From products to offices to manufacturing, HP’s commitment to sustainability affects every aspect of our business. Here’s what we achieved in just one year

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

When most people hear the word “sustainability,” they instantly think of recycling. And while creating new products out of reusable materials is one of our biggest goals, it is not by any means the only one. Strengthening the planet, its people and our communities isn’t just our responsibility as an influential participant in the global market — it’s vital to the longevity of our business. That’s why we aim to create a business that has lasting sustainable impact on the world. Since 2001, we’ve reported on our progress annually, tracking our achievements against our goals so we can keep setting the bar higher.

Here’s what HP’s environmental efforts accomplished in 2017. 

1. Drive Down Greenhouse Gas Emissions

GOAL

Cut GHG emissions from global operations 25 percent by 2025, compared with 2015. 

ACHIEVEMENT

HP’s global operations produced 35 percent less CO2e emissions in 2017 than in 2015 — reaching our 2025 goal eight years early.

DRIVING SUSTAINABLE IMPACT

• The World Wildlife Fund helped us develop science-based targets not only for HP’s direct and indirect emissions, but for our suppliers’ emissions as well.
• In HP offices and labs, we’re switching to renewable energy and incorporating energy audits and energy-efficient design in new construction.
• We’re cutting the GHG emissions intensity of our product portfolio — the use of which makes up nearly half of HP’s carbon footprint — by making our offerings energy-smart, using more recycled material and using less paper and ink in printing.
• To attack the other half of HP’s carbon footprint — our supply chain — we’re helping tier-one suppliers become more energy-efficient and shift to using renewable energy.
• We’re consolidating shipments, identifying new routes and shipping directly to customers. Example: By switching from air to ocean freight between
 Asia and most global destinations, we cut 30,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions.

*Due to the acquisition of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s printer business, which closed on November 1, 2017, we are assessing the manner and timing of resetting our 2015 Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions and water consumption baseline.    

2. Switch to Renewable Energy

GOAL
Use 100 percent renewable energy in global operations, with an interim goal of 40 percent by 2020.

ACHIEVEMENT
We’ve already hit 50 percent — surpassing our 2020 goal three years early.  

DRIVING SUSTAINABLE IMPACT

• In 2016, HP joined other leading companies in the Climate Group’s RE100, committing to working toward a long-term goal of 100 percent renewable-energy use.
• We bought renewable-energy credits, purchased green energy directly from utilities and started generating our own clean power.

3. Reuse & Recycle

GOAL

Recycle 1.2 million tonnes of hardware and supplies by 2025.

ACHIEVEMENT

We’ve recycled 271,400 tonnes since the beginning of 2016, already reaching 22.5 percent of our goal.

DRIVING SUSTAINABLE IMPACT

• Through our ever-expanding HP Planet Partners program, formed in 1987, HP now offers take-back programs in 74 countries and territories worldwide.
• A shift to service based models, such as Managed Print Services, better enables us to recapture value at end of life.               
• We expanded our pioneering closed-loop production from ink cartridges to entire printers, with computers next in line for cradle-to-cradle manufacturing.  
• In 2017, HP began buying recycled plastic from Homeboy Industries, which provides certified electronics recycling with a social mission. Homeboy offers opportunities to people who face severe barriers to work, including formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women.
• We launched a new line of HP Elite displays made from approximately 85 percent post-consumer recycled plastic.
• To help our commercial and enterprise customers cut their waste, HP Recycling Services now offers custom recycling programs. 

4. Zero Deforestation

GOAL

Achieve zero deforestation associated with HP brand paper and paper-based packaging by 2020.*

ACHIEVEMENT

We met our goal for brand paper four years early and developed a packaging supplier performance plan to drive progress.

DRIVING SUSTAINABLE IMPACT

• In December 2016, we announced HP’s commitment to zero deforestation in paper and paper-based product packaging by using only recycled and certified sources.
• We work with the Forest Stewardship Council, the World Wildlife Fund and our suppliers to track the sources of virgin fiber we buy and boost the percentage of certified fiber we use.  

* All HP brand paper and paper-based product packaging will be derived from certified and recycled sources by 2020, with a preference for virgin fiber from certified sources of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Packaging is the box that comes with the product and all paper (including packaging and materials) inside the box.

5. Build a Circular Economy

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

Decouple growth from consumption, disrupt industry business models and collaborate across industries and sectors.

ACHIEVEMENTS

HP ENVY Photo Printers are the world’s first in-class printers made with closed-loop recycled plastic — more than 10 percent by weight. And our 3D-printing technology at production scale can transform how industries design, make and distribute products.  

DRIVING SUSTAINABLE IMPACT

• Through our Managed Print Services and Devices as a Service businesses, HP offers the use of desktops, notebooks and printers as a service that companies sign up for rather than having to buy, manage and discard this hardware themselves.
• In addition to offering customers clear guides to repairing their own HP products, we started designing products specifically with easy repair in mind.
• Advanced, fully customizable 3D printing will transform the $12 trillion global manufacturing industry and its global supply chain. Since 3D printing uses only the amount of resources needed and can be done locally, its emergence will slash manufacturing waste and global shipping emissions.

Through action, partnerships and advanced technology, HP is proud to be building a better economy that supports people, profits and the planet. Read our full 2017 Sustainable Impact Report. 

Tweet me:See all of the ways @HP made a #sustainableimpact in 2017 http://bit.ly/2zz8v06 via @HPSustainable #SDGs #climateaction #circulareconomy

KEYWORDS: HP Inc

SOURCE:ICO Impact Group

DESCRIPTION:

If you attended the World Trade Center Blockchain Summer Edition Forum in New York last month, you heard Ryan Scott, Founding Partner of ICO Impact Group and CEO of AKoin.io, lead an engaging discussion about innovations in the field of cryptocurrency, how blockchain is different, what to look for in blockchain investments, and what possibilities these technologies open up for entrepreneurs and investors.

“Investing the time in seeking out diverse, global perspectives as to how blockchain technology and cryptocurrency may be used to solve some of the world’s most pressing social problems is one of the most exciting and important aspects of being involved in this space,” said Scott. “We see so many creative solutions emerging every day. The cross-pollination and learning at these events is vital to both rationalizing and accelerating this field.”

Scott will join an inspiring line-up of 100 global speakers from 30+ countries and over 1,000 attendees at the Ghana Tech Summit this July 18-20. Ghana Tech Summit is the largest technology gathering in West Africa and counts among its speakers and attendees Fortune 100 Brands, emerging entrepreneurs, and investors. It’s a subsidiary of the Global Startup Ecosystem, which brings together hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, and creatives together to address humanity’s greatest challenges via technology in emerging markets.

Whether or not you’ll be heading to Ghana this month, here are ten upcoming blockchain events you won’t want to miss:

1. Blockchain World Conference: July 11-13; Atlantic City, New Jersey

The Blockchain World Conference (BWC) team has put together a compelling lineup of Blockchain and crypto experts. Each one of the highly regarded speakers has been handpicked to deliver the most current and up to date info available anywhere in the Blockchain arena.

2. BitBlockBoom: July 13-15; Addison, Texas

BitBlockBoom is a must-attend event for anyone interested in their financial future. Learn from the brightest minds in economics, finance, and cryptocurrency, and discover new strategies for success.

3. 2nd Annual Improving Return on Innovation in Financial Institutions Conference:
July 16-18, San Francisco, California

The GFMI conference will explore best practices for managing the innovation process through the use of well-connected scrum teams and agile environments. Delegates will learn how to evaluate and implement disruptive technologies with key insights into the uses of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) in the financial sector today. Most importantly institutions will learn how to stay ahead of the competition and increase profit through customer focused innovation.

4. Distributed 2018: July 19-20, San Francisco, California

Distributed 2018 presents an opportunity to extend beyond industry and international borders, gathering a cross-section of global technologists and innovators to share ideas, create partnerships and, ultimately, drive change. You will hear from leaders in blockchain and cryptocurrency and explore related topics, such as The Global State of Blockchain, Crypto Market Technologies, and ICO and Token Issuance Models.

5. Crypto Funding Summit: July 25-26, New York City

Crypto Funding Summit (Security Tokens and ICOs) is the 3rd event in the Crypto Funding Summit series, an exclusive conference and networking event focused on connecting crypto investors and fintech experts with most promising blockchain entrepreneurs.

