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Complimentary Webinar

Complying with California Proposition 12 – What Producers and Distributors Need to Know

September 24, 2024 | 12:00 PM ET/9:00 AM PT

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As of January 1, 2024, all producers of egg-laying hens, breeding pigs, and veal calves, as well as distributors of covered products intended for sale in California, must possess a valid Prop 12 Certificate of Compliance. Join SCS Global Services‘ webinar to gain a comprehensive understanding of California Proposition 12 certification and its implications for your business. This session will cover:

• What is Proposition 12 and who does it apply to 
• Impact on the supply chain, from producers to retailers 
• Certification process 
• Common challenges and solutions for achieving compliance 
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 
• Resources and how to prepare for Prop 12 inspections

Our experts will offer critical insights and actionable guidance to help you achieve compliance and maintain market access. Ensure your business is prepared to meet these requirements by registering for the webinar and get your questions answered about this important California regulation.

Register today to secure your spot!

REGISTER HERE FOR THE WEBINAR

By registering, you will get access to the webinar recording.

For inquiries, contact:

Shyama Devarajan 
Senior Marketing Manager, SCS Global Services 
sdevarajan@scsglobalservices.com

Join Whirlpool Corporation and Purdue University in celebrating more than 10 years of sustainable living insights and the ReNEWW House.

Since 2013, the 1920s vintage home – ReNEWW House – has been retrofitted for Net-Zero energy, water and waste. This collaborative experiment in sustainable living set out to address the challenges of aligning today’s technology and energy-efficiency potential with homes built before the technologies existed.

Check out the lessons Whirlpool Corporation has learned so far in the Sustainability Report: https://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/2023SustainabilityReport/our-products/performance.php

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading kitchen and laundry appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home and inspiring generations with our brands. The company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, and InSinkErator. In 2023, the company reported approximately $19 billion in annual sales, 59,000 employees, and 55 manufacturing and technology research centers.  Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.

View original content here.

GR3N’s breakthrough new process to address current hard to recycle PET waste while meeting virgin-like qualitySchneider Electric’s software-defined automation system enabling operational agility to scale from proof of concept to industrial levelTogether, companies are fostering innovation, driving circularity across the chemicals sector

RUEIL-MALMAISON, France, September 19, 2024 /3BL/ – Schneider Electric, the world’s most sustainable company and leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation has partnered with GR3N, the Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) chemical recycler to create the first open automation system for the advanced plastic recycling industry.

With 50% of global plastic waste ending up in landfills and only 9% recycled, GR3N developed MADE, the Microwave Assisted DEpolymerization solution. This new process breaks down PET into its chemical building blocks that can be recombined to create new PET pellets with virgin-like quality for packaging and textiles, effectively closing the loop for hard to recycle plastic. The technology is based on alkaline hydrolysis, and it can manage a higher amount of impurities compared to the existing ones.

In March 2024, GR3N successfully demonstrated MADE and the power of Schneider Electric’s open automation technology, EcoStruxure Automation Expert at its demonstration site in Italy. MADE plant is conceived to anticipate the usage of all the technologies that will be finally adopted for the first industrial-scale facility, foreseen to be installed in Spain and with an expected capacity of over 40.000 ton/year of PET waste treated. The intrinsic modularity of GR3N’s proprietary recycling process has allowed MADE to be the first plastic recycling plant to use the shared automation runtime managed by Universal Automation, based on the IEC 61499 standard.

The software-defined automation system decouples hardware from software, allowing devices and equipment to be freely connected across architecture layers, regardless of manufacturer. It acts as the digital backbone of industrial operations at the plant, providing the foundation to make more informed decisions. This approach allows MADE to be also technological demonstration of a new generation of automation systems, where the intertwining between OT and IT enables the exploitation of advanced functionalities for operations management and data analytics.

“Through software-defined automation and hardware independence, we have been able to effectively de-risk our operations and push the boundaries of our technology,” said Fabio Silvestri, Head of Marketing and Business Development at GR3N. “We’ve been able to reconfigure our systems quickly when we see opportunities to improve efficiency, while avoiding supply chain issues due the hardware agnostic nature of the system. This is what is needed to make advanced plastic recycling at reality at scale.”

