Tag: 3BL

On March 11, 2026, CVS Health proudly celebrated the Grand Opening of Gussie Belle Commons in Salem, Oregon, alongside our valued colleagues, local leaders, community organizations, development partners, and residents. The event marked the opening of a new community featuring 120 intentionally designed affordable housing units for families earning up to 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Co-developers Home First and Green Light Development have created a beautiful and welcoming community for families, offering energy-efficient apartments and a wide range of amenities. These include a clubhouse with a kitchen, a playground, courtyards, on-site parking with EV charging, bike storage, and on-site management and supportive services. Resident services, provided by Seed of Faith Ministries and the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, are designed to support long-term housing stability by connecting residents to employment opportunities, benefits, and resources that promote overall well-being.

It was truly inspiring to celebrate this achievement with everyone who helped bring this vision to life, including CREA, Home First, Green Light Development, Seed of Faith Ministries, the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, First Commercial Real Estate, the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department, and our dedicated colleagues from CVS Health and Aetna.

Additionally, in the days leading up to the Grand Opening, volunteers creatively wrapped useful household items and distributed them to the residents of Gussie Belle Commons in beautiful welcome home baskets. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating this milestone. We deeply appreciate these moments and are grateful to all who contributed to making the Grand Opening possible. This achievement reflects the unwavering commitment and collaboration of our colleagues across CVS Health and Aetna.

CINCINNATI, April 9, 2026 /3BL/ – For the fifth consecutive year, Fifth Third (Nasdaq: FITB) is honored to have earned the 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award. Fifth Third also received Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Awards in the following categories: Appreciation, Employee Well-Being, Innovation, Leadership, Professional Development, Purpose & Values and Work-Life Flexibility. The Culture Excellence Awards showcase where an organization’s people-first culture excels to boost brand reputation and attract talent that aligns with organizational values.

“Being recognized as a Top Workplace is especially meaningful because it’s rooted in feedback from our employees,” said Nancy Pinckney, chief human resources officer at Fifth Third. “Earning this recognition for the fifth year reflects the dedication our employees show to each other, our customers and the communities we serve. Their commitment is the foundation of our strong culture and what makes Fifth Third a great place to work.”

Top Workplaces USA honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate. Winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement.

“Earning a USA TODAY Top Workplaces award is a testament to an organization’s credibility and commitment to a people-first culture,” said Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. “This award, driven by real employee feedback, is more than just a recognition — it’s proof that your employees believe in the organization and its leadership. Job seekers and customers look for this trusted badge of credibility and excellence. It signals a company that values its people, and that kind of culture resonates in today’s competitive market.”

###

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies^® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ^® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Deposit and credit products provided by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

ABOUT Energage

Making the world a better place to work together.^TM

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 20 years of culture research and the results from 30 million employees surveyed across more than 80,000 organizations,  Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

CONTACT

Jordan DuShane (Media Relations)
jordan.dushane@53.com

Matt Curoe (Investor Relations)
matt.curoe@53.com | 513-534-2345

CINCINNATI, April 9, 2026 /3BL/ – For the fifth consecutive year, Fifth Third (Nasdaq: FITB) is honored to have earned the 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award. Fifth Third also received Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Awards in the following categories: Appreciation, Employee Well-Being, Innovation, Leadership, Professional Development, Purpose & Values and Work-Life Flexibility. The Culture Excellence Awards showcase where an organization’s people-first culture excels to boost brand reputation and attract talent that aligns with organizational values.

“Being recognized as a Top Workplace is especially meaningful because it’s rooted in feedback from our employees,” said Nancy Pinckney, chief human resources officer at Fifth Third. “Earning this recognition for the fifth year reflects the dedication our employees show to each other, our customers and the communities we serve. Their commitment is the foundation of our strong culture and what makes Fifth Third a great place to work.”

Top Workplaces USA honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate. Winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement.

“Earning a USA TODAY Top Workplaces award is a testament to an organization’s credibility and commitment to a people-first culture,” said Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. “This award, driven by real employee feedback, is more than just a recognition — it’s proof that your employees believe in the organization and its leadership. Job seekers and customers look for this trusted badge of credibility and excellence. It signals a company that values its people, and that kind of culture resonates in today’s competitive market.”

###

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies^® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ^® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Deposit and credit products provided by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

ABOUT Energage

Making the world a better place to work together.^TM

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 20 years of culture research and the results from 30 million employees surveyed across more than 80,000 organizations,  Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

CONTACT

Jordan DuShane (Media Relations)
jordan.dushane@53.com

Matt Curoe (Investor Relations)
matt.curoe@53.com | 513-534-2345

Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

Today, Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are redefining what it means to lead in tech by moving beyond systems and infrastructure to advance enterprise strategy, culture, and growth. CIOs are not just technology stewards, but business leaders who translate innovation into value, aligning data, AI, cybersecurity, and platforms with clear outcomes that matter to employees and customers.

