AEG and Dignity Health Sports Park Expand Youth Access to Field Hockey Ahead of LA28

AEG — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

AEG and Dignity Health Sports Park (DHSP) are helping connect young people with the power of sport through a youth field hockey clinic designed to promote access, learning and community engagement ahead of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Held on September 15, 2026, at DHSP in Carson, California, the clinic was developed for over 30 fourth-grade students from Towne Avenue Elementary School. The program offered students an opportunity to experience field hockey firsthand while learning from U.S. Olympian and three-time NCAA national champion Ashley Sessa.

A member of the U.S. Women’s National Field Hockey Team who competed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Ashley Sessa introduced students to her Olympic journey and the fundamentals of field hockey. Planned instruction included how to hold a field hockey stick correctly, dribble, pass, receive and drive the ball. These activities were designed to make the sport approachable for young participants while encouraging physical activity, confidence and interest in Olympic competition.

The initiative also addressed an important consideration in youth sports participation: access to equipment. On behalf of equipment brand Osaka World, Sessa presented Towne Avenue Elementary School with a $5,000 donation of field hockey equipment. Dignity Health Sports Park also donated $2,000 to give students and the school resources to continue exploring the sport beyond the clinic.

By combining athlete mentorship, introductory instruction and equipment access, the program demonstrates how collaboration among businesses, athletes, schools and community institutions can help reduce barriers to participation. It also illustrates how major sporting events can create opportunities for local engagement well before competition begins.

The clinic carried particular significance as Southern California prepares to welcome the world for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. DHSP, identified as Carson Field for LA28, is slated to host five Olympic sports and three Paralympic sports, including the Olympic field hockey competition. Introducing Carson students to the sport provides a direct connection between a global event and the young people living near one of its host venues.

City representatives also participated in the day, including Carson Mayor Lula Davis Holmes, Carson City Councilmember Jawane Hilton, and DHSP representatives General Manager Adam Duvendeck and Senior Director of Community Relations Tamala Lewis.

Through community-focused programming such as this clinic, AEG and Dignity Health Sports Park are working to ensure that the momentum surrounding international sporting events extends beyond the field of competition. By connecting students with athletes, equipment and new opportunities to participate, the initiative supports a broader vision of an Olympic and Paralympic legacy grounded in youth engagement, accessibility and community inclusion.

Building Connection Across Cultures: Meet Tamara Rebernisak

GoDaddy — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey to date.

I joined GoDaddy over seven years ago as an HR Specialist in our Belgrade office. At the time, I was wearing a lot of hats - supporting core HR operations, conducting interviews, and organizing our Quick Start onboarding sessions for new hires, with a primary focus on supporting employees in Serbia. As GoDaddy continued to grow and evolve into a more scalable, globally aligned organization, my role evolved alongside it. I transitioned to a more regional HR operations role, which gave me the opportunity to collaborate closely with colleagues in Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, and the UK. That was a pivotal moment in my career; I was able to contribute to the creation and standardization of processes across markets while gaining a deeper understanding of local nuances, from legal requirements to cultural differences in how teams work and solve challenges.

Somewhere along the way, I found myself increasingly drawn to the people side of the experience, especially welcoming new hires. Starting a new job can be overwhelming, and I’ve always been the kind of person who wanted to make that experience easier, warmer, and a little more personal. That’s what ultimately led me to transition into my current role as a Senior Recruiting Coordinator.

Today, I support hiring across EMEA and India, focusing on interview scheduling, candidate experience, hiring and onboarding processes. I’m known for moving quickly and keeping things running smoothly, but what matters most to me is being a friendly, familiar face for new hires as they take their first steps with GoDaddy. As an adult educator, I naturally think about experience design - how people feel and what they need to show up at their best. While we are getting to know the candidates and evaluating their knowledge, they are also forming their opinion about us; thus, creating a thoughtful and engaging experience isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential. That moment of seeing someone go from their first interview to their first day, already feeling like they truly belong, that’s the moment I enjoy the most, and that’s when I know I’ve done it right.

How do you adapt communication and scheduling styles across different country cultures?

Connecting with people across the world is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role. Every interaction is an opportunity to understand different cultures better - how people communicate, express needs, and what makes them feel comfortable and supported.

Over time, I’ve learned that even small details can make a big difference. For example, in some regions email is the preferred channel for communication, while in others a quick message can feel more personal and proactive. As a team, we’re very intentional about adapting to those preferences - we leverage a mix of communication channels and tools to make sure we’re meeting people where they are and keeping things moving in a timely and thoughtful way.

I also tailor the amount of context and details I provide. Some stakeholders and candidates appreciate having the full picture - background, timelines, and next steps, while others prefer a more direct approach focused on immediate actions. Finding that balance is key to making communication effective and respectful of everyone’s time. Even the tone and style of a conversation can vary. In some cultures, building rapport through a quick personal exchange or a light moment comes naturally, while in others, a more straightforward, business-focused approach is appreciated. I try to stay mindful of those differences and adjust accordingly.

At the end of the day, my goal is always the same: to make sure people feel understood, supported, and taken care of, no matter where they are. When communication feels natural and inclusive, everything else tends to fall into place.

How do you keep yourself motivated and inspired in your work?

I’ve always been someone who’s driven by a strong sense of internal motivation. People who know me well would probably say that giving up isn’t really in my nature; I like to stay disciplined, keep moving forward, and see things through.

What keeps me inspired day-by-day is the sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s improving a process, helping create a better interview or onboarding experience, or simply keeping things moving so all our stakeholders can stay on track, I really enjoy knowing I’ve made a positive impact.

I also find a lot of energy in growth - taking on new challenges, learning along the way, and proving to myself that there’s always a solution if you stay focused and open to it. Being able to look back and say, “That worked well” or “I made that a little easier for someone” is what keeps me motivated and excited for what comes next.

If you had to describe GoDaddy's culture in one word, what would it be and why?

One word would definitely be inclusive. What makes GoDaddy special are its employees - you’ll meet incredibly supportive, open, and genuine individuals, and many of those connections will naturally turn into friendships.

What stands out to me is how openly teammates share ideas, support one another, and celebrate differences. Inclusion here isn’t just something we talk about, it’s something you feel.

Those differences in perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences are what keep us evolving and what make GoDaddy such a dynamic and inspiring place to work.

What advice would you give to an individual interested in a career in talent acquisition?

My advice is to remember that Talent Acquisition is, first and foremost, about people. It’s easy to focus on processes, tools, and timelines, but what truly sets great TA professionals apart is how they make others feel. Every interaction, whether it’s with a candidate, a hiring manager, or a teammate, is an opportunity to build trust, create a positive experience, and represent the company in the best way possible. Candidate experience isn’t just a step in the process; it’s at the heart of everything we do.

At the same time, be curious and stay adaptable. Talent Acquisition is constantly evolving, and the most successful professionals are the ones who are open to learning, whether it’s new tools, new ways of sourcing talent, or new expectations from candidates across different markets. Strong communication, relationship building, and the ability to understand different perspectives will take you a long way in this field.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I’ve always had a lot of energy and genuinely enjoy keeping my days full and staying on the move. Dance has been a big part of my life for over 20 years, so dance classes and festivals are a constant in my life. Dancing is such a powerful way to connect with people, express emotions, and simply enjoy the moment.

On weekends, you’ll most likely find me outdoors with friends, frequently heading toward a mountaintop. I find these kinds of physical and mental challenges incredibly rewarding, and the views at the top are always worth the effort. It’s one of those rare moments when you can fully disconnect, clear your mind, and just take everything in.

I’m also a big fan of exercising, and recently, thanks to my partner, I’ve gotten into running. There’s something special about supporting each other and crossing the finish line together; it makes the whole experience even more meaningful.

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.

Southwire, Georgia Power and The Ray Unveil Native Habitat Initiative Along Energy Rights-of-Way in Carrollton, Ga

Ray C. Anderson Foundation — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:40:00 -0400

CARROLLTON, Ga., September 25, 2026 /3BL/ - Southwire Company, LLC, Georgia Power, and nonprofit infrastructure innovator The Ray have joined forces on an innovative land management initiative in Carroll County, transforming a traditional energy transmission corridor into a thriving native wildflower meadow that supports pollinators, enhances biodiversity, and demonstrates a more sustainable approach to managing utility rights-of-way.

Planted this spring near Southwire’s Carrollton facilities, the newly established meadow reimagines how rights-of-way under high-voltage utility lines can be utilized. By replacing traditional vegetation management practices with a carefully curated mix of native plants, the project creates a vibrant, diverse habitat that provides season-long food, shelter, and nesting resources for native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife.

“This partnership with Southwire and The Ray shows how utility rights-of-way can support grid reliability while also providing habitat for pollinators and wildlife. Projects like this show how thoughtful growth and conservation can go hand in hand, creating value for the grid, native species, and customers across our state.”

— Jennifer McNelly, VP of Environmental Affairs, Georgia Power

Beyond supporting local biodiversity, native meadow systems offer distinct operational advantages. Deep-rooted native plants naturally suppress unwanted brush, lower long-term maintenance costs by reducing mowing frequency, and aid in soil stabilization. These revitalized rights-of-way effectively serve as biological pathways, connecting fragmented rural landscapes and allowing wildlife to travel safely through urbanized zones without compromising energy grid reliability or safety access.

“Southwire is glad to partner with Georgia Power and The Ray on this project. Pollinators are in decline due to habitat loss and other factors, and this project will transform unused land for a beneficial purpose. We recently published our 2025 report entitled The Power to Transform, which outlines Southwire’s commitment to responsible practices and corporate stewardship. We’re excited about how this project makes a difference in these efforts.”

— Bo Quick, VP of Corporate Sustainability and Strategy, Southwire

The Carrollton habitat project is a practical, nationally scalable blueprint for how energy providers, industrial leaders, and government entities can co-create functional, nature-positive landscapes within existing working infrastructure.

About Southwire

Southwire Company, LLC is one of North America's leading wire and cable companies. The $9.7B organization is made up of more than 9,000 team members across the globe who unite as ONE Southwire each and every day to serve each other, their customers and their communities. Southwire and its subsidiaries provide solutions including building wire and cable, metal-clad cable, utility products, portable and electronic cord products and OEM wire products. In addition, Southwire offers electrical products, engineered solutions and a variety of field support services. For more on Southwire's products and solutions, its community involvement and its vision of sustainability, visit www.southwire.com.

