ImpactAssets

The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC)

Direct Relief

ImpactAssets Kicks Off 2023 With New Leadership In Key Roles

2023 Building for Growth Cohorts: Free BIPOC- and Woman-Owned Construction Accelerator

Lilly Supports Direct Relief’s Efforts To Expand Access to Medicines by Improving Cold Chain Capacity

<img alt="solar installation" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8db1eb68-620b-48f3-b4df-1c48e5ed7efa" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ETIT-Solar_Bloomberg_13023.jpeg" width="640" class="align-center" height="800" loading="lazy" />LONDON, January 30, 2023 /CSRwire/ - Global investment in the low-carbon energy transition totaled $1.1 trillion in 2022 – a new record and a huge acceleration from the year before – as the energy crisis and policy action drove faster deployment of clean energy technologies, according to a new report from research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF). In another first, investment in low-carbon technologies appears to have reached parity with capital deployed in support of fossil fuel supply.

Energy Transition Investment Trends is BNEF’s annual accounting of how much funding businesses, financial institutions, governments and end-users are committing to the low-carbon energy transition. Almost every sector covered in the report achieved a new record level of investment in 2022, including renewable energy, energy storage, electrified transport, electrified heat, carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen and sustainable materials. Only nuclear power investment did not set a record, staying broadly flat.

Renewable energy, which includes wind, solar, biofuels and other renewables, remained the largest sector in investment terms, achieving a new record of $495 billion committed in 2022, up 17% from the year prior. However, electrified transport, which includes spending on electric vehicles and associated infrastructure, came close to overtaking renewables, with $466 billion spent in 2022 – an impressive 54% increase year-on-year.

Hydrogen is the sector that received the least financial commitment at just $1.1 billion in 2022 (0.1% of the total), despite strong interest from the private sector and growing policy support. Hydrogen is, however, the fastest-growing sector with investment more than tripling over the year before.

BNEF’s data show that China was by far the leading country for attracting energy transition investment, accounting for $546 billion or nearly half of the global total. The US was a distant second at $141 billion, while the EU would have been second if treated as a single bloc, at $180 billion. Germany retained its third place, while the UK dropped one place to fifth as France climbed to fourth.
<img alt="Figure 1 graph" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f81eda11-c18a-4492-9b24-d7ab81cb5c35" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/figure1_Bloomberg_012623.png" width="640" class="align-center" height="447" loading="lazy" />Transition investment matches fossil fuels for the first time; ramp-up needed for net zero

Within the report BNEF also makes a top-down estimate of global fossil fuel investments, including upstream, midstream, downstream and unabated fossil power generation. This figure, arrived at independently for the purpose of comparison, is estimated at $1.1 trillion in 2022 – the same figure as the energy transition investment total. This marks the first time that global energy transition investment has matched fossil fuel investment, and comes despite fossil investment growth triggered by last year’s energy crisis.

“Our findings put to bed any debate about how the energy crisis will impact clean energy deployment,” said Albert Cheung, Head of Global Analysis at BloombergNEF. “Rather than slowing down, energy transition investment has surged to a new record as countries and businesses continue to execute on transition plans. Investment in clean energy technologies is on the brink of overtaking fossil fuel investments, and won’t look back. These investments will drive short-term job creation and help to address medium-term energy security objectives. But much more investment is needed to get on track for net zero in the long term.”

Despite 2022’s impressive results, global investment in lower-carbon technologies remains woefully short of what is needed to confront climate change. For the world to get on a 2050 “net-zero” CO2 emissions trajectory, such investment must immediately triple, BNEF estimates. Including the additional $274 billion invested in the power grid, energy transition investment hit $1.38 trillion in 2022. By comparison, the world must invest an annual average of $4.55 trillion for the remainder of this decade in order to get on track under BNEF’s Net Zero Scenario.
<img alt="Figure 2 graph" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b0c9d0c-0f29-4be3-a429-16e3059850c1" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/figure2_Bloomberg_012623.png" width="640" class="align-center" height="466" loading="lazy" />Climate-tech corporate finance down

The report also finds that climate-tech corporate finance totaled $119 billion in 2022. This category of investment, not included in the $1.1 trillion above, describes new equity financing raised by companies in the climate-tech space, either from public markets or private investors. The figure represents a 29% decline from the year before, driven entirely by a fall in public share offerings during a challenging year in global equity markets. Despite the turmoil, venture capital and private equity financings held up well, growing 3% on the year.

Supply chain and manufacturing investment rises to $79 billion, dominated by China

BNEF also reports that clean energy factory investment (investments in manufacturing facilities for clean energy technologies) grew to $78.7 billion in 2022, up from $52.6 billion in 2021. Manufacturing facilities for batteries and related components formed the largest share of this at $45.4 billion, while solar factories attracted $23.9 billion. China accounted for 91% of manufacturing investments in 2022, in spite of efforts from other countries to capture more of the global clean energy opportunity.

Between 2023-26 BNEF estimates that factory investment for clean energy technologies only needs to average $35 billion per year, to get on track for its Net Zero Scenario. “Manufacturing capacity for clean energy technologies is unlikely to be the major bottleneck to achieving net zero,” said Antoine Vagneur-Jones, BNEF’s Head of Trade and Supply Chains research. “However, from a supply chain diversification point of view, the picture has not changed much. China is investing by far the most in building out its clean energy supply chain, and it remains to be seen if other regions can capture significant market share.”

