Tag: 3BL

As climate change accelerates, the need to make buildings more sustainable, energy-efficient, and healthier has never been clearer. While many climate tech solutions focus on reducing outdoor emissions, there’s a growing recognition that indoor air quality is also a growing issue. Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, where pollutants like CO₂ and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can accumulate, making indoor air up to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Poor indoor air quality isn’t just a health concern; it’s a barrier to productivity, energy efficiency, and climate goals.

Indoor air quality and the energy cost of buildings

High indoor CO₂ and VOC levels are increasingly linked to cognitive impairment, with a 2021 Harvard study showing that even moderate increases in indoor CO₂ can slow response times by 1.4-1.8% and reduce accuracy by up to 2.4% on cognitive tasks. Elevated levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) contribute to this decline, leading to productivity losses and symptoms associated with “sick building syndrome,” such as headaches and fatigue. HVAC systems, which are tasked with managing this pollutant load, are often forced to work overtime to maintain ventilation and indoor climate, driving up energy use and operational costs.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), buildings accounted for 34% of global energy demand and were responsible for approximately 37% of energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2022, presenting a significant opportunity for savings through advanced efficiency measures. Addressing this energy demand has substantial environmental impacts. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that improving energy efficiency across sectors could reduce global energy use by over 40% by 2040, which would have a massive effect on emissions from buildings. Solutions that enhance indoor air quality while reducing HVAC energy demands are essential for meeting global sustainability targets and creating healthier indoor environments.

Recognizing the critical energy demands and emissions from HVAC systems, the Cisco Foundation’s Regenerative Future Fund — its climate investment program — identified Carbon Reform as a uniquely positioned startup with solutions that address both indoor air quality and energy efficiency.

Carbon Reform’s Carbon Capsule® and Carbon Canister®

Philadelphia-based Carbon Reform is tackling these intertwined challenges with their Carbon Capsule®. This system retrofits into existing HVAC setups to permanently capture CO₂, filter pollutants, and boost energy efficiency, offering a practical solution for building managers looking to modernize their infrastructure without major overhauls. In pilot projects, the Carbon Capsule® demonstrated the potential to reduce cooling loads by up to 50%, leading to energy savings, lower emissions, and cleaner indoor air. The company recently cut the ribbon on a pilot with Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), and won contracts with other major utilities, educational institutions, and corporations. They will be demonstrating their energy-saving indoor air quality (IAQ) technology in several more buildings in the coming months.

The Carbon Canister® serves as a portable companion device for scalable carbon sequestration in buildings, purifying indoor air while stabilizing captured CO₂. Carbon Reform’s full suite of solutions offers building managers a toolkit for decarbonizing their HVAC systems, reducing pollutants, and achieving energy savings — all critical steps for transforming the built environment.

A customer perspective: the Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) pilot

The pilot installation of the Carbon Capsule® at BGE’s Spring Gardens facility is an example of the technology’s potential real-world impact. Carbon Reform’s CEO, Jo Norris, noted that initial Carbon Capsule demonstrations in Philadelphia showed cooling load reductions of up to 50% and similar results are expected at BGE in both heating and cooling seasons. “When we spoke with BGE, they emphasized the importance of both energy reduction and employee wellbeing,” said Norris. “We’re excited to demonstrate how the Carbon Capsule will deliver on both fronts in the coming months.” For BGE, a company committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, these savings represent a practical step toward meeting their Path to Clean goals. Additionally, Carbon Reform’s leasing model allowed BGE to adopt this innovative technology without major capital investment, making it easier to pursue their long-term environmental goals. This pilot underscores the value of Carbon Reform’s solution: an accessible, efficient way to improve indoor air quality while meeting ambitious energy and emissions targets.

Why Cisco Foundation’s Regenerative Future Fund Invested in Carbon Reform

The Cisco Foundation invested in Carbon Reform through its Regenerative Future Fund — part of the 10-year, $100 million commitment the Cisco Foundation made in 2021 to support climate solutions. The climate investments team within the Cisco Foundation addresses three main climate priorities also seen in Cisco’s corporate environmental sustainability strategy, the Plan for Possible: accelerating the clean energy transition, circular transformation, and investing in resilient ecosystems. Decarbonizing the built environment is one way to support global climate ambitions and resilient ecosystems.

Carbon Reform stands out in this space due to its uniquely integrated approach to carbon capture and air quality enhancement, addressing two critical issues simultaneously. While other startups focus on one aspect — either carbon capture or air purification — Carbon Reform’s Carbon Capsule® combines these capabilities within a single, modular system that works seamlessly with existing HVAC infrastructure. This dual-function technology allows buildings to become healthier and more energy-efficient while directly reducing their carbon footprint.