About Georgia Power

Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America’s premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company’s promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower), and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

About The Ray

The Ray is a nonprofit organization that reimagines infrastructure to be safer, cleaner, and more productive. We partner with all levels of government to drive innovation in energy and mobility, improving capacity, production, and longevity. Advancing technologies with industry leaders, we’re the only nonprofit in the United States using geospatial analysis for right-of-way utilization, research-based practices, and cutting-edge safety systems to improve transportation.

Media Contacts:

The Ray

Dallen McLemore, Communications Specialist

229.449.6168 | dallen@theray.org | @TheRayHighway

Southwire

Ashley Bush, Sr. Director of Communications

ashleybush@southwire.com

Covia Donates Clark’s Falls Property to Village of Utica, Opening Door to Future Public Park

Covia — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:15:00 -0400

UTICA, Ill., September 25, 2026 /3BL/ - A landscape that has been largely out of public reach for generations is poised to become one of Utica’s defining destinations. Covia has announced the donation of a parcel of land consisting of more than 50 acres containing Clark’s Falls and its surrounding canyon to the Village of North Utica, giving the Village ownership of a remarkable natural area and laying the groundwork for what could eventually become a new public park.

The property features towering sandstone walls, a deep canyon, a significant main waterfall and an additional upper falls. Its geology and scenery are reminiscent of the landscapes that draw millions of visitors to nearby Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks, while offering a setting and features entirely its own.

For Utica, the donation creates an opportunity to begin planning for a new community asset that could shape the village for decades to come.

“Having grown up here and spent my life in Utica, I know how special this property is and what it has meant to generations of people who have known about Clark’s Falls,” said Utica Mayor David Stewart. “This is an extraordinary donation by Covia and I cannot thank them enough. To now see this land come into the Village’s ownership and stewardship is something I don’t think any of us should take lightly. There is tremendous potential here, but we also have a responsibility to approach it thoughtfully and make sure we get it right. I am very grateful to the corporate leadership of Covia for recognizing the natural beauty and historic nature of this property and taking the steps necessary to preserve it for generations to come.”

Clark’s Falls itself has been part of Utica’s identity for well over a century. Historic photographs and postcards document the falls as a local scenic attraction as early as the beginning of the 1900s. A 1903 photograph of Clark’s Falls is preserved today in the Library of Congress.

Its name also reflects Utica’s early history. James Clark arrived in the community in 1833 and went on to play a significant role in its development, including work on the Illinois and Michigan Canal, the operation of Utica’s early cement industry and service in a number of civic positions.

“There is something very fitting about property carrying the Clark name becoming part of Utica’s future,” Stewart said. “James Clark helped shape this community in its earliest days. Nearly two centuries later, we have an opportunity to take a place connected to that history and consider how it can serve the community for generations to come.”

"This gift ensures the preservation and lasting benefit for the Village of Utica community," Mark Oskam, Covia’s Senior Vice President, Operations, said. "We are proud to make this donation and look forward to seeing the Village develop a vision for Clark’s Falls."

Covia manages over 80,000 acres of land with sustainable practices, from development to reclamation, successfully rehabilitating environments like wetlands and forests. The company recognizes the importance of protecting these natural environments and have initiatives in place to minimize their footprint, tailoring efforts to the unique needs of each community. Additionally, the company invests charitable contributions, volunteerism, and other forms of support in communities where its team members live and work. For over a century, Covia has been a part of the Utica community, succeeding Unimin Corporation and its predecessors. The company has a longstanding history of supporting the village.

Planning What Comes Next

The transfer of the property is the beginning of a much longer process.

The Village plans to form a strategic planning committee to evaluate the property, explore potential development and preservation needs, identify possible funding opportunities and help determine the next steps required before any portion of the site could open to the public.

Future considerations are expected to include public access, trails, parking, safety, environmental protection, infrastructure and long-term maintenance. No final park plan or opening date has been established.

Utica has long served as a gateway to Starved Rock State Park and the surrounding region. Village leaders believe Clark’s Falls could eventually give residents and visitors another reason to experience Utica itself, while complementing rather than attempting to duplicate the natural attractions already found nearby.

“This could be one of the most significant opportunities Utica has had in decades,” Stewart said. “But today is about the first step. Covia has provided the Village an extraordinary opportunity. Now our job is to bring the right people together to develop a plan to make the park become a reality.”

Property Remains Closed

Clark’s Falls is not currently open to the public. The property has not yet been developed for recreational access and does not currently have the trails, safety infrastructure or other improvements necessary to accommodate visitors.

The Village is asking residents and visitors to respect all posted closures and not enter the property until it is officially opened for public use. Trespassers are subject to ticketing.

Additional information regarding the strategic planning process and future opportunities for public involvement will be announced by the Village of Utica as plans develop.

About the Village of North Utica

The Village of North Utica is located in LaSalle County along the Illinois and Michigan Canal and Illinois River and serves as a gateway to Starved Rock State Park and the greater Starved Rock Country region. The community combines a rich canal and industrial history with outdoor recreation, locally owned businesses, dining and tourism.

About Covia

Covia responsibly provides minerals solutions for a better tomorrow. As a leading provider of diversified minerals, our products support a variety of industrial markets, including glass, ceramics, coatings, metals, foundry, polymers, construction, water filtration, and sports and recreation. The company serves its customers through a broad array of essential, high-quality products, including high-purity silica sand, nepheline syenite, feldspar, kaolin and ball clays, cristobalite, and coated materials. Long-standing relationships with a broad customer base enable Covia’s market-inspired approach to innovation to enhance solutions and customer benefits. Underpinning these strengths is an unwavering commitment to safety and to sustainable development, further enhancing the value that Covia delivers to all its stakeholders.

For more information, visit CoviaCorp.com.

Media Contact

MediaRelations@CoviaCorp.com
David Stewart - mayor@utica-il.gov
Jamie Turczyn - director@utica-il.gov

At UN Event, IWBI President and CEO Calls for Health-First Schools

International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

by Kristen Coco

Building on the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air’s landmark launch of the Global Framework for Action, Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and Co-Chair of the Global Commission, delivered an urgent call to action, encouraging leaders to deliver on a forward-looking “health-first agenda” for educational institutions worldwide.

Presented during today’s UN High-Level Side Event on Healthy Indoor Air in Schools: Every Breath Shapes Learning, Hodgdon’s remarks leveraged the Global Framework’s roadmap to drive systemic improvements in indoor air quality across learning environments.

IWBI was at the heart of convening the inaugural Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids Summit, a first-of-its-kind national gathering held in Washington, D.C. this past summer. Today, Hodgdon urged leading experts, advocates and policymakers to continue efforts to produce a forward-looking health-first agenda, focused on school modernization, healthy materials, indoor air quality and ventilation, emergency preparedness and resilience, healthy lighting and acoustics, pollution prevention, remediation of legacy environmental hazards, technical assistance for schools and communities, and priority research needs.

Also delivering remarks at today’s UN event were Ministers, MPs and senior officials from the governments of France, the United Kingdom, Montenegro and Eswatini. As well, fellow Commissioners Dr. Ian Longley of the Air Quality Collective and Air Club Co-Founders Dr. Georgia Lagoudas and Dr. Bronwyn King, alongside other global experts, collectively spotlighted the importance of indoor air quality across public health, education, biosecurity and climate resilience.

Read Rachel Hodgdon’s full remarks below or watch the recording of the UN High-Level Side Event on UN Web TV, Healthy Indoor Air in Schools: Every Breath Shapes Learning.

To learn more about the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air and its newly-launched Global Framework for Action, read the press release and visit the website.

I keep coming back to one word today: hope.

We have heard from so many inspiring speakers about the hope of a world in which everyone—no matter who they are or where they live—has access to healthy indoor air.

And what we are witnessing is more than momentum. It is a growing belief that we are rapidly approaching a global tipping point.

Last year, we came together around the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air. And two days ago, the Global Commission launched the Global Framework for Action—a game plan for turning the fundamental human right of healthy indoor air into a reality.

And this gathering is another reason for hope. Government leaders, school districts, philanthropy, NGOs, industry and academia—all coming together to stand up for our schools.

Because when we talk about indoor air in schools, we are not talking about air for its own sake.

Healthy air is the entry point. Health is the purpose.

At IWBI, our singular focus is advancing a health-first agenda for the places and spaces where we live our lives. And nowhere is that more important than in our schools.

This summer, IWBI joined four other national organizations to host our Healthy School Summit, where we announced a health-first agenda for America’s schools.

And that word—first—matters.

For too long, health has been something important, but rarely urgent. Something that can wait.

But our children cannot wait.

I remember talking to a school district leader who told me about a little girl who, due to poor indoor air quality, was having asthma attacks day after day at school. Her family finally pulled her out and moved her to another district simply so she could be well enough to learn.

For that little girl, this wasn’t a facilities problem. This wasn’t a line item in a capital budget.

It was her life.

And that’s what urgency looks like.

For too many students and educators, health has been deferred to the next budget, the next capital plan, the next year.

But when health is delayed, health is denied.

We must also make our schools more energy-efficient, sustainable and resilient. Those goals matter enormously.

But when it comes to our children, they are the means, not the ultimate measure of success.

A school can meet an energy target and still fail a child who is struggling to breathe.

The ultimate measure is whether that building supports the health, well-being and learning of the people inside it.

The Global Framework gives us a path from aspiration to action. Now we need that same health-first commitment for schools around the world.

No child should have to trade their health for an education.

So today let’s make—and keep—one simple promise to every child:

Your health and well-being comes first.

View original content here.

KeyBank Invests $200,000 in Stark State College Foundation To Alleviate Cost of College

KeyBank — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

AKRON, Ohio, September 25, 2026 /3BL/ - KeyBank and the KeyBank Foundation announced a $200,000 investment in the Stark State College Foundation to provide financial assistance and student support services that will help students complete their education and pursue careers in high-demand fields throughout Northeast Ohio.

As part of the four-year investment, 40 qualifying students will receive $1,000 KeyBank Presidential Scholarships annually. The scholarships will help offset the cost of tuition, fees, books, transportation and other expenses associated with attending college. Funding will also support essential basic needs and student support services, ensuring students have access to resources that help them stay enrolled and succeed.

