Categoría: Geovanny Vicente

CVS Health Foundation Establishes $5 Million College Scholarship for Black and Latinx Students Pursuing Health Care Careers

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The CVS Health Foundation today announced it has established a five-year, $5 million CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship program, in collaboration with UNCF (United Negro College Fund). Scholarships will be awarded to Black and Latinx students pursuing an academic career in health care. The new scholarship program is part of CVS Health’s <a target="_blank"…

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The CVS Health Foundation today announced it has established a five-year, $5 million CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship program, in collaboration with UNCF (United Negro College Fund). Scholarships will be awarded to Black and Latinx students pursuing an academic career in health care. The new scholarship program is part of CVS Health’s nearly $600 million commitment over the next five years to address inequity faced by Black people and other disenfranchised communities.

«This scholarship will feed a robust pipeline of under-represented students, which will in turn strengthen the pool of talented college graduates ready for today’s and tomorrow’s workplace,» said David Casey, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, CVS Health. «Enabling students to excel in the workforce—particularly people of color and those facing financial barriers—advances our commitment to social justice and equity and will have a lasting impact.»

The CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship is being launched in collaboration with UNCF, the nation’s largest minority education organization supporting students’ education and development through scholarships and advocacy for minority education and college readiness. According to a report by UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, students who receive a UNCF scholarship outperform the national population of students in persistence through college and to graduation. In fact, 70% of African American freshmen who received a UNCF general scholarship graduated within six years, compared to only 38% of all African American students nationwide.

«This is an incredibly generous gift from the CVS Health Foundation,» said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF’s president and CEO. «We know that African American, Latinx and other minority communities have been disproportionately impacted by the current pandemic. It’s particularly important right now to welcome as many students of color as we can into the health care field. The ripple effect of COVID-19 has the potential to discourage students from pursuing a college education and may prevent others from continuing their education. Recognizing these facts, the CVS Health Foundation is providing a pathway for successful applicants to continue on their journey to attain a college degree and become our next generation of pandemic frontliners.»

Black and Latinx students attending an accredited four-year college or university in the United States with an interest in pursuing a career in the health care sector are eligible to apply for the need-based awards.  Eligible areas of study will bolster the health care innovation talent pipeline, with majors including pharmacy, nursing, business management, biology, biochemistry, finance, operations/supply chain, data analytics, information technology, actuary and human resources. The two-year scholarships will support students in their junior and senior years as they complete their studies.

«Working with UNCF, the CVS Health Foundation is supporting a best-in-class model for moving students to and through college,» said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy, CVS Health and President of the CVS Health Foundation.  «UNCF has an impressive track record of impacting minority education and improving graduation rates for students, while making a meaningful difference in the lives of selected scholars.» 

UNCF will accept applications for the CVS Health Foundation Health Care Career Scholarship from February 1 through April 1, 2021. For more information and to apply visit: https://uncf.org/scholarships

About the CVS Health Foundation
The CVS Health Foundation is a private charitable organization created by CVS Health that works to build healthier communities, enabling people of all ages to lead healthy, productive lives. The Foundation provides strategic investments to nonprofits throughout the U.S. who help increase community-based access to health care for underserved populations, create innovative approaches to chronic disease management and provide tobacco cessation and youth prevention programming. We also invest in scholarship programs that open the pathways to careers in pharmacy to support the academic aspirations of the best and brightest talent in the industry. Our philanthropy also extends to supporting our colleagues’ spirit of volunteerism through Volunteer Challenge Grants to nonprofits where they donate their time and fundraising efforts. To learn more about the CVS Health Foundation and its giving, visit www.cvshealth.com/social-responsibility.

About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.»® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.

Media Contacts:

Courtney Tavener
(401) 712-3698
Courtney.Tavener@CVSHealth.com

Monique LeNoir
(202) 810-0231
monique.lenoir@uncf.org

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SOURCE CVS Health

Crises Will Define 2021 Proxy Voting Season, with a Focus on Human Capital, Board Diversity, Corporate Political Activity, and Climate Change at Virtual Shareholder Meetings

NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The pandemic, racial protests, conflict attending the recent Presidential election, and ongoing concerns about the environment will help to define the upcoming 2020 proxy season, further accelerating trends that have been building over the past few years.

Released today, <a target="_blank"…

NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The pandemic, racial protests, conflict attending the recent Presidential election, and ongoing concerns about the environment will help to define the upcoming 2020 proxy season, further accelerating trends that have been building over the past few years.

Released today, 2021 Proxy Season Preview and Shareholder Voting Trends (2017-2020) builds on a multi-year analysis of corporate filings across both the Russell 3000 and S&P 500 indexes to provide insights for what’s ahead in shareholder voting. The report is complemented by an online dashboard where data can also be analyzed by business sector and company size group. The project was conducted by The Conference Board and ESG data analytics firm ESGAUGE, in collaboration with the leadership advisory and search firm Russell Reynolds Associates and Rutgers Center for Corporate Law and Governance.