The Carbon Capsule® is designed to be easily installed in current systems, making it scalable across a wide range of buildings. This accessibility and scalability set Carbon Reform apart from competitors, especially for building managers seeking immediate improvements in air quality and energy savings. In addition, Carbon Reform’s hardware-as-a-service model aligns with industry trends toward flexible, subscription-based solutions, allowing organizations to adopt this technology without the need for large capital investments. You can learn more in the video above.

Toward a decarbonized built environment

On the Cisco side, we’re also committed to improving indoor environmental quality through innovations like Meraki MT sensors and Cisco Spaces, which track near real-time air quality metrics such as CO₂ and VOC levels, providing valuable insights that help building managers create healthier indoor environments. While Cisco’s indoor air quality solutions monitor and optimize environments, Carbon Reform’s technology actively removes CO₂ and other pollutants, addressing an important gap in the industry, beyond Cisco’s value chain. Through the Cisco Foundation’s impact investing efforts, we’re providing Carbon Reform with support to help them scale effectively in a market that increasingly demands innovative solutions for healthier, more sustainable buildings.

By supporting Carbon Reform, Cisco Foundation is not only contributing to a decarbonized future but also championing a company whose technology exemplifies what we believe will be essential in the climate transition in the built environment. The Cisco Foundation Regenerative Future Fund is proud to be part of their journey, helping them make a lasting impact on the health of people and the planet.

View original content here.

ATLANTA, December 3, 2024 /3BL/ – Georgia-Pacific, LLC today announced it has expanded its EarthKraft™ line of curbside recyclable mailers, introducing larger sizes and gusseted versions of its unpadded mailer. The recyclable unpadded mailer, introduced in late 2023, is now available in four standard sizes and also customizable to customers’ needs for shipping a wide range of items. The newly developed side- and bottom-gusseted versions of the recyclable unpadded mailer expand to hold larger-volume shipments.

EarthKraft mailers, first introduced in a padded version in 2020, have proven a popular, sustainable solution for e-commerce shipments. GP recently produced its two billionth recyclable padded mailer and has invested in new production lines for the recyclable unpadded mailer, starting with a newly opened line in McDonough, Georgia. Additional lines are expected to open in 2025.

EarthKraft mailers have strong sustainability credentials including a Widely Recycled label issued by the How2Recycle program and certified sourcing from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative© (SFI-00007). GP promotes sustainable forest management and 100% of the wood supply for EarthKraft mailers comes from the United States, which has stable or increasing forest area and a history of responsible management. For every tree that is used in GP products, at least one tree is regrown.

“Recent studies show that consumers want to make purchases that are guilt free from a sustainability standpoint, including the packaging used to ship their items,” said Adam Ganz, Vice President – E-Commerce Packaging at Georgia-Pacific. “EarthKraft mailers meet that need, giving brands and e-commerce companies a cost-effective option to surpass customer expectations, build loyalty and meet their own sustainability targets.”

GP’s new EarthKraft production line includes additional printing capabilities, enabling brands to design engaging multi-color packaging as part of their sales and marketing strategy.

About Georgia-Pacific Packaging 
Based in Atlanta, Georgia‐Pacific, LLC is a leading integrated packaging supplier providing a full range of packaging solutions across the U.S., including containerboard, corrugated boxes and sheets, recyclable mailers for e-commerce and digital print for packaging through our Hummingbird® business. The company’s recycling subsidiary is among the world’s largest traders of paper, metal and plastics, contributing to a paper recovery rate of just over 65 percent and a corrugated recovery rate of about 90 percent in the U.S. For more information, visit: gppackaging.com.

# # #

Lauren Campen, Georgia-Pacific 
lauren.eubank@gapac.com

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., December 3, 2024 /3BL/ – The Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC), a not-for-profit micro-enterprise development program that helps women achieve economic self-sufficiency through small business development, has received a grant of $15,000 from KeyBank Foundation, the charitable foundation of KeyBank. Focused on supporting entrepreneurial training and small business development, KeyBank’s funds will be directed toward WEDC’s Entrepreneur Growth Lab, which assists entrepreneurs with navigating all aspects of starting, running, and growing their business. The Lab provides high quality training programs, advisory services, and access to capital for small business owners and entrepreneurs as a means of generating economic growth in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley.