“Stark State College and KeyBank share a fundamental belief that when individuals succeed, communities thrive,” said Mattie Jones Hollowell, KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer. “Through the KeyBank Presidential Scholarship Program, we are helping remove financial barriers that can stand in the way of a student achieving their goals. We are proud to partner with Stark State College and the Stark State College Foundation to have a lasting impact on students, local employers and Northeast Ohio as a whole.”

During the grant period, the scholarship program is expected to impact up to 160 students. To qualify, students must achieve and maintain a 3.0 grade point average. Scholarship recipients will be tracked throughout their academic journey, with outcomes including retention, completion, transfer and employment measured to evaluate the program’s success.

“KeyBank has long been a valued partner of our college and its students,” said Para M. Jones, Ph.D., Stark State College President. “This grant is a strategic investment that will empower students from all backgrounds to discover rewarding career paths, helping build a stronger future for them and a more skilled workforce for our region.”

Stark State serves more than 13,000 students annually, offering more than 200 associate degree, bachelor’s degree, certificate and credential programs. To help meet critical workforce needs, the college partners with over 95 employers across industries including healthcare, manufacturing, public safety, business and information technology. Around 76% of Stark State students attend college part time, and more than 70% hold jobs while in school.

ABOUT KEYCORP

KeyCorp's roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $191 billion at June 30, 2026.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,100 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

Cascale, Worldly Bring Real Industry Data to Fashion Value Chain Course at the Yale School of the Environment

Cascale — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

NEW HAVEN, Conn. and AMSTERDAM and HONG KONG and OAKLAND, Calif., September 25, 2026 /3BL/ - Cascale and Worldly will collaborate directly with a Yale instructor to bring the Higg Index and real-world case studies to a fashion value chain course at the Yale School of the Environment.

The collaboration centers on three industry-informed case studies for the semester commencing in September 2026, as part of a broader curriculum, and brings interdisciplinary real-world examples to the classroom across subject areas for more in-depth learning. The course is titled “Transforming Global Value Chains for Sustainability: The Case of Fashion and Textiles’” at the Yale School of the Environment. Yale will also be joining Cascale's membership base.

"Yale is where I learned how to analyze complex systems where there were no clear answers. In the years since, mentoring students who want to work at the intersection of business and sustainability, I've seen how a lack of access to the tools and data the industry actually runs on holds back brilliant students' abilities to understand the whole picture,” said J.R. Siegel, vice president of sustainability at Worldly, who is also a Yale alumni and mentor. “This course closes that gap. Last year alone, facilities shared verified data with brands through Worldly more than 100,000 times. Students who work with the same platform and data will start their careers understanding how the work gets done, not just in theory but in practice."

“Students want real industry experience in sustainability fields, but they rarely get access to the leaders, frameworks, and real-world context shaping global value chains,” said Lee Green, vice president of marketing, communications, and public affairs at Cascale. “Convening that expertise is what Cascale does. Bringing it into a Yale classroom is simply how we put it to work preparing the next generation. ”

Students will dive deeper into how environmental factors such as water use, chemical management, greenhouse gases, land use, waste, and more influence sustainability progress. They will also examine the social impact of the industry and how it addresses human rights. Uniquely, the course is open to Yale students across disciplines.

“Complex industries like consumer goods and fashion offer an incredibly rare opportunity for multi-disciplinary engagement and discoveries,” said Michelle Gabriel, lecturer at Yale School of the Environment (YSE) and resident fellow at the Yale Center for Business and the Environment (CBEY) . “Known for its significant environmental footprint, deeply entwined social implications, and historic underregulation, the subject matter is prime for students across Yale to engage in real-world problem solving. There is immense value that emerges when academia mingles with industry. In collaborating directly with reputable organizations like Cascale and Worldly, I’m confident that we will lay the groundwork for closer collaboration between academia and industry.”

Brands, retailers, and manufacturers came together 15 years ago to develop the Higg Index and continue to shape its impact today. It is one of the most widely adopted impact measurement frameworks in consumer goods. Organizations worldwide rely on the Higg Index to identify, understand, measure, and act to improve social and environmental performance. It is exclusively available on the Worldly platform, with methodology shaped by Cascale and its members. Consumer goods companies and their suppliers use Worldly to prove how their products are made so they can report, comply, and act.

The contributed case studies will explore the role and value of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) and unique stakeholder perspectives and the value of responsible purchasing practices using Cascale Better Buying survey insights.

Academia is a valued part of Cascale membership and Worldly’s platform user base. For more information on Cascale membership, explore membership. Learn about the Higg Index and explore Worldly’s current offerings.

This partnership signals a broader shift in how the industry develops talent. By embedding real tools and real data into academia, Worldly and Cascale are raising the bar for the next generation of sustainability professionals.

Media Contact: Forster Communications, cascaleforster@forster.co.uk

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit industry alliance where consumer goods organizations turn shared sustainability ambitions into measurable progress at scale to combat climate change and support decent work for all. We unite 300 Corporate and Affiliate members in pre-competitive collaboration, turning shared measurement and collective action into reduced risk, stronger credibility, and long-term resilience. Our work is anchored by Cascale's stewardship of the Higg Index frameworks (accessed through the Worldly compliance and sustainability platform), along with the Better Buying and Sustainable Furnishings Council tools.

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ABOUT WORLDLY

Worldly is the compliance and sustainability platform where consumer goods companies and their suppliers prove how their products are made, so they can report, comply, and act. Suppliers save time by reporting through one industry framework, sharing their assessments over 100,000 times annually on Worldly. Retailers and consumer goods brands get environmental, social, and chemical data together in one place, at the facility and product level. AI built on verified facility data, not estimates, turns that data into answers, showing companies where risk sits in their supply chains and where to act first.

CVS Health Strengthens Energy Resilience To Support Patient Care

CVS Health — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:15:00 -0400

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

The demand for reliable energy continues to grow, and for CVS Health, dependable operations are essential to serving millions of patients and customers across the country. That's why we're expanding our use of renewable electricity and investing in energy solutions that help reduce emissions, strengthen business resilience and support uninterrupted care. These efforts are part of our goal to source 50% of our energy from renewable electricity by 2040 while building a healthier, more sustainable future for the communities we serve.

Through new and expanded power purchase agreements (PPAs), we’re increasing our use of clean electricity to support our operations. These efforts are part of our broader approach to sustainability, one that’s rooted in improving health outcomes over time.

“As a health solutions company, we recognize that the health of our communities is closely connected to the health of our environment,” said Jenny McColloch, Chief Sustainability Officer of CVS Health. “By investing in renewable energy, we're reducing emissions, strengthening the resilience of our operations and ensuring continuity of care for the patients and customers we serve in communities across the country.”

Why renewable energy agreements matter

The need for reliable, affordable energy is growing, especially as industries expand and power demand increases. Across sectors, organizations are turning to renewable energy sources to strengthen long-term energy stability and manage costs.

For CVS Health, renewable energy agreements help support the stores, pharmacies, clinics and facilities that patients and customers rely on every day. They also help strengthen the energy system and support a cleaner future for the communities we serve.

What’s happening

Since 2022, we’ve made seven large-scale investments in renewable energy. Most recently in Maryland and putting energy-saving solutions into practice across our operations to reduce energy use and improve efficiency.

So far, we’ve secured agreements to source more than 969,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy as these projects come online. These efforts are helping move us closer to our goal of sourcing 50% renewable electricity by 2040. In 2025, renewable electricity represented approximately 33% of our total electricity use.

How a renewable energy power purchase agreement works

A power purchase agreement is a long-term contract that supports the development of renewable energy projects, such as solar and wind farms, while allowing CVS Health to purchase renewable electricity without building or operating the projects ourselves.

Here’s how it works in practice:

Renewable energy is generated offsite from projects across the U.S.
That energy is delivered to the grid and helps increase the overall supply of clean electricity
CVS Health receives the environmental benefits, which are credited against our electricity use

These agreements typically span multiple years, providing predictable access to clean energy sources while supporting the development of new renewable capacity.

What clean energy means for CVS Health’s carbon footprint

Our renewable energy investments are a key part of reducing our Scope 2 GHG emissions – the emissions associated with the electricity we use to operate our stores, clinics and facilities.

By increasing the amount of clean electricity in our energy mix, we’re making steady progress toward lowering our overall carbon footprint.

These efforts help us:

Improve the efficiency of how we operate
Support long-term energy reliability
Contribute to a more sustainable energy system

All of which ultimately support the communities and patients we serve. They also help improve air quality by reducing reliance on fossil fuels, which can contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular health issues. At the same time, investing in a more resilient energy system helps us continue serving patients and communities during periods of increased demand and extreme weather.

The bottom line

Investing in renewable energy is one way we're helping build a healthier future. By reducing emissions, supporting cleaner air and strengthening the resilience of our operations, we're helping ensure we can continue caring for patients and serving communities today and in the years ahead.

Innovative Kidney Care in Kenya: Bena Care’s Journey of Hope, Resilience, and Partnerships

Boehringer Ingelheim — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:05:00 -0400

In 2017, I was a young student nurse in Kenya, grappling with the stark realities of our national healthcare system. I saw families drained financially and emotionally by long-term hospital stays for their loved ones. The pain was not just in the illness but in the struggle for dignity and care. This is where Bena Care began—from a deep conviction that healthcare could be more compassionate, more accessible.

A perspective by Naom Monari, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Bena Care

Bena Care builds a network of healthcare workers, primarily made up of nurses, physiotherapists and caregivers to deliver affordable home-nursing services and in-home therapy for chronically ill patients. Today, Bena Care has served over 16,000 patients, bringing care into homes where it’s needed most. Many of them report that this service has the potential to save them up to half of their healthcare costs. But behind these numbers are stories—a mother relieved that her son can receive dialysis closer to home, a daughter able to provide care for her mother because she was trained by our team. These are the stories that keep me going, even when the road ahead looks incredibly difficult to navigate.

Bena Care has served over 16,000 patients, bringing care into homes where it’s needed most.

