Tag: 3BL

From the extraction of raw materials to the disposal of e-waste, electronics have a huge impact on communities of people and the wider planet. In response, Amazon, one of the world’s largest online retailers, championed the development of a new recycled content standard for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that aims to increase the use of recycled materials in the manufacturing of these products and reduce their environmental footprints. The new standard underpins certification for electronic and electrical products that is recognized by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program.

In this blog, we will explore the details of the EEE standard, why it is important, and how certification can benefit businesses that manufacture products in the covered categories. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about the standard and achieving certification.

What is the new SCS EEE recycled content standard? 

Amazon worked with SCS Standards to develop this specific guidance as an annex to SCS’ well-established Recycled Content Standard (SCS-103). SCS Standards is an independent standards creation organization. SCS-103 is a global standard used to verify the recycled content claims of products and materials, and the EEE annex (SCS-103A) sets specific requirements and thresholds for recycled content in electrical and electronic products, such as laptops, smartphones, speakers, and printers.

Developed through a multi-stakeholder process involving industry leaders and NGO representatives, such as Close Loop Partners, Logitech, Dell, HP, Microsoft, and others, the EEE annex reflects the best practices and innovations in the electronics industry, while also pushing for higher levels of recycled content and sustainability.

The standard underpins recycled content certification for electrical and electronic equipment, and products must have more than one source of recycled material and meet specific minimum thresholds set for each recycled material (plastics, metals, etc.) to achieve certification. The standard specifies an overall claim of the combined recycled materials as a percentage of the whole product.

Why is recycled content certification for electronics important? 

By increasing the use of recycled content in electronic products and giving consumers a choice for more sustainable products, EEE recycled content certification can help drive markets for recycled materials, reduce the demand for virgin materials, conserve natural resources, and prevent e-waste from ending up in landfills or incinerators. It also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and energy use associated with electronics manufacturing.

In certifying their products to the EEE standard, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility and differentiate themselves from their competitors. They can also access new markets and customers, such as Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly Program, which recognizes products that meet high environmental standards and displays a badge on their product listings.

How can businesses engage with the EEE standard? 

Companies producing or selling electrical and electronic products need trustworthy guidance about how to engage with the EEE standard, plus a clear understanding of the benefits and challenges of aligning their operations with the standard. To that end, we will walk through some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the EEE standard.

How do I know if my product is eligible for certification to the EEE standard?

The EEE standard applies to a wide range of electrical and electronic products, such as computers, tablets, phones, cameras, printers, scanners, monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, headphones, routers, modems, smartwatches, smart speakers, and more.

A complete list of product types and their minimum recycled content thresholds (in Table 4 of the standard) can be downloaded from the SCS Standards website. The standard requires that a product have at least two different recycled material inputs, such as metals or plastics, that meet the minimum thresholds for recycled content. A product must also have a minimum total recycled content percentage, which varies depending on the product type.

What if my product type is not listed in the standard or does not meet the minimum requirements?

If your product type is not listed in the standard or does not meet the minimum requirements, you can request an interpretation or variation from SCS Standards. This is a process where organizations can provide additional information or data to justify why their product should be eligible for certification, or why an organization might need an exception or deviation from the standard.

For example, you may offer a product not listed in the standard but with a similar function and composition to another product listed. Or you may have a product that has only one recycled material input, but it forms more than 50% of the total product weight. Or you may have a product that has technical or legal limitations that prevent you from using more recycled content. In these cases, you can contact SCS Standards, and the team will review your submission and decide whether to approve or reject your request.

How do I get certified to the EEE standard and how long does it take?

Certification is broken down into the following steps:

1) Submit an application to SCS Global Services found on our website here.

2) Submit data and documentation to SCS according to the data request an SCS auditor will supply — such as your bill of materials, material input evaluation, purchasing and inventory records, legal compliance affidavit, material due diligence, and quality control procedures.

3) Undergo an on-site or virtual audit by SCS, where an auditor will verify your data and claims and identify any nonconformities or corrective actions.

4) Upon completion, you will receive a certification decision from SCS, which involves issuance of the certificate and logo, and then SCS submits the certified product information to the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly Program. The certification process can take anywhere from two to six months, depending on the complexity and scope of the product and the availability of company data and documentation.

