Tag: 3BL

Originally published in Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report

Leadership and development

We encourage employees to expand their knowledge, build new skills, and continuously develop by providing a variety of opportunities that best suit their needs. This includes formal development opportunities, experiential and on-the-go education, and professional relationship building.

Our approach 

We offer employees a variety of development opportunities including new hire onboarding and ongoing role-specific training that includes asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities, simulation and role-play, videos, and e-learning courses.

New leaders in the U.S. experience 20 hours of onboarding related to being an effective and inclusive leader and we offer numerous ways for leaders to continue to refine their leadership skills over the course of their career.

Employees can additionally engage in learning within a broad range of topics, such as growing technical skills, enabling high-performing teams, and building inclusion and career development capabilities. Employees have access to sessions focused on life skills through our EAP provider.

Short-term growth assignments are available to learn and apply skills outside their formal role. Additional opportunities exist for role rotations, job shadowing, mentoring, and pursuing further education or skills training.

We also offer a collegiate internship program and a variety of rotational programs for recent graduates.

Learn more on our careers site

Leaders provide feedback to employees and engage them in reflection and development planning annually. We promote a culture that encourages employees to reflect on their performance, provide feedback to their peers, and share development recommendations to their managers.

Our new goals 

We continue to find ways to expand access to and engagement in the core development programs we offer. This year, we’ve set new goals to strive to increase our performance in these areas.

By 2025, we aim to: 

Increase overall employee participation in core enterprise learning and development programs by 15%.Capture and centrally manage engagement data for 100% of our core enterprise learning and development programs in a common location, positioning us to better analyze key business outcomes based on our findings.Make 50% of core enterprise learning and development programming available in Spanish.Cross-train facilitators on 50% of core enterprise learning and development programming.

Our actions and performance in 2023 

Historically, it was challenging for us to collect and aggregate data for training across our organization as different parts of the business utilized different systems. This past year, we implemented a new process to allow us to better track and report training hours.

In 2023, our employees participated in 58,061 hours of voluntary learning and development, which is equal to about 2.9 hours per employee. Leaders specifically engaged in 7,229 hours of voluntary learning and development in 2023.

In 2023, approximately 189 employees participated in our educational assistance program that offers employees financial assistance with their job-related educational pursuits. In 2023, this totaled over $615,680 in investment by the organization.

We hired 244 interns in 2023 and continued our focus on early and mid-level career opportunities and recruiting diverse and underrepresented talent through partnerships like Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG), Girls Who Invest, Seizing Every Opportunity, and the International Association of Black Actuaries.

In 2023, 95.6% of global employees received a rating as part of an annual performance review process.

For the breakdown of U.S. employees who received a performance review in 2023 by gender and race/ethnicity, see our appendix to the report.

To learn more, read the Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report.

Additional information on our commitments to advance inclusion, representation, accessibility, and equity within our workplace, business practices, and communities can be found in the 2023 Global Inclusion Report.

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.​

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Covia takes time to acknowledge the dedication and leadership of Team Members who have made a significant impact on the job or in their communities by sharing their stories. Today we are happy to recognize two team members from our marketing team based in Huntersville, North Carolina – Natalie King, Brand Activation Manager, and Laura Vasseur, Senior Creative Designer and Digital Specialist. Natalie and Laura have been invaluable members of Covia’s team over the years – working to build relationships with customers through effective marketing. Read on to learn more about Natalie and Laura’s journey with Covia.

Unexpected Paths

Laura earned her undergraduate degree in art with a concentration in design from the University of North Carolina. While she originally went to school to become a physical therapist, she shifted her focus to design thanks to the encouragement of one of her professors. “I think back and realize I am so grateful for their encouragement every day,” Laura said. After finishing her studies, she had a variety of design jobs – working for a yearbook company, thread company, wind instrument company, and as a traveling artist. “I realized everybody needs marketing and design. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in.” Laura took advantage of those varied experiences, further developing the design skills she brought with her to Covia.

Natalie also took a different path to get to her current role at Covia. She earned her BSM in business administration with a concentration in marketing from the University of North Carolina. She started her career in the casino industry in Atlantic City, working on special events and database management. When the company she worked for opened a new casino in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Natalie moved to become their advertising and social media manager. In that role, she worked on ad creation, billboards, commercials, radio spots, and sponsorships with local sport teams. On her unique work experience, Natalie said, “I eventually found my way to Covia – trading in the glitz and glamor of Atlantic City to help sell sand.”

