25 Years of Impact: The Power of Global Collaboration in EHS

Inogen Alliance — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:30:00 -0400

In this episode, host Angelique Dickson, President of the Inogen Alliance, discusses the 25th anniversary of the Alliance with Keith Knoke, Chair of the Board with Inogen Alliance and EVP, Antea Group US; and Alex Ferguson CEO of Antea Group UK. They reflect on the past, present and possible future of the Alliance’s mission: connecting global challenges with local expertise to deliver practical environmental, health, safety (EHS), and sustainability solutions worldwide.

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Time Stamps

00:00:03 Opening & Series Introduction

00:01:13 Setting the Scene: Topics & Guests

00:01:43 The Origin Story: Why the Alliance Was Created

00:03:15 Rising Complexity: Regulation & Local Expertise

00:05:43 Why an Alliance Model (Not Expansion)?

00:07:21 Evolution Over 25 Years

00:09:49 Key Moments: When the Model Proved Itself

00:16:32 The Present: Strategy, Purpose & Growth

00:22:09 The Future: Risk, Uncertainty & Opportunity

00:31:52 Advice & Closing Reflections

Guest Quotes

Alex Ferguson:

“I think we're going to see a move towards a pragmatic approach to the environment, which is: We've really got to look after this now.”

Keith Knoke

“I realized that the Alliance was real from a global perspective, that we were able to support some of the largest, if not largest organizations in the world, in a way that five or six years earlier could only be dreamed of.”

Five Years Later: How Chemours’ Forest Partnership in West Virginia Is Delivering Measurable Climate and Community Impact

Chemours — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

In 2021, Chemours made a commitment to pair climate action with community investment. Aligned with the company’s 2030 Corporate Responsibility Commitment (CRC) goals, Chemours partnered with the American Forest Foundation (AFF) to help launch the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP) in West Virginia—an initiative designed to support family forest owners in implementing management practices that grow the economic and environmental value of their forested properties over time.

Five years later, the results underscore what is possible when climate solutions are built through collaboration and centered on local communities.

Program Growth That Exceeded Early Expectations

What began with a goal of enrolling 50 landowners and 6,500 acres of family-owned forest has grown significantly. As of late 2023, 101 landowners and more than 15,500 acres were enrolled in the program—more than doubling initial targets.

According to AFF’s estimates, those enrolled forests will store an additional 250,000 tonnes of CO₂e over the next 20 years, representing a meaningful contribution to climate mitigation. To put that impact in context, this level of carbon storage is equivalent to removing the emissions associated with burning 275 million pounds of coal from the atmosphere.

Importantly, the program’s success in West Virginia has also helped catalyze additional investment in similar initiatives across Appalachia and beyond.

An Intentional Focus on Communities Navigating Economic Transition

From the outset, Chemours and AFF were deliberate about where the work would take place. Enrollment in West Virginia was focused on Logan, Wyoming, Boone, Fayette, and Kanawha counties—communities that have historically relied on the fossil fuel economy and are navigating significant economic transition as energy systems evolve.

Today, these counties represent a disproportionate amount of FFCP participation in the state, and the program’s benefits extend beyond environmental outcomes to support economic resilience in regions facing real change.

Forests That Create Value for Families and Communities

The FFCP is designed to deliver tangible benefits to landowners while strengthening sustainable forestry practices. To date, the American Forest Foundation has committed $8.2 million in practice payments to participating landowners in West Virginia.

Those investments support local sustainable forestry jobs, help families build long-term value from land they have stewarded for generations, and reinforce the role that family-owned forests can play in addressing climate challenges at scale.

Measurable Impact, Built Through Partnership

For Chemours employees and stakeholders in West Virginia, this work is more than a sustainability milestone—it is happening in local communities, with neighbors and families directly benefiting from the program’s success.

The American Forest Foundation’s mission has long been to empower family forest landowners to deliver meaningful conservation outcomes. Through this partnership, Chemours has helped advance that mission in a region where climate action and community investment are deeply interconnected.