How do I maintain my certification and what are the costs involved?

Existing certifications must be renewed every year. This involves submitting updated data and documentation to SCS and undergoing a surveillance audit, which checks for any changes or issues with your product or your supply chain. The renewal process can take anywhere from one to three months, depending on the extent and frequency of your changes.

The costs involved in maintaining your certification include the annual fees for SCS and the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly Program, as well as the audit fees, which vary depending on the scope and location of your audit. You can also add new products or suppliers to your certification scope at any time, which may incur additional fees.

SCS Global Services is here to help

For 40 years, SCS Global Services has served as a trusted partner and a leading provider of sustainability certification, consulting, and standards development. The Recycled Content Standard was first introduced in 1989, a response to the burgeoning interest in recycled content claims and the introduction of innovative new recycling technologies. More than three decades later, the demand for recycled products and materials continues to grow — and SCS has certified thousands of products worldwide.

If you are unsure whether certification is right for your products, we can help you better understand the certification and how it qualifies for inclusion in Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly Program. To learn more, replay our recorded webinar, “Qualify for Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly with SCS Recycled Content Certification for Electrical and Electronic Equipment.”

Read More

Author

Youssra Elkhatib

Program Manager, Circular Materials

Email

From the extraction of raw materials to the disposal of e-waste, electronics have a huge impact on communities of people and the wider planet. In response, Amazon, one of the world’s largest online retailers, championed the development of a new recycled content standard for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that aims to increase the use of recycled materials in the manufacturing of these products and reduce their environmental footprints. The new standard underpins certification for electronic and electrical products that is recognized by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly program.

In this blog, we will explore the details of the EEE standard, why it is important, and how certification can benefit businesses that manufacture products in the covered categories. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about the standard and achieving certification.

What is the new SCS EEE recycled content standard? 

Amazon worked with SCS Standards to develop this specific guidance as an annex to SCS’ well-established Recycled Content Standard (SCS-103). SCS Standards is an independent standards creation organization. SCS-103 is a global standard used to verify the recycled content claims of products and materials, and the EEE annex (SCS-103A) sets specific requirements and thresholds for recycled content in electrical and electronic products, such as laptops, smartphones, speakers, and printers.

Developed through a multi-stakeholder process involving industry leaders and NGO representatives, such as Close Loop Partners, Logitech, Dell, HP, Microsoft, and others, the EEE annex reflects the best practices and innovations in the electronics industry, while also pushing for higher levels of recycled content and sustainability.

The standard underpins recycled content certification for electrical and electronic equipment, and products must have more than one source of recycled material and meet specific minimum thresholds set for each recycled material (plastics, metals, etc.) to achieve certification. The standard specifies an overall claim of the combined recycled materials as a percentage of the whole product.

Why is recycled content certification for electronics important? 

By increasing the use of recycled content in electronic products and giving consumers a choice for more sustainable products, EEE recycled content certification can help drive markets for recycled materials, reduce the demand for virgin materials, conserve natural resources, and prevent e-waste from ending up in landfills or incinerators. It also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and energy use associated with electronics manufacturing.

In certifying their products to the EEE standard, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility and differentiate themselves from their competitors. They can also access new markets and customers, such as Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly Program, which recognizes products that meet high environmental standards and displays a badge on their product listings.

How can businesses engage with the EEE standard? 

Companies producing or selling electrical and electronic products need trustworthy guidance about how to engage with the EEE standard, plus a clear understanding of the benefits and challenges of aligning their operations with the standard. To that end, we will walk through some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the EEE standard.

How do I know if my product is eligible for certification to the EEE standard?

The EEE standard applies to a wide range of electrical and electronic products, such as computers, tablets, phones, cameras, printers, scanners, monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, headphones, routers, modems, smartwatches, smart speakers, and more.

A complete list of product types and their minimum recycled content thresholds (in Table 4 of the standard) can be downloaded from the SCS Standards website. The standard requires that a product have at least two different recycled material inputs, such as metals or plastics, that meet the minimum thresholds for recycled content. A product must also have a minimum total recycled content percentage, which varies depending on the product type.

What if my product type is not listed in the standard or does not meet the minimum requirements?