Fresh off a feature in CIO Dive and named a 2026 Dallas CIO Orbie Award finalist, James Whatley and his team, are leading a digital and tech transformation that’s reshaping how Mary Kay operates and empowering Beauty Consultants to run their businesses online and in person, anytime, anywhere. We met with James at Mary Kay’s global headquarters in Addison, Texas, to talk CIO leadership: what it takes to drive change at scale and what’s next for Mary Kay entrepreneurs worldwide.

Q. James, tell us a bit about you and your role. Why do you love your job?

• I have been with Mary Kay for 27 years during which I have had the honor to play an instrumental role in developing Information Technology (IT) systems that ensure our Independent Beauty Consultants (IBC) can run their businesses anytime, anywhere.
• My role is to align technology, data, processes, and skills to the company’s strategic ambitions, ensuring every platform and investment reinforces how the business operates and grows. I see the Mary Kay enterprise as an interconnected system, designed to perform, scale, and adapt. Together with my team we connect the front office to the back office, innovation to execution, and speed to stability.
• I am passionate first and foremost about finding solutions for our Mary Kay Beauty Consultants. At the same time, I want to help create a workplace environment that fosters teamwork, trust, and strong partnerships among the company’s global partners where we operate.

Q. Can you share about the major digital and cloud transformation at Mary Kay?

• Over the past years, I have had the opportunity to lead or co-lead many of our largest transformations, and our transition to a “cloud-first” model is one of them.
• For a global direct sales beauty leader like Mary Kay, accelerating digital transformation is business‑critical because in a digitally driven marketplace, the competitive edge of our business model depends on speed, relevance, and scale.
• We have also gone through an Organizational Transformation, forming a “Global IT Organization,” creating great efficiencies and cost savings while balancing global core systems, market nuances, and local regulations.
• Our founder, Mary Kay Ash, once said: “Standing still is the same thing as moving backward.” This is my favorite quote from her, and it is a philosophy I take with me to work every day.

Q. Can you describe the key steps of this “global rewiring” of Mary Kay?

• We have made a structural shift with a complete tech stack* replacement, moving us away from a 100% custom development shop in record time. This is unprecedented for a global company of our size.
• Our cloud-first strategy was just as much a mindset shift as it was a tech stack change. This change was not only significant for our Independent Beauty Consultants but also for our global IT organization. During this project, we evolved how IT and other groups run cross-functional projects making more informed and faster decisions.
• We closed five data centers worldwide, moving over 95% of custom applications to powerful, integrated SaaS platforms** or hosted in a Cloud environment, managing the scale of our peak commerce volumes each month. This included our business-critical applications from eCommerce to supply chain. In other words, all our systems which manage our complex business model as well as our global Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solutions.***
• Our digital transformation involved modernizing all the applications our Independent Beauty Consultants use to manage and run their own businesses in more than twenty-five countries. This includes our new Consumer to IBC Commerce solution, creating online commerce shops for our Beauty Consultants. We launched in Germany and in the United States in 2025 and we are rolling the new system out globally in 2026.
• These investments in modern platforms, analytics, and digital enablement allow us to focus more on the last mile to unlock new growth opportunities, strengthen user engagement, and futureproof the Mary Kay business against disruption, staying ahead of the curve rather than reacting to it.

Q. Is Leveraging AI and eCommerce functionalities truly compatible with the Mary Kay business model based on relationships?

• 100% compatible! I like this question because it emphasizes how crucial it is to align IT with business goals and advance our business model while staying true to our mission of enriching women’s lives. Our obsession is “How do we continue to deliver a world-class opportunity to our Independent Beauty Consultants around the world?”
• Consumer expectations shift toward seamless, on-demand, and transparent buying journeys, and our goal has been to create a seamless online experience for our IBCs to become truly omnichannel and enable commerce at every touchpoint.
• With mobile commerce accounting for over 62% of beauty sales^[1] in key markets, integrating AI into digital strategies is no longer optional, it is essential for growth.^[2]
• To us, digital business success blends the irreplaceable customer service Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants are known for with technology. I always think about this quote from Steve Jobs: “You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology.”
• We leverage digital transformation to enhance and expand the way she runs her business using the right tools from e-commerce, smart reporting, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and many other applications. Digital tools enable her to engage customers where they already are, across social, mobile, and e‑commerce channels, while using data, AI, and automation to personalize experiences, optimize inventory, and improve productivity.

