Building An Enduring Company: Covia Releases 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report

Covia — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:15:00 -0400

Covia Holdings LLC has released its 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report, highlighting the company’s commitment to responsibly providing minerals solutions for a better tomorrow while continuing to build an enduring company, the right way. For Covia, that means creating lasting value for the company’s customers and communities while prioritizing safety and responsible stewardship.

The report reflects a year focused on strengthening the company’s foundation. Throughout 2025, Covia remained focused on protecting its people, operating with discipline, and investing in the leadership, systems, and processes that drive consistency and excellence across every site. As in previous years, the report details progress towards the company’s 2030 Goals, underscoring Covia’s commitment to environmental stewardship, positive social impact, strong governance, and ethical business practices.

Looking ahead, Bruno Biasiotta, President and Chief Executive Officer, shared his perspective:

“I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished and excited about the work that lies ahead as we continue building an enduring company. As this report shows, we are committed to doing that the right way.”

Read the full 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report

Fast Retailing Highlights the Role of Long-Term Partnerships in Sustainability Progress

Cascale — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:55:00 -0400

Fast Retailing convened media, industry experts, and collaborators in London and New York City for annual media events focused on the group’s sustainability efforts.

In London, approximately 20 journalists from trade, business, and international media gathered in London recently for the event, moderated by fashion sustainability voice Rachel Arthur, to explore the role of long-term partnerships, supply chain visibility, decarbonization, and circularity in advancing sustainability across the apparel value chain.

Opening the event, Taku Morikawa, chief executive officer of UNIQLO Europe, reflected on a recent visit to Moldova, where the company works with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and other international NGOs to provide emergency clothing relief for Ukrainian refugees. The event then moved into a broader discussion of Fast Retailing’s sustainability strategy, led by Odilia d’Aramon-Guepin, corporate PR and sustainability director, UNIQLO Europe.

D’Aramon-Guepin shared progress against the company’s climate goals, including a reported 90 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions across its own operations. She also highlighted Fast Retailing’s decision to increase its Scope 3 emissions reduction target from 20 percent to 30 percent by 2030, reflecting the company’s ambition to drive greater impact across its supply chain.

A common thread throughout the presentation was the importance of long-term supplier relationships. Many of Fast Retailing’s manufacturing partners have worked with the company for decades, creating the trust and stability needed to support investments in sustainability improvements.

That theme continued during a panel discussion on supply chain decarbonization featuring Kazumi Yanai, group senior executive officer at Fast Retailing, and Lee Green, vice president, marketing, communications & public affairs at Cascale.

Panelists highlighted fragmentation and supply chain complexity as major barriers to progress where oftentimes suppliers serve multiple customers with duplicate demands.

“Most emissions sit in the supply chain, not in a brand’s own operations,” said Green. “The question is no longer whether solutions exist. The question is how we create the conditions that allow them to scale.”

Drawing on insights from Cascale’s Better Buying program, Green emphasized the role that commercial relationships play in enabling sustainability progress. “Long-term relationships create something incredibly important: predictability,” he said. “Suppliers will invest if the relationship itself is deemed investible.”

He noted that when manufacturers have confidence in future business, they are more willing to make long-term investments in renewable energy, cleaner technologies, and operational improvements.

Yanai shared how its long-standing supplier partnerships have supported investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other emissions reduction initiatives, helping build confidence in the company’s ability to strengthen its Scope 3 targets.

The event also explored the growing importance of traceability and responsible sourcing. A discussion featuring Tomoya Utsuno, director (Materials), production department at Fast Retailing, and sustainable fashion journalist and consultant Megan Doyle examined how brands are working to gain greater visibility into their supply chains.

The final discussion focused on circularity and Fast Retailing’s collaboration with Central Saint Martins. Maria Ledous, Sustainability Manager at UNIQLO Europe Limited, and graduate designer Haseeb Hassan shared how the partnership challenged students to transform returned UNIQLO garments into commercially viable products while remaining true to the company’s LifeWear philosophy.

The resulting “Everyday Reimagined” collection will be introduced through RE.UNIQLO Studio locations across Europe, providing an opportunity to explore how circular design concepts can be scaled in a retail environment.

In the New York City programming, speakers similarly elevated the importance of Fast Retailing’s Scope 3 emissions reduction pathway, long-term supplier relationships, and innovative consumer-focused circular collaborations. Over 15 journalists and guests attended this intimate event.

Consultant Michael Sadowski moderated the sessions, joined by returning panelists Kazumi Yanai and Tomoya Utsuno from Fast Retailing. Cascale’s editorial director Kaley Roshitsh and Worldly’s Paula Bernstein, associate director of sustainability science, also contributed to sessions on emissions and traceability.

In highlighting the group’s emissions-reduction milestones, Fast Retailing’s Yanai stressed the necessity of “meeting commitments together” with suppliers.

Roshitsh highlighted the mutual benefits of this approach. “The No. 1 thing [suppliers] want is commercial predictability. That comes from long-term relationships where you know what order volume is coming.”

In the next session, Fast Retailing’s Utsuno and Worldly’s Bernstein explained the benefits of traceability. Utsuno outlined efforts to build stronger relationships further upstream in its supply chain, supported by systems that provide visibility into Tier 3 suppliers and raw material origins.

He highlighted the Australian Merino wool initiative as an example of how direct engagement with upstream partners can support traceability, responsible sourcing, and product quality. Bernstein, meanwhile, emphasized that a traceable supply chain is a resilient one.

In the final panel, Waste Management’s head of sustainability growth solutions Raymond Randall and Jean Emmanuel Shein, sustainability director at Uniqlo USA, spoke on a unique collaboration tackling waste at the point of item departure: the dreaded apartment move.

The collaboration between Uniqlo, Piece of Cake Moving and Storage, and Waste Management is called UNTRASH IT, and similarly, followed years of relationship-building.

The panelists touted the ease of the initiative with Uniqlo’s Shein joking about the importance of the “smell test” in determining an item’s next useful life. The collaboration foresees expansion plans outside of New York City into Dallas and Los Angeles.

Across both events, a common conclusion emerged. Whether addressing decarbonization, traceability, or circularity, progress depends on trust, collaboration, and the confidence to invest in long-term change. As one networking attendee remarked, “Why don’t more brands present like this?”

Brightly Achieves First-Ever Carbon Project Registration for Food Recovery

SCS Global Services — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:00:00 -0400

BOSTON, July 7, 2026 /3BL/ - Brightly, a climate technology company creating new funding opportunities for food banks and food rescue organizations, today announced that its food recovery carbon project has become the first project registered under Verra's VM0046 Methodology for Reducing Food Loss and Waste. The registration was completed through Verra, which administers the world's largest voluntary carbon credit program. The milestone advances a new funding model for organizations that reduce hunger while preventing food waste.

Brightly's food recovery carbon project quantifies greenhouse gas emissions avoided when surplus food is recovered and redistributed for human consumption rather than becoming waste. By measuring and monetizing these avoided emissions, Brightly aims to create new funding opportunities for food banks and food rescue organizations while reducing methane emissions associated with food loss and waste.

The registration follows years of data collection, greenhouse gas accounting, methodology implementation, and independent validation conducted by SCS Global Services, an internationally recognized third-party certification body. The project now advances toward final credit issuance by Verra.

"Food recovery organizations generate tremendous environmental value every day, but historically there has been no mechanism to recognize or finance that impact at scale," said Nico Dobler, Vice President of Climate Solutions at Brightly. "Becoming the first project registered under Verra's VM0046 methodology demonstrates that the climate benefits of food recovery can be measured with rigor, transparency, and credibility while creating a pathway for food banks and food rescue organizations to access new sources of funding."

"This project represents a hopeful new era in food waste accounting and methane mitigation. As the assessor for the first registered VM0046 project, SCS was proud to bring our validation expertise to this innovative and impactful project type," said Heather Rosa, Program Director of GHG Energy, Industry, and Agriculture at SCS Global Services. "Brightly’s accountability, transparency, and constructive engagement supported an efficient independent review of a complex, first-of-its-kind project. Their success also reflects the strength of their partnerships with the participating food recovery organizations and their collaborative approach that made this milestone possible.”

Food loss and waste is a massive driver of the climate crisis, accounting for 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When left to rot, it becomes one of the largest sources of methane, a climate superpollutant with a global warming potential 80 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year horizon. By recovering surplus food before it enters the waste stream, food recovery organizations do far more than strengthen food security and improve system efficiency; they deploy a highly effective, immediate lever for slashing near-term atmospheric warming.

Participating food banks and food rescue organizations, including members of the Feeding America network, as well as Midwest Food Bank, Sharing Excess and more than two dozen other independent non-profit organizations, assign the climate benefits associated with recovered food to Brightly, enabling those benefits to be measured, verified, and ultimately monetized through carbon markets. Upon issuance, the project is expected to represent one of the largest efforts to quantify and monetize the climate benefits of food recovery at scale.

Additional information regarding credit issuance will be provided following completion of Verra's review process.

About Brightly
Brightly helps organizations measure, verify, and monetize the climate impact of food recovery. Through advanced data analytics, climate accounting expertise, and deep partnerships across the food recovery ecosystem, Brightly works to transform surplus food into measurable environmental and social impact. For more information, visit brightly.earth.

About SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services is an international leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, and auditing. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and celebrating over 40 years in business, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. SCS is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. For more information, visit www.SCSGlobalServices.com.

Media Contacts:
Leah Lefco
LLS PR & Communications
LeahLLSPR@gmail.com
(404) 368-0778

Rachel Barnhart
SCS Global Services
rbarnhart@scsglobalservices.com

Lenovo Recognized in the Gartner® Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026

Lenovo — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:40:00 -0400

Note: The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25: Insights on Leaders was republished on the 1st of July as the ranking was updated to include ESG data that was mis-reported in the initial version. With this update, Lenovo moved to No. 5 in the global top 25 ranking. An updated version of this document is now available on gartner.com.

