Tag: 3BL

Southern Company

ATLANTA, January 31, 2025 /3BL/ – Southern Company Gas and its philanthropic arm, the Southern Company Gas Foundation, awarded more than $11 million in financial gifts last year to over 600 nonprofit organizations in communities across the company’s service territory. 

Collectively these gifts positively impacted approximately 4.5 million people across Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia. Donations and grants were awarded to nonprofits that aligned with the foundation’s four strategic priorities: social justice, economic mobility, environmental stewardship and community enrichment.

“Investing in progress and opportunities to positively transform and grow communities is central to our company,” said James Y. (Jim) Kerr II, Southern Company Gas chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We are intentionally focused on initiatives that fuel possibilities and advance opportunity for the betterment of those we serve. That’s why our company and foundation have directed more than $50 million in giving to communities throughout our service areas since 2020.”

Southern Company Gas, its family of local distribution companies – Atlanta Gas Light, Chattanooga Gas, Nicor Gas and Virginia Natural Gas – its marketing business Georgia Natural Gas, its charitable foundation and its employees have collaborated with community partners to address local challenges through charitable giving and transformative volunteer experiences for more than 160 years and counting.

“We seek to be citizens where we live, work and serve. While meaningful financial contributions are key to supporting community efforts, our engagement stems beyond to include the time and talent of our people. We partner with organizations to provide holistic support to our communities, often driving programming, making connections to resources and volunteering to support projects and initiatives across our service footprint,” said Serena Levy, Southern Company Gas Foundation president and Southern Company Gas vice president of corporate impact.

Major gifts included donations that aided justice-impacted individuals successfully returning to society; supported workforce development programs training people to work in needed, skill-based jobs; grew reforestation of native species and conserved environmentally fragile areas; funded scholarships for secondary education and wrap-around programming for K-12 students; and supported health and human services for those most in need. 

The foundation, the company and its employees also pledged approximately $700,000 to United Way and its affiliated local chapters. These contributions will help combat food insecurity and provide access to critical resources such as health and wellness, education and housing initiatives.

The company’s employee resource groups also worked with Southern Company Gas Foundation leadership to direct $100,000 to nonprofit organizations aligned with their respective areas of focus in 2024. Furthermore, charitable giving in 2024 was complemented by more than 900 employees volunteering their time. From mid-November to mid-December alone, company volunteers spent time at more than 50 events supporting nonprofits to make the holiday season brighter for families in need.

For more information on community initiatives across the Southern Company Gas footprint, visit southerncompanygas.com/communityengagement.

About Southern Company Gas

Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company.  Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.4 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states and approximately 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas.  Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities.  For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

About the Southern Company Gas Foundation

The Southern Company Gas Foundation and its six subsidiaries in Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia are committed to supporting the communities where Southern Company Gas employees live, work and serve. Its mission is to advance social justice, enable economic mobility, care for the environment and provide community assistance. The foundation is a private, nonprofit organization funded by an endowment from Southern Company Gas.

SOURCE Southern Company Gas

For further information: Arsenio O. Ward, C: 404.694.6446, x2arward@southernco.com

Originally published in Radius Recycling’s 2024 Sustainability Report

In fiscal 2024, Radius facilities processed and recycled millions of metric tons of metals that originated from end-of-life vehicles, as well as appliances, construction and manufacturing materials, and industrial and commercial by-products.

Once at our recycling operations, we separate metals into ferrous and nonferrous categories, process those materials, and sell them to customers around the world. We sell ferrous metals to international and domestic steel mills, including the Company’s steel manufacturing operation, Cascade Steel Rolling Mills in McMinnville, Oregon.

Many nonferrous metals, such as aluminum and copper, undergo further processing using advanced metals recovery technology systems at our major recycling operations. 

These advanced metals recovery technology systems enable us to extract more nonferrous metals from our shredding activities. Employed across our major recycling operations, these technologies improve the efficiency of our processes to meet global metal content and quality requirements on a cost-effective basis and create production optionality by enabling us to create furnace-ready products based on demand and price.

Since fiscal 2019, we have invested $135 million in advanced metals recovery technologies, including magnetic, density separation, x-ray fluorescence, and sizing technologies which have allowed us to diversify our product offerings and competitively meet the needs of both domestic and international customers.