The US in particular has seen a wave of announcements of new or expanded factories for clean energy technologies in recent months; however these are not yet represented in BNEF’s figures, which only account for successfully commissioned factory projects.

An abridged version of Energy Transition Investment Trends 2023 can be downloaded from <a href="https://about.bnef.com/energy-transition-investment/" target="_blank">this page</a>. BNEF subscribers can find the full report on the client website and on the Bloomberg Terminal.

Contact   
Oktavia Catsaros   
Bloomberg   
+1-212-617-9209   <a href="ocatsaros@bloomberg.net">ocatsaros@bloomberg.net</a>

About Bloomberg   
Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration. For more information, visit <a href="http://bloomberg.com/company" target="_blank">Bloomberg.com/company</a> or request a demo.

About BloombergNEF   
BloombergNEF (BNEF) is a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy. Our expert coverage assesses pathways for the power, transport, industry, buildings and agriculture sectors to adapt to the energy transition. We help commodity trading, corporate strategy, finance and policy professionals navigate change and generate opportunities.

Global Low-Carbon Energy Technology Investment Surges Past $1 Trillion for the First Time

<img alt="child with watering can" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="18344ae4-59d3-4f70-a1d5-d357c2fd23f3" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ScottsMiracleGro_GroMoreGood_2023.png" width="640" class="align-center" height="962" loading="lazy" />Marysville, OH, January 27, 2023 /CSRwire/ - Now in its fifth year, the GroMoreGood Garden Grants program through The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and National Head Start Association (NHSA) is awarding 10 grants to Head Start programs committed to connecting more of our nation's youth to the benefits of gardening and outdoor play.

This year's 2022-23 GroMoreGood Garden Grants winners are:

<ul><li><a href="https://www.bbidc.org/" target="_blank">Bright Beginnings, Inc., Washington D.C.</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.capwi.org/" target="_blank">Community Action Program, Inc., Western IN</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.acenepa.org/" target="_blank">Agency for Community EmPOWERment of NEPA, Scranton, PA</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://bfhs.net/" target="_blank">Benton Franklin Head Start, Richland, WA</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.pisd.edu/headstart" target="_blank">Plano ISD Head Start, Plano, TX</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.dpsk12.org/" target="_blank">Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.hcde-texas.org/domain/155" target="_blank">HCDE Area Head Start, Houston, TX</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.cookinletnativeheadstart.net/" target="_blank">Cook Inlet Native Head Start, Anchorage, AK</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://www.anacondaheadstart.org/" target="_blank">Deer Lodge County Head Start, Anaconda, MT</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://cdlf.org/" target="_blank">Centro De La Familia De Utah, Salt Lake City, UT</a></li>
</ul>“Access to fresh foods and outdoor activities are important to a childhood development, and gardens provide an opportunity for both,” said Brian Herrington, president of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation. “Helping kids discover the wonder of growing is incredible. We look forward to the new and updated garden experiences our grant recipients will create this year.”

The grants are part of Scotts Miracle-Gro’s GroMoreGood initiative, which aims to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens and green spaces to 10 million children by 2023. Portions of the harvest will be used in Head Start classrooms and portions will be donated to Head Start families and local food agencies.

“The research is clear: garden-based learning improves educational outcomes, enhances social and emotional learning, and—perhaps most importantly—engages every child’s innate wonder and care for the natural world,” said NHSA Executive Director Yasmina Vinci. “NHSA is proud of our continuing partnership with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation to support experiential learning, foster curiosity, and encourage even more Head Start children and their families to learn and play outside this year!”

This is the fifth year of the program and it has supported more than 50 existing and new garden projects for Head Start programs (including this year). Learn more about our past grant recipients from <a href="https://nhsa.org/press_release/2021-22-gro-more-garden-grant-winners/" target="_blank">2022</a>, <a href="https://nhsa.org/press_release/2020-21-gro-more-garden-grant-winners/" target="_blank">2021</a>, <a href="https://nhsa.org/press_release/2019-20-gro-more-garden-grant-winners/" target="_blank">2020,</a> and <a href="https://nhsa.org/press_release/2018-19-gro-more-garden-grant-winners/" target="_blank">2019</a> and watch the <a href="https://nhsa.org/resource/garden-webinar-series/" target="_blank">webinar series</a> to learn more.

The grants winners were announced during <a href="https://www.nhsa.org/winter-leadership-institute/" target="_blank">NHSA’s 2023 Winter Leadership Institute</a> where leaders of the Head Start community from across the nation convened for four days of advocacy training, innovative panels, and results-oriented workshops.

About National Head Start Association 
The National Head Start Association is committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in school and in life. The opportunities offered by Head Start lead to healthier, empowered children and families, and stronger, more vibrant communities. NHSA is the voice for more than 1 million children, 270,000 staff, and 1,600 Head Start grant recipients in the United States. Visit <a href="https://www.nhsa.org/" target="_blank">nhsa.org</a> or follow <a href="https://twitter.com/NatlHeadStart" target="_blank">@NatlHeadStart</a> to learn more.

