Tag: 3BL

Andrew Martin, executive vice president, Cascale, recently participated in the Social & Labour Convergence Program (SLCP) inaugural General Assembly. The virtual event provided an opportunity for Martin to share insights on the strategic collaboration between Cascale and SLCP, while highlighting the importance of working together to reshape the consumer goods industry and pave the way for a sustainable future.

In addition to Martin, speakers at the General Assembly included Janet Mensink, chief executive officer, SLCP; Anant Nyshadham, chief strategy officer & co-founder, Good Business Lab; James Schaffer, chief strategy officer, Worldly; and Margot Sfier, supervisory board member, SLCP.

Martin kicked off the event by giving an overview of SLCP, which finalized its spin-off from Cascale in February 2024. He shared how the strategic collaboration between the two organizations is grounded in a shared vision of driving improved working conditions through converged tools, aligned performance measurement, actionable data analysis, and a reallocation of resources from duplicative social audits towards improvement programs in global supply chains.

Sharing how the collaborative work between the two organizations reflects a strong commitment to fostering decent work for all within the textiles, apparel, footwear, and wider consumer goods industry, Martin highlighted the SLCP’s Converged Assessment Framework (CAF), which is available in over 60 countries and serves as the backbone of the Higg FSLM. The Higg FSLM remains Cascale’s preferred tool to streamline assessment, reduce audit duplication, and obtain credible and actionable data.

Martin pointed to a key success in the collaboration between the two organizations; including the development of a joint public affairs vision statement to align efforts in policy and advocacy. He emphasized the essential role of governments and policymakers to drive improvements in global supply chains and shared how the collaborative effort has helped both organizations align their strategies for policy and advocacy, ensuring a unified approach to address the challenges related to decent work.

After highlighting how both organizations have established and strengthened joint advocacy efforts, drawing insights from members, signatories, and external stakeholders, Martin emphasized how the collaboration empowers SLCP signatories and Cascale members by providing critical insights into social and environmental global policy developments. He called out the latest “Navigating Legislation and the Higg Index series” webinar, co-hosted by SLCP and Worldly, as testament to the organizations’ commitment to equipping stakeholders with practical, policy-aligned tools.

Finally, Martin highlighted past initiatives to which Cascale has contributed, including the SLCP CSRD Guidance document and the SLCP Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) toolkit. He also shared how both organizations had leveraged their expertise to co-develop positioning on forced labor regulations, which was included in their joint feedback submitted to the European Commission. Martin concluded his presentation by reiterating Cascale’s commitment to collaborating with SLCP to create a more unified and efficient approach to social compliance assessments.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, November 27, 2024 /3BL/ – DP World, a global leader in logistics and supply chain solutions, has successfully received the MSC Marie, an Ultra-Large Container Vessel (ULCV), at the Port of Caucedo, the largest ship to ever dock in the Dominican Republic. The event underscores the Dominican Republic’s position as a leading logistics hub in the Americas.

Owned by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, the MSC Marie arrived from Panama on November 10, 2024. The vessel measures 366 meters in length and 51 meters in width, with a capacity of 17,644 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Its docking signifies a major advancement in trade flows for the Dominican Republic and the region at large.

Manuel Martínez, CEO of DP World in the Dominican Republic, said: “This milestone once again demonstrates the capabilities that DP World offers, in alignment with both the sector’s needs and the Dominican Republic’s projected growth in trade, from our ideal geographical location offering access to sea, air and land transport.”

The arrival of the MSC Marie was made possible by DP World’s $700 million expansion at the Port of Caucedo, which increased the terminal’s annual operational capacity from 1.4 million to 2.5 million TEUs. The expansion added 450 meters to the main dock. DP World now operates four docks with a depth of 17 meters, which allows the terminal to accommodate ULCVs such as the MSC Marie.

The expansion also included the acquisition of advanced terminal equipment, including four super-post-Panamax cranes and 10 rubber-tired gantries (RTGs), expanding the fleet to 32 RTGs and 10 gantry cranes.

The docking of the MSC Marie highlights DP World’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. As a result of the company’s multi-phase electrification initiative at the Port of Caucedo, the MSC Marie was serviced by fully electric equipment, including super-post-Panamax cranes and internal transfer vehicles (ITVs). DP World is targeting net-zero emissions across all its operations by 2050.