July 7, 2026 /3BL/ - Lenovo has once again been ranked in the Gartner® Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026, achieving its highest-ever ranking at fifth globally. The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 is a renowned annual ranking of the world’s superior supply chains. Now in its 22nd year, the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 identifies, celebrates and profiles excellence in supply chain management. Supply chain teams use the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 to benchmark performance, transform operations and lead in the future. Lenovo ranked eighth in 2025, 10th in 2024, and eighth in 2023.

AI Builds Greater Supply Chain Resilience

Global supply chains have faced unprecedented disruption over the past 12 months, driven by tariffs, component shortages, and geopolitical tensions. Lenovo’s strength amid these challenging circumstances has been its ability to build on its AI infrastructure behind its global supply chain, improving resilience, adaptability and execution at speed and scale.

Over the past year, Lenovo has evolved its Supply Chain Intelligence “digital nervous system” to develop iChain, a continuously learning orchestration system that coordinates thousands of suppliers and more than 30 manufacturing sites globally. iChain is delivering tangible results for Lenovo’s supply chain operations, including 60% faster decision-making, near real-time disruption response, and a 90% automation of network simulations that reduces manual analysis from two to three weeks down to two to three hours.

Lenovo remains committed to sustainability and continues to focus on future-proofing its operations by making the supply chain more resilient and intelligent.

“At Lenovo, we’ve always considered our Global Supply Chain as a key pillar of our operational excellence,” said Che Min Tu, Senior Vice President and Group Operations Officer, Lenovo. “Over the past 12 months, the ability to respond quickly to disruption has become essential for every business. By fully integrating AI into our operations, we’ve been able to meet our customer needs more quickly and respond to complex situations. We not only withstand disruption; we become stronger because of it. It’s this approach that’s helped Lenovo navigate changing market conditions, maintain a competitive advantage, and deliver its strongest year in the company’s history.”

Resilience Delivers Measurable Business Results

This resilience is translating into business performance. Lenovo retained its number one position in global PC market share, with the gap to the second-ranked competitor widening to its largest level in 15 years.

At the same time, integrating the Infrastructure Solutions Group supply chain into the broader global network has helped accelerate growth in Lenovo’s infrastructure business, supporting record operating profit and margins.

As global supply chains continue to grow more complex, Lenovo’s model is evolving beyond the high-volume PC business, where a single device can include an average of 2,500 components, to meet hypergrowth demand for AI infrastructure, enterprise solutions, and next-generation workloads. This positions Lenovo to maintain leadership in the global supply chain landscape by scaling AI server manufacturing, expanding liquid-cooled server capacity, and strengthening its global-local manufacturing network.

Lenovo’s Global, Anti-Fragile Supply Chain Strategy

Today, Lenovo’s supply chain spans more than 30 manufacturing sites in 10 markets across Asia Pacific, China, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, North America, and South America. Last year, Lenovo broke ground on a new manufacturing base in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Once operational, the advanced manufacturing facility will manufacture PCs, smartphones, and servers for the Middle East and Africa market, and will include a research and development center, talent enablement programs, and a customer experience center. Lenovo is committed to supporting the creation of thousands of local jobs, enabling knowledge transfer, and driving long-term economic value creation in Saudi Arabia.

In addition, Lenovo’s manufacturing site in Monterrey, Mexico, was recently recognized as one of 12 new additions to the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, a community of 201 leading manufacturers recognized for applying advanced technologies at scale. It is the second Lenovo site to receive this recognition, following the company’s site in Hefei, China, which was recognized in January 2023.

In September 2025, Lenovo announced a major investment and job expansion at its U.S. manufacturing and fulfilment campus in Whitsett, North Carolina. The three‑building campus spans more than 800,000 square feet and employs approximately 1,100 people. The site supports server manufacturing, rack integration, and order fulfilment for customers across the United States.

How are companies ranked in the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25?

A Top 25 supply chain ranking is based on an equal weighting of business metrics and community opinion.

Business metrics comprise financial and environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics. Financial metrics are based on a combination of three-year weighted return on physical assets (ROPA), ROPA change and revenue growth, plus inventory turns across the year. ESG data is derived from trusted third-party sources in the areas of commitment, transparency and performance across each area of ESG.

Community opinion is based on the feedback of peer voters from the community and Gartner experts. Peer voters cast votes for their personal choice of the Top 25 supply chains. They base their decisions on perceived end-to-end supply chain maturity and leadership, specifically the supply chains that are run as strategic assets to deliver business and societal outcomes by partnering beyond their own organizations and that are thriving through uncertainty.

Read the full Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026 Report here.

Gartner Press Release: Gartner Announces 2026 Rankings of the Global Supply Chain Top 25

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s Research & Advisory organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About Lenovo

Lenovo is a US$83 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #196 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Guided by its vision of “Smarter Technology for All”, Lenovo is executing a Hybrid AI strategy that spans Personal AI – one personal AI, multiple devices; and Enterprise AI – helping customers turn data into insights and value. This strategy is delivered through the Group’s commitment to world-class innovation and a full-stack AI portfolio, including devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets, accessories), infrastructure solutions (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), as well as software, solutions, and services. With a global footprint spanning more than 20 research and development locations and a global supply chain that includes more than 30 manufacturing sites across 10 markets, Lenovo is widely recognized for its operational excellence. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). Learn more at www.lenovo.com and follow the latest news in our newsroom.

AccountAbility in a Leadership Dialogue With the Former CEO & President of Saudi Aramco – Mr. Abdallah S. Jum’ah

AccountAbility — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:20:00 -0400

NEW YORK and LONDON, July 7, 2026 /3BL/ - AccountAbility, today, announced the publication of an exclusive conversation between Mr. Abdallah S. Jum'ah, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Aramco, and Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility, in the June 2026 issue of AccountAbility in a Sustainable World Quarterly (ASWQ).

Drawing on a career that spanned more than four decades, Mr. Jum'ah reflects on the experiences and principles that shaped his leadership journey, from joining Aramco as a young mailroom attendant to leading one of the world's largest energy companies.

The conversation explores the qualities that define exceptional leaders, including humility, trust, and mutual respect.

"Humility is not a question of being weak in front of others. Humility is the ability to know yourself, knowing your weaknesses and strengths, but the most important aspect of humility is recognizing that you, as a leader, do not have all the answers. If you realize that you do not have the answers, then you can build the right team." said Mr. Abdallah S. Jum'ah, former CEO and President of Aramco.

Throughout the interview, Mr. Jum'ah explores how these principles supported him in building high-performing teams, fostering innovation, and creating an organizational culture focused on long-term success.

"From the very beginning, I decided to hire people who are much smarter than I am. People say do not bring a strong man or woman to work for you, but I am against that. A strong individual will strengthen me, a weak individual will weaken me. I hope that I built a powerful team of tigers.", said Mr. Jum’ah.

Throughout the discussion, Mr. Jum'ah reflects that, empowering people, embracing diverse perspectives, and encouraging continuous learning will ultimately create an environment where individuals will be able to contribute their best. Leadership, he suggests, is strengthened by curiosity, cultural understanding, and a willingness to learn from others.

"Religion is very important in human life. Religion brings strong values to all its followers. There is no religion that will encourage you to kill, maim, or do bad things. All religions tell you to be a good person. To understand people, to understand what makes them tick, and to respect them, you have to understand something about their beliefs.", he added.

The conversation traces several themes that have shaped Mr. Jum'ah's leadership philosophy, including:

Building teams that are, collectively, stronger than the individual leader.
Leading with humility by recognizing both one's strengths and limitations.
Creating cultures founded on trust, respect, and continuous learning.
Recognizing character and emotional intelligence as technical expertise.

The interview closes with a broader reflection that lasting leadership is measured not just by business performance, but by the people developed, the culture established, and the organization left behind.

"Leadership is often discussed in terms of strategy and performance. This conversation is, yet another, reminder that organizations are ultimately built by people and comprised of people. Humility, trust, respect, and investing in others remain among the most enduring qualities of effective leadership," said Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser, Chief Executive Officer of AccountAbility.

The full conversation, "Reflections of a Distinguished Executive Officer: A Conversation Between Mr. Abdallah S. Jum'ah and Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser," appears in the latest edition of Accountability in a Sustainable World Quarterly here.

You can watch the full video interview here.

About AccountAbility

AccountAbility is an expert international Sustainability Advisory and Standards firm. Established in 1995 and structured as a Public Benefit Corporation, we work with businesses, investors, governments, and multilateral organizations to innovate and lead the global sustainability agenda by improving the practices and performance of organizations. We focus on delivering practical, effective, and enduring results that enable our clients and standards users to succeed.

AccountAbility operates globally from offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai, supported by a highly qualified team recognized by the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International. AccountAbility is also acknowledged in the U.S. Library of Congress as a source of ESG & sustainability research and thought leadership.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:

Mr. Jon Damon

jon.damon@accountability.org
Chief Operating Officer
AccountAbility

Website: www.accountability.org

Institutions Cut 224,000 Metric Tons of CO₂ Through EPEAT Registered Procurement

Global Electronics Council — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:17:00 -0400

PORTLAND, Ore., July 7, 2026 /3BL/ – Leading a global movement toward responsible technology, the Global Electronics Council^® (GEC) today proudly unveiled the winners of the 2026 EPEAT^® Purchaser Awards. This year’s honorees have demonstrated the extraordinary power of intentional procurement, making collective purchasing decisions that eliminated 224,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, an impact equivalent to removing roughly 48,000 passenger cars from the road for an entire year.

The annual EPEAT Purchaser Awards celebrate visionary institutions that actively prioritize EPEAT registered products. In doing so, these organizations do more than meet internal sustainability milestones; they fundamentally shift the market toward responsible electronic supply chains. Highlighting the intersection of institutional mission and environmental stewardship, this year’s cohort features the University of California, Santa Barbara, showcasing how educational institutions are uniquely positioned to champion social and environmental responsibility.

Showcasing the immense power of university procurement to drive systemic environmental change, the University of California, Santa Barbara stands out as a premier honoree this year.

