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Product designs from CNH’s global construction brands CASE Construction Equipment and New Holland Construction have been honored with two Good Design Awards. The awards, founded 75 years ago, have become a global benchmark for design excellence and are determined by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd.

“These Good Design awards are recognition of our Design team’s role in producing the CASE 580EV Backhoe Loader and New Holland Construction W40X Electric Power. Their styling matches the innovation within the machines,” said David Wilkie, Head of Industrial Design at CNH.

Our Winners

CASE was recognized for the 580EV Electric Backhoe Loader – the industry’s first production-ready, purpose-built electric backhoe loader. This recognition emphasizes CASE’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, offering a sustainable alternative in the construction industry. The 580EV features a sleek design with electric blue decaling, ergonomic controls, and an operator-focused cab equipped with an 8-inch touch screen that ensures ease of use and efficiency on the job site. CASE sets a new standard for safe and efficient construction equipment with its advanced safety features such as adjustable strobe lights.

The New Holland Construction W40X Electric Power – the brand’s new compact wheel loader – was recognized for its innovative styling that complements its engineering prowess. The seamless integration of aesthetics and functionality sets a new benchmark in the design of construction equipment. The W40X special edition created by CNH’s Industrial design team features a ‘Clean Blue’ design with the iconic New Holland leaf symbol, showcasing advanced alternative propulsion technology. New Holland’s innovative design continues to push the boundaries, marrying enhanced performance with visual appeal.

Southern Company

Southern Company, along with its subsidiaries Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Mississippi Power and Virginia Natural Gas, is proud to celebrate the remarkable recovery of the red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW), which has been downlisted from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

This achievement marks more than 50 years of dedicated conservation efforts by a coalition of federal and state agencies, private landowners and conservation groups.

“The recovery of the red-cockaded woodpecker exemplifies the power of public-private partnerships in achieving significant conservation milestones,” said Dr. Mark Berry, senior vice president of Southern Company Services research, environment and sustainability. “Southern Company’s dedication to environmental stewardship and collaborative conservation efforts underscores our commitment to preserving biodiversity and protecting our natural heritage. We remain steadfast in our efforts to ensure that the RCW and other species continue to thrive for generations to come.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced this milestone, recognizing the collaborative efforts that have helped increase the RCW population. Known for its distinctive black-and-white plumage with a red streak in males, the bird has found sanctuary across Southern Company’s territory, including longleaf pine forests restored across the Southeast.

In 2008, Georgia Power and Southern Company provided funding to assist the state of Georgia in purchasing the 9,200-acre Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area to focus on supporting the RCW. The tract contains extensive stands of mature longleaf pine habitat where more than 21 RCW family groups are found today.

The company also supported emergency habitat recovery efforts after Hurricane Michael in 2018 and provides habitat adjacent to Plant Hatch as part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resource’s Safe Harbor program. In total, Georgia Power has played a vital role in restoring more than 1 million acres of longleaf pine forests across the state, providing essential habitat for the RCW.

Alabama Power has been instrumental in creating a safe habitat for the RCW at Lake Mitchell. The company’s efforts include prescribed, controlled burns and the installation of artificial cavity inserts to provide the woodpeckers with ready nests. These initiatives have significantly contributed to the bird’s population growth in Alabama.

The downlisting of the RCW is a significant achievement, but the work continues. Southern Company and its subsidiaries remain committed to ongoing conservation efforts to ensure the RCW not only survives but thrives for generations to come.

Originally published in Lenovo’s 2023/24 ESG Report

Lenovo’s day-to-day operation around the globe generates non-hazardous waste and minimal quantities of hazardous waste. To ensure that waste is properly managed and, in an attempt, to minimize environmental impact, Lenovo’s waste, both non-hazardous and hazardous, are separated and collected from the site of generation to be disposed of through third-party waste management organizations in accordance with its Site Environmental Programs Manual and applicable legal requirements.

During the FY 2023/24 reporting year, Lenovo continued to measure and monitor both non-hazardous and hazardous waste generation volumes and disposal methods through an internal environmental database. In this system, environmental focal points at its sites collect and upload monthly waste data from measured data when feasible or calculations based on measured data. When no measured data is available, non-hazardous waste estimations are used, usually based on the headcount at the site and the previous year’s monthly data from similar sites

Lenovo’s waste data for the current reporting year is presented in Section 7.0. Annual Verification Statements for Lenovo’s total non-hazardous and hazardous waste are available on Lenovo’s website.