“We continue to prioritize sustainability in all our operations. The use of 100% electric equipment for the MSC Marie’s arrival reflects our ongoing efforts to minimize environmental impact and lead the way in sustainable logistics solutions,” Martínez said.

With connectivity to 51 ports globally, including eight weekly routes to 12 ports in Asia, the port plays a vital role in enabling trade for thousands of importers and exporters. DP World’s contributions to the Dominican Republic’s trade infrastructure were recognized in 2023 with the Port Industry Excellence Award, reflecting the company’s alignment with the government’s vision of establishing the Dominican Republic as the premier logistics hub in the Americas.

– END –

DP World Americas Media Contact: 
Melina Vissat, Head of Communications 
M: (+1) 704-605-6159 
E: melina.vissat@dpworld.com

About DP World 
Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, creating opportunities and improving the quality of life for people around the world. DP World exists to make the world’s trade flow better, changing what’s possible for the customers and communities we serve globally.

With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 113,000 employees from 160 nationalities, spanning 78 countries on six continents, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that’s fit for the future.

We’re rapidly transforming and integrating our businesses — Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting our global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades.

What’s more, we’re reshaping the future by investing in innovation. From intelligent delivery systems to automated warehouse stacking, we’re at the cutting edge of disruptive technology, pushing the sector towards better ways to trade, minimising disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.

WE MAKE TRADE FLOW 
TO CHANGE WHAT’S POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.

5 Facts About Dr. Chirag Patel

Title: Senior Director, AI Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Alma Mater: Ph.D., Electrical Engineering with a focus on wireless, Georgia Tech

Years at Qualcomm: 18

Role: Lead product management for generative AI.

Impact: With more than 750 patents granted globally, their contributions have helped position Qualcomm as a leader in generative AI and wireless technology, in turn influencing global technology trends.

Speed Round

Texting or calling? Texting

Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek

Early Bird or night owl? Early bird

Mountain climbing or skydiving? Skydiving

Favorite work snack? Almonds

The key to successful engineering is to find the simplicity in complexity: the one easy thing that unlocks the solution to a thorny challenge. This applies to careers as well, and if you look at the work of Qualcomm Technologies’ Dr. Chirag Patel, who holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, you see someone who understands not just technology, but the inflection points in it — where technology is going.

Like many engineers, Patel was introduced to the field by his parents. Patel’s father was an electrical engineer in India, and he inspired Patel to take apart broken appliances and gadgets to see how they worked… or didn’t work.

He discovered that, to him at least, the world of machines was simpler than he thought. More recently, when his 15-year-old car’s window stopped going up and down, Patel took the door apart to see if he could decode its inner workings. To his relief, he found a relatively simple mechanism (still, he has learned over the years to write down and photograph the steps to disassemble machines that he eventually wants to put back together). With memories of explorations from his childhood, he knows that many things require only persistence to repair, not professional help.

Inventing new technology, though, does require a deep dive. For example, as a student, Patel was drawn to the challenge of advancing the leading edge of wireless communication. In college, he learned about and worked on code-division multiple access (CDMA) technologies, which led to his first major career choice. Eventually, artificial intelligence (AI) proved to be an irresistible draw. And the connection from wireless to AI is more direct than you might think…

The OnQ Team (OnQ): Why did you join Qualcomm?

Chirag Patel (CP): My college project was on CDMA technology, where I wrote a very basic software simulator for CDMA transceiver system. Of course, Qualcomm was a leader in CDMA. I was an IEEE member and would read articles about Qualcomm’s innovations, which fascinated me. I wanted to be part of, and contribute to, the emerging mobile wireless revolution.

Qualcomm was obviously the best place to be for someone interested in wireless R&D. There was no other choice. So I started as an intern in 2005 and then transitioned to a full-time role as a wireless R&D engineer in 2006.

OnQ: Before Qualcomm, what was your academic background?

CP: I have a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech, specializing in wireless communication. My time at Georgia Tech allowed me to explore the depths of wireless technology, including mobile-to-mobile wireless communication, and it set me up for my future career.

Before moving to the United States for my higher studies, my early education was in India.

OnQ: How and why did you make the move from wireless to AI?