A lifeline in Boehringer Ingelheim: expanding health coverage options

In 2021, Bena Care reached a critical juncture. Running a social enterprise in healthcare is not for the faint-hearted. The financial pressures, the systemic challenges, the endless need—it can feel insurmountable. That’s when Boehringer Ingelheim’s Making More Health (MMH) entrepreneur support program came into our lives. It was more than just an opportunity, it was validation. Someone saw the potential in what we were doing and said: “Let’s make this bigger.”

Through MMH, we piloted programs that had long been part of my vision. We trained family caregivers, empowering them to provide supportive care. We launched free screenings in communities heavily burdened by diabetes and hypertension, focusing on early detection and intervention. These initiatives didn’t just work—they transformed us. Even after the program ended, these programs remained at the heart of Bena Care’s mission.

Read the whole piece on Imagine – Boehringer Ingelheim’s sustainability story hub.

Reflections From Athens: What the Cascale Annual Meeting Told Us

Cascale — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:00:00 -0400

We went to Athens with a question instead of a position. Who Pays, Who Profits, and What Changes? We chose this theme for Annual Meeting 2026 because it is the question members keep raising privately and the industry keeps deferring publicly. Over three days in September, 600 attendees and 75 speakers took it on across the Main Stage, the Impact Stage, the Worldly Stage, the Collaboration Stage, and a full slate of closed-door rooms.

What came back was more useful than consensus. It was a diagnosis.

Event emcee Isabelle Kumar put it plainly as she opened the meeting: "The question is no longer whether transformation happens. The question is how — how responsibility is shared, how investment is aligned, how value is created across the chain." Nothing in the following three days contradicted her. The goals the industry set itself have not changed. Decarbonization, decent work, resilient supply chains; nobody in Athens argued for retreat from any of them. What has changed is the environment in which they have to be delivered: tariffs, trade fragmentation, thinner consumer wallets, regulation arriving faster than the systems built to answer it, and a macro climate that has made capital cautious.

The instinct in that environment is to assume the barrier is money. Athens suggested otherwise. On the finance panel, Kurt Kipka of the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) framed the constraint as coordination rather than capital: projects stall when the business case is solid for a brand's CFO but not yet a win for the manufacturer or at the scale a bank needs. Clair Smith of HSBC was direct about what banks actually require — a plain business case, cash-flow visibility, workable risk-sharing. Manufacturers spend now and see returns later, and buyer signals matter because banks assess cash flow. Asif Khan of Mondetta made the same point from the other end of the chain: "If you have season-to-season buying, that doesn't build confidence. If you have a long-term partnership, that gives you confidence to invest."

That is not a financing problem. It is a misalignment between how long transformation takes to pay back and how short our commercial relationships are.

The heat-stress sessions took the argument further, and for me they were the sharpest hours of the meeting. Dr. Vidhura Ralapanawe of Epic Group showed how far the technical foundations have fallen behind: the meteorological data underpinning factory design in India dates from 2007 to 2011, and the standard assumed a peak of 39°C where 2024 reached 45°C. We are designing buildings for a climate that no longer exists. The commercial bind is just as real — heat now peaks in the same months that back-to-school and holiday orders do, and as Brian La Plante of YKK put it, manufacturers are rated on on-time supply while the breaks that protect workers can cut output by as much as a quarter.

Priydarshini Gouthi of Shahi Exports then dismantled the assumption underneath most of our climate adaptation conversations happening on the factory floor. Alleged productivity "gains" from heat remediation only recover output already lost to heat. "That's why the premise that there's a business case for addressing heat stress doesn't inherently exist. That's why we need shared responsibility," she said.

Adaptation is a shared cost to carry. Treating it as a return-on-investment play sets manufacturers up to fail. That is an uncomfortable finding, and it is the most honest thing the meeting produced.

Underneath all of this sat a question about our own work: what the data is actually for. Logan Duran, who leads ESG and sustainability at Tapestry, gave the most concrete answer I heard. Tapestry uses the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) as the foundation for performance conversations with its manufacturing partners, and has put social and environmental metrics into the manufacturer scorecard. The weighting is small, but it moves allocation decisions. And weak environmental and social scores, he said, tend to track with weak delivery and quality. That is the Higg Index doing what it was built for: informing a commercial decision rather than filling a report. The next step in that work was on the Impact Stage, where the team set out the Foundational Environmental Performance Module — a question set drawn entirely from existing Higg FEM Level 1 questions, shaped with 80 stakeholders across more than 30 organizations, with a technical paper and member dashboard now available. As Ying put it on the Main Stage, the next chapter is about "turning measurement into insights, insights into investment, action, and measurable results."

Honesty was something of a through-line. John Morrison, in conversation with Cascale's Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, argued that the backlash against sustainability is partly self-inflicted — a movement that overextended, worked in silos, and leaned on awareness over delivery, opening a gap between claim and reality that opponents have been happy to exploit. Sandrine Dixson-Declève, whose keynote opened this year’s Annual Meeting, held the tension without resolving it too neatly: "There is too much bad news to justify complacency, but there's too much good news to justify despair."

And Greece's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Harry Theoharis, gave the policy version of the same thought. "Competitiveness and sustainability can no longer be treated as separate agendas," he told the room. The work, as he put it, is making sustainability investable, measurable, and economically viable.

If there is a single organizing idea to take from Athens, it came from Rick Ridgeway in his closing plenary, borrowing Morrison's line: what our organizations need is not a chief sustainability officer but a chief systems officer. Sean Cady of VF supplied the discipline that goes with it — if you cannot articulate the value an activity creates, reconsider whether it belongs on your list at all, and expect that the biggest wins will cost money rather than save it.

This was also Ying McGuire's first Annual Meeting as our CEO, and she chose not to arrive with a finished strategy. Members were instead invited into a systems-mapping process — a revisit of the map this industry first drew in 2014 — that will inform Cascale's ten-year vision and 2027 priorities, with the work concluding in December. "Cascale does not belong to a few," she told the Main Stage. "It belongs to the community."

Which brings me to Bangkok. The Cascale Annual Meeting 2027 will be held in Thailand, and from January at least half of the program will be shaped by members themselves through an open request-for-proposal process, with a host committee of senior leaders from companies operating in Thailand and the region. Taking the meeting to a major manufacturing region, with the agenda partly in the hands of members, is a reasonable test of the argument Athens made. If the costs and the decisions genuinely need to be shared, then the program should be too.

Ying's closing line was the right one to leave with: "Between now and then we are going to execute. We're not just going to talk about it."

Thank you to everyone who made Athens what it was. We'll see you in Bangkok.

Lee Green is vice president of marketing, communications and public affairs at Cascale.

Why Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) Matter for the Pharmaceutical Industry

SCS Global Services — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:11:00 -0400

What if measuring your pharmaceutical products’ environmental footprints could open doors that price alone never will? Clinical outcomes and cost have always decided whether a new pharmaceutical product — be it a vaccine, weight loss drug, or chemotherapy — reaches patients. That's not going to change, nor should it. But lately, the institutions that decide which therapies make it to market are asking a new question: What impact does this therapy have on the environment? They want medicines built with raw materials that have a low environmental impact and that won't become a regulatory liability in the future. They're looking for therapies that leave less behind at end of life, and whose footprint a company can prove with data.

Including the environmental impact of therapies has never been a requirement, voluntary or mandatory, for market access bids, but this could be changing. For pharmaceutical companies ready to get ahead of that shift, a new standard for Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) is fast becoming one of the most powerful tools for winning market access.

Long considered the touchstone for measuring the environmental impacts of products as varied as food, furniture, concrete, and glass, LCAs give companies and their suppliers a clear, data-driven understanding of environmental hotspots across manufacturing and supply chains, while PCFs — an LCA focused solely on a product’s climate change impact — help companies drill down into their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Yet despite their proven value elsewhere, the use of LCAs and PCFs in the pharmaceutical industry has never been standardized until now.

Introducing PAS 2090:2025, Pharmaceutical products - Product category rules for environmental life cycle assessments, the first internationally applicable framework for conducting both LCA and PCF assessments of pharmaceutical products. Here, we explore how PAS 2090-aligned LCAs and PCFs help pharma companies make sustainable decisions, reduce risk, and lead within a climate-conscious market.

Introduction of PAS 2090:2025

Released in November 2025, PAS 2090 reflects considerable cross-sector collaboration. The standard was developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI) with co-sponsorship from NHS England, the Office for Life Sciences (UK), and the Pharmaceutical LCA Consortium, using extensive global stakeholder input with insights from academia and healthcare. Over 475 stakeholders from 35 countries participated via a digital engagement hub, with more than 400 public comments submitted during the public consultation period.

In terms of functional specifications, PAS 2090 covers “pharmaceutical products intended for human use and the pharmaceutical product life cycle, including the drug substance, formulation, device (if applicable), packaging, distribution, patient use and end of product life.” It guides the process of assessing the environmental impact of pharmaceutical products from “cradle,” as in the sourcing of raw materials, up until the product’s final disposal, or “grave,” at end of life.

Though still in a nascent stage, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations recognizes PAS 2090 as the “first publicly available specification to establish harmonized Product Category Rules (PCR) for conducting LCAs and PCFs of pharmaceutical products.” By adopting one unified standard, companies can generate aligned assessments without producing different analyses for each healthcare payer, thus reducing workload and improving trust in the data for payers and health tech evaluators. We’re looking at a new era of transparency and comparability ushered in by this new, publicly available specification.

Growing Importance in Market Access

The details of LCA standardization across the global pharmaceutical industry will need more time to be carved out completely. But already major health systems including NHS England, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the Norwegian Hospital Procurement Trust are increasingly looking at integrating environmental criteria into therapy evaluation and purchasing. As a result, therapies supported by credible LCA and PCF data can gain a competitive advantage in market access and tendering. (Tender, or tendering, refers to a formal process by which pharmaceutical therapies and healthcare technologies are procured.)

Consider the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which sits at the gateway to the UK public healthcare market. Its rigorous assessments of a health technology's safety, clinical effectiveness, and affordability directly shape what the National Health Service (NHS) will fund. Now, NICE is exploring whether environmental impact evidence could join that submission, and whether it would be structured much like the clinical and cost-effectiveness data producers must submit as part of their market access bids. Their Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Innovation Laboratory is assessing what the evidence might look like, and looks to PAS 2090 as the standard that can provide a credible, consistent framework.

