Tag: 3BL

When Yoo-Kyung (Karen) Choi was in the first grade in her native South Korea, she was nominated as a candidate for class president along with one of her friends, a little boy. As part of the process, each child had to give a speech to their classmates.

Karen recalled how nervous she was as she prepared to speak. And then their teacher pre-empted her by telling the class, “It’s always good to have a boy as the leader. And Karen here will play an amazing supporting role as vice president.”

She lost by a handful of votes. When she went home from school that day, she told her mother what had happened. And her mother responded: “You know, that’s why you have to always be better.”

Today, those words of advice still resonate with Karen, who is Viatris’ Head of Compliance for Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea. And they remind her of how many women have had to become overachievers just to secure their place in the world.

Speaking at an event hosted by EmpoWer, the company’s employee resource group (ERG) for women and their allies, Karen was part of a discussion about the experiences she has had working around the world, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, Cambodia and Japan.

“It did really affect me a lot in my way of working and my way of study,” she recalled of the school election. Nowadays, a teacher would never say such a thing in the classroom, and she welcomes the change.

Kristen Beatty, who is based in the U.S. and is the Head of IT for Corporate Functions, moderated the event. She noted that she had the same kinds of conversations with her parents growing up, and their response was the same: push yourself to be even better.

“So here we are, on the opposite sides of the world and hearing that same story,” she said.

Rania Gabr, Head of Marketing and Business Excellence for Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Emerging Markets, grew up in Egypt in a family that supported her efforts to succeed. A pharmacist by profession, she joined Viatris 20 years ago as a medical representative for a legacy company.

She recalled how she won a role in another country, but when she revealed that her husband – who supported her plan – was going to remain in Egypt while she traveled, the hiring manager at the legacy company decided on her behalf that she should stay with her family. Though it was a difficult lesson, Rania said it helped her to build resilience and inspired her to work even harder to prove herself.

“Since then, I’ve been traveling all over the globe, working across multiple countries and geographies,” she said. “So it was a good learning for me.”

In many situations, Rania has been the only woman in the room. “At that point, you can imagine it’s very hard to negotiate,” she said. “It’s not as easy as it should be when you have (a more) diverse setup.”

But she said the hard work that so many women and allies have invested is paying dividends.

“It’s taking a lot of power from our end, and energy, to assure that we are able to prove that a female is capable to do the work,” she said.

Karen agreed.

“I don’t think there’s any country, any culture where we can say it’s perfect in terms of women’s equity or empowerment,” she said. But she added that even if transformation is slow, changes are still happening: “And those small steps we take, they do contribute to those positive changes.”

Rania urged the women participating in the forum to clearly define their career goals and stay focused on them.

“Learn, grow, define your goal and work towards it,” she said. “Don’t let anyone deviate you from your career goal, and make sure you’re able to do it because you are capable of achieving more.”

Originally published on Life at HARMAN

A Culture of Openness and Collaboration 

At HARMAN, our culture thrives on collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to nurturing future talent. Rebecca, who joined HARMAN in April 2019, embodies these values every day. As part of the R&D Engineering team for North American Automotive programs, she’s not only passionate about her work but also about giving back through mentorship.

HARMAN’s open and approachable culture played a significant role in Rebecca’s decision to join the company. “Everyone, including senior leadership, is very approachable, which is something you don’t often find in most other companies,” she shares. This environment has enabled Rebecca to thrive and make a difference, including through her involvement with the Winning Futures mentorship program.

Leading With Authenticity 

Rebecca’s journey with Winning Futures began when she attended a meeting hosted by a colleague and strong advocate for the organization. Winning Futures is a structured program that uses mentoring to teach essential life skillst to teens and young adults. “The organization has done a tremendous job pairing its mentoring program with topics like career fit and personal brand, and fun games to bond with mentors during the sessions,” Rebecca explains.