“Support from Key Bank is instrumental in driving the success of our Entrepreneur Growth Lab,” said WEDC’s CEO Nikki Hahn. “Their commitment not only fuels the resources and support that help early-stage companies grow but also strengthens our broader mission to cultivate a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. This partnership underscores the critical role of financial institutions in empowering aspiring small business owners from underserved communities, helping to create pathways to success and economic resilience where it’s needed most.”

WEDC serves more than 1,200 clients a year with a primary focus on supporting low-to-moderate income women and minorities interested in starting or growing a business. WEDC is known for recognizing its clients’ unique needs not only as business owners but often as individuals facing personal challenges on their journeys to entrepreneurship. In addition, one of WEDC’s main offerings is to provide MWBE training and certification assistance. WEDC offers workshops for completing MWBE certification with New York State and is committed to making MWBE certification more accessible to BIPOC communities that we serve by offering programs in English and Spanish.

“KeyBank is committed to supporting initiatives that drive economic empowerment and financial stability for underserved communities,” said John Manginelli, KeyBank Market President for Hudson Valley and Metro NY. “Our grant to the Women’s Enterprise Development Center underscores our dedication to fostering entrepreneurship and creating opportunities that help women build successful businesses and stronger communities.”

KeyBank Foundation grants are part of a $40 billion commitment for lending and investments across Key’s national footprint established in 2017 and supporting affordable housing and community development projects, home, and small business lending in low- and-moderate income communities, and philanthropic efforts targeted toward education, workforce development, and safe, vital neighborhoods. For more information, visit www.Key.com/Foundation.

About Women’s Enterprise Development Center 

The Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) empowers entrepreneurs to build successful businesses by providing high-quality training programs, advisory services, and access to capital to generate economic growth in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley. With two Women’s Business Centers, we offer a full range of programs and services in English and in Spanish, to serve our diverse population of clients.

About KeyBank Foundation: 

KeyBank Foundation serves to fulfill KeyBank’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive, and its mission is to support organizations and programs that prepare people for thriving futures. The Foundation’s mission is advanced through three funding priorities – neighbors, education, and workforce – and through community service. To provide meaningful philanthropy that transforms lives, KeyBank Foundation listens carefully to understand the unique characteristics and needs of its communities and then backs solutions with targeted philanthropic investments. KeyBank Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation, funded by KeyCorp.

About KeyCorp/KeyBank 

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key 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 Member FDIC.

# # #

KeyBank Media Contact: Karen Crane | karen_crane@keybank.com

WEDC Media Contact: Paula Zorilla | PZorilla@wedcbiz.org

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

For Ellen Hansen of Madison, Mississippi, the holiday season isn’t complete until she’s added the year’s Aflac Holiday Duck to her collection. Her tradition started with the first Aflac Holiday Duck in 2001 and now, 23 years later, her ducks are on permanent display in her office — though for this holiday season, they’ve made their home around Hansen’s tree.

A nursing and hospital administrator, Hansen has dedicated her life’s work to caring for children, including those with cancer and blood disorders, at hospitals in Georgia, Texas, Mississippi and others. Aflac agent Carter May learned of Hansen’s love for the holiday plush and enjoyed surprising her with the newest collectible each year when she worked in his home state of Texas — May estimates he’s given nearly 800 ducks to accounts, friends and family over the past 13 years.

The 2024 Aflac Holiday Duck is dressed as a holiday baker, complete with a festive plaid apron, chef’s hat and a gingerbread man cookie in its wings. Coincidentally, this year’s collectible has a special connection to the Hansen family — Ellen’s father-in-law owned a bakery for many years, and her husband, Steve, is now the baker in the family.

However, the most meaningful connection between Aflac’s holiday duck program and Hansen is that both are dedicated to caring for children.

Watch this video above to see Hansen receive this year’s Aflac Holiday Duck.

Since 2001, net proceeds from the Aflac Holiday Duck program have contributed to more than $4 million donated to hospitals across the country that treat children with cancer and blood disorders. The 2024 Holiday Duck can be purchased, while supplies last, at AflacChildhoodCancer.org.

Z2401037S1 EXP 11/25

Global supply chains are no longer just the “back-end” of businesses—they’re now the front line in a world of constant disruptions. From the COVID-19 pandemic to geopolitical conflicts and extreme weather events, supply chains have been tested like never before. If these challenges weren’t enough, companies are also grappling with a surge in consumer demand for ethical practices and environmental stewardship. In short, the rules of the game have changed, and if supply chains don’t evolve, they risk becoming the weak link that holds a company back.

