Tag: 3BL

In my role at Trane Technologies, I’m dedicated to recruiting, retaining and developing talent for growth across our global workforce. Every day, my work is energized by our company’s purpose, to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world, and by the people who make it possible.

A purpose is only words until you make it real for yourself. We help employees find their own connection to our purpose, whether it’s innovating energy-efficient products, working with our customers to reduce the environmental impact of their business or finding ways to create inclusion and a sense of belonging in the workplace. Our global salaried employees also formalize their connection to our purpose each year by committing to a sustainability goal as part of their annual performance objectives.

Our uplifting, engaging and inclusive culture—a culture of impact that guides over 46,000 people who work in nearly 60 countries—is the foundation for our company and our purpose. It’s a way of being that differentiates us, connects us and helps us grow and advance our 2030 Sustainability Commitments.

Growth through expanded support

In June, I participated in an event with our PRIDE Employee Resource Group (ERG) and experienced our culture of impact firsthand.

Our PRIDE ERG group has been educating team members and supporting LGBTQ+ communities and their families for more than 10 years. Their advocacy recently inspired Trane Technologies to expand family benefits to include domestic partners, adoption services and surrogate and IVF support. This update opened up a whole new world of possibilities for our team members. As one individual shared: “My partner and I couldn’t afford IVF and didn’t think we would be able to have children … until now.”

Our team members challenged what was possible and asked leaders to explore and expand their understanding. As a result, they created new opportunities for their peers to thrive at work and at home.

Growth through innovation

In 2023 our Employee Resource Groups expanded globally, adding 800 new team members, delivered innovative content and engaged their members in a variety of heritage month celebrations, career development discussions, mentoring programs and recruiting and community involvement events.

Because our people share an authentic connection to our purpose, innovation also thrives here. In 2023, we launched 98 new products that are helping our customers dramatically reduce their carbon footprint. These innovative solutions also accelerate our progress toward our signature sustainability commitment, the Gigaton Challenge, the largest climate commitment of any global company related to product emission reductions within a single decade.

Earlier this summer, I participated in the opening festivities for the Trane Technologies Innovation Center in Oberhausen, Germany. The event celebrated the ingenuity of our team members in pioneering heating and cooling solutions for industrial and commercial buildings, advancing electrification and promoting new ideas in cold storage.

The Innovation Center itself shows how we lead by example. The facility runs on an innovative heating and cooling technology we developed that eliminates the need for fossil fuels while also reducing the site’s carbon emissions—the equivalent of the emissions generated by powering 100 homes for one year. This is the kind of people-powered solution that makes a powerful impact on our communities and planet.

The Gigaton Challenge is our pledge to reduce one billion metric tons (one gigaton) of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from our customers’ footprint by 2030, the equivalent of 2% of the world’s annual emissions. As of 2023, we’ve reduced 157 million metric tons of carbon emissions from our customers’ footprint.

Growth through creating opportunity

We need talented people to solve the world’s most pressing challenges, grow our company and increase our impact. We also believe that investing in a diverse workforce is an essential catalyst for growth. Diverse teams tap into a broader range of perspectives and solutions, leading to increased innovation—the force behind our continued success.

To broaden the field of candidates for our global workforce, we have to challenge some of our traditional assumptions. In the United States, for example, hiring practices that rely on prior, specific industry experience or a four-year degree automatically exclude a significant pool of skilled talent, including more than half of women, over 60% of Black talent and over 60% of rural workers.

By removing degree requirements where it makes sense and challenging the idea that industry experience is always required, Trane Technologies is increasing our access to talent and opening new pathways for people to advance their careers. To date, we have removed the four-year degree requirement for more than a dozen roles across the company, including in business-critical roles such as account managers, plant supervisors, maintenance managers and transportation planners.

Trane Technologies was also named the first manufacturing partner to join the Tear the Paper Ceiling coalition led by Opportunity@Work. Through this effort, we actively work to create more opportunities for workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs).

To further address the skilled labor gap and build a diverse service technician workforce, we launched the Trane Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP) in 2023. Registered through the U.S. Department of Labor, the TAP is a robust, nationwide, four-year paid program designed to attract and retain aspiring HVAC technicians, regardless of experience or education.