Building Connections

Laura’s work at Covia involves frequent research and coordination with the sales team. Laura often works on Covia’s website, updating content about our products and markets, updating layouts and templates, and developing landing pages for upcoming trade shows and product launches. She also helps develop, track, and report on digital ad campaigns. Laura’s work helps ensure Covia’s digital presence reflects our values and meets our customers’ preferences and needs.

On top of her digital work, Laura oversees the design of Covia’s packaging material. For instance, Laura designs the appearance of the 50-pound bags of mineral products that get sent out to customers, adding branding and critical legal information to ensure compliance and uniformity. Her keen eye for design plays an important role in how our customers view and interact with Covia’s products.

Natalie works closely with the sales team and the strategic marketing team to identify focus areas for Covia’s customers and how Covia can help create an innovative solution to support their unique ideas and opportunities. Because Covia serves such a wide variety of markets, Natalie and her team work to be adaptable, creating messages that make a connection with each of those different customers.

Natalie noted, “We need to be able to speak to those different groups – making sure Covia can create a unique solution tailored to those industries. Our golf market is going to have different opportunities than our customers in architectural coatings.” Thanks to Natalie, Laura, and our marketing team, Covia has been able to better understand our audiences, which guides our approach and the services offered.

Natalie and Laura work closely with both Covia’s strategic marketing team, who conduct deep dives into potential applications that can be marketed, and Covia’s sales team. Working with both teams, Natalie and Laura help identify the key solutions that Covia’s marketing campaigns should focus on. They tailor the messaging and creative [____] to resonate with the different end markets and customer segments that Covia serves. Leveraging customer insights from the sales team and market research from the strategy team, Natalie and Laura determine what our customers might need and how Covia can deliver that solution.

Marketing Campaigns that Inspire

Covia delivers more than just high-quality minerals and mineral solutions. We are an industry leader that is constantly troubleshooting and seeking unique ways to support customers’ success. We’re able to deliver these innovative solutions to our customers because team members like Laura, Natalie, and others on the marketing team are great at researching, communicating, problem-solving, and using marketing to strengthen our relationship with our customers.

A great example of this is Laura and the marketing team’s work on the “Don’t Fear the Filler” advertising campaign. The campaign was in response to the growing concern with the use of “fillers” in plastic films, which can result in a cloudy final product. Covia’s mineral fillers are carefully engineered to have very little negative effect on film clarity, providing a high-quality product that our customers have come to expect over the years.

The campaign, which has been running for a year now, was an exciting one to take on. Laura commented, “I had a good time working on the project. ‘Don’t Fear the Filler’ is such a fun tag line, and it was nice to create a campaign that has resonated with our customers.”

From our trade show booth to our digital ads, the powerful message and attention-grabbing headlines and visuals of this campaign successfully connected with our customers and demonstrated why our solutions are different.

Innovations and Personal Projects

Covia’s marketing team is hard at work to find new and exciting ways to connect with our customers. Laura and her team have begun releasing a series of videos that use innovative technologies to remaster older marketing videos, such as a recent one featuring the Minbloc® High-Clarity antiblock additive. “This gives us more opportunities to share our messages in different places without committing to new video shoots,” Laura said. The final product was showcased at our tradeshow booth and on our digital channels. “I’m excited about the possibilities of remastering more videos in the future.”

Natalie, who helped launch Covia’s LUMINEX™ ultrawhite filler and CRISTOBALEX™ ultrawhite reflective filler, particularly enjoys working on product launches.

“I’m excited to see products come to market. It gives us opportunities to create campaigns – helping these products from the ground level to the marketplace,” Natalie said. “Product launches are fun. You get to be creative – come up with names, figure out how to deliver the messages to the public, and find out who the best audience is for a particular product message. It’s very exciting.”

For Laura, who has always been artistic, creativity does not end at work. From photography to painting and graphic design, Laura is always looking for new and exciting ways to practice her craft in her free time. “I would say I’m honing my skills, but it’s more about having fun,” she commented.

Covia provides Natalie more than just a career, but a way to pursue her passion for volunteering. Natalie added, “I may not be the creative guru Laura is, but the emphasis that Covia places on volunteering is near and dear to my heart.” Natalie, an active volunteer in her community, enjoys utilizing Covia’s volunteer PTO program to give back to organizations that matter to her – such as the local nonprofit Angels and Sparrows.