Healthcare payers are beginning to evaluate the environmental footprint of the therapies they buy. In crowded therapeutic categories, that creates an opening. Early adopters that showcase credible LCA and PCF data can differentiate their products and demonstrate the exact kind of leadership that resonates in a climate-conscious world. This is especially powerful for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that can't always win on price. Environmental performance gives them a different way to compete — one built on integrity and innovation rather than a race to the bottom on cost. And there's now evidence that it works.

In a case study conducted with the Norwegian Hospital Procurement Trust (Sykehusinnkjøp), researchers found that prioritizing environmental criteria paid off in the long run through a more secure supply chain and a shift away from non-renewable materials. Rewarding environmental performance over price raised public spending in the short term, but it kept suppliers in the market and reduced medicine shortages over time. Most tellingly, in the Trust's anti-infectives tender, environmental criteria brought suppliers back into contention — 8 of 21 contracts went to bids that were not the lowest priced. In other words, by showcasing their products' reduced environmental impact along with assessments of supply chain risks and hotspots, some companies are returning with competitive bids that not too long ago may have had little hope of winning.

Operational and Supply Chain Benefits

LCAs also offer a number of benefits for improved business operations and overall supply chain efficiency. By pinpointing energy intensive steps and materials with disproportionate environmental impacts, LCAs provide companies with a better understanding of their critical supply chain vulnerabilities. And by tending to these hotspots strategically, organizations can reduce environmental risk, optimize performance, and lower long-term operational costs.

A few highlighted benefits coming from the use of LCA in support of pharmaceutical product development include:

Process optimization, spotting materials and supply chain areas with outsized environmental impact.
Minimizing waste and harmful emissions across the product’s life cycle for environmental and regulatory gains.
Resource-efficient product design, resulting in lower material and energy use and decreased production costs.
Enhanced supply chain resilience, as LCA insights help address process and supply chain vulnerabilities before they disrupt operations.

Future-proofing for 2030 and Beyond

A decade from now, environmental data won't be a differentiator — it will be an expectation. Climate pressures and resource scarcity are already reshaping operational risk and cost, and global health systems are steadily raising the bar for the environmental evidence they require from suppliers.

Companies that adopt PAS 2090-aligned LCAs today are doing more than reducing impact. They're future-proofing, building the transparency and market credibility that tomorrow’s industry will demand. The head start starts now.

Ready to Strengthen Your Environmental Strategy?

Our LCA experts help pharmaceutical companies and suppliers generate high quality, PAS 2090 aligned assessments that unlock strategic, operational, and market access advantages.

Contact us to get started with an LCA or PCF that elevates your sustainability and competitive position.

About the Author

Millicent Gabriel is a Life Cycle Associate and sustainability consultant with SCS Consulting Services, bridging life sciences and environmental stewardship. She holds an MS from Northeastern University in Cell and Tissue Engineering and a BS in Chemical Engineering. With a five-year background in the pharmaceutical sector, she combines expertise in Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and Product Carbon Footprints (PCF) to help empower clients to make smart decisions for emission reductions. She also focuses on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and end-of-life management of products and packaging.

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How To Help Prevent Home Title Theft: Warning Signs and Tips From KeyBank

KeyBank — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:35:00 -0400

Imagine learning that your home has been sold without your knowledge.

That is the potential consequence of home title theft, a form of fraud that can expose property owners to foreclosure, financial losses and legal disputes. KeyBank is providing tips to help you understand how the scheme works, recognize its warning signs and monitor property records so you can respond quickly to suspicious activity.

What is home title theft?

Home title theft, also called title fraud or deed fraud, occurs when a criminal uses forged documents to fraudulently transfer ownership of a property. Because property documents are filed in public records, the fraudulent transfer may go unnoticed until the legitimate owner receives an unexpected notice or discovers another problem.

After appearing as the owner on paper, a fraudster may attempt to:

Sell the property to an unsuspecting buyer.
Obtain a mortgage or home equity loan using the property.
Rent the property and collect income.
Take the proceeds and leave the legitimate owner to address the resulting financial and legal issues.

How does home title theft happen?

Home title theft commonly follows three stages:

1. A criminal obtains the homeowner’s personal information

Fraudsters may acquire personal information through data breaches, phishing emails, stolen mail, malware or purchases on the dark web.

2. The criminal creates forged property documents

Using the stolen information, the fraudster creates fraudulent property records, sometimes including a quitclaim deed, and forges the owner’s signature.

3. The documents are filed with a county office

The fraudulent documents are submitted to the county recorder’s office. Once recorded, public records may incorrectly show the fraudster as the property’s legal owner.

Who may face greater risk of title fraud?

Some properties and homeowners may warrant closer monitoring. These include:

Seniors who may overlook early warning signs.
Owners of vacation homes or rental properties.
Estates belonging to recently deceased homeowners.
Longtime homeowners with substantial equity and little or no remaining mortgage debt.
People who have previously experienced identity theft or a data breach.

What are the warning signs of home title theft?

Homeowners should investigate unusual financial, legal or property-related activity. Potential warning signs include:

Bills, loan statements or foreclosure notices that were not expected.
Mail referencing a property sale or transfer the owner did not authorize.
Property tax or utility bills issued in another person’s name.
Unknown tenants or prospective buyers arriving at the property.
Mortgages or credit inquiries the homeowner does not recognize.
County notifications concerning documents the homeowner did not file.

No single sign necessarily establishes that title fraud has occurred, but unfamiliar activity should be verified promptly through the appropriate financial institution, credit bureau or county office.

How can homeowners help protect themselves?

Protect personal information and important documents

Homeowners can reduce exposure by shredding sensitive documents before disposal and storing original deeds in a fireproof safe. They should not provide one-time passcodes, PINs, passwords, Social Security numbers, birth dates, driver’s license numbers or other confidential information to unverified contacts.

Unexpected messages or requests should be verified by contacting the person or organization through a known phone number or trusted communication channel. KeyBank also recommends passwords containing at least 15 characters, with upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols, as well as multifactor authentication whenever it is available.

Monitor credit reports and property records

Homeowners should review their credit reports for unfamiliar mortgages or home equity lines of credit. A credit-monitoring service can also provide alerts about changes to a credit report.

Some counties provide free property-fraud alerts. Homeowners can search for their county’s property fraud alert program and enroll if one is available. KeyBank also recommends checking the county recorder’s website for unauthorized filings and reviewing property records at least quarterly.

Review owner’s title insurance options

Owner’s title insurance is generally purchased once and is intended to protect the owner’s legal property rights. Depending on the terms and conditions of a specific policy, coverage may include legal expenses arising from a fraudulent ownership claim, financial losses connected to forgery or identity theft, and defense against invalid liens or claims.

Homeowners should consult their title insurance provider to understand the protections, exclusions and claim requirements in their own policy.

What should you do if you suspect home title theft?

A homeowner who discovers suspicious property activity should take the following steps:

Contact the county recorder or registrar of deeds. Verify recent filings and request copies of documents that appear suspicious.
Contact relevant banks or financial institutions. KeyBank clients can report suspected fraud through the online banking Security Center, call the Fraud Client Service Center at 1-800-433-0124, dial 711 for TTY/TRS, or visit a KeyBank branch.
File a police report. A report establishes a legal record of the suspected fraud.
Contact the three major credit bureaus. Obtain a credit report and consider placing fraud alerts and a credit freeze. The numbers listed by KeyBank are Equifax: 1-800-685-1111, Experian: 1-888-397-3742 and TransUnion: 1-800-909-9972.
Report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission. Reports can be submitted at IdentityTheft.gov or by calling 1-877-438-4338.
Contact a real estate attorney. Legal assistance may be needed to resolve a disputed property title.
Notify the title insurance company. Homeowners with applicable coverage should contact the insurer about filing a claim.

Frequently asked questions about home title theft

Is home title theft the same as deed fraud?

Yes. The terms home title theft, title fraud and deed fraud are commonly used to describe schemes in which forged documents are used to fraudulently transfer property ownership.

Can someone take out a loan using a stolen property title?

A fraudster who appears as the owner in property records may attempt to obtain a mortgage or home equity loan against the property.

How can I check whether my property title has changed?

Review records through the county recorder’s website or office and request copies of any unfamiliar filings. If the county offers a property-fraud alert program, homeowners can enroll to receive notifications.

Does title insurance cover home title theft?

Coverage depends on the specific policy. Some owner’s title insurance policies may cover legal fees, losses related to forgery or identity theft, or defense against invalid claims and liens.

Where can KeyBank clients report suspected fraud?

KeyBank clients can use the online banking Security Center, call 1-800-433-0124, dial 711 for TTY/TRS, or visit a KeyBank branch.

Staying informed about fraud

KeyBank provides educational information about fraud, emerging scams and preventive strategies. Additional resources are available through KeyBank’s fraud information center at key.com/fraud.

^{This material is provided as general information only; the information contained herein may not apply to all situations. Nothing in this material shall be regarded as an offer or solicitation by KeyBank or its affiliates. This is not intended to be a recommendation or advice for your specific situation (including financial, accounting, legal, or tax advice). Consult appropriate professionals for your specific circumstances.}

Connectivity: The Backbone of Community Resilience During Extreme Weather Events

Nokia — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:25:00 -0400

by Subho Mukherjee

As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, extreme weather events such as hurricanes and droughts are happening more often and becoming increasingly severe. Failures across power, communications, transportation, healthcare, and emergency networks deepen the adverse impacts on communities and hinder their recovery, which is why protecting critical systems during crises is essential.

With extreme weather events expected to intensify in the coming decades, emergency responders and decision-makers must plan in advance to mitigate weather-related disruptions to the systems that keep people and communities safe.

As a provider of advanced connectivity infrastructure, Nokia operates at the intersection of society’s most essential services — from power to transportation, healthcare to emergency response, and more. Resilient connectivity is the glue that holds critical systems together and allows them to operate in tandem when crisis strikes.

Connectivity ensures resilient ecosystems

Resilient communities that can withstand crisis require four core infrastructure components functioning together:

Weather intelligence to provide early warning signs of risk.
Critical infrastructure such as telecommunications and utilities that maintain essential services.
Emergency response coordination through public safety agencies, healthcare providers, and local authorities.
Community resilience to support recovery through governments, NGOs, schools, shelters, and more.

If one part of the ecosystem breaks down, the ripple effects often cause cascading and worsening community impact. For example, a power outage may cause wastewater system failures that worsen flooding or a communications blackout that leaves residents and first responders in the dark.