As a mentor, Rebecca’s approach is rooted in authenticity. “I think everyone has a story to tell. I wanted my mentees to know that I can relate to some of the challenges. I was a teen once,” she says. By focusing on solutions and what her mentees can control, Rebecca provides guidance that is both empathetic and empowering.

It was eye-opening to witness a lot of the struggles our youth are facing nowadays. I’m talking about social media and the stress that comes with it. I have a lot of respect for this next generation. They operate differently from how many of us grew up.

-Rebecca

The Impact of Mentorship 

One of Rebecca’s most rewarding moments came when a shy mentee, who typically avoided speaking in front of others, stood up on the last day of class and shared, “I think you’re phenomenal.” This unexpected acknowledgment highlighted the deep impact Rebecca had made. “I don’t take lightly what she said, and I was incredibly surprised to hear this,” Rebecca reflects. She believes that being authentic is key to effective mentorship. “When you are your authentic self, you can rarely go wrong.”

Finding Balance 

Balancing a demanding role at HARMAN with her commitment to mentorship wasn’t always easy, but Rebecca made it work by treating her mentoring sessions like any other important meeting. “Each Tuesday, I started my day extra early to carve out some time to drive to the school,” she shares. Her dedication didn’t go unnoticed, and her colleagues’ understanding made it possible for her to continue making a difference.

Outside of work, Rebecca finds balance by weightlifting, a passion she picked up 1.5 years ago. “Weight-lifting has been a great way to challenge myself physically and mentally,” she says. It’s a practice she’s even shared with her 8-year-old daughter, teaching the importance of making healthy choices and finding balance in life. Rebecca also enjoys coaching her daughter’s sports teams, finding it rewarding to share this health journey together.​​

Winning Futures is an amazing program that should be at more schools. Every student deserves to have access to a mentor and learn valuable life lessons.

-Rebecca

Rebecca’s time with Winning Futures has left a lasting impression. “Winning Futures is an amazing program that I wish could be at more schools. Every student deserves to have access to a mentor and the training Winning Futures offers,” she says.

Rebecca’s story is a testament to the power of mentorship and the incredible impact that caring, dedicated individuals can have on the lives of young people. At HARMAN, we’re proud to have employees like Rebecca who go above and beyond to make a difference in the world.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram​, and Facebook to learn more about our view on leadership and innovation driven by people who feel valued.

At LyondellBasell (LYB), we champion people by putting them at the heart of everything we do and by embracing a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. One of the ways we reinforce our dedication to this LYB value is through our People and Culture Equity Committee. Equity is about providing everyone with the resources they need to succeed and ensuring that employees are treated fairly.

The role of the Equity Committee

In 2023, we established an Equity Committee comprised of all key functional groups in the People and Culture (P&C) function with the intention of leveraging the interconnectivity to create a path to greater equity and improve the understanding and impression of fairness among employees.

The committee was instrumental in driving the completion of the equity projects detailed in the 2023 Sustainability Report. For example, committee representatives from the Talent/Performance team introduced an Equity Champion role into the year-end performance management process to listen for equitable discussions on performance and help identify potential biases.

Also, committee representatives from our benefits team (Total Rewards) engaged an external consultant in 2023 to provide a holistic review of our U.S. benefits programs through a DEI lens. This provided an in-depth look at our U.S. healthcare, retirement, risk protection, time off, financial resilience, well-being perquisites, worksite resources and policies. We assessed benefit participation and affordability based on cohorts of interest (age, gender, race, location) and identified vulnerable populations to inform benefits review and opportunity prioritization. Following this review, LYB made a significant number of enhancements to our U.S. benefits offerings for 2024, and we are exploring options to conduct similar in-depth benefit reviews in other countries where we operate.

From hiring to workplace flexibility to pay and performance, this committee identifies and addresses equity issues by utilizing cross-collaborative expertise from all aspects of People & Culture, leadership and other business functions.

