See how Cintas’ First Aid & Safety training gave a CEO the skills she needed to take quick action and save a young girl’s life. When a child began choking at the Chicago airport, Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment CEO Britney Ruby Miller relied on the life-saving techniques from her Cintas First Aid & Safety training, showing the real-world impact of being prepared and educated for emergencies.
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MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has won a 2024 Green Power Leadership Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The company was honored for its commitment to renewable energy and advancing the green power market nationwide through innovative and impactful initiatives supporting sustainable operations.
Making progress towards its goal to achieve climate neutrality across its entire value chain by 2040, covering Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions, judges recognized recent MilliporeSigma accomplishments, including:
Matching 100% of its U.S. electricity consumption with renewable energy through a 68-megawatt (MW) offtake by participating in one of the largest buyer-organized aggregation deals in the world—a 12-year, off-site, virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Enel Green Power.Installing 7,000 solar panels across approximately 11 acres of land on MilliporeSigma’s Sheboygan, Wisconsin campus in partnership with We Energies. The solar panels add 2.25 MW to the grid, producing enough energy to power nearly 700 homes.Building a 5.9 MW biomass central heat plant at its site in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, which uses renewable woodchips for 100% of its heating needs, replacing the use of 400,000 gallons of oil annually.
Since 2009, MilliporeSigma has installed a combined 2.28 MW of owned on-site solar at several locations globally, including the U.S., India, Germany and France. Additionally, in 2023, it signed two VPPAs in Europe that are expected to match 100% of its European electricity needs starting in 2026. Also, in 2023, MilliporeSigma’s two manufacturing sites in China signed 10-year purchase power agreements that will match 80% of the sites’ electricity with renewables.
Looking ahead, MilliporeSigma is not slowing down its sustainability efforts. The company is installing two solar photovoltaic systems in the U.S.—one in Visalia, California, which is anticipated to cover 100% of the site’s electric consumption, and one at its Milwaukee, Wisconsin warehouse.
Further, MilliporeSigma plans to invest approximately $100 million in site sustainability improvements by 2030 through EDISON—its energy- and water-efficiency program. In 2023, EDISON completed more than 60 projects globally, avoiding 35,000 megawatt hours of energy, preventing 7,000 tons of CO2 emissions, and conserving more than 30,000 cubic meters of water.
To learn more about how MilliporeSigma is reducing environmental impact across its value chain through renewable electricity efforts, supplier engagement, and more, please visit its Sustainable Operations webpage.
View the complete list of this year’s EPA Green Power Leadership awards on the EPA’s website.
By Candace Higginbotham
Auburn University Rural Studio has had much to celebrate so far in 2024.
It commemorated its 30th anniversary earlier this year and announced it had received grant funding to create affordable housing to aid tornado recovery efforts in Selma, Alabama. Regions provided matching funds for the Selma affordable housing initiative and has been working alongside Rural Studio for much of its three-decade history.
Rural Studio: Citizen Architects
In 1993, Auburn University architecture faculty members Samuel Mockbee and D.K. Ruth cofounded Rural Studio, a design-build architectural education program headquartered two and half hours from campus in Hale County, Alabama. The program, part of the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, was built around the concept of community service learning and aligns with the university’s mission as a land-grant institution.
The program encourages students to use their skills to better their communities – to become citizen architects. Rural Studio and its projects have been featured in thousands of publications, honored with prestigious awards, and have been shown in museum exhibits across the world.
But more importantly to faculty leaders and students – and communities throughout the South –Rural Studio has built more than 220 projects in Alabama’s Black Belt and educated more than 1,200 students about sustainable, healthful rural living through both housing and the vital systems that ensure communities thrive.
Regions is proud of our long history with Auburn University’s Rural Studio, and we continue to support their innovative work to solve the unique challenges of providing attainable, sustainable homes for people in rural areas.
Leroy Abrahams, Head of Community Engagement for Regions
And thanks to relationships with community organizations, public and private companies and local, state and federal government agencies, Rural Studio programs have expanded beyond the state to assist individuals and families who may not have otherwise had the opportunity for homeownership.
According to Regions Head of Community Engagement Leroy Abrahams, Regions Bank is pleased to be part of that journey.
“Affordable housing is key focus of our community engagement strategy,” Abrahams said. “Regions’ 15-state retail footprint includes many areas that are several miles from the nearest city, and serving rural communities is an important part of our business.
“Regions is proud of our long history with Auburn University’s Rural Studio, and we continue to support their innovative work to solve the unique challenges of providing attainable, sustainable homes for people in rural areas.”
Front Porch Initiative
Regions’ relationship with Rural Studio began with the 20K Project, a housing affordability research project that began in 2004 when students were tasked with designing a home that costs no more than $20,000 in materials and labor. Innovative plans were developed with a thoughtful approach to space, site and materials.
But it soon became clear to program participants and leaders that building a financially attainable home in under-resourced areas is more complicated than just the cost of building materials and labor. Factors such as insurance, utilities, water and sewage – as well as local economic issues, such as job availability – have a big impact on a family’s ability to pay a monthly mortgage.