Lenovo’s EMS requires sites to report environmental incidents, including waste-related incidents, through the internal environmental database. During the FY 2023/24 reporting year, no waste-related incidents were reported. In addition to internal reporting, Lenovo’s manufacturing facilities periodically undergo audits, some of which cover aspects of waste management. For more information on audits at Lenovo’s facilities, see Section 4.0.

Lenovo recognizes that waste management is important throughout the value chain. Lenovo requires suppliers to meet the Supplier Code of Conduct and the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) Code of Conduct through contractual stipulations, both of which include waste-related provisions. Lenovo uses RBA audits to verify compliance with RBA’s Code of Conduct by most suppliers by spend. For more information on these supplier activities, see Section 6.0.

Lenovo manages downstream impacts through a Product-End-of-Life Management (PELM) program. More information on Lenovo’s PELM activities can be found in the corresponding section.

Non-hazardous waste

Lenovo’s non-hazardous waste includes typical office and cafeteria waste as well as packaging and manufacturing scrap at manufacturing locations.

Under Lenovo’s EMS, a global non-hazardous waste recycling target is set annually. For the FY 2023/24 reporting year, the target was to direct 90 percent (+/-5 percent) of Lenovo’s non-hazardous waste to recovery operations. The results of Lenovo’s environmental targets are available in Section 8.0.

Hazardous waste

Lenovo’s operations generate minimal quantities of hazardous waste. Hazardous waste is waste designated as hazardous by applicable laws or regulations in a country, state, region, or locality and may include oils, coolants, organic solvents, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, and ballasts. Hazardous waste is required to be disposed of in accordance with local environmental regulations by approved suppliers.

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From renovating school libraries in Suriname to running career fairs in Brazil, supporting education initiatives in the Dominican Republic, and pioneering port-focused qualifications in Ecuador, DP World is proving that education can flow as seamlessly as global trade.

When you think of a logistics leader like DP World, you probably imagine shipping containers and cranes — not classrooms and scholarships. Yet DP World is investing in global education to shape future leaders and strengthen the communities it operates in, not least in the Americas.

In celebration of the UN’s International Day of Education, we’re taking a closer look at how DP World is empowering students, teachers, and communities in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. Through innovative programs, infrastructure upgrades, and scholarships, DP World is proving that building minds is just as important as moving goods.

Building Futures Through Infrastructure

DP World understands that a strong foundation starts with the right environment. In Suriname, the company partnered with COSCO Shipping Lines to renovate the media library at OS Lobatoschool near the Jules Sedney Terminal in Paramaribo. Completed in late 2024, the project transformed the library into a modern learning space. During the handover ceremony, DP World Paramaribo CEO Mervel Kotzebue-Fleur emphasized the importance of education in shaping Suriname’s economic future.

Meanwhile, in Peru, the DP World Race, a 10K charity run, has been funding school improvements in Callao for over a decade. In 2024, proceeds from the race helped build eight digital classrooms, a computer lab, and a library at Luisa de Sabogal 5001 school, benefiting over 430 students.

In Ecuador, DP World has partnered with ESPOL University to deliver a port-focused technical qualification through the Academic Unit for Technical and Technological Training (AUFTT) in Posorja. Offering qualifications in mechatronics and port logistics, 40% of training is conducted in DP World facilities.

Empowering Students with Scholarships and Career Guidance

Scholarships are a cornerstone of DP World’s education strategy, breaking down barriers for low-income families. In Chile, the Pre-University Program in San Antonio has supported over 300 students since 2016, helping them prepare for the Higher Education Admissions Test (PAES). Nearly 70% of participants are children of employees, while the remaining 30% are high-achieving local students.

In Brazil, DP World is preparing students for the logistics workforce through its Global Education Program (GEP). From September to November 2024, the program reached 140 students with interactive sessions on sustainability, decarbonization, and human resources. At a career fair hosted in partnership with SENAI, over 200 students connected with DP World Santos managers and explored how their studies could lead to real-world opportunities.

