Tag: 3BL

By Eunjung Son · Partner Account Manager · Korea

In 2001, I started my Cisco journey as an associate systems engineer, training with top engineers from around the world.

I had to move from South Korea to San Jose for this job. As I was about to leave home, I received devastating news that my father had terminal cancer. Though it was difficult, I still went to San Jose. It was my father’s wish.

I had to face the reality of losing my father while starting my very first job. That time at Cisco held a special place in my heart because my father was proud of the company, even in his final days. He knew I would grow and make my dream come true here.

I gained diverse experiences in engineering, sales, and business development across San Jose, Singapore, and Seoul. After nine years, I left Cisco and eventually earned my Ph.D.

From grief to giving

Inspired by my father’s passing, I founded a small nonprofit organization called Gift Factory Project in 2012. It’s run entirely by volunteers. We aim to provide family trips and photo albums as gifts to economically disadvantaged terminal cancer patients and their families, helping them create lasting memories in their final moments.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, travel became difficult. Gift Factory Project expanded its mission to include workshops and support for patients with muscular diseases. We provided flower arrangement workshops and helped someone with muscular dystrophy continue his work as a poet and illustrator.

A heartfelt return to Cisco

Fifteen years went by, and I still wanted to work for Cisco. I kept thinking about Cisco’s fundamentals: People and technology.

Connecting people through technology is Cisco’s essence. And Cisco’s logo always reminds me of the company’s spirit as a bridge, symbolizing this connection.

Thankfully, I rejoined the company in January 2024 as a partner account manager based in Seoul.

A journey of hope

I wanted to bring the Gift Factory Project to life with Cisco’s technology and employee involvement.

Recently, we organized a virtual world tour powered by Webex for young adults with muscular dystrophy along with their caregivers and a few parents. They virtually explored four Asia Pacific countries, guided by Cisco employees.

The travelers were warmly welcomed by Regional Sales Director Geofran Thadikaran, Korea Theatre VP Cathy Choi, and Sales VP Kartika Prihadi. The Cisco Korea partner team acted as the airline crew.

The Cisco APJC Partner team from Japan, India, Singapore, and Australia served as local tour guides, introducing geographical features, cultures, and cuisines.

Volunteers served mochi and green tea for Japan, kaya toast and coffee for Singapore, Tim Tams and vegemite spread biscuits for Australia, and a traditional dessert called gulab jamun and chai for India.

A rewarding experience for all

During the two-hour session, the virtual travelers were full of joy. They felt as though they had truly visited new places and learned more about different cultures, and they remained cheerful and hopeful about one day visiting the countries they learned about. They were happy to have made friends with Cisco employees who personally shared their country’s stories.

The event was equally rewarding for the Cisco team members. Witnessing the delight of the participants highlighted the positive impact of their daily work on the world.

The Cisco crew and the Gift Factory Project team gifted souvenirs from the virtual destinations, such as Taj Mahal refrigerator magnets, koala plushies, Singapore keychains, and Japanese lucky cat figurines.

Connecting hearts and minds through tech

This project was a testament to how Cisco’s technology shapes a better world. It also highlighted the camaraderie among colleagues, the impact-driven leadership supporting CSR initiatives, and the dedication of talented, intelligent coworkers who volunteered their time to share stories from their respective countries.

It was a moment that reaffirmed the philosophies at the core of Cisco’s technology: Connecting people and people-centered leadership.

View original content here.

LINCOLN, Neb., September 23, 2024 /3BL/ – The Arbor Day Foundation will launch an urban forestry project designed to transform a former industrial rail yard during Climate Week NYC. 

The phased project aims to plant 400 total trees at the site now known as Riverside Park South.

“At its core, Climate Week NYC is all about collaboration. How we — as business, political, environmental and community leaders — can come together to drive meaningful climate impact. That’s why the Arbor Day Foundation is excited to celebrate Climate Week NYC with an initiative that really highlights the power of partnerships,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation.

This project unites corporations, community leaders, and will engage Climate Week attendees as volunteers. The Arbor Day Foundation worked in collaboration with the New York City Parks Foundation and corporate partners Verizon, DoubleVerify, Maesa, UPS, Angel’s Envy, and DraftKings.

The first 100 trees will be planted this week in Riverside Park South, alongside Hudson River in the southwest corner of the Upper West Side. Additional plantings will take place over the fall planting season. The trees will provide shade for nearby residents and park visitors and improve storm water management.