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Originally published by Forbes

While artificial intelligence has become increasingly present in contemporary business operations over the past two years, the term might still trigger images of dystopian films like I, Robot or Blade Runner. Hollywood’s larger-than-life portrayals of AI catastrophe, while cinematically compelling, obscure a more nuanced reality: the genuine risk lies not in AI itself, but in failing to harness its potential.

This parallel extends to climate change. Though we’re unlikely to witness the theatrical extremes of some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, dismissing climate risks would be equally misguided. While neither AI nor climate change has manifested in Hollywood’s extreme scenarios, climate reality is encroaching on cinema’s doorstep – as evidenced by the recent devastating wildfires that swept through Sunset Boulevard, leaving much of Hollywood and northern Los Angeles in ruins.

Continue reading here. 

AMSTERDAM and HONG KONG and OAKLAND, Calif., January 31, 2025 /3BL/ – As part of the ongoing evolution of its member engagement and governance model, Cascale has expanded its membership engagement team to include Alexandra Rieger, senior director, manufacturer membership, and Joleen Ong, senior director, brand & retailer membership. This new structure reflects Cascale’s commitment to enhancing member engagement through a more tailored and equitable approach to serving the needs of its diverse membership. Alexandra Rieger and Joleen Ong bring extensive expertise in sustainability, supply chain dynamics, and human rights, and their appointments strengthen Cascale’s capacity to deliver meaningful support to members and drive impactful outcomes across the value chain.

The shift demonstrates Cascale’s ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability, and inclusive decision-making for all members, further elevating supplier and manufacturer voices while maintaining robust support for brand and retailer, and affiliate members. By fostering equitable partnerships and balancing the diverse needs of all stakeholders, Cascale is better positioned than ever to lead the consumer goods industry toward collaboration, regulatory alignment, and sustainability goals.

Andrew Martin, executive vice president at Cascale, commented, “We’re so excited to welcome Alexandra and Joleen to the Cascale team as we strengthen our commitment to more tailored and equitable member engagement. Their leadership will bring fresh perspectives, deepen our collaboration with members, and help us address the complex challenges facing the industry. With their vast experience and depth of expertise, Cascale is better positioned to empower members and advance meaningful progress across sustainability, innovation, and equitable partnership.”

Alexandra Rieger will oversee all aspects of manufacturer member engagement and impact, ensuring manufacturers are empowered with tools, resources, and support to drive industry transformation. She has cultivated over 20 years in global sourcing and supply chain leadership roles across the industry, leading manufacturers and brands like Brandix, MAS, Triumph, Gildan, and Levi Strauss.

“Joining Cascale represents an incredible opportunity to work alongside a vast membership base to advance sustainability and innovation across the value chain,” said Alexandra Rieger, senior director, manufacturer membership at Cascale. “Each supply chain has the potential to create value and an urgent responsibility to address the challenges facing the planet and its people. I’m excited to engage with manufacturers to amplify their voices, empower their contributions, and collectively drive meaningful change—particularly in areas like decarbonization and responsible sourcing. Together, we can orchestrate solutions that balance complexity, innovation, and impact.”

Joleen Ong will lead all aspects of brand & retailer member engagement, helping members drive sustainability impact through the use of Cascale’s Higg Index tools and programs. She brings over 15 years of experience in sustainability and human rights within the apparel and footwear industries and has extensive expertise in operationalizing the Higg Index tools across brands. She previously served as the sustainability director at Fanatics, where she led the integration of sustainability practices and responsible purchasing initiatives across the enterprise, and led the sustainable manufacturing and licensing programs at Columbia Sportswear Company.

Joleen Ong, senior director, brand & retailer membership at Cascale shared, “I’m honored to join Cascale and work alongside such a dedicated team committed to driving collective action across the apparel and consumer goods industry. By equipping brands and retailers with the tools and resources needed to combat climate change and support decent work for all, we have an incredible opportunity to create meaningful change at scale. I’m eager to leverage my experience at two Cascale member brands to build robust, inclusive listening channels and partner effectively with our members on this crucial journey toward a more sustainable future.”

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people.