Why equity matters at LYB

Our vision for the future is that LYB is a place where there is genuine equal opportunity for all and diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded within our culture as deeply as safety. Our goals and strategies for creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture are intertwined. Developing such a culture fosters the growth of others, creating a harmonious environment that benefits everyone. Equitable practices level the playing field for all employees and establish a sense of fairness. This, in turn, creates an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and encouraged to contribute to the company’s collective success. An environment like this can boost collaboration, innovative thinking and allow for talent to be recruited, retained and advanced. The People and Culture Equity Committee’s continuous effort to monitor and improve our systems ensures that equity is a living, evolving practice within LYB, which underscores our commitment to making our vision become our reality.

If you want to be a part of our cultural transformation, please visit the LYB careers page to find the opportunity that best fits you.

Feature by Gordon Donovan

The 2024 Economist Impact report highlights the strategic importance of procurement in managing risk and driving sustainability. As previously reported, procurement is gaining prominence in the C-suite, and it can play a critical role in driving resilience, including with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives.

In the Economist Impact report, titled “Across the procurement-verse: Changing trends in the procurement function” and sponsored by SAP, surveyed executives share increased confidence in procurement to deliver against risk-mitigation objectives. Particularly when it comes to internal risk, which involves stakeholder management and strategic alignment, confidence levels rose to 83% this year, from 64% last year. This illustrates that procurement is becoming more aligned with key stakeholders across the organization.

However, a “state of permanent crisis” has shaken executives’ confidence in procurement’s ability to manage external risks such as geopolitical shifts, supplier threats, and liquidity risks.

Procurement’s role in business strategies is ever-growing, but it is imperative to maintain agility.

Heightened Attention to Risk Management

Ongoing inflation, global conflicts, and fluctuating commodity prices have placed risk management at the center of business strategies. Procurement plays a pivotal role in this effort by identifying high-quality alternative products and services while limiting costs.

Yet, respondents noted concerns over procurement’s ability to manage external risk factors, as only 41% of respondents said they are highly confident in its ability to control vulnerabilities. Comparatively, in 2023, 62% of business leaders expressed assurance in procurement’s handling of these factors, like supplier shortages, market fluctuations, and supply chain disruptions. Several drivers are pushing this trend, as the report notes that organizations experience four supply chain disruptions every day. Also, inflation continues to influence organizational decision-making, as monetary uncertainty was listed as the top organizational risk priority for procurement. Additional key external factors impacting organizational strategy over the next 12 to 18 months are macroeconomic (71%) and legal and regulatory risks (70%).

Diversifying Supplier Relationships

Businesses have looked to ease fears of shortages by moving away from sole sourcing suppliers. According to the survey, 40% of executives aim to prioritize supply chain diversification to build trusted and long-lasting relationships. In fact, three of the top five strategies listed in the survey are focused on mitigating risk, including reshoring/nearshoring and multi-sourcing.

Visibility has also been listed as one of the highest two priorities for a second consecutive year, proof that it is an urgent need for organizations to invest in technology that increases access to supply chain metrics, develops connections with suppliers, and identifies alternative sellers. Platforms that utilize automation, AI, and advanced analytics are another way to enable procurement teams to make data-driven decisions that improve efficiency and reduce risk.

Sustainability: Procurement’s Green Thumb

ESG ranked second on the list of priorities for the next 12 to 18 months, an increase from fifth in 2023.

“Procurement’s work at the convergence between the business and wider supply-chain ecosystem thus offers it a unique strategic opportunity to lead the sustainability agenda,” the report states. By engaging with sourcing and suppliers, two critical stakeholders in achieving sustainability KPIs, procurement can use its role to translate companies’ green ambitions into tangible results.

New regulations such as the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) have driven companies to enhance their sustainability practices.  According to the Economist Impact report, procurement has capitalized on this opportunity to gain the confidence of executives across the C-suite, with 68% of business leaders expressing belief in procurement’s abilities to deliver against ESG objectives. This is an increase from 49% in 2023, signaling that procurement’s remit has expanded beyond cost management.