CP: For 12 or 13 years, I was working on 3G/4G/5G — engineering, standards, licensing and customer engagements. I liked it, but the AI bug bit me as part of a project we were doing for a customer. I found it fascinating. Around 2019, I joined Qualcomm AI Research, where I decided to go back to hardcore engineering and understand the technology as much as I can.

It was a very dynamic period. It was hard for anyone to know everything about it. But starting in 2019 I was completely in it.

As a wireless systems engineer, I have a background in statistics, probability and communication theory. A lot of those underlying foundations apply to AI, especially to the work on quantization and compression which is at the heart of our edge AI platform.

It’s very similar to what you do with signal processing in wireless. So that made the transition easier.

OnQ: What are you working on now?

CP: I am a Senior Director of AI Product Management. I lead the generative AI technology portfolio, which involves working with AI engineering teams for feature planning, with a focus on comprehensive system analysis and solutions, and translating these into AI products across different business units. Our mission is to make Qualcomm Technologies the leader in edge AI.

OnQ: Now that you’ve been in AI for a while, what is it about the field you find most interesting?

CP: The technology is mind boggling, right? You can see the impact everywhere. And it’s spreading — we have AI smartphones, AI PCs and generative AI is moving into Auto, IoT, all sorts of products.

What will make an impact in your day to day? That’s what we’re working on.

OnQ: What is it like being an inventor and innovator at Qualcomm?

CP: It’s working with the best people. When I started in wireless, it gave me the best exposure to the brightest minds in the field. The depth and caliber. I’ve been fortunate to work with all these great people.

At the same time, Qualcomm offers opportunities to jump around, try different things. Obviously, you have to have the caliber and smarts to actually make the transitions, but Qualcomm nurtures you and opens up doors.

OnQ: Where do you get your inspiration day to day?

CP: Qualcomm is in serious competition all the time. We’re here as the company with best engineering ethos to innovate, out-execute and deliver ahead of the competition.

Pressure cooker situations motivate me further. I actually enjoy running high-stakes demos, like when we showed off small-cell technology for Mark Zuckerberg, when he came to campus with all his bodyguards and we had sections cordoned off. I always want to deliver as best as possible.

OnQ: What work has made you the most proud?

CP: Lately, the AI work has made me proud, especially the work on the AI Model Efficiency Toolkit (AIMET) and several of the world’s first edge, on-device generative AI demos and generative AI commercial product launches.

It was a challenging transition, and I was able to understand, execute and deliver on new technology and make an impact for Qualcomm.

OnQ: Do you have any advice on how to be an effective collaborator at Qualcomm?

CP: Find someone you can talk to frankly — a good mentor. Maybe not an official mentor, but definitely someone who can give you a push if you’re stuck.

Also, be that mentor for other people. I tell people that come to talk to me, if something is bothering you, do something about it, don’t delay. Qualcomm values these interactions, and everyone tries to help each other. At the same time, don’t get too comfortable. It’s okay to jump projects or try new things every couple of years. That’s another blessing we offer.

OnQ: What advice would you have on how to encourage innovation and the creation of new ideas, at the largest scale?

CP: A lot of innovation in the U.S. now, especially AI, is private money. Back when I was in college, I was grateful that the U.S. government was funding the grants for the research I was doing. It was incredibly valuable.

Watch a demo of the world’s fastest Stable Diffusion running on a smartphone

To be competitive on a global scale, we need more government support and collaborations with the private sector. Things are heading in that direction, such as with the CHIPS Act, and I hope this continues with more investments in AI infrastructure.

At the same time, the private sector needs to focus on fundamental problems to maintain U.S. leadership. We need to get to that happy medium where both sectors drive the engines of innovation and growth.

OnQ: Finally, can you tell us where Generative AI is going next?

CP: The most immediate impact will be on smartphones and the compute side. And then, automotive, IoT, etc. For example, the in-car cockpit experience will be completely re-defined — natural, interactive and fun. You’ll talk to your car; it will be your digital chauffeur.

Generative AI will also make its way into home devices; an AI-centered product could emerge to combine all your home devices to become a home assistant, life logger and so on. There are endless possibilities. It’s going to be about personalized experiences with any and every device you have, secure and private. I think that’s a good thing, and this is where Qualcomm plays.

