Lenovo 360 Circle: Building Sustainability Expertise Across the Partner Ecosystem

Lenovo — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:05:00 -0400

Climate action is becoming an increasingly important business priority, shaping how organisations innovate, grow, and create long-term value. To make meaningful progress, businesses need clarity. They need to understand where they stand today, where they are improving, and where they can go further. Benchmarking provides this clarity. It turns sustainability from an ambition into something measurable, comparable, and actionable. Lenovo already leads in this space, as demonstrated with clear progress and transparency shared in the latest ESG report.

To support this shift for others, Lenovo partners with ClimateChoice to help its global partner ecosystem build sustainability capabilities and accelerate climate maturity. Through structured climate benchmarking and practical capability building, Lenovo 360 Circle provides the framework that enables partners to benchmark progress, strengthen expertise, and accelerate sustainable business transformation.

A Community for Sustainable Business Transformation

Lenovo 360 Circle is Lenovo’s global sustainability community, designed to help partners build sustainability capabilities, connect with expertise, and accelerate sustainable business transformation. By bringing together partners, Lenovo leaders, and industry experts, Lenovo 360 Circle provides a collaborative environment where organisations can share best practices, strengthen their capabilities, benchmark progress, and create greater value for customers.

Lenovo 360 Circle is founded on the belief that sustainable business transformation is achieved through collaboration. By connecting partners across the ecosystem, the community enables organisations to build knowledge, access practical insights, measure progress, and develop the capabilities needed to differentiate their business, support customers’ sustainability objectives, and unlock long-term growth.

To support partners at different stages of their sustainability journey, the Lenovo 360 Circle uses a structured three-stage model:

Connect: partners are taking their first steps in sustainability. They are building awareness, exploring foundational concepts, and beginning to understand how sustainability fits into their business.
Learn: partners have started to structure their sustainability strategy. They are developing goals, building internal capability, and integrating sustainability into their operations and customer conversations.
Lead: partners have advanced sustainability strategies and are recognized as role models. They demonstrate strong governance, transparent reporting, and a commitment to driving progress across the wider ecosystem.

Together, these stages create a pathway that supports partners at every point in their journey.

What is ClimateChoice Benchmarking and Why It Matters

ClimateChoice is an independent climate intelligence organisation that helps businesses assess and improve their sustainability performance. Its benchmarking framework evaluates companies across areas such as decarbonization, governance, strategy, emissions performance, and transparency.

The insights help partners understand their current maturity and identify the actions that will have the greatest impact. For Lenovo 360 Circle members, the benchmark provides a structured view of climate performance and a clear roadmap for improvement.

2026 Benchmark Results: A Community Moving Forward Together

For the third year, ClimateChoice benchmarked the climate performance of the Lenovo 360 Circle community, Lenovo’s sustainability ecosystem of international channel partners. The 2026 benchmark shows measurable progress: the overall ClimateChoice Score increased by 12 points, reaching an average of 54 out of 100.

The strongest improvements were achieved in Decarbonization Measures with +14 points, Strategy & Control with +13 points, and Emissions Performance with +13 points.

These gains reflect a community that is moving from planning to execution, strengthening sustainability capabilities across the Lenovo partner ecosystem.. Partners are strengthening governance, improving emissions measurement, and embedding sustainability into their operations.

The benchmark helps participating companies understand where they stand, where gaps remain, and which next steps matter most. It also creates a shared view of climate maturity and progress across Lenovo 360 Circle.

From Data to Action: Expanding the Lenovo and ClimateChoice Collaboration

Building on these insights, Lenovo and ClimateChoice are extending their collaboration from data-driven climate assessment to practical partner enablement, helping members build expertise through benchmarking, structured learning, and practical guidance. A dedicated masterclass series, delivered by ClimateChoice together with learning partner Five Glaciers, helps members strengthen their foundations in carbon accounting, decarbonization roadmapping and governance for successful climate management, with a focus on practical next steps in a world of regulatory complexity and fast-changing market needs.

This makes the Lenovo 360 Circle community a best practice for partner engagement: benchmarking climate maturity across the ecosystem year-over-year, identifying gaps and improvement areas, building capabilities and tracking progress towards shared targets.

“The results of this year’s ClimateChoice Benchmark are very encouraging. Seeing our Lenovo 360 Circle community improve its overall score by 12 points demonstrates the power of collaboration in accelerating climate action. The ClimateChoice Benchmark provides partners with valuable insights into their climate maturity, while our expanded enablement programme helps turn those insights into meaningful action. Together, we are building the capability, confidence, and momentum needed to drive measurable progress across the partner ecosystem.

Virginie Kristell Mari Le Barbu Executive Director, Global Sustainability, International Markets Lenovo.

“The Lenovo 360 Circle community shows what effective ecosystem engagement can look like: benchmark climate maturity, identify improvement areas, build capabilities and track progress over time. This is how climate data moves from a reporting requirement into successful business action.”

Yasha Tarani, Co Founder and CEO, ClimateChoice

Looking Ahead

As climate ambition grows across the industry, the focus is shifting toward execution. The next leap forward will come from partners who embed sustainability into their operations and long term strategies.

Lenovo 360 Circle is demonstrating the value of ecosystem collaboration in accelerating sustainable business transformation. By bringing together partners, industry experts, and Lenovo leaders, the community is helping organisations build sustainability capabilities, benchmark progress, share best practices, and create greater value for customers. As sustainability continues to shape the future of business, Lenovo 360 Circle provides a pathway for partners to strengthen their capabilities, differentiate their business, and unlock long-term growth.

Interested in learning more? Visit the Lenovo 360 Circle community page on the Lenovo Partner Hub to explore our available resources and learn how Lenovo 360 Circle can help your organisation build sustainability capabilities and accelerate sustainable business transformation.

Cascale Team Attends Bharat Tex 2026

Cascale — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:55:00 -0400

Cascale staff recently attended Bharat Tex 2026 in New Delhi, India.

The event drew more than 124,000 attendees and 1,600+ exhibitors, along with knowledge sessions featuring C-suite decision-makers from leading textile organizations across India.

Key Takeaways:

Cascale members, staff showcased a strong turnout at Bharat Tex.
Actionable decarbonization projects, emerging textile legislation, and India’s unique craft history were focal points in the programming.
Many attendees made note of Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) as a solution amid ongoing audit fatigue.

The event’s theme “Sustainable, Circular, and Competitive Bharat” prioritized actionable roadmaps over high-level commitments. Dedicated hubs showcased technical advancements in circular design, resource optimization, and ethical sourcing, positioning sustainability as a core driver of global competitiveness.

Many Cascale members exhibited at the event: among them were Arvind Limited, Shahi Exports, Cotton Connect, Solidaridad, and PDS. Attending Cascale staff included Canelia Mbida, manager of manufacturer member activation; Deepak Kashyap, senior manager, Higg Facility Tools; Isha Agnihotri, manager, Higg facility tools; Prasanth Nandakumar, manager, stakeholder engagement, APAC; and Yasotharan Manivel, manager, decarbonization program.

Audit fatigue remains a top concern for Indian manufacturers, according to one session titled “Decarbonizing Textile Clusters in India: From Commitment to Action.” Workshop facilitators included Cascale members Solidaridad and Fashion For Good, among others, where the discussion centered on how mid-to-medium-sized enterprises increasingly seek greater alignment around standards to ease administrative burdens. In other conversations, member representatives repeatedly cited Higg FEM, stewarded by Cascale and exclusively available on Worldly, as a critical component of the audit solution, showcasing the Higg Index as a trusted industry standard.

Policy conversations were also featured prominently. India’s government-led Mission on Cotton Productivity shared how it aims to boost cotton yields through seed research, modernized farming techniques, and upgrades to 2,000 ginning mills — part of India’s broader “5F” vision (“Farm to Fiber, Fiber to Factory, Factory to Fashion, Fashion to Foreign” initiative). The new India-UK Free Trade Agreement generated optimism among attendees about expanded market access.

Still, India’s supply chain is at an inflection point like the wider industry. Artificial intelligence, research and development, and smart manufacturing practices were cited as priorities by executives for providing newfound resilience. Meanwhile, India’s history of craft and reuse – an estimated $350-billion circular industry – supports ongoing strides for durable design and extended producer responsibility (EPR).

Panels also touched on the importance of financial incentives in nurturing India’s textile sector while preparing it for the future.