In the Dominican Republic, DP World’s Visión Futuro initiative has impacted approximately 6,000 young people by focusing on education, labor insertion, women’s empowerment, and youth networks. Programs include a School Retention effort benefiting 2,000 students, vocational technical training for 805 participants, and entrepreneurship support for 388 individuals. Since 2020, DP World has invested over $512,570 in Visión Futuro, with an additional $138,000 planned for 2025.

Ecuador’s AUFTT program also highlights the transformative power of education. For 25-year-old Sharon Baque, a mechatronics student, it has meant becoming the first in her family to pursue a college degree. In Chile, San Antonio’s Technical-Professional Talks Program and educational terminal visits, at both locations, help foster students’ interest in both the academic training and career prospects in the supply chain industry.

Recognizing Academic Excellence

Celebrating student success is just as important as creating opportunities. In Chile, DP World held award ceremonies in July 2024 at its San Antonio and Lirquén terminals, recognizing over 100 students for their outstanding academic performance.

Similarly, in Peru, DP World’s EcoCuentos initiative took a creative twist. Over four editions, the program published 1,400 books featuring stories written by employees and their families. The stories, which focus on topics like climate change and ocean conservation, have reached over 4,000 children in Callao and Paita, inspiring a love for learning and sustainability.

Breaking Barriers for Women in Education

DP World is also addressing gender inequality in education and the workforce. In Ecuador, the Operators of the Future program trains women to work in traditionally male-dominated roles, such as crane and forklift operation.

In Suriname, the DP World 4 Women initiative honored 26 female teachers at OS Lobatoschool for their dedication to shaping future leaders. Female employees from DP World Paramaribo provided care kits to the teachers as a gesture of appreciation during Women’s History Month.

In Chile, DP World’s sustainability efforts include courses for women heads of household in Lirquén, equipping them with tools to work in a trade.

Why Education Matters to DP World

So why is a global logistics company so invested in education? For DP World, it’s about more than corporate social responsibility. Education is a long-term investment in the communities where it operates — and in its own future workforce. By aligning its programs with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), DP World is building a pipeline of talent while fostering economic growth and social equity.

The impact goes deeper. From Suriname’s revitalized libraries to DP World’s pioneering university-partnership in Ecuador, education initiatives are transforming lives across the Americas. By investing in students, teachers, and infrastructure, DP World is proving that education can be the ultimate supply chain—one that delivers opportunity and prosperity for all.

Curious to learn more? Visit DP World’s Global Education Platform for free resources, career tools, and a closer look at how DP World is shaping the next generation of leaders.

Packaging is a ubiquitous aspect of healthcare treatments and while hospitals and their staff often share a strong purpose to address packaging waste, the challenge is significant. As 85% of hospital waste is considered to be non-hazardous, free from patient contact and contamination, a more sustainable management of packaging waste at the end of life should be feasible. Realizing the economic value of this waste will help drive change and enhance recycling efforts.

Our previous case study in 2024 involved four European hospitals that were managing plastic waste at varying levels. The study focused on plastics waste generated within hospital operating rooms, the challenges of waste sorting at the point of use, and the implementation of waste collection systems.

In a new project, the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) aims to gain insight into the sorting of healthcare plastic packaging into streams categorized by material type and suitable for subsequent recycling. This first pilot study assesses the sortability of a small batch of healthcare plastic packaging waste generated within a hospital. The long-term aim of the project is to demonstrate that commercial sorting and recycling of healthcare plastic packaging waste is possible, can be scaled, and that the recycled material has financial value. This necessitates the ability of healthcare plastic packaging to be identified and separated from packaging waste into intended waste material fractions with high sortability yields.

Our Partners

Our partners in this initiative include UMC Utrecht (UMCU) hospital, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, which provided a batch of uncontaminated healthcare plastic packaging waste. This waste was subsequently sorted by our second partner, the National Test Centre Circular Plastics (NTCP) also in the Netherlands.

The Pilot StudyCollecting the Test Batch

At UMCU hospital, a healthcare plastic packaging waste batch of about 2 cubic meters was collected from surgery preparation areas, wards, and medication rooms. The packaging was free from contamination and included only healthcare plastic packaging waste, excluding other waste sources such as consumer packaging waste. Both flexible and rigid plastic packaging were collected to represent a typical mix of healthcare plastic packaging formats and materials used in hospitals. Sterilization wraps or shrink wraps were not included in the study as UMCU has dedicated recycling programs for their end-of-life treatment.