If your product type is not listed in the standard or does not meet the minimum requirements, you can request an interpretation or variation from SCS Standards. This is a process where organizations can provide additional information or data to justify why their product should be eligible for certification, or why an organization might need an exception or deviation from the standard.

For example, you may offer a product not listed in the standard but with a similar function and composition to another product listed. Or you may have a product that has only one recycled material input, but it forms more than 50% of the total product weight. Or you may have a product that has technical or legal limitations that prevent you from using more recycled content. In these cases, you can contact SCS Standards, and the team will review your submission and decide whether to approve or reject your request.

How do I get certified to the EEE standard and how long does it take?

Certification is broken down into the following steps:

1) Submit an application to SCS Global Services found on our website here.

2) Submit data and documentation to SCS according to the data request an SCS auditor will supply — such as your bill of materials, material input evaluation, purchasing and inventory records, legal compliance affidavit, material due diligence, and quality control procedures.

3) Undergo an on-site or virtual audit by SCS, where an auditor will verify your data and claims and identify any nonconformities or corrective actions.

4) Upon completion, you will receive a certification decision from SCS, which involves issuance of the certificate and logo, and then SCS submits the certified product information to the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly Program. The certification process can take anywhere from two to six months, depending on the complexity and scope of the product and the availability of company data and documentation.

How do I maintain my certification and what are the costs involved?

Existing certifications must be renewed every year. This involves submitting updated data and documentation to SCS and undergoing a surveillance audit, which checks for any changes or issues with your product or your supply chain. The renewal process can take anywhere from one to three months, depending on the extent and frequency of your changes.

The costs involved in maintaining your certification include the annual fees for SCS and the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly Program, as well as the audit fees, which vary depending on the scope and location of your audit. You can also add new products or suppliers to your certification scope at any time, which may incur additional fees.

SCS Global Services is here to help

For 40 years, SCS Global Services has served as a trusted partner and a leading provider of sustainability certification, consulting, and standards development. The Recycled Content Standard was first introduced in 1989, a response to the burgeoning interest in recycled content claims and the introduction of innovative new recycling technologies. More than three decades later, the demand for recycled products and materials continues to grow — and SCS has certified thousands of products worldwide.

If you are unsure whether certification is right for your products, we can help you better understand the certification and how it qualifies for inclusion in Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly Program. To learn more, replay our recorded webinar, “Qualify for Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly with SCS Recycled Content Certification for Electrical and Electronic Equipment.”

Read More

Author

Youssra Elkhatib

Program Manager, Circular Materials

Email

BOSTON, September 19, 2024 /3BL/ – Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today announced the retirement of Deece Hannigan, Vice President Paper Business and several key leadership appointments, effective Oct. 1, 2024.

Mr. Hannigan’s career with Sappi North America (SNA) spanned 37 years in roles with increasing responsibility in Somerset Manufacturing, Graphics Sales and Marketing, Release, Procurement and Fiber Resources before his current role of leading the entire Paper business beginning in 2000. Much of Deece’s career has focused on the growth of the Somerset mill in Skowhegan, Maine, and he has been a driving force behind the transition of Sappi’s business to packaging. Deece led the business strategies to convert both Paper Machines 1 and 2 at Somerset to paperboard.

To continue moving forward with SNA’s growth and strategy, several longtime SNA leaders have been promoted to positions of greater responsibilities. Paul Bortolan has been named Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Graphics, Packaging and Specialties businesses, and Sean Wallace will assume the role of Vice President of Research, Development and Sustainability. Additionally, Blue Keim has been appointed Managing Director of the Somerset mill in Skowhegan, Maine, while Gary Couture has been appointed Managing Director of the Westbrook Mill in Westbrook, Maine.

These leadership changes represent another step in Sappi’s ongoing efforts to build a stronger, more agile leadership team that will help the company navigate a rapidly evolving marketplace and reinforce its position as a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions.

“These appointments reflect our commitment to building a world-class team that drives both operational excellence and strategic growth,” said Mike Haws, President and CEO of Sappi North America. “Each of these leaders bring a wealth of experience and have already shown a strong commitment to our company, which will ensure we continue delivering innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers. We are confident they will thrive in their new roles. We congratulate Deece on his well-deserved retirement. His invaluable contributions to our company and our people have positioned SNA to be a leader in our industry for generations to come.”

