Tag: 3BL

NEW YORK, October 17, 2024 /3BL/ – Out of 87% of surveyed companies, almost all reference applying their corporate purpose as they made business decisions outside of social investments, according to Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose®’s (CECP) Giving in Numbers™: 2024 Edition. While this suggests an integration of corporate purpose into the company’s daily operations, 92% of companies also reported that their leadership referenced their purpose as they made social investment decisions such as grantmaking, strategy, and the development of focus areas. Data continues to demonstrate that corporate purpose communicates a comprehensive view of the company’s impact and integration across all business operations. And this year’s data is more in line with pre-pandemic trends, even as sociopolitical and economic uncertainty has C-Suite leaders asking their teams to do so much more with existing resources.

Median Total Community Investment (TCI) for all companies participating in Giving in Numbers in 2023 was US$22.9 million, which includes direct cash, foundation cash, and non-cash such as product donations or pro bono services. The median TCI increased by 2% between 2021 and 2023 and increased by 5% since 2019.

Median investments in the areas of Community and Economic Development increased by 87% between 2021 and 2023, while Environment increased by 33%. Disaster Relief increased by 6%, while Culture and Arts increased by 5%. Health and Social Services decreased by 2%, Higher Education decreased by 3%, and K-12 decreased by 11%. The biggest decrease was in Civic and Public Affairs, whose median decreased by 38%. This might indicate hesitancy on the part of companies to engage with any programs related to civic duty and public service, which, in the current cultural climate, could be considered political.

CECP’s Giving in Numbers™ is the premier industry survey and research, providing standard-setting criteria in a go-to guide that has defined the field and advanced the movement. Over 23 years, CECP has created the largest dataset on trends in the industry, shared by more than 600 multi-billion-dollar companies, representing more than $439 billion in corporate social investments over that time span. The report is embraced by professionals across all sectors globally to understand how corporations invest in society, with topics ranging from cash and in-kind/product, employee volunteerism and giving, and impact measurement. From quick questions to presentations to company teams, boards, and CEOs, CECP is the only business counsel and network dedicated to driving measurable return on purpose, analyzing Giving in Numbers data to provide customized insights to advance strategy and measure the business value.

Additional key findings include:

69% of companies in a matched set had metrics that aligned their business practices with their corporate purpose in 2023, an increase from 65% in 2019.In 2023, direct cash was the most common funding type, with 94% of companies including it in their TCI. The average percentage of TCI that came from direct cash was 45% and the median dollar amount was US$11.6 million. Direct cash is consistently the most common funding type, as it has the lowest barrier to entry for making community investments.The median international community investment increased by 46% from 2021 to 2023, while domestic community investments decreased by 11%, indicating a shift toward a more international focus. Emerging focus areas of community investment that were particularly relevant in 2023 include climate change, which, in 2023, had a median community investment value of US$1.2 million. The other responsive community investment in 2023 was relief to Israel and Palestine, particularly in the wake of the October 7th, 2023 attack.Companies are also measuring the business value associated with community investments for their brand and customers. In 2023, 44% of companies measured brand value of community investments by leveraging external company-wide brand assessments (67%) and analyzing marketing data (51%). The most important benefit for 43% of companies was to improve their reputation/trust score.From 2021 to 2023, volunteer program offerings and participation rates saw significant growth. The median number of volunteer hours grew by 75%, and average volunteer participation increased by 8 percentage points, approaching pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, the median employee volunteer participation rate was 23%. Virtual Volunteering remained the most common employee volunteer program offered, with 85% of companies offering it to their domestic employees.

“As the results from Giving in Numbers illustrate, the world’s largest companies are capitalizing on corporate purpose not just because it is good for the world, but because it is good for business,” said Daryl Brewster, CEO, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose. “Focusing and integrating corporate purpose is a smart business approach creating sustainable value for both the company and its employees, suppliers, partners, customers, investors, and the communities where it operates.”

Giving in Numbers™ provides helpful insights to practitioners seeking to find information quickly to benchmark their own programs against their peers’, as well as information on trends to provide contextual summaries for anyone looking to understand how and why the field is changing. One such case study highlighted in the report is how, for 20 years, Bank of America has invested in its signature philanthropic program Neighborhood Builders®, which offers nonprofit awardees the opportunity for a $200,000 unrestricted grant and yearlong support for long term success.

Key insights from the Giving in Numbers Survey of 2023 data were released at the CECP Summit in May 2024. CECP-affiliated companies can access custom analysis of the data at no additional cost through CECP’s secure online portal or by contacting CECP.

Note to Editors: the report author is available for comment and a more in-depth look at the community investment data collected from 219 of the world’s largest companies.