Rural Studio’s housing affordability work evolved into a larger research project, called the Front Porch Initiative, involving national partnerships and municipal stakeholders to collaborate on issues around infrastructure and services. Regions was one of those collaborators, providing consultation and know-how to help find financial solutions for potential homeowners. Bank teams, led by now-retired former Community Reinvestment Act Officer and Head of Community Affairs Jon Davies and others, stepped in to make introductions and facilitate conversations between Rural Studio and Fannie Mae, the U.S. government sponsored enterprise that works to expand access to affordable housing.
“It was clear to us early on that Regions and Auburn’s Rural Studio had similar objectives when it comes to ensuring that everyone has access to high quality, affordable housing,” said Paul Carruthers, a Regions Community Development manager who introduced the program to the bank. “We were pleased to provide financial support and technical assistance in those early days to help expand their reach.”
The 20K Project was a critical point in the evolution of Rural Studio’s work. Many of those home plans are still being used today.
“The initial capacity-building grant from Regions contributed to our early growth,” said Rusty Smith, Associate Director of Rural Studio. “And the technical expertise and thought partnership the bank provided helped build our relationships with Fannie Mae and other organizations – that was a real game-changer. That’s when we started recognizing the program’s potential.”
Growing Community Partnerships
Regions was also instrumental in helping Rural Studio expand its scope and make an impact on communities outside Hale County.
In 2021, Regions and Rural Studio Front Porch Initiative worked with Affordable Housing Resources (AHR) in Nashville to bring four Rural Studio-designed homes to Nashville’s Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood.
What made this project noteworthy is that, thanks to Nashville’s zoning laws, two homes could be constructed on one lot. This innovative use of land and construction made homeownership possible in a housing market where property costs have skyrocketed, pricing out many potential residents.
In 2022, Front Porch Initiative began working with Chipola Area Habitat for Humanity on a build in Marianna, Florida, to aid in recovery efforts from Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 hurricane that hit the Florida panhandle a few years before. The team provided designs that meet efficiency standards and are built to sustain hurricane-force winds.
To reduce the financial burden for Habitat for Humanity and to free up capital to make additional community investments, Regions bankers worked with Fannie Mae to pilot a lending arrangement in which the bank would originate the mortgage loan and then sell the loan to Fannie Mae. The program also included a unique feature that allowed the sweat equity built into the houses to be valued as a contribution to the downpayment.
“We were so happy to be a part of the Chipola project,” said Lara Smith, manager of Regions Mortgage Investor Management. “Building those four homes was important to the families and the impacted community. But it’s especially meaningful that we created unique financial solutions – sustainable support – that will continue to help more families in the future.”
Tornado Recovery in Selma
The Selma affordable housing initiative, announced in April, is the most recent collaboration between Regions and the Auburn Rural Studio. For this project, Rural Studio Front Porch Initiative is partnering with the City of Selma and other state and municipal agencies, using funds from a $500,000 USDA grant and matching contributions from Regions and other organizations, to aid in recovery from a destructive tornado that hit the area early last year.
The program will develop sustainable, affordable and high-performance housing, utilizing vacant and blighted infill lots while also providing training and technical assistance.
Auburn University Assistant Research Professor Mackenzie Stagg, Rural Studio’s project leader in Selma, explained the importance of those three components, saying “Homeownership is a major focus – we want to provide an opportunity for residents to achieve this important milestone.” And it’s critical that the houses can withstand harsh weather conditions, particularly following the terrible tornado that hit the area recently.
We want to enhance both homeowner and community resilience. By building back better on vacant parcels in the disaster-affected neighborhood, we aim to provide needed housing while strengthening the neighborhood and providing opportunities that positively impact the local economy.
Mackenzie Stagg, Assistant Research Professor at Auburn University
“We want to enhance both homeowner and community resilience. By building back better on vacant parcels in the disaster-affected neighborhood, we aim to provide needed housing while strengthening the neighborhood and providing opportunities that positively impact the local economy.”
Abrahams said that Regions is excited about the new collaboration, especially in Selma, which is an important market for the bank.
“It’s a historic city, vital to the culture of our state and our country,” he said. “By giving local families the opportunity to acquire safe, affordable homes in thriving areas, we’re not just solving a problem today – we’re helping them begin to build generational wealth that will improve the lives of future individuals and communities.”
Going Forward
Regions’ relationship with Auburn University goes well beyond the Rural Studio collaboration, through endowments, scholarships, financial wellness programs and internships.
One of the primary recipients of that support is the Harbert College of Business. In May, the university hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Auburn in Birmingham, which provides space for the Harbert College of Business and other programs.
The newly refurbished facility is just a few blocks away from Regions Center and will be a hub for teaching, outreach and collaborative work. Regions Head of Corporate Philanthropy and Partnerships Lajuana Bradford attended the opening event and commented on the longstanding community partnership, which will be further enabled by the Birmingham satellite location.