All four leaders will officially assume their new roles on October 1, 2024. This transition ensures a seamless continuation of the company’s growth strategy and commitment to operational excellence across its mills and business units.

To learn more about Sappi and its leadership, visit: https://www.sappi.com.

About Sappi North America, Inc.

Sappi North America, Inc., headquartered in Boston, is a market leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that customers demand worldwide. Our four diversified businesses – high-quality Graphic Papers, Dissolving Pulp, Packaging, and Specialty Papers deliver premium products and services with consistent quality and reliability. Our high-quality Coated Printing Papers are used for premium magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail and high-end print advertising. We are a leading manufacturer of Dissolving Pulp, which is used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods. We deliver sustainable Packaging and Specialty Papers for luxury packaging and folding carton applications with our single-ply packaging brands and for the food and label industries with our specialty papers. We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of Casting and Release Papers with lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. www.sappi.com

Media Contact

Haley Sinacole

Matter Communications

sappi@matternow.com

BOSTON, September 19, 2024 /3BL/ – Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today announced the retirement of Deece Hannigan, Vice President Paper Business and several key leadership appointments, effective Oct. 1, 2024.

Mr. Hannigan’s career with Sappi North America (SNA) spanned 37 years in roles with increasing responsibility in Somerset Manufacturing, Graphics Sales and Marketing, Release, Procurement and Fiber Resources before his current role of leading the entire Paper business beginning in 2000. Much of Deece’s career has focused on the growth of the Somerset mill in Skowhegan, Maine, and he has been a driving force behind the transition of Sappi’s business to packaging. Deece led the business strategies to convert both Paper Machines 1 and 2 at Somerset to paperboard.

To continue moving forward with SNA’s growth and strategy, several longtime SNA leaders have been promoted to positions of greater responsibilities. Paul Bortolan has been named Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Graphics, Packaging and Specialties businesses, and Sean Wallace will assume the role of Vice President of Research, Development and Sustainability. Additionally, Blue Keim has been appointed Managing Director of the Somerset mill in Skowhegan, Maine, while Gary Couture has been appointed Managing Director of the Westbrook Mill in Westbrook, Maine.

These leadership changes represent another step in Sappi’s ongoing efforts to build a stronger, more agile leadership team that will help the company navigate a rapidly evolving marketplace and reinforce its position as a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions.

“These appointments reflect our commitment to building a world-class team that drives both operational excellence and strategic growth,” said Mike Haws, President and CEO of Sappi North America. “Each of these leaders bring a wealth of experience and have already shown a strong commitment to our company, which will ensure we continue delivering innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers. We are confident they will thrive in their new roles. We congratulate Deece on his well-deserved retirement. His invaluable contributions to our company and our people have positioned SNA to be a leader in our industry for generations to come.”

All four leaders will officially assume their new roles on October 1, 2024. This transition ensures a seamless continuation of the company’s growth strategy and commitment to operational excellence across its mills and business units.

To learn more about Sappi and its leadership, visit: https://www.sappi.com.

About Sappi North America, Inc.

Sappi North America, Inc., headquartered in Boston, is a market leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that customers demand worldwide. Our four diversified businesses – high-quality Graphic Papers, Dissolving Pulp, Packaging, and Specialty Papers deliver premium products and services with consistent quality and reliability. Our high-quality Coated Printing Papers are used for premium magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail and high-end print advertising. We are a leading manufacturer of Dissolving Pulp, which is used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods. We deliver sustainable Packaging and Specialty Papers for luxury packaging and folding carton applications with our single-ply packaging brands and for the food and label industries with our specialty papers. We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of Casting and Release Papers with lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. www.sappi.com

Media Contact

Haley Sinacole

Matter Communications

sappi@matternow.com

Charlotte, N.C., September 19, 2024 /3BL/ – The Peace Corps and Discovery Education are partnering to launch Global Learners, a free digital program that provides educators with standards-aligned lesson plans to foster students’ understanding of world cultures and global issues. The lessons provide a glimpse into everyday life in over 60 countries, from the perspective of Peace Corps Volunteers working with communities to promote world peace, friendship, and cultural exchange.