Our best is yet to come

Hiring and keeping the best talent in our industry isn’t just a nice idea; it’s critical for us to continue to grow and innovate for the future. My goal for current and future team members is to feel supported by our culture, connected to our purpose and inspired to make a difference every day.

One person, one team, one bold action at a time—this is how we create a culture of impact, and this is how we grow.

“In the past, we would be amazed at the decision of a married girl who is considering delaying her first birth, because it would seem foolish for her to do so. Today, we see that it is very well-founded for her to do so. Suppose it is a girl who studies at school – she will need time to assimilate her studies.” – Female community member, exposed to intervention, Djeda

Globally, around 13 million girls under the age of 20 give birth annually. Child marriage is linked with early pregnancy and birth, especially in the developing world where 90% of adolescent pregnancies happen in girls that are already married. Niger and Bangladesh are not the exception. Niger has the highest fertility rate worldwide with 7.6 children per woman. Bangladesh has a legal marriage age of 18 but the enforcement of this law is low, leading to a median age of marriage of 15.8 years old. This makes IMAGINE a vital project to address contraceptive use and pregnancy choices among adolescents.

IMAGINE was a CARE and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2017-2022) program. Overall, the program took place from 2017 to 2022 in Niger and Bangladesh, it was a 3-year intervention period but the program in a whole was over seven years.

In 2017, CARE embarked on formative research, consisting of a qualitative study and a market analysis in both countries to:

Understand the barriers and facilitators that influence a married girl’s ability to delay pregnancy.Identify alternative futures that could motivate girls, families, and communities to support this pregnancy delay.

Following these aims and guided by a human-centered design, a multi-disciplinary team of CARE staff identified, polished, and prototyped potential solutions through building a holistic intervention package for each country. After the baseline study, the project launched in January 2019 and ended its implementation in October 2021.

What changed?

Saving money and making family planning decisions. For example, in the treatment group in Bangladesh, 99% of adolescents knew where to access family planning (97% control). And 62% of participants in both groups have savings.Adolescent girls use contraceptives. In Niger, 34.1% subscribed to contraceptive use in the treatment group, in comparison to the control group (19.1%). Also, the treatment group had higher knowledge of places to access family planning (FP) and visits to community health workers (CHWs) to discuss FP, in comparison to the control group.Giving birth and using contraception goes hand in hand. Adolescents who gave birth have a higher percentage of contraceptive usage in both treatment and control group. For example, in Niger the modern contraceptive use among adolescents who gave birth from the treatment group was 33% (20% control) versus 13% (4% control) among the ones that have not gave birth.But in both countries, there is a still unmet family planning need among adolescents who gave birth. The unmet needs among this population in Bangladesh’s treatment group is 22% (26% control). And among the ones that have not given birth is 8% in the treatment group (13% control group).Let’s talk. The knowledge on key issues like early pregnancy risks, delaying childbirth, and/or income generation increased from baseline to endline among the treatment group. At the same time, the belief of myths related to FP decreased.Economic reasons were an incentive for delaying becoming parents. In Bangladesh, respondents reported financial stability as a key factor in delaying birth. Also, the treatment group showed improvement in family planning perceptions and reproductive health knowledge.Social norms are changing. There was an increase in respondents supporting delayed birth compared to previous years. And at the same time a positive change in supporting girls when wanting to engage in income-generating activities outside of the home.People live longer, healthier lives. More contraceptive access = less Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALYs). In Niger the increment in contraceptive use prevented 1548 DALYs. DALYs are the sum of the years of life lost to due to early mortality (YLLs) and the years lived with a disability (YLDs) due to a disease or health condition.The IMAGINE program is cost-effective. The GDP per capita in Niger is $594. Yet the IMAGINE program had a cost per DALY of $552. According to the threshold recommended by the WHO, any cost per DALY lower than 3 times the GDP in a country is cost effective. Therefore, the program would still have been cost effective even if it were 3 times more expensive.

How did we get there?