Climate Week NYC is an annual event hosted by Climate Group, designed to encourage business, political and corporate leaders to engage in climate action. The event is being held from September 22-29, 2024. 

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. Together with our partners, we have helped plant more than 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to lead toward a world where trees are used to solve issues critical to survival. Through our members, partners and programs, the Arbor Day Foundation inspires people across the globe to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.

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First Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report enhances transparency and accountabilityCompany advances sustainability across its products, operations and value chain as part of its Healthy Lives MissionProgress includes reducing Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions1, 2, 3 by 26% since 2020 and increasing renewable electricity4 usage to 65% of its electricity usage 

SKILLMAN, N.J., September 23, 2024 /3BL/ – Kenvue Inc. (NYSE: KVUE) (“Kenvue” or the “Company”), the maker of iconic brands such as Aveeno®, Listerine®, Neutrogena® and Tylenol®, is advancing progress toward the climate change goals outlined in its Healthy Lives Mission environmental, social and governance strategy, including releasing its first Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report.

“Publishing our TCFD report represents an important step in our proactive approach to integrating climate considerations into our business strategy, operations, value chain and marketed products,” said Pamela Gill-Alabaster, Global Head of ESG & Sustainability at Kenvue. “We have made meaningful progress, including the validation of our near-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the release of our inaugural Healthy Lives Mission report in support of our ambition to help contribute to a healthier future.”

Healthy Lives Mission was developed with the understanding that human health is inseparably linked to environmental health. Consumers also see this connection, with three out of four adults globally seeing a link between human health and climate change according to an online survey commissioned by Kenvue earlier this year5. The same survey revealed that 86% of people expect health-related consequences of climate change to worsen over the next 5 to 10 years.

Kenvue’s climate change goals and commitments are part of the Healthy Planet pillar of its Healthy Lives Mission strategy and focus on advancing sustainability across the Company’s operations — from product and packaging design to material sourcing, manufacturing and transportation. Highlights on progress as reported in the Healthy Lives Mission 2023 Report include:

Investments in energy efficiency and decarbonization projects have resulted in Scope 1 and 2 GHG1, 2, 3 reductions of 26% since 2020.21% of the Company’s suppliers, by emissions covering purchased goods and services and upstream transportation and distribution, have science-based targets.Use of renewable electricity4 has increased to 65% of its electricity usage through 18 onsite solar-powered electricity systems, offsite renewable electricity4 procurement contracts and the addition of onsite solar installations.Using circular economy design principles, Kenvue increased its use of recyclable6 or refillable7 packaging8 to 71% of its portfolio and reduced the volume of virgin plastic9 in packaging8 by 21%.

Since the beginning of 2024, Kenvue has completed new onsite solar installations at its Sezanne, France, and Madra, Greece manufacturing sites, which will provide 1.75MW and 0.186MW of renewable energy, respectively. The Company also expects to complete additional onsite solar installations at its Cape Town, South Africa, Minhang, China and Jakarta, Indonesia manufacturing sites this year, further advancing progress toward its goal of 100% of its electricity usage for its operations1 being renewable4 by 203010, 11.

To address Scope 3 indirect upstream GHG emissions, Kenvue launched a Supplier Climate Action Program in July to engage purchased goods and services and upstream transportation and distribution suppliers. Through this program, the Company will help these suppliers set science-based targets of their own and work to decarbonize their operations. Kenvue has also joined the Energize program, which is designed to help suppliers learn about renewable electricity and provide sourcing opportunities, either as sole sourced or with other suppliers.

Recognizing the value of collaboration to accelerate progress within and across sectors, Kenvue is an active member of several coalitions that have focused workstreams which support climate action and the journey toward net zero including the WWF Climate Business Network and the WWF Renewable Thermal Collaborative. Most recently, Kenvue joined the Forum for the Future’s Climate and Health Coalition to support the integrated transformation of human health and climate systems toward outcomes that deliver benefits for both people and planet.

To read the Kenvue Healthy Lives Mission 2023 Report, visit www.kenvue.com/hlm-report-2023. To access the full TCFD report, visit https://www.kenvue.com/task-force-on-climate-related-financial-disclosures-2023-report.