“The Regions Bank-Auburn University relationship is based on shared mission and values, and we have enjoyed many years of working together to make life better for communities across the South,” Bradford said. “We look forward to continuing that work for many years to come.”
Congratulations to the recent recipients of the Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc. – IEC scholarships in Northglenn, Colorado. Wesco Cares contributes to the IEC Foundation Scholarship Fund to support driven, dedicated students in their pursuit of careers in the electrical industry.
The IEC Foundation formed the scholarship fund exclusively for the charitable and educational purpose to award deserving and qualified students who have demonstrated drive, dedication, and leadership in their pursuit of careers in the electrical industry.
The Foundation Scholarship Fund is offered to Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), students, members, and their immediate families, who plan to pursue post-secondary education in college or state accredited apprenticeship programs.
The Wesco Cares Scholarship Program supports the next generation of tradespeople and fortifies our commitment to the electrical industry.
Learn more about the scholarship program in partnership with the IEC.
When risk management and compliance are aligned, they create a strong foundation that boosts business resilience and streamlines operations, making it easier for organizations to handle challenges as they arise.
This blog explains what each of these functions does, how they benefit your business, and how you can ensure your risk management and compliance teams are working together to create sustainable growth for your organization.
Understanding Risk Management and Compliance
What is risk management?
Risk management is a two-part process aimed at minimizing and controlling the probability or impact of adverse events. The first step in the process involves identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risks, while the second step is establishing practices and protocols that mitigate those risks.
Risk management is:
Strategic and forward-looking, seeking to address uncertainties that could impact the achievement of business goals.Proactive, involving risk identification, risk assessment, and risk mitigation strategies.
What is compliance?
Compliance refers to the adherence to laws, regulations, standards, and internal policies that an organization is required to follow. It ensures that business practices meet regulatory and legal requirements as well as industry standards.
Compliance is:
Focused on ensuring adherence to external and internal rules and regulations, often with a focus on legal and sustainable standards.Reactive and prescriptive, involving routine checks, audits, and adherence to established requirements, guidelines and procedures.
Similarities and differences between risk management and compliance
Both risk management and compliance serve the overarching goal of protecting the organization, though they do so from different perspectives.
While risk management focuses on safeguarding against uncertainties that could impact business goals, compliance is centered on ensuring adherence to legal and regulatory standards.
Despite their distinct focuses, both are continuous processes that require ongoing review and adaptation to respond to evolving conditions and requirements.
For a deeper look, see our article on The Value of EHS Risk & Compliance Management Services.
Strategic Impact of Risk Management
Risk management serves as a strategic guide for organizational leaders and decision-makers, helping them navigate uncertainties with greater clarity. This process minimizes threats and provides data to inform decisions, ensuring actions align with the long-term vision of your organization.
Informed decision-making
Incorporating risk management into decision-making allows leaders to evaluate challenges and opportunities more holistically. Each decision is weighed against potential risks and rewards, so actions taken are in the best interest of the organization’s future. Risk management supports innovation while maintaining a keen awareness of potential pitfalls.
Resilient long-term planning
Effective risk management also strengthens long-term planning. Organizations can anticipate disruptions and develop strategies to address them before they happen. This resilience enables businesses not just to endure in uncertain environments but to transform challenges into growth opportunities, keeping them on a steady path toward achieving their goals.
To explore how EHS risk management can impact global supply chains, read EHS and the Transforming Global Supply Chain: Risk Compliance & Business Continuity.
Business Benefits of Ensuring Compliance
Compliance plays a fundamental role in companies building a solid foundation of trust and reliability that stakeholders — whether they are customers, partners, or regulators – can depend on. And this isn’t simply a matter of avoiding fines and fees; compliance helps operations run smoothly and predictably, too.
Greater operational efficiency
Daily activities follow clear guidelines, and established best practices reduce the risk of legal or regulatory setbacks that could disrupt operations. Facing fewer unexpected issues allows teams to focus on their work without the constant worry of regulatory breaches.
Improved brand image
Beyond the operational benefits, a strong commitment to compliance reflects an organization’s values. It signals a dedication to doing things the right way, creating a brand image built on integrity and accountability.
How Compliance and Risk Management Work Together
Compliance and risk management are deeply intertwined, each reinforcing the other to build a more resilient organization. While compliance ensures adherence to laws and standards, risk management focuses on identifying and mitigating potential threats. Together, they support not just ongoing business activities, but sustainable growth.
Key intersections between compliance and risk management:
Shared goal of safeguarding the organization: Compliance sets the boundaries, and risk management navigates within those limits, ensuring strategies are both innovative and achievable.Balancing ambition with adherence: Risk management helps weigh new opportunities against potential risks, ensuring that strategic decisions align with compliance requirements.Navigating conflicts: Effective communication between compliance and risk management teams is crucial. Collaboration helps identify strategies that meet business goals while remaining within regulatory constraints.
