Tag: 3BL

CLEVELAND, January 22, 2025 /3BL/ – KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) provided a $9.8 million construction loan, a $3.7 million permanent loan and $9.4 million in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) financing for construction of Jalen Lofts, a new 66-unit workforce and affordable housing community in Trotwood, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. The development represents a significant milestone in the community’s efforts to rejuvenate areas adversely impacted by the 2019 Dayton tornadoes.

Jalen Lofts will provide quality housing for families, with income levels between 30%, 50%, 60%, and 80% of area median income (AMI). The project is a co-developer, co-owner partnership between Pivotal Housing Partners and The Trotwood Community Improvement Corporation (TCIC) and will be located less than 15 minutes from Downtown Dayton, and within proximity to Trotwood’s latest developments, including a new library,courthouse, YMCA, and Goodwill Easter Seals. The development boasts a mix of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom residences, each featuring accessible and universal design features, an energy-efficient design, and an extensive array of contemporary amenities.

The City of Trotwood received a most impacted and distressed (MID) area designation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) because of the tornado damage and was allocated $10.5 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to recover from Presidentially declared disasters and to rebuild rental development projects.

The sponsor, Pivotal Housing Partners, is a top ranked Ohio-based multifamily developer and property management company with LIHTC properties operating in 16 states including Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansa, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and most recently, New York.

Derek Reed and David Lacki of KeyBank CDLI structured the financing for the transaction.

About KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) finances projects that stabilize and revitalize communities across all 50 states. As one of the top affordable housing capital providers in the country, KeyBank’s platform brings together construction, acquisition, bridge-to-re-syndication, and preservation loans, as well as lines of credit, Agency and HUD permanent mortgage executions, and equity investments for low-income housing projects, especially Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing. KeyBank has earned 11 consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, making it the first U.S. national bank among the 25 largest to do so since the Act’s passage in 1977.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $190 billion at September 30, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC. 

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CONTACT: 
Laura Mimura 
216-471-2883 
Laura_J_Mimura@KeyBank.com

KEY MEDIA

NEWSROOM: 
Key.com/newsroom

Originally published on Illumina News Center

Illumina recently launched the MiSeq i100 and MiSeq i100 Plus Systems, two powerful, compact benchtop sequencers that incorporate more than 140 invention disclosures and 60 patent families. Through a series of News Center articles, we are celebrating outstanding employees who helped develop this breakthrough technology.

The Illumina MiSeq i100 Series, announced last fall, is the company’s first customer-installable instrument since the iSeq. Illumina’s latest offering was a brand-new challenge for Staff Software Technical Product Manager Aneesh Natarajan.

When Natarajan began work on the confidential project in September 2021, only a select handful of employees knew about it. His manager, Bret Langham, asked him to represent the entire software department and serve as the software project lead. “To be on the core team of a new instrument project is a really good opportunity, and I jumped on it,” he says.

Inside Illumina 
Illumina’s software organization is responsible for a portfolio that includes cutting-edge AI algorithms like PrimateAI-3D and industry-leading software solutions such as DRAGEN, winner of the PrecisionFDA Truth Challenge V2.

The software department itself is divided into three disciplines: developers, testers, and technical product managers. Natarajan is part of the third category and works on the software that users interface with when operating an instrument.

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Natarajan always liked math and science. He landed at the University of California, San Diego, for college—less than two miles from Illumina’s global headquarters. He majored in bioengineering, not computer science, specializing in bioinformatics (a discipline used heavily in genomics, which produces a large volume of data). In his final year of college, Natarajan’s teaching assistant mentioned that a friend working at Illumina was asking him to recommend people for a job. He encouraged him to apply, and that friend at Illumina became Natarajan’s current boss.

Now, as a staff software technical product manager, his daily responsibilities involve working with all kinds of teams with varying levels of technical expertise. A hardware engineer might ask him to build software that can run a calibration routine. A product management director might suggest that low-throughput customers could use a feature in their software to reanalyze their data. Every day holds a new opportunity to collaborate and solve problems.

