Tag: 3BL

As darkness descends earlier and the autumn chill sets in, there’s something lurking in our homes, draining energy and running up your electric bill – phantom energy!

Phantom energy, also known as vampire energy or standby power, is the energy consumed by devices when they appear off but still draw power. Take a peek around your home and you’ll find a number of devices that may be impacting your energy bill. Examples of where phantom energy commonly lurks include:

Smart phone chargersComputers and printersSmall kitchen appliancesGaming consoles

Here are a few tips keep phantom energy at bay and reduce your energy costs:

Use a power strip with an on/off switch to completely power down electronics around your home when not in use.Unplug your smart phone charger, laptop or other electronic devices once they are fully charged.Scare ghouls away with energy-efficient LED bulbs, which last longer and use up to 75 percent less energy than standard bulbs.Manage your bill on My Account. Online energy management tools show you how much energy you are using. The bill to date feature lets you know what your bill costs are to date at any time during the month. You can also get tips based on your energy saving goals.

Delmarva Power Maryland customers can also get assistance from Zoe, the Good Energy Guide, by visiting delmarva.com/goodenergy. Zoe walks customers through Delmarva Power’s energy efficiency offerings to help customers in Maryland save energy and money.

Delmarva Power Delaware and Maryland customers can learn more about energy saving options at delmarva.com/WaysToSave.

Takeaways

Today, we’re excited to announce the recipients of the 2023 Llama Impact Grants, who will be awarded $500,000 each to support their use of AI to address pressing social issues. Wadhwani AI, Digital Green and Dana-Farber will use Llama 3 to improve English language learning in public schools in India, provide agricultural advice to small-scale farmers and match cancer patients to clinical trials.

Today, we’re excited to announce the recipients of the 2023 Llama Impact Grants. We launched our grants program in 2023 to support innovative use cases of Llama 2 and Llama 3, our open source AI models, that address pressing social issues. We received over 800 applications from organizations in over 90 countries, proposing uses of Llama in education, the environment and open innovation. From that pool of applicants, twenty finalists stood out, and three proposals led the pack.

Making English More Accessible to Students in India

Based in Gujarat, India, Wadhwani AI plans to use Llama 3 to create an AI-enabled reading fluency assessment to enhance English reading and comprehension skills in public schools in Gujarat, India. Their project, which was created in partnership with Gujarat’s Department of Education, will employ Llama to generate passages and comprehension questions tailored to the needs, abilities and learning levels of students learning English. Students will read passages aloud, then the program will flag mispronunciations and generate new, culturally relevant passages using mispronounced words, targeting and improving problem areas. English plays an important role in social and economic mobility in India, and Wadhwani AI’s project will use Llama to take important steps toward making English more accessible to all.

Advising Farmers in Underserved Areas

Digital Green’s Farmer Chat is a multilingual AI chatbot that provides customized, on-demand agricultural advisory services to farmers in underserved areas in India, Kenya and Nigeria. For their project, Digital Green plans to train Llama 2 on a vast repository of agricultural data, adapting the model to the specific needs and contexts of different regions, and improving Farmer Chat’s accuracy and relevance. Llama’s conversational capabilities will be used to engage with farmers, understand their queries and provide comprehensive and practical responses in a variety of local languages, including Hindi, Swahili and Kikuyu. The project, which will be a partnership with One Acre Fund, aims to help improve climate resilience and reduce poverty among small-scale farmers by lowering the cost of agricultural advisory services.

Matching Cancer Patients to Clinical Trials

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), based in the US, plans to build a new open source AI platform to computationally match cancer patients to clinical trials. Dana-Farber’s project will use Llama 3 to summarize and comprehend unstructured clinical notes and unstructured clinical trial eligibility criteria, enabling rapid identification of appropriate trial options for individual patients. The new AI models will be integrated into Dana-Farber’s existing open source MatchMiner platform and evaluated with clinical partners. Clinical trials are essential for the development of new cancer therapies, and efficient matching can help to make more of these trials possible.