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In this special bonus episode of ESG Talk recorded live at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mandi McReynolds sits down with Jill Klindt, CFO of Workiva, to discuss the interplay between sustainability and financial performance. They explore how emerging tech like generative AI is revolutionizing regulatory compliance and business processes, the evolving roles of chief sustainability officers, and the importance of integrating non-financial data in achieving company goals. Tune in for insights on sustainable innovation, growth strategies, and the future of ESG reporting.

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Looking for more? Subscribe to the ESG Talk podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

ESG Talk is brought to you by Workiva, the world’s only unified platform for financial reporting, ESG, audit, and risk. Learn more at workiva.com.

Originally published on PSEG NewsRoom

NEWARK, N.J., January 31, 2025 /3BL/ – Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the 17th consecutive year. PSEG has also been named to Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies 2025 list as the top utility in the Energy & Utilities industry. These recognitions demonstrate PSEG’s ongoing efforts to support our employees, the communities we serve and the many people who rely on our services to power their lives while ensuring sustainability and environmental management remain a focus of our business strategy.

The DJSI recognizes companies that operate according to sustainable and ethical practices, particularly in areas related to environmental stewardship, operations and oversight as well as workforce and community support. The DJSI 2024 announcement is available online here.

Presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., America’s Most Responsible Companies were selected based on an independent survey in which over 40,000 evaluations were collected, with awarded companies averaging more than 100 evaluations each. The full list of America’s Most Responsible companies is available here.

Vision

PSEG’s Powering Progress vision is for a future where people use less energy and it’s cleaner safer and delivered more reliably than ever. We work toward this vision every day with:

Energy efficiency programs to reduce customer energy usage, curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and save customers moneyElectric-vehicle programs address the largest source of GHG emissions in New Jersey – transportationContinued investment in PSEG’s carbon-free nuclear fleet, the largest source of carbon-free energy in New JerseyInvestments in modernizing our natural gas infrastructure to reduce methane leaks and prepare our infrastructure for the fuels of the futureContinued investments in infrastructure to prepare for extreme weather and help reduce the number of and duration of outages

Sustainability

As we plan for the future, PSEG continues to focus on sustainability, including biodiversity, waste management and reduction, as well as minimizing environmental impact with programs such as:

Biodiversity efforts aimed at conducting our operations while protecting the flora and fauna in our service territory. For example, the Estuary Enhancement Program at PSEG Nuclear has restored thousands of acres of marshland in South JerseyStrategic planning around our rights-of-way to preserve the complex ecosystems our infrastructure often runs throughWaste management goals and objectives that focus on waste minimization, investment recovery, reuse, donation of useable items, and recycling. In 2023, PSE&G recycled approximately 595,000 tons of wasteEnergy efficiency programs that have helped nearly 400,000 customers take action to reduce their energy usage and lower their annual electric and gas bills, resulting in the avoidance of over 1.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually

Support for the community

PSEG’s work to support the communities we serve includes:

Delivering award-winning customer service and satisfaction while maintaining affordable serviceSpending with diverse vendors and suppliers that has increased 97% in the last 5 years, and is now about $1.1 billion annuallySpending in our home state of New Jersey of about $2.6 billion in 2023The Clean Energy Jobs Program which has so far hired over 2,600 individuals from low-to-moderate income communities for jobs in the clean energy sectorDonating over $12 million to local charitable causes in 2023 through the combined efforts of the PSEG Foundation and our Corporate Social Responsibility team

Workforce of the future

PSEG also continues to support our approximately 12,500-person workforce. This work includes:

The Neurodiversity Works program to provide access to employment for neurodivergent individuals and create a work environment to help them succeedOngoing commitment to support career development, reskilling and building connections that attract, develop and retain a diverse workforce

Additionally, PSEG believes that reporting, transparency and strong corporate governance practices serve the long-term interests of all stakeholders and enhance the public trust PSEG has earned during our over 120-year history.

For more information on PSEG’s approach to sustainability and environmental management, visit our website. For more information on PSEG’s sustainability metrics and disclosures, visit the sustainability disclosures page on our investor relations website.