"As institutions of higher education, we have a responsibility not only to teach sustainability but also to practice it. Institutional procurement can account for a significant share of supply chain emissions, making sustainable purchasing one of our strongest tools for reducing environmental impact" explained Jen Bowser, Sustainable Procurement Program Manager. "Receiving the 2026 EPEAT Purchaser Award recognizes the collective efforts of staff, faculty, and students across UC Santa Barbara to make sustainability part of everyday decision-making and reflects our commitment to purchasing electronics that support both our campus community and the future of our planet."

The awards also spotlighted global leadership in the public sector, honoring the Scottish Government for an incredible eighth consecutive year. Their enduring commitment underscores how national procurement frameworks can actively build a sustainable future.

"These frameworks continue to support Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions through the circular economy and environmental best practice,” said Calum Elliot, Deputy Director, National Collaborative Procurement Division. “We can only achieve this with the support of our wider public sector colleagues, and our gratitude goes to them, our suppliers, and the Global Electronics Council for helping us move towards our sustainability goals.”

By collectively purchasing more than 1.5 million EPEAT registered products, the 2026 award winners did not just protect the planet—they also demonstrated that responsible procurement is smart business, securing an estimated $43 million in operational savings over the lifecycles of the products. Beyond massive greenhouse gas reductions, this year's winners achieved remarkable conservation milestones across the board, collectively reducing:

978 gigawatt-hours of energy, enough to power 80,500 average US households for a year.
20,400 metric tons of solid waste, matching the annual waste output of 11,000 US households.
2.25 billion liters of water, saving enough water to fill 903 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

"This year's winners demonstrate that when leadership and sustainability converge, the environmental dividends are immense," remarked Bob Mitchell, CEO of the Global Electronics Council. "EPEAT is proud to empower these trailblazers with the tools they need to confidently advance their impact goals, protect vital resources, and lead the global marketplace toward a more responsible future."

By choosing EPEAT registered products, the 2026 award winners are doing more than reducing their own footprint—they are establishing a bold blueprint for institutions worldwide. The Global Electronics Council applauds these pioneers and invites organizations everywhere to join this vital movement, leverage their purchasing power, and help accelerate the transition to a sustainable, circular economy.

To learn more about the EPEAT Purchaser Awards and view the full list of 2026 recipients, visit: globalelectronicscouncil.org/epeat-purchaser-awards.

Global Electronics Council

The Global Electronics Council (GEC) envisions a world with only sustainable electronic technology that enhances the well-being of people and planet. Our mission is to accelerate the transformation of markets toward prioritizing the most sustainable electronic products and services.

As stewards of the EPEAT ecolabel, we set global standards for electronics that empower brands, their value chains and their buyers to achieve ambitious sustainability goals. Through our thought leadership, advocacy, and EPEAT ecolabel, GEC is helping to reshape the electronics industry into a driving force for environmental preservation and global well-being.

Our EPEAT Ecolabel

We are stewards of the EPEAT ecolabel – the definitive global standard to drive change across the technology sector from extraction to end of life. EPEAT enables manufacturers to follow strict third party verified standards while providing transparency for buyers.

Since its launch in 2006, procurement professionals have reported purchases of over 3.2 billion EPEAT products, generating cost savings exceeding 39 billion USD and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 370 million metric tonnes.

Media Contact

Erik Fessler

Senior Manager, Global Communications

Global Electronics Council

Direct Line: +1 (971) 380-4088

U.S. Eastern Time Zone

efessler@gec.org

Meet L.D.: Investing in the Future Beyond Himself

Henkel — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0400

At Henkel, our pioneers are driven by an unwavering spirit to explore, create, and transform possibilities into progress and improve life for generations to come. Learn their stories.

In this story, you will discover:

Growing What Lasts: What beekeeping and environmental engineering have in common and how those skills led him to Henkel
Leading by Example: How L.D. approaches his role as part teacher, part coach, and part trainer
Future? Ready!: How L.D. helps prepare the next generation to build a better future

Introducing L.D. Pierce

L.D. Pierce, Senior Manager Environmental and Sustainability, Henkel Consumer Brands in the Americas, supports factories and warehouses in ensuring environmental compliance and advancing sustainability efforts. From helping teams drive lasting sustainability progress at Henkel to beekeeping, he brings the same commitment to sustainability to every part of his life.

L.D. shares what inspires him to be a pioneer for good

Growing What Lasts

After 15 years as a beekeeper, L.D. Pierce understands that caring for pollinators is about more than honey; it’s a way of protecting the biodiversity of the planet and resources we rely on today while working to improve them for the future. L.D. cares for 70 beehives and has planted acres of natural prairie grasses and flowers to help provide nectar and pollen for his bees. The key to his success over the years is knowing that the work requires patience, steady attention and a commitment to building the right conditions over time because healthy systems take time to form.

That same sense of patience and care shapes the way he thinks about environmental work across Henkel sites too. Early in his career, L.D. learned that meaningful outcomes in sustainability do not happen overnight.

“A lot of the things that I wanted to do with my career in environmental engineering, I would never see the results because it’ll take 50, maybe 75 years, for those things to take root and become standard in the world,” he says.

That steady perspective is partly what drew him to Henkel. When L.D. interviewed for his role, he was struck by the depth of information the company shared publicly about sustainability. He quickly realized he had found a company that shared his commitment to doing the right thing and understood the seriousness of the work it would take to see results. Henkel’s clear sense of purpose and willingness to invest in initiatives whose full impact may not be seen for years, made a lasting impression.

We are not doing sustainability for profit. We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do. That commitment, from the highest level of the company to the factory floor, speaks volumes. It makes me proud to be here.
L.D. Pierce, Senior Manager Environmental and Sustainability, Henkel Consumer Brands in the Americas

Leading by Example

That same sense of purpose and passion for environmental work inspired L.D.’s daughter to also pursue environmental engineering. She began her career at Henkel in a role at the Bowling Green, KY factory—applying without telling her father. Her path reflected more than a shared profession. It showed how a commitment to caring for the environment can be passed from one generation to the next and the importance of establishing your career at a company that shares your values.

Motivating those around him is also how L.D. shows up at Henkel. He focuses on guiding teams and helping people build the confidence, knowledge and capability to move forward. “You can’t teach someone to do their job by doing it for them,” he says. “I really work to be a support function of coach, a trainer, a teacher to the factories.”

One example L.D. points to is his support of the Dial® brand’s GreenCircle certifications at Henkel’s West Hazleton, PA site, partnering with manufacturing, innovation, sales and marketing teams to help validate sustainable production practices for a select range of Dial® soaps. For L.D., the certification demonstrates the kind of collaboration and follow-through that sustainability efforts require daily.

Future? Ready!

As Henkel celebrates its 150th anniversary, the company looks back with pride and looks ahead with confidence to continue to reimagine and shape the future. L.D. takes that to heart ensuring sustainability is built into his work and life every day and helping the next generation carry it forward.

L.D. does that as an adjunct professor at The University of Toledo, teaching environmental engineering. He draws on his real industry experience to connect lectures to the practical challenges students may face in their careers.

If we don’t pass on our knowledge to the next generation, they won’t be able to grow, innovate and learn from everything we’ve done. It’s really about preparing people to be better than us in the future.
L.D. Pierce, Senior Manager Environmental and Sustainability, Henkel Consumer Brands in the Americas

For L.D., teaching is one more reminder that meaningful progress happens over time. The changes set in motion today, whether at the farm, at Henkel or in the classroom, may take years to fully take hold. That is exactly the point: creating something now that future generations can take further.

GoDaddy Reveals 2026 Most Entrepreneurial Cities; Zillow Spotlights the Real Estate Trends Fueling Their Growth

GoDaddy — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

TEMPE, Ariz., July 7, 2026 /3BL/ - GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) recently revealed its 2026 list of America’s Most Entrepreneurial Cities, with San Antonio, Texas, claiming the top spot. For the first time since launching the annual list, GoDaddy partnered with Zillow (Nasdaq: Z, ZG) to spotlight housing data for each market.

The rankings reveal a continued shift: small business growth isn't concentrated in a handful of expected hubs. It's taking hold in cities of every size, from major metros to places that rarely make these lists. Building on last year's finding that size doesn't determine entrepreneurial success, the 2026 data shows that pattern deepening, with an even more geographically diverse mix rising to prominence. Factors driving entrepreneurship often include real estate costs, talent migration, tax incentives, and remote work flexibility.

"The footprint of American entrepreneurship is shifting deeper into non-traditional places,” said Alexandra Rosen, GoDaddy’s small business economist. "The idea that you need to be in a major coastal city to build something has evolved. Whether it’s a traditional storefront with a digital presence or an online side hustle, entrepreneurs are sustaining momentum and showing there's growing opportunity in every part of the country.”

What Zillow’s Housing Insights Say About the Most Entrepreneurial Cities
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab created the 2026 list by determining the cities with the highest rate of business growth during the previous calendar year.

Zillow’s data, including this year's home values, rent prices, and Market Heat Index, adds housing-market context for each breakout hub. For every Most Entrepreneurial City, Zillow details whether home values and rents sit above or below national averages, and whether a market favors buyers or sellers via the Market Heat Index.

"A thriving local economy and a thriving housing market tend to go hand in hand,” says Zillow Chief Economist Mischa Fisher, “When housing is attainable and plentiful, entrepreneurs feel more confident putting down roots and businesses find it easier to attract and keep talent. The pandemic fundamentally changed where people want to live and work, and new energy flowed to markets outside of the traditional hotspots. The map of economic opportunity has been redrawn along with it."

*Zillow data provides insight into the housing market trends for these cities, however it did not factor into the rankings of the cities. The Most Entrepreneurial Cities list was determined by GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab data.

Key Findings and Market Trends

San Antonio Emerges as the Nation’s Top Entrepreneurial Hub
San Antonio’s first-place ranking shows strong momentum and the highest rate of small business growth at 11% year over year. For every small business added in the San Antonio area, five new jobs are created, driving economic benefits for the surrounding community. Zillow data shows the city maintains a highly stable housing foundation, featuring a balanced Market Heat Index score of 50, representing a neutral housing market, favoring neither buyers nor sellers, with below-average home and rent values.