Balancing compliance and risk management
Striking the right balance between risk and compliance is key to building effective growth strategies. For example, entering a new market might involve navigating unfamiliar regulations. In such cases, risk management evaluates the rewards against the potential legal and regulatory risks, making sure decisions are well informed and take into account all potential impacts.
As stated above, open, collaborative communication between risk management and compliance teams is vital. These practices can help maintain alignment between teams:
Set regular meetings: Hold consistent meetings to discuss updates, address issues, and align strategies.Use integrated reporting systems: Use shared platforms to provide real-time visibility into compliance and risk data.Ensure clear communication channels: Establish dedicated channels for quick and effective information exchange.
In essence, compliance and risk management are two sides of the same coin. When they work in harmony, they contribute to the long-term success of your organization.
Discover how Antea Group’s EHS Auditing and Compliance expertise can help ensure your organization remains compliant and resilient.
Each year, Leidos celebrates the power of partnership at the Leidos Supplier Innovation & Technology Symposium. The annual event includes an awards section to honor suppliers for their excellence in technology, collaboration, partnership, and innovation.
“The supplier awards are a way to acknowledge the critical role our partners play in mission success,” said Stephanie Foster, chief supply chain officer at Leidos. “We are committed to bringing the best solutions possible to our customers, and we value the collaboration and support of our strategic supplier base.”
Leidos employees vote on a standout partner for each category and submit nominations for the Account Manager of the Year. A second award for Account Manager of the Year was added this year to broaden recognition of the outstanding individuals who work side-by-side with the Leidos team.
The 2024 winners are:
Alliance Partner of the Year: Amazon Web Services
The award recognizes a supplier that contributes to the success of Leidos customers through long-term relationships that support and advance the company’s strategic objectives.
Innovation Partner of the Year: Sourcegraph
The award recognizes a supplier who has consistently provided new ideas and solutions to Leidos, resulting in increased efficiencies for customer deliverables.
Channel Partner of the Year: Carahsoft
The award recognizes a supplier who has helped Leidos go to market efficiently through innovative solutions. Their support resulted in effective bottom-line savings, increased revenue or performance outcomes and consistently demonstrated a collaborative business relationship with Leidos.
Small Business Channel Partner of the Year: Government Acquisitions, Inc. (GAI)
The award recognizes a small business supplier who has helped Leidos go to market efficiently through innovative solutions, resulting in effective bottom-line savings and increased revenue or performance outcomes.
Emerging Technology Partner of the Year: Rancher Government
The award recognizes a supplier with outstanding product design and engineering in cutting edge technology products that help our customers achieve mission success.
Channel Partner Account Manager of the Year: Aaron Cooperman, Carahsoft
The award recognizes an account executive/manager who consistently provides excellent service to Leidos and fosters a collaborative partnership.
OEM Account Manager of the Year: Edwin Van Deursen, Amazon Web Services
The award recognizes an account executive/manager who consistently provides excellent service to Leidos and fosters a collaborative partnership.
Regency Centers is now a proud sponsor of the Sandy Springs Conservancy! A huge thank you to the SSC team for their incredible work in preserving and enriching our community’s natural resources. Our commitment to environmental stewardship and community support drives us to back initiatives that make a meaningful impact. We look forward to supporting their efforts and working together towards a greener, more vibrant future.
About Regency Centers Corporation (NASDAQ: REG)
Regency Centers is a preeminent national owner, operator, and developer of shopping centers located in suburban trade areas with compelling demographics. Our portfolio includes thriving properties merchandised with highly productive grocers, restaurants, service providers, and best-in-class retailers that connect to their neighborhoods, communities, and customers. Operating as a fully integrated real estate company, Regency Centers is a qualified real estate investment trust (REIT) that is self-administered, self-managed, and an S&P 500 Index member. For more information, please visit RegencyCenters.com
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As companies work to address the challenge of sustainability, they face a secondary challenge along the way: How do they capture and share that work? Effective communications are essential in transforming sustainability from a buzzword into a movement.
In this episode of the Healthy Spaces podcast, host Scott Tew facilitates a conversation between Suzanne Shelton, Founder of Shelton Group and Senior Partner with ERM Shelton, and Carrie Ruddy, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Trane Technologies, about the role of strategic communications in addressing climate on a broader, more impactful scale.
Listen to the full episode to learn more from two communications and marketing experts about the stories that connect, the importance of authenticity and audience, and why sustainability communications are at their most effective when they make the complex simple, the abstract tangible, and the global, personal.
Episode Guests
Host: Dominique Silva, Marketing Leader EMEA, Trane Technologies
Host: Scott Tew, VP Sustainability, Trane Technologies
Suzanne Shelton, Founder of Shelton Group and Senior Partner, ERM Shelton
Carrie Ruddy, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, Trane Technologies
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Transcript
[00:00:02] Dominique: Storytelling is not just a tool. It’s a superpower in the world of sustainability. But in a world where data is abundant, how do we cut through the jargon and then communicate the urgency and impact of sustainable practices? How do we make the complex simple, the abstract tangible, and the global, personal?