During the pilot study, UMCU’s routine procedures for waste segregation were followed with no additional instructions on disposing of healthcare plastic packaging. The test batch consisted of healthcare plastic packaging waste collected at specific points in the hospital.

Sorting and Analyzing the Test Batch

The collected test batch was manually sorted at the NTCP facility following RecyClass guidance for waste segregation, considered a benchmark for commercial waste sorting operations. The batch was sorted into typical waste streams according to polymer type and form (rigids/flexibles). Manual sorting is a reliable way to sort smaller batches for which automated technologies are not feasible due to the small sample size. A portable NIR-spectrometer was used to determine unknown packaging materials.

Rigid packaging represented 74% of the test batch by weight, while flexible mono-material and multilayer packaging accounted for the remaining 26%.

In principle, for the rigid packaging waste, the polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) packaging could be recycled within polyolefin mono-material streams. Moreover, the polyester (PET) rigid packaging could be recycled within the rigid PET stream. The percentage of these packaging that could actually be sorted and recycled would be limited by other Design for Recycling factors. For example, those that include a paper label may not be suitable for sorting or recycling.

For the flexible materials, PE (10%) and PP (4%) films could be recycled within flexible mono-material polyolefin streams. Multilayer flexibles that contain polyamide (PA) or PET components (11% of the waste batch) remain a challenge and for the moment would be considered non-recyclable within most European countries.

From this test batch, in a best-case assessment, up to 84% of the packaging waste could be directed into an appropriate stream for subsequent recycling.

Next Phase of the Project

This pilot phase focused on a small quantity of packaging material from specific locations within the UMCU hospital and was manually sorted to generate a more detailed picture of material types. The next phase is to evaluate a larger batch of plastic packaging waste, moving from manual sorting to automatic sorting representative of commercial sorting facilities.

Our ongoing aim is to:

Provide further insights into the expected material composition of healthcare plastic packaging waste.Assess how effectively the waste can be commercially sorted into specific waste streams, suitable for recycling.Evaluate the quality of the recycled waste and the value it may have when used in new applications.Identify types of packaging that are not currently suitable for recycling and comment on how packaging design could further improve recycling rates.

Throughout Europe, many healthcare facilities and waste management companies are developing systems to collect, sort and recycle healthcare plastic packaging waste. If you are interested in our work or wish to be involved, please reach out to HPRC.

 

About HPRC

HPRC is a private technical coalition of industry peers across healthcare, recycling, and waste management industries seeking to improve the recyclability of plastic products within healthcare. Made up of brand-leading and globally recognized members, HPRC explores ways to enhance the economics, efficiency, and ultimately the quality and quantity of healthcare plastics collected for recycling in support of a circular plastics economy. HPRC is active across the United States and Europe working with key stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and participating in industry events and forums. For more information, visit www.hprc.org and follow HPRC on LinkedIn.

Next generation of professionals challenged to develop a business concept leveraging artificial intelligence in plastics value chainFinalists will present virtually to panel of judges that includes leaders in sustainability 

OAKLAND, Calif., January 21, 2025 /3BL/ – Net Impact announces its third Circular Plastics Challenge with a case prompt that encourages emerging business professionals to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to maximize circularity in the plastics value chain.

Presented with the support of Hillenbrand, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company, the competition calls for participants to learn about the modern plastics value chain while developing AI-supported business models to maximize circularity at any point within the value chain (pre-consumer, during consumer use, or post-consumer). Final submissions are due in April, and in June, five finalist teams will present their concepts virtually to a panel of judges that includes plastics industry and sustainability leaders. The first-place team will be awarded $5,000, followed by $2,500 for second place and $1,000 for third place.

“We love this program because it enables our responsible business-oriented community to think critically about how to leverage the latest technology like AI for sustainable applications in the corporate context,” Karen Johns, CEO of Net Impact, said. “With so much growth around artificial intelligence, this will be a wonderful opportunity for our community to learn and explore this topic in tangible terms.”