The Great Migration South: Founders Planting Roots in the Sun Belt
Texas, Florida, and New Mexico accounted for half of the cities on the list, underscoring continued entrepreneurial momentum across the Sun Belt. This region attracts founders with financial incentives, including no state personal income taxes in Florida and Texas. Past research has found that migration from other states and countries drives higher rates of new small businesses in the area. Zillow data, however, reveals founders across these two states are navigating very different housing environments. San Antonio, El Paso, and Albuquerque are below the national average for home values, making cost of living more affordable, while Miami and Tampa are above the national average for rent.

One small business founder in Miami, Florida, Anik Sahai, co-founder of Ethics Lab with Michael Gomez, a youth-focused organization shaping conversations around AI ethics, shared what he appreciates about this region. "South Florida's entrepreneurial ecosystem is built on a culture of collaboration and forward-looking innovation. For young builders, it provides a unique environment where you can connect across industries, find mentorship, and turn complex, real-world problems into scalable AI solutions. It is an incredible place to build."

The Surprising Standouts
Some cities in the top 10 demand a second look. Washington, D.C. - a city synonymous with big government - earned a top 10 spot on the strength of new business formations, while in New York it's the Bronx, not Manhattan, leading the way. Zillow's data shows the trend spans every kind of housing market, underscoring that there's no wrong place to start a business.

To learn more about the 2026 Most Entrepreneurial Cities, including additional city data, comprehensive interactive maps, Zillow housing insights, or to get more information on GoDaddy’s Small Business Research Lab, visit announcements.godaddy/3bl-us-mec2026.

About GoDaddy
GoDaddy, the world's largest domain name registrar, helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo®, the company's AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy's expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

About GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence, defined by a unique domain and active website. Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, classifying them as microbusinesses. Since 2019, the program has surveyed more than 70,000 entrepreneurs, making it a leading source of data and insights on microbusiness trends. To learn more, visit us.godaddy/research.

About Zillow Group

Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people.

As the most visited real estate app and website in the United States, Zillow connects hundreds of millions of consumers with innovative technology, trusted agents and loan officers, and seamless digital solutions. With industry-leading tools and resources, Zillow supercharges real estate professionals so they can grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client experiences. For renters and housing providers, Zillow offers not only a robust marketplace but a set of end-to-end products and services to streamline applications, leases, payments and more.

Zillow’s ecosystem spans the entire home journey — from dreaming and shopping to renting, buying, selling and financing.

Zillow Group’s affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans®, Zillow Rentals®, Zillow® New Construction, Trulia®, StreetEasy®, Out East®, HotPads®, Follow Up Boss®, ShowingTime®, dotloop® and Zillow® Closing.

All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/). © 2026 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.

Enhancing Roadway Safety: Deploying Pi-lit® Impact Detection Technology

Ray C. Anderson Foundation — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:40:00 -0400

The Ray is moving beyond research to deploy real-time technology that makes transportation systems more responsive, durable, and safe. One of their most impactful collaborations is with Pi-lit®, a leader in roadway safety solutions with 13 years of experience developing US-made products. Together, they are converting passive highway hardware into a Roadway Ground Truth platform that alerts agencies to incidents in real time.

The Challenge: Silent Infrastructure

Safety hardware such as guardrails, crash cushions, and cable barriers is critical for protecting drivers in crashes. However, maintaining these assets across thousands of miles is a massive operational challenge. Historically, there has been no formal reporting mechanism for the status of these assets; DOTs often wouldn't know a barrier was damaged until a manual inspection or a third-party report. This lack of visibility can lead to dangerous situations in which a previously damaged crash cushion fails to provide adequate protection during a subsequent incident.

The Solution: Pi-lit® Impact Detection System (IDS™)

To bridge this information gap, The Ray partnered with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to deploy the Pi-lit® Impact Detection System (IDS™).

How it Works: The IDS™ consists of smart, cellular-connected sensors that mount directly onto critical signage, guardrails, and cable barriers.

Real-Time Alerts: Within 60 seconds of a vehicle impact, the system sends automated SMS and email alerts to maintenance crews.

Precision Data: These alerts provide the exact location and time of unreported hits, ensuring critical hardware is repaired immediately.

Smart Features: The sensors even record their initial orientation; if a sign falls over due to an impact, the system alerts the team that the sign is no longer providing vital information to motorists.

Impact on The Ray Highway and Beyond

Following a successful one-year pilot, GDOT is expanding the Pi-lit® system across Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, and the Georgia Coast. This expansion helps GDOT investigate how smart guardrails can enhance safety on winding roads, congested corridors, and coastal highways.

Beyond immediate safety, the partnership provides several operational benefits:

Reduced Response Times: Maintenance and emergency response teams can be mobilized faster, often integrated with CCTV cameras to enhance situational awareness.

Revenue Recovery: By documenting the exact time of impact, agencies can better identify responsible parties and recover costs for damaged infrastructure—up to $15,000 per event.

Post-Storm Assessment: The sensors are even being used to help GDOT assess roadway debris after severe storms by detecting impacts on or near the pavement.

A Vision for Connected Safety

The Ray's partnership with Pi-lit® is built on a shared vision to accelerate road safety improvements. By enabling infrastructure to see beyond its physical presence and communicate directly with agencies and, eventually, connected vehicles, they are creating a future in which every journey is protected by a layer of connected intelligence.

Together, The Ray and Pi-lit® are ensuring that highways are no longer just passive paths, but active participants in safeguarding every driver on the road.

SBTi's Version 2.0 Puts the Emphasis Where It Belongs: Implementation

Antea Group — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Key Takeaways

SBTi's Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0, released in June 2026, is the most significant revision of the framework since its 2021 debut.
The headline changes—a best-efforts framework, greater Scope 3 flexibility, tighter links between targets and governance, and a stronger emphasis on implementation and continuous improvement—all point in a single direction.
That direction is the one practitioners have understood for years: setting a target was never the hard part. Delivering against it is.
Companies with validated targets do not need to resubmit under Version 2.0. The work is decarbonization and demonstrable progress, not re-validation.
For companies still weighing science-based targets, Version 2.0 reinforces an important reality: Success depends far more on the quality of your decarbonization plan than on the ambition of your target.

The Challenge Evolves: SBTi Released Version 2.0

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) released Version 2.0 of its Corporate Net-Zero Standard on June 11, 2026, the first full revision since the Standard launched in 2021.

The technical changes have drawn most of the attention, and understandably so. Version 2.0 introduces a best-efforts framework, new approaches to Scope 3, sharper expectations around governance and transition planning, and a more structured treatment of carbon removals and ongoing emissions responsibility.

After 15 years spent quantifying emissions, setting targets, and building the pathways to hit them, I'd argue the more important story sits underneath the technical detail.

Over the past decade, companies have become very good at making commitments. More than 11,000 companies and financial institutions have validated science-based targets, with thousands more committed to doing so. The underlying aim has not changed: aligning corporate emissions reductions with a 1.5°C pathway, consistent with the Paris Agreement. The scale of adoption is genuinely remarkable.

Achieving those targets is a fundamentally harder problem—and the one that actually determines whether any of this matters.

The question facing companies now is not whether to set a target, but how to reduce emissions in practice: through initiatives that are technically viable, operationally realistic, and financially defensible. The difficulty is doing all three at once, inside real capital-planning cycles, against competing priorities, while navigating the countless variables that influence implementation.

The destination has not changed. What Version 2.0 changes is where the effort is directed.

What Changed in SBTi's Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0?

A few updates stand out.

First, the best-efforts framework. Version 2.0 acknowledges what everyone doing this work already knew: Companies do not control every variable in their own decarbonization. Firms are still expected to set ambitious targets, deploy the levers available to them, and show progress. But the Standard now treats implementation and transparency as the measure of credibility, rather than reducing target achievement to a binary pass or fail. It would be easy to read "best-efforts" as a softening of sorts, but it is not. It is a maturation of the framework to match how decarbonization actually unfolds, while shifting the burden onto demonstrable effort and disclosure.

Second, real flexibility on Scope 3. Companies now have more workable pathways to address value-chain emissions, such as supplier and customer alignment, activity-pool and category-specific approaches, and a more honest treatment of emissions they can influence but not command. Anyone who has built a Scope 3 inventory understands why this matters: Influencing thousands of suppliers and customers is a categorically different problem than cutting your own energy use.

Third, a sharper focus on near-term accountability—through periodic (five-year) review cycles, annual progress reporting, and end-of-cycle assessments. Long-term ambition still matters, but the Standard now places more weight on measurable progress in the near term than on distant commitments.

Version 2.0 also formalizes separate Scope 1 and Scope 2 targets, tightens expectations around governance and transition planning, and—for larger companies—moves assurance from good practice toward requirement. Taken together, the changes push in one direction: toward the realities companies face when they move from ambition to implementation.

Setting a Target vs. Delivering on It

The most important theme in SBTi's Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0 is the recognition that a target, however ambitious, is only a starting point.

Emissions reductions are achieved through operational, procurement, capital, and change-management decisions made across a business. In practice, this includes energy efficiency, equipment upgrades, facility optimization, fuel switching, electrification, renewable procurement, supplier engagement, process improvements, and so on. Targets set direction and create accountability. Decisions and implementation determine whether the target is met.

Most projects require capital up front and return their value later as lower operating costs, as well as (sometimes) less obvious benefits in operational resilience and energy security, to name a couple. In many organizations, the capital cost and the operational savings sit in different budgets entirely—a classic split-incentive problem, and one that has nothing to do with sustainability and everything to do with how the business is structured. Solving it is often less about engineering than about who owns the budget line.

No two companies decarbonize the same way. Most draw from the same finite set of levers; what differs is the marginal abatement cost and emissions value of each one, which varies by industry, asset lifecycles, energy profile, growth plans, and value-chain structure, among other factors. A lever that is decisive for one company is marginal for another. Version 2.0 does not remove that complexity but it acknowledges it, and that acknowledgment may be the most consequential thing about the update.

The Business Case for Decarbonization

A point that gets lost in the implementation conversation is co-benefits. Many of the actions that reduce emissions are good business on their own terms.

The same levers noted above—efficiency, optimization, electrification, on-site generation, supplier engagement—routinely lower operating costs, improve energy security, and strengthen resilience while cutting emissions. As energy price volatility, load growth, grid constraints, and extreme weather intensify, those co-benefits should stop being incidental and start being rationale for project approval and funding.