6. Annual Blockchain Conference: July 26-27, London

The annual Blockchain Conference brings senior figures in finance, tech, government, venture capital and start-ups into a room and discuss Blockchain/DLT beyond Bitcoin.

7. DISCON: August 3-4, Boulder, Colorado

The energy and excitement around digital currencies is hard to avoid. Rumors of a massive technological leap forward have fueled an epic wave of tall promises and speculative investments. Despite the turbulence, a new wave of applications and protocols are emerging. DISCON 2018 goes beyond the hype to explore and expand on this emerging field.

8. Decentralized Cryptocurrencies and Blockchains: August 17-18,
Santa Barbara, California

Blockchain technologies, including cryptocurrencies are emerging as an innovative approach to achieve societal functions (such as fiat money) that have so far required the backing of governments and institutions. Blockchain technologies crucially depend on distributed algorithms and cryptographic mechanisms to ensure their efficiency and security properties. This event brings together experts, leaders, and advocates from a broad set of relevant disciplines to discuss recent exciting progress and current open problems in this area.

9. Crypto Finance Conference: September 5-7, Half Moon Bay, California

The Crypto Finance Conference (CFC) is the world’s leading investor conference on cryptocurrencies and blockchain investments with conferences in Asia, Switzerland and the United States.

10. FinTech Worldwide: various dates and locations

Fintech Worldwide brings the Fintech ecosystem together, including investors, large banks, consultancies, start-ups, academics, government and innovators. FinTech Week is happening right now in London, July 6-13. You can also check out FinTech Week New York July 31 - August 2 and FinTech Week Silicon Valley August 13-16 in South San Francisco and San Mateo, California.

Ten events not enough? Check out ICO Impact Group’s Events Calendar, which is regularly updated with dozens of global blockchain and crypto events.  

Tweet me:Here are the 10 #blockchain events you won't want to miss this summer http://bit.ly/2Ji5ot8 via @ryan_scott #socinn

KEYWORDS: cryptocurrency, ICO Impact Group, Ryan Scott, AKOIN, Ghana Tech Summit, blockchain, crypto events, blockchain events

They’re spotting sharks before they strike, delivering medical supplies to isolated regions and getting pipelines and bridges repaired before they fail.

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

It was a December day, early summer in Australia. Two busloads of schoolchildren had just splashed into the water at Secret Harbour, a beach on the Indian Ocean, when a drone swooped down from the sky and issued a deafening order to clear the water. The drone, equipped with vision-recognition technology, had identified a 10-foot shark swimming in a zigzag pattern just 100 yards from the beach.

Half a world away, in Rwanda, delivery drones ferry life-saving packages of blood and vaccines across the mountains of Central Africa to remote medical clinics. The flying machines automatically text the clinics when they’re two minutes away. Upon arrival, they drop their deliveries from 40 feet up and then promptly turn around and zip back to their home base, or “nest.”

Meanwhile, in the U.S., expanding legions of drones monitor pipelines and bridges for signs of corrosion to head off catastrophic accidents.

As drones grow stronger, faster and smarter, new iterations seem to be emerging month by month — each one designed and trained for a different vocation. They’re going way beyond their initial work in the military or meteorology, and plowing into delivery and logistics, the energy industry and farming. Much of this growth is being fueled by artificial intelligence. AI enables the newest generation of drones to not only perceive data, but also to interpret and act on it.

Michal Mazur, who heads Drone-Powered Solutions for PriceWaterhouseCoopers, predicts that business services involving drones will soar above $100 billion by the early 2020s. “They’re getting smarter every month,” he says.

Scanning the sea for danger

This deepening intelligence powers the Ripper Group’s shark-spotting drones in Australia. Chief Operating Officer Ben Trollope says the Westpac Little Rippers stream video in real time. Functioning like a visual search engine, the software scans vast miles of ocean for the tell-tale shape of a shark. The machine-learning program has been trained on millions of photos of sharks and other shapes in the sea. The challenge now is perceiving the sharks at ever-greater depths and in murky water. Sometimes, Trollope says, the system still confuses a small whale for a shark. But every mistake sharpens its focus.

Westpac Little Rippers patrol the skies over dozens of Australia’s beaches. When they spot a shark, they call out an unmissable 130-decibel warning and direct swimmers away from danger. Ripper Group also makes larger drones that can drop life rafts and emergency supplies to distressed swimmers or boaters.

Health care for all of Rwanda

The drones used in Rwanda, produced by California robotics company Zipline, look more like airplanes than helicopters. The fixed-wing design adds strength to help power the vessels through storms. They have a round-trip range of up to 90 miles.

In less than two years, Zipline has delivered 4,000 shipments in Rwanda — one-third of them life-saving, according to the UPS Foundation, which has invested $2 million in the venture. In coming months, a second nest will enable the drone network to cover the entire Central African country, reaching 400 health clinics. Because normal impediments don’t hinder their movements, they’re fast, and can be used at a moment’s notice, drones offer flexible and nimble new methods of delivery. Joe Ruiz, director of UPS Foundation’s Humanitarian & Resilience Program, foresees a growing role for drones in aid and rescue, from natural disasters to medical emergencies. “Think of organ transplants,” he says.

A boon to infrastructure repair

Autonomous drones are already flying over (and under) bridges and along pipelines, pinpointing areas that are corroded or have loose struts — and scheduling the needed repairs. This constant machine surveillance could soon replace the old and inefficient way of spotting trouble: having teams of human inspectors occasionally fly over in a helicopter.

Just for fun

Drones are also starting to make their mark in at live events, from the Olympics in South Korea to a spectacular show at this year’s Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. During the nighttime outdoor performances of ODESZA, the GRAMMY-nominated electronic music team of Clayton Knight and Harrison Mills, HP and Intel teamed up to send 420 Shooting Star drones zipping through the night sky above the crowds, the first time these drones flew over a live music performance. “We were honored to be a part of it,” the duo said. 

Watch Intel’s HP-powered Shooting Stars drone light show at Coachella.

Tweet me:See the 3 ways #drones are proving more useful than ever imagined http://bit.ly/2KR87er via @HPSustainable #tech #socinn

KEYWORDS: HP Inc, drones, Zipline

Ashford and Potter compete with Special Olympics Athlete Mike Van Zee

SOURCE:Carnival Corporation & plc

DESCRIPTION:

SEATTLE, July 13, 2018 /3BL Media/ — Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford participated in the first-ever ESPN | Special Olympics Unified Sports Challenge, held Sunday, July 1, 2018, at the University of Washington’s Husky Ballpark. Ashford was among an exclusive group of executives who competed with employees, celebrities and Special Olympics athletes in multiple Unified Sports challenges – all to raise money for Special Olympics and the Seattle community. Holland America Line was a presenting sponsor for the Seattle Art Mural project of the Special Olympics USA Games.
 
The event preceded the start of competitions at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle (July 1-6) and was staged by Special Olympics and ESPN, the official broadcaster of the USA Games. 
 
Actress Lauren Potter, most recognizable for her role as Becky Jackson in the hit television show “Glee,” teamed up with Ashford, along with Special Olympics athlete Mike van Zee and Holland America Line employees Erik Elvejord, Director, Public Relations and Dan Rough, Director Pricing and Demand. 
 
“It was an honor to support and participate in the Special Olympics in our hometown of Seattle alongside Lauren and all of the inspiring athletes who show what can be accomplished with hard work, dedication and giving it everything you have,” said Ashford. “The Special Olympics embody what it means to be inclusive, compassionate and accessible, and we will continue to support its mission and advocate opportunities for all.”
 
Throughout the day, the teams rotated around 12 activity stations including Hot Shot Basketball, Penalty Shoot Soccer, Just Dance, Team Bocce, Inflatable Dart Board, Football Accuracy Challenge, Giant Memory Game and Golf Putting.
 
Van Zee is from Spokane, Washington, and started in the Special Olympics program in 1983 learning to powerlift. He first competed in the Special Olympics Games in 1988 and has gone on to participate in numerous Special Olympics, including the Special Olympics World Games.
 
As a presenting sponsor, Holland America Line supported the Seattle Art Mural project. Under the guidance of Seattle-based artist Catherine Mayer, 20 Special Olympics Washington athletes participated in three workshops to create art murals for the 2018 USA Games. Mayer assembled the 26-foot-long murals that were displayed around Seattle and at the Healthy Athletes venue at the USA Games. A seven-day cruise also was donated for a photo contest in the I’m a Game Changer campaign, which recognized unsung heroes working on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities.
 