[00:00:22] Carrie: One thing that I’ve seen in a lot of research and our own communications is plain speak and real language. You know, when you use terms that people don’t really understand or may not relate to, it just becomes easier to say like, oh yeah, all that stuff. That’s you know, not me. That’s not important. But if you come down to again what people care about, it’s using less water, using less energy, saving on energy cost. It’s about taking care of our people.
[00:00:52] Suzanne: One of the things we do is we survey people all around the world twice a year. We have for 18 years to understand their beliefs and expectations around a whole range of people and planet issues.
[00:01:02] Suzanne: And what I can tell you is the average human is not all caught up in all that political stuff. The average human wants big companies to take care of the planet. The average human feels a little freaked out about climate change and the impacts on not only their lives, but their children’s lives.
[00:01:16] Dominique: You just heard from Carrie Ruddy, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer for Trane Technologies. And Suzanne Shelton, founder of Shelton Group and senior partner at ERM Shelton.
[00:01:29] Dominique: I’m Dominique Silva, and you’re listening to Healthy Spaces, the podcast exploring how technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, learn, and play. In today’s episode, we’re going straight to the experts on how to turn sustainability from a buzzword into a movement that everyone can feel part of.
[00:01:49] Dominique: We’ll discuss the evolution of communicating in the sustainability space, how to deal with skepticism, and how drilling down into data and what people really care about helps craft narratives that connect with customers on a deeper level.
[00:02:11] Dominique: Our VP of Sustainability, Scott Tew, starts the conversation by asking Carrie how she counsels leaders in her role as Chief Communications and Marketing Officer.
[00:02:22] Carrie: The role of a communicator or a marketer is all about really understanding the audience and sharing a story or a message that is relevant to that audience and that can help meet a need.
[00:02:34] Carrie: For us, I think what’s critical is really being able to link it to strategy and show how sustainability is embedded in the business and the strategy of the company. I think that makes it really much more compelling. And the other thing is around really being authentic. And, you know, I think that has been, you know, a real currency of ours at Trane Technologies.
[00:02:59] Carrie: We have such depth in terms of our action and our data that we’re able to tell a really authentic and compelling story. It’s not just words. It’s also what we’re doing every day and the stories and data to back that up. And I think that helps us make it more real. So, I think those are two things that chief communications officers should really be bringing to leadership.
[00:03:23] Scott: Yeah, it’s nice that this whole evolution of making it real and yet keeping it focused on the right priorities. Suzanne, you and I have known each other for like 15 years or so. And you’ve seen this evolution happen from another perspective.
[00:03:39] Suzanne: Maybe in some ways y’all it’s a little bit like politics.
[00:03:41] Suzanne: It feels like the pendulums just swing this way or that way in the aughts, companies were like, what do you mean? I’m going to talk about sustainability. I’m not spending money on that. And then when it became popular and surveys kept coming back going, no, people really want to hear about it. Then everybody started talking about it, but maybe Carrie, in a way that was not aligned with purpose, was not aligned with strategy, and therefore was not authentic.
[00:04:04] Suzanne: So, we saw a lot of greenwashing happen through the, through the teens. And so, it has created this new phenomenon. So, swinging back the other way, called, that we call green hushing. So, we see a lot of chief communication officers that are in kind of a vice grip, like, oh my gosh, I see the data.
[00:04:20] Suzanne: I see that people want us to talk about it, but I’m so afraid we’re going to get in trouble. We’re going to step in a hole. Maybe the better thing to do is just stay quiet.
[00:04:28] Scott: Well, let’s talk about the skepticism though, Suzanne, because, you know, there are pockets of skepticism out there from investors to employees, to shareholders. So how do you counsel companies who have leaders that are wondering how to deal with skepticism?
[00:04:43] Suzanne: I’m going to go back to what Carrie said. It really is about understanding who are your stakeholders, who are your most important audiences, and what do they care about. One of the things we do is we survey people all around the world twice a year. We have for 18 years to understand their beliefs and expectations around a whole range of people and planet issues.
[00:05:00] Suzanne: And what I can tell you is the average human is not all caught up in all that political stuff. The average human wants big companies to take care of the planet. The average human feels a little freaked out about climate change and the impacts on not only their lives, but their children’s lives. So, this is not abstract anymore.
[00:05:15] Suzanne: It’s not about future generations. It’s about my kids. Like, what are we leaving behind for them?
[00:05:21] Carrie: You know, one thing that I’ve seen in a lot of research, and I’ve seen work in a lot of our own communications is plain speak and real language. And I think, you know, when you use terms that people don’t really understand or may not relate to, it just becomes easier to say like, oh yeah, all that stuff. That’s, you know, not me. That’s not important. But if you kind of come down to again, what people care about and talk about things like using less water, using less energy, saving on energy costs, it’s about taking care of our people. It’s about good jobs and good careers and good income, right?
[00:06:00] Carrie: Those are things that we can all get behind. And so, I think there’s a shift right now in how we talk about ESG and really putting that kind of plain language around it will help us be more effective.