About Kenvue 
Kenvue is the world’s largest pure-play consumer health company by revenue. Built on more than a century of heritage, our iconic brands, including Aveeno®, BAND-AID® Brand, Johnson’s®, Listerine®, Neutrogena® and Tylenol®, are science-backed and recommended by healthcare professionals around the world. At Kenvue, we believe in the extraordinary power of everyday care and our teams work every day to put that power in consumers’ hands and earn a place in their hearts and homes. Learn more at www.kenvue.com.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including forward-looking statements related to, among other things, risks and opportunities associated with the Healthy Lives Mission, climate, forests and our related ESG estimates, projections, goals, targets, commitments and expected results. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “plans,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “goal,” “target,” “commitment,” and other words of similar meaning. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Kenvue and its affiliates.

A list and descriptions of risks, uncertainties, and other factors can be found in Kenvue’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings, available at www.kenvue.com or on request from Kenvue. Kenvue and its affiliates undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or developments or otherwise.

Footnotes

1 Applies to all Kenvue-owned facilities where Kenvue has operational control, regardless of building type; all leased facilities used for manufacturing and/or research and development; and leased, non-manufacturing and/or non-research and development facilities where the facility is greater than 50,000 square feet and where Kenvue has operational control. The 2020 baseline and all subsequent reporting years include all facilities aligned to Kenvue’s structure upon separation from Johnson & Johnson in 2023 and do not include any operational or organizational exclusions. Scope 1 are greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that Kenvue directly generates – e.g., running boilers and vehicles using fossil fuels. Fleet emissions are reported as CO2 and do not include other greenhouse gas emissions. Scope 2 are GHG emissions that Kenvue indirectly generates – from electricity or energy purchased for heating and cooling buildings.

2 The inventory was compiled in accordance with the WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol – A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (Revised Edition 2013) including the amendment to this protocol, GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance (2015).

3 The target boundary includes land-related emissions and removals from bioenergy feedstocks.

4 Renewable energy source is an energy source that is capable of being replenished in a short time through ecological cycles or agricultural processes (e.g., biomass, geothermal, hydro, solar, wind). Renewable electricity targets are achieved through a combination of actions, including on-site solar, virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs), direct power purchase agreements (PPAs), energy attribute certificates (EACs), also known as renewable electricity certificates (RECs), and green retail contracts.

5 Survey results represent input gathered from more than 2,300 adults in seven countries from late February to early March 2024.

6 Recyclable, also defined as recycle-ready, is when packaging is designed for collection, sorting, and recycling using end-of-life processes, but where collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure may not yet be in place for the packaging to actually be recycled. Best practices of “designing for recyclability” guidance for plastic-based packaging include the Association of Plastics Recyclers in the United States. Note: “Designed for recycling,” “designed for recyclability,” and “recycle ready” are also used interchangeably and reflect the same meaning.

7 Kenvue defines refillable packaging as packaging that is designed for either the business or the consumer to put the same type of purchased product back into the original packaging, is designed to be returnable and/or refillable, and accomplishes a minimum number of reuses by being part of a system that enables reuse.

8 Packaging refers to packaging for direct purchases, and may not include all externally manufactured products. Total weight of plastics packaging is calculated utilizing 2024 Business Plan volume and is not trued up to actual sales. Manual adjustments of <10% were made to 2024 Business Plan volume based on subject matter expert judgment to remove materials not assumed to contain plastics.

9 Virgin plastic means newly manufactured resin produced from petrochemical feedstock used as the raw material for the manufacture of plastic products and which has never been used or processed before.

10 Inventory and reporting are aligned with RE100 technical criteria and supplemented by CDP.

11 We aim to meet the goal by end of fiscal year and publish the year after.

September 23, 2024 /3BL/ – Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator, today announced a commitment to reduce embodied carbon by 40% by 2030, an industry first. Building on its leadership in sourcing more sustainable solutions like low-carbon steel, Trane Technologies will focus its efforts on partnering with suppliers of materials used in buildings and building equipment including steel, aluminum, copper and refrigerants, while continuing to incorporate circular design criteria into its product development projects.

Buildings are currently responsible for 40% of global energy related carbon emissions. A critical step in lowering the overall carbon footprint of buildings is to reduce their amount of embodied carbon, which is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product’s lifecycle, including the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and recycling of materials and products.