Editor’s note:  Team photo is available at https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/06nutvzj.
 

— # # # —

 
Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog.  Access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com.
 
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:  CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line’s fleet of 14 ships offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From shorter getaways to 113-day itineraries, the company’s cruises visit all seven continents, with highlights including Antarctica explorations, South America circumnavigations, Cuba cruises and exotic Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; four annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada and New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Panama Canal. The line welcomed Koningsdam in 2016 and has a second Pinnacle-class ship,Nieuw Statendam, to be delivered in December 2018. A third Pinnacle-class ship is due for delivery in 2021.
 
The company is undergoing $300 million in brand enhancements to secure its position as the leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships feature innovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests can expand their knowledge through an exclusive partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine; during an America’s Test Kitchen show; at Explorations Café presented by The New York Times; and by taking a Digital Workshop powered by Windows. Outstanding entertainment fills each evening at venues including Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and B.B. King’s Blues Club. The dining experience can be savored at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature selections from Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council, comprising world-famous chefs who design dishes exclusively for our guests.

Tweet me:.@HALcruises President Orlando Ashford Teams Up with Actress @TheLaurenPotter for @SpecialOlympics Unified Sports Challenge http://bit.ly/2meDB3K

Contact Info:

Claire West
+1 (214) 208-3718
claire@ldwwgroup.com

KEYWORDS: Special Olympics, Special Olympics Unified Sports Challenge, Holland America Line, ESPN, Corporate Respnsibility, lauren potter, Becky Jackson, glee, Mike van Zee, Special Olympics World Games, NYSE:CCL, Carnival Corporation & plc

SOURCE:United Nations Global Compact

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, July 13, 2018 /3BL Media/ – The United Nations Global Compact — together with its partners ICC and UN DESA — will next week (on 17 July) host more than 600 representatives from the private sector, civil society, Governments and the UN at the third annual SDG Business Forum. Held as part of the UN High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, the SDG Business Forum provides a unique platform for business to interact with key stakeholders, share their perspectives and showcase their efforts in support of the 2030 Agenda.

Speaking before the Forum, Lise Kingo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, underscores the urgency of business engagement on the 2030 Agenda’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. “Important progress has been made in raising awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals, but despite good intentions and commitments, we are not yet on track to transform our world and achieve the goals by 2030. What we need now is for businesses everywhere to step up and contribute the expertise, innovation and investments needed to turn aspirations into reality. The private sector is the fuel that can accelerate sustainable development at the local level. We need everyone to make the Global Goals local business.”

John Denton, Secretary-General of ICC, said, “It’s positive to see such a strong mobilization of the business community in support of the Global Goals at this year’s SDG Business Forum. But three years on from the launch of the Goals, it’s clear that we remain behind the curve on the path to implementation. That’s why we are looking at this year’s Forum as a platform for real action: to inspire more businesses to embrace sustainability in their core operations and to shape meaningful policy change to allow the private sector to go further and faster.”

Then, on 18 July, high-level representatives from the private sector, Governments, investor groups, financial institutions and UN Agencies will gather for SDG Country Plans: A Roadmap to Private Investment to highlight multi-stakeholder planning and implementation of the SDGs at the national level. The meeting will also focus on generating interest among the private sector and capital markets to invest in the SDGs alongside Governments and see the value that sustainable businesses, markets and societies can offer investors.

In a new report to be published on 18 July entitled In Focus: Addressing Investor Needs in Reporting on the SDGs, the UN Global Compact, together with GRI and PRI, provide guidance to businesses to better align their SDG-related disclosures with investors’ information needs. The report is intended to support businesses in their efforts to reach investors and help mobilize the sustainable finance needed for the achievement of the SDGs.

This publication complements the upcoming Integrating the SDGs into Corporate Reporting: A Practical Guide, to be released later this year.

“Bold leadership from business is critical to the realization of the SDGs and we can show there is a strong business case for investing in opportunities aligned with the SDGs, including helping business secure stable returns, better representing the values of their clients and offering sustainable financial products that differentiate them in the marketplace,” said Lise Kingo.

Next week, the UN Global Compact will also publish Global Compact Local Networks: Accelerating National SDG Implementation, which shows how Global Compact Local Networks around the world are engaging businesses, investors, Governments and the UN in driving the 2030 Agenda through examples from over 30 countries. Both reports will be published on the UN Global Compact website here.

###

About the United Nations Global Compact

The United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of UN goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Global Compact is a leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible corporate practices. Launched in 2000, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and nearly 70 Local Networks.

For more information, follow @globalcompact and visit www.unglobalcompact.org.

###

For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Sofie Rud, tel: +1 347 570 2520, rud@unglobalcompact.org

Colleen Connors, tel: +1 929 354 6744, connors@unglobalcompact.org

Dan Thomas, tel.: +1 917 225 1913, thomas@unglobalcompact.org

Tweet me:Ahead of the 2018 #SDGbizForum, UN @globalcompact, together with @iccwbo and @UNDESA, urges the private sector to fuel acceleration of sustainable development at the national level: unglobalcompact.org/news/4391-07-13-2018 @SDGBizforum #HLPF

Contact Info:

@globalcompact
https://facebook.com/UNGlobalCompact
https://linkedin.com/company/united-nations-global-compact
https://instagram.com/globalcompact/

KEYWORDS: United Nations Global Compact, High-Level Political Forum, GRI, ICC, UN DESA, SDG Business Forum

SOURCE:NRG Energy

DESCRIPTION:

NRG’s vision is to create a sustainable energy future. For us, that means that our mission every day is to safely power the American economy with reliable and cleaner electricity.

We’re focused on creating value for our shareholders today and into the future. To do so, we must stay abreast of the greatest forces of change in our industry and adapt our business accordingly. As part of that effort, we’ve identified national and global trends most relevant to NRG:

1. Political and regulatory uncertainty
2. Climate Change in action
3. Rise of sustainable investing and radical transparency expectations
4. Technological advances and cybersecurity
5. Demand for renewables
6. Sustainable procurement and supply chain engagement
7. Societal shifts

1. Political and regulatory uncertainty

In 2017, the United States faced turbulent political dynamics and new leadership priorities. This makes long-term strategic planning difficult for corporations whose investment timescales are much longer than election cycles. The role and extent of environmental regulation on our business operations and infrastructure, for example, remains uncertain. For the power sector, one of the most notable changes in 2017 pertained to the Clean Power Plan, or CPP, a rule promulgated by the Obama Administration to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing fossil-fuel-fired electric generating units. The EPA is currently revisiting the rule. NRG believes that while any near-term federal regulation of GHG emissions is unlikely, sub-national parties, particularly states and cities, are increasing their own efforts to curb emissions.

Another example is the mercury and air toxics standards (MATS) rule, which established limits for emissions of hazardous air pollutants from coal and oil-fired electric generating units, being reviewed by the EPA to determine whether it should reconsider all or part of the rule. While NRG cannot predict the final outcome of this rulemaking, we have already invested in pollution controls and cleaner technologies, and thus our fleet is well positioned to comply with the MATS rule.

Other actions at the federal and state level creating additional uncertainty for the energy markets include 45Q tax credits for carbon capture7, attempts at market distortions to benefit coal and nuclear (for example, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking8 and New York’s zero emissions credits), and tariffs on imported solar panels.9

While advancing a sustainable energy strategy will be driven by business decisions, NRG welcomes regulation that aligns with our vision of a sustainable energy future while respecting the integrity of competitive markets and expanding customer choice. Learn more about NRG’s policy engagement efforts here.

2. Climate Change in action

2017 saw its share of the kind of extreme weather events predicted to increase as a result of climate change, including hurricanes, flooding, wild fires and mudslides. NRG felt this close to home, especially during Hurricane Harvey, which significantly impacted our Houston and Gulf Coast assets and employees (to read more about NRG’s experience, please review our Lesson of Nature section. Changes in weather or other environmental conditions, such as temperature and precipitation levels, can affect electricity demand, presenting both business risks and opportunities. However, the potential for increased frequency and severity of storms, floods and other climatic events can disrupt our operations and cause us, and our customers, to incur significant costs if not adequately mitigated.

Click here to continue reading in NRG Energy's 2017 Sustainability Report (p 12).