Insights and recommendations from this report include:

  • Boards should step up their oversight of human capital management (HCM) and expand company disclosures beyond those required by the new SEC rules, as the pandemic, recession, and racial protests are all focusing investor attention on human capital management (HCM). HCM resolutions focusing on workforce diversity, gender pay equity, and employee arbitration policies increased significantly in the 2020 proxy season. While average support remained below 50%, seven shareholder resolutions on HCM received majority support in the 2020 proxy season, compared to only four in the same period in 2018 and three in 2017, with the highest average support for proposals on diversity (38.2 percent for those on workforce diversity, up from 28.6 percent in 2017). The new SEC rules, and various voluntary reporting frameworks, provide a reference point for disclosures, but investors are looking for more comprehensive disclosure regarding the company’s HCM strategy and the board’s role. 

«Companies should clarify and strengthen the role of the board of directors and its committees in the oversight of HCM,» said Rusty O Kelley, co-leader of Russell Reynolds Associates’ Board & CEO Advisory Partners. «This exercise includes reviewing committee charters and governance principles to ensure they clearly assign responsibilities. It also extends to assessing HCM performance and examining, with a critical eye, the company’s workforce policies to eradicate bias that may affect the process for the selection, promotion, and compensation of employees and their managers.»

  • Companies should be prepared to explain how boards are making gender and racial/ethnical diversity an integral part of the ongoing board (and CEO) succession planning process. While this is particularly important for those smaller companies where diversity is still lacking, even companies with some diversity in their top leadership should avoid the risk of being complacent on this important topic and of adopting a check-the-box, compliance approach. In 2020, with many shareholder votes cast before the death of George Floyd and protests for racial equality, proposals relating to the diversity of the board received an average level of support of 36.8 percent, significantly up from the 18.3 percent in 2018. 

«Where more stringent prescriptions (such as the ones set for California-headquartered companies) do not apply, the efforts to improve diversity may include: requiring a diverse slate of candidates for each open position; ensuring that nominating committees, which take the lead in the director recruitment process, are diverse; and considering diversity when making board and committee leadership appointments to help leverage their networks,» said Prof. Douglas S. Eakeley, Founder and Co-Director of the Rutgers Center for Corporate Law and Governance.

  • Expect increased support for shareholder proposals, and more comprehensive discussions with investors, on a broad spectrum of political activity. Support for shareholder proposals calling for transparency on political contributions has been increasing, with five resolutions that went to a vote in 2020 passing, while a dozen more barely missed the majority support threshold. While support for proposals on lobbying continued to lag, in 2020 there was renewed public scrutiny of the alignment between companies’ stated values and lobbying activities of companies and their trade associations. With the recent attack on the Capitol and votes to block the certification of Presidential electors, companies should conduct a comprehensive inventory of their political activity, policies, and board oversight governing the full range of corporate political activity – financial contributions, lobbying, trade association affiliations, and public statements. 

«Investors have long understood that corporate political activity can be important in supporting the execution of a company’s business strategy, but they also see it as a significant source of reputation, business, and legal risk,» said Paul Washington, Executive Director of The Conference Board ESG Center.  «While some level of risk is probably unavoidable, companies need to assure investors that they have a handle on all of their political activity, not just corporate financial contributions, and that there is appropriate board oversight and management controls.»

  • Expect support for climate and other environmental proposals to continue to grow beyond the energy sector. Thanks to the endorsement of larger institutions such as BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street, support levels for climate-related proposals have been increasing, from 24.1 percent in 2019 to 31.6 percent in 2020. While one of these types of proposals passed in 2019, four of those that went to a vote in 2020 received majority support. Even companies outside the energy industries that have not yet done so should consider the benefits of a process to gather information on their carbon footprint, design an emission-reduction strategy, and address the business risks resulting from global warming.

«Companies should consider whether the board of directors and C-suites have sufficient expertise in relevant environmental matters,» said Paul Hodgson, Senior Adviser at ESGAUGE. «While this recommendation certainly applies to carbon-intensive businesses, for which environmental sustainability has a specific strategic significance, the contribution to the oversight role of the board coming from a recognized leader in the field can be a driver of innovation even in other sectors of the economy.»

  • The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to make virtual shareholder meetings a matter of necessity even in the 2021 proxy season. Many lessons can be learned from the experience of the last year, and companies should ensure they adopt technologies and protocols to safeguard shareholder participation.