To investigate what supply chains are facing, DP World and Supply Chain Dive co-authored a report, Supply Chains Prepping for a Greener, More Agile Future, that is based on an industry survey of nearly 160 supply chain, logistics, and operations leaders. The results shed light on how companies are reinventing their supply chains to meet new demands. The report highlights that organizations are increasingly prioritizing resilience, agility, and sustainability to ensure their supply chains can adapt to the future’s challenges. Companies are now focused on reducing carbon emissions, boosting efficiency, and responding more quickly to disruptions. But how exactly are they doing this? Let’s dive into the core pillars driving this transformation.

Resilience

If there’s one lesson the past few years have hammered home, it’s that supply chains are more vulnerable than we ever realized. According to the DP World and Supply Chain Dive report, 41% of supply chain leaders cite demand and supply variability as a top issue, alongside geopolitical tensions and extreme weather events. These disruptions have made it clear that resilience is no longer a buzzword—it’s a fundamental necessity.

Building resilience means creating a supply chain that can withstand shocks and recover quickly. This requires diversifying suppliers, regionalizing production, and adopting advanced risk management tools. Companies like Toyota have shown the way forward. After the 2011 earthquake in Japan, Toyota revamped its supply chain to ensure it could rebound from future disruptions. By identifying “single points of failure” and stress-testing their systems, companies can prepare for the next crisis before it hits.

Another key aspect of resilience is visibility. Many organizations still lack real-time insight into their supply chains, particularly beyond their tier-one suppliers. Without this visibility, they’re flying blind and are more susceptible to disruptions. By leveraging digital tools like predictive analytics, companies can anticipate potential risks and adjust their operations proactively. This means fewer delays, fewer empty shelves, and fewer disappointed customers.

Agility

If resilience is about weathering the storm, agility is about dancing in the rain. In an environment where consumer preferences can change on a dime, supply chains need to be nimble. According to the report, 34% of supply chain leaders say their biggest challenge is inflexibility—the inability to adapt quickly to changes in demand or supply. This is where agility comes into play.

Agility means being able to pivot quickly, whether by switching transportation modes during a disruption or ramping up production to meet sudden spikes in demand. During the pandemic, companies that were able to shift their operations—whether by rerouting shipments or reallocating resources—were the ones that thrived. For example, Dyson, typically a household appliance manufacturer, pivoted to produce ventilators during the pandemic, demonstrating the power of an agile supply chain.

For example, consider the rise of synchromodal transportation, which allows companies to switch between different transportation modes in real time based on factors like cost, time, and environmental impact. Imagine a flood wipes out a rail shipment route—an agile supply chain would seamlessly switch to trucks, adjusting on the fly and minimizing delays.

Achieving this level of agility requires the integration of new technologies and mindsets. AI and machine learning are helping companies predict demand fluctuations and optimize inventory levels in real time. Additionally, automation is playing a critical role in making supply chains more efficient. The result? Shorter lead times, fewer stockouts, and happier customers.

Sustainability

If resilience and agility are the defensive plays, sustainability is the long game. Consumers, investors, and regulators alike are demanding that companies clean up their act, and supply chains are at the heart of this transformation. In our report, 28% of respondents identified Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) pressures as a major challenge. But it’s not just a challenge—it’s an opportunity.

Sustainability isn’t just about reducing carbon emissions (though that’s a big part of it). It’s about rethinking how products are made, shipped, and consumed. Companies like Unilever are leading the way by implementing circular supply chains, which focus on reducing waste and reusing materials. In fact, 60% of organizations are optimizing their supply chains to meet ESG goals, including reducing transportation distances and consolidating shipments to lower their carbon footprint. As one example, Philips have committed to generating 25% of their revenue from circular products, services and solutions by 2025.

Moreover, companies are starting to prioritize sustainability when choosing suppliers. According to our report, 84% of executives now look for partners with strong decarbonization capabilities. In the cutthroat world of supply chain management, having a solid sustainability strategy isn’t just a competitive advantage—it’s table stakes. Suppliers who can demonstrate meaningful carbon reductions are more likely to win contracts, while those that don’t risk being left behind.

Conclusion

In today’s volatile landscape, resilience, agility, and sustainability aren’t just buzzwords—they’re the pillars of future-proof supply chains. Companies that invest in these areas will be better equipped to handle whatever challenges come their way, whether it’s a natural disaster, a pandemic, or changing consumer demands. Resilience ensures companies can bounce back from disruptions, agility allows them to pivot quickly, and sustainability positions them to thrive in a world that increasingly values environmental responsibility.

So, are you ready to future-proof your supply chain? To learn more about how your supply chain can become more agile and sustainable, check out the full report co-authored by DP World and Supply Chain Dive here.