Tweet me:Learn the context behind @nrgenergy's 2017 #sustainability report http://bit.ly/2zHU6yS #climateaction #renewableenergy #corporateresponsibility @nrginsight

KEYWORDS: NRG Energy, NYSE:NRG

SOURCE:United Nations Global Compact

SUMMARY:

The UN Global Compact Bulletin is designed to keep participants up to date on news, actions you can take, resources and events. Participants are encouraged to look to this monthly communication for important information. Please note that actions and events are intended for Global Compact stakeholders, unless otherwise indicated. The Bulletin is published in English, French, Spanish and Chinese.

DESCRIPTION:

Explore the business guide to the 2018 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) for events relevant to the private sector.

On 17 July, participate in the 2018 SDG Business Forum— held as a side event of the United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF), the UN Global Compact, together with ICC and UN DESA, will provide a platform for business to interact in dialogue with other stakeholders, share the private sector’s perspectives and showcase the efforts carried out in support of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

Join the upcoming UN Global Compact Academy session featuring the Science Based Targets initiative to learn how your company can have a clearly defined pathway to low-carbon and resilient development. Two sessions available:

• 23 July 2018 | 9:00 p.m. New York: Register here
• 24 July 2018 | 10:00 a.m. New York: Register here

NEWS & UPDATES

UN Global Compact Announces New Board Members Appointed by the UN Secretary-General

On 20 June 2018, the United Nations Global Compact announced new Members to its Board, appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Seven new Board Members have been appointed alongside remaining Members and the previously announced Vice-Chairs Bola Adesola and Paul Polman. The Secretary-General will continue in his role as Chair.

Executive Update: Calling for a sea change

On her recent Executive Update, Lise Kingo expressed how in many ways, the public’s awareness about the importance of ocean health is where we were 15 years ago with climate change. But with serious action on climate arriving much later than needed, we must give ocean issues the attention — and urgency — they deserve. Like climate, the ocean challenge is not one that can be solved by one sector or industry alone. Saving our ocean, and indeed our planet, will require bold innovation and multi-sectoral partnerships from a critical mass of business, Government and other stakeholders. What the ‘blue economy’ needs now is a sea change.

UN Global Compact launches new action platform for Sustainable Ocean Business and development

On World Oceans Day, the UN Global Compact launched the newly formed Sustainable Ocean Business Action Platform— a three-year global programme bringing together business, civil society, the UN and Governments to advance the ocean economy and sustainable development.

TAKE ACTION

Join the UN Global Compact Academy

The UN Global Compact Academy is designed to give Participants the knowledge and skills they need to meet their sustainability objectives. Delivered through a series of learning sessions taught by world-class experts, the Academy will coach Participants to develop their understanding of critical topics and build actionable skills.

Join the CEO Water Mandate

The CEO Water Mandate can assist your company in developing, implementing and disclosing your water sustainability policies and practices. Join to share best and emerging practices while forging multi-stakeholder partnerships to address water challenges found in river basins around the world.

Support Sustainable Soil Management

To advance the positive contribution that business can make to soil health, the UN Global Compact has facilitated the development of the Principles for Sustainable Soil Management through a broad and inclusive multi-stakeholder process involving over 200 experts from business, the UN, civil society and academia working on agriculture, nutrition and food systems.

Advance Sustainable Cities and Communities

The UN Global Compact Cities Programme is dedicated to the promotion and adoption of the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact by cities, and provides a framework for translating this principles-based approach into day-to-day urban governance and management.

Partnerships: A Key Way to Implement the Sustainable Development Goals

Investing in partnerships can help your business create long-term value and achieve a positive impact on society far beyond what can be accomplished alone. Collaborations can take many forms — within a value chain, across industries, with a local Government or civil society organization, or with the UN.

The UN Global Compact helps you find and collaborate together with stakeholders with common interests and comparative advantages.

LOCAL NETWORK NEWS

• Global Compact Network Singapore successfully organizes the 3rd CEO Roundtable and the 2018 Sustainable Solutions Expo
• Countering Shadow Economy in the Oil Sector

RESOURCE LIBRARY

• Sustainable Development Goal 6: Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation

Seeks to provide an in-depth review and includes data on the global baseline status of Goal 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation, the current situation and trends at global and regional levels, and what more needs to be done to achieve this Goal by 2030.

• Blueprint for Business Leadership on the SDGs

Aims to inspire all business — regardless of size, sector or geography — to take leading action in support of the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Blueprint is a tool for any business that is ready to advance its principled approach to SDG action to become a leader.

• Transforming Partnerships for the SDGs

Examines the views of UN leaders, asking agency heads and partnership practitioners across the UN system: what will it take to scale-up partnerships to bring about transformational impact on the SDGs?

• Business: It's Time to Act

Offers an overview of the steps businesses can take to help eliminate modern slavery while highlighting key resources, initiatives and engagement opportunities to support business action.

EVENTS

• 9-18 July: UN High-level Political Forum (UNHQ)
• 17 July:SDG Business Forum 2018 (UNHQ)
• 18 July: SDG Country Plans: A Roadmap to Private Investment (New York)
• 18 July: Government Luncheon (New York)
• 24 September: UN Global Compact Leaders Summit (UNHQ)
• 24 September: CEO Roundtable (UNHQ)
• 24 September: UN Private Sector Forum (UNHQ)
• 8-12 October: International labour standards and corporate social responsibility (Turin)
• 26-28 November: 2018 UN Forum on Business and Human Rights (Geneva)

ACADEMY SESSIONS

• 23-24 July: How to Set Science-Based Targets

The UN Global Compact Academy together with the Science Based Targets initiative are hosting two sessions to cover the same set of topics, but with a different set of expert contributors. Please select the session most convenient for you:

23 July 2018 | 9:00 p.m. ET: register here

24 July 2018 | 10:00 a.m. ET: register here

Science-based targets provide businesses with a clearly defined pathway to future-proof growth by specifying how much and how quickly they need to reduce their emissions. In this session, experts from the Science Based Targets initiative will help participants understand how to set their company’s target. We will also hear from the private sector on why setting science-based targets is good for business.

Tweet me:Check out UN Global Compact July #Bulletin for ways business can engage with @globalcompact #LocalNetworks, Governments and the broader @UN system during the 2018 #HLPF + more: unglobalcompact.org/library/5624

Contact Info:

Dan Thomas
UN Global Compact
+1 (212) 907-1301
media@unglobalcompact.org
@globalcompact
https://facebook.com/UNGlobalCompact
https://linkedin.com/company/united-nations-global-compact
https://instagram.com/globalcompact/

KEYWORDS: UN Global Compact, CEO Water Mandate, Sustainable Soil Management, sustainable cities and communities, Water and Sanitation, Transforming Partnerships, Global Compact Leaders Summit

One of the World’s Largest Multi-Concept Restaurant Operator No Longer Serving Straws

SOURCE:MGM Resorts International

DESCRIPTION:

LAS VEGAS, July 13, 2018 /3BL Media/–  MGM Resorts International announced that single-use plastic straws will only be served upon request at company operated restaurants in the U.S. As one of the world’s top five largest non-chain restaurant operators in the world, MGM Resorts and its employees understand their responsibility in protecting our planet and helping reduce their environmental footprint. This initiative, which began rolling out in May 2018, aims to eventually remove more than 250,000 straws a day from landfills and waterways—that’s 100 million straws each year. 

“MGM is one of the largest multi-concept restaurant operators in the world. As such, it is our responsibility to do our part to help eliminate debris from landfills and waterways,” said Cindy Ortega, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, MGM Resorts International. “The elimination of plastic straws is the latest addition to MGM’s comprehensive environmental responsibility program and can further enhance our efforts to protect our planet.”

Straws are one of the most common littered items in the U.S., and single-use plastic straws contribute to the rubbish floating in our oceans, severely affecting wildlife. Eight million metric tons of plastic winds up in the oceans each year, and in 2017 plastic straws were the 11^th most found ocean trash.  One plastic drinking straw can take up to 200 years to breakdown in the environment.  MGM Resorts International owns 19 resorts across the U.S. including three on major waterways—The Borgata, N.J.; National Harbor, M.D. and Beau Rivage, M.S. MGM Resorts believes by working together and reducing plastic straw use, the company can have a positive impact on the environment and oceans.

Both single use plastic “stir straws” and drinking straws have been removed from casino floors, buffets, cafes, bars and lounges as well as dining outlets. Straws will still be available to customers upon request.