Girls’ collectives addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) topics, decision-making, basic financial literacy communication skills, gender and social norms, collective action, and leadership with 15-25 girls per village. These collectives linked girls with community health workers (CHWs) and women role models. With the additional option of joining Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) groups.Vocational training. CARE worked with the private and public sector to provide training for adolescent girls in a variety of key market systems. For example, in Niger these were on cowpea processing and refinement, goat breeding and management. In Bangladesh, enterprises included cotton and jute handicraft production, and mobile phone retail and repair, for example. After the training was completed, CARE worked with partners to create market linkages for girls through internship opportunities, craft fairs, professional associations, and ongoing mentorship.Health worker transformation activities not only addressed key gaps in health workers skills such as FP methods and counseling skills, but also promoted reflexivity on how their biases can impact the way they provide SRHR services to adolescent girls. In both countries, health care workers reported a greater sense of ownership and motivation of their work, which led them to see their role from “simple” service providers to girls’ health advocates.With the aim of empowering couples in planning their future family, couples’ counseling in Bangladesh was established. This addressed many goal settings like family and financial planning, communication, and negotiation, SRHR, and social norms reflection, to empower couples to create a shared vision for their family.Fada Groups in Niger worked with trained local male facilitators to address the health and economic benefits of delayed first birth, communication skills, and gender and social norm transformation with young men and husbands from the villages.In Niger, because of the Social Analysis and Action (SAA), CARE led community stakeholders to challenge social norms related to early birth through self-reflection and action planning. This to build norms encouraging married adolescents to access essential health services like family planning.

What did we learn? Providing adolescent girls with contraceptive information and access can lead to decreasing the nationwide DALYs, while at the same time being cost-effective for the country. In Niger, it showed an investment of $552 per DALY achieved. This is considerably better than the WHO standard.

More key lessons are:

Being a mother and wanting to plan? Yes. Being a mother and accessing FP methods is still a high unmet need that needs to be addressed among health programming so women and couples can plan birth spacing properly.Discussing sexual and reproductive health is still a challenge. For example, in Niger the self-efficacy to use and discuss family planning showed a negative change among treatment and control group from baseline to endline. The discussion around family planning is still challenging due to reasons such as prevailing social norms, health workers attitudes etc.Re-think and adapt your Theory of Change (ToC) to the population targeted based on the context’s realities and needs. For example, in the scenario of Bangladesh, the ToC needed to change from targeting married adolescent to targeting unmarried ones.Since changes, especially in relation to gender and social norms, do not happen overnight, the timespan of a program like this one need to be increased.Change the focus of the outcome, from delaying birth to birth spacing, which is more commonly supported: in Niger, girls almost unanimously declared that taking part in income generating activities and being young mothers were not mutually exclusive facts. The reproductive burden girls seemed to feel was related to infrequent or too many births.

Where do we go next? IMAGINE enable us to believe of a world where contraceptive use can support female empowerment. This being translated into female economic participation, birth spacing, but mostly on women deciding when to become mothers. This program also brings a novel approach of including men and couples in the interventions to challenge and exercise the re-thinking of social and gender norms to achieve gender equality for girls and women. 
Overall, IMAGINE provides a gender and social lens, but also a cost-effectiveness one, that should be analyzed and took in future programs and projects. This shows how sexual and reproductive health is extremely linked to the different social, cultural, and economic spheres running any country. 
Want to learn more? Click here to learn more from the reports, CARE Shares page, and here for the technical resources.

FRANKFURT, Germany, September 11, 2024 /3BL/ – LyondellBasell (LYB) is investing in a new closed-loop preparation center in Lich, Germany. This sophisticated recycling center is transforming plastic waste into high-quality feedstock for high-performance materials, supporting the circular economy and contributing to industry sustainability goals. This new recycling center brings the collective expertise of a service provider, a university supporting the process and analytics used and the dedicated team at LYB.

The closed-loop preparation center supports the LYB integrated hub strategy, bringing together existing assets with new advanced sorting and recycling capabilities to create operational scale, reduce cost and capture value from plastic waste. This new center marks a significant leap in waste processing capabilities for durable goods, such as automotive and white good appliance parts. The requirements for recycling durable goods once they’ve reached their end-of-life are complex. The materials need to be stripped of any paint, metal and other additives to get to a plastic suitable for a high-quality feedstock.

“These efforts are unlocking new ways of recycling durable goods into new materials for high-quality applications,” said Frank Nöltgen, Vice President of Advanced Polymer Solutions Europe at LYB. “By investing in sorting, recycling and the development of proprietary recycling technologies, we are taking significant steps towards a sustainable future.”