Behind the MiSeq i100 
For a project like the MiSeq i100, a hardware team begins building what they call the “prototype one,” or P1, instruments and consumables. Natarajan’s initial goal was to construct the bare-bones software that would allow the hardware teams to manufacture the P1 instruments and test them as they build. This first version is called the service software, and it’s used not only in manufacturing but also when field service engineers are troubleshooting an instrument.

Very soon after the initial service software gets off the ground, the team splits into two groups—one continues to create manufacturing tests for the service software while a second group begins to work on the customer-facing application, called the control software. They start importing all the sequencing functionality and building in some of the features that users will need.

One of the major efforts for the MiSeq i100 was developing the first-time setup for the user, which needed to be as easy as possible for users. The software guides the user step by step so they can install it independently without an Illumina field service engineer. Building this detailed workflow was extra challenging: Illumina’s last customer-installable instrument, the iSeq System, was built on Windows, and the user had access to the underlying operating system. Natarajan’s team would be building the MiSeq i100 on Linux, which would require a far more sophisticated setup workflow since the user would not have access to the underlying operating systems to configure their instrument. Natarajan’s team wanted to provide instead a simple and intuitive workflow within the software user interface itself that would allow a customer to apply all their necessary configurations.

Through analysis of many customer use cases and potential failure modes, they worked out what information they’d need and what screens they’d require to connect the instrument to a customer’s network. “Companies sometimes have massive IT departments because they have very unique networking requirements,” Natarajan explains. “Our instruments need to be able to connect to any type of network, no matter how complicated or simple.” They had to prepare different workflows based on a wide range of potential network configurations.

Writing these steps and accounting for all the possibilities, during setup and beyond, requires deep collaboration across the business. “Imagine the software detects some sort of hardware failure,” Natarajan says. “What error message should we show to the user in that scenario? We have to work with the subject matter expert of that piece of hardware, because they would know the corrective action and what we should recommend to the customer. And then with the technical writing and experience design (XD) teams, we figure out how to craft that message before we put it into the software.”

An XD team within a larger user experience team makes high-fidelity mockups of how the software should look in terms of font sizes, button sizes, color schemes, and so on. When they have the detailed requirements, they deliver them to the UI developers and software testers so they know what screens to build, and how to test that the software does what the stakeholders intended it to do.

Beyond setup, calibration, and other maintenance considerations, there is—of course—the actual sequencing. MiSeq i100 can run up to 384 samples in a span of four to 16 hours, depending on run configuration. All of this requires a sleek and streamlined user interface. “The customers don’t want to spend a lot of time setting up a run,” Natarajan says. “They often want to be able to plan the details of their runs ahead of time, so when it comes time to start sequencing, the workflow is quick and simple. They subsequently want a streamlined way to get their secondary and tertiary analysis results. To support these needs, we have features across our run management software, our instrument software, our cloud software, and our bioinformatics pipelines that allow the user to plan their runs and analysis, stream data to our cloud platform, BaseSpace Sequence Hub, and auto-launch analysis either on instrument or in the cloud.”

At this point, the software team is ready to bring in other software components. They start with Real-Time Analysis, which is needed for sequencing. They add Illumina Run Manager, which handles a lot of the run planning, run management analysis, and execution. They start bringing DRAGEN on board, which will analyze the data. They begin doing the cloud integration. They compile all the features they need to build a full digital package and launch the product; then they begin testing the software, cleaning it up, and making it completely customer-ready.

Natarajan is most proud of the effort the team put into embracing and building what the company calls “universal software”—meaning that the MiSeq i100 and NovaSeq X leverage many of the same software components, even though the instruments are very different. Many Illumina systems launch in staggered years but are built in parallel. Universal software allows everyone to work more efficiently and benefit from previous upgrades, improvements, and new features. “If we build new features on top of what NovaSeq X has, then theoretically NovaSeq X can pull those features into their subsequent software releases,” Natarajan says. Best of all, universal software gives the customer a more consistent experience across all instruments in the Illumina portfolio.