“To create a more sustainable world, we must address emissions from the built environment – everything from reducing embodied carbon to the electrification of heating to optimizing energy with digital solutions,” said Dave Regnery, chair and CEO of Trane Technologies. “We are proud to be a first mover, partnering with our suppliers to scale more sustainable materials, designing our products for circularity and helping our customers achieve their performance and sustainability goals.” 

“Bridging operational and embodied carbon is a vital prerequisite for decarbonizing the built environment, and HVAC systems play a crucial role in our shared vision for a net-zero future,” said Diane Holdorf, executive vice president, Pathways, World Business Council for Sustainable Development. “There is no decarbonizing our future without decarbonizing buildings, and we are proud to collaborate with industry leaders like Trane Technologies who are helping drive significant carbon footprint reductions for themselves and their customers.”

The new embodied carbon commitment aligns with guidance from global non-profit building sector organizations. It builds on the company’s 2030 Sustainability Commitments, with a baseline year of 2019, including the Gigaton Challenge, a pledge to reduce customer greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons (or, one gigaton) – the largest science-based climate commitment of any global company related to product emission reductions within a single decade. The company has also pledged to be net-zero by 2050, and its near and long-term emissions reduction targets have been externally validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

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About Trane Technologies 
Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation. Visit tranetechnologies.com.

This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of securities laws, which are statements that are not historical facts, including statements that relate to our decarbonization efforts, our sustainability commitments and the impact of these commitments. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations. Factors that could cause such differences can be found in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as well as our subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and other SEC filings. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect the Company. We assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Originally published on bloomberg.com

Bloomberg announced significant enhancements to its climate solutions suite, designed to help investors assess if companies are on track to meet carbon emissions targets, evaluate the credibility of those targets and estimate how their revenues will be impacted under various transition scenarios.

The expanded offering provides a more comprehensive view of transition risk, including forward-looking assessments of revenue risks and opportunities under different climate pathways, based on detailed data from BloombergNEF (BNEF). The suite enables investors to assess transition credibility and identify leaders and laggards, by addressing four critical questions:

Are companies setting carbon targets, and are they on track to achieve them?How credible are these targets based on companies’ current actions?What future GHG emissions can be expected based on companies’ carbon commitments?How could transition scenarios, like BNEF’s New Energy Outlook (NEO), affect company revenues?

These insights empower investors to align their portfolios with their individually stated net zero goals and capitalize on opportunities presented by the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Making more tangible transition risk assessments

BNEF’s model helping finance professionals assess tangible, bottom-up transition risk in their portfolios is now available on the Bloomberg Terminal and via Data License for the first time. The Transition Risk Assessment Company Tool (TRACT) projects company revenue risk and opportunities for more than 70,000 companies. The model combines companies’ activities, supply chain exposure and regional footprint with the shifting demand for products and commodities projected under different climate scenarios. TRACT benefits from granular transition scenario data: BNEF’s New Energy Outlook (NEO, link) captures policies, project pipeline, technology costs and consumer adoption trends bottom-up for 20 regions. By the end of September 2024, TRACT will also incorporate the NGFS scenarios.

“Less than a quarter of global emissions fall under an actual carbon pricing scheme. Sector and region-specific technology competition drives the transition, often rendering carbon intensity irrelevant, such as in sectors where no alternatives exist, like steelmaking or aviation. At BNEF we developed the TRACT model to fill this gap and provide clients with a granular approach to transition risk assessments”, said Alexandra Toft, Chief Operating Officer at BloombergNEF.

Assessing carbon targets and transition credibility

In addition to managing transition risk, financial firms increasingly seek to decarbonize their portfolios. Hundreds of asset owners, asset managers and banks representing over 140 trillion USD in total have individually pledged their support for investing aligned to net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. Bloomberg’s expanded Net Zero data suite provides the tools to help firms measure progress and evaluate the credibility of companies’ transition plans. Firms who want to source this data to feed into their own transition risk assessment processes can access it via Data License for scalable enterprise-wide use.

Key features include:

Carbon target indicators: Covering almost 24,000 companies, these indicators help provide clarity on whether a company has targets and is on track to meet them. According to the indicators, over 8,000 companies currently have active carbon targets.A transition credibility tool: Offering comparative scores and peer analysis, this interactive tool helps investors to identify leaders, laggards, and engagement opportunities in the transition landscape.Carbon emission forecasts: Covering over 67,000 companies, these forward-looking projections of how a company’s emissions evolve help investors assess their portfolio’s future decarbonization trajectory.