Originally published on bloomberg.com

Bloomberg has been recognized as a Leader in The Verdantix Green Quadrant: Climate Financial Data And Analytics Providers 2024.

This report evaluates vendors across 11 capability categories and 11 measures of market momentum, and positions Bloomberg as a Leader offering comprehensive transition risk analytics at the asset and portfolio levels, and strong carbon emission and energy transition solutions.

The criteria for which Bloomberg received its highest scores include: net zero targets, tracking and alignment; transition plans; alignment with regulations and frameworks; climate financial data and analytics partners; and system integration.

Patricia Torres, Global Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions at Bloomberg, said: “Bloomberg’s goal is to be at the forefront of the development of sustainable finance solutions, and we are therefore proud to be recognized as a Leader in Climate Financial Data and Analytics. We are committed to leading the way in developing sustainable finance solutions that drive real-world progress. As the world increasingly focuses on financing reduced emissions, we provide decision-useful climate and nature data and analytics that enable firms to make more informed, impactful investment decisions. By integrating high-quality climate and nature insights with comprehensive financial tools, we help our clients stay ahead in an evolving regulatory landscape, drive sustainable change, manage risk and offer differentiated products to their customers.”

In the report, Verdantix noted:

“Bloomberg offers unique, comprehensive transition risk analytics at the asset and portfolio levels” with the Transition Risk Assessment Company Tool developed by BloombergNEF.“Bloomberg’s carbon emission and energy transition solutions are also strong. For example, its net zero forecasts incorporate credibility analysis of transition pathways. For investors that engage in decarbonization, there are automated tools to track these engagements for sustainability report. Bloomberg also offers solutions to identify and evaluate investment opportunities that support the climate transition.”The Bloomberg Terminal brings together business insights – for example asset-level data, such as location and activities, and supplier networks – with climate analytics and traditional financial data.”

For complimentary access to the full report, click here.

Bloomberg’s sustainable finance solutions span data and analytics, indices, scores, regulatory solutions, sustainable debt and climate risk. In addition, Bloomberg Terminal users also have access to ESG research from Bloomberg Intelligence and BloombergNEF. Clients can readily access ESG data on the Bloomberg Terminal via {ESGD <GO>} or across their enterprise via Data License at data.Bloomberg.com for use in proprietary or third-party applications in their cloud environment of choice. Through Data License Plus (DL+) ESG Manager, Bloomberg connects customers’ ESG data workflows to the full power of Bloomberg’s datasets as well as data from vendor partners, so clients can unlock maximum value with ease. For more information, visit Bloomberg Sustainable Finance Solutions.

About Bloomberg

Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration. For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo.

Bloomberg Press Contacts
Alyssa Gilmore – agilmore7@bloomberg.net

The global shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) is driven by the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and transition to a more sustainable transportation system. However, this shift is also creating significant challenges for the manufacturing sector, particularly in the supply chain. 

Traditional supply chains, built to support internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, must now adapt to the unique requirements of EV production, which involves different components, fewer parts, and new logistical considerations. 

As a result, supply chains are undergoing a fundamental transformation, a topic explored in detail by DP World and Canary Media in their joint report, Navigating the Opportunities and Challenges of an Electric Vehicle-Centric Manufacturing Supply Chain.

The report offers valuable insights into the complexities and opportunities that EVs present for manufacturers, logistics providers, and other supply chain stakeholders, highlighting key areas such as battery supply, factory logistics, and the circular economy. 

Here are four key areas that require attention as the industry adapts to EV production:

1. The EV Battery Supply Chain

Batteries are at the heart of electric vehicles, making them the most expensive and crucial component. As a result, the battery supply chain is a central focus for manufacturers. Due to the high cost and complexity of battery production, there is increasing pressure to locate battery manufacturing facilities close to EV assembly lines. This proximity helps minimize transportation costs and ensures that batteries, which are heavy and require specialized handling, can be safely and efficiently integrated into the supply chain.

The report highlights the need for factories to adapt their infrastructure and logistics to accommodate these specialized components. Batteries also pose unique challenges for storage and transportation due to their size, weight, and safety requirements, which must be addressed to ensure the smooth functioning of EV supply chains.