The framing follows the audience, but the heart of the message remains the same. A facility optimization project reduces emissions, lowers utility spend, and improves performance; on-site solar advances a climate goal and cuts grid dependence; an equipment upgrade improves efficiency, output, and resilience at once. Whether a company frames the work as sustainability, resilience, cost, or risk, the underlying actions tend to serve all of them. That is why Version 2.0's emphasis on implementation matters: it moves the conversation onto the operational and financial decisions that actually determine the outcome.

What Companies Should Do Now

So, what should you actually do about SBTi Version 2.0?

If you already have validated targets: Your targets remain valid through their current cycle; there is no requirement to resubmit under Version 2.0. Direct the effort toward implementation, progress tracking, and preparing for your next review and renewal.
If you have committed but are not yet validated: Get familiar with Version 2.0 and the transition timeline. Version 2.0 becomes effective February 1, 2027; companies can submit under either Version 1.3.1 or Version 2.0 through January 31, 2028, after which Version 2.0 is mandatory. Depending on timing, you may still validate under the current framework—but whichever version you use, put as much rigor into the implementation plan as into the target itself. Validation is a milestone, not the finish line.

Date	Effect
February 1, 2027	Version 2.0 becomes effective
January 31, 2028	Latest date by which companies can submit under Version 1.3.1 (or Version 2.0)
February 1, 2028	Version 2.0 become mandatory

If you are still considering targets: Version 2.0 makes the point explicit: Evaluate target-setting and decarbonization planning together. The companies that succeed know not only what they intend to achieve, but how—ambition grounded in a pathway they can actually execute.

The Bottom Line on SBTi Version 2.0

SBTi's Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0 introduces real technical change, but the larger story is not the methodology. It is that the framework has caught up to what practitioners have long understood: Companies do not control every variable, supply chains are complex, technologies evolve, capital cycles take time, and progress is rarely linear. Version 2.0 makes room for that reality while holding the line on accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.

There is a timing signal worth noting, too. Version 2.0's demand for demonstrable, evidence-backed progress arrives at the same moment assurance is shifting from a differentiator to an expectation—driven both by the Standard and by regulation such as California's SB253. In my view, those two trends are going to compound: The pressure to show progress and the pressure to have that progress independently verified are about to become the same pressure.

The goal—meaningful emissions reductions aligned with climate science—has not changed. What is different is the honesty about the journey. Targets set direction; implementation delivers results. SBTi Version 2.0 reflects a more mature understanding of corporate climate action—success is defined not by the ambition of the commitment, but by the ability to turn that commitment into measurable progress.

Why Smarter Supply Chains Are Also Lower-Emission Supply Chains

DP World — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

For years, companies approached supply chain resilience and sustainability as two distinct objectives. One focused on ensuring goods arrived on time and on budget. The other centered on reducing environmental impact.

Today's business environment is changing that equation.

From geopolitical disruptions and evolving trade patterns to growing customer expectations and climate reporting requirements, organizations are under increasing pressure to build supply chains that are both more resilient and more sustainable. Freight and logistics account for approximately 10% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, making supply chains one of the biggest opportunities for businesses looking to reduce their environmental footprint while strengthening operational performance.

Recognizing this shift, DP World recently launched EcoRoute, a suite of integrated supply chain solutions designed to help businesses optimize logistics networks, reduce emissions, and improve supply chain resilience. By combining network optimization, lower-carbon transportation, emissions measurement, carbon insetting, and strategic partnerships, EcoRoute helps customers address sustainability without compromising operational performance.

Better Networks Create Better Outcomes

For many organizations, the greatest opportunity to reduce emissions isn't a single new technology; it's designing smarter supply chains.

Reducing unnecessary transportation miles, improving modal choices, increasing asset utilization, and integrating logistics services can lower both costs and carbon emissions while making supply chains more resilient to disruption.

DP World has been putting this philosophy into practice across its global network.

The company has built an integrated logistics ecosystem in the Dominican Republic that connects marine terminals, free trade zones, inland logistics, warehousing, and transportation services. By bringing these capabilities together, customers gain greater efficiency, streamline cargo movements, and reduce unnecessary carbon-intensive activities that can occur when logistics services are geographically spread out. The company continues advancing sustainable electrification, habitat restoration, and waste management practices across its Latin American terminal network.

Across Canada, DP World continues investing in terminal electrification and energy efficiency initiatives that reduce operational emissions while enhancing port performance. Both DP World's Vancouver and Fraser Surrey terminals recently received the 2026 Blue Circle Award from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority for excellence in energy management. Four of the company’s Canadian terminals recently achieved Green Marine recertification, marking their continued success in meeting rigorous performance benchmarks across air emissions, community impacts, waste management, and spill prevention.

These investments reflect a broader industry trend: the most effective sustainability strategies increasingly strengthen business performance at the same time.

Visibility Is Becoming a Business Imperative

Building a lower-emission supply chain starts with understanding where emissions occur.

As organizations face growing expectations around Scope 3 emissions reporting, many are discovering that measuring supply chain emissions can be just as challenging as reducing them. Without reliable data, it becomes difficult to identify opportunities for improvement or demonstrate progress to customers, investors, and regulators.

One of EcoRoute's core capabilities addresses this challenge through a Carbon Emissions Calculator powered by EcoTransIT World and aligned with ISO 14083. The platform provides end-to-end emissions visibility across transport modes, helping businesses compare logistics options and make more informed operational decisions.

Better data doesn't just support sustainability reporting, it enables smarter supply chain planning.

Collaboration Drives Lasting Progress

No company can decarbonize global supply chains alone.

Meaningful progress requires collaboration among logistics providers, customers, technology partners and local communities.

Across the Americas and beyond, DP World continues to invest in partnerships that extend sustainability beyond its own operations.

The company's ongoing collaboration with Boomitra, first established in 2023 and expanded in 2025, supports regenerative agriculture projects that improve soil health while generating high-quality carbon credits. These initiatives create additional opportunities for customers seeking credible ways to address hard-to-abate supply chain emissions while delivering positive environmental and social outcomes.

This collaborative approach is reflected in EcoRoute itself. In addition to lower-carbon logistics and emissions measurement, the solution incorporates carbon insetting programs and strategic partnerships that help customers reduce emissions within their own logistics value chains while supporting broader sustainability goals.

Building Supply Chains for the Future

The future of logistics won't be defined by choosing between operational performance and sustainability.

It will be shaped by organizations that recognize these priorities are increasingly interconnected.

As customer expectations evolve and supply chain complexity grows, companies that design smarter logistics networks, embrace greater emissions transparency, and collaborate across the value chain will be better positioned to navigate future challenges.

EcoRoute reflects this evolution – bringing together the tools, insights, and partnerships businesses need to strengthen supply chain resilience while advancing their sustainability goals.

Learn more about DP World's EcoRoute solution and how it's helping businesses build more resilient, lower-emission supply chains.

Mary Kay Launches 2026 Special-Edition Blush Sticks To Support Pink Changing Lives® Social Impact Program

Mary Kay — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

DALLAS, July 7, 2026 /3BL/ - Mary Kay Inc., a global leader in beauty and women’s empowerment is proud to spotlight its commitment to social impact around the world through the Pink Changing Lives^®campaign and the launch of the Special Edition^† Mary Kay^® Blush Stick – a product designed to inspire confidence while making a meaningful difference.

Available in the shades “Kind Spirit” and “Spark Change,” these pocket-sized blush sticks are more than a beauty essential, they are a symbol of beauty with a purpose. Through the Pink Changing Lives^® campaign, each blush stick purchase in participating Mary Kay markets contributes directly to local nonprofit partners, helping fund critical causes that impact women every day around the world.

Did You Know:

Since 2008, Mary Kay’s multi-faceted Pink Changing Lives^® global program has contributed more than $230 million in monetary and in-kind support to enrich the lives of women and their families. These efforts include advancing cancer research, supporting survivors of domestic violence, and creating opportunities for economic empowerment worldwide. Since its inception, Mary Kay’s Pink Changing Lives cause marketing campaign has been a cornerstone of the company’s social impact program, which has positively contributed to local communities through a total of 18 Limited-Edition products.

“At Mary Kay beauty is bold, confident, and impactful,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Brand and Scientific Officer at Mary Kay. “The Pink Changing Lives^® program reflects our heart as a company and our unwavering belief in supporting and uplifting women everywhere. This year’s Special-Edition^† Mary Kay® Blush Stick has a powerful purpose, helping create real change for women and families worldwide with every swipe of the cheek.”

This deep-rooted commitment to social impact has earned Mary Kay worldwide recognition. In 2026, the company ranked among the Top 10 on Forbes’ Best Brands for Social Impact list for the second year in a row, standing at #8 as the only beauty and direct selling brand to achieve this distinction out of 5,500 brands.¹

Inclusive Beauty Innovation That Supports Every Woman

The 2026 special-edition blush sticks meaningfully complement the recent launch of TimeWise^® 3D Foundation, designed to deliver inclusive, high-performance results for women of all skin tones.
The newly reformulated TimeWise^®3D Foundation features 36 skin tone-true shades across both matte and luminous finishes.
The TimeWise^® 3D Foundation was developed using proprietary IntelliMatch™ Technology, informed by more than 3,000 real skin tone data points. The result is a seamless, natural-looking match that simplifies shade selection.
Consumers can also take advantage of Mary Kay’s AI-powered Foundation Finder, an award-winning tool that helps identify their ideal shade with confidence.

A Legacy of Enriching Women’s Lives

For more than 60 years, Mary Kay has championed opportunities for women through entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and innovation. Founded in 1963 by Mary Kay Ash, the company was built on a vision of empowering women to define their own success.

Today, that mission continues to guide every product and every initiative – from innovative beauty science to programs like Pink Changing Lives^® - which bring tangible support to women and families across the globe.

***

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in 40 markets. For over 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

# # #

¹Alan Schwarz, Forbes Staff. (March 17, 2026). “2026 Best Brands for Social Impact.”