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About Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP)

Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose® (CECP) is the only business counsel and network dedicated to driving measurable returns on purpose. We promote responsible purpose-driven business as it increases customer loyalty, builds employee engagement, improves brand trust, attracts top talent, connects with strategic investors, and contributes to the bottom line.

More than 200 of the world’s leading companies seek to improve their return on purpose through access to CECP’s solutions in research and insights, strategy and benchmarking, and convening and communications. With our companies, we harness the power of purpose for business, stakeholders, and society.

For more information, visit http://cecp.co.

October 17, 2024 /3BL/ – With nearly one in 11 people around the world facing hunger, Action Against Hunger tonight will host a gala to raise lifesaving funds and honor champions who are advancing the cause. Actress Viola Davis, critically acclaimed artist, activist, producer, philanthropist, and New York Times best-selling author, will receive Action Against Hunger’s Humanitarian Award for her efforts to champion food security and health for children.

The event, which focuses on 45 years of innovation, will be emceed by Mo Rocca, celebrated correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning, frequent panelist on NPR’s “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me,” and co-author of the New York Times best-selling book Roctogenerians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks and Triumphs.

“As the host of Innovation Nation, I’ve been dazzled and dumbfounded by hundreds of gizmos, gadgets and inventions. But I’m especially impressed by novel ways to approach complex problems like global hunger. It’s hard to think of a more important crisis to solve,” Mo Rocca said. “So it’s a particular pleasure to help Action Against Hunger raise awareness and funds.”

Farida “Frida” Gadzhimirzaeva, Action Against Hunger’s Deputy Regional Director for Central America, and her team will be recognized for her passionate efforts championing food security across the region. Together, they have pioneered innovative efforts that range from climate-smart agriculture to a real-time database for tracking hunger levels.

IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, will be recognized as the 2024 Corporate Honoree for its longstanding efforts to improve food security. A supporter of Action Against Hunger’s nutrition programs, IHG Hotels & Resorts is working to grow awareness of hunger and to engage millions of guests around the world.

The funds raised will support Action Against Hunger’s work in 59 countries and efforts to innovate sustainable ways to prevent hunger and respond in times of crisis. Individual donations are critical: Action Against Hunger’s 2024 Hunger Funding Gap analysis revealed a 65% gap between funding requests for hunger-related programs in countries dealing with crisis levels of hunger, up 23% from the previous year.

“The world produces enough food for everyone, so hunger isn’t just an issue of food; it’s an issue of equity. Food is a basic human right, and we believe everyone should enjoy a life free from hunger,” said Dr. Charles Owubah, CEO of Action Against Hunger. “We are grateful to Viola Davis for her longstanding work in spotlighting this crisis and sharing her own experience dealing with hunger as a child. Leadership like hers is critical to raising awareness and sparking change. Together, we can create a world where every life is well nourished.”

The gala will provide attendees the chance to learn more about the ways that global hunger is deeply interrelated to other urgent issues such as the climate crisis and conflict. It also will feature live music and a live auction.

Limited tickets for the charity gala are available for purchase via Action Against Hunger’s website. For those unable to attend, donations can be made directly through the website.

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.

We believe that being a meaningful part of the community means more than collecting a profit. That’s why working to strengthen and serve our communities is at the heart of our everyday business.

DRIVING COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Our commitment to improving outcomes for communities continues to guide our economic empowerment efforts. We firmly believe that this work must be responsive to the needs of the communities we serve and implemented in collaboration with strategic partners to help build a more equitable future for all.

Launched on January 1, 2022, and scheduled for completion in 2025, the PNC Community Benefits Plan (CBP) is our pledge to help drive that success through $88 billion in loans, investments and other financial support to bolster economic opportunity for low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals, communities and people of color.

The plan builds on our long-standing commitment to economic empowerment by supporting key areas:

$47 billion in residential mortgage financing and home lending$26.5 billion in small business loans$14.5 billion in community development lending and investments$500 million in charitable giving

In 2023, PNC deployed $21 billion of the $88 billion committed, and since the CBP was launched, we have deployed $56 billion, nearly 64 percent of the total amount committed to help meet community needs and boost economic empowerment. Specifically, during the past year, PNC’s CBP impact includes:

Affordable homeownership: Building on our efforts to expand homeownership opportunities and support the development of generational wealth, our aggregate impact in residential mortgage and home equity loans nationwide totaled $13.2 billion, including more than 12,000 borrowers in minority census tracts.Small business support: PNC is committed to reducing barriers to banking and increasing access to credit for small businesses. We deepened our investment by providing $4.7 billion in loans and investments. This supported small businesses and small farms operating in low-to middle-income communities, majority-minority census tracts, and businesses with revenues of less than $1 million. Small businesses and farms with revenues of less than $1 million received more than 26 percent ($1.2 billion) of the total loans.Community Financing: To accelerate investments in impactful community and economic development initiatives, PNC provided $3.2 billion in community development loans and investments. This helped to create jobs, increase and preserve the supply of affordable housing, boost neighborhood revitalization efforts, and improve access to healthcare and other critical services in underserved communities across PNC’s footprint.Charitable support: PNC’s commitment to building stronger communities goes beyond loans and investments. In 2023, the company awarded $128.6 million* in charitable giving to support individuals and communities across its footprint.Financial education: PNC piloted the Center for Financial Education, a robust curriculum of workshops that provide information, strategies and resources to help LMI families build economic stability and generational wealth in six PNC markets.Mobile branches: PNC is using mobile branches as community outreach tools to extend essential banking services into LMI communities and strengthen relationships with unbanked or underbanked members of these communities.

In 2020, PNC committed $1 billion to challenge systemic racism and support the economic empowerment of Black and LMI individuals and communities across PNC’s markets.

Four years later, PNC has fulfilled this pledge — providing more than $1 billion in community financing and an additional $50 million in charitable giving to support social and economic mobility initiatives benefiting LMI individuals, communities and people of color.

PNC Community Benefits Plan (CBP), YEAR 2

Since the CBP was launched and as of December 31, 2023 $56B OF $88B committed in the CBP

HOMEOWNERSHIP

$38.3B OF $47B in residential mortgage financing and home lending

SMALL BUSINESS

$9.8B OF $26.5B in small business loans

COMMUNITY FINANCING

$7.9B OF $14.5B in community development lending and investments

CHARITABLE SUPPORT

$249.8M* OF $500M in charitable giving

$352.3M spent in 2023 with diverse suppliers, including minority, women, veteran and LGBTQ+–owned business.

*Charitable giving number includes mortgage assistance grants and PNC Foundation expenses, and it does not match with the philanthropic giving number in other sections of this report.

WORKING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES

Our communities, the places we call home, and our employees are the driving force behind everything we do. Through our work in Community Development Banking (CDB), we contribute to improving quality of life in low- and moderateincome (LMI) neighborhoods by supporting affordable housing, community development lending, economic development, financial education and customized financial solutions.

As part of our $88 billion Community Benefits Plan, PNC convened a Community Advisory Council (CAC) to discuss areas of community need across our footprint and to create a platform that allows for dialogue with community partners. This council convened three times in 2023 to collaborate with PNC to help address LMI community needs and assist in the implementation of PNC’s Community Benefits Plan.

Held in October 2023, our second annual Community Leadership Symposium included actionable insights and evidence to advance economic opportunity for LMI and majorityminority communities. In partnership with Urban Institute, we shared research findings from PNC’s inaugural Shareholders Needs Assessment, an in-depth survey of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) challenges in LMI communities. The survey results highlighted the prioritization of affordable housing and small business support. More than 160 community and public policy leaders and economic development experts participated in symposium discussions covering affordable housing, financial well-being, economic development, CDFIs, community needs and more.

PROMOTING FINANCIAL ACCESS

At PNC, we’re dedicated to helping our customers progress confidently in their financial journeys, regardless of their current stage. Our comprehensive range of convenient products is tailored to suit every phase of life and every financial aspiration. We firmly believe that even a small step taken today can significantly impact our customers’ financial futures for the better.

Ensuring financial access also means helping customers manage their money. PNC’s Low Cash Mode® on Virtual Wallet® continues to help our customers do just that with alerts, payments control and extra time to avoid overdraft fees. Since 2021, we have reduced those fees by over 60 percent. Our customers have saved more than $672 million in overdraft fees by using the features of Low Cash Mode and through our pricing changes. Once reaching a negative balance, nearly two-thirds of Low Cash Mode customers have been able to use Extra Time to return their account to positive and avoid paying a fee. Customer complaints about overdrafts have been cut in half. In 2023, we continued to provide overdraft fee relief, reducing the maximum number of overdraft fees to one fee per day for all consumer accounts.

In 2023, our Foundation Checking Account helped empower those who are unbanked and underbanked. This product meets the Bank On National Account Standards for low costs and fees, no overdraft fees, and customer-friendly features.

Mobile Branches Where Our Communities Need Them

Since 2020, our mobile branches have helped the unbanked and underbanked communities across the country gain access to crucial banking services and provide resources to help those communities become more financially educated and empowered. In 2023, PNC reached a significant milestone by launching this program in a tenth market within the United States. This latest achievement not only extended PNC’s innovative banking services to more communities, but also fulfilled a key commitment within PNC’s $88 billion Community Benefits Plan.