Net Impact and Hillenbrand, a leading global provider of highly-engineered processing equipment and solutions, developed the Circular Plastics Challenge concept in 2022 to foster innovation and champion sustainability. The first competition was held in 2023 to engage future leaders in developing industry-shifting ideas to keep plastics in the economy and out of the environment. In 2024, finalists presented concepts during a virtual showcase at NPE2024, a tradeshow produced by the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) that drew more than 50,000 attendees from over 110 countries. In the program’s first two years, teams representing dozens of countries around the world have submitted more than 115 proposals.

Net Impact facilitates the competition by bringing together its global network of social impact and sustainability leaders to address the challenge. With more than 130,000 members across over 300 chapters at colleges, universities, and local communities worldwide, Net Impact aims to address social challenges, protect the environment, develop new concepts and approaches, and leverage the tools of business toward the greater good.

“Plastics are essential to today’s global economy, and it is important that we continue to advance the material through the entire value chain. As we incorporate AI into this year’s competition, I believe we can unlock new possibilities in advancing plastics circularity,” said Kim Ryan, President and CEO of Hillenbrand. “This partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and Net Impact continues to foster innovation and engage the next generation of the plastics industry.”

In the competition’s inaugural year, participants were challenged to design solutions to keep plastics in the economy and out of the environment by using upstream innovation to reduce plastic leakage. The winning team was Ashaya, an India-based startup that is turning post-consumer multi-layer plastics, typically found in packets of chips, into new products such as recycled sunglasses. In 2024, participants were tasked with designing concepts to increase the supply of rPET, or recycled polyethylene terephthalate. The winning team, Strong Bottle, proposed a redesign of bottles intended to prevent flattening during the recycling process, which in turn could result in a 15% increase in PET collected during the recycling process.

More information about the Circular Plastics Challenge, including participant applications and previous winners, can be found at netimpact.org/programs/circular-plastics-challenge.

About Net Impact 
Over 30 years Net Impact has built a diverse community in 40+ countries committed to using business to advance social and environmental action. Net Impact mobilizes its global community of more than 100,000 emergent change agents to leverage their careers to drive transformational environmental and social change. Through a strategic set of initiatives aimed to engage and benefit its core stakeholders, Net Impact is committed to advancing climate action and building the capacity of the next generation of workforce members. Visit www.netimpact.org.

About Hillenbrand 
Hillenbrand (NYSE: HI) is a global industrial company that provides highly-engineered, mission-critical processing equipment and solutions to customers in over 100 countries around the world. Our portfolio is composed of leading industrial brands that serve large, attractive end markets, including durable plastics, food, and recycling. Guided by our Purpose — Shape What Matters For Tomorrow™ — we pursue excellence, collaboration, and innovation to consistently shape solutions that best serve our associates, customers, communities, and other stakeholders. To learn more, visit www.Hillenbrand.com.

About The Coca-Cola Company 
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

CONTACT:

Net Impact 
Hilary Manzo, Associate Director of Programs 
Phone: 415-495-4230 x369 
Email: hmanzo@netimpact.org

TAIPEI, Taiwan, January 21, 2025 /3BL/ – Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, has recently partnered with the Society of Wilderness (SoW) to tackle water resource challenges. As part of this initiative, FedEx encouraged team members and their families to join a riverside cleanup along the Touchian River in Hsinchu. After several hours of dedicated effort, the team successfully removed nearly 181 kilograms of waste. This accomplishment highlights the strong commitment FedEx has for environmental stewardship and its positive contribution to Taiwan’s ecological sustainability.

The Touchian River, which plays a critical role in the Greater Hsinchu area, was selected for the cleanup due to its importance in supplying over 90% of the local water, supporting agriculture, sustaining livelihoods, and being essential for the operations at the Hsinchu Science Park. Notably, Taiwan’s high-tech sector, which relies heavily on electronic components—its largest export in 20231—benefits significantly from this water resource.

“FedEx is committed to fostering sustainable development in the communities we serve and supporting local environmental conservation efforts,” said Michael Chu, managing director of FedEx Taiwan. “The Touchian River is a vital resource for the Hsinchu area, and our ongoing partnership with the Society of Wilderness underscores our dedication to environmental stewardship and corporate social responsibility. We are committed to enhancing Taiwan’s ecological environment, growing alongside local communities, and pursuing a more sustainable future through our actions.”