By Jen McGivney | illumination Contributor

When someone flips a light switch, chances are that they don’t consider the thousands of people who work around the clock to connect them with the power for that light. They just know that once the switch flips, the light goes on.

To Emily Jones, one of the engineers whose work is responsible for that illumination, that’s just the way it should be. The work may be challenging, but the customer experience should be easy.

“Most people don’t understand how truly complex the process is to have a light bulb or oven turn on in their house when needed,” Jones said. “It’s very rewarding to learn about all of the people who are involved in making this happen.”

Jones is an electrical engineer at Duke Energy’s Gibson Steam Station. Nestled in the southwest corner of Indiana, Gibson is the company’s largest power plant. By performing regular preventative maintenance, Jones helps ensure the plant’s equipment runs reliably.

“We want our motors, and all of the station’s equipment, to run efficiently,” she said.

Striving for operational excellence

Plant workers like Jones are the behind-the-scenes heroes of daily life. By generating the electricity that Duke Energy-served communities count on, approximately 8.4 million customers across six states can keep their homes and businesses running.

“It’s very exciting to have a diverse and engaged team, engineers like Emily, who are enthusiastic about what we do here at Duke Energy – all of which is underscored by safety and operational excellence,” said Bill Luke, vice president of Midwest Generation. “It’s not just about what we’re doing today leveraging and maximizing our existing generation, but the opportunities we are going to have in the future as we continue our energy transition.”

More than 7,500 power plant workers across six states maintain and operate more than 115 Duke Energy power plants, stations, and facilities, including coal, solar, natural gas, hydro and nuclear. They account for about a quarter of all Duke Energy employees, and their work is the heart of reliable generation of more than 54,000 megawatts of energy.

We celebrate their hard work on Nov. 1, which the company recognizes as Power Plant Worker Appreciation Day.

“I’m very proud to work here, because I feel like it really makes a difference to all of the customers that we’re able to provide efficient energy for,” Jones said. “Our main concerns are safely serving our customers and making sure that everybody has reliable energy at their disposal.”

All the world’s a stage

Jones always envisioned she’d have a career in lights. As a teenager, however, those lights were stage lights: She wanted to be an actor. As she spent more time on the stage, however, she began looking up more often, growing curious about the lights above her and how they operated.

Eventually, she chose to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps, becoming an engineer. Today, instead of standing in the spotlight full-time, she shares that light with people across the region.

“As an engineer who works at this power plant, I get to benefit hundreds of thousands of people every single day,” Jones said.

Just as a play relies on a tight cast of actors, a power plant relies on a close team of energy professionals. At the power plant, Jones has joined a collaborative team that takes great pride in their work.

They provide the essential ingredient that powers big and small moments within their communities: of friends gathering around a TV to watch a movie, of lighting a field for a football game, of powering equipment that runs hospitals and saves lives.

When storms threaten power, these are the workers who leave their homes to keep power running for their neighbors.

Jones and her colleagues recognize the importance of their work and take it seriously. Her team recently celebrated 1,000 days of accident-free operations.

“I was just so proud,” she said. “The best part about the people here is that they don’t work just for the label, they don’t work simply to see that number go up. They work safely because they want to provide energy for their family, as well as all the other families they make an impact on.”

A career advancing with the speed of energy

At 24 years old, Jones is just beginning her career in power generation. It’s a field that is rapidly expanding and innovating. As the technology behind new forms of energy advances, her career will advance with them.

“As far as the future, I’m just excited to learn new skills and use more advanced technologies to my advantage to further my career as an engineer,” she said. “I could absolutely see myself retiring here. We’re always going to need energy. We’re always going to need power.”

When Jones interviewed for her current role, she told her future boss that she wanted to grow into his role one day. As a former actor, she’s got her eye on directing. Jones wants to be the one who manages engineers, to understand how everyone’s roles fit together to serve a single mission. She knows that even as energy will segue from coal to renewable forms, the need for problem-solving engineers will persist.

“I’m optimistic for the future,” she said, “because we will get to see all different types of new and emerging technologies and new ways to solve these problems.”

Duke Energy continues to explore new technologies that provide reliable and increasingly clean energy sources such as advanced nuclear, carbon capture and sequestration, long duration energy storage and hydrogen.

“As we look to the future and our energy transition, it is very important to have a team, with people like Emily, who are enthusiastic about what’s to come; engaged, ready to be challenged, with sort of a “bring it on” mindset,” said Chris Roeder, general manager of Gibson Station. “It’s exciting to be part of this team.”

Making hard work seem simple

There’s nothing simple about the work that goes into reliable energy. Day after day, people and machines and nature face innumerable challenges and variables that have the potential to disrupt power.