Runners Up and Impact Innovation Awardees

Jacaranda Health, the runner up for the Grants, was awarded $300,000 for their plan to expand the capabilities of their AI digital health service, PROMPTS, using Llama. We’ve also given grants to eleven winners of the Llama Impact Innovations Awards, an extension of the grants program that we created to further identify and support organizations based in Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, Asia Pacific, and Latin America that are already using Llama 2 and 3 to address issues in their region. In addition to financial awards, winners and runners-up will have access to a range of resources to help them realize their projects, including mentorship, partnership opportunities, and ad credits.  We’re excited to see how Llama can contribute to social progress around the world, and we encourage eligible organizations to apply to the 2024 Llama Impact Grants.

November 6, 2024 /3BL/ – We are pleased to announce that Inogen Alliance will have a presence at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking the second time we will have a global delegation involved in COP with seven Associate companies. Our team attending and presenting includes our local Associate, Sustainera Solutions with Ilkin Hajiyev and team, who has been involved since it was announced that Baku would be the next location. They have been working in collaboration with AzerSun Holding as an official sponsor of COP29 consulting on sustainability topics and events. We also have Associates attending and presenting from Antea Brasil, Hilton Lucio; Antea Group USA and President of Inogen Alliance, Angelique Dickson; Antea Group UK,  Alex Ferguson; denxpert, Robert Szucs-Winkler; Integral Consult Egypt, Amr Osama Abdel-Aziz; and Tonkin + Taylor New Zealand, Brett Ogilvie and Paddy Pringle. Our Associate Amr from Integral Consult has been involved with an official role in negotiations for 19 years, and will be serving as Advisor to the Minister of Environment of Egypt with a role in negotiations.

COP29 Side Events

Inogen Alliance will have visibility and presence in four Green Zone events and one Blue Zone event in collaboration with AzerSun Holdings sponsorship, solidifying our role in key COP29 discussions. Sustainera Solutions have secured co-organization roles for key events, including panel discussions and workshops. 

Blue Zone events:

WATER RESILIENCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE. IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE, INFRASTRUCUTRE AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY, 19 November, 12:00 – 13:00, Blue Zone, Event Hall TBC

The upcoming side-event will foster meaningful discussions and in-depth dialogue among a range of stakeholders, including the private sector, international organizations, and subject matter experts, all focused on practical approaches to water management and the impacts of climate change on agriculture. This panel, in collaboration with INOGEN Alliance Associates, will delve into actionable strategies for ensuring business continuity and water resilience, especially in agriculture and infrastructure sectors. With extensive global experience, INOGEN Alliance brings valuable insights to this discussion; our Source Vulnerability Assessment (SVA), which has assessed water source vulnerabilities across diverse sectors worldwide, provides a credible basis for understanding and mitigating climate risks. This SVA framework, designed to evaluate the effects of climate change on water resources—from supply chains to distribution networks—has been applied in over 800 locations globally. Through practical case studies and proven results, we will illustrate how businesses can proactively address water resource vulnerabilities, highlighting the collaborative actions needed from both governmental bodies and private enterprises to secure resilient water management systems.

Panelists include:

Nail Mehrabova (Advisor to Azersun board on Strategy and Sustainable Business Development) Hilton Lucio (CEO of Antea Group Brazil)Alicia Fantozzi (CEO of Regen & Vorterro Technology)Brian Ingram (Managing Partner of Alpha Green)

Moderated by:

Ilkin Hajiyev (Director of Sustainera Solutions)

Green Zone events:

EMPOWERING THE TRANSITION: FINANCING TOMORROW’S ENERGY TODAY, 15 November, 10:00 – 11:00, Green Zone, Energy Room

As the energy transition touches all facets of economies and societies, it requires a systemic approach to ensure everyone is part of the discussion and no one is left behind. New sources of energy and new ways of distributing energy, supported by applications such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, and innovative business models, introduced new participants to the energy system who can actively contribute to the transition.