Five years in, the results offer a clear takeaway: when climate initiatives are designed with communities at the center, the impact is not only meaningful—it is measurable.

New Georgia Map Tool Offers Local Climate Change Insights

Ray C. Anderson Foundation — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:40:00 -0400

Local leaders across Georgia can now see a more detailed picture of what impacts to expect from climate change with a new map tool released by Drawdown Georgia.

The group, which aims to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, unveiled the maps at the Super South Summit in Atlanta last week.

Scientists warn that Georgia can expect hotter, longer summers, more extreme weather, more rainfall overall and also longer droughts. But those impacts will vary across the state.

Now, researchers have found ways to scale down big-picture data so they can project not just how climate change is affecting Georgia or the Southeast broadly, but also how it’s changing conditions in specific locations.

Read the full story on WABE.

Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ Joins Arbor Day Foundation Podcast In Latest Episode

Arbor Day Foundation — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:57:00 -0400

LINCOLN, Neb., April 20, 2026 /3BL/ - Iconic science educator Bill Nye joins the Arbor Day Foundation in the fourth episode of its new podcast, “Unearthing Optimism.”

In a conversation with CEO and host Dan Lambe, Nye shares his journey to becoming the host of a beloved children’s science show, his passion for space exploration, and why the next generation gives him hope for the future.

“You can’t help but smile when you listen to Bill. He has an irresistible energy and humor that multiple generations have come to know and love. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes science can save the world,” said Lambe. “In a time when it’s easy to feel overcome by challenges, this podcast is a way for people to embrace hope. We’re grateful for the many listeners who are joining us on this journey.”

“Unearthing Optimism” is a new kind of climate conversation, featuring a series of influential and trusted voices shaping culture, science, and how we understand our changing world. It’s available to stream or download on all major podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

The podcast is produced in part by the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest tree planting nonprofit. Since its founding in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has helped to plant more than 500 million trees.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

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

And this is only the beginning.

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

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New WWF Report Examines Market-Based Solutions to Invasive Species

World Wildlife Fund — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:40:00 -0400

April 16, 2026 /3BL/ - Invasive species, introduced accidentally or purposefully outside their original range, can wreak havoc in their new environments, contributing to 60% of global wildlife extinctions and costing $423 billion per year. A new report from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) explores how, when eradication is not possible, developing commercial uses for these pests can help manage their populations and provide environmental and economic benefits to local communities. It presents a first-of-its-kind framework to help businesses and ecologists evaluate the potential benefits and unintended consequences of large-scale harvesting for commercial use.

“The complex part of creating new markets is the chicken-and-egg problem,” said Julia Kurnik, senior director for innovation startups at the Markets Institute at WWF and co-author of the report. “It’s risky to build procurement and processing infrastructure without existing market demand; but companies won’t launch new products until there’s stable supply and processing capabilities. But we’re working on solutions to this problem and already seeing progress.”

Using market forces is a new approach to addressing invasive species, and success will require collaboration from both the conservation and business worlds. To address this challenge, WWF has created a ‘Market Uses for Invasives’ framework. The framework aims to de-risk market-based solutions while centering positive environmental outcomes.

“Creating large-scale markets for invasive species requires planning and rigorous analysis. Our framework helps answer questions that haven’t been fully explored before,” said Emily Moberg, senior director at the Markets Institute and report co-author. “There is a very real risk of unintended consequences with commodifying invasive species; it’s essential we get this right and only use market solutions when they make ecological and business sense.”

To illustrate the framework’s utility, the report applies it to two invasive species causing considerable environmental and economic damage: carp and black locust trees. The analysis examines carp for pet food and black locust for lumber.

There are several companies working to address the bottleneck in processing capacity for invasive carp for the pet food and consumer markets. In 2026, pet food company Chippin launched IGNIZA, a new brand with a large-scale processing facility so other pet food companies can incorporate invasive species into their own products. Other companies, like Two Rivers Fisheries and Impact Fisheries, are developing carp burgers and fish cakes to serve in schools as part of a larger educational campaign about the impacts of invasive species.