Historic U.S. storms show how infrastructure failures can cascade. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused power outages across 18 states and disabled wastewater systems, worsening flooding and health risks. During Hurricane Helene in 2024, an alternative statewide radio network enabled Tennessee responders to coordinate a helicopter rescue after traditional radios failed.

The essential nature of network connectivity is putting pressure on telecoms to keep communities connected when crisis strikes, with five forces driving change:

Financial risk
Government pressure
Social impact targets and community responsibility
Ecosystem opportunities
Brand and competitive positioning

Telecom providers faced public pushback following recent connection failures, including the 2025 Iberian Peninsula electricity blackout, which left more than 50 million people in Spain and Portugal without electricity for up to 16 hours and disrupted critical infrastructure just when it was needed most. The telecom industry was among the most affected. Internet traffic dropped roughly 90% in Portugal and 80% in Spain, and citizens lost access to mobile networks due to depleted backup power systems. Following the blackout, many telecom operators received criticism for their lack of preparedness and over-reliance on traditional power grids.

Storms Claudia and Kristin battered the peninsula months later, further exposing the vulnerabilities of the region’s telecom networks. Storm Claudia brought flooding and power outages to Portugal and Spain, while Kristin left over a million people without electricity and toppled thousands of telecom and electricity poles in Portugal. Since then, Spain has announced it will require telecoms to provide a four-hour minimum of mobile coverage during power outages, while Portugal’s telecom regulator recommended new network autonomy requirements.

Telecoms around the world are facing similar challenges. In addition to the communication challenges experienced during Hurricane Helene in the United States, the 2024 wildfires in Canada exposed the gaps in telecom infrastructure across North America’s remote areas. Through our own research with CGI, looking at disasters recorded 2015-25, we have seen that those US states with a Nokia footprint that have seen the highest number of disasters include Texas with 87 disasters in that period, followed by Missouri with 61, and Oklahoma with 58. These compounding events challenge telecoms to invest in preparedness and build resilience early.

The need for system-level action

The next generation of connectivity must therefore see resilience embedded from the start, taking into account how networks are designed, deployed, operated, and restored.

By prioritizing network resilience, telecoms safeguard themselves from future risks, ensure essential infrastructure services remain connected, and protect their communities in the process.

How Nokia’s AI-driven resilient connectivity approach enables ecosystem coordination

As an advanced connectivity technology provider, Nokia, working closely with Telco as well as other mission critical service providers, fosters ecosystem resilience in communities by providing the backbone infrastructure that ensures essential services — such as emergency response teams, hospitals, and government agencies — can communicate with one another. This covers everything from the foundational network technology through to sensing and detection, power continuity and edge resilience.

Foundational networks. Nokia’s high-capacity fiber strengthens critical services, while satellite-integrated Non-Terrestrial Networks architecture helps maintain connectivity when terrestrial networks are disrupted.

Sensing and detection. With customers and partners, Nokia is turning existing fiberoptic and 5G infrastructure into real-time sensing systems for disaster awareness and weather forecasting. Work with Skyfora, A1 and Telia Finland uses existing GNSS infrastructure, telecom cell towers, combining into a real-time, high-resolution weather-sensing network.

Power continuity. Nokia is a trusted connectivity provider for utilities and power generation plants, enabling the critical stakeholders behind the global power grid to modernize their operations and respond more effectively to extreme weather. In New Zealand, Nokia is supporting an upgrade of the national grid operator Transpower’s central control network with the aim of improving energy resilience.

Edge resilience. Nokia edge solutions keep mission-critical services connected during outages and cyberattacks. The Cognitive Operations platform and on-device Cognitive Edge Node turn emergency vehicles into distributed communications hubs, maintaining 5G, Wi-Fi and satellite links while sharing live field updates.

AI acts as a crucial enabling factor within Nokia, among network users, and across ecosystems, with potential applications from climate risk modelling to automated network restoration and resource prioritization during emergencies. Systems like the Nokia AI-RAN platform and MantaRay SON can predict and fix issues before they impact users, while AI-based digital twins enable communities to plan in advance, identify vulnerabilities, and take steps to fix them.

Systems-level partnerships to strengthen community resilience

On that last point, Nokia will be attending New York City Climate Week from 20-24 September, prioritizing resilience conversations with ecosystem players and so we’ll share actions and next steps in an upcoming blog. This will include a CGI Climate Working Session on Digital Resilience on Wednesday September 23rd. Check back for updates.

CNH Thailand and Farm Chokchai Unveil Field-To-Feed Precision Farming Showcase for Thailand’s Corn and Livestock Sectors at New Holland Day 2026

CNH — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:00:00 -0400

CNH Thailand and Farm Chokchai, hosted New Holland Day 2026, with live field demonstrations for some of the most advanced field-to-feed precision farming products in the market.

New Holland Day brought together farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs, and industry experts from across Northeast Thailand to showcase a connected, full-cycle farming system that included soil preparation, planting, harvesting, to stubble management and livestock feed production.

Tailored to the region’s corn and livestock sectors, the event underscored how precision technology and mechanization can improve productivity, forage production, farm profitability, and prioritise sustainability.

“Thai farmers need solutions that are reliable in the field and can create value across the entire production cycle,” said Mark Brinn, Managing Director – Southeast Asia and Japan at CNH. “New Holland combines dependable machinery and practical precision technology. Our aim is to show how these integrated farming solutions work under real conditions and foster healthier, stronger and more productive businesses for the Northeast’s farming community.”

Read the full article here.

How to Redefine Modern Menus with Traditional Cuisine

Griffith Foods — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Consumers are looking backward to move forward in their nutrition. In an era flooded with health claims, ultra-processed foods, and ingredient lists longer than a novel, a growing number of shoppers and diners are gravitating toward something that feels both familiar and honest: the healthy foods their grandparents and other ancestors grew up eating.

The World Health Organization defines a healthy diet as one rich in vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits. This description maps almost perfectly onto traditional cuisines that have sustained populations for centuries.

For food processors, foodservice operators, food manufacturers, and retailers, this shift is an invitation to develop more nutritious portfolios and minimally processed foods that connect with where consumers already are. It’s also central to Griffith Foods’ 2030 aspiration: developing a nutritious and sustainable portfolio.

Why Consumers Are Turning to Traditional Foods

The numbers tell a clear story about where consumer priorities have shifted.

Consumers Are Paying Closer Attention to Ingredients and Claims

Around 58% of consumers¹ are now paying closer attention to ingredient lists than they were just a year ago. They’re scanning for things they recognize, questioning what they don’t, and growing more skeptical of health halos built on marketing rather than substance.

Jackie Schulz, Sr. Director of Global Nutrition at Griffith Foods, is direct about what earns longterm trust:

Claims that have evidence to support their efficacy are those that carry the most weight. Including meaningful amounts of ingredients with scientific evidence that they can have an impact on health, through demonstrated mechanisms, will help build trust much more than including ingredients that imply health without it.

Consumers Are More Interested in Vegetable-Based Entrées

FMCG Gurus data shows that 55% of consumers¹ actively want to maximize their intake of “good” ingredients. Meanwhile, about 54% of global consumers² want a wider variety of vegetable-based entrées on menus.

This echoes what we see in traditional diets around the world—many of the world’s longestlived, healthiest populations, like those eating along the Mediterranean, in parts of Latin America, and across Asia, have frequently centered on vegetables and plant-based foods.

Emily Schlag, Corporate Executive Chef at Griffith Foods, points to social media as an accelerant for this trend:

“We see an increased desire to learn about other cultural foods, especially those from countries that are known to have healthy populations.”

How Traditional Foods Deliver Nutrient Density

Nutritional performance is a primary appeal of traditional foods. At Griffith Foods, nutrient density is defined rigorously, using the Nutrient-Rich Foods Index. This framework measures the quantity of beneficial nutrients relative to those we should limit, like sodium, saturated fat, and sugar.

Chain Yin, Regional Nutritionist at Griffith Foods, adds that this thinking extends beyond individual ingredients:

We carefully craft nutrient-dense foods and solutions at the level of the full eating experience, not just a single ingredient. We look at each component of a product to identify opportunities to reduce nutrients of concern while incorporating ingredients that enhance nutritional value.

Which Nutrient-Dense Foods Have Stood the Test of Time?

Three categories stand out for their nutritional credentials, culinary innovation and versatility.

1. Ancient Grains

Bulgur, sorghum, farro, barley, millet, quinoa, amaranth, and fonio have been foundational to diets across the Middle East, West Africa, and beyond for thousands of years. Today they’re earning renewed attention as fiber-rich foods that support digestive health, steady energy, and longer-lasting satiety.

Improved processing has also unlocked new applications for these grains. As Chef Emily puts it:

“In years past, major complaints were long cooking times and bitter flavors. With improvements in processing, we can have tender grains with pleasantly nutty and earthy flavors.”

The result? Ancient grains that slot naturally into modern menus—toasted millet as a crispy salad topping, popped sorghum seasoned like popcorn, creamy farro porridge as a morning staple, barley risotto as a weeknight centerpiece.

2. Legumes and Plant-Based Protein

Lentils, adzuki beans, and chickpeas sit at the crossroads of plant-based protein and fiber-rich foods. The American Heart Association champions legumes as a heart-healthy protein source.

Schulz notes that traditional diets across Latin America, Asia, and Africa tend to be higher in legume and vegetable content. They can be higher in fiber, as well as micronutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and phytonutrients—areas where Western diets tend to fall short.

3. Herbs and Spices

Turmeric and lemon verbena aren’t just garnishes. In traditional cuisines from South Asia to North Africa, herbs and spices have long served as both flavor carriers and functional ingredients.

Chain Yin highlights how this plays out in practice:

“In Chinese and Indian cuisine, herbs, spices, pulses, and whole grains are often paired with time-honoured cooking methods like fermentation and slow boiling, which help create depth of flavor while supporting overall nourishment.”

Nutritious Tradition from Around the World

When considering cultures that can inspire your menu development, four regions stand out.

Mediterranean

The Mediterranean diet remains the most rigorously studied traditional eating pattern in the world, with the strongest evidence for longevity and chronic disease prevention.