Making a Difference Through Service: Covia Employees Strengthen Their Communities

Covia — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:05:00 -0400

At Covia, we believe that thriving communities lead to a brighter, more prosperous future for all. With the help of our team members, we invest our time, talent, and financial resources to give back to our communities. We collaborate with hundreds of local organizations to strengthen our communities through in-kind contributions, charitable donations, and volunteerism.

We periodically recognize employees who demonstrate exceptional commitment to giving back and making a difference in their communities. This month, we are proud to recognize Joe Forristal, a Specialty Operator at Covia’s Black Lab Chardon plant. For more than 20 years, his dedication and commitment to volunteerism has positively impacted the Village of Rock Creek.

According to Kurt Krebs, Senior Plant Manager at Black Lab, "Joe has been a great member of the Black Lab crew from day one. He works extremely hard and sets the bar high for the younger generation working alongside him."

That same work ethic extends far beyond the workplace. Joe has volunteered for the Village of Rock Creek for over 20 years. Situated in the northeastern part of Ohio's Ashtabula County, Rock Creek is a close-knit rural community renowned for its covered bridges, wineries, and a strong sense of community pride.

Just this year alone, Joe has dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours to helping the village. His contributions include painting the community pavilion, replacing boards on the handicap ramp at the village hall, trimming roadside bushes to ensure school buses can safely pick up children, replacing smoke detectors for community members, helping maintain the village maintenance garage, planting flowers throughout the community, and creating holiday decorations from recycled pallets.

“I've always believed that if you have the time and ability to help, you should. It's rewarding to see the difference even small projects can make in the community." said Joe.

Joe has tackled countless projects over the years, but he is especially proud of a project from several years ago when he helped the community during a sewer line break. Before joining Covia, he worked in the oil fields, where he gained experience working with piping systems. When the sewer line failed, he put his knowledge to good use by helping to dig up and repair the damaged pipe. When asked what it was like to work on a live sewer line, Joe laughed and said, "It wasn't that bad!"

Joe's commitment to serving others continues today. Currently, he is refurbishing candy cane decorations made from scrap materials that would otherwise be discarded. He is helping to give them new life for the community to enjoy during the holiday season.

We are proud of Joe and the many employees who dedicate their time and talents to supporting the communities where they live and work. Joe's commitment to volunteerism is a great example of how our employees make a meaningful difference through service. To learn more about our volunteer efforts, visit https://www.coviacorp.com/corporate-responsibility/positive-social-impact/the-covia-foundation/.

New Issue Brief Breaks Down OECD’s Guidelines for Corporate Due Diligence on AI

Governance & Accountability Institute — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:05:00 -0400

NEW YORK, August 19, 2026 /3BL/ - Sustainability consulting and research firm Governance & Accountability Institute (G&A) has released a new issue brief describing the OECD’s Guidance for Responsible AI Due Diligence and how it can be used to inform each company’s enterprise-wise strategy. The brief also explains how the Guidance maps to existing global legislation on AI use.

The brief, titled “New Guidance from OECD on Responsible AI: What Companies Need to Know,” presents a world map highlighting major evolutions in AI governance frameworks in recent years, so companies can identify where the OECD guidance is interoperable with guidance or legislation in their jurisdictions. The brief also provides a detailed breakdown of the OECD Guidance, outlining: stakeholders of concern, enterprise applicability, and value chain implications.

As enterprise AI use continues to skyrocket, potential negative impacts on the environment, human rights, and governance standards become more important to identify, assess, and mitigate.

The new brief from G&A’s expert analysts covers:

Overview of current landscape of AI use by companies
Recent capital investments in enterprise-scale AI systems
Types of AI-related risk that can arise throughout the value chain
Developments in global AI regulations
A breakdown of the OECD Guidance, including:
- Which enterprises and stakeholders are in scope?
- What are the main requirements of due diligence for responsible AI?
- How can companies implement practical strategies across their enterprises?

The report is available through G&A’s research hub.

About G&A Institute, Inc.
Founded in 2006, Governance & Accountability Institute (G&A) is a New York–based sustainability consulting and research firm with deep advisory experience supporting corporate leaders and investors in integrating sustainability into governance, risk, enterprise performance, and evolving regulatory and stakeholder expectations.

Backed by rigorous disclosure research and one of the industry’s most comprehensive benchmarking databases, we deliver insight that strengthens transparency, enhances competitiveness, and drives measurable return on investment.

G&A has published numerous research papers, issue briefs, and quick reference guides covering global sustainability reporting regulations and frameworks, including the CSRD, ISSB standards, and other emerging mandates.

For more information, visit G&A Institute.

Media Contact:
Louis D. Coppola
Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc.
Tel 646.430.8230 ext 14
Email: lcoppola@ga-institute.com

CVS Health and Aetna Help Florida City Families Prepare for the School Year at Branches’ Back to School Night

CVS Health — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:45:00 -0400

Originally published by Branches

This past Monday, families at Branches Florida City celebrated the start of a new school year with an evening of community, fun, and support during Branches' annual Back to School Night, made possible through the generosity of CVS Health and Aetna, a CVS Health company.

At this event, CVS Health presented Branches with a donation of $100,000 to support its work with children and families. The organization also sponsored the evening's family celebration, which featured dinner, an ice cream bar, bounce houses, face painting, and activities for students and their families. Many company volunteers were also on site helping serve meals, scoop ice cream, distribute donated supplies, and set up for the festivities.

During the event, Branches’ Grow and Climb students at the Florida City site received new backpacks filled with essential school supplies to help them begin the school year prepared for success. Families also received hygiene kits, helping ease some of the costs associated with the back-to-school season.

“The start of a new school year is an important milestone for students, families and communities, and every child deserves to feel prepared, supported and ready to succeed,” said Jenny McColloch, Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Community Impact, CVS Health. “Across the country, we're investing in back-to-school efforts that connect students and families to essential resources. Through this collaboration with Branches, we’re helping to ensure children in Florida City are prepared for the school year ahead, while supporting the organization's ongoing work to strengthen families and create healthier, more resilient communities.”

"Back-to-school season can be one of the most expensive times of the year for families," said Brent McLaughlin, President & CEO of Branches. "We're grateful to CVS Health and Aetna for investing in Branches’ families and helping create an evening that not only provided essential school supplies but also gave families the opportunity to celebrate the start of a new school year together."

Please click here to check out the photos from Back to School Night.

Branches' Back to School Night provides students and families with the resources they need to begin the school year with confidence while strengthening the sense of community that helps children thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

For more information, please visit branchesfl.org or contact Isabelle Pike at 305-206-5689 or ipike@branchesfl.org

About Branches
For more than 50 years, Branches has partnered with families in Miami-Dade County to build educational and financial assets, community, and hope. Through its Grow, Climb, and Achieve programs, Branches provides a continuum of support that helps children thrive and families achieve financial wellness. By connecting families with educational opportunities, financial wellness services, and meaningful community relationships, Branches is building brighter futures across South Florida. Learn more at www.branchesfl.org.

How Stayfree® Is Improving Puberty Education in Latin America

Kenvue — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:30:00 -0400

Originally published on Kenvue.com

Stayfree® and Carefree® are helping expand puberty and menstrual health education in Argentina through a hybrid program that combines classroom resources, educator tools, product access, and interactive learning experiences. As part of Kenvue’s Healthy Lives Mission, this work is helping create a world where conversations about menstrual health are open, informed, and free from stigma.

How the Crecer Libre program works

In Argentina, Crecer Libre (Growing Free) is bringing menstrual education to classrooms across the country. Crecer Libre is a school-based puberty education program in Argentina designed to help young people learn about menstrual health, body changes, and self-confidence in an engaging, age-appropriate way.

By making puberty education interactive, the program helps create environments where these important conversations are more accessible and approachable across communities. It also increases product access through the distribution of Siempre Libre® menstrual health products.

Since Crecer Libre launched in 2023, the program has reached 1,000 public and private schools and expanded across provinces including Catamarca, San Juan, Mendoza, Santa Fe, Corrientes, and Misiones. Along with classroom resources, the program works with Youth, Social Development, and Education departments to bring “Escape Room” experiences to young people across the country.

How Stayfree® expanded the program in 2025

In 2025, the program shifted to a hybrid educational model that combined Siempre Libre® product distribution with an educational board game, a classroom video, and teacher guides with interactive activities on puberty and menstrual health. The reimagined program was informed by key learnings from Stayfree®’s partnership in India with Menstrupedia, a leading menstrual education startup.