Edo Schets, Head of Climate Finance Solutions at Bloomberg, said: “Our expanded suite of net zero solutions equips investors with valuable data that enables them to assess how companies are decarbonizing. Whether focused on portfolio alignment or identifying transition opportunities, investors now have the insights they need to set more informed long-term investment strategies.”

The Verdantix Green Quadrant: Climate Financial Data And Analytics Providers 2024 report positions Bloomberg as a Leader offering comprehensive transition risk analytics at the asset and portfolio levels, and strong carbon emission and energy transition solutions.

Bloomberg’s ESG data, research, and analytics span regulatory solutions, carbon emissions, sustainable debt, scores, indices, climate risk, and more. In addition, Bloomberg Terminal users also have access to ESG research from Bloomberg Intelligence and BloombergNEF. Clients can readily access this data on the Bloomberg Terminal via {ESG <GO>} or across their enterprise via Data License at data.Bloomberg.com for use in proprietary or third-party applications. To learn more, please visit our website here.

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.

About BloombergNEF 
BloombergNEF (BNEF) is a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy. Our expert coverage assesses pathways for the power, transport, industry, buildings and agriculture sectors to adapt to the energy transition. We help commodity trading, corporate strategy, finance and policy professionals navigate change and generate opportunities.

Media Contact 
Anna Schoeffler, aschoeffler1@bloomberg.net, +33 6 75 54 70 92

The program involves 100,000 university students across ten countriesSchneider Electric and the Schneider Electric Foundation provides support through mentorship and industry expertise

RUEIL-MALMAISON, France, September 20, 2024 /3BL/ – Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, together with its Foundation, has partnered with Enactus, a global network of leaders committed to using business as a catalyst for positive and social environmental impact, for their 2024 competition season.

Over 100,000 university students are participating across 10 countries: Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia, Senegal, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and France. As part of a year-long program, the student teams receive a framework to identify pressing social issues and create entrepreneurial solutions. With a focus on the energy transition, the teams develop and execute their projects, supported by expert mentors from the industry.

Schneider Electric’s commitment goes beyond traditional mentorship. Its employees play an active role as content experts and competition judges.

“On International Youth Day, we celebrate a partnership that not only empowers young entrepreneurs but also drives positive change across communities,” said Jeanne Laurence, Youth Education & Entrepreneurship Program Officer at Schneider Electric. “This initiative is closely aligned with Schneider Electric’s Youth Impact Through Learning initiative, aimed at upskilling youth to shape a just energy transition. It also actively champions gender equality by integrating young girls into educational training initiatives.”

Last month, several countries staged competitions to crown their national champions. Brazil saw participation from more than 2,700 students. The top honours went to a team from Faculadde Facimp, who created ‘ecological’ bricks using waste from a local fruit (açaí), left after coffee production.

In Egypt, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport won against 35 competitors with their ‘Clima’ project, which addresses air pollution. They utilized water hyacinth to produce Egypt’s first locally sourced activated carbon and developed a ceramic fiber filter suitable for factory chimneys.

Meanwhile, Mexico celebrated a victory by an all-women team from the University of TEC Milenio, who addressed fishing sustainability by transforming shrimp waste into a commercial line of seasoning products.

Schneider Electric employees will play a role in mentoring these and other winning teams from the ten countries leading up to the Enactus World Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan on October 1, 2024.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency.

We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers.

We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We embrace diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all.

www.se.com

Discover the newest perspectives shaping sustainability, electricity 4.0, and next-generation automation on Schneider Electric Insights.

Written by Kim Allman | Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy

Gen Blog | Community

At Gen, we believe Cyber Safety and Social Impact share a common goal. They’re both about making the world a safer, more sustainable and ultimately freer place for everyone. As these two fields continue to grow and change, we were thrilled to have insight from the next generation of social impact professionals through our summer internship program.

Our summer interns work at the intersection of where Social Impact and cybersecurity meet: leading research projects, contributing to our social impact report, organizing volunteer events, attending professional development workshops and so much more.

This year was no different. Jaclyn Reynolds, our Corporate Responsibility intern and a newly minted graduate of Arizona State University’s Sustainable Solutions Master’s program, has spent the last several months working on a host of Social Impact projects.