"Most pet food in the U.S. comes from byproducts of human food processing. But with demand growing and more consumers seeking human‑grade options, we need new ingredients that don’t add environmental pressure," said Haley Russell, founder of Chippin and IGNIZA. "Sourcing nutrient‑dense invasive carp for pet food protects native fish, reduces environmental harm, and turns an ecological challenge into part of the solution."

Going forward, WWF will continue to support and explore the potential of using market forces to address invasive species. This will include revising, refining, and sharing the framework, along with encouraging efforts through business and supply chain support. WWF will also develop additional case studies and share lessons learned, ensuring that all collected wisdom is available long-term.

Read the full report: https://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/from-pest-to-profit-market-use-of-invasive-species/

Media Contact: Lorin Hancock | Lorin.Hancock@wwfus.org

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Disclosure: WWF Impact, the impact investing arm of WWF-US, supports investment solutions to solve some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing people and the planet. WWF Impact is invested in Chippin. This investment aligns with WWF Impact’s impact investing mandate and internal governance procedures.

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About World Wildlife Fund

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working for 60 years in nearly 100 countries to help people and nature thrive. With the support of 1.3 million members in the United States and more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment, and combat the climate crisis. Visit worldwildlife.org to learn more; follow @WWFNews on X, formerly known as Twitter, to keep up with the latest conservation news; and sign up for our newsletter and news alerts here.

Chemours’ Fayetteville Works Earns Gold-Level WHC Conservation Certification for Environmental Excellence

Chemours — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Chemours Fayetteville Works has once again earned Gold in the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Conservation Certification®, recognizing the site’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship, biodiversity, and community engagement.

Powered by Tandem Global, the WHC Conservation Certification® is the only voluntary sustainability standard designed specifically for broad‑based biodiversity enhancement and conservation education on corporate lands. Certification is awarded through an objective, third‑party evaluation of on‑site conservation and education programs. Achieving Gold status reflects both the strength of Fayetteville Works’ environmental initiatives and the dedication of employee volunteers who lead them.

“The Chemours Fayetteville Works site is recognized as meeting the strict requirements of WHC Certification,” said Margaret O’Gorman, Chief Executive Officer, Tandem Global. “Companies achieving WHC Certification, like Chemours Fayetteville Works, are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.”

This milestone underscores Chemours’ continued commitment to being a good neighbor and advancing biodiversity and conservation education across its operations, including Fayetteville Works and five additional WHC‑certified sites in Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, and West Virginia.

A Comprehensive Approach to Habitat, Wildlife, and Education

Fayetteville Works’ Gold certification is supported by a focused portfolio of habitat management, wildlife conservation, and education programs developed in partnership with local schools and community organizations.

Forest Habitat Stewardship

1,500 acres of managed forest habitat, including longleaf pine and bottomland hardwood forests
Regular monitoring of plant and wildlife diversity to assess forest health and inform long‑term stewardship
Alignment with regional conservation priorities, including the North Carolina State Wildlife Action Plan

Wildlife, Pollinator, and Avian Conservation

Bluebird Program: Installation and monitoring of more than 70 nesting boxes, improving nesting success through adaptive management
Eastern Wild Turkey Habitat Management: Food plots, forest thinning, and delayed mowing to support nesting and broader wildlife populations
Bird‑Safe Buildings: Window deflectors installed on office buildings to reduce bird strikes
Pollinators: Native plantings and pollinator habitats supporting bees, butterflies, and other essential species
Whitetail Deer: Habitat management practices that support healthy populations while maintaining balanced forest ecosystems
Bats: Protection and monitoring of bat habitats, supporting local populations and their role in natural insect control

Conservation Education and Community Engagement

School Partnerships: Hands‑on environmental education with Gray’s Creek High School, Future Farmers of America students, and Mac Williams Middle School, reaching hundreds of students each year
Youth Outreach: Nature‑based learning activities through events such as Kids Day at Work, introducing children to local wildlife and conservation concepts

Together, these site‑led initiatives demonstrate how employee volunteers and community partnerships are making a positive impact on local ecosystems and communities.