Also, when you think about AI, think broader: while ChatGPT takes mindshare in headlines, AI will make a more long-lasting impact in areas like medicine and drug discovery, energy, manufacturing and so on.

There’s lots more to come.

Editor’s Note: The above interview was transcribed and consolidated by AI, then written and edited manually by our editors for editorial clarity.

AI on the Edge: Explore more topics about the importance and possibilities of on-device generative AI

Sign up for our What’s Next in AI and Computing newsletter

Apply for an AI role at Qualcomm

Read about our next inventor: Diana Maamari

This year, 38 employees across seven offices read to over 700 students as part of Jumpstart’s 19th anniversary of Read for the Record. The annual campaign celebrates the power of reading and supports early literacy by attempting to have most people read the same book on the same day.

On October 24, Franklin Templeton volunteers read Piper Chen Sings, by Phillipa Soo, Maris Pasquale Doran and illustrated by Qin Leng. The story is about a young girl who loves to express herself through singing but is struck with self-doubt and nervousness when asked to perform a solo in front of an audience. Piper tells her Nai Nai that she felt “like butterflies were having a dance party” in her belly; she doesn’t feel she can sing in front of others without making a mistake. Thankfully, Nai Nai teaches Piper that feeling butterflies means “something exciting was ahead” and that recognizing and welcoming that anxious feeling would help it pass. Nai Nai’s advice empowers Piper, who finds her voice on stage.

As a sponsor of Jumpstart, Franklin Templeton donated over 1,100 copies of the book to students and classrooms. 

Thank you to Franklin Templeton employees who read Piper Chen Sings with Jumpstart. Your excitement and love for Read for the Record enables the organization to connect children and adults in shared reading experiences around the world year after year.

About Franklin Templeton

Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 countries. Franklin Templeton’s mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company offers specialization on a global scale, bringing extensive capabilities in fixed income, equity, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. With more than 1,500 investment professionals, and offices in major financial markets around the world, the California-based company has over 75 years of investment experience and over $1.6 trillion in assets under management as of September 30, 2024. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X and Facebook.

With the 2024 harvest in full swing across Australia’s grain growing regions, CNH brand, New Holland, is helping its customers to make the most of every grain.

New Holland’s Twin Rotor™ CR combines are renowned for delivering top grain quality with minimal losses, while the brand is committed to maximising uptime with strategically stocked ‘critical for function’ parts at locations around Australia for distribution to dealers as needed.

Product & Portfolio Manager – Crop Harvesting ANZ, Marc Smith, said from the design of the CR combine itself, through to the brand’s parts and service availability, everything is geared around getting more quality grain in the tank.

“If a farmer can’t get a crop off before weather, whether it’s rain or heat, every day the crop is sitting in the ground and not in storage it is potentially diminishing in quality,” said Marc.

Grain quality is further enhanced by award winning features including the Opti-Clean™ and Opti-Fan™ systems, while the award-winning IntelliSense™ combine automation system, Dynamic Flow Control™ remotely adjustable rotor vanes, concave reset, the deep cut Dynamic Feed Roll™ technology and the all-new patented Opti-Spread™ Plus super wide spreading residue management system, continue to ensure that the CR range is among the most advanced and productive harvesters in the world.

Teva is pleased to announce the launch of a new program that donates vital medicines to underserved communities in El Salvador.

Working in collaboration with Americares and FUSAL, this effort aims to expand patients’ access to a Healthy Future.

In El Salvador, many patients face significant barriers that prevent them from getting the treatments they need. Through this program, we are addressing critical health needs related to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory illnesses and pain and palliative care. Our goal is to bring hope and healing to those who need it most.

This program joins seven others providing treatments to underserved populations worldwide, and we are proud to have reached our goal of launching eight access to medicines programs by 2025 ahead of schedule.

Programs like this are a testament to our commitment to Health Equity. By working closely with our partners, we deliver customized, localized solutions that truly make a difference. We invite you to read more about how we are bringing essential treatments to patients who otherwise wouldn’t have them: https://ow.ly/RvWN50SR0gp

Elanco’s Global Day of Purpose (GDOP) is our annual capstone employee volunteerism event, which has evolved from a single day to become a popular year-round initiative including dozens of individual and group volunteer events around the world.