About The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation 
The mission of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is to inspire, connect and cultivate a community of purpose. The Foundation is deeply rooted in helping create healthier communities, empower the next generation, and preserve our planet. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds non-profit entities that support its core initiatives in the form of grants, endowments and multi-year capital gifts. For more information, visit <a href="www.scottsmiraclegrofoundation.org" target="_blank">scottsmiraclegrofoundation.org</a>.

Contacts 
NHSA: Emily Wagner, Communications Director, <a href="mailto:media@nhsa.org" target="_blank">media@nhsa.org </a>

The National Head Start Association and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Announce 2022-2023 GroMoreGood Garden Grantees

2022 Highlights:

<ul><li>Administered approximately 36 million COVID-19 vaccinations during fiscal 2022</li>
	<li>Donated $100M to support the health and wellbeing of communities around the world</li>
	<li>Achieved 21.2 percent carbon emissions reduction against its goal to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030 compared with 2019 baseline</li>
	<li>Boots UK awarded Company of the Year at British Diversity Awards and Walgreens ranked 40 on the 2022 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity</li>
	<li>Became a Sustainable Procurement Pledge champion driving awareness and knowledge of sustainable procurement practices</li>
	<li>WBA named to Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for third consecutive year</li>
</ul>Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) today published its <a href="https://www.walgreensbootsalliance.com/sites/www/files/asset/2022-esg-report_0.pdf" target="_blank">2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report</a> to celebrate and acknowledge the huge effort and impact of this vital work. Healthcare is at the center of WBA’s ESG framework, reflecting its operations and its corporate vision to be the leading partner in reimagining local healthcare and well-being for all.

The full report is available on <a href="https://www.walgreensbootsalliance.com/" target="_blank">www.walgreensbootsalliance.com</a>. To learn more about WBA and our ESG initiatives, connect with the company on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/walgreens-boots-alliance/" target="_blank">WBA Linkedin,</a> or follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wba_global/" target="_blank">WBA Instagram</a> or on <a href="https://twitter.com/wba_global" target="_blank">WBA Twitter</a>.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All statements in this release and related ESG report that are not historical, including goals for and projections of future results, the expected execution and effect of our ESG strategies and initiatives and the amounts and timing of their expected impact, are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties, known or unknown, including those described in Item 1A (Risk Factors) of Walgreens Boots Alliance’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, which can be found on <a href="https://www.walgreensbootsalliance.com/" target="_blank">www.walgreensbootsalliance.com</a> and in other documents that Walgreens Boots Alliance files or furnishes with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Except to the extent required by law, Walgreens Boots Alliance does not undertake, and expressly disclaims, any duty or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement after the date of this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

###

Notes to Editors

About Walgreens Boots Alliance

Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) is an integrated healthcare, pharmacy and retail leader serving millions of customers and patients every day, with a 170-year heritage of caring for communities.

A trusted, global innovator in retail pharmacy with approximately 13,000 locations across the U.S., Europe and Latin America, WBA plays a critical role in the healthcare ecosystem. The Company is reimagining local healthcare and well-being for all as part of its purpose – to create more joyful lives through better health. Through dispensing medicines, improving access to a wide range of health services, providing high quality health and beauty products and offering anytime, anywhere convenience across its digital platforms, WBA is shaping the future of healthcare.

WBA employs more than 325,000 people and has a presence in nine countries through its portfolio of consumer brands: Walgreens, Boots, Duane Reade, the No7 Beauty Company, Benavides in Mexico and Ahumada in Chile. Additionally, WBA has a portfolio of healthcare-focused investments located in several countries, including China and the U.S.

The Company is proud of its contributions to healthy communities, a healthy planet, an inclusive workplace and a sustainable marketplace. WBA has been recognized for its commitment to operating sustainably: the Company is an index component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) and was named to the 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2022.

More Company information is available at <a href="https://www.walgreensbootsalliance.com/" target="_blank">www.walgreensbootsalliance.com</a>.

Environmental, Social and Governance 
Una Kent +44 (0) 7827 980 104 Communications / Media Relations 
Lindsay Thiele +1 (847) 282 2471

Walgreens Boots Alliance Releases 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report

<a href="http://www.blackbaud.com/" target="_blank">Blackbaud</a> (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good, released an <a href="https://solutions.yourcause.com/industry-report-benchmarking-tool/" target="_blank">employee engagement benchmark calculator</a>, which allows companies to see where their employee volunteering and giving programs align with peers. The calculator groups companies evaluated within the YourCause 10th Annual CSR Review by industry and employee count, comparing 66 different possible categories. Data evaluated is a subset of the entire YourCause client and employee population representing more than 350 companies and over 7.6 million employees that engaged in social impact from 118 countries.

“Since 2015, YourCause has provided insights into employee engagement and social responsibility from Fortune 500 companies and millions of employees collected from our portfolio of CSR software. This tool and the insights provided are a direct result of implementing client feedback”, said Brandon Sharrett, president and general manager, YourCause from Blackbaud “With the help of our customers we can develop a better solution that enables them to focus on driving social impact.”

<a href="https://solutions.yourcause.com/industry-report-benchmarking-tool/" target="_blank">The calculator</a> prompts users to choose from 6 company size groups and 11 SIC categories, for example, healthcare and 10,000-50,000 employees or healthcare and 100,000+ employees, etc. The results come with a short, curated list of resources to help companies quickly navigate to online guides packed with ideas and client stories.