Sustainability has also become a critical risk category, as 39% of respondents listed compliance as a driver to becoming greener. A failure to conform to governmental policy can lead to penalties and fines that limit growth.

SAP recently hosted a webinar to discuss strategies that leading companies are using to develop sustainable supply. The discussion also includes insights into how procurement can add value to ESG initiatives beyond compliance and reporting.

Leveraging Technology for Sustainable Sourcing

Procurement’s role in engaging buyers and suppliers to drive sustainability is pivotal. CPOs can set standards for sustainable sourcing and supplier practices, reducing carbon footprints and helping reach ESG benchmarks.

The increasing alignment of procurement with C-suite priorities is seen through the increased focus on sustainability and risk management. The shift in reporting lines toward COOs and the greater involvement in strategic discussions highlight the growing influence of procurement in organizational decision-making.

The expanded role of procurement has placed it at an inflection point, with heightened expectations to deliver results beyond cost mitigation. How will procurement leaders meet these new demands? Investing in technology offers a solution for uncovering valuable insights that to demonstrate procurement’s value. Coupled with developing people and processes, this approach allows procurement leaders to successfully fulfill their increasing remit.

Utilizing SAP Business Network for Strategic Priorities

Business leaders should look for a platform to bridge the gap between companies and buyers and suppliers, enhancing visibility, collaboration, efficiency, and compliance. By leveraging such a comprehensive solution, companies can streamline their procurement processes, reduce silos, mitigate risk, and achieve substantial time and cost savings.

SAP Business Network can align these benefits with the strategic priorities of risk management and sustainability. The technology has facilitated 780 million B2B transactions and $5.8 trillion in annual commerce, highlighting its vast influence across 190 countries. There has also been a 13% growth in transacting relationships and a 7.3% increase in B2B transactions over the past 12 months, a testament to our growing global community.

Embracing the Future of Procurement

With growing confidence from executives and risk-focused strategies, procurement is well-positioned to lead organizations through today’s complex business environment. The Economist Impact report underscores this belief, but procurement teams must aim to ensure long-term success by leveraging digital transformation.

Through in-depth interviews and targeted research, the Economist Impact report provides a broad analysis of the state of procurement.

View the infographic and download the report.

Gordon Donovan is global vice president of Research, Procurement & External Workforce at SAP.

 

Originally published in Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report

Supplier diversity

Working with diverse suppliers, vendors, and business partners helps improve our competitive edge in the global marketplace and contributes to our strategic objectives.

Our approach 

In all bidding opportunities we strive to consider businesses owned, controlled, and operated by diverse individuals, including women, people of color, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with different abilities. Our supplier diversity program provides criteria and eligibility requirements for diverse suppliers in the U.S. interested in doing business with us.

To create greater economic impact and growth opportunities for diverse suppliers, we aim to spend $100M with diverse suppliers in the U.S. by 2025. We measure progress toward this goal by setting annual targets. In 2023, our goal was to spend $53.2 million of eligible U.S. spend with diverse suppliers. Ultimately, we spent $42.1 million with diverse suppliers.

We were unable to fully meet our 2023 target spend goal due to unforeseen budget constraints and broader economic headwinds that changed our projected spend in areas of the business.

We will continue to refine how we utilize projections in areas of diverse spend to forecast appropriate eligible spend base to establish reasonable supplier diversity goals and look for opportunities to diversify our supplier portfolio.

Our actions and performance in 2023 

In 2023, we focused on engaging with our partners in all aspects of supplier diversity, including participating in membership organizations to promote and credential diverse suppliers, providing internal and external education and promotion of supplier diversity as an element of our business strategy, and working directly with our diverse suppliers to enhance their future success.

We remain an active member of the Financial Services Roundtable for Supplier Diversity, a group dedicated to building strong supplier diversity practices in the financial services industry.

We also piloted a supplier development program, pairing a cohort of seven of our diverse suppliers with a national business coach and business growth curriculum. The participants reported a deeper understanding of marketing and strategy, as well as how to grow and sustain their businesses as a result of the program.