The final stretch 
Late summer 2024 was crunch time. Natarajan flew to Singapore to work with some of his software colleagues (the last two or three years of MiSeq i100 software development occurred mostly in Singapore while much of NovaSeq X was being built in San Diego). It was time to get the product ready for customers. “We want to make sure the product is as bulletproof as possible,” he says. “No one wants the user to make an error because the software workflow itself was not intuitive enough.”

The Illumina MiSeq i100 Series was introduced to the market in October 2024. Natarajan says, “There are so many exciting features in MiSeq i100. And I’m thrilled when I hear users say the software is extremely easy to use.”

Join the Biomimicry Institute virtually for the first-ever Ray of Hope Demo Day on Wednesday, February 12.

You’ll have the opportunity to hear pitches from and meet the founders of the 10 best nature-inspired startups of 2024, participating in the 2024 Ray of Hope Accelerator of The Biomimicry Institute. These visionary companies, selected from a global pool of innovators, are scaling transformative solutions to address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

About the Ray of Hope Accelerator

This program accelerates the growth of nature-inspired startups to scale systemic solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Every year, the program supports a cohort of ten high-impact nature-inspired startups, spanning Pre-Seed to Series A stages and representing various sectors and regions. Each selected startup receives $15,000 in non-dilutive funding and over $50,000 worth of in-kind services. This includes tailored coaching, investor introductions, a 4-day Nature Retreat, and comprehensive training materials covering topics such as Impact and Sustainability Business Training, Innovation Storytelling & Amplification, DEI, and Founder Mental Health.

Click here to register for this FREE event.

Mastercard

about In Tech

In Tech is our regular feature highlighting what people are talking about in the world of technology — everything from crypto and NFTs to smart cities and cybersecurity.

In the U.S., there’s a prevailing narrative, propelled in part by politics, that the electric vehicle boom is over. But while growth is slowing, new figures released during the annual Detroit Auto Show point to strong sales globally, with a 25.6% year-on-year increase in December for fully-electric and plug-in hybrids. And even in the U.S. and Canada, EV sales rose nearly 9% in December.

But the leader in EV adoption is Norway, according to the BBC, with 88.9% of new cars sold in the country in 2024 electric.

The government there has long held supportive legislation making electric cars a more attractive and economically viable option for consumers. Dating back to the ‘90s, the transition to EVs involved consistent policies like tax incentives for EVs and higher taxes for petrol and diesel cars. Other perks include free parking and access to bus lanes.

“We think it’s wrong to advise a customer coming in here today to buy an ICE [internal combustion engine] car, because the future is electric,” says Ulf Tore Hekneby, chief executive of the Oslo-based car dealership Harald A Møller. “Long-range, high-charging speed. It’s hard to go back.”

Despite being a major oil and gas producer, and even after early Norwegian EV manufacturers ceased operations, Norway aims for all new cars sold to be zero emissions this year.

Even more vital to widespread adoption, Norway supports a comprehensive network of public charging stations. This extensive infrastructure ensures that EVs are convenient to use, even in colder climates where battery performance can be an issue. As a result, consumers have adapted their habits to charge whenever possible instead of waiting until necessary.

Indeed, another new study out in conjunction with the Detroit Auto Show reveals that infrastructure is a sticking point for car buyers globally — 60% of those surveyed by Tata Consultancy Services say charging infrastructure was a major challenge (although 64% said that an EV is likely to be their next vehicle).

At the Detroit show, Jeep showed off its first all-electric SUV, the all-wheel-drive midsize Wagoneer S, and Cadillac highlighted the Vistiq, adding a new three-row SUV to its EV lineup. And last week at CES, Honda stole the show with the debut of its electric 0 series prototypes, including the futuristic, wedge-shaped 0 Saloon, and the news that it could go on sale in North America next year.

Meanwhile, Tesla recently unveiled the facelifted version of their popular Model Y on its China consumer site, indicating that the automaker may be ready to start production on the updated vehicle.