From June to September, Stayfree® and Carefree® helped reach 50,000 students with puberty education, a 138% increase compared with 2024. That represents about 4% of Argentina’s total target-age student population, significantly expanding access to critical health information for young people nationwide.

Among teachers surveyed, 90% awarded the program the highest possible rating, reflecting its effectiveness in helping facilitate conversations about puberty, menstruation, and self-confidence in the classroom.

Why this work matters for future generations

By expanding access to education, products, and trusted resources, Stayfree® and Carefree® are bringing our Healthy Lives Mission to the next generation, breaking down barriers around menstrual health and equipping them with the knowledge they need to grow, learn, and thrive.

Learn more about our public health efforts in our 2025 Healthy Lives Mission report.

The Power to Keep Moving: Reflections From Athletes at the 2026 National Veterans Wheelchair Games

Leidos — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:05:00 -0400

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games transformed competition into something much bigger than medals when Veterans gathered in Detroit, Michigan, July 9-14, 2026, to compete in events ranging from archery and powerlifting to rugby, table tennis, and track and field. They celebrated victories, laughed through setbacks and, perhaps most importantly, reunited with a community that understands both the visible and invisible journeys that come with military service and life after injury. For many competitors, the Games are not simply an annual sporting event; they're a homecoming.

Co-presented each year by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), the Games give Veterans with disabilities a path into adaptive sports, one that often starts with an introduction at a local VA Medical Center or PVA chapter. Leidos sponsored this year's Games, and ten Leidos QTC Health Services staff members traveled to Detroit to volunteer throughout the week.

Leidos QTC had the opportunity to hear firsthand from a few Veteran athletes who shared what keeps bringing them back year after year. Their stories reveal that while the medals are meaningful, the relationships, resilience, and renewed confidence are what leave the greatest impact.

More Than Competition—A Family Reunion

For U.S. Army Veteran William "Wheelchair Willie" Hendrickson, this year's Games marked his 20th year competing. After a motorcycle accident in 2005 left him using a wheelchair, Hendrickson was introduced to the Games the following year. What began as an unfamiliar territory, quickly became something far more meaningful. He explained, "The first couple years, it was a learning experience. And then I finally grasped and understood what the Games were really about. And it's become a family to me. This is my family."

Every summer, Hendrickson says he returns not only to compete but to reconnect. "I come here every single year to see my family, get my batteries recharged so that I can go home and spread the joy and experiences that I've had with everybody that wants to listen,” he said.

That sense of belonging echoed throughout Detroit. Veterans greeted longtime teammates with hugs, welcomed first-time competitors and cheered one another on regardless of who crossed the finish line first. For U.S. Navy Veteran Davis Celestine from Tampa, Florida, who was injured during training before deploying to Afghanistan in 2001, the Games have become an annual return; he has participated for more than a decade. He described the event as “almost like a family reunion.”

Watching newcomers arrive unsure of themselves and leave with renewed confidence is one of the most rewarding parts of the experience. Celestine shared, "You see someone struggling for the first time when they come here, and to see the excitement once they're leaving gives you that relief of, 'I have made it,' and now it's for me to pass it on so I can benefit other individuals who feel like their life is lost."

Discovering What's Possible

The Games are designed to challenge athletes physically, but many competitors say the greatest transformation happens mentally. Christopher Dominick, a U.S. Navy Veteran from Charlotte, North Carolina, reflected on how participating has changed the way he views himself. Now attending his sixth Games, he said, "This has taught me that I can do more than just sit in a chair. I can be much more. Be the best man that I can be."

That message is repeated across nearly every venue at the Games. Whether someone is trying a new adaptive sport for the first time or competing at an elite level, every event becomes an opportunity to discover new strengths. Celestine shared a similar perspective. He noted, "It impacted me when I first came to the Games...what these men and women are capable of doing, not having any pity or self-doubt. I just wanted to get out to showcase to the world what they have, what their abilities are. It's a great opportunity for you to advance yourself off the couch."

Gold Medals, New Sports, and Plenty of Laughs

There was no shortage of memorable performances in Detroit. Hendrickson entered archery for the very first time this year and promptly won a gold medal. Even after two decades of competition, he continues to surprise himself by embracing new challenges. He also earned a bronze medal in the rally event and returned to one of his signature competitions: the Slalom, an event held on an exhibition hall floor or smooth surface that tests agility, strength, skill, and speed. When asked about his success in the event, Hendrickson shared an astonishing statistic. "I won the Slalom, 19 out of 20 years." His only loss came to a close friend who later passed away, a memory Hendrickson still carries with him today.

Dominick also enjoyed a full week of competition, participating in powerlifting, CrossFit, softball, field events, and deadlifting. Two of his proudest accomplishments this year were benching 275 pounds and winning the bronze medal in softball.

Celestine embraced many available opportunities, competing in table tennis, rugby, weightlifting, javelin and shot put. He balanced serious competition with good humor. After facing a Paralympian in table tennis, he said, “I got spanked a little bit by a Paralympian. But it's all about fun competition, you know? Because you always go back home and train.”

By week's end, he had earned multiple medals, including gold medals in weightlifting and javelin and a silver medal in shot put.

Taking the Spirit Home

As the Games came to a close, athletes packed more than medals into their bags. They carried home renewed confidence, lifelong friendships and fresh motivation to continue growing long after the closing ceremonies.

For some, that means mentoring new competitors. For others, it means training for next year's Games. For many, it simply means returning home reminded that they are part of something larger than themselves. And judging by the smiles, cheers and unwavering encouragement found throughout the week.

Cisco: How Responsible AI Is Changing the Way Organizations Assess Humanitarian Needs

Cisco Systems Inc. — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:05:00 -0400

Cisco
This is the first in a three-part series exploring how Cisco Crisis Response is partnering with nonprofit organizations that are harnessing the power of responsible AI in humanitarian settings. From assessing needs on the ground to connecting affected people with information and services, each installment examines a different stage of the humanitarian response lifecycle — and the responsible AI principles that must guide the work at every step.

In the initial hours and days of a humanitarian response, accurate information is critical and potentially lifesaving. Relief organizations must move fast to get assistance to people in need, but before they can act, they need to understand. Who has been affected? What do they need? Where are the gaps?

AI has the potential to expedite and transform the way relief organizations approach needs assessments in the aftermath of an emergency. It can accelerate data collection, surface insights faster, and help overstretched teams do more with less, ultimately facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people who need it. But in contexts where people and communities are at their most vulnerable, the need to leverage AI responsibly is paramount.

Cisco’s approach to responsible AI

That tension between the enormous promise of AI and the need to deploy it responsibly is something we take seriously at Cisco. Our approach to responsible AI is grounded in six core principles that are embedded in how we work, how we innovate, and who we choose to partner with. When we support organizations working at the frontier of AI-enabled crisis response, we look for partners who hold themselves to the same standards we do — and whose responsible AI commitments, in turn, help inform and refine our own.

One such partner is Kobo, the organization behind KoboToolbox: an open-source platform that more than 35,000 organizations across 220 countries and territories rely on to design surveys, collect data, and generate insights to inform programs and interventions in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Cisco has partnered with Kobo since 2014, supporting the development of KoboToolbox into the versatile software it is today — including, most recently, its early integration of qualitative analysis features supported by large language models. Now, with the KoboToolbox AI Formbuilder, the team is taking that one step further: using generative AI features to help humanitarian organizations build better survey forms faster. By focusing both on potential gains and risk reduction, these features enable humanitarian workers to expedite high-quality, high-volume data collection without compromising on the safeguards needed to protect both the data and the people it represents.

Operational challenges, ethical questions: Why responsible AI matters

Humanitarian needs assessments form the backbone of an effective response. Field teams are often working in dangerous or remote conditions, with limited time and resources, gathering data to understand the full scale and scope of what crisis-affected communities urgently need. Traditional data collection methods like text-based surveys and paper forms can be slow, inconsistent, and prone to gaps or errors. And when the communities most affected by a crisis speak languages or dialects that aren’t well represented in those standard tools, their voices risk being lost entirely.