Through this program, educators can access activities, video series, and first-hand accounts from Peace Corps Volunteers and community members designed to support students’ development as it relates to intercultural awareness and competence.

“As we approach the United Nations International Day of Peace, this partnership is a reminder of the power of connection, both across borders and across difference,” said Carol Spahn, Director of the Peace Corps. “The program’s content will prepare the next generation with the skills and tools to be global citizens and leaders.”

The Global Learners program expands on the Peace Corps’ unique approach to international development, which is rooted in people-centered, localized impact. Since the agency’s founding in 1961, more than 240,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have worked side-by-side with communities around the world on locally-led projects, building meaningful and lifelong connections.

“Acts of service and supporting communities are a critical part of learning, understanding, and celebrating culture,” said Amy Nakamoto, Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “We are proud to be partnering with the Peace Corps to bring no-cost resources fostering greater appreciation of world cultures and service-oriented careers.”

Through the Peace Corps’ Bold Invitation campaign, U.S. citizens from all backgrounds, who embody the spirit of service and cross-cultural understanding, are invited to become volunteers. The next application deadline is October 1, 2024. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online to contribute to global peace and friendship.

Learn more about the resources from Global Learners at globallearnerspc.com or through the Discovery Education Experience.  

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

###

About the Peace Corps 
The Peace Corps is an international service network of volunteers, community members, host country partners and staff who are driven by the agency’s mission of world peace and friendship. At the invitation of governments around the world, Peace Corps Volunteers work alongside community members on locally prioritized projects in the areas of education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development, and youth development. Through service, members of the Peace Corps network develop transferable skills and hone intercultural competencies that position them to be the next generation of global leaders. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 volunteers have served in 144 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and corporate partnerships, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts 
Karen Mascariñas 
Acting Director, Peace Corps Office of Communications 
Email: kmascarinas@peacecorps.gov

Grace Maliska 
Discovery Education 
Email: gmaliska@dicoveryed.com

Charlotte, N.C., September 19, 2024 /3BL/ – The Peace Corps and Discovery Education are partnering to launch Global Learners, a free digital program that provides educators with standards-aligned lesson plans to foster students’ understanding of world cultures and global issues. The lessons provide a glimpse into everyday life in over 60 countries, from the perspective of Peace Corps Volunteers working with communities to promote world peace, friendship, and cultural exchange.

Through this program, educators can access activities, video series, and first-hand accounts from Peace Corps Volunteers and community members designed to support students’ development as it relates to intercultural awareness and competence.

“As we approach the United Nations International Day of Peace, this partnership is a reminder of the power of connection, both across borders and across difference,” said Carol Spahn, Director of the Peace Corps. “The program’s content will prepare the next generation with the skills and tools to be global citizens and leaders.”

The Global Learners program expands on the Peace Corps’ unique approach to international development, which is rooted in people-centered, localized impact. Since the agency’s founding in 1961, more than 240,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have worked side-by-side with communities around the world on locally-led projects, building meaningful and lifelong connections.

“Acts of service and supporting communities are a critical part of learning, understanding, and celebrating culture,” said Amy Nakamoto, Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “We are proud to be partnering with the Peace Corps to bring no-cost resources fostering greater appreciation of world cultures and service-oriented careers.”

Through the Peace Corps’ Bold Invitation campaign, U.S. citizens from all backgrounds, who embody the spirit of service and cross-cultural understanding, are invited to become volunteers. The next application deadline is October 1, 2024. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online to contribute to global peace and friendship.

Learn more about the resources from Global Learners at globallearnerspc.com or through the Discovery Education Experience.  

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

###

About the Peace Corps 
The Peace Corps is an international service network of volunteers, community members, host country partners and staff who are driven by the agency’s mission of world peace and friendship. At the invitation of governments around the world, Peace Corps Volunteers work alongside community members on locally prioritized projects in the areas of education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development, and youth development. Through service, members of the Peace Corps network develop transferable skills and hone intercultural competencies that position them to be the next generation of global leaders. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 volunteers have served in 144 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and corporate partnerships, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts 
Karen Mascariñas 
Acting Director, Peace Corps Office of Communications 
Email: kmascarinas@peacecorps.gov

Grace Maliska 
Discovery Education 
Email: gmaliska@dicoveryed.com

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

September is National Childhood Cancer and National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. Sadly, nearly 10,000 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and about 1 in every 365 Black or African American babies in the U.S. are born with sickle cell disease — about 1 in 13 are born with the trait. With this in mind, Aflac is on a mission to assist families and provide tips for how you can help bring some relief for those who are impacted.