Finally, we launched internal educational campaigns by hosting diverse suppliers on campus and presented at several conferences about the contribution of supplier diversity to a successful business strategy.

What’s next 

In 2024, our goal is to source at least 5% of eligible spend in the U.S. from diverse suppliers, amounting to $42 million through tier one and tier two spending.

We hope to reach this goal through the following actions:

Create ownership and accountability by working with category managers and individual business units in the U.S. to identify potential sourcing opportunities for new and diverse suppliers.Partner with our Employee Resource Groups to embolden and build champions for supplier diversity throughout our organization within the departments and teams they lead and participate in.Monitor the status of supplier diversity metrics and celebrate and report achievements and progress internally and externally.Build and maintain a robust and qualified diverse supplier list that is shared with any buyer throughout the organization to reference when seeking a supplier.Provide a channel for Principal employees to directly identify diverse suppliers for the supplier diversity team for further assessment and evaluation.Strengthen collaboration with our tier one non-diverse suppliers to promote their use of diverse suppliers. This collaboration improves the overall health of the diverse supplier ecosystem and makes our values clear to our non-diverse suppliers.

Read more about supplier diversity program and requirements

Progress in spend with diverse suppliers by 2025 ($)

Goal: $100 MillionProgress: $42.1 Million

To learn more, read the Principal Financial Group 2023 Sustainability Report.

Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.​

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CLEVELAND, September 16, 2024 /3BL/ — KeyBank’s Key4Women will present “Emotional Intelligence in Diverse Business Environments”, a free, one-hour virtual event on Wednesday, September 25th at 12:00 p.m. EST / 10 a.m. MT / 9:00 a.m. PST.

Key4Women’s National Director and Head of Community Bank, Rachael Sampson, will have a conversation with Natasha Tous, Certified Executive Coach, to address the critical role of emotional intelligence (EI) and cultural empathy has in business success. Tous will illustrate how her experiences as a Latina business owner has shaped her EI, enabling her to effectively connect with and lead diverse teams.

In this webinar, participants learn how to:

Develop EI and cultural empathy to improve communication, foster inclusivity, and drive business growth.Navigate cultural differences and build stronger relationships.Create a more dynamic and successful business environment.

“We are thrilled to talk to Natasha about this important topic of emotional intelligence,” said Sampson. “These are conversations we need to have with ourselves and those close to us in our personal and professional lives. It is our hope that attendees will walk away from the webinar with the tools they need to drive their success.”

Tous is multicultural and multilingual, born in Venezuela to a Cuban father and a Colombian mother. She arrives in the U.S. when she was seven. Throughout her life, she has lived in seven countries, including a six-year stint as an Expat living in Hong Kong. She is trilingual, speaking English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

For more information, contact key4women@keybank.com or register online by September 24th here.

About Key4Women 
Key4Women started in 2005 as a campaign to lend $1 billion to qualified women-owned businesses within three years. The program achieved that in two years and has now generated more than $12 billion in loans to women-owned businesses. Membership in Key4Women is free. In addition to helping women business leaders and owners tap into capital to build and grow their businesses, Key4Women members gain valuable access to a team of local Certified Key4Wome Advisors who advocate, connect and empower women on their journey to financial wellness. For more information, visit key.com/key4women.

About KeyBank
KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at June 30, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

This blog was authored by Karissa A. Breen (more commonly known as KB), Head of Cybersecurity Journalism at KBI.Media.

Karissa will present on Cisco Networking Academy’s Women Rock-IT webinar series in October, during cybersecurity awareness month. KB has been crowned a LinkedIn ‘Top Voice in Technology’. She is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of the TMFE Group, a holding company and consortium of several businesses all relating to cybersecurity including, an industry-leading media platform, a marketing agency, a content production studio, and an executive headhunting firm, MercSec. Read KB’s blog below.