According to a report by the German publication Handelsblatt (and echoed in Road & Track), the first European models of the Model Y could roll off the production line as early as this week.

Although Tesla this month reported the first full-year drop in sales in its history as a public company, the Tesla Model Y continues to be a juggernaut for the company, becoming the fourth biggest-selling car in the U.S. trailing the Ford F-series pickup, the Chevy Silverado pickup, and the Toyota RAV4, according to Car & Driver.

The Australian publication Drive, reports that the Model Y is expected to arrive in Australia by May. That said, there’s been no official announcement from Tesla regarding the U.S. release date.

The updates to the Model Y closely mirror those applied to the Model 3 sedan last year, which includes a revised front end with a new bumper and headlight assembly and a new taillamp that spans the hatchback. Inside, the Y benefits from improved material quality similar to the Model 3, while notably retaining the turn-signal stalk — a feature that many drivers appreciate.

Although U.S. pricing for the refreshed Model Y has yet to be announced, it’s anticipated that the new model will not deviate significantly from the current price of $44,630.

‘Bye,’ robot

With a major redesign to appeal to a new generation, Chuck E. Cheese is making a comeback four years after emerging from bankruptcy, CNBC reports. And yes, sadly, that means those animatronics are gone.

Even though it emerged from their financial woes, another threat loomed: entertaining a new era of tech-savvy children and their parents.

Chuck E. Cheese, founded in 1977 in San Jose by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, has become an iconic childhood institution because of its pizza, birthday parties, and animatronic mouse mascot and band. But the days of physical tickets, SkyTube tubes, and animatronics are over.

CEO Dave McKillips says the idea pulling the robots came with some debate but ultimately was a no-brainer. “Kids were consuming entertainment in such a different way, you know, growing up with screens and ever-changing bite-sized entertainment.” These days, the 470 locations feature trampolines, a smartphone app, tons of arcade games and floor-to-ceiling jumbotrons.

According to McKillips, Chuck E. Cheese is looking into various entertainment collaborations that would turn its mouse mascot into a major character, in addition to 30 license agreements for items ranging from clothing to frozen pizzas. Embracing the 21st century continues with a YouTube account with almost a half million subscribers who tune in for videos featuring their cast of characters and six albums of music featuring Chuck E. Cheese available on streaming platforms.

Originally published by Mastercard

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

More than 15,000 trees distributed through collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation, local communities since 2017Company’s highly trained arborists, contractors care for and maintain trees year-round, including ahead of hurricane season

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., January 22, 2025 /3BL/ – Following a devastating hurricane season, Duke Energy Florida is giving away 1,000 free trees to its customers as part of its ongoing collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation.

On Friday, Jan. 17, which is also Florida Arbor Day, Duke Energy Florida customers can request a free tree online starting at 9 a.m. at arborday.org/dukeenergy, while supplies last.

The 1-gallon trees are shipped directly to customers’ homes with planting and care instructions and are expected to be delivered in time for National Arbor Day in April. Available tree species include the sweetbay magnolia, red maple, bald cypress, bottlebrush and crape myrtle (pink).

The company also participates in several National Arbor Day tree giveaways with local cities, counties and communities and encourages residents to be on the lookout for those opportunities in the coming spring.

Throughout the year, Duke Energy Florida certified arborists and environmental specialists work with skilled contractors to identify potential hazards, trim trees, apply herbicides and remove trees that pose a threat to power lines or could pose a threat in the future.

The company’s arborists are experienced professionals who cover all aspects of tree care and are familiar with the many species of trees in Florida. For nearly 20 years, Duke Energy Florida has been recognized for its tree management practices through the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Line USA program and has provided more than 15,000 free trees since 2017.

“No one loves Florida trees and vegetation more than an arborist,” said Tamron Fernandez, Duke Energy manager of distribution vegetation management and ISA certified arborist. “But we recognize that trees are among one of the leading causes of power outages, so it’s important for us to take a balanced approach of following science-based standards to ensure the health of the trees while keeping lines clear and service reliable for our 2 million customers.”