Here are a few ideas on how you can comfort families when they need it most:

Provide a meal. It can be home-cooked, delivered from a restaurant, or a voucher for a meal delivery service. You can also share store-bought or homemade baked goods.
 Spend time together. Take a walk, see a movie together, offer to be a listening ear or just sit in silence together.
 Send a message of support. Share gentle empathy with a card, note, text, voicemail, email or private social media message.
 Offer to help with tasks. Ask if you can help clean their home, do laundry, water plants, get groceries, care for pets, take their car for a wash, or pick up their mail or newspapers.
 Help with caregiving responsibilities. Offer to babysit or stay with their other children while keeping things as normal as possible. If you have children of your own, set up a playdate.
 Drop off a favorite comfort item. Consider a magazine, book or board game.

“It’s easy to ask, ‘Can I help?’ But for those in the midst of a treatment journey — whether it’s their own or a loved one’s — it can be tough to determine what they need in that moment,” said Buffy Swinehart, senior manager, Aflac Corporate Social Responsibility. “Instead, try offering specific acts of service like, ‘Can I send you some dinner?’ or ‘Can I take care of the kids or pets this evening?’ This way, the other person can simply say yes or no.”

Want more information on how you can lend a hand to those in need? Visit Aflac.com/BridgeToBrighter for inspirational stories about My Special Aflac Duck®, an award-winning, free robotic, comforting companion, that provides comfort and joy and is clinically proven to help reduce stress for kids and for parents. You can even request one for a child age 3 or older with pediatric cancer or sickle cell. You can download tips for providing comfort to families in need (available in English and Spanish), as well as images that you can share on social media to encourage your followers to help inspire action.

Since 1995, Aflac has been committed to help support those who care for children with cancer and blood disorders like sickle cell disease. Over the last three decades, the company has donated more than $184 million to these causes. But the support isn’t just monetary, Aflac also created My Special Aflac Duck in 2018 to provide children with cancer comfort through a robotic companion designed to help them express their emotions and help normalize medical procedures. In 2022, the company adapted My Special Aflac Duck with special accessories to support children with sickle cell disease. To date, Aflac has distributed more than 32,000 of these ducks — free of charge — to children ages 3 and up with cancer or sickle cell.

Join us in building a bridge to a brighter future at Aflac.com/BridgeToBrighter.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation for insurance. Aflac includes Aflac and/or Aflac New York and/or Continental American Insurance Company and/or Continental American Life Insurance Company.

Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

Z2400834

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

September is National Childhood Cancer and National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. Sadly, nearly 10,000 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and about 1 in every 365 Black or African American babies in the U.S. are born with sickle cell disease — about 1 in 13 are born with the trait. With this in mind, Aflac is on a mission to assist families and provide tips for how you can help bring some relief for those who are impacted.

Here are a few ideas on how you can comfort families when they need it most:

Provide a meal. It can be home-cooked, delivered from a restaurant, or a voucher for a meal delivery service. You can also share store-bought or homemade baked goods.
 Spend time together. Take a walk, see a movie together, offer to be a listening ear or just sit in silence together.
 Send a message of support. Share gentle empathy with a card, note, text, voicemail, email or private social media message.
 Offer to help with tasks. Ask if you can help clean their home, do laundry, water plants, get groceries, care for pets, take their car for a wash, or pick up their mail or newspapers.
 Help with caregiving responsibilities. Offer to babysit or stay with their other children while keeping things as normal as possible. If you have children of your own, set up a playdate.
 Drop off a favorite comfort item. Consider a magazine, book or board game.

“It’s easy to ask, ‘Can I help?’ But for those in the midst of a treatment journey — whether it’s their own or a loved one’s — it can be tough to determine what they need in that moment,” said Buffy Swinehart, senior manager, Aflac Corporate Social Responsibility. “Instead, try offering specific acts of service like, ‘Can I send you some dinner?’ or ‘Can I take care of the kids or pets this evening?’ This way, the other person can simply say yes or no.”