«This is an opportunity for companies to engage with investors to underscore their commitment to shareholder participation and the measures the company has adopted (or intends to adopt) to facilitate the virtual meeting experience—especially during the Q&A session,» said Matteo Tonello, Managing Director of ESG Research at The Conference Board and the author of the study. «It is particularly important to ensure clarity in proxy statements and other documents disseminated to shareholders on the procedures that should be followed to attend the meeting and ask questions.»

Access the report and online dashboard here.

About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what’s ahead. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

About ESGAUGE
ESGAUGE is a data mining and analytics firm uniquely designed for the corporate practitioner and the professional service firm seeking customized information on U.S. public companies. It focuses on disclosure of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices such as executive and director compensation, board practices, CEO and NEO profiles, proxy voting and shareholder activism, and CSR/sustainability disclosure. Our clients include business corporations, asset management firms, compensation consultants, law firms, accounting and audit firms, and investment companies. We also partner on research projects with think tanks, academic institutions, and the media.

About Russell Reynolds Associates
Russell Reynolds Associates is a global leadership advisory and search firm. Our 470+ consultants in 46 offices work with public, private and nonprofit organizations across all industries and regions. We help our clients build teams of transformational leaders who can meet today’s challenges and anticipate the digital, economic and political trends that are reshaping the global business environment. From helping boards with their structure, culture and effectiveness to identifying, assessing and defining the best leadership for organizations, our teams bring their decades of expertise to help clients address their most complex leadership issues. We exist to improve the way the world is led. www.russellreynolds.com

About the Rutgers Center for Corporate Law and Governance
The Rutgers Center for Corporate Law and Governance is a project of the Rutgers University School of Law, located in Camden and Newark, New Jersey. The Center is an interdisciplinary forum for research, analysis, and discussion of current issues in corporate law and governance. The Center serves as a resource for students, faculty, alumni, and the business and nonprofit communities. Its objectives are to identify and promote best corporate law and governance practices and law reform, and to build bridges between Rutgers Law School, the business and nonprofit communities, government officials, and other Rutgers University units. For more information, visit https://cclg.rutgers.edu/

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SOURCE The Conference Board

COVID to Limit Global Aviation Fleet Growth Over the Next 10 Years

NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — By 2031, the global aviation fleet will be smaller than once projected because of the impact of COVID-19, and a decade of smaller fleets will mean constrained growth and consolidation, according to <a target="_blank"…

NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — By 2031, the global aviation fleet will be smaller than once projected because of the impact of COVID-19, and a decade of smaller fleets will mean constrained growth and consolidation, according to Oliver Wyman’s Global Fleet & Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Forecast 2021-2031.

Airlines will not return to 2019 levels of operations until at least 2022, with recovery in parts of the aerospace market lagging by a year or two. For consumers, the slow recovery may mean fewer direct and less frequent routes — at least until the pandemic is under control and normal economic activity returns.

«COVID has created a long list of challenges never seen before in modern commercial aviation,» said Tom Cooper, an Oliver Wyman vice president and one of the authors of the report. «It will take the next few years for the fleet to adjust and return to stable growth, but even after 10 years, the industry will never fully regain all that it has lost from the pandemic. Right now, with many airlines still burning through millions of dollars each day, the focus must be cash flow management.»

At its lowest point during the pandemic, the global fleet had only about 13,000 aircraft in service, less than half the number flying in January 2020 as the outbreak began to spread. Today, the 2021 fleet is up to more than 23,700 aircraft. By 2031, we forecast the fleet will number more than 36,500. But it is still a far cry from pre-COVID projections, which put the 2021 global fleet at 28,800 and the 2030 fleet at more than 39,000.

Impact of less aircraft

Fewer aircraft flying means fewer planes need to be produced or repaired. Given the inventory backlog of new planes that are built but undelivered or unsold, more aircraft will be delivered to airlines over the next several years than will be produced by aerospace manufacturers. While production and deliveries are closely aligned in normal years, this imbalance reflects conflicting pressures on airframe manufacturers to balance the realities of lower market demand with needs of key suppliers to maintain enough production.

The impact of COVID on the MRO market will also be significant — both in the short and long terms.  Short term, demand in 2020 and 2021 is expected to be 33 percent, or $60 billion, below pre-COVID projections for the combined two years. Over the next 10 years, the industry will lose more than $95 billion in revenue compared with pre-COVID expectations.  

Bright spots

Despite the challenges, there are some hopeful signs. Deliveries of narrowbody aircraft are expected to hold up reasonably well, with cumulative deliveries approximately 90 percent of pre-COVID expectations over the 10 years. This class of aircraft tends to carry under 200 passengers and is benefiting from their smaller size, which makes them easier to fill during periods of lower travel demand.

In contrast, widebody aircraft deliveries and production could be as much as 40 percent below what had been predicted. This is due to falloff in international and business travel driven by changing corporate travel policies and government restrictions.