To power plant employees like Jones, however, their goal is to do the hard work so well that energy seems as easy as flipping a switch.

“You see all the streetlights that are on at night so people can see where they’re going. You see all types of people with lights on in their homes. They’re watching television, they’re snuggling on the couch with their families,” Jones said. “None of that would be possible if there weren’t people at this power plant working day and night.”

View original content here.

At Trane Technologies, our purpose is to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world. We believe every job can be a sustainability job, and every role an opportunity for impact.

Alessandra Hammond connects to our purpose through her work as the global business operations lead for Integrated Supply Chain. She and her team help make our sustainability commitments into actionable plans with measurable impact.

Alessandra works across multiple teams, including procurement, legal, IT, logistics and environmental health and safety, to connect people, process and technology. Her goal is to enable those teams to deliver for our customers and advance our 2030 Sustainability Commitments. She and her team handle various functions to support the operations of the Integrated Supply Chain teams, including systems enablement, training, data and insights, supplier diversity and sustainability.

The commitment that inspires Alessandra the most is Opportunity for All, our commitment to uplift our people and our communities. One of the main reasons she joined Trane Technologies was because of the inclusive culture where everyone can advance and grow. Alessandra has found the culture to be authentic, and she enjoys leading her team and supporting each of them in their own growth and development.

Another aspect of Opportunity for All is supplier diversity and sustainability. Developing a diverse supply chain increases our resilience, provides access to innovative perspectives and cutting-edge ideas, and drives economic growth and development in the communities we serve. As part of our global integrated supply chain strategy, Alessandra and her team actively support the procurement and sustainability teams to partner with qualified, experienced and value-driven suppliers of all backgrounds.

Purpose Profile: Alessandra Hammond, Global Business Operations Leader, Integrated Supply Chain

A culture of impact

Sustainability is integrated into every aspect of our business, and it’s how we grow. Our strong sustainability performance is a direct result of our culture, which continues to drive our competitive advantage. We’re committed to creating an inclusive, engaging and uplifting culture where we can all thrive and make a meaningful impact.

We are accelerating action toward our bold 2030 Sustainability Commitments and our net-zero goals, and true progress comes from people across our company taking action every day.

Explore careers in sustainability at Trane Technologies.

Charity Navigator, America’s top independent nonprofit evaluator, has awarded Direct Relief an overall 100% charity rating for 2024. This achievement marks Direct Relief’s 14th consecutive Four-Star rating, underscoring its commitment to excellence, accountability, and measurable impact in delivering on its humanitarian mission.

In addition to its perfect score, Direct Relief was also named one of Charity Navigator’s Best Humanitarian Relief Charities in 2024. The organization also earned top rankings for its responses to Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and the humanitarian crises in Sudan and Ukraine These lists, according to Charity Navigator, recognize charities that are “extraordinarily effective at what they do, giving you the chance to support a cause where you’ll have an impact.”

Direct Relief’s Charity Ratings

Direct Relief achieved top scores across Charity Navigator’s evaluation criteria:

Within the charity watchdog’s evaluation “beacons,” Direct Relief earned a 100% rating in Accountability & Finance, Leadership & Adaptability, and Culture & Community. Within the Impact & Measurement Beacon, Direct Relief earned a 100% rating in Impact and 97% in Measurement.

Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, recognized Direct Relief for its performance, stating:

“We are delighted to provide Direct Relief with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence. The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organization can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that Direct Relief can accomplish in the years ahead.”

Humanitarian Impact in 2024

In 2024, Direct Relief made significant strides in advancing its global humanitarian mission, including:

Delivering Lifesaving Medicines: Distributed 377 million defined daily doses of medicine to more than 2,300 healthcare facilities across 90 countries and all 50 U.S. states.Hurricane Responses: Mobilized disaster responses to Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton, providing financial support and essential medicines to over 90 healthcare providers across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.Middle East Humanitarian Aid: Provided $299 million (wholesale value) in medical aid to regions including Gaza, Egypt, Israel, and Syria, among others. This included nearly 150 tons of medical supplies valued at $32 million to Gaza, addressing cancer treatment, diabetes care, cardiac conditions, and water purification needs.Support for Ukraine: Delivered $322 million in medical aid in 2024 alone to Ukraine for the benefit of people affected by war, bringing the total to 2,600 tons of aid valued at $1.4 billion since the war began in 2022. Current efforts focus on rehabilitation, mental health, mobile care, and resilient energy solutions for healthcare facilities.