Our panelist speakers include: 

Mr. Mehmet Savash Uzan (CEO of AzerSun Holding)Dr. Amr Abdel-Aziz (Advisor to the Minister of Environment of Egypt, Integral Consult, member of Inogen Alliance)Dr. Brett Ogilvie (Executive Leader at Tonkin & Taylor, member of Inogen Alliance)Mr. Alex Ferguson (CEO of Antea Group UK, member of Inogen Alliance)Ms. Sharaf Asgarova (Renewables Expert)

Moderated by:

Ms. Angelique Dickson (President of Inogen Alliance)

AI and Emerging Technologies: Empowering a Sustainable Future Through Innovatio, 16 November 2024 / 12:00-13:00 / Green Zone, Water Event Hall

This panel will delve into the transformative role of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in tackling climate challenges and advancing global sustainability. As technology reshapes how businesses, governments, and individuals approach responsible resource management, the discussion will focus on AI’s unparalleled potential to drive resource efficiency, minimize waste, and accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy.

Azersun is taking a major step forward in sustainability-driven innovation with the launch of two groundbreaking AI-powered platforms, developed in partnership with FABA International. These separate solutions—Eco19 for Individual and Eco19 for Enterprise—are designed to empower users to optimize resource allocation, reduce waste, and embrace a circular economy. This dual launch represents the next evolution in sustainability technology, illustrating how advanced AI can turn data into actionable strategies that reduce environmental impact and support responsible consumption.

Keynote speech:

Ms. Shoba Viswanath (Viswanath Consulting LLC)

Speakers include:

Mr. Ilkin Haji (Founder & Executive Director – Sustainera Solutions, member of Inogen Alliance)Fidan Tofidi ( Director at the Central Bank of Azerbaycan/ technology and innovations expert)

Enablers of Future Sustainability: Nurturing Climate Champions for Climate Action, 18 November, 10:00 – 11:00, Green zone, Universe Conference Room

Based on the Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainable development—”meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”—this programme focuses on cultivating a climate-resilient future generation starting from Early Childhood Development (ECD) level. By empowering children through inclusive education, especially those from disadvantaged and rural backgrounds, the event will prompt discussions around strategies to reduce disparities in access to education and foster a generation ready to take meaningful climate action.

Panelist speakers include: 

Hilton Lucio (CEO of ANTEA Brazil, member of Inogen Alliance)Zohre Khalilzad (Food and Oil General Director at AzerSun Holding)Gwendolyn Burchell (Founder of UAFA)

Moderated by:

Narmina Aliyeva (Sustainability Officer at Sustainera Solutions, member of Inogen Alliance)

From Consumerism to Circularity: Addressing Overconsumption through Resource Efficiency and Climate Action, 21 November, 10:00 – 11:00, Green Zone, Universe Conference Room

The programme will dive in the interconnected challenges of overconsumption and consumeristic behaviour, as well as how they contribute to resource depletion and environmental deterioration. By tackling these challenges, the event will demonstrate how lowering overconsumption patterns may not only reduce environmental impact, but also accelerate the transition to circular economy. It will explore how promoting sustainable consumption patterns and resource efficiency can speed up global climate change mitigation efforts.

Panelists Include:

Ali Mammadov (Factory Director at AKKIK)Gulnara Aslanbayli (Director of AMCHAM)Shirin Jamalli (Founder of ALMET Holding)

Moderated by:

Murad Huseynov (Sustainability Lead at Sustainera Solutions, member of Inogen Alliance)

Negotiations Role

Dr. Abdel-Aziz has been extensively involved in the negotiations process since 2015 and was a senior advisor to COP27 presidency leading on mitigation and transparency issues. He is also the advisor to the Egyptian Minister of Environment on climate change issues since 2014. Dr. Abdel-Aziz is currently the co-chair of Sharm El Sheikh Mitigation Ambition and Implementation Work Program under the Paris Agreement. He was also the Like-Minded Group of Developing Countries transparency coordinator during the negotiations of the Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines of the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement. 