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About PSEG 
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG) is a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future. Guided by its Powering Progress vision, PSEG aims to power a future where people use less energy, and it’s cleaner, safer and delivered more reliably than ever. With a continued focus on sustainability, PSEG has appeared on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for 17 consecutive years. PSEG is included on the 2023-2024 list of U.S. News’ Best Companies to Work For. PSEG’s businesses include Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island (https://corporate.pseg.com).

Contact:

Media Relations:
973-430-7734 

SLB has been recognized for its sustainability leadership in the 2025 SEAL Business Sustainability Awards, which spotlight leadership, innovation and commitment to sustainable business practices.

This year, SLB has been honored in two categories: Sustainable Service and Environmental Initiative.

SEAL Sustainable Service Award

This award recognizes SLB’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of lithium production. SLB’s breakthrough in sustainable lithium production combines the company’s subsurface expertise with surface engineering of advanced technologies, including direct lithium extraction. This method produces lithium 500 times faster than conventional methods while using only 10 percent of the land and significantly less water. Operating at approximately one-tenth the size of a commercial-scale facility, the plant reached a verified recovery rate[1] of 96% lithium from brine.

SEAL Environmental Initiative Award

This award recognizes the significant progress SLB has achieved through its ‘Record, Reduce, Replace’ strategy, launched in 2020, which has led to a remarkable 60% reduction[2] in absolute facility emissions within just three years. By tracking emissions data, optimizing facility operations, and transitioning to lower-emission energy sources, this strategy is transforming SLB’s facilities into more sustainable workspaces.

This is the third year that SLB initiatives have been honored by SEAL. SLB received the Environmental Initiative Award in 2022 for its role in quantifiably reducing greenhouse gas emissions in oil and gas operations through low-carbon technologies. In 2023, SLB was awarded the Sustainable Service Award for its Celsius Energy system, which enables large facilities to reduce their carbon footprint by switching from traditional heating and cooling methods to a geoenergy solution.

“Climate action is central to our sustainability strategy, reflecting who we are as a global technology company driving energy innovation for a balanced planet. We are proud that our sustainability leadership has been recognized by SEAL for a third time, both for our internal journey and our momentum in applying our technical strengths in our New Energy business,” notes Vice President of Sustainability, Mikki Corcoran.

Learn more about SLB sustainability initiatives here. 
 

[1] Recovery rate independently verified by WETLAB-Western Environmental Testing Laboratory of Nevada.
[2] 60% reduction in absolute facility emissions measured year end 2023 compared to the 2019 baseline.

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If you’re in an area of the country that’s experienced an extra cold winter, you’re probably counting down the days until spring. For many kids, the countdown is on for getting back outside to play spring sports. There’s nothing like that first practice back on the field with your friends knowing the summer is on its way.

Our Scotts brand has partnered with Every Kid Sports to help more kids enjoy that spring sports feeling and get access to play sports on natural grass. And the clock is ticking down to the launch of the Every Kid Sports 2025 Spring Pass. The Spring Pass will open on February 4th at 10 AM, Pacific time! With the support of partners and donors, the Spring Pass provides income-restricted kids access to sports for the spring season.

In 2024, more than 16,000 kids accessed sports with help from Every Kid Sports. Our associates are hoping to help even more kids play in 2025 and our recent Giving Tuesday campaign raised more than $86,000 for the organization. If you’d like to help kids from income-restricted families access sports, donate here. Check out the included Impact Report.

Thank you, Every Kid Sports, for helping kids play sports and get outside on natural grass fields. Spring and spring sports season can’t come soon enough.

Let’s GroMoreGood, together.

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With approximately $3.6 billion in sales, the Company is the world’s largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company’s brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting, and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com. 

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In the bustling corridors of health care, May heralds more than just blooming flowers and warmer weather: May also marks a poignant celebration of nurses and the role they play in caring for people. Among them, those in kidney care serve as pillars of what’s celebrated, from their compassion to their expertise, to their unwavering dedication to clinical excellence.

Throughout their careers, nephrology nurses manage a broad variety of skilled care: renal treatment therapies, education on modality choices and kidney health management, and support aimed at helping people maintain transplant eligibility. And because dialysis patients typically need multiple treatments each week, their nephrology nurses and care teams can play a significant role in their overall happiness and well-being.