This diet is rooted in an abundance of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, and herbs, with animal proteins playing a supporting role rather than leading. Fiber, potassium, magnesium, and phytonutrients flow naturally from the pattern as a whole.

China

In Chinese cuisine, nutrient density is built into technique as much as ingredient choice.

Fermentation, slow boiling, and careful spice layering preserve and enhance nutritional value while developing flavor.

Today, health-focused cafés in China are putting ancient grains front and center, such as pairing barley, lentils, and soba noodle bowls with pomegranate-marinated sea bass, demonstrating that the tradition already has a modern expression ready to scale.

West Africa

West African culinary traditions have long relied on legumes, whole grains, and vegetables as dietary staples. Fonio and sorghum, fiber-rich foods with strong micronutrient profiles, have sustained populations across the region for centuries.

Aboboi, a hearty bean and red pepper stew, is a representative example: plant-based protein and fiber at the center of a dish built entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients.

Korea

Korean cuisine offers one of the most compelling models for integrating plant-based protein and fermented foods into everyday eating. Adzuki bean bibimbap places legumes at the heart of a balanced, complete meal, while fermented staples like kimchi contribute beneficial cultures alongside vitamins and fiber.

Move Forward by Looking to the Past

Consumer appetite is clear, and the food innovation opportunity is now.

Anchoring product development in nutrient-dense and clean-label food ingredients from traditional foods can spark new opportunities.

To discover how these food and nutrition trends are shaping the next wave of product development, explore Griffith Foods’ 2026 Food & Flavor Outlook.

FAQs

Why are food developers turning to traditional foods now?

Consumer trust in heavily processed foods is eroding. With 58% of consumers paying closer attention to ingredient labels, traditional foods offer recognizable ingredients, proven nutritional profiles, and an authenticity that health claims alone can’t replicate.

What makes ancient grains, legumes, and herbs so relevant to modern menus?

These ingredients sit at the intersection of nutrient density and culinary versatility. Improvements in processing have made ancient grains easier to cook and more palatable. Ancient grains, legumes, and herbs also bring plant-based protein, fiber, and functional benefits that align with where consumer demand is heading.

Which traditional food cultures offer the most menu development inspiration?

The Mediterranean, China, West Africa, and Korea each offer well-documented, nutrientdense eating patterns that translate naturally into modern formats—from barley risotto and adzuki bean bibimbap to fonio-based dishes and fermented staples like kimchi.

View original content here.

About Griffith Foods

Griffith Foods is a global product development partner helping food companies meet the evolving needs of consumers with high-quality, culinary driven, customized products. Founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois, USA, Griffith Foods is a family-owned business known for collaborative innovation guided by its purpose to “Blend Care and Creativity to Nourish the World.” Operating in over 40 countries across six continents, Griffith Foods employs more than 5,000 people, including over 40 chefs and 340 food scientists, who work together to create solutions that nourish people, planet, and communities. The company’s product capabilities include seasonings, sauces, dressings, coating systems, and alternative protein solutions. Griffith Foods’ primary areas of focus include Foodservice, Food Manufacturers, Protein Processors, and Retail.

¹ FMCG Gurus June 2025.

² Technomic, “Global Consumer Trends: Q2 2025 biannual update of shifting consumer usage and attitudes,” 2025.

T-Mobile 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report: Affordable Connectivity

T-Mobile — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:15:00 -0400

While connectivity is increasingly embedded in day-to-day life, financial barriers to access remain. We believe that no one should be left behind. That belief drives our commitment to offer affordable and no-cost options to help more people get connected and expand access to opportunity. Because when connectivity is within reach for everyone, families thrive, students succeed, and communities grow.

Supporting students and schools

Learning today is digital by default. From virtual lessons to online homework and submissions, reliable internet access is foundational to student success. Yet, for too many families across the U.S., connectivity remains unreliable or inaccessible. In a 2025 survey commissioned by T-Mobile, three in 10 parents described their home internet as somewhat reliable. Moreover, one in four reported having to cut back on essentials, such as food or utilities, to afford internet service.

Families shouldn’t have to make these kinds of trade-offs. Through Project 10Million, we’re working to help close the digital divide by providing qualifying households with free hotspots and five years of free internet service, along with access to low-cost laptops and tablets. Qualifying school districts can also access in-kind products, services, subsidized data plans, and affordable devices.

In 2025, we continued to strengthen Project 10Million to support students’ evolving connectivity needs. Beginning in August, we introduced upgraded 5G hotspot devices for new Project 10Million customers, expanding access to the nation’s only Advanced 5G network. We also redesigned the program’s online application and support pages to improve clarity and usability and launched a dedicated onboarding campaign to help families maximize their connectivity benefits from day one.

Six years of impact (2020-2025)

6.7M
students connected toward our goal of 10M
$8.3B
of in-kind products and services
provided to eligible school district

Collaborating to help more students connect

Closing the digital divide takes more than technology — it takes strong partnerships. To expand the reach of Project 10Million, we continued to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) which worked with 28 local organizations in the U.S. to increase awareness of the program in 2025. We built on that momentum with a Back-to-School campaign in collaboration with BGCA, the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, and UnitedHealthcare. Together, these efforts drove one of our strongest enrollment months, with nearly 47,000 households joining Project 10Million in September 2025.

Project 10Million customers, in their own words

In 2025, we continued to reach out to Project 10Million customers to better understand their experience with the program. Out of over 38,000 respondents:

91% said their Project 10Million hotspot was helpful for homework.
85% said the program positively impacts their perception of T-Mobile.
79% said they were somewhat or very satisfied with their service and device.

“My children were able to connect and learn immediately, anywhere. They were eager to learn new things. It gave them independence. It taught them that knowledge was reachable and could be found easily.”
— Insight from a Project 10Million parent

Learn more about how T-Mobile is making connectivity affordable in the T-Mobile 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report

Ahead of Peak Hurricane Season, PSE&G Highlights Strong Reliability Results

PSEG — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:15:00 -0400

Photos from the event.

NEWARK, N.J., September 24, 2026 /3BL/– Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G), New Jersey’s oldest and largest utility, reported new key systemwide reliability results as continued initiatives to modernize New Jersey’s electric and gas infrastructure are helping deliver safe, reliable service to customers across the state. These projects are also strengthening PSE&G’s year-round preparedness for severe weather as the region enters the peak of Atlantic hurricane season.

As a recipient of the ReliabilityOne® Award for superior electric system reliability in the Mid-Atlantic region for 24 consecutive years, PSE&G has long been recognized as one of the nation’s top utilities for system resiliency and integrated planning including reliability and grid modernization initiatives. Continued infrastructure improvements are helping sustain that strong performance, with the following measurable benefits for customers across New Jersey:

Since 2023, just under 22,000 poles have been proactively replaced through July 2026, resulting in a 50% improvement in reliability across the 20 circuits with the highest number of pole replacements compared to their 2020-2024 average.
More than 30% improvement in resiliency and reliability from strengthening neighborhood electric circuits: 32 circuits upgraded with overhead electric infrastructure are now 37% more resilient and 31% more reliable.
22% fewer outage incidents and 23% fewer customers affected on average on circuits upgraded through PSE&G’s Infrastructure Advancement Program.
Adding capacity to meet customers’ changing energy needs. Since 2023, PSE&G has completed construction of six new high-capacity 13kV stations to address system overloads, replace aging equipment and increase capacity to accommodate solar generation.
Modernizing New Jersey’s gas system. Since 2016, PSE&G has upgraded more than 1,655 miles of gas main in more than 340 municipalities. PSE&G plans to continue that work by replacing an additional 525 miles of cast-iron and unprotected steel gas main in more than 70 municipalities over the next three years.

“These projects are delivering real tangible benefits where they matter — in the homes, businesses and communities that depend on us every day,” said Paul Toscarelli, PSE&G vice president, electric operations. “At the end of every pole, wire and piece of equipment are customers who count on us to safely deliver the energy they need. We take that responsibility seriously, and we will continue strengthening our systems to provide safe, reliable service today and prepare for customers’ changing energy needs.”

Brian Clark, PSE&G, senior vice president, gas operations, continues: “Reliability starts with the strength of the system and the dedicated workforce behind it. By replacing aging infrastructure, we’re reducing the risk of leaks and strengthening the gas system that nearly two million customers depend on every day. These programs help us deliver safe, reliable service today while preparing the system to serve our customers for years to come.”

Infrastructure Initiatives Deliver Customer Benefits

These strong reliability results were highlighted during an event today at PSE&G’s Livingston 230kV substation, an example of ongoing infrastructure initiatives across New Jersey to strengthen reliability and resiliency while adding capacity to support future growth. Placed in service in 2024, the substation supports the heavy and increased load of western Essex County. The project constructed a new substation within PSE&G’s existing right of way and utilizes the existing 230kV transmission line to establish a more robust and flexible feed into the station. This alleviated the potential for overload conditions and adding capacity to support future load growth in western Essex County and the surrounding communities. Since its completion, customers served by the Livingston substation have benefited from a more resilient and reliable electric system, with improved performance during severe weather events and reduced risk of service interruptions.

“PSE&G has been a longstanding partner of New Jersey’s Building Trades and one of the largest employers of our skilled union workforce. The commitments they make in our electric and gas infrastructure are commitments not only to improved reliability and resiliency, but to good-paying union jobs, apprenticeship opportunities and family-sustaining careers for New Jersey residents,” said William T. Mullen, president, New Jersey State Building & Construction Trades Council. “Our members take tremendous pride in building and maintaining the infrastructure that keeps our communities and economy moving, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with PSE&G as we prepare New Jersey’s energy systems for the future.”

PSE&G’s infrastructure initiatives are designed to improve the performance of its electric and gas systems and provide lasting benefits for customers, including:

Fewer and shorter electric outages as upgraded equipment and technology help prevent interruptions, isolate problems and support faster restoration.
A stronger, more resilient electric system that is better prepared for severe weather and changing customer energy needs.
A safer, more reliable gas system as older cast-iron and unprotected steel mains are replaced with modern infrastructure that reduces the risk of leaks.
Greater capacity for the future as electric-system upgrades address overloaded equipment and accommodate changing demand and additional solar generation.

Over the last decade, PSE&G has completed $30 billion in projects across its electric and gas systems, with nearly 75% dedicated to reliability and resiliency. PSE&G prepares year-round for extreme weather and continues to plan and execute programs to maintain reliable service and improve system performance.