Dr. Abdel-Aziz is a member of the Methodologies Panel of the CDM Executive Board since 2005 and a member of the Methodologies Expert Panel of Article 6.4. Moreover, he was a lead author for the IPCC WGIII AR5 report (Industry chapter, waste section), IPCC WGIII AR6 report (Emissions drivers and trends), and the 2019 refinement for the IPCC 2006 Guidelines. He is an expert in emissions projections with UNFCCC and a lead reviewer for reviewing Annex I Parties national communications, biennial reports and GHG inventories and has also led technical analysis teams for non-Annex I Parties BUR. 

COP29 Local Support

Sustainera Solutions has been actively engaged in preparing for COP29, starting with a comprehensive COP29 readiness assessment conducted by our research and analytics team in collaboration with the COP29 operating company. This assessment evaluated the sustainability maturity levels of various governmental entities and agencies, providing an in-depth examination of their current status and offering recommendations on better integration of sustainability into policymaking. One key outcome of this report was that the subsequent thematic agenda of COP29 was influenced by Sustainera’s materiality analysis. Additionally, some of our recommendations, such as initiating a national pledge to foster public-private partnerships, were implemented.

COP29 Trainings

Our sustainability and ESG experts have also contributed significantly by conducting multiple trainings for the volunteers at COP29. These sessions focused on inclusivity, social sustainability, and environmental sustainability, benefiting around 2,000 volunteers. We also developed extensive online training materials that cover topics like the basics of sustainability, COP29’s inclusivity efforts, and more. This course, integrated into the COP29 LMS system, is available for free to the public, ensuring widespread access to vital sustainability education.

COP29 Business Support

In addition to our COP29 readiness efforts, Sustainera is actively supporting several major companies with their presence and visibility during the event. Our team plays a vital role in drafting event agendas, revising communication materials, and conducting stakeholder mapping to ensure effective engagement throughout the conference. We also focus on narrative development, creating impactful visitor experiences for company pavilions, and aligning them with COP29 themes. By providing these services, we enable businesses to present their sustainability commitments, foster meaningful dialogues with stakeholders, and highlight their contributions toward achieving sustainability goals during this global event.

Watch for more to come from our global team in attendance as COP20 unfolds. You can find previous insights and perspectives from COP28 with our team here.

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of dozens of independent local businesses and over 6,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates here and follow us on LinkedIn.

November 6, 2024 /3BL/ – President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance must build upon the private sector and bipartisan policy momentum and continue the critical work to drive investment in American workers and communities to ensure America leads the transition to a stronger, cleaner, more resilient, affordable, and abundant economy. Ceres strongly urges the incoming administration to reconsider its plans to roll back historic clean energy investments, defund or gut federal agencies, and pull the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement — all of which provide certainty to businesses and investors as they build and deploy advanced technologies of growing global demand that reduce costs and emissions. These actions would put American investors, businesses, workers, and U.S. economic competitiveness at greater risk.

CEO and President Mindy Lubber issued the following statement:

“Over the last few years, we saw historic progress in building the energy infrastructure of today and tomorrow with a remarkable surge in clean energy manufacturing investment, driven by a wave of new laws and delivered by private sector action. These laws have the widespread support of America’s business community, and they are gaining significant bipartisan support in Congress precisely because they are bringing back U.S. manufacturing and factories, building domestic supply chains, creating good jobs, and reducing energy costs in red, purple, and blue states. We strongly urge President-elect Trump, Vice President-elect Vance, and the new Congress to maintain this policy certainty and economic momentum to ensure continued industrial, energy, and national security.

“Coming out of this election, America stands at a crossroads in maintaining its world standing as a clean energy and economic leader. First, President-elect Trump must accept that Americans want to remain in the Paris Agreement and fulfill our goal of cutting emissions in half by 2030. Second, President-elect Trump needs to hear the urgent business call for government action to ensure the U.S. remains one of the best places in the world to build and deploy the innovative technologies that will grow the U.S. economy, create jobs and reduce energy costs in communities across the country.