“People who need dialysis often see their nurses three times a week,” Tina Livaudais, chief nursing officer at DaVita, says. “It creates a special connection, and our nurses and care teams are dedicated to building strong relationships with our patients to help them better understand their kidney needs, talk to their doctors about treatment options and better manage their lifestyles.”

With more than 50 years of nursing experience, there hasn’t been much that Jan Leadbetter, hasn’t seen. Nearly two decades ago, she was a part of opening a DaVita dialysis center in Centralia, WA, and in that time, Jan has gone out of her way to get to know the patients she and her team serve.

“We laugh a lot,” Jan said. “We get to know the patients and joke with them. I love that we have fun. I have a Santa hat with lights on it, and I like to pick out hats for the patients that suit their personality. We celebrate birthdays.”

But it’s not Jan’s big laugh and warm sense of humor that earned her the nickname, “The Warden.” She got that for her no-nonsense approach to patient care, and she leans into the close relationships she and her team have with patients to ensure they’re getting the care they need.

“We have to do what we can to help keep patients accountable for their own health,” Jan said. “If patients miss treatments, I’ll write them letters personally. Tell ’em the facts of life.”

Whether it’s in letters, conversations or other education, Jan makes sure that she’s meeting patients where they are. She’s committed to helping them understand exactly how important their choices — whether it’s not missing treatments or staying on top of their kidney-friendly diet — are in taking care of themselves.

For Jan, her career has been marked by appreciating teams and organizations that live their values — such as integrity — to make patient care the top priority.

“It’s important that we foster a culture that empowers our teammates,” Livaudais says. “Our values, how we think about care, the ways in which we connect with each other — we want to make sure this is an environment where we can thrive together, especially as we think about how that ripples out to creating a positive patient experience.”

For Helen Hargrove, working in nephrology nursing has given her the opportunity to explore different aspects of kidney care. With more than 30 years of nephrology nursing experience, Helen joined DaVita to get involved with home dialysis care. “I realized I had to be a part of it,” Helen says of working in a peritoneal dialysis (PD) program.

A needle-free dialysis treatment option that best replicates natural kidney function, PD offers more flexibility by allowing patients to dialyze from the comfort of their own home. For Helen, that aligns with her belief in patient-centered care.

Helen now works in DaVita Integrated Kidney Care (IKC), which focuses on coordinated care for patients to address holistic care needs, not just kidney health.

When it comes to patient health, Helen and her team are cheerleaders and collaborators. When asked about a favorite part of her role, Helen cites the teamwork she sees between nurses on behalf of patients.

“I love seeing the connections between our nurses in IKC as they teach [others] what we do and how we can help, which in turn teaches the patients.”

But most meaningful to Helen is the close relationships she develops with patients and their families.

“[Recently], I got a call from a patient’s mother telling me she got a transplant. A lot of my patients do that. They’ll call to tell me. Sometimes they’ll call from the admitting room to tell me they’re about to get the transplant! I love it. Improving their lives improves my life.”

To hear more about Jan and Helen’s stories shared in their own words, visit DaVita.com/Together.

Recognizing Outstanding Nursing

Last September, DaVita introduced The Nightingale Award, a new, experiential award to recognize nurses from across the country and from different areas of patient care throughout the organization. Jan and Helen were among the 12 award recipients who were celebrated for their strong contributions and leadership.

This award was intentionally built to encourage our nurses to focus on their own health by refilling their cup with an experiential award. Winners will be able to choose from select experience packages like a self-care weekend getaway or they can create their own experience.

“Our nurses go above and beyond every day to deliver high-quality care to our patients,” Livaudais says. “We are thrilled to continuously celebrate our teammates (DaVita employees), who serve as role models to their teams to deliver strong clinical results and live our commitment to patient experience.”

In this latest blog Cascale’s Senior Director, Communications & Marketing, Lee Green explores the complex relationship between affordable fashion and sustainability, highlighting the need for greater transparency, industry innovation, and collective action to make sustainable choices both accessible and appealing to shoppers. Green examines how fashion marketers can steer shoppers towards sustainability over affordability, shedding light on the hidden costs that go far beyond the price tag.

Read the full blog, titled: The Hidden Cost of Fast Fashion: Bridging the Gap Between Consumer Values and Behavior