Q. What’s Mary Kay’s approach to Artificial Intelligence and how do you leverage it?

• It is all about the right use case. We are gradually integrating AI based on a proven return on investment (ROI) approach. We have reviewed repeatable manual tasks and assessed opportunities to leverage AI spanning from IT, Marketing and Creative, to R&D, Manufacturing and Supply Chain.
• We integrated AI governance from the beginning because we knew it would make our use of generative AI better. We created a Mary Kay AI Committee which is responsible for implementing the vision and strategy for AI within the organization. The AI Committee oversees all new implementations of AI into our global environment to ensure compliance with our internal risk tolerance, legal requirements, moral implications, security concerns, and proving the ROI of the implemented tools. The committee helped us prioritize, and better and faster integrate the use of our approved AI tools.
• Education about the risk and power of AI is key. Our AI Committee and AI Champions are leading in-depth training of our teams to understand the capabilities of the available AI platforms and models, promote the use of AI, and help generate new ideas as well as a culture of innovation within our user base.
• In addition to enterprise AI-driven solutions, we are also integrating our digital tools like the Mary Kay® Skin Analyzer App, Mirror Me™, our real-time makeover app using augmented reality (supporting Virtual Try On) and our latest tool – the AI Foundation Finder. A first in the direct selling industry, this AI Foundation Finder uses advanced artificial intelligence to scan a customer’s face on their mobile phone and provide personalized foundation shade recommendations in just seconds allowing the precise detection of 151 facial feature points.
• Our blended technology portfolio of generative and agentic AI is helping to build the digital toolset we want to provide for our Beauty Consultants, customers, and our staff.

Q. CIOs today are not only tech experts – they are also culture shapers. What is your own experience with culture?

• Our digital acceleration was powered by a “One Team Mindset,” building cross functional partnerships to serve our Mary Kay markets and beauty consultants around the world.
• I have learned that a key factor in success is culture: it is essential to treat internal teams, market partners, vendors, and customers as key stakeholders in the transformation process, not just end-users. Change is a journey; culture helps shift from uncertainty into excitement and disruption into possibility.
• AI can process data at lightning speed, but culture determines whether people trust it, use it, and let it optimize the way they work. I look at it as a multiplier. Reinforcing our strong purpose-driven culture, encouraging experimentation, and modeling openness to change, helps us move faster, and ensure that digital progress translates into sustainable business and human outcomes. Technology alone does not drive change, people do.

Tech Glossary:

• *Tech Stack or technology stack refers to the comprehensive collection of technologies, tools, and frameworks utilized to develop and operate a software application. This includes components such as frontend and backend systems, databases, and supporting infrastructure.
• **A SaaS platform solution is a cloud-based software model that allows users to access applications remotely via the internet.
• ***Global ERP Solutions are specialized resource planning systems designed to manage multinational operations across multiple countries, regions, currencies, and languages, business processes such as finance, HR, sales, and inventory management into a single platform, enabling seamless data flow and real-time analytics.

***

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

# # #

---

^[1] What is Mobile Commerce? Benefits & Trends | Blog Miquido

^[2] Generative AI in Beauty Industry: Use Cases | Blog Miquido

Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

Today, Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are redefining what it means to lead in tech by moving beyond systems and infrastructure to advance enterprise strategy, culture, and growth. CIOs are not just technology stewards, but business leaders who translate innovation into value, aligning data, AI, cybersecurity, and platforms with clear outcomes that matter to employees and customers.

Fresh off a feature in CIO Dive and named a 2026 Dallas CIO Orbie Award finalist, James Whatley and his team, are leading a digital and tech transformation that’s reshaping how Mary Kay operates and empowering Beauty Consultants to run their businesses online and in person, anytime, anywhere. We met with James at Mary Kay’s global headquarters in Addison, Texas, to talk CIO leadership: what it takes to drive change at scale and what’s next for Mary Kay entrepreneurs worldwide.

Q. James, tell us a bit about you and your role. Why do you love your job?

• I have been with Mary Kay for 27 years during which I have had the honor to play an instrumental role in developing Information Technology (IT) systems that ensure our Independent Beauty Consultants (IBC) can run their businesses anytime, anywhere.
• My role is to align technology, data, processes, and skills to the company’s strategic ambitions, ensuring every platform and investment reinforces how the business operates and grows. I see the Mary Kay enterprise as an interconnected system, designed to perform, scale, and adapt. Together with my team we connect the front office to the back office, innovation to execution, and speed to stability.
• I am passionate first and foremost about finding solutions for our Mary Kay Beauty Consultants. At the same time, I want to help create a workplace environment that fosters teamwork, trust, and strong partnerships among the company’s global partners where we operate.

Q. Can you share about the major digital and cloud transformation at Mary Kay?

• Over the past years, I have had the opportunity to lead or co-lead many of our largest transformations, and our transition to a “cloud-first” model is one of them.
• For a global direct sales beauty leader like Mary Kay, accelerating digital transformation is business‑critical because in a digitally driven marketplace, the competitive edge of our business model depends on speed, relevance, and scale.
• We have also gone through an Organizational Transformation, forming a “Global IT Organization,” creating great efficiencies and cost savings while balancing global core systems, market nuances, and local regulations.
• Our founder, Mary Kay Ash, once said: “Standing still is the same thing as moving backward.” This is my favorite quote from her, and it is a philosophy I take with me to work every day.