“We will continue to call on policymakers at all levels of government to push for bipartisan policy action. On the federal level, this includes responsible permitting reform to get clean energy resources online and build a modern, reliable, affordable electric grid; a pollution tariff on imports that do not meet U.S. environmental standards; and an agreement on a Farm Bill that addresses agricultural risk in supply chains and uplifts America’s farmers as leaders in environmental stewardship and conservation. We strongly urge the new administration to preserve existing federal agencies keeping our air and water clean and policies driving breakthrough innovation and technologies that can power and strengthen our economy.

“Beyond federal action, state policymakers will have an important role in building a stronger, cleaner, affordable, and abundant economy. Governors and state legislatures have already made tremendous progress in attracting clean energy investment and enhancing resilience for the good of their economies and communities. We will continue to mobilize businesses to support further state action to advance solutions in electric power, transportation, buildings, and other crucial sectors.

“And as always, the American private sector action remains critical to keeping the U.S. and the world on track to limit temperature increases and avoid worsening unnatural disasters. There is no doubt that the largest U.S. investors and companies will continue embracing the opportunities of the current clean energy boom, setting net zero emissions goals, and adopting transition action plans. Businesses have also been some of the strongest advocates for urgently needed government action— and they will continue to meet with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to voice their support for it. Investors and companies also stand ready to continue fighting for the rights of investors and financial institutions to assess all material financial risks in decision-making and to defend their freedom to invest and operate responsibly.

“Ceres’ unique work to support the private sector in scaling solutions that build a stronger, more resilient economy is more relevant and important than ever. Ceres is well positioned to work with investors, companies, and policymakers to build a clean energy future. We remain steadfast in building on the private investment momentum of the last few years to strengthen the U.S. economy and energy security for all Americans.”

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable world. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line—changing markets and sectors from the inside out. For more information, visit ceres.org.

Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin, booth-tobin@ceres.org

Originally published on HARMAN Newsroom

STAMFORD, Ct., November 6, 2024 /3BL/ – HARMAN Digital Transformations Solutions, a strategic business dedicated to blending the physical and digital to make business technology more dynamic, announced that ForecastGPT, a sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI)-driven forecasting solution that uses advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) fine-tuned on domain-specific multivariate time series datasets, is now available in AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors that make it easy to find, test, buy, and deploy software that runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Designed with a singular focus on predictive analytics, HARMAN ForecastGPT allows for a deeper understanding of complex data patterns and more accurate forecasting without requiring any predefined templates or formulas. Utilizing advanced GPT technology, HARMAN ForecastGPT has reasoning capabilities while providing detailed commentary to explain trends in data. It is designed for businesses that need to make accurate predictions and informed decisions and operate in dynamic and uncertain markets, where demand and supply can vary significantly.

AWS Customers will now have access to ForecastGPT’s predictive analytics directly within AWS Marketplace. HARMAN has provided AWS customers with the ability to streamline the purchase and management of ForecastGPT within their AWS Marketplace account.

“HARMAN is dedicated to delivering cutting-edge technology solutions that enable our clients with differentiated experiences. This is achieved through integrating digital technologies, cloud platforms, mobility, enterprise automation, AI-generated insights, and the Internet of Things (IoT), all supported by scalable IT infrastructures,” stated Dr. Jai Ganesh, Chief Product Officer at HARMAN Digital Transformation Solutions. “Our expanding presence in AWS Marketplace underscores this commitment, making it easier for AWS customers to access and procure our advanced technology offerings.”

Key HARMAN offerings available in AWS Marketplace include Large Language Model (LLM) Shield, Quantum Machine Learning based Damaged Vehicle Classification, LLM Studio, Automatic Speech Recognition, Text to Speech Synthesizer, Length of Hospital Stay Prediction, Botnet Detector and more.

ForecastGPT is now generally available in AWS Marketplace. For more information on HARMAN services and ForecastGPT, please visit here.