^†Available while supplies last.

Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications
newsroom.marykay.com
972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

CVS Health: Thank You! Mews at St. Mary Affordable Housing Grand Opening – Williamstown, New Jersey

CVS Health — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Last week, we proudly celebrated the Grand Opening and Building Dedication of Mews at St. Mary in Williamstown, NJ, alongside our amazing colleagues, local leaders, community organizations, development partners, and The Bishop of Camden. Mews at St. Mary is now home to 75 affordable homes for seniors, thoughtfully designed to encourage community, friendship, and support for our aging population. Developed by The Diocese of Camden and The Walters Group, Mews at St. Mary has become a safe space for residents. In addition to the senior-friendly design, this community features an on-site wellness nurse and resident-driven programming.

It was truly inspiring to celebrate this event with everyone. We are incredibly grateful to our colleagues who joined us and represented CVS Health and Aetna at the Grand Opening. We are even more proud of our dedicated group of colleagues that joined us to assemble 75 welcome baskets the day before. These baskets were a labor of love and include items from socks and toothpaste, to jar openers and laundry pods. Spending the afternoon passing out the baskets to each resident was inspiring. It reminded us of why we do this work and how small acts can make a huge impact.

CVS Health‑Aetna is proud to support developments like Mews at St. Mary, which reflect our commitment to strengthening communities and showcasing that Housing is Healthcare. Developments like this remind us of the lasting impact our work has in the neighborhoods where we live and serve.

Action Against Hunger and CMA CMG Foundation Wins Fast Company’s 2026 World Changing Ideas Award

Action Against Hunger — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

CONTACT:

Kara Green

kgreen@actionagainsthunger.org

+1 (231) 286-1275

NEW YORK, July 7, 2026 /3BL/ - Action Against Hunger announced today that PharmaBox, developed in partnership with the CMA CGM Foundation, has been named a winner of Fast Company's 2026 World Changing Ideas Award, recognized for general excellence.

PharmaBox addresses a critical gap in humanitarian response: during crises, the medical supply chain is ill-equipped to handle emergency deployments and extreme temperatures. Built inside 40-foot shipping containers, PharmaBoxes function as mobile pharmacies and medical storage units that are fully compliant with global logistics frameworks. Each unit is solar-powered and temperature-controlled, maintaining conditions between 20°C and 25°C and below 65% humidity, ensuring the integrity of sensitive medications in the most challenging environments.

Designed with longevity and redeployment in mind, each PharmaBox has an operational lifespan of 10 years and the capacity to serve more than 500,000 patients over its lifetime. The first unit was deployed to Bangui, Central African Republic in February 2025, with additional units subsequently sent to Chad and Sudan.

Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Awards celebrate businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and startups whose innovations address the world's greatest challenges. PharmaBox was selected from thousands of entries across sectors and recognized in the overall list of winners.is featured in Fast Company's article on innovations that put humanity and community first. This follows Action Against Hunger’s recognition last year as one of the world’s most innovative companies 2025.

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Action Against Hunger is a global leader creating a future where every life is well nourished. We innovate to prevent malnutrition and respond to hunger hotspots, working in 59 countries and reaching more than 26 million people each year. Together, we are promoting resilience and working to end hunger for everyone, for good.

LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park Support More Than 800 South Bay Households Through Community Initiative

AEG — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:25:00 -0400

AEG’s LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park teamed up with New Beginnings Outreach CDC and the Gardena Carson Family YMCA to support more than 800 families across the South Bay through a large-scale community distribution event.

Hosted at DHSP, the initiative provided essential resources to local households while strengthening the reach and capacity of trusted community-based organizations. Highlighting the club's direct involvement, Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski was on-site to volunteer, working alongside staff to hand out supplies. Through the support of community partners, attendees were also provided with NORMS Restaurant meal vouchers and Northgate Market gift cards to help address ongoing grocery and meal needs. New Beginnings Outreach CDC and the YMCA leveraged the venue and operational support to connect with residents and deliver meaningful assistance where it’s needed most.

Complementing the distribution effort, radio station 102.3 KJLH provided music throughout the event, creating a welcoming atmosphere that underscored the power of community partnerships to deliver both practical support and meaningful connection.

This effort reflects AEG and LA Galaxy’s ongoing commitment to investing in the communities surrounding DHSP and Galaxy Park. By bringing together corporate resources and local expertise, the partnership aims to expand access to critical support services, reinforce community stability, and foster a stronger sense of connection and belonging.

The timing of the event aligns with the club’s Soccer Celebration presented by Spectrum, a free, multi-day public event from July 1-7. Together, these efforts highlight a holistic approach to community engagement, pairing direct support with inclusive programming that brings people together and celebrates the vibrancy of the South Bay.

Through initiatives like this, AEG and LA Galaxy continue to demonstrate how sports and entertainment platforms can be activated to drive meaningful impact, supporting both immediate needs and long-term community wellbeing.

T. Rowe Price Releases Community Affairs Impact Report, Highlighting Global Volunteerism and Philanthropy

T. Rowe Price — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:15:00 -0400

BALTIMORE, July 6, 2026 /3BL/ - T. Rowe Price, a global investment management firm and leader in retirement, has released its 2025 Community Affairs Impact Report, showcasing how the firm drives measurable impact through community investment, inclusion, sustainability, and associate engagement worldwide.

The 2025 Community Affairs Impact Report highlights the firm’s strategic efforts to strengthen its business, empower associates, and uplift communities around the world. Making an impact today and in the future, these efforts include participation in pro bono and volunteer initiatives, grantmaking, associate giving and serving, strong community partnerships, and programmatic spotlights.

Highlights from the 2025 Community Affairs Impact Report include:

$204.5 million in total giving by the T. Rowe Price Foundation since its inception in 1981
$19.4 million in total global giving to communities
More than 37,000 hours volunteered by associates globally
81% of operational waste diverted from landfills
More than 57% of associates are members of at least one business resource group

See the full 2025 Community Affairs Impact Report.

In May, the firm also celebrated Global Volunteer Month—engaging associates worldwide in community service. Associates led and participated in activities ranging from packing and sorting food donations and gardening to mentoring youth, beautifying neighborhoods, and delivering financial education.

Overall highlights from Global Volunteer Month 2026 include:

40+ organized events
5,500 volunteer hours
800+ associate volunteers

“Our Community Affairs Impact Report stands as a powerful reminder of our commitment to the communities we serve and the positive, lasting impact our associates and the T. Rowe Price Foundation have made worldwide,” said Raymone Jackson, head of Community Affairs at T. Rowe Price and president of the T. Rowe Price Foundation. “Through meaningful relationships, shared responsibility, and inspired action, we foster trust, collaboration, and long-term value for both our business and the communities in which we operate.”

Programs such as Global Volunteer Month and those represented in this report reflect how the firm connects its values with its stakeholders and how it leverages the time, resources, and expertise of its associates to strengthen communities worldwide.

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ABOUT T. ROWE PRICE

T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ-GS: TROW) is a leading global asset management firm, entrusted with managing $1.89 trillion in client assets as of May 31, 2026, about two-thirds of which are retirement-related. Renowned for nearly 90 years of investment excellence, retirement leadership, and independent proprietary research, the firm leverages its longstanding expertise to ask better questions that can drive better investment decisions. Built on a culture of integrity and prioritizing client interests, T. Rowe Price empowers millions of investors worldwide to thrive amid evolving markets. Visit troweprice.com/newsroom for news and public policy commentary.

T. ROWE PRICE PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT:

Arminta Plater
(410) 577-2813
arminta.plater@troweprice.com

Employee Disaster Relief: How to Build an Emergency Assistance Fund Before the Next Crisis

America's Charities — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 11:50:00 -0400

The 2026 hurricane season is already underway. While NOAA forecasts a 55% probability of a below-average season, projections still call for 8–14 named storms, 3–6 hurricanes, and 1–3 major hurricanes.

At first glance, this outlook is encouraging. However, disasters are inherently unpredictable. A single storm can significantly affect your employees, regardless of overall seasonal trends. And hurricanes are only part of the story. Wildfires, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes continue to pose risks across the country.

For employers, the question isn’t if support will be needed;

It’s how prepared you are to deliver it.

Why Emergency Assistance Funds Matter

One of the most effective ways organizations can support employees during times of crisis is by establishing an Emergency Assistance Fund (EAF).

Ideally, a fund is created before disaster strikes. Having this infrastructure in place allows companies to respond quickly and provide meaningful relief when employees need it most. However, many organizations find themselves reacting after an event occurs, wanting to help but lacking the systems needed to do so effectively.

A Changing Disaster Relief Landscape

The broader disaster relief environment is evolving and becoming more complex.

At the federal level, agencies such as FEMA may shift toward higher thresholds for disaster declarations, which can delay or limit access to aid. As a result, employees affected by smaller or localized emergencies may face longer wait times for assistance or may not qualify at all.

To address this gap, many organizations are broadening their eligibility criteria to include state-declared emergencies, not just federally declared disasters.

“States are much more agile and ready to declare an emergency event than the federal government,” said Jim Starr, President and CEO of America’s Charities. “We see this especially with smaller disasters: winter storms, tornadoes, and similar events that often don’t reach the federal level.”

This shift allows companies to respond faster and provide support for a broader range of real-world situations impacting their workforce.

Launching Support Quickly When It Matters Most

Preparation is ideal, but speed is critical when disaster strikes.

To meet this need, America’s Charities offers a Quick Launch option alongside its full Emergency Assistance Program. This solution enables organizations to establish a relief program in as few as 10 business days.

The Quick Launch program includes:

Support for federal and state-level disasters
Coverage for select personal hardships
A dedicated account manager
A pre-built program framework based on best practices

Organizations can select from predefined grant amounts and eligibility timelines, balancing flexibility with rapid deployment.

e Ready Before the Next Crisis

Disasters don’t wait, and neither should your response strategy.

Establishing an Emergency Assistance Fund ensures your organization is prepared to support employees when they need it most. Whether you build a long-term program or implement a rapid response solution, having a plan in place can make a meaningful difference in your employees’ recovery and well-being.