Despite significant short-term losses, the long-term outlook for MRO is a bright spot. Aftermarket providers will begin to see consistent growth over the mid and long terms, as the size of the fleet expands and the overall age increases. This will drive interest from private equity and other investors.

About the Global Fleet & MRO Market Forecast

The 2021-2031 edition of Oliver Wyman’s Global Fleet & MRO Market Forecast Commentary represents our more than two-decade commitment to the understanding and assessment of the commercial airline transport fleet and the associated maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) market outlook. The commentary is the go-to resource of aviation executives—whether a manufacturer, operator, or aftermarket provider, as well as for those with financial interests in the sector through private equity firms and investment banks.

This year’s research focuses on the aviation industry’s recovery from COVID-19, subsequent growth and related trends affecting aftermarket demand, maintenance costs, technology, and labor supply after a devastating 2020. The outlook reveals significant challenges the industry faces as it develops and expands its recovery and rebound plans.  An interactive tool also accompanies the report for further exploration of the forecast.

About Oliver Wyman

Oliver Wyman is a global leader in management consulting. With offices in 60 cities across 29 countries, Oliver Wyman combines deep industry knowledge with specialized expertise in strategy, operations, risk management, and organization transformation. The firm has more than 5,000 professionals around the world who work with clients to optimize their business, improve their operations and risk profile, and accelerate their organizational performance to seize the most attractive opportunities. Oliver Wyman is a business of Marsh & McLennan Companies [NYSE: MMC]. For more information, visit www.oliverwyman.com. Follow Oliver Wyman on Twitter @OliverWyman.

 

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SOURCE Oliver Wyman

Update: ReTo Eco-Solutions Receives Funding with Launch of Second High-Visibility Beijing Winter Olympics Competition Zone Project

BEIJING, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: RETO) («ReTo» or the «Company»), a provider of technology solutions for the improvement of ecological environments, today announced it received State-backed funding with the launch of its second high-visibility Beijing Winter Olympics Competition Zone project. The latest project launch follows ReTo’s successful August 2020 launch of a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment solution, as part of the…

BEIJING, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: RETO) («ReTo» or the «Company»), a provider of technology solutions for the improvement of ecological environments, today announced it received State-backed funding with the launch of its second high-visibility Beijing Winter Olympics Competition Zone project. The latest project launch follows ReTo’s successful August 2020 launch of a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment solution, as part of the Yanqing-to-Chongli Expressway, connecting the two competition zones for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in the Yanqing district of Beijing and the Chongli district of Zhangjiakou. 

ReTo worked with Tsinghua University Academy of Fine Arts on the latest high-profile, national priority research and development plan for the project. The project features many advanced technology applications in the fields of solid waste utilization, 3-D printing, solar energy utilization, energy storage and luminescent materials. As a national priority scientific research project, it will serve as a core of the Shougang Park, the main venue of the Beijing Winter Olympics, where a series of key events will be held. Under the project plan, ReTo will develop the technology, equipment and special materials, necessary facilities in the park, and the Company will provide ongoing maintenance and management of the eco-friendly solution. 

Mr. Li Hengfang, ReTo’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, «We are very excited to have a role in this showcase national project, which is directly aligned with our philosophy of Technology Improves Ecology. We have an excellent long-term relationship with Tsinghua University, and we are pleased to be cooperating together on this latest project. Tsinghua University has helped us to stay ahead of the industry in China and internationally by cooperating with us on advanced technology and concepts. The successful launch of this project underscores the breadth of our technology and eco-friendly solutions, and serves as a powerful platform to raise our profile as we pursue new growth opportunities.»

About ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: RETO)

Founded in 1999, ReTo (NASDAQ: RETO), through its proprietary technologies, systems and solutions, is striving to bring clean water and fertile soil to communities worldwide. The Company offers a full range of products and services, ranging from the production of environmentally-friendly construction materials, environmental protection equipment, and manufacturing equipment used to produce environmentally-friendly construction materials, to project consulting, design, and installation for the improvement of ecological environments, such as ecological soil restoration through solid waste treatment. For more information, please visit: http://en.retoeco.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as «may,» «will,» «intend,» «should,» «believe,» «expect,» «anticipate,» «project,» «estimate,» or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Specifically, the Company’s statements regarding: 1) the ability of additional features and customized configurations on its machinery and equipment products to attract new customers; 2) the ability of the growth of its business to resume in the near future; and 3) the further spread of COVID-19 or the occurrence of another wave of cases and the impact it may have on the Company’s operations are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company’s goals and strategies; the Company’s future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the growth of the construction industry in China; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

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SOURCE ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc.

Technomic features industry-leading foodservice and adult beverage guest speakers at January conference

CHICAGO, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Technomic hosted its January Planning Program meetings virtually, with more than 900 manufacturers in attendance. The program’s biannual meetings provide updates on the economy, industry, menus and consumers, assisting suppliers with strategic planning.