Want more information on how you can lend a hand to those in need? Visit Aflac.com/BridgeToBrighter for inspirational stories about My Special Aflac Duck®, an award-winning, free robotic, comforting companion, that provides comfort and joy and is clinically proven to help reduce stress for kids and for parents. You can even request one for a child age 3 or older with pediatric cancer or sickle cell. You can download tips for providing comfort to families in need (available in English and Spanish), as well as images that you can share on social media to encourage your followers to help inspire action.

Since 1995, Aflac has been committed to help support those who care for children with cancer and blood disorders like sickle cell disease. Over the last three decades, the company has donated more than $184 million to these causes. But the support isn’t just monetary, Aflac also created My Special Aflac Duck in 2018 to provide children with cancer comfort through a robotic companion designed to help them express their emotions and help normalize medical procedures. In 2022, the company adapted My Special Aflac Duck with special accessories to support children with sickle cell disease. To date, Aflac has distributed more than 32,000 of these ducks — free of charge — to children ages 3 and up with cancer or sickle cell.

Join us in building a bridge to a brighter future at Aflac.com/BridgeToBrighter.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation for insurance. Aflac includes Aflac and/or Aflac New York and/or Continental American Insurance Company and/or Continental American Life Insurance Company.

Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

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With a global workforce in a variety of settings including offices, laboratories and manufacturing plants, maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for our Viatris colleagues regardless of their location is imperative.

We work systematically to establish a culture of health and safety. Viatris’ global Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Management system, technical requirements, processes and systems across our locations form the foundation; however, to truly instill and uphold a culture of health and safety, we must also lead by example through our behavior, communication and tone at the top. To continuously improve and enhance risk awareness and mitigation, we establish areas of focus for our health and safety management year over year. In 2023, areas of particular focus included enhancing safety culture, process safety, electrical safety and equipment safety.

We work proactively on incident prevention, diligently working every day to identify and reduce health and safety risks to both our colleagues and the communities in which we operate. Our total recordable incident rate in 2023 was 0.50 versus an industry average of 1.6.1

Leadership and communication are important aspects of establishing a strong safety culture and performance. We encourage and expect our leaders to continuously reinforce safety messages and maintain open 1Recordable cases per 200,000 hours worked Sources communication with their teams. All of our operations sites have a Safety Culture Enhancement Plan, which is to be regularly reviewed and updated. In addition, we also:

Completed 11 safety climate assessments across our locations using a Safety Climate tool developed by Global EHS leadersExpanded our Safety Walk Around program, conducting more than 690 safety walks by site leadership teams resulting in Prevention Opportunities and 1,100 safety conversationsContinued the Viatris Safety Culture Webinar Series, with more than 215 leaders attendingHeld refresher training on our VSafety Situational Awareness program, which was launched in 2022 with a goal of reducing the frequency and severity of incidents where the human factor is a key contributor, and extended the program to more sites including in Ireland and FranceExpanded Safety Leadership Coaching to more sites globally

Enhancing Process Safety

Working systematically with health and safety risks associated with the manufacturing process, known as Process Safety, is a central part of our health and safety management. In 2023, we continued to enhance our Process Safety Global Program, which was developed and launched globally the year before along with the related technical requirements. We utilized Teams meetings to roll out initial training and developed a companywide Process Safety Introduction eLearning program to integrate an overview of our process safety program into our site operations rolebased curricula.

An enhanced risk assessment program was rolled out across manufacturing locations to capture and evaluate risks associated with the development and manufacturing of products. Approximately 1,840 risk assessments were conducted through the tool, generating valuable insights to help to reduce risks. In Hyderabad, India, a state-of-the-art Process Safety lab is being established to analyze process safety hazards both from chemical reactivity and powder dust explosivity. To capture any process safety risks during scale up of new products from the R&D sites in India, almost 60 new products were reviewed to incorporate process safety information (PSI) data, which included preliminary risk assessment and powder safety data. The data were provided to the manufacturing locations as a part of technical transfer documentation, which will be further used by the facilities during detailed site level risk assessments.