Investing in CSR and Employee Engagement Matters

Businesses are looking to help drive social impact that creates better lives for the people in their communities. Forbes recently <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/12/05/building-a-social-impact-program-keep-these-15-tips-in-mind/?sh=6989352078a4" target="_blank">released an article</a> with 15 tips from social impact leaders on building a successful program and number 5 was all about engaging the entire workforce. “Leaders have to engage their entire workforce in order to drive social impact”. The benchmark tool from YourCause will allow companies to set realistic, strategic goals towards engaging their entire workforce and ultimately driving meaningful social change in their communities. Companies using YourCause CSRconnect® for employee engagement can use the robust reporting tools to look at participation rates by department, office location or manager level to set smaller goals for individual teams or groups. These smaller goals will add up to an increased participation rate for the whole firm.

“Corporations are constantly looking for insights to boost employee engagement and nothing empowers them more than strong data insights. Providing our industry data in this easy-to-use benchmarking tool gives corporations a great, and measurable, starting point on their path to increased engagement,” said Nathan Froelich, Senior Manager, Strategy and Business Development, Corporate Impact at Blackbaud.

About Blackbaud 
Blackbaud is the world's leading cloud software company powering social good. Serving the entire social good community—nonprofits, higher education institutions, K–12 schools, healthcare organizations, faith communities, arts and cultural organizations, foundations, companies and individual change agents—Blackbaud connects and empowers organizations to increase their impact through cloud software, services, expertise and data intelligence. The Blackbaud portfolio is tailored to the unique needs of vertical markets, with solutions for fundraising and CRM, marketing, advocacy, peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG), school management, ticketing, grantmaking, financial management, payment processing and analytics. Serving the industry for more than four decades, Blackbaud is a remote-first company headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, with operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.blackbaud.com/" target="_blank">www.blackbaud.com</a> or follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/blackbaud" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackbaud/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/blackbaud/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/blackbaud/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.

Media Contact <a href="mailto:media@blackbaud.com">media@blackbaud.com</a>

YourCause From Blackbaud Releases First-of-Its-Kind Employee Engagement Benchmark Tool

<img alt="Mission San Juan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2fe8d0db-96d5-4969-b3b0-ea4499c5a607" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/mOrata0w.jpeg" width="640" class="align-center" height="960" loading="lazy" />WASHINGTON, 24 de enero de 2023 /CSRwire/ - Hoy, <a href="https://www.npca.org/" target="_blank">National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)</a> y su aliada <a href="https://www.naturevalley.com/" target="_blank">Nature Valley</a> han anunciado una nueva serie de videos que celebra y pone de relieve el legado histórico y cultural de nuestras comunidades hispanas y latinas, a la vez que promueven un mayor acceso a la naturaleza preservando las tierras públicas y los parques nacionales.

La serie consta de tres videos que destacan a defensores de los parques en Texas y California, quienes relatan sus experiencias transformadoras en estos espacios. Los relatos se desarrollan a través de perspectivas de recreación, accesibilidad, representación y herencia familiar. Cada uno cobra vida también en una obra de arte única, que refleja la experiencia particular de cada narrador y emblematiza el parque que le resulta especial.

El primer video de la serie se publica hoy y en él figura Josie Gutiérrez, miembro de la comunidad, con sus experiencias en el Parque Histórico Nacional Misiones de San Antonio. El relato de Josie es un ejemplo de cómo el acceso a los parques permite a las personas conectarse con la naturaleza a través de la recreación y les ofrece un espacio donde encontrar paz y relajación al aire libre. En el video también se revela una obra de arte creada por Cristina Noriega, pintora y muralista nacida y criada en San Antonio, quien recibió el encargo de plasmar la experiencia de Josie en las Misiones de San Antonio. En los próximos meses se publicarán más videos que destacan a otros defensores de los parques y sus profundas vivencias dentro de estos espacios.

"Nuestros parques nacionales cuentan las historias de nuestro país”, dice Theresa Pierno, presidenta y principal ejecutiva de National Parks Conservation Association. “Nos enseñan aspectos de nuestra historia, nuestra cultura y el poder de los lugares. Al compartir estos impactantes relatos de primera mano, como lo hemos hecho en este video, esperamos dar a conocer a más personas los parques nacionales de Estados Unidos y la riqueza de las vivencias personales que se tienen en estos lugares protegidos. Y también esperamos que más personas se inspiren a crear sus propias historias”.

Nature Valley, aliada de la NPCA desde 2009, donó recientemente $200,000 a la organización para fomentar la protección permanente de los parques que celebran y generan conciencia sobre la herencia histórica y cultural de nuestras comunidades hispanas y latinas. Estos fondos potencian la labor de la NPCA para mejorar el acceso, la equidad y la representación dentro de los espacios naturales y garantizar que nuestros parques reflejen perspectivas más completas de la historia y la cultura de nuestra nación, ofreciendo a todos los ciudadanos la oportunidad de verse reflejados en nuestras áreas de parques.

“Nature Valley está comprometida a lograr que la energía de la naturaleza sea accesible para todos, comenzando con la educación y la conciencia”, dijo Katie Wong, directora de ideas y alianzas de General Mills. “Nuestra alianza con National Parks Conservation Association adelanta esta misión porque, al divulgar sus historias, fomenta la protección permanente de sitios y espacios que honran la herencia histórica y cultural de las comunidades hispanas y latinas que han influido en el devenir de nuestras tierras públicas”.