Due to EcoStruxure Automation Expert’s modular, agnostic nature, GR3N was able to choose the optimal technology for the demonstration plant and easily scale to new sites. Benefits include:

Industrial scalability – significantly minimizes the risk of investment during the scale-up of GR3N’s technology towards the First of a Kind (FOAK) industrial plant, while offering a new way to protect its intellectual property as process licensor.Design flexibility – vendor and hardware agnostic system enabled GR3N to design the best possible solution without being held back by vendor lock in or being impacted by supply chain issues.Engineering time and time-to-market reduction – the modular design of control software, supported by digital continuity across the whole plant lifecycle with automation-focused decision making happening at conception, reduces human error at the development stage by 40%.Control simplification – Vendor-independence allows controls to be distributed or centralized depending on need.New opportunities – OT/IT integration provides new opportunities for efficiency and optimization across the whole value chain. thanks to a seamless incorporation of advanced data analytics techniques.Reduced costs – the software-defined approach to automation is expected to reduce engineering costs by 30%.Next-gen workforce – attracts the next generation of workers with a systems that shared similarities with those in IT.

Global demand for plastics is expected to triple by 2060, with the amount of plastics in the ocean predicted to outweigh fish. Meeting demand and curbing pollution, while achieving net zero by 2050, requires a consumption model revolution.

The partnership between GR3N and Schneider Electric, that has started with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding, will enable the chemical recycler to scale operations to new sites quickly and cost-effectively. The solution is expected to reach industrial scale by 2027 with the construction of a 35-40kta plant which will include the pre-treatment, depolymerization and repolymerization.

“Every year, people produce around 460 million tons of plastic, approximately 70% of which are sent to landfills or mismanaged,” said Christophe de Maistre, President Energy & Chemicals, Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric.

“If we want to overcome the scale of plastic waste, there are certain non-negotiables. We must see integration across the whole product cycle, modularization to optimize and standardize engineering processes, as well as software defined automation solutions that delivers scalability, break siloes and acts as a gateway to advanced analytics. This project with GR3N demonstrates all of these principles, improving flexibility, scalability and the efficiency of their solution and enabling them to grow to an industrial scale.”

Related resources:

Interview video from the Globuc Go Circular event, April 2024: How microwave-assisted PET recycling – interview with Delphine Largeteau, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC (youtube.com)A Circular Economy for Plastics and Polymers | Schneider Electric (se.com)

About GR3N

GR3N developed an innovative process, based on the application of microwave technology to alkaline hydrolysis, which provides an economically viable approach to the recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), allowing the industrial implementation.

The GR3N process is economically sustainable and industrially viable as it breaks down any type of PET and polyester plastic into its two core components (TPA and MEG monomers), which can then be re-assembled to obtain virgin-like plastics allowing endless recycling loops. This new process has the potential to change how PET is recycled worldwide, with huge benefits both for the recycling industry and for the entire polyester value chain. The company’s goal is to become the world-leading supplier of recycled PET and polyester, addressing the global need for virgin plastics and triggering a truly circular approach to plastic recycling. GR3N is part of PETCORE Europe, Chemical Recycling Europe, and Accelerating Circularity.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for 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

2024 SAIC Corporate Responsibility Report 

The company’s success begins and ends with our people. 

As we seek to advance the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world, a critical part of our business strategy is attracting, continually developing and retaining top talent — engineering, science and IT innovation cannot happen without it. To deliver that strategy and its value to shareholders, customers and employees, we aim to be a company that provides meaningful work and purpose, as we:

Develop solutions for our customers’ most challenging problemsContinue to deliver value to our business through meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion effortsNurture our people throughout the talent lifecycle including upskilling and job rotation to improve retention and fill critical skill gapsCreate a culture of empowerment where our people can be their authentic selves and do their best work for our customersProvide benefits and programs that enhance employees’ experiences and their well-being

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Our vision for diversity, equity and inclusion at SAIC is straightforward:

We commit to creating a workplace where we value, respect and empower everyone to reach their full potential.We foster a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion that celebrates our differences and promotes collaboration, innovation and growth. We work every day to be a company that is diverse and inclusive and a leader in promoting the business value of DE&I in our industry and beyond.