In 2023, our mobile branches completed more than 1,500 deployments traveling over 57,000 miles. This reach has positively impacted nearly 9,000 individuals through collaboration with more than 80 community organizations.

Our mobile branches can be found in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Greater Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix and South Florida.

PNC’s mobile branch teams lead discussions centered on financial education and wellness. Then, when the client is ready, the team provides personalized consultations on personal and small business banking, including account openings and instant debit card issuance. Community members can also gain insights into understanding credit reports and credit history, explore affordable homeownership options, and much more. PNC tailors these solutions and its financial curriculum to the unique needs of each community it serves, helping to ensure that the bank remains a committed ally in financial empowerment.

These services are complemented by free financial education seminars aimed at helping participants make more informed financial decisions.

In 2023, our mobile branches completed more than 1,500 deployments traveling over 57,000 miles. This reach has positively impacted nearly 9,000 individuals through collaboration with more than 80 community organizations.

EXPANDING OUR COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL EDUCATION

Financial literacy and wellness begin with education. From bilingual financial education workshops to educational resources for students, we’re committed to delivering the most relevant insights and learning opportunities to help our clients better understand their finances and make sound financial decisions that promote financial wellness.

In 2023, PNC served 27,447 LMI individuals via 1,584 financial education classes. Building on strategy work from the prior year, PNC launched the Center for Financial Education to better serve unbanked, underbanked and other LMI individuals facing barriers to building financial assets. A pilot was launched over a six-month period to test facilitating in-person financial education workshops, primarily in partnership with local community organizations serving LMI individuals and small business entrepreneurs. The curriculum included financial literacy workshops on personal finance, homeownership and small business banking. The pilot demonstrated successful engagement with participating community partners, workshop participants and PNC employees.

PNC’s My Finance Academy and our Student Banking Center provide information, insights and ideas that help to build healthy financial habits for high school, college and beyond. My Finance Academy offers educational videos, podcasts, articles and other tools to help our clients build their financial knowledge and confidence, such as the College Savings Calculator and Student Budgeting Calculator.

In 2023, PNC:

Hosted approximately 1,000 participants for a live webcast featuring Chelsea Fagan, founder & CEO of The Financial Diet, for “6 Money Lessons I Wish I’d Learned Earlier.”Implemented a financial wellness webinar calendar in which student-centric topics of banking basics, credit, budgeting and ID theft were presented. From September through December, two webinars per month were presented.Coordinated 75 in-person financial wellness seminars on college campuses across the country.

Organizational Financial Wellness

For more than 25 years, PNC Organizational Financial Wellness (OFW) has served organizations and their employees through customized financial wellness programs that combine innovative service and solutions. These solutions help employees gain financial confidence and security while helping organizations improve productivity, performance and retention. Today, more than 40,000 organizations and nearly 1.6 million households utilize these programs.

PNC OFW launched Student Debt Solution to provide employees with a holistic approach that helps them reduce the impact of student loans on their current financial well-being. The solution provides options ranging from identifying loan forgiveness and refinancing to helping borrowers better manage their repayment schedule. It also provides organizations with new options to directly help their employees tackle student debt, either through employer contributions or employer matching contributions. It also helps organizations automate and digitize the certification process for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, where applicable.

Additional 2023 highlights include:

Releasing our inaugural Financial Wellness in the Workplace Report 2023: What Employees Want (and Need). The study offered insights for organizations to consider as they balanced the urgent needs of their employees with the financial realities of their own organizations.

Delivered 28,000 financial wellness events across 4,100 organizations.

Facilitated 1,200 financial education seminars with more than 10,000 employees, designed to engage and educate them across a variety of relevant topics.

Hosted nearly 7,000 individual financial wellness consultations to better understand and address employees’ unique financial goals and needs.

Helped nearly 193,000 employees manage healthcare expenses and plan for the future through Health Savings Accounts and other benefit spending accounts.

Expanding Financial Access for Small Business*

Consistent with PNC’s efforts to reduce barriers to banking and increase access to credit, we have deepened our commitment to small business. We collaborated enterprise-wide to deliver financial solutions that help position low- and moderate-income (LMI), minority-owned and micro businesses for effective growth, development and sustainability. We continue to support loans to small businesses, including small farms operating in LMI communities, with $9.8 billion in loans.

In 2023, PNC spent $352.3 million (or 8.9 percent of eligible spend) with diverse suppliers, including minority, women, veteran and LGBTQ+–owned businesses.

*For more information about supporting Small Business, see Supplier Diversity and Supporting Minority Business sections of this report.