“Every tree we come across is different and must be cared for and considered individually,” said Fernandez. “The action we take depends on the voltage and type of line, as well as the type of vegetation and its proximity to the line. When the right tree is planted in the right place, you are helping to reduce outages for you and your neighbors now and in the long run.”

Customers can do their part by following Duke Energy’s Right Tree, Right Place guidelines.

Find the Right Tree – Once you determine the tree’s purpose, you can select from species that will serve that purpose well. Before selecting your tree, make sure you consider the long-term size, maturity and shape of the tree. For lists of recommended trees for your region, reach out to your local municipality or University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension. 
 Choose the Right Place – If you’re planting trees on your property, look around and note the location of power lines. Consider how your tree will impact existing lines as it grows taller, wider and deeper. Keeping trees away from power lines also helps keep fallen or loose debris farther away from the lines to speed power restoration efforts. 
 Call Before You Dig – If you’ll be performing work in your yard that involves digging, Florida law requires you call 811 before you begin so Duke Energy Florida and other utilities can show you where cables and pipes are. You can also submit your request online at www.Sunshine811.com. 
 Keep Ground/Pad Transformers Clear – Keep the transformer (green box typically found in front of homes) clear at all times to allow for maintenance and repairs. Maintain a clearance of 10 feet in the front and 3 feet on all sides. 
 Stay Safe Around Power Lines – Never attempt to trim trees around power lines yourself. These lines are energized and extremely dangerous. You should hire a qualified professional tree contractor to do this work.

For information about planning and planting vegetation around electrical facilities, visit Duke Energy’s Right Tree Right Place website.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

Contact: Audrey Stasko 
24-Hour: 800.559.3853 
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS

View original content here.

DAVOS, Switzerland, January 22, 2025 /3BL/ – The names of the most important Chief Sustainability Officers of Europe were announced at the Futur/io CSO Awards on Monday night. The celebration took place at a gala dinner at the iconic Hotel Schatzalp in Davos, Switzerland, during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting week.

Claire Lund, Vice President of Environmental Sustainability of GSK received the Gold CSO Award.

The Silver Award went to Katie McGinty, Vice President and Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer of Johnson Controls, while the Bronze Award was granted to Rajita D’Souza, President of Human Resources and Corporate Social Responsibility of ST Microelectronics.

The Grand Jury also granted three Special Honour Awards to Petra Wicklandt from Merck KGaA, Karin Reiter from the Adecco Group, and Linda Freiner from Zurich Insurance.

Elena Valderrábano from Telefónica received a special Sustainable Supply Chain Award presented by Nick Heine, CCO & CSO of IntegrityNext.

The Peer Award, chosen by the live audience of the CSO Awards gala ceremony, went to Anke Ehlers, Managing Director of International Sustainability at ALDI South Group, and was presented by Kevin Tayebaly, Co-Founder of ChangeNOW.

Among the speakers of the evening were Sandrine Dixson-Declève, of the Club of Rome, Ingmar Rentzhog, from We Don’t Have Time, Joachim Swensson, of Made in Sustainability, Magnus Drewelies, of CEEZER Software, and jury members among others.

“Here on the Magic Mountains of Davos, we look at the new year ahead, celebrating the humans who are role models in sustainability. By shining a light on the role of Chief Sustainability Officers, we hope to inspire others to be ambitious and work on building the desirable futures we want to live in,” said Harald Neidhardt, CEO & Curator of the Futur/io Institute.

The final winners were selected from the 20 Nominees list by a Grand Jury that includes some of the most influential and inspiring voices in sustainability. Members include John Elkington, known as “the Godfather of Sustainability”, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, honorary president of the Club of Rome, Claudia Malley, President and Managing Director of Partnerships at Economist Impact, and Livio Scalvini, Co-Founder and executive director of the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College London.