DE&I GUIDING PRINCIPLES

In FY24, we achieved significant progress of workforce diversity, equity and inclusion through internal efforts, employee development, talent acquisition and employee engagement.

Notably, last year, based on our population of full-time, nonexecutive employees, our gender pay gap was less than 1%, with the pay equity ratio approximately 99% for the compensation of women relative to men.

In FY21, we set goals to achieve parity in the representation of women and people of color between our leader and non-leadership roles by the end of FY26. Our goal is to ensure that our leadership reflects our workforce, and our workforce reflects the customers and communities we serve. In FY23, we achieved our parity goal for women in leadership, and in FY24, we sustained it at 28%. In FY24, we continued our progress improving parity for people of color in leadership by 2% for a total of 25% of leaders being people of color. To hold ourselves accountable for progress, we tie meeting parity goals to a part of our leader’s performance plans, which impacts their bonus compensation.

We develop a diverse leadership team from our existing workforce by promoting diverse candidate slates for leadership roles; ensuring our job descriptions, recruiting tools and processes help eliminate the potential for bias; and providing training, educational resources and leadership development programs, including our AcceleratHER Women’s Leadership Academy, Leadership 365 for Aspiring Leaders and Developing Frontline Leaders programs. To ensure further opportunity to underrepresented populations, we offer several programs that incorporate internal networking components; programs include McKinsey Leadership Essentials, Management Accelerator, Executive Leadership Program and Connected Leaders Academy for Asian, Black and Hispanic and Latino cohorts. 

To ensure equitable access to opportunities for all, SAIC continues to enhance our workplace practices to eliminate bias, remove barriers to equitable opportunity and improve inclusion; to include diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility training for recruiters and hiring managers; use of diverse talent communities and sourcing tools; and our advertising and marketing efforts to make sure we reach a diverse pool of candidates. Through these efforts, women make up 32% and people of color make up 57% of our job candidates. We also do this through our partnerships with organizations such as historically Black colleges and universities; the Thurgood Marshall College Fund; Black Engineer of the Year Awards; Catalyst, an organization dedicated to helping accelerate progress for women in the workplace; DisabilityIN; Fair360; Women in Aerospace; and Women in Tech. 

At SAIC, we believe small and diverse businesses are essential for maintaining a robust, dynamic contractor ecosystem, and play an integral role in the types of supply chain efforts required to meet the unique needs of our government customers. With that belief, we work to expand our partnerships with diverse small businesses and suppliers, hosting outreach sessions and mentoring and providing contract opportunities to those that drive innovation, improve processes and value diversity. SAIC has a robust small business outreach program and tracks its spend with small business diverse-owned suppliers in several categories such as Disadvantaged, Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned, HUBZone and Alaskan Native Corporations and Indian Tribes. 

In FY24, we spent over $420 million with these small, diverse-owned businesses. Independent third parties consistently recognize SAIC for its industry-leading engagement efforts such as the 2023 Small Business Industry Large Prime of the Year, the 2022 National Veterans Small Business Advocate of the Year, Champion for service-disabled veteran-owned small business and veteran-owned small business and the National Hub Zone Council 2020 Small Business Liaison of the Year.

SAIC + DIVERSITY

Third parties acknowledge SAIC’s inclusive workforce:

Forbes list of 500 Best Employers for DiversityForbes America’s Best Employers for Women 2024LATINA Style’s Top 50 Best Companies for LatinasNewsweek America’s Greatest Workplaces for DiversityNewsweek America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women 2024Fair360 Noteworthy Companies for 2024

Learn more about Inclusion at SAIC in SAIC’s 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report.

At its inaugural Thai Media Day, CNH, the world-class equipment, technology, and services company, announced multiple innovation and education initiatives to boost agriculture productivity and sustainability in Thailand.

In partnership with Nakhon Sawan College of Agriculture and Technology (NSCAT), CNH is assisting the transformation of their 45 hectares of arable land and facilities into a model farm to elevate hands-on machinery training, research, knowledge and technology transfer in the local community. CNH will also support the development of a new curriculum focused on modern agriculture machines and precision farming technologies.

Mark Brinn, Managing Director for Southeast Asia and Japan at CNH said: “Our purpose of ‘breaking new ground’ through innovation, sustainability, and productivity is at the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to supporting the sector with climate-smart machinery and technologies that advance the noble work of farmers.”