“We began the pilot program here in Las Vegas in the beginning of May at ARIA and Mandalay Bay,” said Timothy Ryan, Vice President Food and Beverage Strategy, MGM Resorts International. “The response from customers has been so positive we have decided to quickly train our employees at all our U.S. resorts to stop automatically serving single use straws.”

####

About MGM Resorts International

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 28 unique hotel offerings including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. Expanding throughout the U.S. and around the world, the company opened MGM Cotai in Macau in February 2018. It is also developing MGM Springfield in Massachusetts and debuting the first international Bellagio branded hotel in Shanghai. The 78,000 global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information visit us at www.mgmresorts.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

MGM Resorts International

Samantha Cummis

702-692-6847

Scummis@mgmresorts.com

KEYWORDS: NYSE:MGM, MGM Resorts International, Plastic straws

SOURCE:Whirlpool Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

A storytelling journey that aims at celebrating the manufacturing facilities in the EMEA region through the eyes and stories of the people that, with passion and dedication, contribute every day to the development of the company and of the community where they operate. As part of the 10th year anniversary of its operations in Radomsko, Whirlpool Corporation will officially inaugurate today #PlacesthatMatter exhibition at the Municipal Cultural Center in Radomsko (Miejski Dom Kultury in Radomsku), located at ul. Brzeźnicka 5. The exhibition will be open to the general public until mid of July.

Read More

Tweet me:As part of the 10-year anniversary of its operations in Radomsko, Poland Whirlpool Corporation launched the #PlacesthatMatter exhibition at the Municipal Cultural Center. The exhibition will be open to the general public until mid of July. http://bit.ly/2L7f52q

KEYWORDS: places that matter, whirlpool corporation, Photos, Poland, Rodomsko, exhibit, NYSE:WHR, manufacturing facilities

Campaign focused on reducing food waste

SOURCE:Whirlpool Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

This summer, Hotpoint is launching the Fresh Thinking for Forgotten Food campaign alongside Jamie Oliver, encouraging consumers to think differently about their leftovers and reduce their food waste. Hotpoint’s research has revealed that despite being concerned about reducing food waste, every UK household is throwing away £271.44 of edible food every year, with a quarter of Brits admitting they waste food simply because they forget what they have in their fridge.

Read More

Tweet me:This summer, Hotpoint is launching the Fresh Thinking for Forgotten Food campaign alongside Jamie Oliver, encouraging consumers to think differently about their leftovers and reduce their food waste. http://bit.ly/2JkrICr

KEYWORDS: whirlpool corporation, Jamie Oliver, Food Waste, food consumption, cooking, hotpoint, NYSE:WHR

SOURCE:Monsanto

DESCRIPTION:

ST. LOUIS, July 12, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Monsanto Company today reported substantial progress on a host of sustainability commitments and programs in the areas of climate-smart agriculture practices, water quality, biodiversity, food security and operational efficiencies. 

• Completed Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Emissions Tool – In partnership with the National Corn Growers Association and a group working to support the Conservation Innovation Grant, the first step in creating a tool that will help capture the value of reduced greenhouse gas emissions for farmers who use climate-smart agriculture practices has been completed. The tool is currently being validated on 110 Soil Health Partnership farms with plans to broaden the adoption of the system across the agriculture sector. 
   
• Introduced Product Innovations – The BioAg Alliance, a collaboration between Monsanto and Novozymes to improve crop harvests, developed Acceleron B-300 SAT, a microbial seed coating that increases nutrient availability which has the potential to lead to larger, stronger root systems that help keep more carbon stored in the soil. A new study estimates that this seed coating could provide a total greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of around 3.8 million metric tons of carbon emissions per year if applied on all U.S. corn acres that contain Monsanto technology.
   
• Modern Agriculture Demonstration Farm Established – Monsanto worked with farmer, Bill Couser, to develop the Modern Agriculture Demonstration Farm, established in the fall of 2017 in Nevada, Iowa. The farm will provide a unique opportunity for visitors to observe and learn about climate-smart practices at field scale. Visits to the farm include cover crops, trials reviewing different tillage methods and pollinator habitat.
   
• Digital Management Tool Receives NutrientStar Certification – In partnership with Environmental Defense Fund, NutrientStar assessed the Climate FieldView™ nitrogen management tool in 34 on-farm trials and determined that growers can reduce applied nitrogen by an average of 37 pounds per acre while increasing efficiency by 25 percent when following insights provided by the tool.      

• Investing in Water Quality Trials – Monsanto, along with its subsidiary, The Climate Corporation, recently entered into a partnership with Iowa State University to create an infrastructure project designed to monitor water quality and downstream nitrate loss. The project will provide researchers and farmers with valuable data and information on the practices that help keep nitrogen fertilizer from entering surrounding waterways.

• Addressing Acute Hunger and Malnutrition – Monsanto Fund, in partnership with Africare, pledged $5 million over a five-year period to improve nutrition and access to healthy food in Turkana County, Kenya. The project will provide increased access and availability of diverse and nutrient-rich food to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children. 

• Expanding Conservation Habitat – Monsanto spearheaded the launch of Farmers For Monarchs, a united effort by farmers, ranchers, landowners and the agriculture industry to encourage and enable the expansion and establishment of pollinator/conservation habitat, including milkweed, along the monarch butterfly seasonal migration route.
   
• Preserving and Improving Plant Varieties – Monsanto donated 55 conventional cotton germplasm lines to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Cotton Collection. These seed lines are now freely available to both public and private breeders to be used as a resource for the improvement of cotton germplasm across a broad range of environments, including Africa.
   
• Partnering for Restoration – The Appalachian Wildlife Foundation has begun an expansive restoration project that will improve habitats of everything from elk and grassland songbirds to honey bees and monarchs. Monsanto donated 10,000 gallons of herbicide to help areas consumed by overgrowth and weeds. The facility is expected to attract an estimated 500,000 visitors annually, with opportunities to explore the rehabilitated ecosystem and learn about wildlife protection.   

• Monsanto now diverts 89 percent of its waste from landfills by focusing on waste minimization, recycling and reuse. Additionally, six sites in Brazil are pursuing an opportunity to divert 10,000 metric tons of the waste being sent to the landfill annually, which will generate an estimated $500,000 in savings each year in disposal cost.  
   
• The company’s plant in Antwerp, Belgium, is investing in a wastewater recycling project that will purify its treated waste for reuse back into its operations, saving an estimated 300,000 cubic meters each year of fresh water withdrawal. The plant also is installing energy recovery technology that will enable approximately $1 million per year in financial improvements.

KEYWORDS: modern agriculture, sustainability, water quality, food security, biodiversity, NYSE:MON, Monsanto

SOURCE:Booz Allen Hamilton

DESCRIPTION:

In April 2017, Patricia Goforth became the first female leader of Booz Allen Hamilton’s engineering and science business, tasked with charting the course for the firm’s 3,400 engineers and applied scientists who build transformational solutions for clients. Trish was recognized last month by Business Insider as part of the “39 Most Powerful Female Engineers of 2018.” The magazine says of the list, “These are women with engineering backgrounds who are running big business units at important companies, are building impressive up-and-coming technologies, or acting as leaders and role models in the tech communities.” Trish is doing all three.

Trish now focuses on design, development, and deployment of engineering, digital, cyber, and analytics solutions to meet clients’ mission-critical goals. In her more than 35 years of professional experience, she has lead teams skilled in developing complex technical solutions and integrating cybersecurity into the land, air, sea, and intelligence missions of the Department of Defense. Under her leadership, her team received Booz Allen’s highest professional honor for outstanding customer service for transforming the commercial satellite communications business processes for a defense client.  

But Trish goes above and beyond her expansive duties at the firm to support and encourage other engineers, particularly women. Under her leadership and in partnership with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and iRelaunch, the firm launched the “Return-to-Work Program.” The program provided paid re-entry internships starting in 2016 for talented, experienced women engineers with high-demand skill sets—like electrical and systems engineers, and software developers/engineers—looking for a hands-on program designed to jump-start their return to the workforce after taking a break to care for family or an elderly parent.

Learn more about Trish Goforth here.

Booz Allen is committed to supporting women in STEM. Learn more here.