Q. Can you describe the key steps of this “global rewiring” of Mary Kay?

• We have made a structural shift with a complete tech stack* replacement, moving us away from a 100% custom development shop in record time. This is unprecedented for a global company of our size.
• Our cloud-first strategy was just as much a mindset shift as it was a tech stack change. This change was not only significant for our Independent Beauty Consultants but also for our global IT organization. During this project, we evolved how IT and other groups run cross-functional projects making more informed and faster decisions.
• We closed five data centers worldwide, moving over 95% of custom applications to powerful, integrated SaaS platforms** or hosted in a Cloud environment, managing the scale of our peak commerce volumes each month. This included our business-critical applications from eCommerce to supply chain. In other words, all our systems which manage our complex business model as well as our global Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solutions.***
• Our digital transformation involved modernizing all the applications our Independent Beauty Consultants use to manage and run their own businesses in more than twenty-five countries. This includes our new Consumer to IBC Commerce solution, creating online commerce shops for our Beauty Consultants. We launched in Germany and in the United States in 2025 and we are rolling the new system out globally in 2026.
• These investments in modern platforms, analytics, and digital enablement allow us to focus more on the last mile to unlock new growth opportunities, strengthen user engagement, and futureproof the Mary Kay business against disruption, staying ahead of the curve rather than reacting to it.

Q. Is Leveraging AI and eCommerce functionalities truly compatible with the Mary Kay business model based on relationships?

• 100% compatible! I like this question because it emphasizes how crucial it is to align IT with business goals and advance our business model while staying true to our mission of enriching women’s lives. Our obsession is “How do we continue to deliver a world-class opportunity to our Independent Beauty Consultants around the world?”
• Consumer expectations shift toward seamless, on-demand, and transparent buying journeys, and our goal has been to create a seamless online experience for our IBCs to become truly omnichannel and enable commerce at every touchpoint.
• With mobile commerce accounting for over 62% of beauty sales^[1] in key markets, integrating AI into digital strategies is no longer optional, it is essential for growth.^[2]
• To us, digital business success blends the irreplaceable customer service Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants are known for with technology. I always think about this quote from Steve Jobs: “You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology.”
• We leverage digital transformation to enhance and expand the way she runs her business using the right tools from e-commerce, smart reporting, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and many other applications. Digital tools enable her to engage customers where they already are, across social, mobile, and e‑commerce channels, while using data, AI, and automation to personalize experiences, optimize inventory, and improve productivity.

Q. What’s Mary Kay’s approach to Artificial Intelligence and how do you leverage it?

• It is all about the right use case. We are gradually integrating AI based on a proven return on investment (ROI) approach. We have reviewed repeatable manual tasks and assessed opportunities to leverage AI spanning from IT, Marketing and Creative, to R&D, Manufacturing and Supply Chain.
• We integrated AI governance from the beginning because we knew it would make our use of generative AI better. We created a Mary Kay AI Committee which is responsible for implementing the vision and strategy for AI within the organization. The AI Committee oversees all new implementations of AI into our global environment to ensure compliance with our internal risk tolerance, legal requirements, moral implications, security concerns, and proving the ROI of the implemented tools. The committee helped us prioritize, and better and faster integrate the use of our approved AI tools.
• Education about the risk and power of AI is key. Our AI Committee and AI Champions are leading in-depth training of our teams to understand the capabilities of the available AI platforms and models, promote the use of AI, and help generate new ideas as well as a culture of innovation within our user base.
• In addition to enterprise AI-driven solutions, we are also integrating our digital tools like the Mary Kay® Skin Analyzer App, Mirror Me™, our real-time makeover app using augmented reality (supporting Virtual Try On) and our latest tool – the AI Foundation Finder. A first in the direct selling industry, this AI Foundation Finder uses advanced artificial intelligence to scan a customer’s face on their mobile phone and provide personalized foundation shade recommendations in just seconds allowing the precise detection of 151 facial feature points.
• Our blended technology portfolio of generative and agentic AI is helping to build the digital toolset we want to provide for our Beauty Consultants, customers, and our staff.

Q. CIOs today are not only tech experts – they are also culture shapers. What is your own experience with culture?

• Our digital acceleration was powered by a “One Team Mindset,” building cross functional partnerships to serve our Mary Kay markets and beauty consultants around the world.
• I have learned that a key factor in success is culture: it is essential to treat internal teams, market partners, vendors, and customers as key stakeholders in the transformation process, not just end-users. Change is a journey; culture helps shift from uncertainty into excitement and disruption into possibility.
• AI can process data at lightning speed, but culture determines whether people trust it, use it, and let it optimize the way they work. I look at it as a multiplier. Reinforcing our strong purpose-driven culture, encouraging experimentation, and modeling openness to change, helps us move faster, and ensure that digital progress translates into sustainable business and human outcomes. Technology alone does not drive change, people do.