“A clean river is the key to a blue sea,” said Liu Yueh-Mei, Honorary Chairperson of the Society of Wilderness. “We are excited to collaborate once again with FedEx, focusing on Taiwan’s water resources. According to the results of these two riverside clean-up events, the most common debris were plastic bottles, plastic bags, and disposable utensils. This emphasizes the importance of reducing plastic usage and reminds us to minimize the reliance of single-use products from everyday activities to achieve environmental sustainability. Additionally, numerous large waste items were discovered in the streams, highlighting the urgent need to prevent dumping trash or wastewater into our waterways to preserve their cleanliness. The Society of Wilderness eagerly anticipate more companies, organizations, and individuals, like FedEx, to join in protecting our land, rivers, and oceans, for a cleaner, sustainable future.”

In addition to organizing two cleanup events on December 14 and 28, 2024, FedEx partnered with the Society of Wilderness to hold an environmental education seminar titled “For Blue Seas, Start with Clean Streams.” This initiative aimed to explore the beauty of Taiwan’s aquatic and marine environments while educating team members on the importance of protecting the natural world. Through these hands-on cleanup events and educational seminars, FedEx team members are inspired to incorporate sustainability into their daily lives, particularly by reducing the use of disposable plastic items. FedEx actively supports sustainable practices, collaborating with local NGOs to promote environmental sustainability and foster a virtuous cycle.

1https://www.ey.gov.tw/state/6A206590076F7EF/8b5032af-1a67-4c02-bd16-8791aa459cd2

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, revolutionized its approach to packaging sustainability with its SMASH Packaging initiative. Building on the program’s success since its original launch in 2019, the company introduced SMASH 2.0 last year. SMASH 2.0 is an updated packaging sustainability framework to optimize its implementation across the organization, with new targets set for 2030.

Highlighted below are three packaging projects from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, distribution center, one of the company’s largest distribution centers in the United States:

“Packaging for Smalls”: This project minimizes the packaging dimensions for shipping small products like small vials. The change is anticipated to impact approximately 1,000 shipments daily, reducing cardboard usage by up to 61% per box. This will lead to a total annual reduction in shipping weight of 60 metric tons.Air Pillow Replacement: A switch was made to plastic air pillows made of 95% recycled content, reducing the amount of virgin plastic in the company’s supply chain, affecting 56 metric tons of plastic every year.Deforestation-Free Packaging: The Milwaukee site uses an estimated 3,800+ metric tons of fiber-based packaging per year. The site has made significant progress, with 83% of fiber materials that meet the company’s deforestation-free requirements. This year, two projects are in progress that add sustainable forestry certification to over 300 metric tons of material, bringing the Milwaukee site to 91% alignment of responsibly sourced fiber materials. These deforestation-free requirements not only include fiber material certifications, but also include the use of recycled fiber materials, which contribute to this measurement.

To learn more about MilliporeSigma’s SMASH Packaging plan and progress, visit the company’s Sustainability & Social Business Innovation webpage.

Takeaways

Open source AI is transforming healthcare outcomes by enabling important innovations in medical technology and healthcare research.Researchers have used models like Llama to improve the accuracy of radiological diagnostic tools, match patients with clinical trials and more.With more equitable health outcomes estimated to lead to nearly $3 trillion in GDP growth, open source AI drives economic growth as well as healthcare innovation.

Open source AI models like Llama are available for free for organizations to use, modify and build on, making this critical technology more accessible than commercial models.

As a result, open source is enabling important innovations in medical technology, healthcare research and related sectors, helping researchers make crucial advancements to solve intractable problems.

Developers, researchers and other professionals can download and fine-tune the models on their own devices. That they don’t need to send their data back to the AI model providers strengthens control and security over private health data – critical factors for highly regulated industries like healthcare. The stakes here are not only scientific but economic, with improved health outcomes across communities estimated to add $2.8 trillion to US GDP by 2040.

Here are a few stories from companies who are using Llama’s open source technology to create a healthier future.

Zauron Labs

Zauron Labs’s Guardian AI double-checks radiological imaging exams and reports to find errors, helping to improve healthcare outcomes. “People don’t realize that there are around 3 billion medical imaging exams done per year with a 3-5% error rate,” says radiologist Dr. Kal Clark. “That’s millions of patients.”