AI’s function in cybersecurity

AI’s function in cybersecurity is not just beneficial, but essential. Machine Learning (ML) algorithms can analyze and interpolate (insert) large amounts of data – much faster than any human – to uncover new patterns that would otherwise go unseen. Health, primary industries, manufacturing, and of course, security are all benefiting from even this embryonic state of AI.

AI is creating new paradigms in every industry

From aggregating and parsing medical scans to identify cancers before they fully form, identifying fungal leaf infections using AI powered drones, improving the environmental impact of manufacturing, to cybersecurity. In cybersecurity, AI can map patterns and identify anomalies that indicate potential security gaps or even systems that have already been compromised. This toolset allows organizations to detect and mitigate threats before they occur or cause significant damage, and it’s only just the start of this new war.

AI-driven tools are now being used by threat actors

From individuals to state-sponsored advanced package tools (APTs), AI is being used in (or to enhance) attacks on a wider range and number of targets. AI attacks may lead to more sophisticated attacks, with the ease with which it can pivot its attack model. Conversely, blue teams defending organizations can adapt to new types of attacks by learning from previous incidents, continuously improving their defensive capabilities by leveraging approaches like Autonomous Cyber Defence (ACyD). This adaptability can be critical within an environment where cybercriminals are constantly evolving their tactics, often by weaponizing AI against organizations.

With the effective use of AI, organizations can not only improve their current security measures, but also anticipate future vulnerabilities and resolve issues proactively.

The role and future of AI in cybersecurity

The role and future of AI in cybersecurity is contentious to say the least. However, it seems the good may outweigh the bad. Over the course of nearly 300 interviews, the advantages of AI have been covered again and again:

The Emerging Role of AI in Cybersecurity – In the majority of my podcast interviews, my guests demonstrate how AI enhances threat detection, improves data security, and automates security operations center (SOC) operations.The Importance of Generative AI – The importance of generative AI in creating advanced defenses and simulating potential attack paths.AI Augmentation – Although AI is significant for the future of cybersecurity, cybersecurity practitioners reiterate the importance of complementing rather than replacing human analysts.

Bridging the Skills Gap – Empowering a New Generation

Over the years, there has been constant talk around the ‘skills gap’. With advances in AI, this has led to an even greater skills gap deficit in the cybersecurity industry. As the adoption of AI accelerates, the cybersecurity skills gap widens – as many people within my network and during my media interviews have discussed at length. This gap is not just about technical expertise; it’s about understanding the human-AI interplay. Security professionals need to enhance their technical skills, particularly in technical security, but the need to develop ‘soft skills’ – I like to call these skills hard skills. Managing people, expectations and clients aren’t easy skills and this is where I do believe women have a great opportunity to excel.

A Call to Action for Women in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity as an industry is dominated by males. When I entered the field not so long ago – about a decade ago – there weren’t a lot of women in cybersecurity. So I have taken on encouraging women to take up roles within the cybersecurity field as a part of my media role.

Now, while I don’t want to speak into any existing stereotypes about women specifically, having a diverse team brings unique perspectives and diversity of thought that is invaluable in addressing how cyber criminals might think. I’ve personally seen many women drive their careers to a new level with their empathy, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Initiatives like mentorship programs, networking opportunities, and targeted educational resources can also play a significant role in attracting female talent in cybersecurity.

Moreover, when it comes to AI as a whole, women may have a decided advantage in understanding and spearheading alternate approaches. Nature and nurture, encompasses everything from brain chemistry and function through to social conditioning. We may find that this presents women with several advantages – or at least relatively novel models – in social cognition and the appreciation for the general theory of mind.

What Cuzzolin et al refer to as ‘hot cognition’ – how thinking and its processes are influenced by emotional state – may well help shape ethical and operational boundaries for the development and extension of AI. And given the innate duplicitous nature of cyber, this may have pronounced shaping of the future of security – one significantly sculpted by women.

View original content here.

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, T. Rowe Price is celebrating the spirit of innovation, resilience, and unity that defines the Hispanic/Latino experience. 