Our team has taken this year’s annual month of giving and volunteerism to new heights with more than 150 volunteer events scheduled. 150. And counting! Beginning with our annual Global Day of Purpose at the beginning of October, teams around the world have been participating in volunteer efforts to give back to their local community. Through river and park clean ups, volunteering at animal shelters, manning food banks, and, yes, even scuba diving for trash, our team is helping improve the lives of animals, people and the environment.

In October alone (our Global Month of Purpose), Elanco employees volunteered over 11,000 hours. Below are just a few ways Elanco team members are volunteering for Global Day of Purpose:

Poland 
For its GDOP, the Elanco Warsaw team built 10 beds for sloths, 10 swings for the aviary, 150 paper toys for parrots and 9 feeders for the aviary for the Warsaw Zoo.

Indiana (HQ)
For GDOP at HQ, 500 Elanco employees gather at the Indianapolis Zoo to pack 100,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger – its largest meal packing event in the state of Indiana.

Taiwan
Elanco Taiwan focused its efforts on clearing a significant are of invasive plants, contributing to a healthier ecosystem and supporting carbon sequestration. 

Japan
Elanco Japan cleaned up local parks and streets, collecting trash. Through the clean-up initiative, they demonstrated our commitment to healthier planet, also showing our passion to provide a clean and enjoyable walking experience for dogs and their owners.

Italy
Elanco Italy supported hundreds of families and children in need by preparing meal kits and assisting various charities as Rise Against Hunger, Banco Alimentare, Caritas and Mastri Biscottai. They also pampered our four-legged friends with love and care, donating snacks, wipes, and shampoo to several shelters.

NEWARK, N.J., November 26, 2024 /3BL/ Public Service Electric & Gas, New Jersey’s largest utility, is the recipient of the 2024 ReliabilityOne® Award for Outstanding Reliability Performance in the Mid-Atlantic Metropolitan Service Area. For the second consecutive year, PSE&G also received the 2024 ReliabilityOne® Outstanding Customer Engagement Award nationally. ReliabilityOne® Awards are given annually to the utilities that have achieved outstanding reliability performance and have excelled in delivering the most reliable electric service to their customers.

PA Consulting, a global innovation and transformation consultancy, is presenting the 2024 ReliabilityOne® Outstanding Customer Engagement Award to PSE&G for having the best overall customer approach and ongoing customer engagement strategy. PSE&G is using innovative methods of involving and proactively engaging customers as it relates to outage reporting and restoration communications. The combination of these two national awards reaffirms PSE&G as a leader in delivering best-in-class electric service reliability while also providing a positive customer experience.

“Our customers have evolving energy needs and expectations. PSE&G works hard to maintain our standing as one of our region’s most affordable utilities while also striving for exceptional reliability for our customers, now and into the future,” said John Latka, senior vice president PSE&G Electric Transmission and Distribution. “We thank our employees for their consistent dedication, which supports our reliability record and helps us deliver the outstanding, affordable service our customers rely on.”

PSE&G improves electric service reliability by strengthening and upgrading its infrastructure with new technology that bolsters resiliency and reliability. We are also implementing new ways to communicate with our customers during both blue-sky days and major weather events. This enables us to engage directly with our customers and convey accurate information in a more-timely manner, creating a more positive customer experience.

“Becoming our customers’ trusted energy provider is a top priority, so we are thrilled to receive this special customer award,” said Dave Johnson, vice president PSE&G Customer Care & Chief Customer Officer. “We are deeply committed to improving our customer experience. We use technology to create new ways to engage with our customers and provide real-time access to conduct business with us when and where they want.”

All utilities operating dense electric delivery networks in North America are eligible for consideration for the ReliabilityOne® Award. There are eight metropolitan service regional awards including Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Plains, Mountains, West, Southeast, and Southwest. The selection of provisional recipients is based primarily on system reliability statistics that measure the frequency and duration of customer outages.

After provisional recipients are selected, each company undergoes a certification process which provides an independent review and confirmation of the policies, processes and systems used to collect, analyze and report a company’s reliability results.