Other members are Helle Bank Jorgensen, CEO and founder of Competent Boards, José Manuel Gomes, Business Development Director at Medialivre, Chris Luebkeman, Head of the Strategic Foresight Hub at ETH Zürich and founder of [y]our2040, and Isabelle Grosmaître, Author and Founder and CEO at Goodness & Co. The Chair of the Jury is Harald Neidhardt, CEO and Curator of the Futur/io Institute.

This is the second edition of the CSO Awards Europe, an initiative of the Futur/io Institute, a pioneering organisation dedicated to nurturing and inspiring leadership in sustainable innovation and building the most impactful network of Chief Sustainability Officers globally. The North American edition of the CSO Awards took place during the New York Climate Week 2024.

The CSO Awards Europe is a collaboration with partner Made in Sustainability, and supported by premium partners Integrity Next and Waste Equity, together with scientific partner the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College Business School, knowledge partners Denominator, Rainforest Partnership, Climate GPT, and Economist Impact, and also Gold Partner CEEZER Software. The complete list of community partners and supporting brands is available online.

Award Winners 

Gold Award Winner – Claire Lund 

Vice President of Environmental Sustainability – GSK

Silver Award Winner – Katie McGinty

Vice President and Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer of Johnson Controls

Bronze Award Winner – Rajita D’Souza

President of Human Resources and Corporate Social Responsibility – ST Microelectronics.

Special Honour – Petra Wicklandt

Head of Corporate Sustainability, Quality and Trade Compliance – Merck KGaA

Special Honour – Karin Reiter

SVP Sustainability & ESG – The Adecco Group

Special Honour – Linda Freiner

Chief Sustainability Officer – Zurich Insurance

Sustainable Supply Chain Award Winner – Elena Valderrábano

Global Chief Sustainability Officer – Telefónica

Peer Award Winner – Anke Ehlers

Managing Director of International Sustainability at ALDI South Group

Awards Criteria 

The 20 CSO Awards Europe Nominees have been drawn from the Top100 CSOs of Europe list, compiled by Futur/io using an extensive database including all the major European companies. The shortlist was defined using a four-quadrant model criteria, developed by Futur/io and scientific partner the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College Business School, and supported by knowledge partners Denominator, specialized in human-centric data, Rainforest Partnership, focused on biodiversity and ClimateGPT by Erasmus.ai adding a balanced public sentiment on the Top 100 CSOs.

The four quadrant model takes into consideration the maturity of corporate behaviours, regulatory performance on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) criteria, environmental and human impact and also a self-assessment survey.

CSO Awards Europe Grand Jury

Sandrine Dixson-Declève, co-president of the Club of Rome; Author & Chair of Earth4AllJohn Elkington, Founder & Chief Pollinator at Volans, known as “the Godfather of Sustainability”Claudia Malley, President and Managing Director of Partnerships at Economist ImpactLivio Scalvini, co-founder and executive director of the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College LondonHelle Bank Jorgensen, CEO and founder of Competent BoardsJosé Manuel Gomes, Business Development Director at Medialivre, PortugalChris Luebkeman, Head of the Strategic Foresight Hub at ETH Zürich and founder of [y]our2040Isabelle Grosmaître, Author and Founder and CEO at Goodness & Co.Harald Neidhardt, CEO and Curator of the Futur/io Institute, as the Chair of the Grand Jury

About Futur/io Institute 
We believe in co-creating desirable futures where ideas and innovation drive a regenerative economy that benefits people and the planet within the planetary boundaries.

The Futur/io Institute is a pioneering organisation to serve the most impactful network of Chief Sustainability Officers dedicated to transforming businesses to drive positive impact for people, planet and prosperity. We do this through publications, podcasts and convening at inspiring locations like Davos, Basel, Lisbon, Venice and New York.

With a mission to inspire ambition, action and cross-pollination to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the institute provides a platform for thought leaders, innovators, and change-makers to shape the futures of business and society.