Tech Glossary:

• *Tech Stack or technology stack refers to the comprehensive collection of technologies, tools, and frameworks utilized to develop and operate a software application. This includes components such as frontend and backend systems, databases, and supporting infrastructure.
• **A SaaS platform solution is a cloud-based software model that allows users to access applications remotely via the internet.
• ***Global ERP Solutions are specialized resource planning systems designed to manage multinational operations across multiple countries, regions, currencies, and languages, business processes such as finance, HR, sales, and inventory management into a single platform, enabling seamless data flow and real-time analytics.

***

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

# # #

---

^[1] What is Mobile Commerce? Benefits & Trends | Blog Miquido

^[2] Generative AI in Beauty Industry: Use Cases | Blog Miquido

LONDON, April 9, 2026 /3BL/ – SLR today announced the launch of its enhanced Digital Services following the acquisition of Planetrics and ClimSystems – two of the market’s most advanced climate‑modelling and analytics platforms. The move significantly strengthens SLR’s digital climate-intelligence capabilities and responds to growing demand from investors, businesses and public sector organisations to understand and address climate risk and associated value at risk with greater accuracy.

As momentum behind long‑term climate commitments fluctuates globally, climate‑related risks continue to intensify. Decision‑makers across sectors are increasingly focused on understanding how physical impacts – such as flooding, shifting rainfall patterns, heat, and wildfire – create both risks and opportunities for how business and governments operate. With physical impacts accelerating alongside heightened regulatory expectations, the financial implications are increasingly material across almost every sector. Organisations face growing pressure to base decisions on robust, science-driven climate intelligence. Traditional risk models – built on historical data – are increasingly unable to capture fast-moving transition dynamics and asset level climate shocks, leaving many businesses exposed. As a result, companies across energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, real estate, financial, consumer markets and the public sector are turning to science-based climate modelling for clearer foresight. These analytics – grounded in decades of validated research and high-resolution climate projections – equip organisations to make more confident investment and planning decisions, strengthen risk management, and build long term resilience into their operations and portfolios.

Strengthening SLR’s digital, technical and advisory capabilities

The acquisition of Planetrics and ClimSystems enhances SLR’s strategic advisory, climate and technical expertise, significantly advancing its digital climate analytics and modelling capabilities to create a powerful foundation for the next generation of climate intelligence. These acquisitions build on SLR’s long-standing investment in advanced digital tools and data driven‑intelligence that help organisations to understand, quantify and respond to climate-related risks and opportunities.

Planetrics, acquired from McKinsey & Company, delivers advanced climate scenario modelling through its PlanetView platform, widely trusted by leading banks, insurers, asset owners, managers and corporates. PlanetView converts complex physical and transition risks and opportunities into clear financial metrics – including changes in earnings, asset value shifts and portfolio-level impacts. It also enables organisations to assess how different transition pathways – such as an accelerated energy transition or policy developments could influence operational and financial performance, and impact long-term value. Planetrics data and analytics are used for risk management, stewardship and engagement activities, investment research, opportunity identification, regulatory climate stress testing exercises, such as those conducted by the Bank of England and the European Central Bank, and are commonly featured in climate disclosures, such as TCFD, ISSB, CSRD and CA SB 253 (forthcoming). Planetrics and SLR will continue to collaborate with McKinsey through an ongoing alliance, bringing a world class suite of capabilities to help organisations address critical sustainability challenges while ensuring continuity for clients. SLR is excited to deepen this relationship and to work alongside McKinsey’s board level networks and transformational business leadership.

Building on the strategic partnership established in 2022, and now formalised as a full acquisition, ClimSystems brings 20 years of market-leading physical climate intelligence to SLR, delivering detailed, science-driven modelling that quantifies how climate-related hazards could impact asset values, infrastructure resilience and supply chain exposure. ClimSystems supports a global client base, including market leaders in agriculture, mining, infrastructure and financial services. Its product suite include interactive, tailored dashboards that integrate with business, risk and financial oversight functions – enabling business owners to engage and interact access high-resolution physical hazard risk assessments at an individual asset or portfolio level, crop-specific yield modelling to identify risks, and opportunities of changing climate, residential and commercial real-estate climate risk assessments, and rapid-response due-diligence physical climate risk support.

Together, these technologies set a new standard for accuracy, transparency and usability. By translating complex climate signals into clear, actionable intelligence, SLR enables organisations to make future-proof decisions to price risk more accurately, anticipate regulatory shifts, protect asset value and uncover new opportunities.