“These awards are a testament to the hard work our employees have contributed to strengthen our electric delivery infrastructure,” said Latka. “We have teams that have dedicated their entire careers to improving electric service reliability and responding to customers’ needs. This recognition, combined with our stellar reliability performance, is something our employees and their families should be extremely proud of. Their dedication and support have improved the quality of life for our electric customers.”

###

PSE&G 
Public Service Electric & Gas Co. is New Jersey’s oldest and largest gas and electric delivery public utility, as well as one of the nation’s largest utilities. PSE&G has won the ReliabilityOne® Award for superior electric system reliability in the Mid-Atlantic region for 23 consecutive years. For the third consecutive year, PSE&G is the recipient of the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award in the Energy Efficiency Program Delivery category. In addition, in 2023 J.D. Power named PSE&G number one in customer satisfaction with residential and business electric service in the east among large utilities. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 16 consecutive years (www.pseg.com).

About PA Consulting  
We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future. As strategies, technologies, and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity. Our diverse teams of experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results. We are over 4,000 strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers, and technologists. And we have deep expertise in consumer and manufacturing, defense and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport. Our teams operate globally from offices across the US, UK, Ireland, Nordics, and Netherlands. Discover more at paconsulting.com and connect with PA on LinkedIn and X. PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life. services, health and life sciences, and transport. Our teams operate globally from offices across the US, UK, Ireland, Nordics, and Netherlands. Discover more at paconsulting.com and connect with PA on LinkedIn and X. PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life.

PA Consulting’s ReliabilityOne® awards are presented to electric utilities providing their customers with the highest levels of reliability in the industry. PA Consulting’s ReliabilityOne® study is based on standard industry reliability statistics that measure the frequency and duration of electric power outages. As a group, ReliabilityOne® participants on average experienced over 50% fewer sustained outages, and their collective system saw 60% shorter outage durations than the average US investor owned utility. PA Consulting has been analyzing electric utility performance since 1987. For more information about PA Consulting, visit https://www.paconsulting.com/industries/energy-and-utilities

Originally published on PSEG NewsRoom

PARIS, November 26, 2024 /3BL/ – The Consumer Goods Forum’s (CGF) Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) has received a benchmarking application from MPS for its MPS-Socially Qualified (MPS-SQ) standard. This marks MPS’s first step towards earning SSCI Recognition for meeting industry expectations for third-party social compliance programmes under the SSCI’s Primary Production scope.

To date, the SSCI has recognised five schemes, and MPS-SQ joins six additional schemes currently in progress for recognition. Through this benchmarking process, SSCI continues its commitment to building trust in social and environmental sustainability standards by recognising programmes that uphold key criteria set by leading industry stakeholders.

The MPS-SQ certification standard, introduced in 2002 by MPS, is designed to ensure good working conditions in the agricultural sector. Covering the entire company, this standard applies to growers and sets requirements for employee working conditions, health, and safety. It is grounded in universal human rights, the codes of conduct of local representative organisations and the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) agreements.

For participants without employees, such as family-run operations, the standard ensures fair treatment of family members working in agricultural production. Importantly, the provisions of the MPS-SQ standard represent minimum requirements and do not override laws, judgements, or agreements offering better protections for workers.

By adhering to the MPS-SQ certification standard, growers commit to creating safer, healthier workplaces and fostering a positive image of the agricultural sector. Where stricter local, national, or international laws exist, the standard ensures compliance with the regulations that offer the highest level of worker protection. Through its implementation, the MPS-SQ certification aims to promote improvements in working conditions and uphold ethical labour practices across the industry.

Daan de Vries, CEO of MPS, said, “Applying for the SSCI benchmark with MPS-SQ isn’t just about achieving recognition; it’s about demonstrating our commitment to excellence, fostering trust with our stakeholders, and ensuring our services meet the highest standards of quality and innovation.”

The SSCI Benchmark is a comprehensive process that recognises which schemes cover key sustainability criteria and apply relevant verification practices. The process revolves around a first self-assessment undertaken by the scheme, followed by a review by an independent expert, office visits, and a public consultation. The methodology also includes opportunities for the applicant to take corrective actions if and when needed.

At the SSCI, we welcome this positive step from MPS and look forward to reviewing its alignment towards industry values on transparency, social responsibility, and sustainability. To monitor the process of its evaluation, and other schemes undergoing the benchmarking, visit www.recognition.tcgfssci.com.