The recycling center employs mechanical recycling to transform end-of-life automotive and appliance plastics, such as bumpers and trim, into high-quality recycled materials. These recycled materials will be incorporated into the LYB CirculenRecover product range, offering more sustainable solutions based on recycled content for demanding applications in the automotive and white goods sectors, including structural parts, interior components, and visible applications.

“We are excited to support automotive and durable white goods manufacturers in achieving their sustainability targets,” added Erik Licht, Director New Business Development of Advanced Polymer Solutions Europe at LYB. “This closed-loop preparation center ensures that valuable plastic materials are kept in circulation, reducing reliance on virgin resources and enabling products with a lower carbon footprint compared to virgin products.”

The Lich recycling center is expected to reach commercial scale in the fourth quarter of 2024. This investment aligns with the company’s ambitious goal to produce and market at least 2 million metric tons of recycled and renewable-based polymers annually by 2030.

About LyondellBasell

We are LyondellBasell – a leader in the global chemical industry creating solutions for everyday sustainable living. Through advanced technology and focused investments, we are enabling a circular and low carbon economy. Across all we do, we aim to unlock value for our customers, investors and society. As one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and a leader in polyolefin technologies, we develop, manufacture and market high-quality and innovative products for applications ranging from sustainable transportation and food safety to clean water and quality healthcare. For more information, please visit www.lyb.com or follow @LyondellBasell on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this release relating to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially based on factors including, but not limited to, our ability to meet our sustainability goals, including the successful expansion and operation of the facilities described, the ability to increase production of recycled and renewable-based polymers to meet our targets and forecasts and our ability to procure feedstock to meet these goals. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the “Risk Factors” section of our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which can be found at www.lyb.com on the Investor Relations page and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov. There is no assurance that any of the actions, events or results of the forward-looking statements will occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations or financial condition. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made and are based on the estimates and opinions of management of LyondellBasell at the time the statements are made. LyondellBasell does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change, except as required by law.

LYB Media Contact: 
Chelsea Clark 
Business Communication Manager – Advanced Polymer Solutions 
+13302852686 
Chelsea.Clark@lyondellbasell.com

Join us on this episode of RENEWables, as we embark on an exciting journey with Kristin Edie, the VP of Enterprise Sustainability at Hallmark. It’s a conversation that goes far beyond greeting cards, delving into Hallmark’s profound commitment to sustainability and its remarkable achievements.

Hallmark has launched a 4-point sustainability plan focused on product and content, renewable energy, sustainable forestry, and transportation. Kristin explores these four pillars, shares inspiring stories, and gives us valuable insights into Hallmark’s mission to lead the charge in sustainability. Whether you’re a sustainability enthusiast or simply curious about the future of our planet, this episode is a must-listen.

Plus, Kristin shares a very special announcement about their newest sustainability project and collaboration with BioStar Renewables.

Listen to the full episode here and be part of the journey toward a more sustainable future!

You can learn more about Hallmark and their sustainable mission here.

Listen to full episode here. 
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RENEWables, A Sustainability Podcast is a podcast focused on the energy landscape of today. Everything from emerging renewable energy technologies to sustainability practices to why brands are changing the way they think, RENEWables is a source for current and dynamic conversation about the energy transition. 

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Learn more about BioStar Renewables.

The sun beat down on the large tent in the bustling parking lot as the crowd gathered in its shade. Parked next to the tent, a brand new canteen truck shimmered in the sunlight. A bright red ribbon held the vehicle captive. It was no ordinary truck. It was a lifeline, a symbol of hope and resilience. On August 14th, in St. Marys, Georgia FedEx made its 25th donation of a mobile canteen to The Salvation Army.

At the event, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation. The Salvation Army uses mobile canteens to bring relief to people in crisis. Responding to hurricanes and floods, fires and blizzards, the mobile kitchens are a constant presence, offering hot meals, clean water, and a sense of comfort.

Cheers erupted when the red ribbon was cut, celebrating the relief that the vehicle will bring to so many. Something most attendees didn’t know was that even before the ribbon cutting event, the canteen had already been put to work. Just a week earlier, Hurricane Debby had swept through the region, leaving a trail of destruction. The Salvation Army had immediately deployed the mobile canteen to provide aid to those impacted by the storm.