As part of its commitment to developing future farmers, CNH supports agriculture education initiatives in Thailand, including a scholarship programme with Pakdee College. The company also strengthened its collaboration with KMITL covering curriculum design, practical training, and internship programmes. This year, CNH and KMITL signed a Memorandum Agreement which extends the partnership to agriculture research and development (R&D).

Recognized as a Great Place to Work, CNH employs some 200 people in Thailand, which serves as its Asia-Pacific regional headquarters. It supports the farmers and builders in the market with its global Case IH, New Holland, CASE and New Holland Construction Equipment brands.

How do adolescent mothers triple their confidence to seek health services in less than 18 months? With programs that girls themselves design, that focus on her needs, and getting the support from the health system. 

To address the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of pregnant adolescents and first-time mothers in crisis-hit countries, the Adolescent Mothers Against All Odds (AMAL) initiative was designed to promote access to SRH information and services while also creating conversations around gender, power, and social norms to support a more enabling environment for adolescents to seek care. Launched in March 2020, AMAL was implemented in collaboration with Northwest Syria’s GBV sub-cluster to address adolescent SRH needs with the escalating humanitarian crisis in Syria to provide immediate health needs and tackle gender norms and biases involving adolescents in leadership roles through Adolescent Advisory Committees (AAC). 

Through United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency (UNFPA) funding, AMAL served in Syria from January 2020 – December 2020 with partners in Syria Relief and Development, Shafak and Ihsan. The initiative functions through 3 main components: Young Mother’s Club, engaging healthcare providers, and community engagement. These 3 components have proven successful as a holistic approach to shift norms and improve knowledge and access to SRH services among adolescents in crisis settings. Additionally, AMAL has contributed to global discussions on adolescent responsive SRH and GBV programming. As of 2024, the AMAL initiative is active in Syria, Nigeria (re-started) and most recently, Somalia. 

What changed? 
Across the first implementation countries, Syria, and Nigeria:

Young mothers are more confident to make decisions. The Young Mother’s Club in crisis-affected Syria boosted SRH knowledge and confidence across its participants, 73% of this reported high self-esteem, and 89% felt more confident in participation.SRH for the win, globally! Key impacts from an evaluation of AMAL in Syria and Nigeria include a 23% increase in support for girls’ use of family planning, 20% increase in support for girls exercising reproductive rights, and a doubling of use in family planning, including contraceptive among adolescents.More health visits. Antenatal care visits saw an increase from 14% to 20%, contributing to maternal health.

Currently, the AMAL Initiative is expanding into new countries and continues to explore opportunities across regions to support adolescents in crisis settings. It also continues to expand its approach to localize the program. In Nigeria for instance, CARE is rolling out AMAL for a 2nd time, in collaboration with local partners, the Neem Foundation and EYN. 

What’s new? 
AMAL, in addition to the 1st global evaluation data on Syria and Nigeria presented above, now has recent data coming from Somalia: 
In 2023, Somalia became the newest country to initiate the AMAL program. Early findings show incredible transformations unfolding among adolescent girls in Somalia.

A remarkable surge in self-esteem, with levels rising by 27%,An astounding enhancement in their communication skills within the family, going up 86%.An unprecedented boost in their confidence to seek healthcare services–220% increase.Community are experiencing a paradigm shift, witnessing a 63% spike in the inclination to challenge gender inequalitiesA 47% surge in backing girls’ unrestricted access to SRH services.Health providers are increasingly rallying behind adolescent girls’ autonomy, with a notable 77% increase in their endorsement of girls’ decisions regarding family planning methods.

AMAL + Nutrition integration: 
The Somalia AMAL team is ramping up efforts to improve connections to nutrition education, screening, and treatment. Adequate nutrition is crucial for adolescents’ growth and development, especially for pregnant girls and breastfeeding mothers. Graduates from the Young Mothers Club who become Adolescent Leaders are aiding their peers by conducting household visits to promote maternal nutrition and feeding practices for children under five. They’re also trained to screen for malnutrition and refer those in need for care. To date, Adolescent Leaders have screened nearly 250 children (122 girls, 125 boys) and over 200 pregnant and breastfeeding girls.