Futur/io works with organisations like the UNFCCC or corporations in leadership training and curates Executive Programmes to inspire future leaders in sustainable innovation. Each year in Davos, the institute organizes executive receptions and recently debuted the annual CSO Awards to shine a light on the leadership role of Chief Sustainability Officers.

Futur/io is based in Hamburg and works as a think-tank with a selected international and diverse faculty of 100+ leaders in sustainability. The most recent book “Leadership for Sustainable Futures” was published in May 2024 with Murmann Publishers. CEO & Curator Harald Neidhardt hosts the CSO Impact Podcast.

futur.io

Additional Info 
https://www.csoawards.org/europe 
https://www.csoawards.org/europe/2025/winners 
Images of the winners, the jury and the ceremony are available in our Press Folder.

Media Contacts 
Barbara Axt – Media Relations 
barbara@futur.io 
Luciana Prestes – Head of Marketing 
luciana@futur.io

WHAT: 
Whole Cities– a project of Whole Foods Market Foundation, dedicated to broadening community access to fresh food and nutrition education– has opened its annual Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access Grant window to offer financial support to locally led organizations working to expand access to fresh, healthy food and nutrition education initiatives. Today through February 19, 2025, organizations based in Newark, NJ are invited to apply for funding between $5,000 and $20,000 each.

WHY: 
Through Whole Cities’ Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access Grant program, locally led organizations receive funding to grow the local food system and improve community health across all five wards in Newark.

WHEN: 
The application window is open now through Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 11:59pm EST.

WHERE: 
Applicants can apply online at wholecitiesfoundation.org/grants/newark-nj.

DETAILS: 
Since launching the Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access Grant program in 2017, Whole Cities has awarded more than $1 million to 34 locally led organizations throughout Newark’s five wards and has provided financial backing for additional opportunities shaped by the goals and requests of its grant partners. Grant recipients have included community gardens, urban farms, farmers’ markets, mobile markets, healthy cooking classes, nutrition education programs, agriculture-skills development programs, and a SNAP incentive project. Both new and previous grant partners are encouraged to apply. Grants will be awarded in late April 2025. To learn more about Whole Cities’ Newark Fresh, Healthy Food Access Grant program including eligibility details and past grant partners, visit: wholecitiesfoundation.org/grants/newark-nj.

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About Whole Cities

Whole Cities is on a mission to improve individual and community health through collaborative partnerships, education, and broader access to nutritious food. Whole Cities is a project of Whole Foods Market Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Austin, Texas. For more information on Whole Cities and its programs, visit wholecitiesfoundation.org. For ongoing news and updates, follow Whole Foods Market Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) or LinkedIn.

LINCOLN, Neb., January 22, 2025 /3BL/ – The Arbor Day Foundation celebrates an impactful partnership with MathWorks, a leading developer of mathematical computing software, as they embrace a multifaceted approach to driving positive impact through trees.

As part of their partnership, MathWorks is committing $1 million to the Arbor Day Foundation’s pledge to plant and distribute 10 million trees in the six states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“MathWorks is embodying the bold leadership of an organization eager to use its resources to create positive change,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Replanting trees in the wake of disaster is an effort bigger than all of us. And something bigger than all of us, takes all of us. We’re grateful MathWorks has chosen to stand alongside the Arbor Day Foundation in this important moment as we seek to replant hope.”

This funding will help reach communities and forestlands needing restoration following the back-to-back hurricanes. Some communities are already feeling the impact of those dollars. In December, funding from MathWorks helped the Arbor Day Foundation and its local planting partner distribute 800 trees to Asheville, North Carolina residents.

“MathWorks is proud to support the Arbor Day Foundation, reinforcing our commitment to actively help tackle climate change,” said Jack Little, CEO of MathWorks. “Collaborating with this organization allows MathWorks to contribute to global reforestation efforts and help create a healthier planet for future generations.”

In addition to their hurricane recovery efforts, MathWorks has also made a significant investment in forestry carbon credits in collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation’s carbon-focused division, Arbor Day Carbon. This project focuses on restoring the Mississippi Alluvial Valley’s forest ecosystem, helping to improve local water quality, support wildlife habitat, and sequester carbon.