AI-assisted tools have the potential to address many of these challenges but, in doing so, they introduce new ones. The data collected in emergency settings — information about displaced children and families, their locations, their identities, their vulnerabilities — is extraordinarily sensitive. How do you balance the real impacts that can be achieved with the increased speed and efficiency of AI with the obligation to handle that data safely and ethically?

Cisco partner Kobo builds responsible AI-assisted tools to help relief organizations gather data quickly and safely.

Building better humanitarian data tools with responsible AI at the core

Kobo’s approach addresses these challenges by prioritizing the integration of responsible AI capabilities directly into the data collection workflow and the tool itself. Features like automated speech-to-text transcription and AI-assisted translation allow field teams to capture detailed observations in real time, in the languages spoken by affected communities. AI-powered form building helps even non-expert users design high-quality, contextually appropriate surveys in minutes rather than hours, meaning relief workers can gather more actionable data faster than ever.

“At Kobo, our approach to responsible AI begins long before the end user — from early architectural decisions and community co-design, down to selecting models that meet the highest ethical and privacy standards,” says Tino Kreutzer, Kobo’s Chief Operating & Innovation Officer. “Before writing a single line of code, we assess potential risks and test model reliability using only synthetic data. By hosting the best available open-weight models in our own environment, we ensure user data is never shared or used for commercial training while maintaining highly reliable performance.”

“Humanitarian data needs strong safeguards. That’s why we prioritize ethical principles such as accuracy, privacy, and reliability in all our work.”
– Tino Kreutzer, Chief Operating & Innovation Officer, Kobo

Critically, the tool is built with human oversight at its core. By design, the “human-in-the-loop” model requires users to review, edit, and verify AI-generated transcripts and translations directly within the platform before any data is acted upon — a deliberate design choice that reflects the transparency and accountability required for the responsible use of AI. Furthermore, all AI processing happens within KoboToolbox’s own infrastructure, maintaining full data sovereignty.

Kobo’s Joshua Beretta providing technical support during the Mozambique floods response in early 2026.

KoboToolbox’s AI features in action

The evidence for what this tool can help humanitarian organizations accomplish is already taking shape. In a pilot with UN Women across 14 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, AI-powered transcription and translation features were used to process data from more than 14,000 people. The tool significantly reduced the time required to transcribe and translate responses, and because all processing happens within KoboToolbox’s infrastructure rather than being exported to external tools, sensitive data stayed secure and within the control of the organizations responsible for it. For the relief workers conducting interviews, that meant more time being present in the conversations rather than managing data workflows — and the people being interviewed reported feeling genuinely heard as a result.

The tools were put to the test in a sudden-onset emergency for the first time in early 2026, when flooding in Mozambique displaced nearly 700,000 people. Kobo deployed staff on the ground to support frontline responders, where a small team of enumerators used AI-assisted voice capture to record detailed observations about infrastructure conditions and service availability at accommodation centers for displaced families, producing richer, more nuanced data than traditional text-based methods would have allowed. The full impact of that data on the response is still being assessed, but the pilot validated that these tools can be deployed responsibly under real emergency conditions.

The potential — and the obligations — of scaling responsible AI in humanitarian settings

The early results suggest that AI can be responsibly deployed to improve how relief organizations understand and respond to crises. Kobo is committed to keeping the tool, including these AI-assisted features, free or affordable for the 35,000+ organizations already relying on the platform. With that reach comes the potential to transform how humanitarian organizations conduct needs assessments at a global scale.

“As we integrate AI more deeply into our work, we want to ensure we’re doing it in partnership with local organizations we work with, in ways that help meet the needs of the humanitarian sector without causing additional harm,” says Kreutzer. “Ethics and transparency should always be prioritized over single-minded efficiency gains — that’s our guiding principle.”

At Cisco, we believe that the potential to leverage AI as a force for good is vast, but it’s only as strong as the principles guiding its use. We’re proud to partner with organizations like Kobo that both inform and share in our commitment to mitigating the risks while maximizing the opportunities that these emerging AI technologies present in humanitarian settings, without jeopardizing the mission — or the people — they’re built to serve.

Next in the series: When affected communities need reliable information on how and where to access assistance in the aftermath of a crisis, how can relief organizations leverage AI-powered tools to help provide it — safely, accurately, and at scale?

View original content here.

3M Clinton Strengthens U.S. Manufacturing and Future Workforce Pathways

3M — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Originally published on 3M News Center

From Filtrete™ Filters and Command™ Strips to 3M™ Acoustic Thinsulate™ and 3M™ Glass Bubbles, 3M’s Clinton, Tennessee, plant plays an important role in making products that reach homes, vehicles and industries across the country.

As part of 3M’s broader U.S. manufacturing footprint, the Clinton site brings together more than 400 skilled employees and strong capabilities across multiple core technologies. The plant manufactures products that serve automotive, consumer and industrial markets, reflecting the breadth of 3M science and the importance of advanced manufacturing to the company’s ability to serve customers.

This summer, that manufacturing presence was connected to another priority: helping prepare the next generation of makers, problem-solvers and technical talent.

3M joined educators and community leaders in Clinton to spotlight efforts that expand student access to hands-on learning and career pathways in advanced manufacturing. The programs include investments at Anderson County Career & Technical Center and Clinton High School, where students are gaining exposure to technical skills, modern equipment and real-world manufacturing opportunities.

The work reflects how 3M’s manufacturing sites can support local workforce development by partnering with schools and helping strengthen learning environments. Through these programs, students can better understand technical career options and build skills connected to the future of manufacturing.

A strong manufacturing presence in Clinton

The 3M Clinton plant is an important manufacturing site within 3M’s U.S. operations. Employees at the site help make a range of products that reflect the variety of ways 3M science shows up in everyday life and across industries. From helping improve vehicle comfort and indoor air quality to supporting consumer convenience and industrial performance, the Clinton plant contributes to solutions used by customers and consumers in multiple markets.

“At 3M Clinton, we’re proud to be part of 3M’s strong U.S. manufacturing footprint and to make products that people rely on every day,” said plant director Jason Orr. “Our employees bring worldclass skill, dedication and innovation to this work. By connecting our manufacturing presence with investments in local education, we’re helping students see the opportunities that exist in advanced manufacturing and the important role they can play in its future.”

Following the school-based events, community leaders participated in a tour of 3M Clinton, offering a firsthand look at the people, processes and technologies behind local manufacturing careers. By connecting classroom investments with real-world operations, the visit helped show how technical education can prepare students for opportunities in advanced manufacturing.

Investing in technical education

3M's national Manufacturing & Academic Partnerships program (MAP) is designed to support academic partners and strengthen pathways into advanced manufacturing careers. The MAP program includes community partnerships with GPS Ed, FESTO, and NC3. At Anderson County Career & Technical College, MAP is expanding access to hands-on learning experiences that connect classroom instruction with the types of technical skills used in modern manufacturing environments.

“Investing in our hometown communities is one of the most meaningful ways 3M can help create lasting impact,” said Michael Stroik, Vice President, 3M Community Impact. “By supporting technical education in Clinton, we’re helping expand access to hands-on learning experiences that connect students to real-world skills and future career pathways. These investments reflect our belief that strong schools, strong communities and strong manufacturing go hand in hand.”

By supporting technical education spaces, 3M is helping students build awareness of career opportunities in manufacturing while gaining exposure to the tools, technologies and problem-solving skills used in today’s workforce.

Creating a space for future makers

In collaboration with Heart of America, a non-profit organization that transforms learning spaces, 3M transformed a classroom at Clinton High School into the Future Makers Lab by 3M. The transformation is designed to give students a modern learning environment focused on applied skills and hands-on exploration.

Through multiple new Future Makers Labs across the country, 3M is helping to make technical education more visible and accessible for students, supporting opportunities to explore manufacturing-related skills, collaboration and innovation.

“Career readiness is essential to a student’s education, and the right learning environment makes it possible," said Jill Hardy Heath, President and CEO of Heart of America. “Through our work with 3M, we’re designing and building mechatronics labs that give students hands-on access to engineering, robotics, and technical skill development. When industry leaders invest alongside schools, it expands opportunity and helps students envision strong, sustainable futures.”

Building the workforce of tomorrow

Manufacturing continues to rely on skilled people who can solve problems, work with technology and adapt to changing customer needs. In Clinton, 3M’s investments in local education are closely tied to the company’s manufacturing presence and long-term commitment to the community.