2. Factory Floor Logistics

The transition to electric vehicles requires significant changes to the factory floor. Traditional ICE vehicles involve a complex assembly process with numerous parts, but EVs are simpler by comparison, with fewer components and moving parts. This shift is pushing manufacturers to reconfigure their facilities to handle EV-specific production needs, including equipment for handling heavy batteries and retooling assembly lines.

The logistical changes don’t stop there. EV production demands new approaches to storage, transport, and delivery. Fleets responsible for moving EVs from factory to dealership or customer must adapt to the unique challenges posed by these vehicles, including battery safety concerns during transportation. These adjustments are crucial to ensuring the supply chain remains both efficient and safe.

3. Lower Maintenance Demands of EVs

Electric vehicles also differ from traditional cars in terms of maintenance requirements. EVs have fewer moving parts than ICE vehicles, resulting in lower maintenance needs over their lifetime. This reduction in parts and maintenance complexity is driving a shift towards more streamlined supply chains, where fewer components need to be sourced, stored, and transported.

For logistics providers, this translates into a more efficient system that can reduce operational costs while still meeting the growing demand for EVs. However, it also means that traditional supply chains, which were built to handle the myriad components of ICE vehicles, must adapt to the new reality of EV logistics.

4. Integrating Circular Economy Principles

One of the most significant opportunities presented by the rise of electric vehicles is the potential to integrate circular economy principles into the supply chain. The report underscores the importance of reusing and recycling critical materials, especially those needed for EV batteries, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. By repurposing these materials for new batteries, manufacturers can reduce their reliance on imported minerals, lower costs, and minimize the geopolitical risks associated with sourcing raw materials.

This approach not only enhances the sustainability of the EV supply chain but also aligns with broader global efforts to reduce waste and promote resource efficiency. The ability to recycle and reuse battery components can have a profound impact on the supply chain’s resilience and its environmental footprint.

As the automotive industry evolves, the successful navigation of the EV supply chain will hinge on investments in new infrastructure, innovations in logistics, and a commitment to sustainability through circular economy models. Manufacturers and logistics providers who can adapt to these changes will be well-positioned to thrive in the EV era.

For a deeper dive into the challenges and opportunities ahead, download the full report – Navigating the Opportunities and Challenges of an Electric Vehicle-Centric Manufacturing Supply Chain – available now on the DP World website.

Bob Herr| Director of Corporate Governance

Luke Pryor| Portfolio Manager—Security of the Future; Co-Portfolio Manager—Responsible US Equities; Senior Research Analyst—US Large Cap Value

A company’s governance practices can provide valuable insights into its risk management and sustainability—and a company’s board composition is a key factor to consider. Research—our own included—indicates that the age diversity of a company’s board of directors may correlate with operational performance and shareholder returns, making a strong case for multigenerational boards.

Long on Experience, Short on Age Variability

There’s a lot to be said for experience. Directors need the right mix of skills and experience to provide effective guidance and oversight. That often comes with time. But there’s a point at which boards may become too monolithic, in our view.

Consider, for example, that nearly 70% of directors within S&P 500 companies represent a single generation—baby boomers. Moreover, only 5% of directors are under the age of 50.

Why does that matter? A broader range of generational perspectives on corporate boards may improve operating performance, strengthen business durability and smooth succession planning.

Those aren’t just theories. They’re backed up by research.

Age Diversity Linked to Improved Oversight and Financials

Researchers from the University of New Hampshire found that the presence of directors from Generation X (people born between 1965 and 1980) was correlated with improved financial performance, as measured by return on assets and price to book. Notably, the study found that that relationship was especially strong at firms that invest more in research and development (R&D) and engage in patenting activity.

Another recent study focused on more than 7,000 banks. Controlling for various firm and board characteristics, researchers found that greater age diversity on bank boards was correlated with higher-quality earnings reporting, reduced loan charge-offs and fewer nonperforming loans. The authors theorize that multigenerational boards are more likely to challenge entrenched managerial decisions and established protocol, resulting in improved monitoring effectiveness.

Eventually, of course, businesses need a succession plan for their leaders. Here, too, multigenerational boards appear to provide benefits. According to PwC, increased age diversity among corporate board members allows for more gradual leadership changes—reducing loss of experience and knowledge and smoothing inevitable leadership transitions. The study also suggested that multigenerational boards may help expand the pool of future leaders, while increasing teamwork and collaboration within an organization.