To hear more about her experience, we asked Jaclyn about some of the highlights from her summer, what social impact means to her, and how her work with Gen will fit into her growing career.

Before we get into some of the specific work you’ve done this summer, can you tell us why you wanted to pursue an internship in Social Impact and what drew you to Gen’s work in powering digital freedom?

JR: First of all, on a personal level, Social Impact emphasizes all of the areas I have a passion for: community engagement, environmentalism, inclusive workplaces, and so on. I was eager to gain experience in ESG reporting, developing strategies to minimize impact, and analyzing the data that informs these efforts.

Second, cybersecurity intersects with Social Impact in very deep ways. I think about it as having two sides: On the one hand, as our world becomes more and more online, it becomes more important to safeguard the institutions that power our societies. Nonprofits and government systems increasingly run on digital tools, and protecting them is critical for serving our communities and for building trust.

It’s also about empowering individuals to keep themselves safe. Gen does a lot of work educating young people and vulnerable populations on Cyber Safety, and I’ve gotten to see firsthand how those programs advance equality.

What were some of the projects you worked on? And what were some of your favorite moments from the summer?

JR: Working on the Social Impact Report was a great way to work in a lot of different areas. I looked at company data on emissions, as well as social impacts and governance as we prepared for the report and CDP. I also organized volunteer events for me and the other Gen interns: one virtual, one in Mountain View and one in Tempe. In Mountain View, we worked with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley to provide nutritious food to people in the community facing hunger. The Tempe event was with Project C.U.R.E., where the interns sorted donated medical supplies to be shipped to countries in the third world. I loved getting to see how these events created not only a positive impact on local communities but also on the company culture.

It was also wonderful to meet and work with so many other great interns!

To hear from a few of our other interns, check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbc35Nzkyw

Finally, what does social impact mean to you outside of work? Are you involved with any causes or volunteer activities? 

JR: I view sustainability as more than just a career—it’s a way of life. I’ve volunteered with Trees for Tucson, where I helped plant trees in low-income communities, contributing to the creation of sustainable, welcoming environments. I also advocate for climate action by regularly writing letters to policymakers. Social impact really resonates with me, and I plan to continue to work on it, whether through enhancing my surroundings or creating meaningful connections.

Although our summer internships are coming to an end, Gen is always looking for passionate and purpose-driven people. Visit our Careers page to learn more about how you can grow your career, help power Digital Freedom, and have a positive impact on the world around us.

Takeaways

Today Meta is releasing its second annual Responsible Business Practices Report, highlighting the company’s efforts to maximize the positive impacts and minimize the negative impacts of its business on society.Built around the theme of ‘Unlocking Potential,’ the report compiles key metrics and insights on Meta’s societal impact, including milestones, policies and programs that underpin its responsible business strategy.  The Responsible Business Practices Report is supplemented by in-depth reports on key areas such as human rights, sustainability and transparency, to provide a detailed overview of the company’s business practices and progress.  

September 20, 2024 /3BL/ – Today marks the launch of Meta’s second annual Responsible Business Practices Report, offering a detailed look at progress in addressing social and environmental priorities, as well as efforts to create sustainable value for stakeholders.

Meta organizes its responsible business approach around key pillars that enable the company to have a sustainable impact: operating transparently and sustainably, building responsibly and empowering people and partners. The 2024 Responsible Business Practices Report details progress in these pillars.

This year’s report was prepared in reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards and informed by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Internet and Media Services Industry Standards, the United Nations Global Compact and the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Unlocking Potential for Good

Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and the metaverse represent Meta’s long-term bets on the future. In 2023, these technological pathways began to intersect in the form of products, apps and services that help bring the metaverse to life. This year’s report highlights efforts to develop these and other technologies responsibly, openly and transparently, with a focus on open source innovation.

In 2023, Meta made strides toward its goal of building general intelligence that’s accessible to all by releasing Llama, a collection of open source LLMs. Meta believes access to cutting-edge AI can unlock potential for individuals around the world, and is proud to report that its models have been downloaded more than 170 million times since release.

Report Highlights 

The theme of this year’s report is unlocking potential. The report provides insights centered on the goal of creating positive change through open and transparent operations, app development and employee and partner relationships. 