The meeting’s theme was «Reinvent,» providing an in-depth exploration of key topics that will matter most for success in a post-pandemic environment. In addition to proprietary Technomic research, content…

CHICAGO, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Technomic hosted its January Planning Program meetings virtually, with more than 900 manufacturers in attendance. The program’s biannual meetings provide updates on the economy, industry, menus and consumers, assisting suppliers with strategic planning.

The meeting’s theme was «Reinvent,» providing an in-depth exploration of key topics that will matter most for success in a post-pandemic environment. In addition to proprietary Technomic research, content was shared from industry-leading speakers, including David McPhillips, director of beverage strategy and innovation at Buffalo Wild Wings; Federico Valiente, director of marketing at Pollo Campero; Lance Reynolds, senior manager of the restaurant operations consulting group at US Foods; and Dave Miesse, CEO at Association for Foodservice Distributor Representatives.

«It was important for us to forecast what the restaurant landscape will look like once all virus concerns are resolved and consumer confidence in dining out rebounds,» said Bernadette Noone, vice president, programs, at Technomic. «The recommended actions within these studies will serve as a foundation for our members to make foolproof plans for the future.»

Key findings include:

  • Total foodservice industry sales declined by 26.4% nominally in 2020, while on-premise adult beverage sales declined by 47.3%
  • 82% of operators put sustainability initiatives on hold in 2020
  • 38% of operators expect to be more interested in innovation in the coming years than they were pre-pandemic

Our Foodservice Planning Program and Adult Beverage Planning Program supplier members benefit from custom studies, newsletters and ongoing deliverables in addition to annual meetings. For more information on the programs, visit Technomic.com or contact one of the individuals listed below.

Contacts:

Press inquiries and program details: Bernadette Noone, (312) 506-3853, bnoone@technomic.com
Purchasing details: Patrick Noone, (312) 506-3852, pnoone@technomic.com

About Technomic

Technomic, Inc., a Winsight company, was founded as a management consulting firm in 1966. Since then, Technomic’s services have grown to encompass cloud-based B2B research tools, consumer and menu trend tracking, as well as other leading strategic research and analytic capabilities, to prioritize and size business opportunities. Our clients include food manufacturers and distributors, restaurants, retailers and multiple other business verticals aligned with the food industry that are looking to make informed decisions to support their business growth. Visit Technomic at www.technomic.com.

 

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SOURCE Technomic

Leading Corporate Citizen Hormel Foods Announces It Will Match 100 Percent of its Global Energy Use with Renewable Sourcing and Establish Science Based Targets for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

AUSTIN, Minn., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, today announced its new set of leading environmental sustainability goals, which are part of the company’s 20 By 30 Challenge. In continuing with its corporate responsibility leadership, the company will strive to achieve 20 corporate responsibility goals by 2030 and will report its progress annually. The company’s new goals follow its previous set of sustainability goals in which…

AUSTIN, Minn., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, today announced its new set of leading environmental sustainability goals, which are part of the company’s 20 By 30 Challenge. In continuing with its corporate responsibility leadership, the company will strive to achieve 20 corporate responsibility goals by 2030 and will report its progress annually. The company’s new goals follow its previous set of sustainability goals in which the company achieved significant reductions in its packaging, nonrenewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and solid waste sent to landfills.

The company’s new environmental sustainability goals include:

– Matching 100 percent of its global energy use with renewable sourcing.

– Establishing important science based greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets by 2023.

– Taking action across its supply chain to improve water quality, including the support of regenerative agriculture initiatives.

«For nearly 130 years, Hormel Foods has continued to showcase its citizenship and stewardship by using its size and resources to make a difference. From sustainable packaging initiatives to water and energy stewardship, our global team of inspired people is committed to making lasting and measurable progress in protecting our natural resources,» said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods. «We know that good business and good stewardship go hand in hand, and these goals are designed to enable improvements that will ultimately make our food supply better for us all.»

«Our worldwide team of professionals and supply chain partners are ready to step up to the challenge to help us achieve these important sustainability goals,» said Mark Coffey, senior vice president of supply chain and manufacturing at Hormel Foods. «Together, we will deliver results that will make a significant contribution toward the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, improvement of water quality and the continued advancement of sustainable agriculture practices in our supply chain.»

Hormel Foods continues to receive recognition for its corporate responsibility efforts and performance, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 12 years in a row by 3BL Media and one of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek magazine for two consecutive years, in addition to many others.