Chemours recognizes the Fayetteville Works employee volunteers and community partners whose dedication made this achievement possible and remains committed to advancing conservation and biodiversity across its global footprint.

Learn more about Chemours commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability at https://www.chemours.com/en/sustainability.

Insights From Dr. Marshall Shepherd on Georgia’s Climate Outlook and Resilience

Ray C. Anderson Foundation — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:40:00 -0400

What does the future look like for Georgia, and how do we prepare for it today?

It’s a question more leaders across the state are beginning to ask. From unexpected heat in February to stronger storms reaching farther inland, the signals are becoming harder to ignore. While the changes can feel unpredictable, the path forward does not have to be.

New tools like the Drawdown Georgia Climate Outlook Maps are helping turn uncertainty into insight. They give communities, businesses, and decision-makers a clearer way to plan for what’s ahead. In our latest Georgia Climate Digest video interview, host Eriqah Vincent sits down with Dr. Marshall Shepherd, an internationally recognized climate scientist at the University of Georgia and an early contributor to Drawdown Georgia, to explore how climate conditions are evolving across the state and how tools like the Climate Outlook Maps can support smarter, more resilient planning.

PFAS and Financial Risk: What Lenders, Insurers, and Investors Need To Know

Antea Group — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Key Takeaways: PFAS and Financial Risk

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a growing financial liability, not just an environmental issue, affecting asset values, loan security, insurance coverage, and Merger & Acquisition (M&A) transactions.
Regulatory risk is accelerating globally, with expanding state-level enforcement and specific PFAS-containing product bans in the U.S., Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) liability exposure, and international prohibitions such as Australia’s Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS) framework.
Failure to screen for PFAS during underwriting or due diligence can result in Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) liability, litigation, borrower default, and multimillion-dollar remediation costs.
Financial institutions should integrate PFAS screening into Phase I/II ESAs, portfolio risk assessments, supply chain reviews, and M&A negotiations.
Proactive PFAS risk management reduces financial exposure, improves underwriting clarity, and protects long-term portfolio stability.

PFAS are not just an environmental problem. They are a rapidly escalating financial risk for lenders, insurers, and investors. This remains true despite the recent delays and rollbacks of some PFAS regulations under the current presidential administration.

From loan portfolios and M&A due diligence to insurance claims and investment decisions, PFAS contamination is reshaping the financial landscape. The risks associated with these “forever chemicals” are as real and persistent as the compounds themselves.

Proactively identifying, assessing, and managing PFAS-related financial exposures is critical for financial institutions to mitigate risk, protect assets, and ensure long-term stability.

Where PFAS Poses Financial Risks

The widespread use of PFAS in manufacturing, combined with the ability of these chemicals to filter into the environment, means that the financial risks associated with them are extremely far-reaching. These are just some of the segments that can feel surprisingly strong effects of PFAS implications:

Real Estate and Property Values: Properties affected by PFAS contamination can lose significant value, become unsellable, or require extensive remediation.
Loan Portfolios: Financial institutions face increased risk of loan defaults tied to contaminated properties or businesses burdened by cleanup costs, regulatory penalties, or litigation.
M&A Due Diligence: Unquantified PFAS liabilities can derail transactions or lead to unexpected post-acquisition losses.
Insurance Claims: As PFAS-related environmental claims continue to grow insurers are increasingly excluding PFAS from pollution coverage.
Investment Decisions: Transparency around PFAS management has become a differentiator for companies seeking capital.
Litigation and Reputational Risk: As regulatory enforcement increases, financial institutions and insured clients face litigation exposure, with the distinction between intentional and unintentional PFAS use emerging as a key factor.

Understanding PFAS Risks in Financial Contexts

To evaluate PFAS exposure effectively, financial institutions must understand two core drivers of risk: where contamination originates, and how regulatory frameworks assign liability. These factors directly influence asset valuation, underwriting decisions, and long-term portfolio stability.

Key Sources of Contamination

PFAS contamination often stems from industrial, municipal, and consumer product sources. This includes manufacturing and firefighting foam to wastewater discharge and everyday consumer goods. These chemicals are now found in most U.S. municipal water supplies, making PFAS nearly impossible to avoid in property and portfolio risk assessments.