Here are some highlights:

Providing access to cutting-edge AI for individuals around the world through the release of Llama, Meta’s collection of open-source LLMs Launching the AI Alliance to accelerate responsible AI innovation, in collaboration with more than 50 companies and organizations Expanding parental supervision tools globally to Facebook, Messenger and Horizon WorldsProviding the infrastructure for Lantern, a program enabling technology companies to share signals about accounts and behaviors that violate child safety policiesBecoming founding members of Take It Down, a platform designed to help prevent young people’s intimate images from spreading onlineCompleting a Human Rights Salient Risk Assessment, paying special attention to the rights, needs and challenges of individuals at heightened risk of becoming vulnerable or marginalizedMaintaining net zero in global operations, and establishing a science-based emissions reduction target and decarbonization roadmap to systematically transform the way Meta does businessContinuing to focus on building a diverse workforce that reflects and supports Meta’s ability to serve billions of users around the globe

Further Reporting

The Responsible Business Practices Report is supplemented by in-depth reports on key areas such as human rights, sustainability and transparency, to provide a detailed overview of our business practices and progress.

Today, Meta is also launching its third annual Human Rights Report, which reflects a commitment  to understanding, preventing and mitigating its highest priority human rights risks. In August, the company published its annual Sustainability Report, which outlines the progress made toward net zero, climate, water, energy and supply chain goals. And Meta regularly publishes transparency reports to give the community visibility into how it enforces its policies, responds to data requests and protects intellectual property, while monitoring dynamics that limit access to Meta technologies.

You can read the full Responsible Business Practices Report to learn more about responsible business practices at Meta.

NEW ORLEANS, September 20, 2024 /3BL/ – Entergy’s proactive disaster relief efforts have provided $150,000 in crucial funding to support communities affected by Hurricane Francine. By partnering with the American Red Cross and United Way of Southeast Louisiana ahead of the storm, Entergy ensured that resources were in place to offer safe shelter, warm meals and relief supplies to those in need.

“We are proud to work alongside our partners to ensure they are equipped to respond effectively to disasters in our service area,” said Patty Riddlebarger, Entergy’s vice president of corporate social responsibility. “Our annual disaster response commitment generously provided by Entergy shareholders, enables our partners to have the infrastructure, trained volunteers, and critical resources necessary to offer relief and support to those in need.”

Each year, the company proactively awards grants to disaster relief organizations such as the American Red Cross and United Way so that when disaster strikes, they can respond immediately in one of Entergy’s service areas, ensuring that families impacted by the storm receive the assistance they require.

Due to Entergy shareholders’ $100,000 commitment to the American Red Cross and $50,000 donation to United Way for Hurricane Francine relief, hundreds of dedicated volunteers were able to work through the storm to provide essential assistance to impacted communities across Louisiana and Mississippi, including:

American Red Cross

Opened and staffed six shelters to provide shelter, meals and support for more than 160 individuals in need.Deployed emergency response vehicles to provide essential feeding services and disaster emergency supplies to those in need.Gathered data from county emergency officials and conducted door-to-door damage assessments in low lying areas and where rainfall accumulations were the highest.

United Way of Southeast Louisiana 

Distributed food, water, post storm cleanup supplies and gift cards for impacted residents.Set up drive through supply distribution sites at the J. Wayne Leonard Prosperity Center on Canal Street, as well as prosperity center locations in New Orleans East, Covington and Bogalusa.

At Entergy, storm preparation is a year-round process that includes training, vegetation management, equipment inspections and industry collaborations. Preparation is critical to a safe and efficient restoration. Learn more how we prepare for severe weather on the Entergy Storm Center.

About Entergy

Entergy (NYSE: ETR) is a Fortune 500 company that powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergy.com and connect with @Entergy on social media. #WePowerLife

Originally published in Quest Diagnostics’ 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report

We conducted a comprehensive benefits survey to better understand what our employees are looking for and determine how we can better meet their needs. In 2023, we implemented new initiatives and enhanced existing ones to address the physical and financial well-being topics our employees identified.

Fertility and family-building benefits

As of January 2024, we offer fertility and family-building benefits in collaboration with Kindbody for employees enrolled in qualified, Quest-sponsored medical plans. Employees and their spouses or domestic partners can receive up to $10,000 in lifetime benefits for treatments and services that include in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination.

Salary-tiered medical plan contributions

As healthcare costs continue to rise, we reevaluated the way we collect employee contributions toward Quest medical plans. We introduced salary-tiered contributions, allowing employees who earn less to pay less.