Hormel Foods will release additional goals that are part of its 20 By 30 Challenge in future announcements, which will include goals surrounding education, community support and food security. More information about the company’s efforts can be found at https://csr.hormelfoods.com/ and https://www.hormelfoods.com/responsibility/.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Wholly®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the «Global 2000 World’s Best Employers» list by Forbes magazine for three straight years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s «The 100 Best Corporate Citizens» list for the 12th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

Contact:
Kelly Braaten
507-434-6352
media@hormel.com

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SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

Conner Named Vice President Of FERC And RTO Strategy & Policy

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) has named Amanda Riggs Conner vice president – FERC and RTO Strategy & Policy, effective Jan. 30.

Conner will be responsible for ensuring AEP’s generation and grid development businesses are represented in policy matters at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO). She will report to <span…

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) has named Amanda Riggs Conner vice president – FERC and RTO Strategy & Policy, effective Jan. 30.

Conner will be responsible for ensuring AEP’s generation and grid development businesses are represented in policy matters at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO). She will report to Antonio Smyth, senior vice president – Grid Solutions.

Conner, 46, currently serves as managing director in AEP’s Washington, D.C., office, focusing on FERC and federal legislative issues. She began working for AEP in 2012 as senior counsel in the Legal Department, representing the company in PJM transmission owner committees and handling transmission formula rate and market based rate issues before FERC.

«Amanda brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with federal regulatory and policy issues that will strengthen our efforts as we continue making investments in the energy solutions that improve service to our customers,» Smyth said.

Prior to joining AEP, Conner held a counsel position at Orrick, where she represented renewable developers in project finance and related matters before FERC, including market-based rate applications, qualifying facility self-certifications, applications for approval of transactions involving jurisdictional facilities, and interconnection of renewable generation. Previously, she was an associate attorney with Wright & Talisman, where she represented Southwest Power Pool and the MISO transmission owners in numerous FERC matters, including those involving energy market implementation and compliance with open access transmission directives. Conner earned her bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and her law degree from Indiana University – Maurer School of Law.

American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s approximately 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 221,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,300 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.

(PRNewsfoto/American Electric Power)

 

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SOURCE American Electric Power

Greeneye Technology completed a series of field trials of its precision spraying technology and starts enrolling US farmers for the upcoming launch in 2022

TEL-AVIV, Israel, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Greeneye Technology, a leading precision agriculture company based in Tel-Aviv, Israel, announced today it has concluded a series of successful field trials with leading multinational stakeholders from the agriculture industry to evaluate its precision spraying system in real…

TEL-AVIV, Israel, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Greeneye Technology, a leading precision agriculture company based in Tel-Aviv, Israel, announced today it has concluded a series of successful field trials with leading multinational stakeholders from the agriculture industry to evaluate its precision spraying system in real field conditions. Greeneye demonstrated unparalleled results with more than 95% accuracy rate throughout all spraying applications (pre & post emergence) and reduction of more than 80% of herbicides compared to standard broadcast spraying.

«The results of the field trials are the ultimate testimonial that precision spraying is about to change everything we know about the way farmers spray chemicals, we are excited with the enormous potential this technology brings to farmers, this is an important milestone in our mission to reduce chemical usage while increasing farmers profitability and productivity» commented Nadav Bocher, CEO & Co-founder of Greeneye.

Following the demonstration, Greeneye expects to announce several strategic collaborations agreements with multinational stakeholders. The second generation of the system will be deployed commercially in the summer of 2021 and will be available for farmers in the US in the 2022 season.

About Greeneye Technology

Greeneye is a leading technology company with a focus in precision agriculture, established in 2017 and based in Tel-Aviv, Israel. Greeneye has a multidisciplinary team with expertise in computer vision, artificial intelligence, agronomy, mechanical engineering, spraying applications, etc. We work with an extraordinary group of talented and visionary people who are committed to provide sustainable solutions for farmers around the world. Greeneye is backed by world renowned investors, the last round of financing was led by JVP and Syngenta venture.

More information can be found on – www.greeneye.ag/

Contact person: Liron Hillel, VP Business Development, lironh@greeneye.ag

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SOURCE Greeneye Technology

EQT and Project Canary Partner on Certified Responsibly Sourced Natural Gas Pilot

PITTSBURGH and DENVER, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) today announced its commitment to a pilot project to demonstrate the production of responsibly sourced natural gas (RSG) for use in domestic and international energy markets.

PITTSBURGH and DENVER, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) today announced its commitment to a pilot project to demonstrate the production of responsibly sourced natural gas (RSG) for use in domestic and international energy markets.

The intent of the pilot is to show that natural gas can be, and is, produced with high environmental and social standards, and that global energy market demand exists and is growing for these differentiated RSG products.