So, what does this mean for investors? Quite a bit, it turns out.

The Link Between Multigenerational Boards and Share Prices

We sorted constituents of the Russell 1000 Index into three baskets according to the age range of their directors. The first basket comprised boards with a greater than 30-year difference between the oldest and youngest directors. On the other end of the spectrum were boards with small age variability—20 years or less. A third basket made up the middle, with boards spanning 21 to 30 years in age difference.

After analyzing stock performance from 2017 through 2023, we found that companies with the greatest board age variance produced the strongest annualized returns, while those with the least age variance produced the weakest returns.

This trend was consistent across most sectors but was more pronounced in innovation-oriented sectors—even when controlling for founder-led versus non-founder-led organizations. Board age diversity appeared to be most valuable in R&D-intensive sectors like technology and healthcare, and least valuable in less R&D-intensive sectors like materials and real estate (Display).

Board Age Considerations Warrant a Closer Look

This isn’t to say that youth trumps experience, nor are we suggesting that companies nominate inexperienced younger directors or entrenched older directors to maximize a board’s age range. In our view, a director’s qualifications are still of paramount importance. Nonetheless, multigenerational boards have tended to deliver stronger investment performance than their monogenerational counterparts over the past several years.

Despite a growing body of evidence highlighting the benefits of age diversity on corporate boards, we’ve yet to see any regulation or governance codes that address this issue. That could eventually change. Over time, we hope to better understand whether companies are including age diversity in their board refreshment considerations, and to identify sectors in which this may be most (and least) relevant.

There are many factors to consider when investing; the makeup of a company’s board is just one. But given the correlation between board age diversity and improved operating metrics and returns, we believe age diversity on corporate boards warrants a closer look.

Landon Shea, Investment Stewardship Associate, and Michael Crovetto, Research Analyst, were instrumental in the research supporting this blog.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams. Views are subject to change over time.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.

Emeryville, Calif., October 22, 2024 /3BL/ – The Global Heat Reduction Initiative (GHR) will host a panel of top climate scientists and entrepreneurs speaking out on the growing importance of reducing aggressive climate super pollutants including methane, black carbon, tropospheric ozone, and HFCs that are responsible for nearly half of all global warming. The panel will take place on opening day of the prestigious VERGE climate conference put on by the Trellis Group (formerly GreenBiz).

Verge 2024: Deploying Climate Tech at Scale

Session: Tackling Super Pollutants on the Path to Net Zero

Tuesday, October 29, 3:15-4:15 p.m.

McEnery Convention Center, San Jose, CA, Meeting Room 211B-D

“To prevent global temperatures from permanently exceeding dangerous thresholds, we must start slashing super pollutants rapidly and at scale,” said GHR Executive Director Kiff Gallagher. “These emissions can be hundreds or thousands of times stronger than CO2, but they also dissipate from the atmosphere fast. Stopping these emissions at the source gives us an enormous opportunity to slow down global warming within years instead of decades.”

Gallagher will be joined on the panel by the following experts:

Phil Duffy, PhD, Chief Scientist at Spark Climate Solutions, a science-driven non-profit aiming to accelerate progress on emerging, high impact climate fields. Dr. Duffy has served two stints in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, under Presidents Biden and Obama, where he helped drive climate agenda. He has also led the Woodwell Climate Research Center (formerly the Woods Hole Research Center) and served as a Senior Scientist and Deputy Division Leader at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.Mark Z. Jacobsen, PhD, Director of the Atmosphere and Energy Program and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University. Dr. Jacobson is a Senior Fellow of the Woods Institute for the Environment and the Precourt Institute for Energy. An expert on climate, energy and air pollution, he has authored more than 185 scientific articles and six books, including his latest, “No Miracles Needed: How Today’s Technology Can Save Our Climate and Clean Our Air.”  Ning Jeng, co-founder of Recoolit, a climate tech startup focused on reducing powerful refrigerant emissions through lifecycle management and technical assistance, especially in the Global South. Mr. Jeng also serves on the UN Montreal Protocol’s TEAP Taskforce for Lifecycle Refrigerant Management. Previously, he was an engineer on Apple’s iPhone team, and led international forestry projects at Terraformation, the forest restoration company founded by former Reddit CEO Yishan Wong.

The panel will be moderated by Jennifer Norfolk, GHR Senior Director for Partnership Development.