These local events demonstrated how industry and education can work together to create stronger pathways for students — from classrooms and labs to potential careers in advanced manufacturing.

FAQ

What does the 3M Clinton plant make?

The 3M Clinton plant manufactures a range of products that serve automotive, consumer and industrial markets, including 3M™ Acoustic Thinsulate™, Filtrete™ Filters, Command™ Strips and 3M™ Glass Bubbles.

How many people work at the 3M Clinton plant?

The 3M Clinton plant has a skilled workforce of more than 400 employees.

Why is 3M investing in technical education in Clinton?

3M’s investments are focused on expanding student access to hands-on learning and career pathways in advanced manufacturing. These efforts help connect classroom learning with technical skills used in modern manufacturing environments and support workforce readiness in a community where 3M has a significant manufacturing presence.

Sustainability Moves in with Legal

Governance & Accountability Institute — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:15:00 -0400

Sustainability has never sat neatly on the corporate organizational chart. But in the past few years it has begun to drift in a distinct direction: as wide-ranging disclosure expectations give way to specific compliance obligations, the function is more engaged with legal and risk. Two independent datasets this week quantify this development.

G&A and Ropes & Gray have released Side by Side: Sustainability and Legal, based on a survey and interviews at 35 companies. It finds lean teams absorbing expanding compliance duties: of this pool, 39% of sustainability functions now report into legal, and 87% of sustainability leaders said regulation has increased their interactions with legal in the past year. No respondents expected that collaboration to diminish.

The Weinreb Group’s 2026 CSO report, covered by ESG Dive, paints a similar picture. CSOs reporting to legal have climbed from 3% in 2011 to 23%, while those reporting to the CEO have fallen from roughly a third to 14%. The number of CSOs dipped for the first time in 15 years, with headcount growing faster outside the function than inside.

Adding to the regulatory drive behind that shift, EFRAG has opened a consultation running to October 31 on its exposure draft of the CSRD standard for non-EU companies — the last piece of the directive to take effect, per its technical chair. As ESG Today reports, the draft covers impacts only, dropping the risks-and-opportunities reporting EU companies face, and offers a contested “mixed approach” letting groups report impacts either EU-only or globally. EFRAG members have warned that relevant information could be lost, which presents a greenwashing risk especially when it comes to harms that cross borders.

Meanwhile, in the area of convergence and consolidation, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol announced that it and the ISO standards organization will merge their corporate carbon accounting standards into a single co-branded standard. A consultation is planned for 2027. G&A’s Scope 3 and SBTi target-setting teams are tracking the drafts.

We are always watching for signs of whether developments in regulations and frameworks are yielding better information, rather than “fluff.” A University of Chicago Law School working paper covered by Trellis scored more than 15,000 disclosures from 2,100 companies between 1998 and 2023, finding that reporting surged after 2015 while specificity and quantitative content did not follow. One interpretation is that numerical results are getting “harder to find amid a faster-growing layer of narrative.” The authors conclude that for voluntary regimes to deliver on substance, they will need firmer signals of what good disclosure looks like, topic by topic.

Elsewhere: a Nature Sustainability perspective finds that accounting flexibility can swing reported emissions by roughly a factor of two; Singapore proposes ISSB-aligned standards while keeping Scope 3 largely voluntary; and EcoVadis opens its supply chain network to all suppliers

This is just the introduction of G&A's Sustainability Highlights newsletter this week. Click here to view the full issue.

Galveston Bay Refinery Earns Safety Excellence Award

Marathon Petroleum — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:00:00 -0400

Key Points

Marathon Petroleum's Galveston Bay Refinery received the Owner Recognition Award at the 2026 Industry Business Roundtable Safety Excellence Awards for its leadership in advancing contractor safety.
The award recognizes asset owners that actively promote contractor safety by nominating high-performing business partners and participating in the contractor safety evaluation process.
Five contractors nominated by the Galveston Bay refinery were also recognized, including three Best in Class winners, highlighting the refinery's commitment to safety excellence and collaboration across the Texas Gulf Coast.

August 18, 2026 /3BL/ - Marathon Petroleum's Galveston Bay Refinery received the at the 2026 Industry Business Roundtable (IBR) Safety Excellence Awards, recognizing the refinery's leadership in advancing contractor safety through the nomination and evaluation process while reinforcing its commitment to operational excellence.

The Safety Excellence Awards honor contractors and subcontractors across the Texas Gulf Coast that demonstrate outstanding safety performance at an asset owner's site. The program also recognizes asset owners that play an active role in promoting contractor safety by identifying high-performing business partners and participating in the evaluation process. It also encourages participants to share best practices and safety innovations.

“We're proud of the culture we've built together and the shared commitment that makes achievements like this possible."

Representing the Galveston Bay Refinery at the awards banquet in May, Brandon Bielamowicz, Maintenance Director, and Brandy Todd, Senior Personal Safety Professional, accepted the award on behalf of Marathon Petroleum.

"Safety is at the core of everything we do," said Bielamowicz. "This award reflects the dedication of our employees, contractors and business partners who work every day to maintain a safe and reliable operation. We're proud of the culture we've built together and the shared commitment that makes achievements like this possible."

Each year, IBR evaluates nominees from across the region and honors contractors that exemplify outstanding safety and health performance. As part of the program, asset owners nominate contractors that demonstrate exceptional safety leadership and performance and participate in the evaluation process. For its leadership and active participation, the Galveston Bay Refinery received the Owner Recognition Award. Five contractors nominated by the refinery also received recognition, including three Best in Class winners. The program provides opportunities for industry leaders to exchange ideas and share best practices that strengthen workplace safety across the Texas Gulf Coast.

"For me, safety has always been about people," said Todd. "It's about building relationships, earning trust and helping people make decisions that keep themselves and those around them safe. Receiving this award is an honor, and it reflects what can be accomplished when we work together with a shared commitment to safety excellence."

5 Ways Edge AI Is Changing MLOps Forever

Leidos — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:05:00 -0400

The AI making the headlines isn't always the AI making the biggest impact.

Some of AI's most important applications happen where lives, missions, and critical infrastructure are on the line.

From disaster response to autonomous systems, AI is increasingly being deployed in places where connectivity is unreliable, decisions have to happen in seconds, and sending every piece of data to the cloud simply isn't practical.

That's changing more than where AI runs. It's changing how AI is deployed, managed, and kept operational: what the industry calls MLOps.

Here are five ways edge AI is rewriting the rules

#1 AI can't afford to wait for the cloud

For years, the cloud has been the default home for AI. But in the real world, waiting for information to travel to a data center and back can cost more than time.

Picture this ️a search-and-rescue drone scanning earthquake debris for survivors. It can't afford to wait for a signal. It has to see, decide and act on the spot, even if it's operating without a network connection.

The future of AI isn't about replacing the cloud. It's about giving AI the ability to make critical decisions where they're needed, even when the cloud isn't.

#2 The smartest AI knows what to ignore

Modern sensors generate an overwhelming amount of information. Pushing all of it across a limited network doesn't make the decisions better, it can actually bury the one signal that matters.

The smartest AI identifies what's important, whether that's an unexpected movement, a vehicle entering an area, or a change in behavior, and prioritizes those insights first.

The result? Faster decisions, less network congestion, and more effective use of limited resources.

#3 If your AI needs a network, it's not ready

One of the biggest misconceptions about AI is that it's always connected.

In reality, some of its most valuable applications happen where connectivity is least reliable—remote regions, disaster zones, contested environments.

That's forcing organizations to rethink how they deploy AI. Instead of assuming the cloud is always available, systems are increasingly designed to continue operating independently and synchronize only when communications allow.

Reliable AI isn't judged by how well it performs online. It's judged by how well it performs offline.

#4 One intelligent system isn't enough anymore

The next generation of AI won't consist of isolated devices making isolated decisions.

It's drones, sensors, vehicles and operators working as one coordinated team, sharing only the most critical information and skipping the rest.

That requires intelligent coordination behind the scenes ensuring critical information reaches the right platform at the right time, even when communications are limited or disrupted.

It's a shift from building smarter devices to building smarter systems.

#5 Resilience is the new measure of AI success

For years, AI progress has been measured in bigger models, more computing power and higher accuracy.

Those metrics still matter, but once AI leaves the lab and enters the real world, another question becomes far more important: Will it still work when conditions aren't ideal?