Supporting MDIs and CDFIs

In 2022, PNC launched a task force to develop a comprehensive strategy to support minority deposit institutions (MDIs). Today, PNC supports more than 40 MDIs and provides a broad range of services, including investments, access to our ATM network, low-cost deposits and loan sales, and capital market and banking products. PNC lent or invested $96 million to 27 CDFIs and five MDIs during 2023. Product breakdown is as follows:

$47 million in 12 Equity Equivalents (EQ2s)$27 million in Term Loans$16 million in Lines of Credit$2 million in Funds$4 million in Certificates of Deposit (CDs)

Expanding Access to Affordable Housing

We know that homeownership is one of the biggest decisions, and we are here to support individuals and families through that important process. That means doing our best to enhance homeownership opportunities for all, including LMI and minority borrowers. Our flexible products, programs and wide variety of down payment options help customers buy and stay in their homes.

In 2023, in excess of one-third of PNC’s mortgage units supported LMI borrowers and communities within our primary markets. Our affordable lending sales staff and management team consists of 28 Affordable Lending Specialists who are trained specifically to assist LMI borrowers and communities.

Last year, our Mortgage Affordable Lending department conducted 28 educational “Affordable Lending Solutions” outreach events, in collaboration with Freddie Mac and National-Link services. These events were intended to help LMI borrowers navigate the path to homeownership. The events included education regarding the benefits of homeownership, understanding the home buying process, available grants and subsidies, product options, forecasting for real estate professionals, and local market analysis and opportunities.

PNC also conducts ongoing affordable lending training for our sales teams, operations and branch network employees. This training emphasizes the usage of our affordable lending product suite and our processes for utilizing and offering subsidies to consumers.

Providing Safe Homes for Survivors of Domestic Violence; Expanding Access to Early Childhood Education

PNC has provided $27 million in federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity for a critically needed $47 million development providing 63 new affordable homes in Montebello, California, a predominantly Hispanic community that borders East Los Angeles. With a median household income of just $47,488, 15.4 percent of the community lives below the federal poverty line, making the need for more affordable housing dire.

Half of the homes in this development will be reserved for survivors of domestic violence, who will also benefit from supportive services to help ensure their well-being and success. The homes will be developed by the César Chávez Foundation, an organization focused on coupling housing with social services.

PNC has also provided a $100,000 grant to the César Chávez Foundation through the PNC Foundation to create Starting with Hearts, a Transitional Kindergarten curriculum and educator training program for public elementary schools in some of Los Angeles County’s most under-resourced communities. The curriculum and ongoing training will expand equity-focused early childhood education for the most vulnerable learners — students from low-income backgrounds and multilingual learners — as they enter the rest of their K-12 educational trajectory.*

*The example provided is for illustrative purposes only and reflects specific circumstances that pertain to this project. Other projects may seek to address needs that are relevant to the community or region in which properties are located and will be subject to different considerations.

Our 2023 affordable lending achievements include:

Recognition as “Best for Low Down Payment” mortgages in the U.S. News Best Loan Companies Ratings.Recognition as the “Allied Member of the Year,” National Association of Real Estate Professionals – Great Lakes Region.Recognized by Forbes as one of the “Best Discount Program Options.”An increase in the PNC Grant for LMI borrowers from $3,000 to $5,000 to assist with down payments, closing costs and possible interest rate reductions.Roll-out of PNC’s Special Purpose Credit Program that provides up to $10,000 of assistance for borrowers in majority-minority census tracts within specific markets.$10.3 million in PNC mortgage assistance grants benefiting 2,664 recipients.Aggregate Residential Mortgage and Home Equity loans nationwide totaling $13.2 billion, including more than 12,000 borrowers in minority census tracts.150+ renewed/approved down payment assistance programs.

At PNC, we recognize the far-reaching impacts of the affordable housing shortage, and we’re making a difference by investing in the production of affordable housing across the country. In 2023, we invested $1.1 billion in the development of 6,813 affordable homes, spanning from urban centers — including $42 million to create 127 affordable homes for low-income families in a new 635-unit Chicago high-rise — to rural communities — such as $12.1 million to renovate a 125-year-old school to provide 37 homes for low-income seniors in Dillon, South Carolina.

In addition to PNC’s investment in affordable housing, PNC also supports the development and advancement of community facilities and initiatives to revitalize communities suffering from historic disinvestment. In 2023, PNC Multifamily Capital (formerly known as PNC Tax Credit Solutions) invested $150.7 million to support 30 projects that provided critically needed healthcare services, education and workforce development, community services, and jobs in severely distressed communities across the country.

The expertise of our Multifamily Capital team and PNC’s strong financial position have made PNC a national leader of strategic and impactful community investment. To do this work, PNC utilizes many of the nation’s largest and most effective community development tools, including the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC), Historic Tax Credit (HTC) and our own Affordable Housing Preservation Investments. In total, PNC Multifamily Capital manages $14.09 billion in equity that supports more than 132,700 affordable rental units, 198 NMTC investments and 67 historic properties nationwide.