[00:06:13] Scott: Carrie, you have two feet in the communications world, one’s for an internal employee audience, the others for audiences outside the company.
[00:06:21] Scott: How do you make sure that you’re hitting all of those audiences with the messaging and storytelling that is most important to them?
[00:06:29] Carrie: I think it is really understanding all those different audiences, understanding their needs and what’s important to them and really balancing that. But at the same time, staying true to the purpose, the strategy and really the values of the company. Then that is sort of your guide rails, it keeps things focused. You know, I think there’s opportunities to turn up the dial on messages for some audiences and turn it down for others as you know what, what resonates with them. And so, I think that’s what our team, you know, really thinks about as we’re communicating, whether it’s investors, customers, employees, or potential of all of those audiences.
[00:07:13] Carrie: We’re really trying to understand what matters and how we can help them with what matters most.
[00:07:19] Suzanne: What we do have in common is there’s a lot of concern. Like there are a lot of issues to be concerned about right now and we track a variety of different issues, and we see the same kinds of concerns every year.
[00:07:28] Suzanne: Some things change like immigration or inflation or guns or like we see something that might have been in fourth place last year moves up to second place but broadly like it’s not like people are like, oh I’m only concerned about that one thing of the 20 things we test. People are like, you know, top box on all of them.
[00:07:44] Suzanne: Like I’m so concerned about all these things. So, what holds us together is we’re all pretty freaked out about a lot of things.
[00:07:50] Suzanne: So, you really do need to try to understand your audience to see, do I need to skew my messaging a little bit more? Like we’re doing this great thing and it’s not such a new idea.
[00:7:59] Suzanne: We were doing this 20, 30 years ago. We’ve just made it better. Or do you go, we’re doing this great thing and let me tell you what it’s going to mean for the future.
[00:8:07] Suzanne: That said, again, remember what we have in common is we’re concerned about a lot of things. So, I think as companies are coming forward and talking about what are they doing, and that authentically relates to their purpose, their brand, and their strategy, you’re going to be just fine.
[00:8:23] Dominique: People are worried about a lot of different things. And while those concerns might change, the overall worry is always there. And for companies, being authentic and addressing these concerns is what will really resonate with their audience. So, we asked Suzanne, what kind of content is really clicking with different audiences these days?
[00:8:50] Suzanne: So, I’m going to use the consumer word. We’ve conditioned consumers to care most about recycling because that’s the message we’ve given for 40 years. Be green, recycle! So, when you can talk about recyclability, recycled content, consumers really care an awful lot about that. I can tell you what all humans care about the most is how do companies treat their employees.
[00:9:09] Suzanne: We’ve seen it for years and we saw it spike during COVID. Like they cannot consider a company to be good, meaning a company that they would want to buy from or work for. They can’t consider them to be good if they have a bad track record on how they take care of their employees. No matter what other good things in the world they might be doing.
[00:9:25] Suzanne: So that is thing number one. You got to take care of your employees, and you got to tell that story.
[00:9:29] Suzanne: So, what people care about, how you treat your employees, they care about recycling, they care about the content of materials. They do care about climate. They are less sophisticated in their understanding of how does their energy use contribute to climate change and what can I do as a person? So, I think there’s a lot more messaging and education and communications that that companies like Trane Technologies can actually take a lead on to help folks understand what are the ways in which we can increase efficiency and therefore decrease the impacts of climate change.
[00:9:56] Carrie: Suzanne, I’m glad you hit on that because, you know, one thing that we’re thinking about in our marketing is how we can educate the market around what’s possible. And so, you know, one big area that we’re working on and very excited about is electrification of heating. Traditionally, if you look at heating and cooling in large buildings, you’ve got a chiller plant for cooling.
[00:10:22] Carrie: You’ve got a boiler for heating, which is fossil fuel powered. And today, you know, we’ve got technology that can bring all that together into one electrified thermal system. And it’s so much more efficient, three to four times more efficient than traditional ways of heating and cooling.
[00:10:38] Carrie: And so, it’s got just real power to help our customers be more environmentally responsible, but also, you know, save on their own energy and operations. But today if a customer has a problem with their heating, they might be thinking like, oh, I got to go get a new boiler. So, how do we educate the market on what’s possible and make sure that they’re thinking about Trane Technologies and innovation like we have when they have a need.
[00:11:07] Suzanne: And I’m going to drill further on your example because we’ve done a lot of work in the space. And what we see is there is a segment of the market out there that wants to hear about how moving to an electric, all electric source of heating and cooling, how that’s better for the planet.
[00:11:21] Suzanne: But it’s a little piece of the market. What plays a lot better is what you just said. It’s two for one. Like you get both heating and cooling in one system. It’s more efficient. It saves you money in the long run. Those are actually the messages that work better. So sometimes companies have a tendency to only focus on those messages and then not talk about the planet.