As the event wrapped up, a sense of gratitude washed over the crowd. They had witnessed the power of generosity and compassion. The 25th mobile canteen is more than just a vehicle; it is a symbol of hope, a lifeline for those in need.

The Salvation Army Service Center in St. Marys, Georgia is now the home of the new canteen. The region, known for its coastal beauty, is no stranger to hurricanes. The canteen will be stationed there, ready to respond to any disaster that might strike.

Its mission won’t be limited to emergencies. It will be used year-round to serve people in need. It will be a mobile beacon of hope, offering comfort and support to those facing hardship.

FedEx began donating mobile canteens to The Salvation Army in 2006. The canteens have helped people affected by flooding in Brazil, fires in Australia, hurricanes in Florida, homelessness in California, and earthquakes in Puerto Rico. They’ve served people in 18 cities across the U.S. and in 7 other countries.

These rolling kitchens of compassion are making a difference as they serve those in need around the world.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

Twisters, from Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., and Amblin, is a current-day chapter of the 1996 blockbuster. The filmmakers were committed to incorporating the latest climate and tornado science into this modern-day story.

The cast and crew were joined by real-life tornado experts throughout production to bring accurate science to the film. This included Kevin Kelleher, former director of the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma, who served as a technical consultant on Twisters as well as the original film. They were also advised by other scientific experts, including NRDC’s Rewrite the Future team who consult across many Universal projects.

Researchers have found that tornado alley – the area of the central U.S. where tornadoes occur most frequently – has been expanding into more highly populated areas of the south-central and southeastern U.S. These changes are making tornadoes more difficult to predict and therefore more difficult for communities to prepare – a dynamic that moviegoers see play out in Twisters. The film partnered with the American Red Cross to support disaster relief efforts.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Filmmakers also worked to bring modern-day climate solutions into the film, with on-screen representation of Oklahoma’s powerful wind industry – where wind energy accounts for more than 40% of total in-state electricity generation1.

The first film inspired so many people to get into weather science and research. I would love if that would happen with this movie and inspire the next generation of scientists.
– Lee Isaac Chung, Twisters director

Twisters and Universal also went beyond the script to engage audiences. This included creating an in-theater sustainability video featuring Twisters director Lee Isaac Chung to help inspire moviegoers in the weeks leading up to the release, as well as participating in the 2024 Hollywood Climate Summit.

Twisters was one of the first films to be greenlit under Universal’s recently launched GreenerLight Program, an initiative that aims to incorporate sustainability across the entire filmmaking process through development, production, and distribution.

Behind the scenes, Twisters had a dedicated sustainability team focused on reducing fuel, plastic, and waste. This included use of mobile batteries, grid ties, and solar-powered trailers to reduce the need for diesel generators, as well as a no-idling policy for cars and trucks. The team also donated excess food from catering, and set materials went to local organizations such as Habitat for Humanity.

Twisters received a Green Seal from the Environmental Media Association, which recognizes efforts in sustainable production.

1 Source: https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=OK#:~:text=Wind%20and%20natural%20gas%20together,and%20natural%20gas%20fueled%2043%25.

By Lisa Bryant

At Dow, we have a long-standing commitment to investing in the health and safety of our employees.

We all have tremendous responsibilities, at work and at home. Managing professional life, family life, and caregiving affects me and thousands of members of Team Dow every day.

The challenges confronting working caregivers have reached unprecedented levels. According to a Stanford study, 75% of working parents struggle to find reliable childcare services. At the same time, the cost of childcare has increased 32% in the last 5 years. And it’s not just about childcare. Caregiving for older individuals, both friends and family members, is a growing demand on working adults, and spans demographic groups.

The employee Total Rewards concept

At Dow, we have a long-standing commitment to investing in the health and safety of our employees. One way we do that is through offering a robust portfolio of employee Total Rewards benefits and wellbeing programs.

Supporting our workforce beyond just the paycheck, with benefits that take into consideration the real demands in people’s lives, is more than just nice to do. This support can lead to lower stress levels, improved employee experiences, higher retention rates, and give employers an edge in attracting and retaining top talent.

That is why we offer a variety of Total Rewards to help our colleagues navigate their lives—from caregiving support, to time away from work, to income protection and other benefits that can help make balancing everything a little easier.