About HARMAN Digital Transformation Solutions

HARMAN Digital Transformation Solutions is a strategic business unit dedicated to blending the physical and digital to make technology more dynamic in order to serve the ever-changing human needs. Our team of over 7,000 employees, spread across 12 countries in 45+ locations, with their expertise across hardware, software and industry domains are transforming everyday experiences for our 200 clients globally. Compliant and certified with international standard/ management system EN 9100:2018 / AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, ISO 13485:2016 and appraised at CMMI-DEV 2.0 ML5, HARMAN DTS aims towards helping customers deliver a holistic experience to their customers – through the convergence of digital, cross channel user experience, cloud, mobility, insightful data and internet-of-things backed by scalable underlying IT platforms.  Through our global delivery approach, IPs, platforms and people, we deploy next-generation technology platforms across industries, offer cost savings and deliver innovative solutions to help our clients on their digital journey.​​ To know more, please visit https://services.harman.com/

About HARMAN

HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 50 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In March 2017, HARMAN became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

For more information, contact:
Soumi Bhattacharya
Soumi.Bhattacharya@harman.com

by Elysabeth Alfano, VegTech Invest

Did you know – Our global food system accounts for 30% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Included in that is food waste which constitutes 8% and animal agriculture which is 18% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

With the growing concerns regarding producing enough food for a global population using our resource intensive system and the mounting negative impacts from the food system on the planet, blended capital investment (philanthropic, government, venture capital, and public markets) is beginning to flow into food systems transformation. Family offices, governments, and investors around the world — 99% of whom aren’t vegan and have no intention of ever becoming vegan — are looking to make a true impact and understand that protein diversification, complementing animal protein, is a powerful way to do so. Here are three key reasons: 

1) Inexpensive: The World Bank is calling for $450-$650 billion in food systems transformation each year for the next 10-15 years. By contrast, new energy innovation needs $3 trillion a year for the foreseeable future.

2) Easy(ier): A foundation for much of the technology of complementary / diversified proteins already exists. Yes, the innovation curve in plant-based innovation and fermented proteins is constantly improving.

3) Quick Impact: Inexpensive and easy solutions mean faster impact compared to other green sectors. Since diversified proteins innovation means reducing methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, the results will be significant.

Read Elysabeth’s insightful article on how to invest in food system transformation here – https://greenmoney.com/the-growth-and-impact-potential-of-investing-in-food-system-transformation

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Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey, here at GoDaddy.

Hi! My name is Nataša and I am a WordPress Developer. Throughout my time at GoDaddy, I have been fortunate to work with talented people on innovative projects that have not only challenged me but also allowed me to grow both personally and professionally. I believe in fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment, where each team member feels valued. I am truly grateful for my team’s support, which inspires me to continuously enhance my skills. It is of utmost importance to me to actively contribute to our continuous growth and advancement. I genuinely believe in the work we do and find joy in pursuing my passions and values.

What drew you to join GoDaddy?

Some friends from college who joined GoDaddy shared positive experiences, which inspired me to take GoDaddy WordPress courses and become part of the community, even though I was working as a PHP Developer at the time. The opportunity to collaborate with and learn from talented people aligned perfectly with my career goals. Additionally, the company’s values resonate with my own, making it an ideal place for me to grow and contribute.

What’s the most challenging yet rewarding thing that you’ve worked on during your time here?

Looking back, it was undoubtedly during the coronavirus period. After resolving technical issues, I prioritized responding to each client’s questions and even non-work related concerns with empathy, recognizing the fear everyone was facing. In addition to the various business challenges we face, approaching clients with care and understanding, especially during difficult life circumstances, comes with a significant responsibility. It’s important that we handle these interactions with thoughtfulness.

How has your passion for WordPress evolved over time?