How did we get there?

The initiative started as Young Mother’s club in 2018, and through its adaptive learning based on feedback from the adolescents themselves, AMAL included additional community and health provider components alongside the Young Mother’s Club and Community Advisory Groups. This saw to the initial launch of the AMAL toolkit in Syria in 2020.In 2021, CARE worked with local community members and stakeholders to adapt and pilot AMAL in NE Nigeria.In 2022, with UNFPA funding, CARE led first ever global evaluation across Syria and Nigeria and by 2024 was implemented across Syria, Nigeria, and Somalia.

What did we learn?

Adolescent-responsive programming is needed and feasible even in crisis settings.Addressing norms to create an enabling environment for adolescents does result in improved uptake of sexual and reproductive health services.“With and for” adolescents should be a key programming principle even in fragile contexts.Improving linkages with nutrition and other key services can provide wider support for adolescents.

Where do we go next? 
We are looking to expand and link with other programs supporting adolescents. Please contact us if interested! Cecilliah Mbaka (cecilliah.mbaka@care.org) and Allison Prather (allison.prather@care.org) 
Want to learn more? 
Adolescent Mothers Against All Odds (AMAL) – Locally Developed, Globally Scaled 
The AMAL Initiative, locally developed and globally scaled, addresses the SRH needs of pregnant adolescents and first-time mothers in different crisis-hit countries. Launched in March 2020, it involves activities like the Young Mothers’ Club to bridge the gap in SRH services and challenge gender norms, aiming to contribute to global discussions on adolescent responsive SRH and GBV programming. Read More 
AMAL website – here 
AMAL Initiative Toolkit – Language facilitator guide, curriculum, and toolkit for program implementers.

Read More (ENGLISH)Read More (ARABIC)

AMAL Initiative Flipbook – Visual aids designed to complement the toolkit.

Read More (ENGLISH)Read More (ARABIC)

AMAL Learning Report – This report consolidates learnings and recommendations on sexual and reproductive health service provision for adolescents in crisis settings from the first pilot of the AMAL Initiative in northwest Syria.

Read More (ENGLISH)Read More (ARABIC)

Falling Forward Podcast – here

The coming of September means the start of the school season in the U.S. and also the end of peak summer vacation time. Business activity picks up and many corporations start to think about business plans and budgets for the coming year because 2025 will be here before we know it!

Along with setting goals for sales and profits, many companies will be reviewing their sustainability strategies and measuring the progress they’ve made toward hitting 2030 targets tied to the Paris Agreement on limiting carbon emissions. In our Top Stories this issue, we focus on the urgency many companies and industries are feeling as 2030 gets closer. In an editorial in Plastics News, editor Don Loepp says, “It’s time for everyone to get serious about sustainability,” citing the need for plastics manufacturers to look beyond packaging to focus on plastics used in automotive, health care and other industries. He says, “To date, the medical market isn’t facing looming requirements to reuse or recycle its plastics, but change is coming.”

One of the most recognizable users of plastics around the world is The LEGO Group, which has been producing LEGO bricks for millions of happy children, and adults, since 1958. A recent article in ESG News highlights a new campaign being launched by LEGO to promote brick reuse and expanded recycling programs. The “Keep the Play Alive” campaign encourages passing on bricks to promote creativity and reduce waste, and the company is expanding its recycling and trade-in programs to make brick repurposing easier. In addition, LEGO has set a goal of producing LEGO products from renewable and recycled materials by 2032.

In an article in CEO World Magazine, reporter Christina DiArcangelo highlights the urgent need for global CEOs to embed sustainability into their core business operations. She says, “The role of corporate leadership in driving sustainability and corporate responsibility has never been more critical.” The article also highlights the business case for sustainability, including meeting investor expectations for ESG criteria and robust sustainability strategies.

Opportunities for companies to utilize new clean technologies are abundant and can help CEOs meet their sustainability goals. In an article in BBN Times, technology reporter Daniel Hall reviews a range of new sustainable technologies and innovations that will help shape the future of industry and introduce solutions to ecological issues. He writes, “These technologies range from clean energy technologies such as wind, solar, biomass and hydro energy, and green manufacturing, among others, to circular economies and smart grids… and are transforming how businesses function for the better for the environment.”