Para ver el primer video de la serie y conocer más detalles sobre la alianza de la NPCA y Nature Valley, así como su impacto, visita <a href="https://www.npca.org/naturevalleyesp" target="_blank">www.npca.org/naturevalley</a>. También puedes mantenerte al día con la NPCA en <a href="https://www.instagram.com/npcapics/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NationalParks/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/NPCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCulOrgJNGKh512To3KSlfzQ" target="_blank">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://vimeo.com/npca" target="_blank">Vimeo</a> y <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@npcavids" target="_blank">TikTok</a> a medida que los videos vayan publicándose hasta abril.

###

Acerca de National Parks Conservation Association: Desde 1919, National Parks Conservation Association, organización no partidista, ha liderado los esfuerzos por salvaguardar nuestros parques nacionales. La NPCA y sus más de 1.6 millones de miembros y colaboradores trabajan en conjunto para proteger y preservar los lugares más icónicos e inspiradores de nuestra nación para las generaciones futuras. Obtén más información en <a href="http://www.npca.org" target="_blank">www.npca.org</a>.

Acerca de General Mills: General Mills elabora alimentos que el mundo adora. La compañía se guía por su estrategia Accelerate, generando valor para sus accionistas con el compromiso de desarrollar sus marcas de manera intensiva, innovar constantemente, potenciar su escala y ser una fuerza positiva en el mundo. Su cartera de apreciadas marcas incluye nombres tan conocidos como Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki y más. Con sede en Minneapolis, Minnesota, EE.UU., General Mills generó en el año fiscal 2021 ventas netas de $18,100 millones. Además, la participación de la compañía en ventas netas de empresas conjuntas no consolidadas ascendió a $1,100 millones.

National Parks Conservation Association y Nature Valley anuncian nueva serie de videos que celebra los espacios naturales y las historias que ellos inspiran 

As Canadians, we have a tremendous opportunity to learn and work alongside Indigenous Peoples to strengthen our country. As part of reconciliation, Suncor continues to understand how Indigenous communities and authentic, meaningful relationships with the people who live near Suncor’s operating sites and offices are foundational to our business. 

We are pleased to share a new edition of <a href="http://sustainability-prd-cdn.suncor.com/-/media/project/suncor/files/sustainability/pathways-magazine/2022-pathways-magazine-en.pdf?modified=20221129214744&amp;_ga=2.206598928.2014724738.1673365619-873873761.1655501434" target="_blank">Pathways Indigenous Review magazine</a>. 
 

Inside Pathways Magazine 2022

Produced in Treaty 7 territory, each story within Pathways magazine brings something different to light, from the encouraging words of an author to entrepreneurs who take care of their community, to water protectors who dedicate their lives to rivers, lakes and oceans. There are stories of accomplishment and those that shine a light on the challenges and societal issues still facing Indigenous Peoples today—stories of loss and adversity, but also determination and strength.

Since 2010, Syncrude has produced Pathways magazine—an annual publication featuring the inspiring stories of Indigenous Peoples in the Wood Buffalo region of northeastern Alberta. As Suncor became the operator of Syncrude in 2021, the opportunity arose to expand and include stories from across Suncor’s operating areas, including Fort Chipewyan, Alta. to St. John’s, N.L., and places in between. 

Pathways magazine represents Suncor’s ongoing commitment to the <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suncor.com%2Fen-ca%2Fsustainability%2Findigenous-relations%2Fjourney-of-reconciliation%3Futm_source%3D3BL%2BReportAlert%26utm_medium%3D3BL%2BEmail%26utm_campaign%3D3BLpathways_2022%26utm_id%3Dpathways_2022&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ccnaas%40suncor.com%7Cd7899f4c84a247a8b0ca08daf402eccd%7C1aa5106811a64bd286461fff31a30ffc%7C0%7C0%7C638090590640796836%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ZYPc%2BcCYI9vPKPFhhaCkx1lohZ3Jwsm3GtdrQufYM2Q%3D&amp;reserved=0" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Journey of Reconciliation</a>  and includes honouring the spirit and intent of the treaties and living side-by-side with mutual respect, reciprocity and responsibility.

The most recent edition of Pathways magazine, along with previous editions, can be viewed <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suncor.com%2Fen-ca%2Fsustainability%2Findigenous-relations%2Fpathways-magazine%3Futm_source%3D3BL%2BReportAlert%26utm_medium%3D3BL%2BEmail%26utm_campaign%3D3BLpathways_2022%26utm_id%3Dpathways_2022&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ccnaas%40suncor.com%7Cd7899f4c84a247a8b0ca08daf402eccd%7C1aa5106811a64bd286461fff31a30ffc%7C0%7C0%7C638090590640796836%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=MeiFu58eo1z58R0CETHf7G8FPdNPcZV3SYv3p9OTA1U%3D&amp;reserved=0" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">here</a>. Any questions or feedback regarding the magazine can be sent to <a href="mailto:info@suncor.com" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">info@suncor.com</a>.