When such errors occur, proper treatments can be delayed, illness and suffering can linger, and patients may experience worse long-term health outcomes. Open source AI models have the potential to substantially reduce those errors.

“With Meta’s Llama, we’re able to collaborate with universities and build the Guardian AI tool to double check for errors. It’s like a spell checker for radiologists,” says Dr. Clark, Vice Chair of Informatics at University of Texas Health San Antonio and co-founder of Zauron Labs.

Llama has enabled Zauron Labs to open up development across health systems, so that developers can “layer on” multiple algorithms to check for numerous medical issues at once as part of regular quality and safety exercises, amplifying the tool’s usefulness for patients and practitioners.

Mendel

Mendel’s Hypercube is an AI platform that helps health and science organizations draw insights from patient data using a chat-like tool built on open source AI, including Llama.

Applications for Hypercube include trial matching and patient cohorting, which are important: around 80% of clinical trials fail to meet their enrollment targets today, slowing the discovery of new treatments. “Studies have shown that it takes hundreds of days to match patients with a clinical trial. Hypercube can do it in one day,” says Dr. Wael Salloum, Founder and Chief Science Officer at Mendel.

Open source AI gives companies access to what Dr. Salloum calls “breakthrough technology.” “Using Meta’s open source AI, Llama, Hypercube allows health care companies to organize their data on their own cloud, creating a secure and searchable knowledge base.” adds Dr. Salloum.

With Llama, Mendel’s Hypercube can be used to extract reliable information from patient records at scale.

We have witnessed a rapid increase in the adoption of sustainable and energy-efficient technologies. For example, global sales of electric vehicles have surged from 1 million to over 10 million in the last five years, indicating a growing demand from consumers for sustainable transportation options. At the same time, demand for energy is expected to double in the next few years as a result of AI and other advanced technologies.

As a leading global climate innovator, our businesses and brands play a direct role in influencing greenhouse gas emissions. Our next significant opportunity to further climate action lies in the electrification of buildings and the cold chain. Achieving this goal will require us to rethink our approach to energy supply and demand by developing optimized systems supported by AI-driven automation and connected to clean energy sources in the most efficient configuration.

Guided by our Gigaton Challenge, a pledge to reduce our customers’ emissions by one gigaton, or one billion metric tons, by 2030, we are helping our customers transition to more sustainable solutions. Buildings are responsible for more than 30% of global emissions, with transport responsible for another 20%. Trane Technologies is decarbonizing the sectors responsible for more than half of the world’s emissions. The great news is that the technology exists today to significantly decarbonize the built environment. Our big idea is simple: It’s about capturing waste heat and redirecting it where it’s needed. Combining heating and cooling—with sophisticated controls—in a thermal management system can be 3-4 times more efficient than traditional methods. It saves money and reduces emissions. That’s why we’ve launched the Trane® Thermal Battery™ Storage-Source Heat Pump System – a first-of-its-kind solution that uses thermal energy storage ice tanks, air-to-water heat pumps, electric chiller-heaters, and intelligent controls to advance electrified, low-carbon heating in buildings.

In the transport sector, our new Thermo King® all-electric Advancer trailer refrigeration unit can adapt to a variety of power sources, including axle power, and operates with zero direct emissions. We deliver end-to-end connected, active temperature-controlled transport and temporary storage solutions across the entire cold chain: whether by air, ocean or land.

As an industry leader and disruptor, we know that innovation is powered by the ingenuity of our people. So, we are investing in innovative ways to recruit, develop and retain talent that will help drive the future. In 2023 we launched our Technician Apprenticeship Program, accredited by the U.S. Department of Labor, and have embraced a skills-forward approach to hiring. Our Operation Possible initiative, through crowd-sourcing and crowd-solving, allows our employees to bring diverse skill sets to brainstorm, give feedback, and develop solutions to global challenges with real-world applications.

To challenge what’s possible, we also have to challenge our own assumptions. We know that reversing the detrimental effects of climate change requires transformative innovation. By helping consumers and business leaders see the opportunity for innovation in our buildings, our transport and our workforce, we can take real action on climate in ways that are sometimes overlooked.

This article was originally published by Joules Accelerator, the largest climate technology incubator in the southeast. It has been adapted for the Trane Technologies blog.