«This partnership aligns with our commitment to ESG leadership and to meeting the evolving needs and expectations of our stakeholders. Further, it confirms the emerging domestic and international markets for this differentiated commodity and the important role that United States LNG will play in the future energy mix,» said Toby Z. Rice, President and CEO of EQT. «EQT is the largest producer of natural gas in one of the lowest emission intensity basins – we’re well positioned to further capitalize on our world-class asset base and operational excellence to pursue a high quality, responsible energy source to meet growing global energy demands.»

The pilot project reaffirms EQT’s long-standing commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership and responsible energy development. Under the terms of the pilot, EQT will seek to produce RSG through third-party certification of two of its well pads, accompanied by continuous methane emissions monitoring of the pads. Project Canary, an International Environmental Standards company, will provide TrustWell certification of EQT’s selected pads and continuous, real-time methane emissions monitoring.

Chris Romer, CEO of Project Canary said, «Stakeholders and investors continue to expect and demand more transparency, more verifiable trusted data, and more overall ESG-related performance progress across the energy sector. This pilot project, which will utilize our differentiated technology to provide trusted and independent data, demonstrates continued responsiveness toward meeting and exceeding those growing stakeholder demands. We’re grateful to work alongside EQT, which is an industry leader, toward the shared goal of enhancing stakeholder confidence by helping to ensure natural gas is produced as responsibly as possible.»

Under the terms of the confidential pilot, a global energy company has agreed to purchase a portion of the RSG produced from the pilot. Project Canary’s «Canary X» devices will be installed on EQT’s two selected pads to measure methane concentrations at the site level every second and communicate the results to a cloud database every minute. The TrustWell certification scores more than 300 points related to production practices, including air, land, water, and waste management, as well as drilling and completion processes. For this pilot project, social impacts on the community will also be evaluated. This third-party validation from Project Canary will allow EQT to achieve the highest possible industry standards for RSG and add additional trusted data to ESG ratings.

EQT Contact:
Andrew Breese
Director, Investor Relations
412.395.2555
ABreese@eqt.com

Project Canary Contact:
Chris Romer
CEO and Co-Founder
Chris.Romer@projectcanary.com

About the Pilot Participants
EQT Corporation is a leading independent natural gas production company with operations focused in the cores of the Marcellus and Utica Shales in the Appalachian Basin. We are dedicated to responsibly developing our world-class asset base and being the operator of choice for our stakeholders. By leveraging a culture that prioritizes operational efficiency, technology and sustainability, we seek to continuously improve the way we produce environmentally responsible, reliable and low-cost energy. We have a longstanding commitment to the safety of our employees, contractors, and communities, and to the reduction of our overall environmental footprint. Our values are evident in the way we operate and in how we interact each day – trust, teamwork, heart, and evolution are at the center of all we do. To learn more, visit eqt.com.

Project Canary, an International Environmental Standards company based in Denver, Colorado, is a mission-driven B-Corporation accountable to a double bottom line of profit and the social good. Project Canary believes it is possible to create a financially successful, self-sustaining business that «does well and does good.» Project Canary’s goal is to mitigate climate change by helping the oil and gas industry operate on a cleaner, more efficient, more sustainable basis. Its proven solutions provide real-time emissions monitoring and rigorous independent certification of oil and gas well sites for responsible operations. Project Canary / IES solutions help energy companies Collect, Manage, Operationalize and Benefit from real-time environmental data. Project Canary partners with the Colorado School of Mines Payne Institute to develop a collaborative environment for oil and gas companies and external parties to share best practices and insights garnered through continuous monitoring. To learn more, visit projectcanary.com.

Cautionary Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts are forward-looking. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking statements contained in this news release specifically include the expectations of plans, strategies and objectives of EQT Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Company), including the projected terms, benefits and results of the RSG pilot project with Project Canary (the Pilot Project), the parties expected to be involved in the Pilot Project, and the timing of implementation or whether the Pilot Project will be implemented at all. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the implementation and execution of the Pilot Project and other forward-looking statements made herein include, but are not limited to, volatility of commodity prices; the costs and results of drilling and operations; access to and cost of capital; uncertainties about estimates of reserves, identification of drilling locations and the ability to add proved reserves in the future; the assumptions underlying production forecasts; the quality of technical data; the Company’s ability to appropriately allocate capital and resources among its strategic opportunities; inherent hazards and risks normally incidental to drilling for, producing, transporting and storing natural gas, NGLs and oil; cyber security risks; availability and cost of drilling rigs, completion services, equipment, supplies, personnel, oilfield services and water required to execute the Company’s exploration and development plans; the ability to obtain environmental and other permits and the timing thereof; government regulation or action; environmental and weather risks, including the possible impacts of climate change; uncertainties related to the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic; and disruptions to the Company’s business due to acquisitions and other significant transactions. These and other risks are described under Item 1A, «Risk Factors,» and elsewhere in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as updated by Part II, Item 1A, «Risk Factors» in the Company’s subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the Company may be subject to currently unforeseen risks that may have a materially adverse impact on it.