Evolving PFAS Regulations

While certain federal PFAS rules in the United States have recently been delayed or narrowed, regulatory momentum has not slowed overall. Instead, it has shifted, with states and international jurisdictions accelerating their own enforcement frameworks.

States including California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and New Jersey continue advancing aggressive PFAS investigation, reporting, and cleanup requirements. Roughly half of U.S. states now have PFAS-related laws in place, particularly targeting consumer products such as food packaging, textiles, personal care items, and children’s products.

Globally, the regulatory landscape is tightening further. In Australia, the IChEMS) framework took effect nationwide on July 1, 2025, prohibiting the import, manufacture, export, and use of certain PFAS — including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoroocatne sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) — unless exempted. All states and territories have adopted the framework, and non-compliance may be treated as a pollution incident, exposing companies to enforcement and penalties.

At the international level, the Stockholm Convention continues expanding restrictions on long-chain PFAS production and trade, reinforcing a broader global phase-down of high-risk compounds.

For multinational lenders and investors, these global regulatory shifts introduce jurisdiction-specific liability exposure that can materially affect asset valuation, underwriting decisions, and long-term portfolio stability.

Because PFAS regulations are evolving rapidly and unevenly across jurisdictions, keeping up to date on all of them can feel like a full-time job. The Antea Group Global PFAS Regulatory Dashboard provides clear, real-time visibility into PFAS regulatory activity worldwide, helping companies stay ahead of compliance changes and avoid unexpected liabilities. If your organization is unsure where it stands or how new requirements may apply, reach out to our team for guidance.

Strategies for Assessing and Managing PFAS Financial Exposure

Once PFAS risk drivers are understood, financial institutions must translate that insight into structured mitigation strategies. The following approaches help lenders, insurers, and investors quantify exposure across assets, transactions, and value chains — and reduce the likelihood of unexpected financial loss.

1. Enhanced Environmental Due Diligence

Integrate PFAS screening into Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) to identify potential contamination early.

2. Portfolio Screening and Risk Ranking

Perform PFAS portfolio risk assessments to identify high-risk assets or companies based on historical site use, industry sector, and proximity to known PFAS sources.

3. Supply Chain PFAS Screening and Transparency

Screen supply chains for intentional and unintentional PFAS use to anticipate regulatory, product liability, and valuation risks.

4. Underwriting and Policy Development

Insurers should revisit policy language, exclusions, and underwriting practices to better address PFAS-related risks.

5. Contractual Protections in M&A

Include PFAS-specific indemnities, representations, and warranties to allocate liability appropriately between buyers and sellers during M&A transactions.

6. Probabilistic Cost Modeling

Use PFAS cost modeling and scenario-based analysis to estimate potential remediation, compliance, and litigation expenses.

7. Strategic Communication

Engage transparently with stakeholders, such as investors, borrowers, and regulators, about PFAS risks and mitigation strategies to build trust and confidence.

Case Example: Structured Due Diligence Preserves Deal Value

A private equity firm acquiring a power generation facility in Wisconsin incorporated targeted PFAS screening into its environmental review. Consultants identified historical use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) and evidence of prior discharge into surrounding soils.

Armed with this information, the buyer negotiated a reduced purchase price and required the seller to retain responsibility for ongoing remediation, including soil excavation and groundwater monitoring.

By integrating enhanced due diligence, contractual protections, and forward-looking cost modeling, the buyer preserved transaction value and avoided inheriting significant long-term liabilities.

PFAS Remediation Challenges and Cost Implications

PFAS remediation is technically demanding and expensive, with no universal solution. Current remediation approaches often involve removing PFAS from contaminated water or soil and then using specialized treatment methods to destroy or permanently manage the chemicals. While newer destruction technologies show promise, they remain costly, complex, and not yet widely available. This contributes to uncertainty in cleanup timelines and total project costs.