The G&A team is well rested after our summer vacations and we are ready and eager to help you set sustainability strategies and goals for 2025, including monitoring the progress on your 2030 targets.

This is just the introduction of G&A’s Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.

Southwire is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with Statewide Renewable, a solar project developer, to install a solar array at its North Campus Plant.

The company has a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and corporate sustainability, and in support of that commitment, is investing in renewable energy as it looks to the future.

“Southwire introduced its formal sustainability philosophy in 2008 based on five tenets: Growing Green, Living Well, Giving Back, Doing Right and Building Worth,” said Colby McCollum, metals sourcing buyer at Southwire and one of the originators behind the project.“This solar installation will provide a meaningful carbon footprint reduction for our North Campus Plant and will serve as a flagship project for future solar arrays.”

Installation of the solar panel system will begin later this year and is expected to be completed in early 2025. The array will generate approximately five megawatts of direct current electricity and provide 15-20 percent of the site’s power – enough to provide electricity to more than 400 homes for a year1. The system is projected to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2,200 metric tons – the same impact as removing more than 500 vehicles from the road for one year1.

“The project will significantly reduce the facility’s CO2 emissions associated with our electricity use and demonstrate how our products can be utilized to support renewable energy applications,” said Bo Quick, vice president, Corporate Sustainability. “At the same time, it will offer a visual indicator of Southwire’s commitment to sustainability to our customers, team members, community and other stakeholders.”

Southwire is one of North America’s leading manufacturers of wire and cable used in the transmission and distribution of renewable electricity, and the planned solar system will utilize wire and cable, clamps, connectors, conduit and other Southwire products.

To learn more about Southwire’s commitment to sustainability, visit our website at https://www.southwire.com/sustainability

1Based on EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator: www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator

September 18, 2024 /3BL/ – QVC® and the Housewares Charity Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the home and housewares industry, have again joined forces to present Living for Giving, a cross-platform shopping event to support Feeding America®. The fourth Living for Giving event, which is now live on QVC.com, provides customers a meaningful opportunity to give back. While shopping eligible national name brand houseware products at discounted prices1, a minimum of 70%2 of the purchase price will go towards supporting the Feeding America network of food banks. To donate this holiday season, customers can look for the Feeding America product donation item numbers on air, on QVC.com, and on the QVC apps. 

“Lending a helping hand to bring food to America’s table remains as important as ever. QVC is here to provide a little relief, a lot of hope, and the love of food as we invite our customers to once again shop their favorite national brand products all while supporting a great cause which empowers communities,” said Suzanne Quigley, Director of Corporate Responsibility and Community Affairs for Qurate Retail GroupSM. “Through the generosity of our vendor community, the support of our customers, and the reach of our platforms, we’re able to raise awareness and funds for Feeding America and support their mission to deliver hunger-relief across the U.S.” 

Customers can also tune-in on Wednesday, September 25 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET to watch QVC Program Hosts David Venable and Alberti Popaj host a two-hour Living for Giving live broadcast, featuring notable brands such as Mrs. Prindable’s, Rastelli’s, DASH, Cuisinart, Shark Ninja, Corky’s, Pop Sonic, Mama Mancini’s, Just Bagels and more.

“The Housewares Charity Foundation is delighted to collaborate with QVC to support Feeding America for the fourth consecutive year,” said Barbara Westfield, Member Board of Directors, the Housewares Charity Foundation. “Assisting the movement to end hunger by aiding access to meals and nutrition is our mission and because of this event we have been able to share our mission with more consumers and inspire more people to give back.”

In 2023, the Living for Giving campaign generated more than $1.1 million, which helped provide more than 11 million meals3 to people facing hunger. For more than 40 years, the Feeding America network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs has supported tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity by helping them access much needed food and resources.

Living for Giving runs through Decembers 20 across all QVC TV, digital, streaming and social platforms. For additional information on the “QVC and Housewares Charity Foundation Presents Living for Giving” event, visit QVC.com.

To learn more about QVC and Qurate Retail Group’s commitment to Corporate Responsibility visit: www.qurateretailgroup.com/lp/corporate-responsibility.

1While supplies last.