Our success as a global asset management firm is made possible by the diversity of backgrounds, talents, and experiences of our associates. And so we are intentional about recruiting and engaging global talent that brings new perspectives and strengthens our outcomes. 

Here we share an example of how our associates help support the firm’s efforts to engage and expose candidates to our culture and our people. By equipping associates and leaders to be mentors, sponsors, and active allies, we are moving forward together to positively shape the future of our firm, our clients, and the communities in which we live and work. 

Since Pedro Landa joined T. Rowe Price’s technology team in 2012, he has worked to build his personal network and has leveraged the firm’s many career development programs to strengthen his skills in a rapidly changing field and advance his career. Pedro is now a senior infrastructure operations analyst on our Investment Data Services and Distribution team, where he ensures that our investment data systems and applications operate smoothly and efficiently.

Pedro recently attended the Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA) 2024 National Convention. “From the moment I arrived, the energy and sense of community were undeniable. It was amazing to hear Latinx leaders who shared their journeys, reminding us of the power within our community,” he says.

At the ALPFA conference, Pedro connected with many students interested in T. Rowe Price’s summer 2025 internship program in our financial, technology, and operations groups. He also participated in the ALPFA divERGe Employee Resource Group Training Program, learning how to motivate and engage associates, creating inclusive spaces across the organization, and hosting impactful events.

He looks forward to using the insights he gained to effectively lead initiatives with MOSAIC @ T. Rowe Price’s Latinx Heritage Community and other business resource groups.

“As I reflect on my time at the conference, I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity to attend. I’m leaving not only with new knowledge and connections, but also with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to making a positive impact in my career and community,” Pedro says.

To learn more about Pedro and life at T. Rowe Price, visit troweprice.com/careers.

092024-3833699

Cristina Gil White has been appointed interim CEO of the Global Reporting Initiative, stepping up from her role as Chief Operational Officer. With a diverse track record in sustainability leadership, Cristina joined GRI’s management team one year ago, after serving as a Supervisory Board Member.

As COO, Cristina has been responsible for GRI’s commercial operations, marketing, stakeholder relations and organizational strategy. As interim CEO, she has a mandate to lead the final stages in developing GRI’s strategy for the upcoming years, in partnership with the Supervisory Board and Management Board, and in consultation with staff and GRI governance bodies. This will include rolling out the strategy and translating it into action plans for the organization to implement.

This appointment follows the initiation of a CEO recruitment process in June, as a result of Eelco van der Enden’s decision to step down, and will ensure a smooth transition. A decision on permanent leadership arrangements will be made in the coming months.

Jessica Fries, Chair of the GRI Supervisory Board, said:

Cristina has a deep understanding of GRI and the varied needs and perspectives of our key stakeholders and staff, alongside proven credentials in corporate sustainability. She is therefore ideally placed to take on leadership of the organization at this time and I am delighted she has agreed to be interim CEO. The Management and Supervisory Boards will fully support Cristina to deliver on GRI’s strategic priorities.”

Cristina Gil White, Interim CEO, said:

I believe the mission and values that GRI represents – to empower organizations to create sustainable, long-term value and unlock positive change – are more relevant now than ever. As interim CEO and with the support of a fantastic team, I am ready to get to work to achieve our goals. I also want to place on record my personal thanks to Eelco for his support and guidance since I joined GRI.”

A Mexican national based in Madrid, Cristina’s corporate leadership positions, in which she led on sustainability reporting, included Chief Sustainability and Chief Communications Officer (Brazilian pulp manufacturer Suzano) and VP Sustainability (Mexican multinational chemical company Orbia). She has also held senior roles with nonprofits in Europe, the USA and Latin America, which span environmental conservation, education and poverty alleviation.