Get Started

To learn more about Emergency Assistance Funds and how America’s Charities can help you support your workforce, reach out today.

We’re here to help you help your employees when it matters most.

From Saying “Yes” to Leading the Way: Meet Molly Murray

GoDaddy — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

What originally brought you to GoDaddy, and how has your career evolved since joining the Care organization?

I joined GoDaddy in 2016 alongside my manager - a close friend from my previous job. Before coming here, we ran the top‑performing cellphone retail store in our district, finishing that year in the top 10% of sales across the entire company. After achieving so much together, we were ready for a new challenge and excited to grow within a company known for its supportive culture and opportunities to advance. We were both hired into CDT (outbound sales in the Customer Development Team) and quickly found that GoDaddy was a company that had true potential for hitting new heights!

In 2017, I moved to inbound sales and support where I learned new skills focused in testing processes with specialty pilots and sharing my knowledge and love of training with shadowing opportunities. I was lucky to be a part of the Flying Unicorns Pilot to test the success of balancing financial incentives versus organic conversations without the stress of sales goals. I was also given the opportunity to host shadows ranging from new hires still in training to a member of the Board of Directors. It was an incredible chance to showcase my skills, demonstrate my expertise, and share my ideas and perspectives on how to drive the department’s success.

In 2018, I found the Website Design Services Department (WDS) in a “job fair” type event where other departments came to showcase the roles and responsibilities of their staff. I applied and was accepted as a Website Specialist I supporting our customer’s website builds post publish with updates and maintenance. WDS is an incredibly unique and close‑knit department, and it was in this role that I truly felt I’d found a place where I could be happy, dig in, and genuinely thrive. In the last seven years, I have deeply loved the work and the team I’ve grown with. I moved through three different roles within WDS between 2018 and 2021, each one expanding my knowledge, sharpening my skills, and deepening my love for the website design world. These roles included managing projects of varying complexity and functionality needs, from intake, to content management, to website development, all the way through publishing. I later transitioned into an internal‑facing role during the rise of COVID, where I supported our sales teams by validating service capabilities and confirming functionality. This work helped increase WDS sales and reduce misqualifications.

In 2021, I was paired with a Team Manager who poured into developing my leadership skills. Their guidance helped me grow in ways that strengthened my passion for training, mentoring, and supporting the peers around me. I became a Lead for WDS in 2021 and immediately threw myself into developing and expanding a team of agents that we called the Jedi Council, who had the same drive to teach, guide, and grow our newly hired reps that I did in my prior roles. Their mission was to create a peer‑to‑peer training program that helped new hires quickly upskill in a department with a uniquely complex workflow. Beyond training, the Council also focused on building strong inter‑team relationships, helping new teammates gain confidence, feel supported, and establish rapport with their coworkers from day one. The Lead Role was where I started to develop myself into the manager I am today. I was given opportunities to expand my responsibilities of my role with multiple interim Team Manager stints. I found that in those stretches, I was able to test out my own unique ways of supporting those teams. Stretching myself to build up the teams, while scary at first, sparked a light in me, one I wanted to grow and carry to even greater heights.

In 2023, I was offered an interim Team Manager role with a pilot team within WDS called the Surger Initiative. This team was an open opportunity to stress test both my upskilling and support skills as well as develop my leadership skills. This team thrived because of our shared drive to meet (and exceed) our goals, and that success ultimately gave me the confidence to recognize that stepping into a permanent Team Manager role was the natural next step in my journey. And in 2024, I officially stepped in to my own Team Manager position, supporting my team dubbed the “Mollipop’s” and we have been “making the web a sweeter place one site at a time” ever since.

What skills helped you advance the fastest in your career, and which ones did you have to intentionally develop?

The skills that accelerated my career early on came naturally to me: adaptability, subject matter expertise, and relationship building. I was comfortable moving between departments—from outbound sales in CDT to inbound support to an entirely different world in Website Design Services. I didn't stay in one lane in any of the departments; I explored, I learned quickly, and I built genuine connections with the people around me. Those relationships opened doors. People wanted to work with me, and that credibility allowed me to gain visibility and opportunity. But here's what I discovered: those skills got me promoted, but they didn't necessarily make me a leader. There was this moment when my mindset shifted from "I'm good at my job" to "I want to make those around me good at theirs" and with that new focus, it required learning an entirely new set of skills, and none of them came naturally to me.

I had to intentionally develop strategic thinking about workflows and systems. Early in my career, I was proud of executing well within frameworks others created. But becoming a leader meant moving from "I do this job excellently" to "how do I design systems that allow my team to excel?" That's a fundamentally different skill. It required me to step back from the work itself and think about the structure around it. But that strategic thinking only mattered if I could also develop the emotional and interpersonal skills to lead through it. I struggled with confidence in seeing past my own perspective. Fear of failing or missing the big picture kept me from being as proactive as I needed to be. I catastrophized my mistakes, treating them as dead ends rather than learning moments. My emotions ran my thoughts in hard experiences, which meant I wasn't emotionally available to support my peers through theirs. But as I moved through different roles over the years, with my leaders supporting my desire to learn how to be better, something shifted. I learned that failures weren't proof I was incapable; they were information I could learn from. I did the work to process my emotions differently so I could think clearly in hard moments instead of getting stuck in shame. I became emotionally available for my team because I'd learned to be emotionally available for myself. Looking back, my natural gifts opened doors and built credibility. But my willingness to intentionally develop the harder skills—strategic thinking, emotional maturity, confidence in my perspective, and the ability to build systems instead of just executing within them—that's what allowed me to actually lead. That's what transformed me from someone who was good at their job into someone who could make their team good at theirs.

How do you balance experimentation with consistency when leading a customer-facing team?

I believe the key to balancing experimentation with consistency is showing up as a predictablyhonest leader, especially when things get difficult. During our WDS phase dubbed the "Incubator Test", we attempted to blend inbound and outbound work with live transfers and scheduled appointments. It was innovative in theory, but ultimately unsustainable. Our team carried the weight of that imbalance, and burnout crept in quickly. But what I learned through those five difficult months was that consistency doesn't mean never changing course, it means being reliably present and human while you're navigating that change. When the "going gets tough", my team needs to know I won't shy away from the hard feedback or difficult conversations. I made it a point to acknowledge in every team meeting what wasn't working and validate how our reps were genuinely struggling. By creating space for them to be vulnerable about their experiences, something unexpected happened: they started identifying not just shared struggles, but also the coping strategies and mindset shifts that were actually helping them survive. They only felt safe enough to share that with me because they knew I would consistently meet them with patience and understanding, not defensiveness. That's where "the tough had a place to rest" before trying again.

When your team trusts that you'll be honest about what's working and what isn't, and that you'll honor their experience along the way, they're willing to experiment the ends of the earth with you. They know you have their backs, and they'll follow you into the next iteration with confidence. That reciprocal trust, between leader and team, is what makes both experimentation and consistency actually sustainable.

What's your approach when a team member has the potential to grow but doesn't yet see it in themselves?

My approach is rooted in something I learned from a very dear friend and team mate: there were people around me that believed in my potential before I believed in it myself. In 2021, I was moved onto a new WS2 team with a Team Manager who intentionally poured into developing me as a leader. That investment changed everything. I went from not seeing myself in a manager role EVER to recognizing I had the capacity to grow into one. Because of that experience, I approach my team members with the same intentionality. When I see potential in someone who doesn't yet see it in themselves, I don't just point it out for them to figure out what to do next, I create conditions for them to discover it and be validated that their skills are on a level they might not have realized.

I also look for opportunities to stretch people in controlled ways. When I led the Surger Initiative, I worked with a team of agents who volunteered to come support a department they had never worked in before. It took tenacity for them to answer the call for help, and to immediately jump into support a workflow completely unique to this department. Yet, when given the basics, they each took their known strengths and ran headfirst. They ultimately found a stride never seen before in WDS, closing out 40% of all tickets for the entire department at their peak. That mutual desire for success was contagious. The Surgers started believing in themselves because the environment made it safe to try, fail, and try again better. The truth is, potential doesn't become real through acknowledgment alone. It becomes real when someone creates space for it to grow: mentorship, meaningful challenges, psychological safety, and visible belief in who they can become. That's what I pour into my team, because I know firsthand how transformative it is when a leader sees you before you see yourself.

What aspects of GoDaddy's company culture do you appreciate the most?

I appreciate that GoDaddy's culture genuinely empowers working mothers to excel rather than simply survive. When I joined GoDaddy before having my two children, I didn't imagine it would be possible to balance being the employee, person, and mother I am today. What makes the difference isn't just the benefits on paper. It's how the company's support system translates into real life. As a mother managing a team and workload, I face the constant challenge of being present for my children's important moments while meeting professional demands. GoDaddy's flexibility and resources give me the breathing room to do both. I can be there for my kids' day-to-day lives and create meaningful memories without sacrificing the growth and impact I want to have in my role. What truly resonates with me is that GoDaddy doesn't view supporting working mothers as a perk that competes with business excellence. They see it as essential to it.

By investing in their employees' wellbeing and growth as whole people, not just workers, the company creates an environment where we can lead effectively, manage our teams with authenticity, and show up as our best selves at home too.

That reciprocal investment, where the company pours into us so we can grow, transforms not just how I work, but how I live.

What's your motto or personal mantra?

For as far back as I can remember, I have been ravenous for learning. I was homeschooled and for a handful of years, my parents would have to hide the next years school books because over the summer, I would find any book I could to learn more. I learned not only interesting (but also sometimes useless) facts, but I was able to explore parts of the world, people, places, animals, and things I never knew existed. This has brought me to find that if I “always stay curious” the answers will always become accessible.

I grew up as the oldest of 8 kids, homeschooled by my Mom, with my Dad working in a Web Dev role from home. Time spent with parents individually was a special treat and I found a way to get to have my Dad’s attention by way of puzzles. He had a multitude of puzzles strewn all around his desk, metal chained brain teasers designed to trick you out of freeing a trapped ring, wooden blocks that demanded spatial reasoning (and sometimes begging), and countless others that ranged from deceptively simple to genuinely mind-bending. He would hand me a puzzle, ask me to solve it, and go back to finishing his coding task at hand. In 10 minutes, I'd either solve the puzzle and get his acknowledgement and celebration, or get stuck and have him walk me through it. What mattered the most to me as his daughter was that look of pride on his face when he saw the giant smile on my face from learning something new from my Dad. All those times spent taught me that so much of "life is a puzzle, not a problem” and that the solution was always possible when you were willing to try, not be afraid to fail, and to learn from those around you.