That's why resilient edge AI is becoming a defining capability. Solutions such as Leidos' Adaptive Edge bring AI directly to sensors and operational platforms, enabling real-time analysis where decisions need to be made.

Combined with the Collaborative Autonomy Framework and Extension (CAFE), critical information can be prioritized and shared across distributed teams, even when bandwidth is constrained or connectivity is disrupted.

As organizations continue investing in AI, success won't simply be measured by building smarter models. It will be measured by building AI that continues delivering the right insight at the right time, even when conditions are at their toughest.

That's the future of AI operations, and it's already happening at the edge.

Key takeaways:

Modern MLOps depends on intelligent, connected edge operations.
Adaptive Edge and CAFE enable autonomous AI beyond the cloud.
Leidos delivers resilient edge AI for real-time mission decisions.

Learn more about intelligence at the edge

America’s Next Great Infrastructure Project Is Connectivity

T-Mobile International AG — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:05:00 -0400

I grew up in the West Texas oil fields, in a part of the country that always felt overlooked. You never forget what it feels like to come from a place that’s treated as an afterthought. It shapes the work I do every day.

When I got into this business three decades ago, the wireless industry looked at rural communities and smaller markets much the same way. Building advanced networks in those areas wasn’t considered worth the investment. I never believed that. The places everyone else overlooks are usually the places where real progress begins.

As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, I’ve been reflecting on how this country has moved forward by expanding opportunity.

It’s the same idea that’s shaped T‑Mobile.

T‑Mobile started as a challenger with the belief that Americans deserved better, and we grew into a company that built the first nationwide 5G network. Along the way we learned that when companies actually compete to serve people, people win.

The U.S. has been here before. Railroads connected a growing nation. Electrification rewired how goods were made. The interstate highway system accelerated commerce, and the internet transformed nearly every aspect of modern life.

Connectivity is the infrastructure of this era. It is the foundation for how we work, learn, build businesses, access health care and respond in emergencies. As AI becomes part of daily life, the demand on networks will only grow. Our country’s ability to lead in an AI-powered world will depend on whether these networks can keep up.

That’s why I believe connectivity must be a national priority. Government and the private sector both have a role to play in encouraging investment, protecting competition and making sure access reaches every American community. The future shouldn’t depend on living in the right ZIP code.

Infrastructure is about connecting people. When a hurricane knocks out power, emergency workers need to reach victims. Networks can save lives. That’s why we built ours with a dedicated lane just for first responders, and why we keep pushing to connect places still called dead zones.

It’s also about opportunity. We’ve supported 500 towns through our Hometown Grants program, helped nearly 800 rural schools through Friday Night 5G Lights, and connected millions of students who didn’t have reliable internet at home through Project 10Million.

We’ve also built Live Translation directly into our network, which lets two people who don’t share a language have a conversation in real time. No apps or language packs to download. You just talk, and the network does the rest. I think about how a parent who doesn’t speak English can now communicate with their child’s teacher. A few years ago, that was science fiction. Today it runs on the network in your pocket.

For most people, that’s what AI is: a tool that removes barriers and opens doors. The more these tools become part of everyday life, the more they depend on networks that are fast, reliable and available everywhere.

As that demand increases, the gap between those who have reliable connectivity and those who don’t will only widen. Closing that gap is how the U.S. keeps its edge.

I know what it feels like to come from a place that people assumed wasn’t part of the future. I’ve also seen what happens when someone decides to invest there anyway. Businesses grow, families flourish and the country is stronger for it. The next 250 years for the U.S. should be built on this same idea, and that’s the work in front of us now.

For more information about T‑Mobile, visit T‑Mobile.com. To learn more about America250 and its national commemorative efforts, visit America250.org. For more on T‑Mobile’s preparedness and response capabilities, visit its Emergency Response hub and follow @TMobileNews on X and Instagram.

Scaling Impact: AMD 2025-26 Corporate Responsibility Report

AMD — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:45:00 -0400

One of the questions I think about most is how AMD can continue to scale responsibly as our technology reaches more people, industries and applications.

Today, we published the AMD 2025-26 Corporate Responsibility Report, reflecting on progress against our 2020-2025 goals and looking ahead to 2030. The report reinforces an important principle: As AMD grows, our approach to corporate responsibility must scale with the business.

That means embedding responsibility into how we operate, design products, work with suppliers and engage partners, while continually assessing societal and environmental risks and opportunities most relevant to our business.

AMD has grown significantly since 2020, including a global workforce that is roughly 2.5 times larger. At the same time, the rapid expansion of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) is increasing demands on power, land, water, cooling and computing infrastructure. Efficiency and responsible innovation are business imperatives.

AI and advanced computing are helping researchers, businesses and public institutions tackle the world’s most important challenges. Our responsibility is to help expand those benefits while being thoughtful about the resources and systems required to make that growth possible.

Embedding Responsibility into Our Operations

As AMD has scaled, we have invested in systems to conserve resources, support employees and maintain accountability. From 2020 to 2025, the share of electricity attributed to renewable sources increased from 22% to 58%, contributing to a 30% reduction in operational greenhouse gas emissions.

Scaling responsibly is also about our people. We have continued to expand training, mentoring and career development opportunities. In 2025 more than two-thirds of AMD employees participated in employee resource groups, community engagement or volunteerism.

Embedding Responsibility into Our Products

Product design is one of the clearest ways to scale impact. Improvements in computing efficiency can compound across thousands of systems, data centers and workloads, especially as AI infrastructure expands.

Customers need substantially more compute while working within constraints on power, cooling, water and grid capacity. AMD addresses those challenges through innovation across the compute stack, from modular architecture and advanced packaging to optimized networking, systems and software.

From 2020 to 2025, AMD achieved a 38x improvement in energy efficiency for AI training and high-performance computing nodes. Reflective of these gains, AMD technology-powered systems represented on the Green500 list increased significantly from 11 systems on the June 2020 list to 194 on the June 2026 list.

As AI performance increasingly depends on larger clusters of HPC systems, we are working toward a new goal to improve rack-level AI energy efficiency 20x from 2024 to 2030. We have made strong progress with our new AMD Helios™ rackscale system, which you can read more about in our latest goal progress update.

We are also addressing environmental impacts across the technology life cycle. In 2025, expanded product takeback programs enabled AMD to refurbish, repair or recycle more than 768,000 units weighing more than 91 metric tons.

Progress at this scale does not come from one team or one product. The AMD Corporate Power Initiative brings together teams across architecture, silicon, systems, software and applications to pursue efficiency throughout the technology stack. Together, these efforts reflect a broad approach spanning product design, operations, manufacturing and end-of-life management.

Embedding Responsibility into Our Supply Chain

As the business and our product portfolio have grown, so has the complexity of our global supply chain. For a fabless company with outsourced manufacturing, supplier engagement is a critical lever to help strengthen responsible business practices, accelerate climate action and improve resilience across the supply chain.

From 2020 to 2025, the number of AMD manufacturing supplier factories increased by 44%. During that period, we audited 99% of those suppliers for responsible business practices. In 2025, 88% of manufacturing suppliers participated in capacity-building activities, including training related to forced labor and climate targets, and 82% sourced renewable energy.

We are also strengthening material traceability, resilience planning and responsible minerals due diligence. These efforts help improve visibility into the supply chain, identify vulnerabilities earlier and strengthen resilience and responsible business practices.

Delivering Purpose-Driven Innovation

Ultimately, corporate responsibility is about how we improve lives and add long-term value. I am inspired by the reach AMD technology can have when it is put in the hands of researchers, educators and organizations working to solve difficult problems. In 2025, AMD technology donations to more than 800 universities, research institutions and nonprofit organizations drove overall beneficiaries since 2020 to an estimated 104.8 million people through support for education, scientific research and workforce development. In 2025, AMD also pledged $150 million to expand AI education across the United States.

We are already beginning to see the impact. Radiologists are applying advanced computing to improve cancer detection and diagnosis. Researchers are using HPC to advance discovery in medicine, climate science and other fields. Educators are using AMD Learning Labs to expand access to technology and help prepare the workforce of the future.

I am grateful to the AMD teams and partners around the world who help accelerate solutions, strengthen responsible business practices and drive progress at scale. The pace of innovation has never been greater, and neither has the opportunity to apply purpose-built technology to help solve the world’s most complex challenges.