My journey with WordPress originally began at GoDaddy, as I had previously only explored it through courses. My passion for the tool has grown significantly over time as I’ve discovered its versatility and the vibrant community surrounding it. Initially, I was drawn to its user-friendly interface for building websites. However, as I explored more, I became fascinated by the endless customization options, plug-ins, and the opportunity to create unique solutions for diverse needs. This journey has inspired me to keep learning and share knowledge with others, enhancing my appreciation for WordPress even further.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I’m an active sports enthusiast and nature lover. So, I spend my free time outdoors. In the winter, you’ll often find me snowboarding, while in the warmer months, I enjoy running, rollerblading, and camping. When I’m in need of some tranquility, I find solace in painting and reading. I also cherish the time spent with family and friends, as their company brings me energy and unwavering support.

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERGs, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

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By Rachel Kirkland

For SAIC Vice President of ESG Integration and DEI Initiatives Jeff Raver, small acts can add up to big impacts when it comes to shaping a company’s culture.

This year, several of SAIC’s employee resource groups have focused on allyship to create a culture of inclusion. One member of the Equality Alliance ERG, and an ally to SAIC’s LGBTQ+ workforce, wears a rainbow ribbon pin on her badge lanyard, he said. The ribbon sparked a conversation with her daughter one day when she returned home from work.

“What resulted was a sincere and heartfelt conversation between a mother and her daughter about what it means to be gay and how the feelings her daughter was experiencing were perfectly normal,” Raver said. “The lesson from this incredible interaction is how even the smallest act of allyship can have an enormous impact on the people around us and how our SAIC commitment to ensuring everyone has the space to be their authentic selves is something our employees can take home with them every day.”

Raver said this conversation is just one example of the many efforts outlined in the recently released Corporate Responsibility Report that make up SAIC’s corporate culture, shaping it into the talent magnet and powerful solutions provider it is.

Read the full article on washingtonexec.com

VS&Co is proud to announce that we have been named to the Forbes list of America’s Best Employers for Women 2024. This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

VS&Co is committed to being a great place to work for women who want to build careers and be supported in living full and successful lives. We also strive to be a leader in gender equality and a supportive force in improving the health and well-being of all women. We believe it’s important that our workforce be a reflection of the communities we serve and our customer base.

“We are incredibly pleased to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Women,” said Melinda McAfee, Chief Human Resources & Legal Officer, VS&Co. “With women making up 85% of our overall workforce, we are deeply committed to them and have a responsibility and a business imperative to show up for women in all that we do.”

America’s Best Employers for Women were identified in an independent survey from a vast sample of over 150,000 women working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the U.S. from all industry sectors.

To calculate each company’s ranking, the research and survey responses were combined into a scoring system, with the more recent data and responses from current employees weighted more heavily than information gathered in previous years or from employees with second-hand knowledge of the companies.

Ultimately, the 600 companies with the highest scores made our final ranking of America’s Best Employers For Women 2024, which is presented here.

To learn more about all VS&Co does for women, check out our 2024 Women’s Impact Report here.

This article is co-authored by Emily Vesling, Director of Sustainability, Trane Technologies and Deidra Parrish Williams, Global Corporate Citizenship Leader, Trane Technologies.

Across our global operations, Trane Technologies team members collaborate to realize our purpose to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world. Our purpose is our call to action, and it does not stop at our company doors. Every day we amplify our impact on issues from global climate action to local community needs through external partnerships. Our partners help Trane Technologies expand our knowledge, our credibility and our reach, and by working together, our impact grows by magnitudes.

Looking together to 2030 and beyond

Our 2030 Sustainability Commitments guide our partnership choices and actions. These commitments define the way forward through continued innovation, climate action and our culture of impact. By working with like-minded partners, we learn from one another and share best practices. And together we are achieving the system-level change required to transform our industry and the world.

Advancing sustainability

In order to avoid the most destructive effects of climate change, the world must reduce carbon emissions, and the built environment has a huge role to play. Trane Technologies innovates to develop heating and cooling technology that reduces emissions, and we are an important part of the solution. But we are only a part. There are materials, such as steel and concrete, that contain embodied carbon. There are different energy sources that power a building. There can also be local regulations for the built environment. Through our partnerships, we can address every part of the built environment ecosystem, and our voice grows stronger.