For financial stakeholders, that uncertainty translates directly into cost variability and long-term liability. Cleanup expenses can easily reach into the millions, depending on site conditions, regulatory requirements, and evolving treatment standards. This cost variability can materially affect property valuations, loan security, insurance coverage, and investment performance, making early risk identification and realistic cost modeling essential.

By contrast, a national lender that financed redevelopment of a former industrial property without PFAS screening during underwriting later faced significant consequences when contamination was discovered years after closing. Historical use of firefighting foam and surface coatings had resulted in elevated PFAS levels, and under updated CERCLA regulations, the lender was designated as a PRP. Litigation, regulatory scrutiny, and cleanup obligations followed.

As remediation costs escalated into the millions, the property’s value declined sharply, and the borrower ultimately defaulted — leaving the lender with a contaminated asset and long-term financial exposure that could have been mitigated through earlier screening and risk allocation.

Benefits of Proactive PFAS Risk Management

When addressed early and strategically, PFAS risk management delivers measurable financial and operational advantages for lenders, insurers, and investors. Key benefits include:

Reduced PFAS Financial Exposure: Early identification and mitigation minimize liability and cost.
Informed Lending and Investment Decisions: Better insight into PFAS risk profiles improves financial resilience.
Streamlined M&A Transactions: Reduced uncertainty supports smoother deal structuring, pricing, and negotiations.
Improved Insurance Underwriting and Claims Management: Greater risk clarity strengthens understanding of PFAS-related exposures.
Enhanced Reputation and Regulatory Standing: Demonstrated environmental stewardship supports compliance confidence and stakeholder trust.

Case Example: Proactive Due Diligence Protects Asset Value

A mid-sized regional bank evaluating a loan for the acquisition of a former manufacturing site identified potential PFAS exposure linked to historical fire suppression systems. Rather than proceeding with a standard Phase I ESA alone, the bank commissioned targeted soil and groundwater sampling.

Elevated PFAS levels were confirmed, prompting the bank to require site remediation and environmental insurance coverage prior to closing.

This proactive approach reduced liability exposure, protected collateral value, and ensured regulatory compliance. This demonstrated how structured PFAS risk management directly supports financial resilience.

PFAS Doesn’t Have To Be “Forever”

PFAS represents a multifaceted and growing financial risk that can affect property values, portfolios, insurance coverage, and corporate transactions. Identifying and managing your financial risks associated with PFAS may seem like an impossible task, but it’s important to remember that PFAS liabilities are not forever. With the right expert advice and early identification, the risks can be effectively managed and mitigated.

How Antea Group USA Supports the Financial Sector with PFAS

Antea Group provides specialized PFAS consulting services to help financial institutions understand and manage emerging environmental liabilities. Our offerings include:

PFAS due diligence for lending, M&A, and investment activities.
PFAS portfolio risk assessments and cost modeling.
Litigation and regulatory support for PFAS exposure.
Integration with EHS due diligence to streamline environmental reviews.

With expertise in both the regulatory and financial dimensions of PFAS, Antea Group helps clients stay ahead of evolving PFAS compliance requirements while protecting business value and reputation. Do you have questions? Reach out to our experts today!

Responsible Business Alliance and Global Electronics Association Publish GHG Emissions Reporting Guidance

Responsible Business Alliance — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:30:00 -0400

ALEXANDRIA, Va., and BANNOCKBURN, Ill., April 14, 2026 /3BL/ - The Responsible Business Alliance and the Global Electronics Association today announced the publication of joint guidance on Accounting for Scope 3 Category 1 Greenhouse Gas Emissions; saving time, improving data accuracy, and enabling more consistent, high-quality sustainability reporting across global supply chains.

The guidance aims to provide the electronics industry with specific knowledge and practical recommendations to support the quantification of value chain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in supply chains, specifically for Category 1, purchased goods and services, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

Companies across the industry face increasing pressure to report credible and accurate Scope 3 emissions data. This includes legislation requiring companies to publicly report third-party assured Scope 3 emissions data and pressure from downstream customers that rely on supplier data to quantify their corporate GHG emissions data to inform their external disclosures and decarbonization plans.