 

Media Contact: <a href="mailto:media@suncor.com" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">media@suncor.com</a>

Available To Read Online: Honouring Indigenous Voices Through Pathways Magazine

<img alt="boat at sea" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5a5c037e-26c6-4306-999d-60257dd4b54c" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/A-New-Name-for-Asian-Carp-to-Protect-the-Great-Lakes-NE23-001-1-960.jpg" width="640" class="align-center" height="540" loading="lazy" />Tetra Tech is leading a major marketing initiative for the <a href="https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)</a> to expand the consumer market for invasive Asian carp that threaten midwestern U.S. waterways and the Great Lakes.

The IDNR engaged Tetra Tech to lead a major initiative to give Asian carp a new, fresh name in an effort to encourage people to eat them to support their removal from midwestern waterways. Invasive Asian carp reproduce at overwhelming rates and outcompete native fish for resources, disrupting the ecological balance of freshwater rivers and lakes in the Midwest. Their populations are staggering in many areas. For example, invasive Asian carp are as much as 70 percent of the biomass in some areas of the Illinois River.

<blockquote>
“Harvesting Asian carp for consumer consumption is proving to be one of the most effective strategies to address the ecological threat posed by these invasive fish while also supporting the local economy.”
</blockquote>

Changing a name to help solve an ecological threat

Name changes have proven effective in the past to increase consumer interest in various food products, including fish now commonly known as Mahi-mahi, orange roughy, and Chilean sea bass. Under the IDNR’s direction, Tetra Tech led a design and marketing team to conduct consumer research to develop a new name for Asian carp and highlight the fresh, clean, healthy, and delicious qualities of these fish.

“This approach puts market demand to work and directly engages consumers to help solve a dire ecological problem,” said Gina Behnfeldt, vice president of our northeastern U.S. economic development services and Tetra Tech project manager for the marketing initiative. “Where public dollars are limited, using consumer demand can provide tremendous resources to address this challenge. And these fish are not a hard sell. They are light and clean-tasting, great sources of protein, and responsibly sourced—all qualities that resonate well with consumers today.”

Harvest is proving to be one of the most effective strategies so far for reducing overwhelming invasive Asian carp populations in midwestern waterways. Creating a new, robust market for them is an innovative solution that helps address the ecological threat posed by these fish while also supporting the local midwestern U.S. economy. Increased consumption of these fish can help restore and protect native walleye, perch, lake trout, and other native fish populations. It also can create jobs and support local small-scale fisheries, restaurants, and other businesses that have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In June, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U93YVfe0gxY" target="_blank">Illinois officially revealed the new name for Asian carp as Copi</a>, originating from copious, to highlight the many nutritional and ecological benefits of consuming these fish.

Collaborating to create a successful market for Copi

“Tetra Tech was a great manager for our project to consider how best to handle a complex problem of reducing these invasive fish populations,” said Kevin Irons, assistant fisheries chief for the IDNR. “To bring economic expertise to such a natural resource issue provided for the very best solutions with solid economic and biological underpinnings to benefit Illinois natural resources. Such collaborations across fields should occur more often to the benefit of all our programs.”

Tetra Tech has worked with the IDNR for more than 10 years to manage and monitor invasive Asian carp populations in Illinois waters and create action plans to prevent their spread into the Great Lakes ecosystem. The IDNR has largely been employing the help of commercial fishers to reduce the number of carp that could migrate upstream into the Great Lakes.

Tetra Tech is continuing to support supply chain efforts and aiming to expand the distribution of Copi to establishments across the U.S. market.

“We plan to increase harvesting efforts by hiring more local fishers,” said Gina. “Having already removed more than 10 million pounds of Asian carp from midwestern U.S. waters, we aim to remove 20 million pounds of them by 2025. Copi on the plate is a great tool to accomplish this management.”

“As beef is to the cattle industry, Copi is to Asian carp fishery,” said Kevin. “It gives the fillet a name that is well-received and delicious!”

Learn more about how the <a href="https://choosecopi.com/" target="_blank">new market for Copi</a> can protect the Great Lakes and support the local economy.

Images courtesy of Alex Garcia

Tetra Tech is leading a major marketing initiative for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to expand the consumer market for invasive Asian carp that threaten midwestern U.S. waterways and the Great Lakes.

A New Name for Asian Carp to Protect the Great Lakes

<img alt="tree near the city" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c817b8b4-782e-461e-b0a4-47aeee220b38" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Black%26Veatch_1.25.23A.png" width="640" class="align-center" height="590" loading="lazy" />OVERLAND PARK, Kan., January 30, 2023 /CSRwire/ — As climate change supercharges hurricanes, flooding and drought, U.S. businesses realize the potentially high cost of vulnerability, with flooding a prime example. According to a study by First Street Foundation and Arup, about 730,000 U.S. retail, office and multi-unit residential properties are at risk of flood damage. The potential structural damage associated with this probabilistic flooding is $13.5 billion, and lost working days could total 3 million. Compounding matters is that local economies would lose nearly $50 billion due to lost business output and indirect impacts that create cascading effects down the economic chain.