Learn more at www.amd.com/corporateresponsibility

Designing the Cascale Annual Meeting 2026: Why We Built This Year’s Program Differently

Cascale — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:15:00 -0400

by Christina Mašánová

Every Annual Meeting starts with the same challenge. How do we at Cascale design a program that reflects where our industry is today, while also helping move it forward?

This year’s theme, “Value Chain Transformation: Who Pays, Who Profits and What Changes?,” captures the current reality we’re hearing from members across the value chain. Organizations are under increasing pressure to decarbonize, strengthen supply chains, prepare for new regulation, and improve outcomes for workers. At the same time, they’re navigating economic uncertainty, changing trade dynamics, and increasing pressure to remain competitive. The ambition is there, but many are trying to deliver it within commercial models that were never designed to support this kind of transformation.

Yet we must sustain the momentum in the movement that Cascale – and the Higg Index – were founded upon.

That led us to one question that became the foundation for this year’s program:

What commercial and partnership models will help brands and manufacturers prioritize, finance, and scale solutions for decarbonization, resilient supply chains, and decent work?

Every keynote, panel discussion, workshop, debate, and roundtable were developed with that original question in mind. We wanted the conversations to build on one another rather than exist as standalone topics. Whether we’re talking about financing decarbonization, responsible purchasing practices, artificial intelligence, digital product passports, sourcing relationships, or executive leadership, every session explores a different piece of the same challenge.

Once we had our problem statement, one thing became obvious. We couldn’t build another program that talked about sustainability in isolation. Many of the decisions that determine whether sustainability initiatives succeed are made outside sustainability teams. They happen in sourcing meetings, procurement discussions, finance reviews, executive boardrooms, and in conversations between brands and manufacturers every day.

One of the biggest shifts you’ll see this year is that we’ve intentionally brought those perspectives into the conversation. You’ll hear from leaders in sourcing, manufacturing, finance, innovation, technology, economics, and business. Sustainability remains at the heart of the discussion, but this year we’re exploring it through the broader business decisions that ultimately determine whether progress happens.

A Three-Day Journey

The program has been designed to build over three days, with each conversation building on the one before it.

On Day One, we’ll confront the tensions. We’ll explore the commercial realities, competing priorities, and systemic challenges that continue to slow progress across our industry.

On Day Two, the focus shifts to what is already working. We’ll hear practical examples of organizations finding new ways to finance decarbonization, strengthen sourcing partnerships, build resilience, and create business value alongside environmental and social impact.

On Day Three, we’ll look ahead together, exploring how leaders are responding to changing regulation, new technologies like artificial intelligence, evolving sourcing strategies, and the decisions that will shape the next chapter of value chain transformation.

Those conversations will take place across four stages, each designed with a different purpose. Our Main Stage offers the big-picture ideas that inspire a movement. Our CEO Ying McGuire will open by taking us back to our origins, exploring our founder’s original Systems Map. Alongside our Main Stage, attendees can dive deeper through ample workshops and capability-building sessions. These transpire on the Impact Stage, our Collaboration Stage, and the Worldly Stage, led by our Lead Sponsor, Worldly.

We’ve introduced several new session formats this year, including “Human Libraries” – or the peer-to-peer discussions which define a new kind of Collaboration Stage – and Open Seat Debates. This debate format offers extra reflection time alongside interactive workshops, peer exchanges, and executive-led roundtables. These formats were added very intentionally. Rather than simply listening to ideas, we wanted attendees to engage with them, challenge them, and learn directly from one another.

Ultimately, our goal is simple: we want people to leave Athens with more than inspiration. We want them to leave with practical ideas, new perspectives, and tangible takeaways they could apply in their own organizations and within their own partnerships; ones that lead to better business outcomes and greater impact.

Built With Our Community

Each year, we strive to raise the bar (evidenced by last year’s Hong Kong meeting being our largest yet). In pursuit of member centricity, our new additions show we are continuing to rethink how members experience the Annual Meeting.

Panels and keynote presentations remain an important part of the program, but these new tailored formats offer expanded opportunities for members to participate. True to our past, we also acknowledge the need for keeping a few things off the record. Some programming will take place under Chatham House Rules to encourage more candid discussion, while others are designed to share practical case studies and lessons that attendees can take directly back to their own organizations.

This year’s program has also been shaped by our member-led Program Advisory Group. Their willingness to challenge our thinking, share their experiences, and test ideas has helped ensure the agenda reflects the realities our members are facing across the value chain. I’d also like to thank my colleagues across Cascale, whose expertise across climate, decent work, policy, member engagement, and events has helped strengthen the program at every stage of its development.

A Final Thought

People sometimes ask me what makes a good conference program. For me, it isn’t the number of speakers or the size of the stage. It’s whether people leave thinking differently than when they arrived.

As we’ve built this year’s program, one thing has become increasingly clear. The conversations have become much less about sustainability itself, and much more about the commercial and broader business decisions that determine whether sustainability can succeed.

That realization has shaped almost every decision we’ve made. It influenced the theme, the problem statement, the voices we’ve invited to the stage, and the formats we’ve chosen to encourage more open, practical discussion.

I don’t expect three days in Athens to solve every challenge our industry is facing. But I do hope people leave with a better understanding of one another’s realities, a few assumptions challenged, some practical ideas they can apply in their own organizations, and new relationships that help move this work forward.

If attendees leave thinking differently than when they arrived, I think we’ll have built a program worth having.

Register for the Cascale Annual Meeting 2026

Christina Mašánová is senior manager, event content and programming at Cascale.

CVS Health: Thank You! Enlightenment Plaza Voltaire Villas Volunteer Day in Los Angeles, California

CVS Health — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:30:00 -0400

On July 24^th, 2026, CVS Health and Aetna colleagues and community organizations came together at Enlightenment Plaza in Los Angeles for a Welcome Home Basket Assembly for residents. Enlightenment Plaza is a recently completed permanent supportive housing community where every unit is reserved for individuals transitioning out of homelessness, serving households at 15%, 20%, 30%, and 50% of Area Median Income.

The heart of the day was assembling laundry-focused welcome home baskets for every unit in Phase 3 (Voltaire Villas), the community's newest phase. Because these residents had only just moved in, colleagues had the chance to hand the baskets directly to those who were there that afternoon, each one packed with household essentials to help them settle into their new homes. Volunteers also put together a hygiene pantry, stocked with supplies from the CVS distribution center, which will stay available to residents across all phases of Enlightenment Plaza whenever they need it.

Back in 2022, CVS Health and Aetna invested over $35 million in Enlightenment Plaza, developed by The Pacific Companies and Flexible PSH Solutions, helping to bring 174 Permanent Supportive Housing units to Los Angeles. Days like this one are a reminder of the difference it makes when housing and support come together.

CVS Health is especially grateful to the on-site teams from the service provider, The People Concern, and Flexible PSH Solutions, who coordinated the event, and worked alongside colleagues to assemble and hand out baskets.

Across CVS Health and Aetna, we're proud to stand behind communities like Enlightenment Plaza, which embody our belief that Housing is Health Care. Coming together this way reminds us just how lasting our impact can be in the neighborhoods where we live and work.

10 Years, 10 Stories: Four Employees, One Shared Purpose

MilliporeSigma — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:30:00 -0400

Over the past decade, employees at MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, have turned a global employee volunteer program into a real movement. As SPARK™ marks its 10^th anniversary, the “10 Years, 10 Stories” series reflects on a decade of impact and the employees, students, and organizations that have been at the heart of the program.

For the first article in this series, MilliporeSigma’s own employees will be in the spotlight. Employees around the world have volunteered nearly 200,000 hours over the past 10 years, participating in more than 6,500 events and bringing hands-on science learning to more than 600,000 students. From interacting with Curiosity programming and welcoming students into laboratories, to organizing food drives and community initiatives, these employees embody the company’s commitment to supporting and strengthening communities around the world.

Jennifer Bollinger, Associate Project Manager

For the past decade, Jennifer Bollinger has been helping inspire the next generation of scientists through SPARK™. Exceptional science teachers fueled her own love of the field and helped lead her to study biology and microbiology. She has volunteered consistently since SPARK™ launched in 2016 because she believes all students should have hands-on access to science education. Whether teaching classroom lessons, supporting community events, or participating in initiatives like the Global Food Drive, Jennifer sees every volunteer opportunity as a chance to positively affect her community.