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SOURCE EQT Corporation

Massive Deposit of Battery-Grade Nickel on Deep-Sea Floor Gets Confidence Boost With New Data

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — DeepGreen Metals, which is exploring for deep-ocean polymetallic nodules as a lower impact and more cost-effective alternative to terrestrial mining, today announced an upward revision to the nodule resource…

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — DeepGreen Metals, which is exploring for deep-ocean polymetallic nodules as a lower impact and more cost-effective alternative to terrestrial mining, today announced an upward revision to the nodule resource reported within the NORI-D exploration contract area held by its subsidiary, Nauru Ocean Resources, Inc. The nodule resource is now estimated as 4 megatons (Mt) measured, 341Mt indicated and 11Mt inferred mineral resources.

  • The world’s largest untapped deposit of battery metals — nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese — is contained in polymetallic nodules that sit unattached on the Pacific seafloor in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), between Hawaii and Mexico
  • Using a proven deep-sea resource sampling methodology, a DeepGreen Metals subsidiary has found higher concentrations than previously known of important base metals in its exploration contract area in the Pacific
  • As more nations mandate a phaseout of gasoline-powered cars in favor of electric vehicles, a dramatic demand increase for high-grade nickel is expected

As countries invest in large-scale clean energy transition programmes and begin to phase out internal combustion engines, securing the minerals required to build batteries for storing renewable energy and powering electric vehicles is vital. According to some academic forecasts, nickel demand for batteries is projected to jump thirty-fold in the coming three decades.

DeepGreen is planning to produce metals from polymetallic rocks to power electric vehicles (EVs), and the company’s updated 43-101 mineral resource estimate shows that the abundance of nodules in the company’s contract area increased 5.4% compared to its 2019 estimation. In addition, the company reported a notable uplift in grades of manganese (2.2% higher), cobalt (5.4% higher) and nickel (6.1% higher). EV manufacturers are moving towards increasingly nickel-rich chemistries which offer greater energy density than other battery types, while analysts warn that new land-based discoveries of battery-grade nickel may not keep up with the predicted demand.

The richer concentrations of metals noted in NORI’s updated report were measured by combining the company’s earlier seafloor mapping and survey work with boxcore sampling and footage taken during numerous research campaigns conducted since 2018.

«Unlike mineral exploration on land, resource confidence in polymetallic nodules is unusually high due to the two-dimensional nature of the resource. You can actually see the nodules lying on the seafloor,» said DeepGreen’s Chief Development Officer Anthony O’Sullivan, who previously served on BHP Billiton’s Global Exploration Leadership team. «We have done the sampling and research to understand the fundamental variance of the nodule resource and we’ve found that it is remarkably consistent. It’s unlike anything that you see on land.»

The polymetallic nodule fields in the CCZ of the Pacific represent the largest known, undeveloped nickel resource on the planet. A DeepGreen-commissioned white paper finds that nodules under exploration contracts in the CCZ contain more than enough battery metals to power one billion EVs and with a fraction of the social and environmental impacts when compared to land-based ores.

Nodules contain high grades of four battery metals in a single ore. This means several times less ore needs to be processed compared to land ores to get at the same amount of metal, resulting in much smaller ESG footprints and lower-cost production. And because deep-sea nodules do not contain toxic levels of heavy elements like mercury or arsenic, all of the nodule mass can be converted into products with economic value to society. Sourcing battery metals from nodules has the potential to generate zero solid waste and eliminate toxic tailings–a big problem for the conventional mining industry that generated over 189 gigatonnes of waste in 2020. The mining industry is the single largest waste stream on the planet producing ninety-five times more waste than all the world’s cities combined.

About DeepGreen

DeepGreen Metals, Inc. is a polymetallic nodules exploration and development company on a dual-mission: (1) supply metals for the clean energy transition with the least possible negative environmental and social impact and (2) accelerate the transition to a circular metal economy. The company holds exploration rights to three polymetallic nodule contract areas in the Clarion Clipperton Zone sponsored by the governments of Nauru, Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga, and regulated by the International Seabed Authority. DeepGreen has developed a process for producing metals from polymetallic nodules with near-zero solid waste, eliminating the need for tailings dams on land. More information is available at www.deep.green.

Media Contacts

For all enquiries, photos and digital assets, please contact: Rory Usher | +44 7470 200232 | rory.usher@deep.green

Related Images

polymetallic-nodule-breakdown.jpg
Polymetallic Nodule Breakdown

boxcore-nodule-sampling.jpg
Boxcore Nodule Sampling
A box core brings up an intact sample of the seafloor containing polymetallic nodules from within NORI-D. Photo: DeepGreen. 2020

image3.jpg

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SOURCE DeepGreen Metals