GHR was launched by Emeryville-based SCS Global Services, a pioneer and global leader in sustainability standards and certification for four decades. GHR helps private business, government entities, and other organizations accelerate their climate efforts to mitigate climate super pollutants as well as other drivers of climate change such as loss of surface reflectivity. Learn more at www.heatreduction.com.

 

Media Contact

Tom Vandyck 
Public Affairs Manager, Global Heat Reduction Initiative 
Media@heatreduction.com

In honor of Great Place To Work US’s Certification Nation Day, we celebrate Tapestry’s own Great Place To Work Certified status! This recognition is based directly on employee feedback about different aspects of our company like leadership, purpose, and culture; to say we’re proud is an understatement.

At Tapestry, we cultivate a place for people who are both warm and rigorous, work that is both challenging and fun, a culture led by both head and heart. And while each of our brands is unique and independent, we share a commitment to innovation and authenticity. We use our collective strengths to connect with our customers and empower our communities to make the fashion industry more sustainable, and to build a company that’s equitable, inclusive and diverse.

Thank you to all of Our Tapestry team members – this one’s for you.

Learn more about Tapestry’s Great Place to Work Certification status

About Tapestry, Inc.

Tapestry Inc. is a leading New York-based house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands. Our global house of brands unites the magic of Coach, kate spade new york and Stuart Weitzman. Each of our brands is unique and independent, while sharing a commitment to innovation and authenticity defined by distinctive products and differentiated customer experiences across channels and geographies. We use our collective strengths to move our customers and empower our communities to create a better-made future, and to build a company that is equitable, inclusive and diverse. Individually, our brands are iconic. Together, we stretch what’s possible.

In a world where one in 11 people go to bed hungry every night, Action Against Hunger last week hosted a life-saving gala that raised $1.5 million dollars, marking the organization’s 45th anniversary as world leader in the fight against hunger. The funds raised on Thursday will help our teams continue to reach 21 million people in 55+ countries globally.

Action Against Hunger’s gala honored some of the world’s most influential humanitarians. We recognized Viola Davis as our Humanitarian Honoree, due to her lifetime spent advocating for a more just and equitable world.

“It’s very important for me to express to this room the power of humanitarianism,” she said, recounting her struggles while growing up. “There was no one who saw me, because the big, 1,000-pound gorilla that was on my back was the big ‘P’ word, which is poverty. And when you’re poor, nobody sees you.”

Davis is a critically revered activist, artist, producer, philanthropist, and author. She earned EGOT status after winning an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and multiple Tony awards. She has dedicated her life to championing social justice causes.

“The memory of that hunger and that pain of poverty and the trauma of living in violence is what moves me through my life,” she said. “I don’t want any more little Violas. I want anyone rolling through the world thinking that they can’t get at their dreams because sometimes that’s the only place that you exist. Thank you for this award. Thank you for your commitment to hunger.”

Davis inspired the crowd to continue taking a stand against hunger.

“When you do things alone, it dies with you,” she said. “When you do things for others and for the world, it remains, and it is immortal.”

Action Against Hunger also honored Farida “Frida” Gadzhimirzaeva as our Leadership Honoree for her unrelenting service.

As Deputy Regional Director of Central America, Gadzhimirzaeva has worked tirelessly to improve food security for vulnerable communities through her unshakeable dedication and Action Against Hunger’s transformative innovations.

Action Against Hunger was privileged to honor IHG Hotels & Resorts as our Corporate Honoree. The hotel company has been a steadfast supporter of Action Against Hunger’s work and is striving to improve global food security as part of their Journey To Tomorrow responsible business plan.

The night’s emcee was Mo Rocca, esteemed correspondent of CBS Sunday Morning. He guided guests through an inspirational, unforgettable evening and helped raise life-altering funds for the 733 million people who go to bed hungry each night.

Dr. Charles Owubah, CEO of Action Against Hunger, took to the stage to raise awareness about the magnitude of the hunger crisis, reminding the audience that a child dies every 15 seconds from malnutrition. He also thanked supporters for choosing hope over cynicism.

“Hunger is a crisis. It’s also one we can solve,” he said. “Over the past 45 years, Action Against Hunger has contributed to a 60% drop in child deaths from malnutrition.”

Owubah continued: “We have proven that hope can win. Hope wins when we take action. When we combat feelings of powerlessness by slowing down, as you have done, showing up as you have done tonight, and using your resources and voice to create change.”