Community Impact in 2023

$150.7M PNC and PNC syndicated funds invested in supporting 30 New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) projects across 14 states.

$1.1B PNC and PNC syndicated funds invested in 62 properties to create or preserve 6,813 affordable units across 22 states.

$65.9M PNC invested in rehabilitating 10 historic properties across nine states.

View the full 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report. 

Originally published on Black & Veatch Insights

According to Forbes Advisor, there were 2,365 cyberattacks in 2023, affecting an astounding 343,338,964 people — roughly 10 million more people than the U.S. population. A USA Today article says “the cost of cybercrime would reach a massive $9.5 trillion in 2024 and exceed $10.5 trillion in 2025,” and it “is estimated that attacks on businesses, consumers, governments and devices will happen every two seconds by 2031.” With the average data breach costing companies $4.5 million as rapidly evolving technologies make cyber attackers more sophisticated by the day, this isn’t a concern anyone has the luxury of ignoring.

Along with the crucial efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and severe weather events, an aging infrastructure and an aging workforce, and the mandate to keep up with environmental regulations, utilities are working diligently to protect their communities from the added threat of cyberattacks. To safeguard their communities and ensure they can continue to provide essential services, utility companies are taking proactive measures to protect against these cyber threats. While addressing climate change and environmental issues remains a top priority, utilities recognize that cybersecurity is a critical component of their overall strategy.

With cyberattacks becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent, utilities must remain vigilant in their efforts to protect their systems and data. Failure to do so could result in significant disruptions to services and potentially devastating consequences for the communities they serve.

Black & Veatch’s 2024 Electric Report illustrates the pressing need for investment in cybersecurity across both information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT).

On the IT side, seven in 10 survey respondents consider phishing attacks as their most concerning cyberthreat, followed by ransomware and malware (both at 45 percent) — three methods that tend to dominate headlines. On the OT front, malware (52 percent) and ransomware (47 percent) top the list, with cloud vulnerabilities coming in as a most concerning threat for 35 percent of respondents.

While no defense is invincible, ample solutions exist to increase agility for IT and OT defenses.

One question remains: How exactly is cybersecurity affecting OT?

Measuring Preparedness

The rate of attacks on OT is far outpacing the maturity of most industrial cybersecurity programs. As systems become more connected and automated, they become more exposed to increasingly skilled cyber attackers. Meanwhile, many OT managers don’t have a comprehensive view of their networks, leaving them even more vulnerable.

This translates to the pressing dilemma: most utilities’ cybersecurity protection plans are too immature to protect their OT assets from cyber threats. When asked if their utility has ever hired or consulted with an external, specialized cybersecurity firm, only one-quarter of survey respondents reported having full-time permanent staff. An additional half of those surveyed responded that they have consulted with outside cybersecurity consultants such as companies like Black & Veatch (Figure 17). While that is good, that also means half have never consulted with an outside expert, leaving them and the public’s access to electricity potentially vulnerable to threats.

One-fifth of respondents have never hired or consulted with grid cybersecurity specialists — a concerning number, given the gravity of the threat.

The survey shows a level of confidence in resilience should an attack take place. On the IT side, seven in 10 respondents reported some level of confidence, with 12 percent casting themselves as “extremely confident.” Those numbers virtually mirror the sentiment on the OT side, where 71 percent express some level of confidence and 13 percent say they’re extremely confident (Figure 18).

The figures at hand paint a picture of an industry ready and armed for a cyberattack, but the question remains: could they withstand just any cyberattack? Additionally, recovery might be an objective assurance, but the length at which it takes to recover becomes a subjective matter, requiring more context around the utility’s specific plans.

Since the attackers are becoming more sophisticated, it is especially crucial for utilities to prepare and have a plan and resources in place for a speedy recovery that minimizes the number of households and businesses affected.

Compliance as a Starting Point

The industry is on the precipice of big changes to meet regulatory standards in the constantly evolving energy ecosystem. But compliance alone might be the go-to standard for a far greater number than the industry should feel comfortable with.

When asked to identify what efforts are needed most by their utility to better mitigate cyber risks, 36 percent pointed to threat intelligence, followed by monitoring and response (34 percent) and vulnerability assessments and management (31 percent) (Figure 19).

With 18 percent of respondents under the impression that compliance is most needed for their utility, it should be clarified: compliance alone is not enough. An organization can be fully compliant and not very secure at all. By its nature, compliance is a lowest common denominator game, often casting a false sense of security. The industry is replete with stories of the fully compliant getting taken down by cyberattacks.