Total Rewards strategies for caregivers

We are always considering the changing world and the needs of employees. To that end, I am excited to say we recently launched a new Childcare Assistance Program and have two new partnerships to enhance the Total Rewards offerings that specifically provide caregiver support.

We recognize the financial commitment related to childcare costs, that’s why, through our new Childcare Assistance Program we provide financial support for dependent care to US employees who qualify, determined by their annual base pay and/or job grade. Through this program, employees who qualify can enroll to receive a $1,500 contribution from Dow to their Dependent Care Flexible Savings Account to use towards qualifying childcare expenses.

The first new partnership is with Cariloop—a leading comprehensive caregiver support platform. Through Cariloop, our North American employees can access a robust content library and suite of digital tools to help plan and manage the care of their loved ones.

When employees need more support, they can work with a Cariloop Care Coach who can guide them through their caregiving journey as well as remove some of the burdens that come with researching and vetting resources.

Our second new partner is TOOTRiS—a trailblazing tech platform specializing in childcare solutions. Through this partnership, Dow employees will gain exclusive access to a diverse range of childcare solutions tailored to each family’s needs.

More options

TOOTRiS offers access to over 200,000 programs across the country including centers, family childcare programs, drop-in, after-school, summer camps, babysitters/nannies, and more.

Improved affordability

In addition to providing access to more options, Dow provides a stipend to help working parents reduce childcare costs when our colleagues are needed to report to work unexpectedly, and emergency childcare is needed.

Real-time availability

Parents will receive 24/7 access to TOOTRiS to easily search and enroll directly with licensed childcare providers and see real-time availability up to 12-months in advance.

Global standards for parental and family support

We put great care into considering the unique needs of families and employee benefits for caregivers. Back in 2021, we set global standards for paid time off for new parents.

These enhancements mean a guaranteed minimum of 16 weeks of parental leave for all new parents, regardless of gender and inclusive of children welcomed through adoption and fostering. At the same time, we set in place a policy for up to 3 weeks of paid time off to care for sick or injured family members.

I am a firm believer that a thoughtfully selected benefits package like Dow’s Total Rewards program leads to improved employee wellbeing, a more resilient workforce, and stronger business outcomes.

But what about you? Could you see yourself on Team Dow?

I invite you to join our Talent Community to learn more about what life at Dow could be like for you—including leads on job opportunities based on your interests.

Lisa Bryant, Chief Human Resources Officer

We can’t say they’re baaaaaaaack . . . because they just arrived for the first time.

What we can say is this. “Ewe” might not believe what you’re seeing this summer in a drive past Enbridge’s Sarnia Solar Project, one of the largest solar energy facilities in Canada.

With help from local sheep farmers Brenten and Meika Pelleboer, we’ve embarked on a novel approach to vegetation management on an 85-acre section of the Sarnia Solar property.

As of mid-July, the Pelleboers’ flock of about 270 Rideau Arcott sheep, plus trusty livestock guardian dogs Ivy and Ned, have moved right in.

It “cud” be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

“When we’re working with our sheep on the solar site, we often find them lying underneath the panels happily chewing their cud, which is a sign of a happy sheep,” says Brenten, adding the panels provide the sheep with a cool, dry place whenever shelter is needed.

Deploying grazing sheep, or goats, to help manage vegetation has been gaining popularity across North America for several years. For a solar facility like Sarnia Solar, there are a litany of potential benefits that the wooly summer interns are sure to provide.

“It’s a pilot program but we’re confident there will be a range of positive outcomes,” says Enbridge Saria Solar Project operations supervisor Ian Robertson. “Debris from conventional mowers can damage panels and there’s risk from motorized equipment igniting dry vegetation. The sheep are also very effective—because they graze right in close to the infrastructure.”

Enbridge will also be watching for potential benefits to the overall biodiversity of the lands, which cover 1,100 acres, house about 1.3 million solar energy panels and generate 80 MW of electricity. The fluffy, four-legged mowers could eliminate the need for pesticides, and also support the growth of native flowering plants like clover, which are preferred by insects, including bees.

Enbridge began operations at Sarnia Solar in 2008. We’ve taken a thoughtful approach when considering the ecosystem across the property, which at one time was farmland.

Along the way, we’ve worked with the Return the Landscape organization to preserve endangered plants and restore woodlands and wetlands. We even saw the introduction of five full honeybee colonies—an estimated total of 400,000 bees—six years ago as part of an ongoing pollinator program.