Bradley Andrews, Chief Executive Officer at SLR, noted, “Our clients are navigating a new level of complexity – balancing transition opportunities, physical climate impacts, and the transformation required for long-term risk, resilience and reward. In this environment, confidence is only possible with robust scientific evidence. For more than 30 years, SLR has been Making Sustainability Happen by combining deep technical expertise, strategic advisory and cutting‑edge digital intelligence to give clients not only clarity and assurance, but science‑based foresight and insight they can act on.

Today marks a major milestone in SLR’s digital journey. With the integration of Planetrics and ClimSystems, we have two of the most advanced climate platforms enabling organisations to quantify climate risks, explore multiple futures, and understand how physical and transition impacts translate into operational outcomes and financial value-at-risk across assets and portfolios.”

Clients can now make investment, planning and risk decisions with far greater accuracy and confidence – with clear financial insight into climate risks and precise visibility into which assets, crops, facilities or supply‑chain links are exposed, and how that exposure will evolve. To understand what these enhanced capabilities mean for your organisation’s risk, value and long‑term performance, connect with SLR’s Digital Services team: www.slrconsulting.com/digital
 

– Ends –

For media enquiries, please contact Cecilia Law, Global Head of External Communications, SLR: claw@slrconsulting.com

If you would like more information on SLR’s Digital Services, including a demo, please visit: www.slrconsulting.com/digital

 

Notes to editors:

About SLR

SLR is a leading global environmental and advisory consultancy, with a team of 5,000+ talented professionals operating from a network of offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

Our purpose – Making Sustainability Happen – means delivering outcomes that are grounded in evidence, shaped by experience, and built to last. Our team of scientists, engineers, economists, data modellers, and technicians work across our clients’ full sustainability journeys, from strategy through to on-the-ground project planning, execution and ongoing operations, all supported by robust data and science-based modelling.

Guided by our philosophy of Rational Sustainability, SLR specialises in the energy, mining, finance, industry & technology, government & infrastructure, and built environment sectors. Operating across more than 50+ technical disciplines, we’re helping a growing base of business, regulatory and government clients navigate the ever-shifting context of sustainable business.

Find out more: www.slrconsulting.com 

About Planetrics

Planetrics is a leading climate‑analytics platform that provides financial institutions with advanced scenario modelling to quantify, report and manage climate‑related risks and opportunities. Its PlanetView platform translates physical and transition risks into clear financial metrics across tens of thousands of assets globally, supporting risk management, regulatory reporting, stress testing, target‑setting and climate disclosures for banks, insurers, asset owners and asset manager

Learn more about the acquisition here: www.slrconsulting.com/news/slr-acquires-planetrics

Find out more about Planetrics: www.slrconsulting.com/planetrics

About ClimSystems

ClimSystems is an award-winning climate change consulting and technology firm dedicated to enhancing climate-resilient decision-making and planning. Headquartered in New Zealand and partnered with leading science agencies worldwide, they have more than 20 years of experience delivering climate risk assessments and climate‑intelligence solutions to organisations worldwide. Its multidisciplinary team – spanning climate scientists, data engineers, economists, and sector specialists – supports informed decision‑making for asset owners, corporates, governments, and research institutions across more than 50 countries.

Its innovative Dashboard is a deployable analytics platform designed to help organisations assess and visualise physical climate risk at scale. Built on ClimSystems’ extensive climate data expertise, the dashboard supports large data ingestion, and provides an interactive geospatial mapping interface that enables users to explore asset‑level risk through clickable map layers and customisable filters. The dashboard includes multi‑year time‑series charts, climate‑scenario comparisons, and a structured data‑view panel with CSV export, offering clear, actionable insights across indicators, scenarios and time horizons. Alongside ClimSystems’ suite of climate tools, it integrates the latest IPCC‑aligned climate projections, enabling users to evaluate acute and long‑term climate impacts with scientific rigour and global consistency.

ClimSystems has supported resilience planning for numerous infrastructure and natural resource companies, cities, development banks and government agencies. Leading organisations including the UNFCCC and the World Bank have recognised our rigorous and practical approaches.

Find out more: www.climsystems.com

AEG’s LA Galaxy, in partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation and LA Galaxy legend and former U.S. Men’s National Team captain Landon Donovan, unveiled a new community mini pitch on Friday, April 3 at Birney Tech Academy in Pico Rivera, expanding access to soccer for local youth.

Located in the El Rancho Unified School District (ERUSD), the mini pitch is designed to provide a safe, high‑quality space for students to play, learn and connect through sport. To celebrate the opening, Donovan and the LA Galaxy’s President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Braun joined district leaders to emphasize how community-based sports can drive youth development and bring people together.

Following a ribbon‑cutting ceremony that opened with a performance by the El Rancho High School cheerleading squad, the Galaxy activated the mini pitch with a soccer clinic centered on skills and drills for Birney Tech Academy students.