While worst-case scenarios are ominous, the global community amplified the use of clean renewable energy and electric vehicles in 2022, which <a href="https://www.iea.org/news/defying-expectations-co2-emissions-from-global-fossil-fuel-combustion-are-set-to-grow-in-2022-by-only-a-fraction-of-last-year-s-big-increase" target="_blank">slashed carbon emission totals</a>. Doing their part, companies are developing climate-adaptive, sustainable business models. Black &amp; Veatch recommends they integrate resilience into their infrastructure and across their operational culture, starting with these five targeted actions:

1. Manage climate vulnerability <a href="https://bv.com/services/environmental/climate-solutions" target="_blank">Climate analytics</a> help enterprises identify the likelihood of climate hazards and the resulting impacts on their operations. With this knowledge, businesses prioritize funding towards adapting or mitigating their buildings, systems or functions to the predicted risk.

Recently, Black &amp; Veatch evaluated how hurricanes, tropical storms and tropical depressions could damage infrastructure belonging to a major East Coast utility. In-house meteorologists studied 70 years of tropical systems and developed a tropical “storm scale” that measured storm intensity, overall aerial coverage, flooding and impacts on the utility’s service territory. Black &amp; Veatch used a combined total scoring index for this data to develop a recurrence interval for the utility’s current service area. This comprehensive analysis resulted in the 20-year storm damage index modeled with historical storm cost analysis.

The utility is using the final storm reserve analysis to understand its vulnerability, inform adaptation and mitigation efforts, and plan financially for the potential costs of climate change. Businesses can reduce their exposure with a similar application.

2. Decarbonize energy and reduce water consumption 
In the U.S., the commercial sector accounts for <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/" target="_blank">12 percent of the total energy consumption</a>, and some commercial facilities such as data centers use a whopping <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/drought-stricken-communities-push-back-against-data-centers-n1271344" target="_blank">3 to 5 million gallons of water</a> per day. It’s no surprise that businesses often focus on resource reduction and decarbonization to cut costs, build resilience and decrease their impact on the environment. With the right engineering alchemy, many technologies can provide compound benefits in one application.

Consider the <a href="https://bv.com/news/black-veatch-completes-commissioning-worlds-first-zero-water-consumption-commercial-data" target="_blank">Nautilus Data Center</a> in Port of Stockton, California. The facility uses recirculated water from a nearby source to cool the data center, and the water body becomes a heat sink. Innovative designs mean that Nautilus consumes no water, produces no wastewater and requires no refrigerants, water treatment chemicals, cooling towers or computer room air handlers. The technology uses less than one-third of the power that traditional computer room air-conditioning would use for cooling. Through Nautilus' innovation and Black &amp; Veatch engineering, California is host to the world's first zero-water consumption data center.

3. Draw on Ecological Resilience 
Sustainability actions often occur within the operational confines of a business, community or service district. But the best plans for sustainable systems work across geography and ecology to emphasize an area’s natural resilience features and work in sync with Mother Nature.

<a href="https://babcockranch.com/" target="_blank">Babcock Ranch, Florida,</a> serves as a great example. Hurricane Ian, the Category 4 storm that slammed into Florida in October, knocked out electricity to 2.6 million Floridians. However, shops, offices, grocery stores, restaurants and homes in Babcock Ranch sustained no power or internet loss despite being about 20 miles from the storm’s landfall.

At the heart of Babcock Ranch’s resilience are sustainable design engineering and construction practices. For example, previously drained cattle ranchland was allowed to revert to natural wetlands, which function like retention ponds to uptake excess rain and floodwater. Native plants comprise 75 percent of the community’s landscaping, which withstand high winds and soggy conditions to lessen storm impacts.

The Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center and Babcock Preserve Solar Energy Center are at the community’s energy core. Built on 870 acres, each center can generate 75 megawatts (MW) of clean energy capacity via 680,000 solar panels, augmented by a 1-MW battery energy storage system. Despite hurricane wind gusts of 150 miles per hour, Babcock Ranch’s solar panels remained intact and functional, providing resilient, decarbonized energy.

Perhaps as Mother Nature intended, communities are embracing ecological processes and designing hardscapes that align with the environment — and for good reason. Streets that direct water away from homes and businesses, hardy native vegetation and underground electric distribution wires and communication infrastructure protect critical services and functions, building resilience.

4. Use data to increase project value 
When businesses plan to develop or upgrade their infrastructure, tools such as <a href="https://bv.com/perspectives/sustainable-infrastructure-so-much-more-renewable-energy" target="_blank">Envision</a>, an infrastructure rating tool, can be helpful. Envision measures and tracks resource use to identify options to use local sourcing and cut emissions, energy and water use, optimizing the long-term project costs. Businesses set and achieve environmental and resilience goals, increasing resource stewardship without sacrificing functionality or cost.

Data helps businesses align their activities to local conditions to support regional environmental goals or reduce hazard vulnerability. For example, wind energy is of growing interest to businesses and institutions.

Recently, Alliant Energy became the first wind farm developer to receive Platinum Envision verification for its Upland Prairie and English Hills projects. Black &amp; Veatch assembled an integrated team of accredited Envision Sustainability specialists alongside environmental permitting, water and renewable energy engineering experts to deliver five utility-scale wind farms totaling 470 MWs across Iowa.

5. Create a culture of sustainability 
Building resilience often means introducing new technologies, such as an <a href="https://bv.com/resources/10-steps-sustainable-electric-fleet" target="_blank">electric fleet</a> or clean energy systems. If the end users do not embrace, learn and adopt the new way of doing things, sustainable operations will not succeed, nor will they achieve the expected return on investment.