2Purchase price excludes shipping and handling charges and tax; minimum donation amount is 70% of purchase price and benefits the Housewares Charity Foundation for distribution to Feeding America.

3$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local partner food banks. 

###

About QVC

QVC® is a world leader in video commerce (“vCommerce”), which includes video-driven shopping across linear TV, ecommerce sites, digital streaming and social platforms. QVC empowers shoppers with knowledge and shares insights in a lively and engaging way. QVC offers an ever-changing collection of familiar brands and fresh new products – from home and fashion to beauty, electronics and jewelry – and connects shoppers to interesting personalities, engaging stories and award-winning customer service. Based in West Chester, Pa., and founded in 1986, QVC has retail operations in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Japan and Italy. Worldwide, QVC reaches more than 200 million homes via 13 TV channels, which are widely available on cable/satellite TV, free over-the-air TV, and digital livestreaming TV. The retailer also reaches millions of customers via its QVC+ and HSN+ streaming experience, websites, mobile apps and social pages. To learn more, visit corporate.qvc.com, follow @QVC on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or follow QVC on Pinterest, YouTube or LinkedIn. 

Qurate Retail, Inc. (NASDAQ: QRTEA, QRTEB, QRTEP) is a Fortune 500 company that includes the Qurate Retail GroupSM portfolio of brands as well as other minority interests. Qurate Retail Group is the largest player in vCommerce and comprises six leading retail brands – QVC, HSN®, Ballard Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill® and Grandin Road® – all dedicated to providing a more human way to shop. For more information, visit qurateretailgroup.com, or follow Qurate Retail Group on YouTube or LinkedIn. QVC and Q are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc.

About Housewares Charity Foundation 

Over 25 years ago, the housewares industry came together and formed this foundation to “give back and pay it forward” to the very people we market products to everyday. The Housewares Charity Foundation is comprised of large and small companies in our industry with a viewpoint of always giving back to the community, delivering over $50 million dollars for great causes including pediatric cancer, breast cancer research, Alzheimer’s, MS and more. The Housewares Charity Foundation believes the home is our heart and our core mission is to gather our vendor community in contributing and building strong values.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment. We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger.

Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.

Verizon

Dorian Webb opened her first pop-up shop in Napa, California, in July 2024.

Dorian Webb had been successfully running her eponymous luxury jewelry line, Dorian Webb, for years. But after landing a collaboration with a major jewelry retailer, she wanted more support. That’s where Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, with its free resources, came in.

“One thing that I enjoyed about the program was it really encouraged you to think strategically about your business—and holistically—so that you could actually work on your business and not be enmeshed in the running of it,” Webb says.

When it came to the retail collaboration, which launched in June 2024, Webb says the Creating Financial Projections course on the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready platform helped her understand how to prepare for the sizable expenses associated with selling to a large company, and to anticipate how manufacturing, profit margins, and the time spent developing samples would impact her bottom line.

“Working through those numbers, I was really able to think through the choices and the decisions I’d have to make in my business on a daily basis, which was incredibly helpful,” she says.

To bolster her business overall, Webb also learned to spur sales in earlier quarters of the year, rather than rely on the traditionally busy end-of-year period. In July 2024 she opened a summer pop-up shop in Napa, California. She says the retail space will also allow her to test products and get real-time feedback from customers. She believes these different strategies to scale her business will result in a 20% increase in year-over-year sales.

For Webb, who worked with Verizon Small Business Digital Ready experts both in group courses as well as 1:1 sessions, the human element is the true strength of the program. “The presenters were experts in their field and had a wealth of knowledge that they generously shared with all of us,” she says. “Everyone who taught our classes, seminars and webinars was vested in the outcomes and really wanted to see us succeed.”

“People are the magic of the program,” she adds.

In the end, improving her business’s financial underpinnings helps Webb focus on her ultimate goal—creating jewelry that creates a connection between her and her customers. “Every day I wake up and I know that I’m able to use my creativity to make someone else happy,” Webb says. “And that’s what brings me meaning.”

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is part of Verizon’s goal to support 1 million small businesses by 2030 with the resources to thrive in the digital economy. Visit CitizenVerizon.com to learn more about the company’s responsible business efforts. To sign up for Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, visit digitalready.verizonwireless.com. An individual user’s experience may vary and results are not guaranteed.