Stewardship and Financial Transparency

Direct Relief is committed to maximizing the impact of every donation, ensuring funds are used responsibly and effectively to support those in need:

100% Allocation of Donor-Designated Funds: Every contribution earmarked for specific programs or emergencies is applied exclusively to those purposes, giving donors full assurance that their intent is honored.Independently Funded Operations: Direct Relief operates solely on private charitable contributions, declining government funding to maintain independence and focus on its mission.No Fundraising Costs Paid by Donors: Fundraising expenses, which average just 2% of total cash revenue, are entirely covered by a private bequest. This means 0% of donor contributions are used for fundraising and instead support Direct Relief’s humanitarian mission.Operational Efficiency: Approximately 99.5 cents of every dollar (including in-kind donations) go directly to program services, with 0.3 cents allocated to administrative costs and 0.1 cents to fundraising.Leveraging In-Kind Contributions: Strategic partnerships with businesses and organizations amplify the impact of donations. Contributions of medicine and medical supplies—valued at their wholesale cost—constitute the majority of Direct Relief’s revenue, allowing cash donations to stretch even further.

For a detailed overview of how Direct Relief uses its resources to advance its humanitarian mission, visit Direct Relief’s donation policies.

Ever wonder how you can champion a cause you believe in at work? I sat down with a leader in the Asia, Pacific, Japan, and China (APJC) region to learn about how she harnessed her roles within Cisco—both in the Cisco Customer Experience team and as a core team volunteer with the Cisco Green Team Network Inclusive Community, one of Cisco’s employee resource groups (ERGs), dedicated to connecting Cisco employees for social and environmental actions. Join us as we explore her journey, the meaningful collaboration with World Wide Fund For Nature Australia (WWF-Australia) since 2022, and the special initiative at Cisco Live APJC 2023!

Could you start by introducing yourself?

My name is Vivien Chia and I’m currently the Digital Marketing Manager within the Digital Customer Experience (DCX) team, responsible for the social media management of Cisco Community—Cisco’s peer-to-peer online community portal and Cisco’s 2nd most visited digital property.

On top of this day job, I’m also the APJC Lead of the Global Green Team Inclusive Community and part of the core team of Australia and New Zealand Sustainable Environment Network (ANZ Green Team).

Hence, I see the great opportunity to try to incorporate sustainability into the Green Team’s initiatives and further engage our members to drive more social and community impacts collectively.

Could you tell me a little bit about the ANZ Green Team?

The ANZ chapter of the Cisco Green Team is made up of employees from across Cisco’s business units who create, inspire and drive sustainability action across Australia and New Zealand. We are focused on:

Building more sustainable partnerships: Engaging and developing strategic collaboration with common purpose and opportunities.Giving back and volunteering: Inspiring action, building resiliency and empowering us all to overcome climate disruptions and preserve resources within communities.Educating and building awareness: Activating through engaging communications, giving back opportunities and events.

Tell us a bit about the collaboration between ANZ Green Team and WWF-Australia.

Our workplace giving journey with WWF started in August 2022 after Jay Green and I connecting with Henry Clough, Workplace Giving and Corporate Engagement Manager at WWF-Australia.

We were drawn to WWF’s global mission to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. WWF-Australia is now the nation’s largest conservation organisation with projects and partnerships in every state and territory across the country since its establishment in 1978. They work collaboratively with communities, governments, Traditional Owners, non-government organisations (NGOs), scientists, industry, and innovators. So we want to support them to help drive positive change through resilient ecosystems.

The ANZ Green Team nominated WWF-Australia for the Cisco Matching Gifts program, and have established an ongoing collaboration to spotlight their important work in protecting wildlife and regenerating nature, including Earth Hour 2023 and 2024 (check out the Earth Hour 2024 | Postcards from around the world!).

In July 2023, we also successfully nominated them for a Cisco Foundation Regional Solution Grant (AUD$150,000) to help fund their Australian Native Vegetation Mapping System project; this is an important project because Australia is the only developed nation on the list of 24 global deforestation fronts.

And then, it was a major milestone for us to have them onsite at Cisco Live APJC in 2023 as the official Charity Partner of the event. WWF-Australia and Green Team engaged with the visitors at the Sustainability Zone (led by Sarah Simpson), where we helped adopt 100 koalas (AUD$18,000 donation value)!

All teams were thrilled with the success and look forward to more collaborations with WWF-Australia and other NGOs to help make a difference.

How did you further extend the giveback and community impact initiative at last year’s Cisco Live APJC?