Our hope is that happily foraging sheep will now take their place in a closely interconnected landscape.

It could be the bee’s knees.

Or “shear” genius.

Or . . . a lamb dunk.

Authenticity is critical to leadership. That means trying to be yourself — this involves some self-disclosure, admitting what you don’t know and being willing to ask questions. 

-Robert S. Kaplan, Emeritus Professor of Leadership at the Harvard Business School

North American Container’s (NAC) specialty products may not be the first thing people think of when IP comes to mind, but it is a team that is quickly making a strong impact with customers. NAC Specialty is thriving because of its leadership team. Marcez Mitchell is the VP of NAC Specialty, and his ability to lead with grace and intentionality has helped this team become what it is today.

NAC Communications Coordinator, Michelle Winetrout, had the opportunity to sit down with Marcez and learn about his leadership philosophy and what his plans are for the future of NAC and IP.

A graduate of Clemson University, Marcez started his IP career as a summer intern in 1999 and gained an array of experiences across the company, including forest resources, procurement and supply planning. By 2020, Marcez took on a director role in Supply Chain, and later, he became general manager for NAC’s bag and molded fiber business in April of 2023. He was promoted to his current leadership role in November of 2023.

Marcez attributes his success to being as authentic as possible, even in challenging situations. He strives not to let a title, department or business modify his DNA, thus allowing him the freedom to be real and personable whether he is in the office or at home, just like his father.

Growing up, Marcez watched his father take on many titles in the church where he worked. No matter the title, his father continued to be himself and was someone people could always rely on. It made him an effective leader.

Marcez strives to reflect his father’s ability to lead the people around him by being authentic, true and, most importantly, “being able to deliver tough news in the way that people can digest rather than pushing people away.” Marcez believes that a great leader can tell the truth with grace no matter the situation. He says that this quality “provides a level of transparency, and with transparency, [one] can more easily develop trust.,” Trust, he asserts, is what builds a great team.

His father also taught him to deliver good news in a “manner that people feel appreciated along the way.” Great leaders learn from the leaders before them, and that is exactly what Marcez has done.

Trust…is what builds a great team.

This leadership philosophy, when applied to NAC Specialty, guides the team towards success through innovation and finding new ways to say “yes” to the customer. Marcez believes that in order to strengthen the NAC Specialty businesses — paper bags, molded fiber, Enhanced Graphics Solutions, SpaceKraft®, and the specialty retail and packaging display group — they have to take risks and take on new ideas that build off of older practices. NAC Specialty has always made money, he says, but being satisfied with that will only move the business horizontally. To move vertically, they have embraced the profitability mindset. NAC Specialty has just begun to scratch the surface of what they can offer to IP.

There is a world of opportunity for NAC Specialty, and Marcez is ready to lead the group every step of the way. He believes that this is one of the most exciting areas of IP to be a part of given the magnitude of opportunity on the horizon. The growing support behind the Specialty business has allowed for the team’s innovative ideas and rapid growth, and, through any successes or failures, Marcez has held close to his values and is diligently leading NAC Specialty with authenticity and trust.

About International Paper
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global producer of sustainable packaging, pulp and other fiber-based products, and one of the world’s largest recyclers. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 39,000 colleagues globally who are committed to creating what’s next. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2023 were $18.9 billion. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com/.

Sofidel

According to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA), in 2023 sustainable investments in major financial markets will reach a 44% share of all assets under management in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, and Europe, totaling $44 billion invested in green assets. The European fund market is the second largest in the world after the United States, with nearly €12 trillion of assets under management distributed in 30,000 funds, and according to data collected from MSCI – an international rating company – at the end of April 2023, the majority of this amount, i.e. €7 trillion, is invested in ESG funds or strategies.

The growth of sustainable finance is evident. According to the rating company Morningstar, since the SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation) came into effect in 2021, the number of European sustainability-related investment funds have grown from 3,700 to 6,150, an increase of 66%. Morningstar points out, however, that after some checks, more than 1,200 funds were removed from the list of sustainable investments due to ambiguities in official communication.

Read more about topics related to environmental and social sustainability, themes and projects close to us in terms of culture and corporate modus operandi on our Soft&Green blog.