[00:11:37] Suzanne: Our point of view is, you do need to get that, that impact message in there. It’s just not your lead message. But it does need to be part of the story because then that’s how people will communicate the story to their friends and family is, oh, I did this thing and it’s awesome. It’s more efficient. It’s going to save me money.
[00:11:50] Suzanne: And you know what? It’s actually better for the planet. People want to be able to portray themselves as good actors.
[00:11:56] Scott: Let’s talk about the formal work of that. Companies have, for a hundred years, have been putting out annual revenue reports, sort of their financial progress. But about two decades ago, companies started putting out an environmental report, and some companies put out a two-page one, some had a 20-page one.
[00:12:13] Scott: Suzanne has probably, in her firm, helped a lot of companies put out their reports over the years. And Carrie, you’ve certainly been part of those. Now companies are all putting out reports. We call them all different things. So, where’s all this headed? These extra reports companies put out. Some call it ESG. Some call it impact. Where are we headed on these disclosures?
[00:12:37] Suzanne: Because of the regulations, I’m thinking specifically of CSRD coming out of Europe. I think we are going to see the, I’m going to put it in air quotes, the “sustainability report,” sort of go the way of the 10K. It will be charts and tables and numbers.
[00:12:52] Suzanne: And I actually think that’s a good thing because I think a lot of companies conflate disclosure and communications, like as if our report is communications. And the report is a disclosure document. It only really becomes communications if we do it as you do it, which is let’s take all those great stories and let’s leverage them all year long.
[00:13:12] Suzanne: Let’s put them out on social media. Let’s put them in sales presentations. Let’s put them on conference stages. So, if we think about the report really as a content hub that allows us to get stories out, that piece isn’t going to change. It’s just, it might not be that there’s a report document. The report may become a bunch of tables and charts.
[00:13:31] Suzanne: But there will still be all those stories because companies are doing amazing things all year long, and people want to hear about that. So, we’ll just have to rethink of these of reporting, not as disclosure so much as no, this is a communications program, and we need to think about it that way. How do we want to communicate the good things we’re doing beyond the charts and tables that we’re going to be required to put forward?
[00:13:56] Dominique: A big thank you to Carrie and Suzanne for joining us on today’s episode, where we discussed the power of authenticity to connect with audiences about creating a more sustainable future. At Trane Technologies, we believe that every job is a sustainability job, and every role provides an opportunity for impact.
[00:14:16] Dominique: That’s why each week on the podcast, we’ll feature how someone is building healthy spaces in their organization or community. This week, we’re sharing a submission from Philip V. Ray, proposal support manager in Markham, Ontario. Philip is helping create a more sustainable workplace by streamlining the proposal process with innovative digital solutions.
[00:14:40] Dominique: He’s ensuring that navigating massive documents is faster, more focused and minimizing distraction. Philip is also applying lean methods to identify and eliminate inefficiencies. His approach not only boosts productivity, but also contributes to a more effective and mentally engaging work environment.
[00:15:01] Dominique: Thank you, Philip, for your innovative approach to reducing waste. Would you like to share how you’re building healthy spaces too? To share your story, visit us at TraneTechnologies.com/Healthy Spaces Podcast. Thank you for listening to the Healthy Spaces Podcast, where we explore how climate technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, learn and play.
[00:15:27] Dominique: If you want to find out more about our conversation today, make sure you check out the show notes and remember to rate and review us on your favorite podcast app. That’s it for today’s episode. We’ll see you next time.
Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog
Rebecca Boyer has seen firsthand how the U.S. Bank Community Possible giving and engagement program makes a difference in the Chico, California, area, where she works as a U.S. Bank branch manager. As the president of the Chico community leadership board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley (BGCNV), she knows what a valuable role the clubs play in helping local youth and families thrive through programs like the Triple Play health and well-being initiative. The program gives students the chance to experience the camaraderie and joy of intramural sports and recreation, stay active and acquire healthy habits, and develop interpersonal skills.
“Organized sports may not be affordable and accessible to many kids at the club, but Triple Play is all-inclusive – everyone is welcome. Being there gives these students the opportunity to grow and build confidence and learn the concept of being on a team,” Boyer said. “Being involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs means so much to me because I see how it truly changes lives. I am so excited that U.S. Bank gives me the opportunity to be part of this nonprofit.”
“We are incredibly grateful for Rebecca’s dedication and leadership. Her involvement, along with the support from the U.S. Bank Community Possible program, has made a real difference in the lives of the local youth we serve,” said Rashell Brobst, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley. “Programs like Triple Play are crucial in providing kids with opportunities they might not otherwise have, helping them to stay active, build confidence and learn valuable life skills. Rebecca’s passion for our mission and her commitment to our community truly help us change lives every day.”
The U.S. Bank Community Possible program supports local communities throughout the country. By listening and learning from the people who live, work and play in these communities, U.S. Bank and the U.S. Bank Foundation* strive to help meet each community’s unique needs through volunteerism and financial support, including 500+ Community Possible grants totaling more than $11.5 million that the foundation provided to nonprofit organizations in its most recent round of giving.