Photographer Information

Are you enjoying this series and want to know more about life at GoDaddy? Check out our GoDaddy Life social pages! Follow us to meet our team, learn more about our culture (Teams, ERGs, Locations), careers, and so much more. You’re more than just your day job, so come propel your career with us.

Driving Growth, Increasing Impact: PNC Latest Corporate Responsibility Report Underscores Investments That Matter

PNC Financial Services Group — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0400

A message from Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer Stacy Juchno

For more than 160 years, PNC’s strategy has been focused on the communities and people we serve. PNC’s investment in and collaboration with our employees, communities, customers, and shareholders directly reflect the strength and character of our company. When our communities thrive, we thrive.

As I step into the Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer role, I’m honored to share the substantive progress our teams accomplished in 2025. It’s important to emphasize that we do not- and cannot- do this work alone. In 2025, we engaged shareholders and community partners on corporate strategy, performance, and our role as a corporate citizen. These conversations provided valuable insight, reinforced accountability and supported continuous improvement.

Explore PNC’s Corporate Responsibility Report

Sustained and consistent community impact

At PNC, community investment is fundamental to our business. In 2025, we completed and exceeded two transformative multiyear commitments:

The four-year Community Benefits Plan surpassed our $88 billion pledge, deploying $119.3 billion in capital to promote homeownership, support small businesses and advance community investment through loans, financing, investments and philanthropic contributions. In 2025, Community Development Banking extended $660 million in loans and investments, up from $469 million in 2024.

Additionally, we exceeded our $30 billion Environmental Finance pledge, mobilized $33.4 billion since 2021 across renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, and environmentally linked loan products. We also achieved 100% renewable energy for purchased electricity by the end of 2025.

More accessible financial tools and solutions

We continue to innovate for customers. In 2025, we launched an enhanced online banking platform serving 11.5 million customers. Our mobile branches traveled nearly 94,000 miles, serving almost 20,000 customers in 3,449 visits coordinated by 255 community organizations. We complemented this outreach with 461 free financial education seminars designed to help participants make informed financial decisions.

We also expanded our branch network in 2025, including 26 new branches and 170 renovations that modernize the in‑branch experience while supporting local communities. This growth continues through PNC’s $2 billion investment commitment to add more than 300 new branches and 1,400 renovations over the next five years. On January 5, 2026, PNC acquired FirstBank Holding Company, expanding our presence in Colorado and Arizona.

Early childhood education to drive economic opportunity

PNC has invested in early childhood education for more than 20 years because we know education is a powerful driver of economic opportunity.

Through PNC Grow Up Great®, our signature $500 million, bilingual early childhood education initiative, we remain steadfast in our philanthropic commitment to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. Since 2004, PNC Grow Up Great has supported more than 11.5 million children through over $290 million in grants and programming. PNC employees have volunteered more than 1.3 million hours since inception, including 84,549 hours across 2,000 partner organizations in 2025.

Taking action to help close the housing affordability gap

Like education, home ownership is a powerful driver of economic opportunity and generational wealth. At a time when our country faces a clear shortage of affordable housing, we’re focused on expanding access.

In 2025, more than 40 percent of our mortgages in primary assessment area markets supported low- and moderate‑income (LMI) borrowers. In addition to homeownership, PNC also supports the development of affordable rental housing. In 2025, PNC Multifamily Capital, one of the nation’s largest syndicators of affordable rental housing, provided $4.0 billion in debt and equity to create or preserve 15,900 units of affordable rental housing across 127 properties in 31 states and Washington, D.C.

Through this work, and our insights from the Community Benefits Plan, we will continue to make meaningful investments and improvements in our communities to support housing affordability and strengthen the trust that our stakeholders place in PNC.

Talent & inclusion drive growth

Serving diverse communities requires talented employees with relevant skills, experiences and perspectives. To do so effectively, and win in the marketplace, we must recruit and retain talented employees. To support this imperative, we do not discriminate against any employee, potential or current client, supplier, or any other stakeholder, consistent with applicable laws.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Our 55,000-plus employees strive to elevate our business, and we are intentional in supporting their well-being. In 2025, we introduced Brilliant Thrives Here® Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to help employees and expanded learning opportunities. More than 10,500 employees have enrolled in academic programs and employees have completed 4.2 million hours of training through PNC University (PNCU). Teams also adopted generative AI platforms introduced in 2025, including Microsoft CoPilot®, to enhance productivity and support informed decision-making.

Looking forward

By advancing early education, housing access and community investment, we strengthen the communities where we live and work. Our approach to growth centers on serving communities well, earning long-term trust, and responsible expansion, including the ethical use of AI. In 2025, PNC strengthened governance for the responsible use of AI through the establishment of a Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) framework and policy and continued oversight from the Responsible AI Working Group.

These efforts in 2025 represent just a snapshot of the comprehensive accomplishments detailed throughout the report, demonstrating our long-standing commitment to customers and stakeholders. It’s how we’ve prospered for more than 160 years — and it’s what we’ll continue to do in communities across the country.

Explore the full Corporate Responsibility Report

Media Contact: Corporate Responsibility Communications

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3M Young Scientist Challenge Names 10 Finalists for 2026 National Competition

Discovery Education — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:45:00 -0400

ST. PAUL, Minn. and CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 6, 2026 /3BL/ - 3M and Discovery Education today announced the 10 finalists in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s premier middle school science competition. Now in its 19^th year, the annual challenge invites students in fifth through eighth grade to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to develop real-world solutions.

Each of the 10 finalists receive an exclusive mentorship with a 3M scientist and at the final event in October, they have the chance to win a $25,000 grand prize and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.” They will work alongside their 3M scientist mentors throughout the summer to gain hands-on experience that will advance the development of their solution.

The top 10 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists are as follows (in alphabetical order by last name):

Ahmed Abdelsalam, Cambridge, Mass., Darby Vassall Upper School, Cambridge Public Schools
Aaisha Asif, Sarasota, Fla., Pine View, Sarasota County Schools
Raji Doshi, Farmington, Conn., Talcott Mountain Academy, Private School
Aiden Jo, Houston, Texas, The Village School, Houston Independent School District
Roy Kim, Beaverton, Ore., Whitford Middle School, Beaverton School District
Arika Kundu, Shorewood, Minn., Minnetonka Middle School East, Minnetonka Public Schools
Sharvi Mahajan, San Diego, Calif., Bernardo Heights Middle School, Poway Unified School District
Millie Pradawong, Fairfax, Va., Thoreau Middle School, Fairfax County
Naboshree Santra, Oviedo, Fla., Jackson Heights Middle School, Seminole County Public Schools
Abigail Stein, Nashville, Tenn., Harding Academy, Nashville Independent Schools

“The 3M Young Scientist Challenge brings together student curiosity, scientific thinking and 3M mentorship to turn promising ideas into real solutions,” said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. “3M is focused on helping these young innovators strengthen their ideas and apply science in ways that can make a meaningful impact.”

This year’s 10 finalists, aged 11 to 14, each spotted an everyday problem, developed an innovative solution, and pitched their project through a one- to two-minute entry video. Their proposals align to two of 3M’s 49 technology platforms, including Climate Tech and Safety. An esteemed group of judges, including 3M scientists and leaders in education from across the country, evaluated the entries based on creativity, scientific knowledge and communication effectiveness.

“The finalists of this year’s 3M Young Scientist Challenge prove you can be a scientist at any age,” said Brian Shaw, chief executive officer at Discovery Education. “Each remarkable student pursued their curiosity with persistence, turning an idea into an innovation. We cannot wait to see where their ideas take them.”

Next steps in the competition

Each of the 10 finalists will participate in an exclusive summer mentorship program with a 3M scientist. These mentors will provide guidance and advice to help advance each finalist’s solution. Then, on October 12-13, all 10 finalists will gather at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minn., to go head-to-head in the final interactive competition.

At this final event, each finalist will participate in a series of live challenges before presenting their final project and answering questions from a panel of judges. At the close of the competition, one finalist will be named the grand prize winner, receiving $25,000 and the title of America’s Top Young Scientist.

Previous competition winners and alumni achievements

Previous challenge finalists and 3M scientists have created solutions for a wide variety of real-world problems, including cybersecurity, coral reef health, water conservation, food safety, energy consumption, air pollution and transportation efficiency. Former America’s Top Young Scientists have given TED Talks, filed patents and founded nonprofits. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network was formed in fall 2022 and includes more than 100 former challenge winners, finalists and mentors, who take part in networking opportunities and more. Past honors include:

Gitanjali Rao became TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year in 2020
Liam McCarty was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2022
Heman Bekele was TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year

Learning resources for all educators and students

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is complemented by Young Scientist Lab, a free digital resource program from 3M and Discovery Education that gives every student, regardless of background, access to standards-aligned, hands-on science experiences designed to spark curiosity and build STEM skills. Students, teachers and families of all skill levels can explore, transform and innovate the world around them. Young Scientist Lab resources are also available through Discovery Education Experience, the essential companion for engaged PreK-12 classrooms.

To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet the 2026 finalists, visit YoungScientistLab.com.

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About 3M

3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education is a global education technology leader whose innovative solutions empower educators and progress student learning. Discovery Education’s solutions have served more than 100 million students globally, supporting effective teaching and learning in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and in 100+ countries and territories. The company’s portfolio includes award-winning core and supplemental curriculum, high-quality standards-aligned content, and AI-enabled teaching and learning tools. Solutions span math, science, literacy, social studies, and career-connected learning, including instructionally-aligned content developed through one-of-a-kind partnerships with industry leaders to bring real-world relevance into every lesson. Learn more at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.

Contacts
3M
3Mnews@mmm.com

Ali Koper
Discovery Education
akoper@discoveryed.com