One of those risks involved bursting of rupture discs, which are used on equipment to reduce pressure energy and avoid catastrophic equipment failure. The Process Safety team worked with a site to analyze the causes of failure and implemented new processes, resulting in reducing the failure rate.

Further, in 2023, we implemented a world-class Process Safety management assessment program at our facility in Indore, India. We received external certification for the program by the International Sustainability Rating System (ISRS) in its ninth and latest updated edition.

Developing an Enhanced Incident Reporting System for Non-Operations Colleagues

Throughout 2023, the Global EHS Systems Team worked with EHS Regional leaders and and non-operations EHS liaisons to enhance an incident reporting system to capture incidents involving our non-operations colleagues, which includes non-operations office-based colleagues, colleagues who are officially designated as working remotely and commercial colleagues who may fit into either of those categories. The system provides a simple, easy-to-use report that is easily accessible from the company’s intranet so that non-operations colleagues can quickly and easily report any work-related injuries or illnesses. Global and Regional EHS teams can then provide assistance with investigations, root cause analyses and corrective actions to prevent the same or similar incidents from occurring in the future.

View the full 2023 Sustainability Report.

Sources 
1 Recordable cases per 200,000 hours worked

Covia takes time to acknowledge the dedication and leadership of Team Members who have made a significant impact on the job or in their communities by sharing their stories. Today we recognize John Hargrove, Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator at Covia’s Hephzibah, Georgia, plant. John has been with Covia for six years in a variety of roles – supporting the Hephzibah plant in several capacities. Read on to learn more about John’s journey with Covia and how he helps encourage a Safety-First mindset at his plant.

A Desire to Grow

Before starting at Covia, John served for four years in the United States Marine Corp. There, he learned how to work successfully with a team, keeping each other safe along the way. After completing his service, John found a career in the mining industry and was hired to operate heavy machining equipment at an open pit mine. He worked in that position until 2018 when he applied for a utility operator position at Covia’s Hephzibah, Georgia, plant.

In his new position, John quickly learned how to properly operate Covia’s mill equipment for both dry and slurry mixes. The plant benefited from his reliability and his desire to constantly learn about the plant’s operations and processes. John’s passion for growth was recognized and he was soon promoted to the position of production supervisor. In preparation for the position, John spent a lot of time with the maintenance superintendent, learning the ins and outs of maintenance and production operations.

John’s willingness to learn and improve his skills did not go unnoticed. His keen eye for safety, desire to experience new opportunities, and his rapport with the team members at the plant led to the opportunity to take the role of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) coordinator.

In his role as EHS coordinator, John manages the plant’s environmental and safety responsibilities, such as managing industrial-hygiene testing to continuously monitor dust levels. John’s attention to detail and open communication style help create a safe work environment. By having honest conversations with his fellow team members, John makes sure everyone is following best practices, taking proper precautions, and looking out for one another. John’s experience working across several positions in the plant helps him get his message across because the team knows he’s not nitpicking, and he knows what he’s talking about.

Now, after a year in the position, John believes it’s a good fit for his skills because it offers him new opportunities to learn and grow every day. It also extends to his home life. In addition to his keen eye for safety at the plant, John practices what he preaches at home with his three-year-old son. John enjoys going out into nature with his family and allowing his son to be “dangerous carefully,” encouraging him to fully explore the natural world in a safe way.

A Keen Eye for Safety

Thanks to the Safety-First mindset of team members at the Hephzibah plant, the team recently reached a major milestone – 20 years without a lost-time incident. This is due in no small part to team members like John who help encourage a safe workplace. John shared advice that Senior Plant Manager Adam Beatty gave him when he took over as EHS coordinator. “The most important part of any safety program is making sure everyone can make it back home in the same way they came in.” While production is important and vital to Covia’s operation, John mentioned that the number one life-saving rule they follow is “safety before production.” He works to make sure that everyone gets home safely so they can start each day anew.

John is thrilled with his plant’s safety record and proud of how the team looks out for one another – trusting that they are focused on going home in one piece. He knows that the future is bright for the Hephzibah plant as they continue to safely deliver quality mineral solutions for years to come.

For further information regarding Covia’s core value of Safety First and its significance in our operations, please visit CoviaCorp.com.