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the is the independent nonprofit organization that is the architect of the common global language to assess and report on environmental, social and economic impacts. GRI provides standards, tools and training that empower organizations of all sizes to create sustainable, long-term value and unlock positive change in the world.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, September 16, 2024 /3BL/ – SCS Consulting Services, a leader in climate, environmental and sustainability advisory, is expanding its operations by establishing a new European subsidiary based in The Netherlands. This strategic move aims to leverage the growing demand for sustainability consulting services driven by EU and global regulations and increasing corporate commitments to environmental stewardship.

With the European Union’s introduction of regulations, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which mandate rigorous sustainability standards and reporting requirements, there is now a compelling need for businesses to adopt sustainable practices and ensure transparency in their supply chains. SCS Consulting, with its deep knowledge of environmental standards and sustainability consulting, is uniquely positioned to meet these needs.

As part of its strategic activities, SCS Consulting will offer financial institutions Environmental Due Diligence services, aligned with the IFC Performance Standards and European environmental and social lending requirements. These specialized services for the financial sector will assist both financial institutions and their clients meet the highest levels of environmental and social compliance. For financial organizations, SCS Consulting will review client compliance with lender Performance Standards, ensuring that environmental risks are properly assessed and mitigated. For clients seeking financial services, SCS Consulting will provide guidance in preparing to meet these standards, supporting them in achieving compliance and securing financing. By doing so, SCS Consulting will support both sides in meeting their sustainability objectives and regulatory requirements.

In addition, the new European entity will focus on:

Sustainability Strategy Development: Helping businesses develop comprehensive strategies for compliance with regulations, circular economy initiatives, and decarbonization goals.Supply Chain Transparency: Implementing traceability models and deforestation monitoring to ensure sustainable sourcing.Reputation and Brand Value through Sustainability: With the increasing demand from consumers and investors for sustainable products, this service is designed to help companies enhance their brand value through sustainability practices. Recognized attestations are key to demonstrating a company’s commitment to these practices, serving as a seal of stakeholder trust.

“More and more companies are experiencing the challenges of complying with new and evolving regulations that are impacting every area of their business. There is a tremendous need for regulatory education and training, compliance implementation, and due diligence assessment support,” notes Jan Pierre Jarrin, Managing Director at SCS Consulting Europe. “Our Europe team will be focusing on supporting European companies and global businesses with operations in the EU, as well as those seeking to comply with international standards. We will assist these companies in developing strategies to meet the latest climate and environmental regulations and market demands, ensuring they remain competitive and sustainable on the global market.”

SCS Consulting provides a wide range of comprehensive sustainability solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of businesses across Europe and globally. Our expertise spans a broad spectrum of sustainability and environmental standards, offering specialized services in sustainability reporting frameworks, including CDP, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). In addition, SCS Consulting will have a strong focus on regulatory compliance support, including the EUDR, CSRD, EU Taxonomy Regulation, and EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). 

“I am thrilled to announce the opening of our European consulting business to support the advisory needs of new and existing clients around the world, which is really the next logical step for the growth of SCS,” said Matt Rudolf, CEO of SCS Global Services. “We’ve developed an exceptional team of experts with decades of regulatory and technical experience to meet the ongoing sustainability and climate needs of companies based in Europe and as well as to support foreign companies selling goods and services into the European market.” 

For more information, visit www.scsconsultingservices.com

About SCS Consulting Services

SCS Consulting Services helps companies implement transformative sustainability solutions that drive meaningful change. SCS Consulting Services is the independent sustainability consulting arm of the Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) organization. Our experts leverage four decades of deep experience in sustainability and an unwavering commitment to scientific rigor, credibility, and transparency. We specialize in working closely with clients to build and execute on a sustainability strategy that both drives positive impacts and builds business resiliency in the face of a rapidly changing climate and business environment. Services include climate strategy, accounting and reporting, sustainability reporting, supply chain solutions, ESG management, due diligence and regulatory compliance services. SCS is a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business.

Media Contact SCS Consulting:

Jan Pierre Jarrin
Managing Director – Europe
jpjarrin@scsconsultingservices.com