operating as one FedEx team is another milestone in our company’s history of bringing the world closer together. By continuing to foster connections between people and possibilities everywhere in the world, we can multiply our economic impact for years to come.

Read more

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

SALT LAKE CITY, January 15, 2025 /3BL/— KeyBank has awarded a $75,000 grant to People Helping People (PHP) in Salt Lake City, a nonprofit providing employment training and resources to low-income women and single mothers who are working towards financial self-sufficiency through long-term successful employment.

PHP offers a four-phased program for underserved females, focused on coaching, mentoring, developing employment strategies, and offering continued career development opportunities. PHP’s overall mission is to reduce the number of Utah families living in poverty by helping low-income women, primarily single moms, reach adequate income through sustainable employment.

“We believe that every woman is capable and deserving of achieving success and self-sufficiency. We promote this belief by helping our clients see the benefits of work, navigate barriers that they might be facing, and learn how to build the confidence needed to communicate their value to employers. Work looks different for all of us, but how we work and why we work is the differentiating factor. We meet each client where she is at and help her to see she is capable of extraordinary things,” said Kathryn Thomas, Executive Director, People Helping People.

Established in 1993, PHP is focused on creating an environment where single moms can gain the employment support needed to flourish in their careers and in life. The program supports more than 1,000 low-income women and single moms annually. The grant funds will be used to scale PHP’s program operations.

“People Helping People supports vulnerable Utah women with the employment training and resources needed today to help them flourish, thereby strengthening themselves, their families and their communities,” said Drew Yergensen, KeyBank Utah market president. “KeyBank is proud to support this admirable mission to help our neighbors and make our community stronger in the process.”

About People Helping People, Inc.
People Helping People is dedicated to reducing the number of children living in poverty by teaching low-income women, primarily single mothers, how to earn an adequate income through successful employment. While there is no one-size fits all approach, we believe that a good job with good benefits with a good company and long-term employment support can go a long way in helping single moms become financially self-sufficient. At PHP, we have seen firsthand over the last 3 decades how successful employment positively impacts the lives of women and their families. We believe that the only permanent route of our poverty is an adequate income. Our employment program, through the work of dedicated volunteers and staff, and community partners like KeyBank, creates and environment where single mothers and women can and will flourish both in their careers and in life.

About KeyCorp
KeyBank’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, KeyCorp is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $190 billion at September 30, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is a Member FDIC. 

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