Employee Relief Fund

We continued to refine our Employee Relief Fund to better support our employees facing a personal crisis or a federally declared emergency. Quest employees contribute to the Fund, with Quest matching their donations dollar for dollar. Together, Quest and employees raised over $200,000 by the end of 2023.

Financial wellness tools

Quest employees can now access unlimited, confidential, personal financial coaching through FinFit at no cost. Financial coaches can guide employees through a range of topics from credit scores to budgeting. Employees can receive loans or credit through FinFit to cover emergency expenses and set up easy repayment via their paychecks. We also provide ongoing financial education workshops.

HEALTHYQUEST

Our people are the backbone of everything we do at Quest. When our people thrive, our company does, too. In 2023, we relaunched our HealthyQuest program to offer holistic support for our employees’ well-being. We developed a new framework—How I… Work, Eat, Feel, and Move—to meet employees where they are on their health journey, and to make healthy choices more approachable and accessible. To support the HealthyQuest framework, we focus on 3 key areas: culture, prevention, and programs.

Culture

Our HealthyQuest EBN launched in May of 2023 with a mission to encourage, educate, and empower employees’ physical and mental well-being. Over 1,000 employees have joined this community thus far. Additional structure and leadership are provided by a Steering Committee of engaged C-suite leaders and directors, a Health and Wellness Advisory Council of medical experts, and HealthyQuest Ambassadors who deploy initiatives across the enterprise. Together, these teams are fostering peer-to-peer encouragement, creating medically sound programming and activities, and building a wellness infrastructure to support a health-centric company culture.

Prevention

Every day, we help our customers improve their health by providing them with high-quality diagnostic testing insights. Through our prevention pillar, we do the same for our employees and their families. Our cornerstone program is our Blueprint for Wellness screening. This enables employees and their spouses or domestic partners to receive an annual, personalized health report based on comprehensive lab panels, biometrics, and online questionnaire. The report identifies health risks for participants and provides a multi-year view of their metrics.

In 2023, ~37,000 Quest employees and their spouses or domestic partners participated in Blueprint for Wellness, representing a ~79% participation rate among those enrolled in a Quest-sponsored medical plan. We held on-site events, offered home test kits, and facilitated testing at our patient service centers to meet our employees and their spouses or domestic partners where they are. We also provided 3 months of no-cost virtual telemedicine support through Quest Virtual Care following the screening so participants could speak with a physician about any risks identified in their report.

Blueprint for Wellness has been life-changing for many Quest employees. Whether the report helped them uncover a health issue they were unaware of or motivated them to make changes to help prevent something more serious, they now have a roadmap toward a healthier life.

Another annual prevention initiative we offer to our employees and their spouse or domestic partner who are 45 years and older is a no-cost InSure® ONE™ test that can lead to early colorectal cancer detection. When physicians catch colorectal cancer in the early stages, patients have a 5-year survival rate of over 90%.* In 2023, ~27% of eligible employees participated in InSure® ONE™ testing.

Programs

We invest in programs that address our employees’ need for support across all aspects of well-being. In 2023, we continued to work with Spring Health to provide all employees and their dependents enrolled in a Quest-sponsored medical plan with high-quality, affordable mental health support. Employees can receive up to 6 therapy sessions per year at no cost, as well as coaching and medication management based on their needs. In 2023, ~21% of eligible Quest employees took advantage of this benefit.

In addition to these services, we hosted our first “Go Well” wellness challenge in 2023. Over the 6-week period, over 7,000 employees logged healthy actions like taking a walk, getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep, journaling, and more. The initiative helped employees feel prepared prior to participating in our Blueprint for Wellness screening.

To support qualified employees and their spouses or domestic partners in acting on Blueprint for Wellness insights, we also offer personalized weight management and type 2 diabetes coaching through Pack Health®, our personalized health management affiliate acquired in 2022.

“Blueprint for Wellness not only added healthy years to my life, but to my daughters’ and mother’s lives, who are also carriers of this gene.”

-GINA, A QUEST EMPLOYEE WHOSE BLUEPRINT FOR WELLNESS TESTING REVEALED A HEREDITARY CONDITION

Read more

* Altekruse SF, Kosary CL, Krapcho M, et al (eds). SEER 18 2010–2016, All Races, Both Sexes by SEER Summary Stage 2000. Accessed July 31, 2020. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/colorect.html