The ANZ Green Team partnered with Cisco Community to activate our annual giveback initiative and bring it to life onsite. Instead of producing hundreds of event giveaways, we wanted something unique and more sustainable, so the budget was diverted to support a great cause through the ‘Community Helping Community’ campaign at the event. This was to raise awareness of climate change and promote collective effort to help improve the world together.

The team also directed foot traffic to the WWF-Australia booth to adopt their own koala. The symbolic action to ‘adopt’ these iconic yet threatened Australian species will help save them from extinction. You can learn more here: Adopt a koala.

What are some other ways Cisco employees are getting involved?

It’s important for employees to rethink their carbon footprint, whether it’s through work, at home, or when organizing an event (big or small).

Also don’t forget to leverage, find the opportunity, and get creative to drive bigger impact by collaborating with other teams. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who have supported me through this journey.

There is so much information out there both internally and externally about sustainability. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, but that’s okay because the Green Team Network can help you start or continue your sustainability journey. Whether that is looking to get involved in fundraising or attending internal education sessions we encourage employees to be curious, and their knowledge about sustainability will develop from there.

For Cisco employees, the Global Green Team Network Inclusive Community encourages everyone to join a local team and start getting involved. We would love to incorporate new ideas, suggestions, and activities to drive our environmental impact and efforts. If you’re a Cisco employee, please join us!

Lastly, you can also stay updated on Cisco’s sustainability goals and programs for customers and partners and don’t forget to stop by the Cisco Community kiosk and Sustainability Zones when you attend Cisco Live events like the one in Melbourne, Australia from November 11-14!

View original content here.

December 2, 2024 /3BL/ – Celebrating the spirit of giving, AEG employees served Thanksgiving meals to more than 1,000 individuals and families in Los Angeles, CA, Indio, CA and Denver, CO.

The team served Thanksgiving meals that included turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn bread, as well as a broad array of desserts. After serving guests, employees engaged with participants as they enjoyed their meals and took part in Thanksgiving themed crafts and games.

“Our goal is not just to provide a meal, but to help ease the challenges that so many families face, especially during the holidays,” said Anette Padilla, Director of Community Foundation and Social Impact, AEG. “By offering a space to connect, share a meal, and have fun, we hope to bring some comfort and joy to families this Thanksgiving.”

On November 22, AEG, in collaboration with its soccer franchise, the LA Galaxy hosted its 21st annual Thanksgiving Foundations’ Feast at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. LA Galaxy’s Head Coach Greg Vanney, General Manager Will Kuntz, President Tom Braun, Dignity Health Sports Park General Manager Katie Pandolfo, and four-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist Steve Lewis joined AEG staff and their families to serve Thanksgiving meals to over 250 families from the South Bay area. Additionally, Dignity Health Sports Park, the LA Galaxy Foundation, and PACSUN provided apparel for all children in attendance.

On November 26, AEG hosted its second annual Holly Jolly Thanksgiving Dinner at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA, where AEG employees served more than 200 families a Thanksgiving meal. Attendees also enjoyed a visit from Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus and received free passes to the Magic of Lights, a drive-through holiday lights experience, at the Empire Polo Club.

On November 28, AEG Presents hosted its Mission Cares Thanksgiving Day Feast at Mission Ballroom in Denver, CO, where AEG employees served over 100 Thanksgiving meals to those in need. The meals were prepared by Hot Like Sauce Catering. Attendees were invited from local nonprofits, including Advocates for Recovery Colorado, Conscious Alliance, Network Coffee, Urban Peak, Denver Voice, Teller Pantry, Saint Francis Center, Mile High Ministries, Family Promise of Greater Denver, Dry Bones Denver, The Phoenix, Project Angel Heart, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Mile High United Way and Servicios de La Raza

And, on November 28, AEG’s CEO Dan Beckerman and employee volunteers served 250 Thanksgiving meals, prepared by Wolfgang Puck Catering, to local Veterans and families at the 12th  annual Community Thanksgiving celebration at The Novo L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles, CA. The families were invited from local nonprofit organizations, including All Peoples Community Center, Angelica Center for Arts and Music, Betty Plasencia Elementary School, Boyle Heights Technology Youth Center (Proyecto), Hope Street Margolis Family Center, Kid City Hope Place, Little Tokyo Service Center, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), Tenth Street Elementary School, The Salvation Army Red Shield Youth & Community Center and U.S.VETS.

AEG’s Social Impact initiatives are dedicated to supporting children and families in need in the areas of K-12 education, the arts, and health and wellness. Over the past 10 years, AEG’s foundations and programs have contributed over $120 million in direct financial and in-kind support of charitable, community and civic programs. To learn more about AEG’s efforts, please click here.