While mere compliance is part of the equation, for almost one-fifth of respondents to answer it as the most needed response shows a disconnect in where we are in the electric industry versus where we need to be.

In this real-life game of chess, utilities would be wise to not conflate compliance with actual security — or see it as merely a box-checking exercise. It’s essential for utilities to ensure that their cyber defenses are robust, thoroughly implemented, consistently monitored, and frequently pressure-tested and revised to remain effective. As threats evolve, so must the protections against them.

Think of it this way: In a neighborhood where most homes have a security alarm, those complemented with ample lighting, warning signs and a gated fence are less likely to be targets.

Download the 2024 Black & Veatch Electric Report

Vanessa Breeggeman would recommend the manufacturing field to anyone. Where else can you go to get good pay and benefits right off the bat? Where else can you go for hands-on training without spending thousands of dollars to back to school?

For Vanessa Breeggemann, a career in manufacturing gives her more freedom than her work in the medical industry.

Saint-Gobain is an industry leader with thousands of talented team members who are dedicated to one unified purpose: Making the World a Better Home. With more than 145 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada, there are so many robust and fulfilling career opportunities available. You’ll have the opportunity to work with colleagues from a wide range of businesses, cultures, and experiences.

Discover your career at Saint-Gobain North America here

Watch the Saint-Gobain video series Success in the Making 

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group’s commitment is guided by its purpose, “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€47.9 billion in sales in 2023 
160,000 employees, locations in 76 countries 
Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Electric vehicles are growing rapidly as a climate solution in Georgia. How do we ensure that the benefits of EVs are available to all Georgians? What is the truth behind some of the misconceptions about electric vehicles? And when you are ready to upgrade to an EV, where can you find answers to common questions about the differences between EVs and gas cars?

Watch this interview with Dory Larsen of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Eriqah Vincent of Drawdown Georgia for answers to all of those questions and more.

Access the FREE “How to Switch to an Electric Car in Georgia” toolkit here.

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

Golf is a tough game to master. It can also be hard for youth golfers to afford. Through U.S. Bank’s partnership with PGA Tour pro, Collin Morikawa and nonprofit Youth on Course, more than 1,600 kids nationwide are finding it easier to get out on the course this year.

Through the Birdie Challenge, U.S. Bank donates five memberships to Youth on Course for every birdie Morikawa makes during the season. Morikawa has made 325 birdies so far this season, resulting in 1,625 memberships being donated to the nonprofit.

Youth on Course provides enhanced access to golfing opportunities for young people, including offering rounds of golf for as little as $5 at thousands of courses throughout the country.

“Golf can be difficult to get access to from an affordability perspective,” Morikawa said. “Creating better access for these kids is going to open up opportunities for them to not only golf, but also benefit from everything that golf has to offer. We’re opening up the future for the next generation of golfers.”

U.S. Bank employees have also supported the partnership with Youth on Course throughout the season through the 100 Hole Hike challenge. For playing a round of golf and posting a picture of themselves and their scorecard afterward, U.S. Bank makes a donation to Youth on Course on the employee’s behalf. So far, U.S. Bank employees have golfed 2,700 holes and counting this season.

Emily Stauffer, 16, is a Birdie Challenge membership recipient from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who is already taking advantage of the perks offered by Youth on Course.

“I feel very privileged to have an opportunity to golf locally at such an affordable rate,” she said. “It helps remove some of the extra burden from my parents, who help fund my participation in golf. I’m excited to use the membership at some new courses outside of my home county.”

As Morikawa and U.S. Bank team members continue to hit the course this year, the membership count will continue to grow.

“We’re grateful for our partnership with Collin and U.S. Bank,” said Adam Heieck, Youth on Course CEO. “It is a gift to have partners whose values align with our own and it helps us to reach so many more youth golfers to continue growing our game in an inclusive way.”

For more information on the Birdie Challenge, visit youthoncourse.org/us-bank.

October 17, 2024 /3BL/ – This strategic acquisition represents excellent cultural and values alignment, reinforcing the commitment both businesses have to helping our clients address critical environmental and sustainability issues. It forms a combined team of almost 1,800 colleagues across Europe, and over 4,000 globally, from the two companies who are known for their strong relationships with blue-chip clients and a shared focus on Making Sustainability Happen. Our combined ability to deliver greater positive impact across wider geographies, services and sectors will be significantly enhanced by coming together.

Bradley Andrews, SLR CEO said “This acquisition is a great strategic fit, fully aligning with our growth priorities and enhancing our core business. Both share a strong cultural and values alignment, with a common focus on Making Sustainability Happen. We are excited to work with Wardell Armstrong to offer an even broader range of services to our clients, while expanding our global reach and reinforcing our commitment to sustainability. Their teams’ expertise and strong market presence will allow us to deliver even more value to our clients, right from day one.”