Many Community Possible grants go toward nonprofits that provide opportunities for people to play, create and enjoy the richness and diversity of arts and cultural experiences. Halfway across the country from the Northern California community where Boyer lives, the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA) brings the magic of music and art to Chicago students and families.
With funding from the U.S. Bank Foundation, PRAA’s Latin Music Project offers enrichment programs in 10 Chicago public schools located in low- to moderate-income communities. Regardless of musical background or experience, participating students learn to play instruments while immersing in the culture and heritage of Puerto Rico, and many get the chance to perform with professional musicians at special events, including the National Cuatro Festival in November.
“At the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to explore their cultural heritage through the arts. Thanks to the support from U.S. Bank and the U.S. Bank Foundation, we’re able to provide Chicago’s youth with enriching musical instruction that not only nurture their talents but also connect them to the rich traditions of Puerto Rico. This partnership has been instrumental in empowering our students to express themselves, build confidence and dream big,” said PRAA Executive Director Ignacio Lopez.
JeNyce Boolton, a U.S Bank community affairs manager based in Chicago, PRAA board member and self-professed “huge music fan,” appreciates how music and arts programs provide students with a safe, creative outlet outside school hours and empower them to gain new skills and cultural acumen.
“My kids are musical, and I know becoming a better musician requires resources, so the ability to offer this kind of programming to kids who live in underserved and under-resourced communities is really meaningful,” Boolton said.
U.S. Bank employees don’t have to go far to see the impact of this support – the company has donated space in one of its Chicago branch buildings for PRAA to use as a classroom and performance facility.
So far in 2024, the U.S. Bank Foundation has provided more than $23 million in Community Possible grants, and giving will continue through the rest of the year.
*U.S. Bank Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation is funded primarily through contributions from U.S. Bank National Association and its affiliates and subsidiaries. The Foundation’s mission is to close the gaps between people and possibility in the areas of work, home, and play.
BOSTON, Mass., September 18, 2024 /3BL/ – Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today released its 2023 Sustainability Report, highlighting its EcoVadis Platinum sustainability rating for the fourth year in a row an award-winning water-savings project and the second-lowest number of combined lost-time injuries (LTIs) for Sappi employees and contractors working at its facilities.
In 2023, Sappi’s business and sustainable practices continued to be shaped by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), aiding in defining its business strategy, with priorities across categories such as clean water and sanitation, renewable and clean energy, economic growth, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and more.
“We’ve continued to work towards our sustainability goals at Sappi North America (SNA), and we always prioritize employee safety, even in times of economic uncertainty and global market challenges. Our teams had unparalleled safety records, earned numerous awards for the Cloquet Mill Effluent TSS Reduction project, saving over 2 million gallons of water, and more,” said Mike Haws, President and CEO at SNA. “The commitment from our teams has ensured we continue to move towards our long-term goals and spread positive social and environmental impact within our communities, and globally.”
Highlights from the report include:
Remarkable safety performance: In 2023, Sappi recorded its second-best combined lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) at 018. By the end of 2023, the Somerset Mill achieved nearly 5 million hours without an LTI, and the Cloquet Mill had reached 1 million safe work hours without an LTI for the eighth time in 15 years.Elevating women in senior management roles: Sappi increased its percentage of women in senior management roles to 22%, even despite unprecedented labor shortages. This year, Bakul Wadgaonkar stepped into her role as Director of Sustainability, helping the company to pursue its long-term sustainability milestones, leaning into the conservation efforts that have been ingrained in Sappi for decades.Promoting employee engagement: Sappi significantly increased participation across all regions in its fiscal 2023 employee engagement survey. Based on the comprehensive feedback, Sappi has already begun implementing dozens of initiatives to improve the SNA experience for employees. Additionally, Sappi’s Employee Ideas that Matter (EITM) program increased in participation by over 118% and has awarded over $189,000 to date for local nonprofits and grant funds.Participating in local forestry initiatives: The Maine SFI Implementation Committee (SIC), of which SNA is an active member and supporter, won the 2023 SIC Achievement Award for implementing SFI standards and programs locally, making a difference on the ground to advance sustainable forestry and promote the benefits of SFI-certified forests and forest products.Successful diversification and return on business: Sappi’s long-term return on net operating assets (RONOA) trajectory demonstrates that we have successfully diversified and transformed our business by making strategically sound investments and then delivering returns on those investments. Combined with strong cost management and operational performance, Sappi maintained a high level of profitability.
“We are committed to sustainability as a cornerstone of our operations, and the 2023 Sustainability Report reminds us of that pillar of our work,” said Wadgaonkar. “A challenging year in our market did not curtail Sappi’s dedication to improving, learning and driving change. Our long-term goals remain strong, and I’m eager to see SNA teams continue to reach incredible milestones into 2024 and beyond.”
To read more of Sappi North America’s 2023 Sustainability Report and request a copy, please visit: https://www.sappi.com/sustainability-and-impact.
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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
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