Hunger is on the rise in many regions around the world. Raising critical funds for struggling communities is more urgent than ever before. Action Against Hunger, during our annual gala and beyond, is devoted to finding innovative solutions and ending hunger for everyone, for good.

See Viola Davis’s speech here: 2024 Action Against Hunger Gala: Viola Davis

See Farida “Frida” Gadzhimirzaeva’s speech here: 2024 Action Against Hunger Gala: Farida “Frida” Gadzhimirzaeva | Leadership Award

See Dr. Charles Owubah’s speech here: 2024 Action Against Hunger Gala: Dr. Charles Owubah, CEO

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

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By Kenneal Patterson, Senior Communications Associate

Photos by Natural Expressions NY

While we power homes and businesses, we’re just as committed to fueling our employees’ passion for volunteerism. In 2023, Delmarva Power employees dedicated more than 17,200 hours to support regional organizations. A select group of outstanding volunteers is honored with the Exelon Powering Communities Award, recognizing their commitment to helping others. This year, we awarded Ian Rupert, Katherine Shinski, and Kregg Schaen with this top honor, along with a $5,000 grant to continue their critical work with Caroline North Little League, Tuckahoe Equestrian Center, and Elkton Community Little League.

“Your efforts strengthen the reputation of our organization, letting others in the community know that Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power, and Pepco are not only their local energy provider but we are also a strong leader and thoughtful community partners,” said Tyler Anthony, President and CEO of Pepco Holdings. “Your efforts continue to distinguish us from other local business leaders and help us share our story with those who mean the most to us—our communities.”

In October, we gathered in Washington, D.C., to spotlight Ian, Katherine, and Kregg as true leaders in powering our communities. Learn more about our 2024 Powering Community Award recipients and the impact they’re making on our region:

Ian Rupert, Lead Lineman

Caroline North Little League

Over the last five years, Ian has played all the positions for Caroline North Little League, from working the cook shack to Safety Officer to powering his community’s only little league program. As a passionate baseball fan, Ian enjoys sharing his passion for baseball while empowering children to learn valuable life lessons like good sportsmanship, dedication, and teamwork.

Katherine Shinski, Supervisor, Distribution Coordinator/Support

Tuckahoe Equestrian Center

Tuckahoe Equestrian Center is a family and youth-oriented organization that strives to instill a love of horses in people of all ages in the community through equestrian events such as trail riding, jousting, parades, and horse shows. Katherine has been sharing her love of horsemanship for five years by helping the Tuckahoe Equestrian Center improve efficiency, execute Fun Day shows, and participate in clean-up days.

Kregg Schaen, Journey Line Mechanic

Elkton Community Little League

Even before his daughters played softball, Kregg was a dedicated Elkton Community Little League volunteer, helping clean fields, setting up games, and serving as an umpire. Now a coach for his daughter’s team, Kregg helps provide a safe and enjoyable community where children can connect and explore the world of sports.

by R. Paul Herman and Liana Lan, HIP Investor Ratings LLC

When sailing your portfolio into the future, would you want a top-heavy boat? Or a boat that is stable through the waves of future risks? “Green bonds,” “social bonds” and “sustainability bonds” – these labels bring comfort to impact investors. Yet, are all green, social and sustainability bonds fully safe for the forthcoming 30 years?

Our HIP Investor Ratings of 270,000 bonds – whether issued by more than 100,000 municipalities, 14,000 corporates, or 200 sovereigns – evaluate the possible future risks and future opportunities of the underlying issuers and use of proceeds. As of August 30, 2024, HIP has evaluated 11,487 bonds that are labeled “green,” “social” or “sustainability-linked,” which seek to bring solutions like reducing pollution, delivering cleaner water, spurring more affordable housing, or bringing climate action forward to society as well as to your portfolio.

These positive impacts can build a better world and could bring more stable income and a higher-confidence of principal repayments in the future. Yet they also need to be evaluated for climate risk and resilience.

This article also looks at- 1) What Green, Social and Sustainable Bonds are Funding. 2) Climate Risks Persist, Possibly Offset with Resilience. 3) How Credit Ratings Seem to Ignore Higher Climate Risks. 4) Are Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds also Climate Resilient?

Read more here – https://greenmoney.com/are-your-bonds-green-social-or-sustainable-and-climate-resilient-too