“Landon’s legacy is rooted in inspiring young players,” said Tom Braun, President and Chief Operating Officer, LA Galaxy. “Bringing this mini pitch to Pico Rivera ensures that legacy continues by creating new opportunities for kids to discover the game.”

The community celebration continued later that evening as the Galaxy honored Donovan during a special match at Dignity Health Sports Park, when the team faced Minnesota United FC. The night featured a celebration of Donovan’s historic career and included the distribution of 15,000 bobbleheads to fans in attendance.

Together, the mini pitch and celebration underscore how soccer, and the leaders who have shaped it, can continue to inspire the next generation, on and off the field.

DENVER, April 8, 2026 /3BL/ – For one high-achieving, Denver-area high school student, the Colorado Rockies’ Opening Day wasn’t just a day at the ballpark, but a chance to experience life in the big leagues.

Thanks to Arrow Electronics, a longtime sponsor of the Rockies, high school senior Rishabh Kapoor got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the team’s home opener. Kapoor is a member of his high school robotics teams and winner of the Innovation Scholarship Award from Colorado FIRST, a nonprofit organization that helps students gain real-world engineering experience through robotics competitions.

Arrow has provided support to Colorado FIRST for more than a decade, sponsoring competitions and providing mentorship to team members as they design and program their robots. The company tribute to the organization coincided with National Robotics Week, which is designed to showcase the robotics industry and its real-world impact, while inspiring the future workforce.

“Arrow has been amazing at sponsoring teams in Colorado. They understand the passion and dedication that these kids are putting into this program,” said Debbie English, executive director of Colorado FIRST and mentor for Team Highlanders of Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, Colo.

A member of Team Highlanders, Kapoor has a passion for applying technology to solve problems, which drove him to develop a health literacy app that won the 2025 Congressional App Challenge. Team Highlanders advanced to the finals of a Colorado FIRST regional competition in Colorado Springs on March 8. They also captured the Arrow Inspiration Award for advancing respect and appreciation for engineering through their robot’s design and performance.

Colorado FIRST reaches 6,000 local students each year. Students who participate in the organization’s programs are twice as likely to major in science and engineering and 98% improved their problem-solving skills.

About Arrow Electronics

Arrow Electronics (NYSE:ARW) sources and engineers technology solutions for thousands of leading manufacturers and service providers. With 2025 sales of $31 billion, Arrow’s portfolio enables technology across major industries and markets. Learn more at arrow.com.

About Colorado FIRST

Colorado FIRST is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring young minds through hands-on robotics education and mentorship. As the regional partner for FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), Colorado FIRST runs programs like FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), and FIRST LEGO League (FLL), empowering students to develop STEM skills, teamwork, and innovation. By connecting students with industry professionals and fostering a culture of creativity and problem-solving, Colorado FIRST helps shape the next generation of engineers, leaders, and changemakers in Colorado and beyond. | https://coloradofirst.org

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About Arrow Electronics
Arrow Electronics guides innovation forward for thousands of leading technology manufacturers and service providers. With 2023 sales of $33 billion, Arrow develops technology solutions that help improve business and daily life. Learn more at arrow.com.

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The KeyBank Foundation is investing $300,000 in Connected Communities to support small businesses and commercial property owners located in the EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods through its Small Business Fund.

Supporting small businesses through targeted investment

The Small Business Fund, a new project within Connected Communities’ Economic Empowerment pillar, provides grants to support capital improvements, including façade upgrades, lighting, signage, interior repairs, accessibility enhancements, and safety improvements—immediately enhancing the appearance, functionality, and walkability of the corridors. Grants will range from $2,500 – $10,000. Participating businesses will engage in peer support through Founder’s Tables at the Connect Lab, along with connections to additional funding opportunities and business resources.

This neighborhood corridor approach helps drive improvements that lead to measurable business stability, increased customer activity, and stronger commercial presence for locally owned enterprises.

Building economic momentum in EMMA and Beechwood

“Local small businesses create jobs, energize neighborhoods, and keep commercial corridors active,” said Vince Lecce, KeyBank Rochester Market President. “This investment pairs targeted capital improvements with hands-on guidance so entrepreneurs can strengthen operations, attract more customers, and remain rooted in EMMA and Beechwood. It’s an approach designed to build business stability today and economic momentum for the community tomorrow.”

At the community level, the fund will help reduce vacancies, activate storefronts, and improve safety and visibility along key blocks. By investing directly in existing businesses—and pairing that investment with practical guidance, partner support and warm handoffs—the project builds a self-sustaining network of entrepreneurs who can grow, collaborate, and remain rooted in place. This work helps lay the foundation for long-term economic vitality and positions Connected Communities as the community quarterback guiding equitable commercial revitalization in EMMA and Beechwood.