Learn More and Apply

Third-party auditing and monitoring schemes and programmes are invited to apply for SSCI Recognition and demonstrate their commitment to industry-defined expectations for social responsibility. Learn more about the SSCI Benchmark and download the application kits at benchmark.tcgfssci.com.

For more information about the SSCI, please visit www.tcgfssci.com or contact the SSCI team at ssci@theconsumergoodsforum.com

– Ends –

About the Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative 

The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) builds trust in social and environmental sustainability standards worldwide by benchmarking third-party auditing and certification programmes and recognising schemes that meet industry expectations. By providing an open-source list of recognised programmes, the SSCI delivers clear guidance on which schemes cover key sustainability criteria and apply relevant verification practices. The SSCI improves transparency in the market, facilitates decision-making on schemes at both buyer and supplier level and sets the responsible sourcing expectations for the industry. For more information, visit www.tcgfssci.com.

About The Consumer Goods Forum

The Consumer Goods Forum (“CGF”) is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards that serves the consumer goods industry worldwide. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 3.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises more than 55 manufacturer and retailer CEOs. For more information, please visit: www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.

Contact

Didier Bergeret 
Director, Sustainability 
The Consumer Goods Forum 
Send email

Anne Holdsworth 
Communications, Sustainability 
The Consumer Goods Forum 
Send email

By Evelyn Mitchell | November 7, 2024

Regions Bank recognizes Veterans Day Nov. 11 and celebrates military veterans and their families all year long. Through a variety of recruitment, development and mentoring programs, Regions seeks to build the best team through hiring and developing military members, military veterans and military spouses.

I AM. WE ARE. – Celebrating Regions Associates 
Our collective history is part of who we are, and Regions is a stronger company today because of our associates.

Meet Siddharth 
Siddharth, a Business Intelligence Analyst, shares his I AM. story.

Meet Angela 
Angela, a Regions Business Capital Account Specialist, shares her I AM. story.

I AM a Veteran of the United States Air Force. It was an honor to serve our great country.

I AM an advocate for homeless veterans, the larger veteran community, and for anyone who may be in need.

I AM a stepmom, grandma and a great friend.

I AM a lover of music; I love to sing even though I really can’t.

I AM a giver. I give back by planning events like toy drives, school supply giveaways, and basically anything I can do to help my community.

I AM a licensed minister.

I love to travel. People who know me well, know that I am an avid cruiser. I try to take a cruise at least twice a year.

Every Veterans Day, I love to meet others who have served our country. The bond we share as a community is a special one, that I’m honored to be a part of. No matter what branch of service, no matter our experience or job, we are all brothers and sisters. Fly. Fight. Win.

Because of who I AM, we are more passionate, intentional, purposeful.

Military Friendly Employer 
Regions has been designated a Military Friendly® Employer by Military Friendly®, an organization that measures the commitment of companies to create professional opportunities that leverage military experience.

Learn more about Regions Military Recruiting.

BRAVE Military Program for Veterans and Military Spouses 
Regions is committed to supporting U.S. Military veterans and their families, both during their service and after they transition to civilian life. Our military transition program is called BRAVE – Building Regions Associate Veteran Experience. The objective of BRAVE is to support veterans and military spouses seeking career opportunities at Regions.

The BRAVE program includes:

Hiring, onboarding and training support.Learning and development tailored to transitioning veterans.Veteran-to-veteran and military spouse to military spouse mentoring and guidanceResources to help ease transition, including Employee Assistance Program (EAP), military leave and accommodations for disabled veteransCommunity involvement opportunitiesMilitary recruiting events

Through the BRAVE program, Regions matches the talents and experiences of transitioning military members to opportunities at Regions and provides support to overcome challenges that come with transitioning to a civilian job.

Military Banking Benefits and Services 
At Regions, we want to make banking easier for the members of the Armed Forces and their families. Financial benefits and resources including a dedicated Service Members and Veterans Affairs Manager are part of our commitment to customers.

In the Community 
Regions is proud to work with EANGUS, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. Regions provides a virtual monthly financial wellness seminar to EANGUS members.

Send a Veterans Day Ecard 
Say thank you to a military veteran with a Veterans Day ecard.