Tweet me:.@BoozAllen EVP Patricia Goforth is among @BusinessInsider’s 39 Most Powerful Female Engineers of 2018 http://bit.ly/2Jj6vIL

KEYWORDS: Patricia Goforth, Booz Allen Hamilton, Business Insider, engineering, women engineers, women in stem

SOURCE:Las Vegas Sands

DESCRIPTION:

To raise sustainability standards within Asia’s hospitality industry, Marina Bay Sands has partnered with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Singapore. Together, they are focusing on seafood and ocean conservation with goals including positive initiatives in responsible seafood, aquaculture improvement projects (AIPs), and enhanced green meeting packages.

Asia accounts for 89 percent of all farmed seafood in the world, with Singapore’s own seafood consumption exceeding the global average. The potential impact is overfishing to meet demands. In Singapore, three out of four common seafood species are unsustainable. Today, Marina Bay Sands does not offer any seafood from the AVOID list of WWF’s Seafood Guide, which aided in the property’s decision to remove the popular red grouper and bluefin dishes from its menus. Through this partnership, the Integrated Resort is supporting four aquaculture farms in Malaysia in their journey toward sustainable farming. Marina Bay Sands aims to have 70 percent of its priority seafood species procured from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)-certified sources, as well as having 50 percent of all seafood by volume sourced responsibly. In the next few years, the Integrated Resort will strive to host at least 300 green events that adopt sustainable packages and offerings supported by WWF.

“As the home to Singapore’s largest hotel, a 1.3 million square ft. convention center, a luxury shopping mall, and other  facilities, we recognize the significance and impact of our sustainability actions,” said Ian Wilson, senior vice president of hotel operations at Marina Bay Sands. “In partnership with WWF, we are making great strides toward ensuring all of the seafood served on our property comes from sustainable stock and is sourced responsibly. We hope to elevate sustainability standards, raise awareness among our guests, and inspire other industry players to follow suit.”

For more information on Sands ECO360 and our global sustainability efforts, visit Sands.com to download our latest sustainability report.

Tweet me:.@MarinaBaySands has partnered with World Wide Fund for Nature to focus on initiatives including #responsibleseafood, #aquaculture improvement projects, and enhanced #green meeting packages. http://bit.ly/2KHdnl0 @WWF #SandsECO360

KEYWORDS: Marina Bay Sands, aquaculture, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), sustainable seafood, responsible farming

They’re spotting sharks before they strike, delivering medical supplies to isolated regions and getting pipelines and bridges repaired before they fail.

SOURCE:HP, Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

It was a December day, early summer in Australia. Two busloads of schoolchildren had just splashed into the water at Secret Harbour, a beach on the Indian Ocean, when a drone swooped down from the sky and issued a deafening order to clear the water. The drone, equipped with vision-recognition technology, had identified a 10-foot shark swimming in a zigzag pattern just 100 yards from the beach.

Half a world away, in Rwanda, delivery drones ferry life-saving packages of blood and vaccines across the mountains of Central Africa to remote medical clinics. The flying machines automatically text the clinics when they’re two minutes away. Upon arrival, they drop their deliveries from 40 feet up and then promptly turn around and zip back to their home base, or “nest.”

Meanwhile, in the U.S., expanding legions of drones monitor pipelines and bridges for signs of corrosion to head off catastrophic accidents.

As drones grow stronger, faster and smarter, new iterations seem to be emerging month by month — each one designed and trained for a different vocation. They’re going way beyond their initial work in the military or meteorology, and plowing into delivery and logistics, the energy industry and farming. Much of this growth is being fueled by artificial intelligence. AI enables the newest generation of drones to not only perceive data, but also to interpret and act on it.

Michal Mazur, who heads Drone-Powered Solutions for PriceWaterhouseCoopers, predicts that business services involving drones will soar above $100 billion by the early 2020s. “They’re getting smarter every month,” he says.

Scanning the sea for danger

This deepening intelligence powers the Ripper Group’s shark-spotting drones in Australia. Chief Operating Officer Ben Trollope says the Westpac Little Rippers stream video in real time. Functioning like a visual search engine, the software scans vast miles of ocean for the tell-tale shape of a shark. The machine-learning program has been trained on millions of photos of sharks and other shapes in the sea. The challenge now is perceiving the sharks at ever-greater depths and in murky water. Sometimes, Trollope says, the system still confuses a small whale for a shark. But every mistake sharpens its focus.

Westpac Little Rippers patrol the skies over dozens of Australia’s beaches. When they spot a shark, they call out an unmissable 130-decibel warning and direct swimmers away from danger. Ripper Group also makes larger drones that can drop life rafts and emergency supplies to distressed swimmers or boaters.

Health care for all of Rwanda

The drones used in Rwanda, produced by California robotics company Zipline, look more like airplanes than helicopters. The fixed-wing design adds strength to help power the vessels through storms. They have a round-trip range of up to 90 miles.

In less than two years, Zipline has delivered 4,000 shipments in Rwanda — one-third of them life-saving, according to the UPS Foundation, which has invested $2 million in the venture. In coming months, a second nest will enable the drone network to cover the entire Central African country, reaching 400 health clinics. Because normal impediments don’t hinder their movements, they’re fast, and can be used at a moment’s notice, drones offer flexible and nimble new methods of delivery. Joe Ruiz, director of UPS Foundation’s Humanitarian & Resilience Program, foresees a growing role for drones in aid and rescue, from natural disasters to medical emergencies. “Think of organ transplants,” he says.

A boon to infrastructure repair

Autonomous drones are already flying over (and under) bridges and along pipelines, pinpointing areas that are corroded or have loose struts — and scheduling the needed repairs. This constant machine surveillance could soon replace the old and inefficient way of spotting trouble: having teams of human inspectors occasionally fly over in a helicopter.

Just for fun

Drones are also starting to make their mark in at live events, from the Olympics in South Korea to a spectacular show at this year’s Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. During the nighttime outdoor performances of ODESZA, the GRAMMY-nominated electronic music team of Clayton Knight and Harrison Mills, HP and Intel teamed up to send 420 Shooting Star drones zipping through the night sky above the crowds, the first time these drones flew over a live music performance. “We were honored to be a part of it,” the duo said. 

Watch Intel’s HP-powered Shooting Stars drone light show at Coachella.

Tweet me:See the 3 ways #drones are proving more useful than ever imagined http://bit.ly/2KR87er via @HPSustainable #tech #socinn

KEYWORDS: HP Inc, drones, Zipline

SOURCE:Ecolab

DESCRIPTION:

Water is on executives’ minds these days. More and more, business people realize that water scarcity is the new normal, and if they want to put their companies in a position to keep growing, they have to adapt. I can confirm that much after living out of suitcases for most of the month of June and, at conference after conference, meeting numerous business leaders who expressed their sense of urgency about the topic.

It’s not news that companies are concerned about water security. A survey Ecolab conducted with GreenBiz in 2017 showed that 75 percent have corporate water targets. But it also taught us that 82 percent didn’t have the tools and strategies and to take appropriate action.

That is changing. More and more businesses realize that the battle against water scarcity has to be about more than corporate target-setting. It has to be won at the local level, facility by facility and plant by plant.

That makes sense, because although both are tightly interwoven, water isn’t climate. When you emit greenhouse gasses, those affect the totality of the atmosphere. But water scarcity, which will become more pronounced because of climate change, plays out at the local level. The challenges in Arizona, for instance, are very different from those in Louisiana.

To be truly effective, water management solutions have to be context-based. Individual water users mostly share risks with others who operate in the same basin, whether those are industrial facilities, agricultural operations or communities. Water targets are more meaningful when they are aligned with the needs of the broader community. Businesses that set these context-based goals can make investments with greater confidence, positioning themselves as better neighbors and corporate citizens and reducing risk to their growth strategies.

At Ecolab, we know that first-hand. Our customer-facing teams work at nearly 3 million locations in more than 170 countries. We deal with water issues in businesses that vary from your local restaurant to massive steel mills, and machinery from individual dishwashers to huge industrial cooling towers.   

Last year, we helped our customers manage more than 1.1 trillion gallons of water, saving more than 171 billion gallons along the way. (You can read all about that in our new sustainability report). That’s equivalent to the drinking water needs of almost 600 million people. Those are massive numbers, but they’re the aggregate of millions of individual interactions with customers, all in their own locales, facing different challenges and requiring different solutions.

That’s how we’ve learned all too well that the right solutions will necessarily have to be tailored to an almost infinite variety of local factors. But when you save a few thousand gallons here and a couple of million there, pretty soon you are talking about real numbers.