That work has included strengthening substations, upgrading transmission and distribution equipment and modernizing technology across the state. Infrastructure programs made over the past decade have also included raising 42 substations above Superstorm Sandy flood levels and installing more than 1,500 smart switching devices that can help crews identify problems and reroute power during outages.

PSE&G has also continued to modernize its natural gas network. Replacing aging cast-iron and unprotected steel infrastructure with modern gas mains helps reduce leaks, improve safety and strengthen the reliability of service for PSE&G’s 1.9 million gas customers. All while maintaining the lowest residential gas rates in the region for our customers.

Learn more about PSE&G’s gas system modernization work.

###

About PSE&G
Public Service Electric & Gas Co. is New Jersey’s oldest and largest gas and electric delivery public utility, as well as one of the nation’s largest utilities. PSE&G has won the ReliabilityOne® Award for superior electric system reliability in the Mid-Atlantic region for 24 consecutive years. In 2025, for the fourth consecutive year, J.D. Power named PSE&G number one in customer satisfaction for residential electric service in the East among large utilities. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a predominantly regulated infrastructure company named to the Dow Jones Best in Class Index for North America for 18 consecutive years (www.pseg.com).

With Data-Driven Decisions, Goat House Gym Increases Profits

Verizon — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Camryn Bukowski’s garage in Phillipsburg, Montana, was getting crowded. She had been teaching functional fitness classes there and had plenty of demand since the nearest open-to-anyone gym was more than 100 miles away. But when Bukowski and a business partner decided to open Goat House Gym together in 2023, they soon learned that making a profit in the small town was tougher than they’d expected.

Fortunately, Bukowski found resources from Verizon Small Business Digital Ready and learned she needed to factor in more of her costs to move past break-even. “We were really concerned that increasing our membership prices meant we would lose members,” Bukowski says. She restructured her memberships, raised her prices 18% and started to see a profit. “We didn’t lose members. [In fact], we were able to retain them. The Digital Ready courses gave me confidence to base our prices on real numbers and know my worth.”

Digital Ready also taught Bukowski, who is now running the business on her own, to let data drive her marketing plan. After analyzing the gym’s email and social media campaigns, she began tailoring messages by audience, adding relevant offers and sharing stories about her members. Reaching the right people led to sold-out small-group training sessions. “Social media and email engagement directly correlates to our revenue each month,” she says.

With profits steadier and more predictable, Bukowski has been able to reinvest. She bought three new machines and hired a videographer to film for a new online training program, extending Goat House’s reach beyond Phillipsburg. Goat House Gym now tailors their equipment and classes to serve members of all ages, with dedicated programs for toddlers, teens and older adults. Bukowski employs 11 people in a town where instructor jobs barely existed.

“Now I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Bukowski says. “I love running a gym. I love the members and the community here.”

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is part of Verizon’s goal to support 1 million small businesses by 2030 with free resources to help them succeed. To sign up, visit Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. Visit https://wwww.CitizenVerizon.com to learn more about the company’s responsible business efforts. An individual user's experience may vary and results are not guaranteed.

As World Leaders Gather at the United Nations, the Brown Pandemic Center, MIAI, Air Club, and IWBI Launch a New Tool To Advance Healthy Indoor Air

International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

NEW YORK, September 24, 2026 /3BL/ - As world leaders gather at the 81st United Nations General Assembly to confront disease threats, wildfires, and extreme heat, the Brown University Pandemic Center, Montenegrin Institute for Advanced Innovation (MIAI), Air Club and the International WELL Building Institute today released the Global Indoor Air Quality Policy Database, a tool to help governments strengthen resilience against many threats at once. It is the first comprehensive repository of country indoor air quality (IAQ) policies, cataloguing 253 policies across 53 countries.

Healthy indoor air is among the most practical measures available to governments: rather than asking people to change their behavior, it improves the buildings we already have. It builds resilience against pandemics and wildfire smoke while improving everyday health and student performance. Schools are a natural place to start, where children spend most of their waking hours. MIAI is providing a replicable blueprint for advancing healthy indoor air by deploying open-source air cleaning technologies across every school in Montenegro. The database will be spotlighted at the UNGA High-Level Side Event, "Healthy Indoor Air in Schools: Every Breath Shapes Learning,” co-sponsored by the governments of Montenegro, France and Eswatini.

Leaders need data to act. Until now, it didn’t exist in one place.

“This first-of-its-kind database shows where the momentum is and where the gaps lie,” said Skandan Ananthasekar, Visiting Fellow at the Brown University Pandemic Center, who led the database development. “As governments look to act on healthy indoor air, they can see what other countries have already tried and the approaches worth learning from.”

The database builds on the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air, launched at United Nations Headquarters in September 2025. One year later, during Climate Week NYC 2026, the four partnering organizations are elevating healthy indoor air in schools as a health, education and biosecurity priority.

“We wanted to shine a light on the countries that are getting this right, because their approaches offer a roadmap others can follow,” said Dr. Georgia Lagoudas, Senior Fellow at the Brown University Pandemic Center and Co-Founder of Air Club. “This database is a starting point, not a finish line. Just as the world came together to secure clean water and clean outdoor air, we now have the chance to track indoor air, hold ourselves accountable, and make measurable progress on the air we breathe inside, where we spend 90% of our lives.”

“Last year, we came together at the United Nations to launch the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air and affirm through the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air that having clean, healthy air in the places and spaces where we live our lives is a fundamental human right,” said IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon. “Now, with the launch of the Global IAQ Policy Database, we are placing a practical, comprehensive repository of hundreds of IAQ policies directly into the hands of leaders and policymakers worldwide to help accelerate action and foster healthier environments in their home countries.”

A growing wave of indoor air policy

In many places, no health-based standards govern indoor air at all, leaving people exposed to pathogens, pollutants, and other unseen risks. That is changing fast: 42% of the policies in the database were enacted in 2020 or later, a wave of government action that accelerated in the wake of COVID-19.

The database also maps where the gaps remain:

Responsibility is fragmented. Only 8 of 53 countries (15%) have a clear government lead on indoor air quality. In the rest, responsibility is scattered across health, energy, environment, education, housing, and labor agencies.
Legal force is uneven. While 64% of policies are legally binding, most fall under workplace safety law, building codes, and energy regulation, where indoor air quality is a secondary concern. Health-based standards written to protect occupants remain far less common.
Schools are largely uncovered. Only 25 of 253 policies address education settings, and fewer than half of those are binding.

An open-source resource built for collaboration

The database features:

All 253 policies, filterable by country, domain, and instrument type.
In-depth profiles of 17 countries leading the way on indoor air governance, showing how their approaches can be replicated.
An IAQ Policy Maturity Framework for self-assessment across five criteria: coordination, monitoring, health-based standards, enforcement, and implementation support.
Recommendations for policymakers across all five criteria, with exemplar countries.

Published as Version 1.0, the database welcomes input from collaborators. Developed with financial support from the Montenegrin Institute for Advanced Innovation and Balvi, it is available at airclub.org/database.

About the Brown University Pandemic Center
The Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health works to prevent, reduce vulnerabilities to, and increase resilience to pandemics, other biological emergencies, and the harms they pose to health, peace, security, and prosperity.

About Montenegrin Institute for Advanced Innovation
The Montenegrin Institute for Advanced Innovation (MIAI) is an independent, non-profit, philanthropic institute based in Podgorica, Montenegro, operating worldwide.

Building systems together with the communities and institutions, educating people who will operate them and generating evidence-based durable standards.

About Air Club
Air Club is a global coalition of indoor air quality champions working to make indoor air healthy. Air Club launched the Global Pledge for Healthy Indoor Air, which calls on governments and organizations to prioritize this crucial issue.

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

IWBI media contact:
media@wellcertified.com

View original content here.

Aetna Expands Bundled Oncology Prior Authorizations, Easing Provider Burden and Accelerating Member Access to Care

CVS Health — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 08:30:00 -0400

Oncology bundling to support all eligible Medicaid members for all cancer types
Full roll-out across all Aetna businesses in 2027

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

WOONSOCKET, R.I., September 24, 2026 /3BL/ — Aetna®, a CVS Health® company (NYSE: CVS), is expanding prior authorization bundles across all cancer types for members in eligible¹ Medicaid states as of September 1, with plans to expand across all lines of business in 2027. This expansion builds on the success of the initial roll-out, with almost 25% of eligible members receiving a bundled prior authorization, assuring their services have been approved in advance to accelerate their access to care.

On average, Aetna saw that providers were submitting four separate prior authorizations for each member in need of cancer treatments.² By offering a single, secure prior authorization for a bundle of cancer treatments, Aetna is helping patients access care simply throughout their treatment journey. Prior authorization bundles combine medical oncology, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy where appropriate, and/or radiation oncology services with associated high-tech imaging needs, such as MRI or CT scans, into one request submitted through a single portal.

“A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming for patients and families, and the care team should be focused on their patient, not paperwork,” said Katerina Guerraz, Aetna Chief Operating Officer and President of Medicaid. “By approving a broader set of treatments and related services upfront, we're removing barriers that can delay care. Oncologists have the flexibility to make care decisions as treatment plans evolve, and individuals can focus on what matters most: their health, recovery, and time with their loved ones.”

Administrative burden remains a significant challenge for healthcare providers. According to the latest Aetna Provider Survey, 74% of providers identified administrative burden as the top challenge facing clinical staff today, and nearly one-third (31%) cited prior authorization management as the single largest contributor.

By reducing this burden, Aetna can help clinicians unlock more time for patient care. In fact, 30% of Aetna Provider Survey respondents believed they could save more than an hour and 80% expect to save more than 30 minutes daily on administrative tasks through technology solutions such as bundles.

Aetna expects to expand eligibility to Medicare and Commercial members in the first half of 2027.

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About Aetna

Aetna, a CVS Health business, serves an estimated 37 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care professionals, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, visit Aetna.com (e.g., clinical diagnoses, eligibility criteria, participation in a disease state management program).

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company’s integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

Media contact

Phil Blando
202-258-4978
Phillip.Blando@CVSHealth.com

¹Providers in OK, IL, MD, NJ, VA, FL, KY, WV that utilize the Eviti portal to submit prior authorizations.

²Aetna Data Sciences