Caroline Mellor, Managing Director of Wardell Armstrong UK, commented: “We are thrilled to join forces with SLR. Our combined expertise and shared vision will allow us to better serve our clients by expanding the services, sectors, and geographies we cover, all while remaining focused on delivering sustainable solutions. Together, we will continue to support our clients in tackling the critical environmental issues of today and tomorrow.”

Alison Allen, Managing Director of Wardell Armstrong International, added “SLR and Wardell Armstrong are united by a shared culture and values. Our clients will benefit from seamless access to the best resources, skills, and expertise across both companies. This collaboration enhances our ability to address even more of our client’s environmental and sustainability needs.”

This acquisition reaffirms our commitment to investing in our European region, delivering sustainable growth to continue offering world-class sustainability and environmental consulting services globally.

Please visit the Wardell Armstrong website for more details on their services, client experience, team and capabilities.

For further information please contact: Laura Hoynes – Head of Marketing (Europe) lhoynes@slrconsulting.com

Cascale team member Dhawall Mane director, verification, training and insights, recently participated in a virtual To the Finish Line (TFL) event organized by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Vietnam. TFL is a program designed to support continued environmental performance in Vietnam’s apparel supply chain through the effective use of Cascale’s Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) tool, which is exclusively available on Worldly. More than 700 manufacturers were invited to attend the town hall event; most participants were Higg FEM users.

Higg FEM is a transformative tool used to assess the environmental impact of product manufacturing at facilities, including water use, waste management, chemical, and energy use. In doing so, it not only uncovers hotspot areas for improvement, but also reduces redundancy, mitigates risk, and creates a common language to communicate sustainability to stakeholders. Vietnam is currently the second-highest ranked in v-Higg FEM country average score (Higg FEM 2022) and, reflecting Cascale’s own founding and guiding principles, TFL aims for pre-competitive collaboration for collective action.

Through TFL, manufacturers in the region can share knowledge to support environmental sustainability while responding to evolving needs for due diligence and shared responsibility. Participants are also invited to join a Professional Peer Community of Learning for Action on Higg FEM and beyond. Established in 2022 and running continuously since then, the goal of the TFL program is to create an exchange platform of practical knowledge by industry for industry, supporting peer-to-peer learning and problem-solving.

The large-scale and practical TFL training program consists of two web-based sessions designed to elevate understanding of aspects of the Higg FEM, including management of energy, water, waste, chemicals, and greenhouse gas emissions. In the “Scaling Collective Action” session to which Cascale’s Mane contributed, regional industry stakeholders discussed practical tips on implementation. These included pooling financial and time resources, as well as what impact the TFL program has had so far and how the industry can adopt similar collective action programs in different sourcing regions.

Mane emphasized the importance of taking a systems approach in tracking data and of entrusting this responsibility to qualified, accountable personnel such as those trained through the program. “TFL is a shining example of Vietnam’s leadership in undertaking supply chain capacity building programs for Higg FEM,” Mane said.

Maximus was recently named to Indeed’s 2024 Work Wellbeing 100 list. The list highlights the top 100 public companies with highly rated wellness programs. Indeed and the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre partnered to survey around one million employees to gather insights to compile this year’s list.

“Maximus’ Benefits team continually looks for enhancements and improvements for our employees,” said Michelle Link, Chief Human Resources Officer. “We know that companies that prioritize health and wellbeing have happier employees, better retention, and an overall more successful business.”

Since 2022, Maximus has implemented several new health and wellness programs to provide additional support and services to its employees, according to Liz Olsen, Employee Wellbeing Manager. Some of the new initiatives available to employees with Anthem medical plans include:

Bloom digital physical therapy – All employees and their covered dependents, 18 years or older, can access Sword Digital Physical Therapy through LiveHealth Online. In 2023, we launched the Healthy Backs and Joints program. In 2024, Maximus added a new program, Bloom, for women’s pelvic floor health. Bloom is for women and individuals with vaginal anatomy to address pelvic conditions through adulthood, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause.Building Healthy Families program—In 2024, we enhanced resources to support growing families. The Building Healthy Families program can help families grow strong whether they’re trying to conceive, expecting a child, or raising young children. If an employee is pregnant and enrolls in the program, they will earn $250 in the first trimester and complete the program, or $125 in the second trimester and complete the program.Wellbeing Coach Total – Wellbeing Coach Total includes access to a coach by telephone, personalized guidance via 24/7 text chat, and a new digital app.

All Maximus employees are eligible for LiveHealth Online Coaching, which provides access to telephone support for managing weight, healthy blood pressure, and tobacco cessation.

Maximus’ 2024 Wellness Report is now available!