As we go about our business with all those customers, we can scale up our learning. These days, Ecolab is laser-focused on linking up the mountains of data we gather every day. Mining all that data and building an internet of things for water, we can discern trends that were heretofore invisible, predict problems before they arise and come up with smart solutions that will save our customers more water, energy and money.

That’s how, working together, we’ll be able to make an exponential impact. With the world’s population and its economies growing at a steady clip, we should do no less. If we are to avoid a crisis down the line, we must take circular solutions for how we use scarce resources to the next level. And water is an excellent avenue of attack.

From experience we know that companies that manage their water well manage their overall business well. Using water means you have to heat it, cool it, pump it and process it. That takes money and energy. In other words: If you find smart ways to enable your local facilities to save and reuse water, you’ll operate your business more efficiently, improve your bottom line, lower your energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce your impact on surrounding communities, leaving more resources for the people with whom you share your watershed.

As an added bonus, you’ll be able to rest assured in the knowledge that you’ve upped your company’s resilience for a water-scarce future and done your part in preserving the planet we all share. It’s the right thing to do, and it makes 100 percent business sense. And when those things come together, big change can happen.

KEYWORDS: NYSE:ECL, Ecolab

Harnessing the power of data throughout the project life cycle

SOURCE:Tetra Tech

DESCRIPTION:

Across Tetra Tech’s markets, nearly all clients share the need for actionable information that can drive decision making. Big data began bursting onto the scene some 25 years ago, inundating our information-hungry clients with megabytes and gigabytes of facts and figures that soon became a flood of petabytes and zettabytes. Managers thirsty for relevant intelligence were drowning in oceans of data, wondering what was important, what was essential, and what was urgent information.

In response to the need for timely and relevant information that can be analyzed, Tetra Tech employees from many facets of engineering, science, and technology began to apply methodologies to identify, analyze, and report mission-critical information. This article explores some of the ways we are Leading with Science® by using innovative data analytics techniques and digital dashboards—tools that integrate, display, and analyze key data—to help our clients gain insights that allow them to improve customer service and efficiency, make decisions in real time, and even use predictive analytics to steer toward the best future outcome.

Cleaning up the core of the Big Apple

New York City eats, sleeps, moves, and works by truck—all kinds of trucks of every size imaginable. Recognizing that older trucks can belch unhealthy levels of black smoke into the urban air, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) conceived a unique and engaging initiative six years ago to address the problem. The initial concept for the Hunts Point Clean Trucks Program (HPCTP) was to target truck owners serving the Hunts Point and Port Morris communities of the South Bronx, which has the state’s highest incidence of respiratory disease. The program would offer attractive rebate incentives to scrap older, heavy-polluting trucks (e.g., up to $30,000 for a Class 8 diesel) in favor of new diesel, diesel-hybrid, compressed natural gas, or battery electric trucks. Rebates for installing exhaust retrofits would be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Tetra Tech’s team, led by Air Quality Director Eddy Huang, secured the initial HPCTP contract in 2011 and recently received a 5-year extension. The NYCDOT secured a $24-million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program to offset the cost of truck replacements and retrofits. Another $600,000 was secured under the City of New York’s Vision Zero Action Plan to fund early adoption of truck safety enhancements to improve vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian safety.

The program team conducts truck owner outreach, truck fleet analyses, cost-benefit analyses (i.e., cost per pound per ton of reduced emissions), and truck use compliance tracking and operates a customer service helpline. They manage vendor and grant applicant contracts; monitor vehicle scrappage; and report on program compliance, enforcement, and emissions reduction. “The HPCTP has replaced, retrofitted, or scrapped around 600 older, heavy-polluting diesel trucks from the South Bronx and NYC—along with 28 older, diesel-fueled portable refrigeration units,” said Eddy.

An automated monitoring system collects truck data, logging the location, engine status, and speed of all participating vehicles. The data collection, management, and reporting effort involves large volumes of structured and unstructured data generated daily. The team has focused on database development and data trend studies and conducts automatic vehicle locator data analysis for NYCDOT’s compliance enforcement program. Reports include route maps, tabular data, and time-series graphs.

The data overlay on a map of portions of New York City and New Jersey represents the 24-hour movement of approximately 500 trucks funded under the NYCDOT HPCTP; monitoring includes peak and off-hour vehicle use, vehicle idling, and traffic speed for private fleets.

HPCTP’s benefits are extensive. Truck owners get new, emission-compliant trucks that require less maintenance and use less fuel, providing big cost savings. Their clients see proactive businesses that are implementing greener supply chain policies. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles have a greater chance of avoiding and surviving accidents with trucks equipped with enhanced safety features. And the greater New York City area has seen a reduction in harmful emissions resulting from replacing, retrofitting, and scraping older heavy-polluting trucks—a win for all parties.

The HPCTP won a C40 Cities 2017 Award in the Mobility category. When informing our team of the award, Susan McSherry, NYCDOT Alternative Fuel Program manager, noted that the HPCTP’s success “is not possible without the great team at Tetra Tech.” Read more at tetratech.com/HPCTPaward.

The volume of data generated in our industry grows every day. Our challenge is to sift through vast data sets, identify critical information needed to make meaningful decisions, and present that information in a simplified, usable format. Throughout its markets—from disaster recovery to water, environment, energy, aviation, and beyond—Tetra Tech helps clients harness the power of their data to boost success throughout project life cycles.

Tweet me:Driving Decisions with Data Dashboards: Cleaning up the core of the Big Apple http://bit.ly/2KHGUuH @TetraTech #LeadingWithScience #BigData

KEYWORDS: Tetra Tech, NASDAQ:TTEK

SOURCE:Tetra Pak

DESCRIPTION:

Agriculture has achieved a lot over the past century, but there’s still a long way to go to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 and ensure sustainable food production systems, increase the incomes of smallholder farmers and end hunger.

In the dairy industry, global demand for milk is set to overtake supply within only a decade. Smallholder farmers have a vital role to play in meeting this demand to address the food security and nutrition challenges.  Today, a staggering 339 million tonnes of milk is still being produced by smallholder farmers out of a global total of 819 million tonnes. In addition to achieving food security and reducing waste, the dairy industry has significant potential to link smallholder farmers, create jobs, and increase income along the entire value chain.

The first Dairy Hub, established in Bangladesh, has been up and running in Chatmohar since September 2010.  Today, there are now 5 Dairy Hubs running in Bangladesh collecting milk from more than 12,000 smallholder farmers. Through our unique Dairy Hub model, we’re helping build sustainable dairy value chains by supporting smallholder farmers and connecting our customers to higher-quality locally produced milk in seven developing countries across three continents.

When we think of sustainable value chains, we think of balancing the four pillars of sustainable dairy farming:

• Providing smallholder farmers access to a formal market
• Efficient farm management focusing on long-term profitability
• Utilising best practices in animal health and husbandry
• Minimising environmental impact

The overall aim of running a Dairy Hub project is to secure a long-term supply of locally produced quality milk without increasing the collection cost. The model rests upon the idea of linking smallholder farmers to a dedicated dairy processor in a selected area and providing “hands-on” practical knowledge transfer.  We collect and measure the data from the farms utilizing a “one-herd” concept.  Working in partnerships creates an efficient and long-lasting approach to setting up sufficient infrastructure with appropriate technology and facilities, providing knowledge transfer, and offering the farmers advisory services. It also increases the supply of locally produced milk, reducing the dependence on imported milk powder, reduces food loss and establishes a more stable supply chain of nutritious and safe food.

We have seen around the world how this model successfully increases efficiencies and enhances the stability of the dairy supply chain. In Bangladesh, the dairy farmers’ average milk yield per cow daily is up 143%, milk collected per day is up 1950% and the average income per month is up 144% from when we began in 2010.  In Nicaragua, the average milk yield per cow increased 81% and the Grade A milk quality collected improved from 6.4% to 81% since 2012.  In Sri Lanka the average income per smallholder farmer per month increased 57%.

“We are finally able to stand on our own two feet and provide for our children without being in debt,” says one local farmer. “The project has been a godsend to us.”

Read more about this project on tetrapak.com/sustainability.

Tweet me:Through its unique Dairy Hub model, Tetra Pak is helping build sustainable dairy value chains by supporting smallholder farmers and connecting customers to higher-quality locally produced milk in seven developing countries across three continents. #DairyHub http://bit.ly/2uBzUsp

KEYWORDS: Tetra Pak, dairy hub, milk, sustainable development goal, smallholder farmers, farm management

by Erica Hess

SOURCE:Dell

DESCRIPTION:

Imagine if your child were having severe seizures and not walking or talking. Now imagine you had no idea why this was happening—and would need to wait 10 years to discover the answer.