Case in point: Trane Technologies engages with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) to support renewable energy policies. Together we have studied how to optimize the electric grid for intelligent energy demand management and energy storage. One solution is to load-shift electricity demand to times when more renewable energy is available, leading to fewer emissions from fossil-fuel based energy sources. By working together, we can define and promote these solutions–and advocate for better energy policy in our sector.

Another benefit of partnerships is to learn from others about emerging topics. For years, Trane Technologies has been a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and in 2023 we joined the WBCSD Roadmap to Nature Positive working group. Our goal in this engagement is to better understand how we can improve efforts to support biodiversity and nature. In alignment with this working group, we completed our first nature impact assessment for our value chain as well as our manufacturing sites globally. We are excited to use the results to identify key areas of opportunity to reduce our impact as well as to support nature-related engagement at the local level.

In 2023, InfluenceMap recognized Trane Technologies as being in the top 5% of companies evaluated for positive and active climate policy engagements aligned with the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Partnerships strengthen credibility 

Another incredibly important aspect of partnerships is credibility. We can only do this work to transform our energy systems and make a positive impact on our communities if people trust that we are operating in good faith. This begins by listening.

Our partners educate us on their communities’ priorities and needs, and our plans evolve. By walking alongside us, our partners demonstrate to our communities that we have a shared goal, that they support our work, and we support theirs. We take these relationships very seriously.

We know our partners carefully evaluate us, and we do the same. Trane Technologies’ progress toward our 2030 Sustainability Commitments is backed by data that is rigorous and transparent, and we seek to partner with organizations who are also working in earnest toward shared goals.

Partnerships in our communities

We know that we thrive as a business when our communities thrive as places to live and work. This belief inspires how we engage as a corporate citizen in our communities. Our 2030 Sustainability Commitments highlight our plans to invest $100 million in building sustainable futures for underrepresented communities and dedicate 500,000 employee volunteer hours in our communities by 2030.

We are experts in our industry. But we are not experts in other needed areas, such as educational programming or curriculum development. For help on topics beyond our expertise, we turn to organizations with a deep history of serving their communities.

In 2023, Trane Technologies donated $18.8 million to philanthropic causes. Our team members volunteered 92, 517 hours – reaching 47% of our 2030 goal.

Our partnership with the Urban League of Central Carolinas

For many years, Trane Technologies has collaborated with the Urban League of Central Carolinas to support their work in helping nontraditional professionals develop stronger career options. We fund a vocational program that provides participants with the credentials they need to become HVAC technicians.

Not only does our company provide financial support to make this program possible, but our team members also share hands-on expertise. They routinely participate in the classes and help students understand the full breadth of opportunity and responsibility that comes with being a technician in the field. We teach customer service and time management skills, plus the technical aspects of this business. Additionally, to prepare soon-to-be graduates for the work world, we help them develop their resume and profiles on social media. Sometimes it’s a student’s first job interview, and we’ll hold practice sessions to get them ready. We’ll also connect graduates with our dealer network for potential job opportunities, and on some occasions, we hire students directly out of the program.

In this partnership, we are constantly working with the Urban League to explore how we can better serve the community. We keep an open line of communication–and an open mind about what is possible. When someone suggests a new idea for this collaboration, our organizations trust one another to thoughtfully consider it and decide together.

Our long-standing culture of collaboration

The work we do today with our partners to build capacity, learn together and advocate for a better future has history at Trane Technologies. When we launched the Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (CEES) in 2010, we immediately formed an Advisory Council on Sustainability with trusted experts from academia, NGOs and industry – the exact composition of the partners we seek to keep.

Ever since the first gathering of that council, we have been investing in relationships and thinking big. We are trying to change the way the world uses energy. This is no small goal. We know we can’t do it alone, and we’re grateful for our partners who walk alongside us and help us bring others into our movement to take climate action together.

Read our 2023 ESG Report to learn more.