An organizational strategy to guide sustainable practices will help determine and manage operational impacts, keep morale high as new technologies are introduced, ensure staff skills evolve to support new operations, and align outcomes with goals. A good plan clearly articulates strategic business goals and leaves room for flexibility if something is not working and needs to be adjusted.

While the International Energy Administration indicates substantial progress in the global effort to control carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the need persists for greener, resilient and adaptive infrastructure in commercial businesses and beyond. Design and engineering innovation are leading these changes, creating cleaner, resilient versions of essential systems that work in sync with the built and natural environments.

Editor’s Notes:

<ul><li>To read the flood risk assessment study by First Street Foundation and ARUP, click <a href="https://firststreet.org/research-lab/published-research/commercial-aal/" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
</ul>About Black &amp; Veatch 
Black &amp; Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2021 exceeded US$3.3 billion. Follow us on <a href="http://www.bv.com/">www.bv.com</a> and on social media.

Media Contact Information: 
MEGHAN LOCKNER | +1 201-977-1628 | locknerm@bv.com 
24-HOUR MEDIA CONTACT | <a href="mailto:Media@bv.com">Media@bv.com</a>

, full_html

As climate change supercharges hurricanes, flooding and drought, U.S. businesses realize the potentially high cost of vulnerability, with flooding a prime example. 

Black & Veatch: Build Business Resilience with Climate-Adaptive Infrastructure

<img alt="magnified allergen" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e0ebbe4d-3ef9-4581-b06d-70934f959740" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/BristolMyersSquibb_1.16.23A.jpeg" width="640" class="align-center" height="675" loading="lazy" /><a href="https://www.bms.com/life-and-science/science/oncology-research-and-dual-immunotherapy.html" target="_blank">Originally published on Bristol Myers Squibb News &amp; Perspectives</a>

A decade ago, the evolution of immuno-oncology transformed the landscape of therapy for patients with many cancers. Although individual immunotherapies have helped to improve outcomes for patients, the addition of rational combinations of more than one immunotherapy regimen has led to more treatment options and the potential for longer survival.

Not all patients have been reached by these advances though and there is an urgency to achieve more.

Bristol Myers Squibb has been a pioneer in bringing immunotherapy, including dual immunotherapy combinations, forward to patients, and continues to examine the immune system from multiple perspectives in order to find potentially complementary combinations of therapies.

Building upon existing therapies that overcome immune inhibition

Bristol Myers Squibb has pursued a number of ways to address the immune response and leverage it to attack tumors. CTLA-4 and PD-1 are immune checkpoints that inhibit the immune response and, in a healthy person, work to keep the immune system in check. In patients with cancer, tumor cells can potentially manipulate immune checkpoints to evade attack from T cells, or the body’s immune response. Existing therapies have successfully leveraged inhibition of these immune checkpoints to release the “brakes” from T cells and allow them to recognize and to attack tumors.

LAG-3 is another immune checkpoint, and it is a focus of research efforts at Bristol Myers Squibb. LAG-3, a protein found on the surface of certain T cells, may promote T cell exhaustion, which can allow tumors to evade the immune system. Researchers have found that blocking the LAG-3 receptor on T cells may help them to overcome exhaustion, another way of releasing the “brakes” from T cells.

The strategy of leveraging LAG-3 to fight cancer seems particularly promising when used in combination with existing immunotherapies. The decision to pursue various combinations is made based on scientific rationale and deep knowledge of how different mechanisms of action can work together.

Bristol Myers Squibb is exploring doublet and triplet combinations that bring together LAG-3 with existing therapies. We believe we have the opportunity to leverage therapies with similar mechanisms of action, as well as those with complementary mechanisms of action.

Exploring the promise of immunostimulatory therapy

Research has also focused on immunotherapies that directly stimulate the immune system, as opposed to those that work by overcoming inhibition of the immune response. For example, therapies leveraging the IL-2 pathway may directly activate, or agonize, the immune system. They step on the “gas” of the immune system.

“We believe that immunostimulatory therapies may show promise when used in combination with existing therapies that overcome immune inhibition. We are well positioned to bring these types of dual immunotherapy regimens forward,” said Gary Grossfeld, Global Development Project Leader at Bristol Myers Squibb. “Leveraging more than one pathway can potentially improve the immune system response to cancer, thereby building on the efficacy of single agent therapy while maintaining a favorable safety profile.”

The importance of precision medicine

Part of bringing new therapies forward is ensuring that they are targeted to specific diseases and patient populations.

Certain biomarkers – whether genetic or protein based – may give an indication that one type of therapy or combination will work better in some patients versus others.

“Our study protocols are filled with exploratory biomarker work aimed at understanding which patients are likely to benefit from certain treatments. We are dedicated to a precision medicine approach in our development programs, and I expect we may see great progress in the next several years,” said Grossfeld.

Grossfeld believes that a focus on precision medicine, as well as a strategic approach to building on existing therapies with investigational agents, have positioned <a href="https://www.bms.com/" target="_blank">Bristol Myers Squibb </a>at the forefront of immuno-oncology research. Despite advances in treatment of cancer with immunotherapy, a large number of unmet clinical needs remain. The goal is always to move the needle for patients.

A decade ago, the evolution of immuno-oncology transformed the landscape of therapy for patients with many cancers. Although individual immunotherapies have helped to improve outcomes for patients.

Latest