This was Stephanie Rankin’s experience with her son Beorn, the fourth of her five children. Fear eventually morphed into frustration and loneliness over her decade of searching with her husband for a diagnosis.

“As a parent, you want to fix it. Without a diagnosis, we didn’t have a treatment or a way to help him or advocate for him,” said Rankin. “The not knowing is the hardest struggle.”

Technology eventually brought answers. At the Translational Genomic Research Institute’s (TGen) Center for Rare Childhood Disorders, neurologist Vinodh Narayanan was able to analyze Beorn’s genetic data – using high-performance computing – to arrive at a diagnosis. Beorn had DNM1, an extremely rare genetic disorder that would’ve been impossible to identify with the technology available when he was born in 2004. Over the last six years, TGen and Dell have partnered to reduce the amount of time it takes to sequence and analyze genomes.

Technology advancements have enabled children to be diagnosed as early as 15 months of age.

“With these earlier diagnoses, we see parents with younger children doing things…light therapy, for example…that we wish we could have done earlier on. Maybe [Beorn] would be the kid sitting up a little better,” Rankin said.

However, Rankin is focused on the future and enjoying—and advocating for—her son. While there is no cure for DNM1, the diagnosis brought something else Rankin was looking for: connection. Again, this came through technology. On Facebook, Rankin found another mother with two children affected by DNM1. They began sharing experiences and became fast friends. They’ve grown their private Facebook group, “DNM1 Dynamos-Connection DNM1 Families” to include parents of 25 children across the globe.

Rankin also notes a new website is available for those not on Facebook.

“Now we have all these different families in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada and France… so it’s not just what the U.S. doctors are thinking on this,” said Rankin. “We’re comparing notes on how medications combine and work together. We can compare symptoms. We see patterns, like none of them sleep well at night.”

Her Facebook group members have connected one another to resources, including opportunities for studies at TGen. And their open, honest dialogue has been invaluable.

“Now I have that special group where our kids have the same thing affecting them. Hearing that another DNM1 kid can walk, for example—that gives us something to aspire to.”

Tweet me:Learn how a collaboration between @Dell + @TGen helped this family find a diagnosis and connect to others https://bit.ly/2zv6py3 #healthcare #tech

by Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, Executive Director of Merck for Mothers

SOURCE:Merck & Co., Inc.

DESCRIPTION:

Five years ago, Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL) – a major public-private partnership – set the ambitious goal of reducing maternal mortality by half in target districts in Uganda and Zambia, and later Nigeria. These are regions of the world with some of the highest rates of women dying from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Merck for Mothers is proud to have been a founding partner of SMGL and last month I participated in an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies to celebrate the partnership’s achievements and reflect on what we’ve learned.

SMGL raised the bar high for a global development program because we wanted to show the world that with focused, concerted action we could make great strides in saving women’s lives. Five years later, I am pleased to report that we were successful. Maternal mortality in SMGL districts declined by 44% in Uganda and by 41% in Zambia – a remarkable accomplishment. And in just two years, maternal mortality declined by 28% in SMGL-supported facilities in Cross River State, Nigeria, where the partnership expanded after strong results in the initial two countries.

Together, the U.S. Government, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Every Mother Counts, the Government of Norway, Project C.U.R.E and Merck for Mothers, as well as host country governments and dozens of implementing organizations on the ground, adopted a comprehensive approach to strengthen health systems. Our strategy enabled mothers and newborns to have access to the life-saving care they need, when they need it, leading to many more healthy moms and babies.

Inyang Asibong, the Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, Nigeria, began her remarks at the event by declaring, “we realized that collaboration is key – among governments, among partners…”

At Merck for Mothers, we agree. As I think about our experience over the last five years, I am struck by the many lessons we learned from SMGL and how they have influenced the way we approach all our partnerships.

Know your value
Health systems strengthening is at the heart of the SMGL approach and the key to its success. But this herculean task – both in terms of effort and investment required – is not something that any one organization can take on alone. One of our critical learnings from SMGL is that when diverse partners are at the table, it is important for each of us to identify our distinctive value to ensure that we are contributing more together than we would individually.

As the leading private sector partner, we saw an opportunity to bring our business mindset to the challenge of sustainability to ensure that these lifesaving programs continue. For example, we supported the development of two dozen mothers’ shelters in Zambia. These residences are located near health facilities where women can stay during the late stages of pregnancy, childbirth and the immediate postpartum period to overcome distance barriers that women often confront in accessing quality maternity care. We supported projects that trained community members in entrepreneurship, business management and financial literacy, building local capacity to operate the shelters in a financially sustainable way. Today, half the cost of these shelters is covered through a diverse and creative range of income-generating activities, like mill grinding and goat rearing. Even the women staying there participate in activities like gardening to contribute to the shelters’ operations.

Invest in evidence

Another insight from the SMGL partnership is the importance of investing in generating evidence, which is critical for learning and course-correction. SMGL – through the CDC – conducted a rigorous baseline assessment of maternal and newborn mortality at the beginning of the partnership so we could track progress along the way and make sure our efforts were actually saving lives.

And now, SMGL is one of the first large-scale initiatives for which we have population-level impact data and an analysis of progress over time.

Data-informed solutions are a cornerstone of Merck for Mothers. For example, evidence generated through SMGL proved to us that we need to break down silos between public and private maternity care and look at the total health care market. Today, we are applying this broader approach in our programs in Nigeria as well as in India and other countries.

Partner for scale
SMGL’s success shows the power of a broad coalition in providing the resources needed to achieve scale, especially when it comes to major infrastructure investments that are not otherwise possible.

At the same time, SMGL is an important example of effective stewardship of resources. The partnership was able to combine public and private support and unleash new capital to address a persistent global health challenge.

Based on our experience, Merck for Mothers has joined additional partnerships with USAID and others that focus on innovative financing of maternal health solutions to encourage and reward results and sustainability – for example, the Global Financing Facility to close the funding gap for maternal and child health and the Utkrisht Impact Bond to improve quality maternity care in India.

Going forward
We believe that the SMGL model is a blueprint for how other countries can improve maternal health in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.

From the start, SMGL partners worked closely with the governments in all three SMGL countries and aligned our efforts with national and state plans to encourage government ownership for sustainability. Now, the wide variety of strategies SMGL deployed serve as a “menu” of options – with evidence to back them up – that countries can adapt and make their own to improve health outcomes that extend far beyond maternal health.

I am convinced that if we take this approach forward, it will lead to further gains in maternal health for years to come. At Merck for Mothers, we will continue to use the lessons we learned from SMGL as we forge ambitious and innovative partnerships to save women’s lives.

To learn more about SMGL, please see the initiative’s final report.

Tweet me:Read @MEtiebetMD of @MerckforMothers reflections on 5 years of #PPP with #SMGL http://bit.ly/2mbcLcv #endmaternalmortality #maternal health

KEYWORDS: Merck, merck for mothers, Maternal Mortality, maternal health, Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL)

SOURCE:BNY Mellon

DESCRIPTION:

Most investors want to maximize return while managing risk. Increasingly, investors pay attention to environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when evaluating the performance and value of businesses, especially those operating in interconnected global markets.

Televisa has shared its ESG practices with investors through an annual sustainability report since 2012. In 2017, Televisa requested support from BNY Mellon to improve its ESG disclosure and practices. BNY Mellon guided Televisa on sustainability rating scope and methodology, benchmarked its ESG performance versus its peers and advised them on presentation, transparency and investor communications.

BNY Mellon also connected Televisa with two leading ESG research providers who identified information missing from its sustainability assessments. This work resulted in a revised and improved ESG performance assessment for Televisa. “BNY Mellon provided a credible external perspective,” said Carlos Madrazo, Televisa’s Head of Investor Relations. “The benchmarking report shows us where we stand, identifies gaps, quantifies results and makes our progress measurable. It demonstrates our sustainability achievements and helps ensure our future competitiveness.”

Read BNY Mellon’s 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report to take a closer look at how the company’s expertise helps clients reach their ESG goals.

Tweet me:.@BNYMellon coaches companies that want to improve #ESG disclosure and practices. http://bit.ly/2lvX0fS

KEYWORDS: NYSE:BK, BNY Mellon, esg, Televisa