“As a company deeply rooted in science and innovation, the MathWorks commitment is a resounding affirmation of the importance of the voluntary carbon market in the effort to slow climate change. Their support of this project will nurture the growth of one of our country’s most critical ecosystems and shape a better future for us all,” said Chris Tointon, president of Arbor Day Carbon.

Visit arborday.org to learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation’s hurricane recovery efforts and the nonprofit’s work in the voluntary carbon market.

About the Arbor Day Foundation 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

About MathWorks 

MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of engineers and scientists, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a block diagram environment for simulation and Model-Based Design of multidomain and embedded engineering systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these products to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development in automotive, aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial automation, and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are fundamental teaching and research tools in the world’s top universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 6,500 people in 34 offices around the world, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathworks.com.

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Albertsons Companies has been honored with two 2024 Impact Awards from Progressive Grocer, underscoring the company’s unwavering commitment to its Recipe for Change. This initiative emphasizes the importance of supporting the planet we share and the communities we serve.

One of the awards recognizes Albertsons Cos.’ efforts in improving seafood supply chain transparency. The grocer’s Responsible Choice Seafood Program helps customers feel confident in the source of products while also supporting the protection of ocean resources and the fair treatment of those working in the seafood industry.

The Responsible Choice logo, prominently displayed on all seafood products under the company’s Own Brands Waterfront BISTRO® and Open Nature®, simplifies the process of identifying responsibly sourced seafood. This logo signifies adherence to rigorous standards, providing customers with confidence in their seafood selections.

See original post on LinkedIn and read more about Albertsons Companies and our Recipe for Change on our website.

Key Points

West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) introduced a compressor mechanics program in January to meet workforce demands and spark interest in mechanical careers.The program was developed in partnership with MPLX, Marathon Petroleum’s midstream component, which contributed expertise and curriculum input and donated equipment for hands-on training.Students can earn a one-year certificate or a two-year associate’s degree, gaining skills to secure entry-level jobs in a high-demand field with opportunities for career growth.

A new compressor mechanics program launched at West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) this January. School leaders and industry partners expect the new program to spur increased interest in the career path and meet a growing need for the skill set in the workforce.

“This program is for people who like mechanical work on large equipment and who like to work with their hands and their minds,” said Curtis Hippensteel, Division Chair for Applied Technology at WVNCC.

WVNCC collaborated with members of the natural gas industry to develop the program and create a hands-on lab for students. Employees with MPLX, Marathon Petroleum’s midstream component, were some of the experts who contributed to the curriculum.

“MPLX identified the need for the program and expressed interest in partnering with us,” said Hippensteel. “That’s what we love to have – an industry partner to help us get started and share their expertise.”

Marathon Petroleum employees Brandon Belford, Michael Mace and Max Davis worked closely with WVNCC to develop the curriculum, determine the learning outcomes and identify the equipment needed.

“We want to ensure that students who complete this program will have the skills needed to secure an entry level job and be successful in their career,” said Brandon Belford, Maintenance Director for MPLX Gathering & Processing Operations.

MPLX donated a retired compressor and engine for students to use in class, giving access to hands-on lessons in diagnosing, repairing and maintaining complex industrial compressor systems. Belford and his team moved the compressor to the college’s lab space on the Wheeling, West Virginia, campus. Employees are part of an advisory panel to guide the WVNCC program. MPLX will also continue offering plant tours for the college’s energy technology and compressor mechanics program students and provide speakers to talk about careers in the industry.

“When our students are exposed to industry professionals and know the industry is supporting the program, it shows that if they do their part in school, this could lead to good job opportunities,” said Hippensteel. “It helps strengthen the community, too, because these jobs pay a living wage, and there’s lots of opportunity for employees to move up.”

Students enrolled this semester can earn a one-year certificate by the end of the year and a two-year associate’s degree will be offered the following year.