Eric Reyes, Belonging and Inclusion Relationship and Program Manager, Americas

Since SPARK™ launched in 2016, Eric Reyes has volunteered with a simple belief: everyone should have access to opportunities that spark curiosity and help them better understand the world around them. He is also passionate about representing the disability community in STEM and showing young people that a career in science is within reach. One of his favorite volunteer memories was helping host a Curiosity Labs™ event for deaf grade school students at the company’s Laclede, St. Louis facility, where volunteers and ASL interpreters guided students through a DNA experiment.

Paula Fernandez, Quality Manager Commercial Subsidiaries

For 10 years, Paula has been an active SPARK™ volunteer, driven by a desire to contribute to initiatives that make a meaningful difference in her community. While she enjoys every opportunity to engage with students, her favorite moments come when she is presenting science experiments and seeing excitement from participants as they learn through hands-on discovery. Beyond volunteering, Paula appreciates how SPARK™ has become a community of its own at the company, bringing colleagues together across teams through a shared sense of purpose. Whether answering unexpected questions or watching students discover something new, she finds the greatest reward in the small moments that inspire curiosity and create lasting impact.

Palani Subramaniam, Senior Global Product Manager, DxRM – Production Materials

For Palani Subramaniam, volunteering through SPARK™ is deeply personal. Having grown up with limited access to science resources, he understands the impact that exposure and opportunity can have on a young person’s future. Since 2016, he has volunteered to help bring those opportunities to students in his community. One of his most memorable moments was leading a STEM outreach session for school children in Bangalore and watching their curiosity come alive through hands-on learning—a reminder that curiosity exists in everyone and simply requires a spark.

Learn more about SPARK™ and the company’s Curiosity Programs by visiting our Employee and Community Engagement website.

How 3BL's AI Visibility Tracker Grades Sentiment

3BL — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:20:00 -0400

The AI Visibility Tracker shows you what ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are saying about your brand — and alongside your Visibility Score, it grades sentiment: favorable, critical, passing mention, or absent entirely.

Most sentiment tools are word counters. They tally positive and negative language and hand back a score. That works for tweets, not for brand mentions embedded in topics like climate, supply chains, or public health — where the subject matter reads negative on the surface even when the brand is part of the solution. A response about plastic pollution that credits a company's cleanup commitment isn't negative coverage. A word counter would score it that way anyway.

So we built sentiment grading around one question: how does this response portray your brand specifically — not the topic around it.

Every response captured from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity goes through a rubric-based evaluation landing on one label: positive, neutral, negative, mixed, or unknown. Four rules drive it: sentiment is attributed to your brand alone, not competitors or industry chatter; topic negativity doesn't automatically transfer to company sentiment; "not mentioned" is flagged low-confidence rather than treated as a real neutral; and mixed coverage stays mixed instead of averaging out.

Your score is the starting point, not the finish line. Every sentiment call links back to the original AI response, so you can see exactly what drove it — and with AIVT Advanced, explore the prompt, confidence score, and full response side by side.

See it in action:

Cisco: Powering Resilient Ecosystems | FY25 Purpose Report

Cisco Systems Inc. — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Cisco

The following is an excerpt from Cisco’s FY25 Purpose Report. Explore the full report to learn more about how we Power an Inclusive Future for All.

We aim to build a future where ecosystems are stronger and communities are resilient.

At Cisco, we’re investing in resilient ecosystems today to build a stronger future tomorrow. In fact, a study by the World Resources Institute found that every US$1 invested in climate adaptation and nature-based resilience will yield an average of US$10.50 in environmental and social benefits over the next decade. To support resilient ecosystems, Cisco helps communities to adapt to climate realities, cultivate skills for changing economies, and protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity.

Investing in Innovation

In 2021, the Cisco Foundation pledged US$100 million over 10 years to fund a diverse portfolio of innovative climate solutions. This work is accomplished through:

Cash Grants to Nonprofits: Our nonprofit grants focus on investing in the people and communities that rely most on resilient ecosystems, including smallholder farmers and indigenous communities. Technological innovations like Terraso’s landscape data collection tools and Digital Green’s AI-powered application for farmers are central to this work.
Impact Investments: The Regenerative Future Fund, an impact investing vehicle for startups and venture funds, allows the Foundation to support climate solutions across the innovation life cycle. This includes investing in AI-native solutions and AI-enabled operations, such as Miraterra, which analyzes soil health and nutrients with ML.

In addition to this work, Cisco Investments, the company’s venture investment arm, announced a new focus: investing in emerging technology companies that can help further Cisco’s sustainability goals and those of our customers. The first two funding recipients — CorPower Ocean, a startup that harnesses clean wave energy, and DEScycle, an organization that addresses e-waste on a local scale — embody our efforts to build a more sustainable, inclusive future.

Spotlight | Saving Endangered Species, One Network at a Time

Rhinos, elephants, gorillas, pangolins — some of the planet’s most endangered animals are running out of time.

Since 2015, Cisco has partnered with the Connected Conservation Foundation (CCF) to help change that, equipping 46 protected areas across 13 countries with IoT and connectivity tools that help rangers stop poaching and safeguard wildlife in real time.

But protecting animals is only part of the story. In 2025, we teamed up with CCF to launch the Protected Area Technician Training Program, a free global course through Cisco Networking Academy that helps kickstart local careers in conservation technology.

Addressing Water Impacts

Water is essential to healthy communities and ecosystems, and Cisco works to protect this shared resource.

We address our impact by managing water responsibly in our direct operations. In fiscal 2025, we reduced water withdrawals for our direct operations by 11%.

We also work to promote water stewardship across our supply chain. We’re a founding and active member of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and have formally adopted the RBA Code of Conduct as our Supplier Code of Conduct, which explicitly addresses water stewardship requirements. In addition, our approach to water stewardship is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) framework.

In fiscal 2025, as an AWS member, we advanced our supply chain participation in the AWS Collective Action Accelerator. This collaborative, place-based approach to water stewardship brings multiple sites together to share costs and maximize impact.

Spotlight | Powering Belgium’s Smart Water Network

Our water conservation efforts extend beyond the walls of Cisco, with our customers leveraging Cisco products and services to achieve their goals. Compagnie Intercommunale Liégeoise des Eaux (CILE), a Belgian public utility company, supplies water to a half million people throughout the region. To enhance operational efficiency and improve decision making, CILE aimed to create a smart network of sensors across 3,500 kilometers of pipes.

With Cisco technology, we helped CILE build its own IoT telecom network. The resulting water system improves efficiency, cuts costs, and supports the region’s long-term sustainability goals.

Reducing Waste in Our Direct Operations

Throughout our global facilities, we work to reduce operational waste and reuse and recycle materials. In fiscal 2025, we generated 5,250 metric tonnes of total waste and diverted approximately 85% of the waste generated at our facilities from landfills globally. We achieved this through a combination of reuse, recycling, composting, and donations.

Read the full FY25 Purpose Report

At Cisco, our Purpose is core to who we are and what we do. Learn more about our goals and progress to date in our Purpose Reporting Hub.

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GoDaddy’s Airo for WordPress Simplifies WordPress, Giving Business Owners a Smarter Way To Build and Grow Online

GoDaddy — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Below is a recap of an article published by TechRadar Pro

GoDaddy is expanding Airo, its suite of AI-powered tools for small businesses, to WordPress, giving customers a simpler way to create and manage their online presence while maintaining the flexibility of the WordPress platform.

Airo for WordPress helps customers get a website up and running quickly, using AI to support tasks that can otherwise require significant time or technical expertise. Beyond initial setup, customers can use AI assistance to make updates, manage website functionality and continue improving their site as their business evolves.

The experience brings AI into the WordPress environment, allowing customers to work within the platform while retaining access to its broad ecosystem of plugins and tools. This gives customers more flexibility in how they build and manage their websites, whether they prefer AI assistance for certain tasks or want to make changes themselves.

For small businesses and entrepreneurs, the goal is to make it easier to take advantage of WordPress without having to navigate every technical aspect on their own. Airo for WordPress can help reduce the time and effort involved in getting a site launched and keeping it up to date, allowing business owners to focus more on their customers and growth.

With Airo for WordPress, GoDaddy is helping customers combine the efficiency of AI with the capabilities of WordPress, creating a more approachable experience for building, managing and growing a professional online presence.

Click to read the full TechRadar Pro article.

To learn more about GoDaddy, visit www.godaddy.com.