Connected Communities’ Place-Based Approach

As the Community Quarterback, the organization builds on neighborhood strengths and partners with residents to implement the Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan—advancing cradle-to-career education, mixed-income housing, community wellness, and economic empowerment so families and businesses can thrive.

“This investment from the KeyBank Foundation allows us to strengthen the small businesses that make our neighborhoods vibrant and economically resilient,” said Dr. LaShunda Leslie-Smith, Executive Director of Connected Communities. “This program aims to stabilize and revitalize neighborhood corridors while reinforcing the role of small businesses as anchors of community life. By supporting physical improvements and providing hands-on technical assistance, we are helping local entrepreneurs build businesses that are visible, welcoming, and positioned for long-term success. When our neighborhood storefronts thrive, the entire community benefits—businesses grow stronger, more resources become available to residents, and aesthetic improvements help enhance the value and appeal of surrounding homes.”

“This investment reflects KeyBank’s commitment to locally led, place-based solutions,” said Chiwuike Owunwanne, KeyBank’s Corporate Responsibility Officer in Rochester. “By pairing capital with technical support through trusted community partners, we’re helping small businesses in EMMA and Beechwood strengthen their operations and remain anchors in their neighborhoods for the long term.”

Building Impact Across Rochester

This effort builds on KeyBank’s broader history of community-driven philanthropy, economic mobility initiatives, and inclusive banking investments. Since 2017, KeyBank has invested more than $1.2 billion in Rochester, supporting affordable housing, small business and home lending, and transformational philanthropic initiatives.

• Learn more about how KeyBank helps clients, teammates, and communities thrive by making meaningful investments in the places it’s proud to call home.

 

The KeyBank Foundation is investing $300,000 in Connected Communities to support small businesses and commercial property owners located in the EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods through its Small Business Fund.

Supporting small businesses through targeted investment

The Small Business Fund, a new project within Connected Communities’ Economic Empowerment pillar, provides grants to support capital improvements, including façade upgrades, lighting, signage, interior repairs, accessibility enhancements, and safety improvements—immediately enhancing the appearance, functionality, and walkability of the corridors. Grants will range from $2,500 – $10,000. Participating businesses will engage in peer support through Founder’s Tables at the Connect Lab, along with connections to additional funding opportunities and business resources.

This neighborhood corridor approach helps drive improvements that lead to measurable business stability, increased customer activity, and stronger commercial presence for locally owned enterprises.

Building economic momentum in EMMA and Beechwood

“Local small businesses create jobs, energize neighborhoods, and keep commercial corridors active,” said Vince Lecce, KeyBank Rochester Market President. “This investment pairs targeted capital improvements with hands-on guidance so entrepreneurs can strengthen operations, attract more customers, and remain rooted in EMMA and Beechwood. It’s an approach designed to build business stability today and economic momentum for the community tomorrow.”

At the community level, the fund will help reduce vacancies, activate storefronts, and improve safety and visibility along key blocks. By investing directly in existing businesses—and pairing that investment with practical guidance, partner support and warm handoffs—the project builds a self-sustaining network of entrepreneurs who can grow, collaborate, and remain rooted in place. This work helps lay the foundation for long-term economic vitality and positions Connected Communities as the community quarterback guiding equitable commercial revitalization in EMMA and Beechwood.

Connected Communities’ Place-Based Approach

As the Community Quarterback, the organization builds on neighborhood strengths and partners with residents to implement the Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan—advancing cradle-to-career education, mixed-income housing, community wellness, and economic empowerment so families and businesses can thrive.

“This investment from the KeyBank Foundation allows us to strengthen the small businesses that make our neighborhoods vibrant and economically resilient,” said Dr. LaShunda Leslie-Smith, Executive Director of Connected Communities. “This program aims to stabilize and revitalize neighborhood corridors while reinforcing the role of small businesses as anchors of community life. By supporting physical improvements and providing hands-on technical assistance, we are helping local entrepreneurs build businesses that are visible, welcoming, and positioned for long-term success. When our neighborhood storefronts thrive, the entire community benefits—businesses grow stronger, more resources become available to residents, and aesthetic improvements help enhance the value and appeal of surrounding homes.”

“This investment reflects KeyBank’s commitment to locally led, place-based solutions,” said Chiwuike Owunwanne, KeyBank’s Corporate Responsibility Officer in Rochester. “By pairing capital with technical support through trusted community partners, we’re helping small businesses in EMMA and Beechwood strengthen their operations and remain anchors in their neighborhoods for the long term.”

Building Impact Across Rochester

This effort builds on KeyBank’s broader history of community-driven philanthropy, economic mobility initiatives, and inclusive banking investments. Since 2017, KeyBank has invested more than $1.2 billion in Rochester, supporting affordable housing, small business and home lending, and transformational philanthropic initiatives.

• Learn more about how KeyBank helps clients, teammates, and communities thrive by making meaningful investments in the places it’s proud to call home.