“This joint guidance demonstrates how the Responsible Business Alliance and Global Electronics Association are working together to build supply chain alignment around GHG reporting rules,” said Rob Lederer, CEO, Responsible Business Alliance. “By working together to provide reporting guidance, we can have a greater impact and better support companies in their GHG emission reporting and quantification efforts.”

“Although Category 1 is a material contributor to Scope 3 emissions in the electronics industry, reporting is currently limited and the use of supplier-specific data is low,” said John Mitchell, President and CEO, Global Electronics Association. “We believe practical guidance, such as this from the Global Electronics Association and the Responsible Business Alliance, can help change that dynamic.”

Emissions calculations based solely on secondary data limit companies’ ability to target supply chain decarbonization and to reflect suppliers’ emissions reduction efforts in Scope 3 results. This guidance builds upon recent Scope 3, Category 1 guidance from the semiconductor industry and is designed to support a transition toward an approach that strategically leverages a combination of primary data, including supplier-specific data, and secondary data, enabling clearer insights and more targeted decarbonization efforts.

Guidance such as this is increasingly important to GHG reporting solutions, such as the RBA’s Emissions Management Tool (EMT), in operationalizing aligned data requests and enabling more efficient, standardized exchange of supplier GHG data across company supply chains.

View the new guidance on the Responsible Business Alliance website or the Global Electronics Association website.

About the Responsible Business Alliance

The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) is a nonprofit organization comprised of companies committed to responsible business conduct in their global supply chains. The RBA has a Code of Conduct and a range of programs, training and assessment tools to support continuous improvement. The organization has a global footprint, with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. The RBA also has initiatives focused on specific issue areas, including its Responsible Minerals, Labor, Factory and Environment Initiatives, and its Responsible Glove Alliance. The RBA and its Initiatives have more than 600 members with combined annual revenues of greater than $8 trillion, directly employing over 21.5 million people, with products manufactured in more than 120 countries. For more information, visit responsiblebusiness.org.

About the Global Electronics Association

Global Electronics Association is the voice of the electronics industry, working with more than 3,000 members, thousands of partners, and dozens of governments to ensure a more resilient supply chain and drive industry growth. The Association advocates fair trade, smart regulation, and regional manufacturing, and educates on industry practices, actionable intelligence, and technical innovations to empower the future. The Association collaborates with governments and companies worldwide to advance a trusted and prosperous electronics industry. Formerly known as IPC, the organization serves a $6 trillion market and has offices across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North and Latin America. For more information, visit electronics.org.

Media Contacts

Responsible Business Alliance:
Jarrett Bens, Senior Director of Communications
jbens@responsiblebusiness.org
Phone: +1 571.858.5721

Global Electronics Association:
Sandy Gentry, Communications Director
sandygentry@electronics.org
Phone: +1 847.597.2871

NFWF Announces $1.8 Million To Support Working Lands and Restore Wildlife Habitat in the Intermountain West

Yum! Brands — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Originally published by NFWF

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced nearly $1.8 million in grants to restore, improve and conserve sagebrush, mesic wet meadow and big game migratory corridor habitats in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. The grants will leverage $1.6 million in matching contributions, generating a total conservation impact of $3.4 million.

The grants were awarded through the Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program, a partnership between NFWF and Capri Holdings, Cargill, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Yum! Brands. The Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program was established in 2019 to work with private landowners wanting to voluntarily conserve and restore habitats for wildlife that often require large open spaces to sustain their populations, while also helping improve the economic productivity of their lands.

Continue reading here

Climate Risk Assessment for Strategic Decision-Making

Antea Group — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 08:30:00 -0400

Climate change is increasingly shaping business decisions at the executive level. From workers’ safety to supply chain disruptions, effects of rising temperatures and extreme weather patterns have proven to be a financial risk.

In 2024 alone, 84% of S&P 500 companies aligned with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure, marking a 62% increase since 2021. It’s no wonder that climate risk assessments have become essential for protecting the longevity and value of a company, as well as maintaining customer and stakeholder trust.

What Is a Climate Risk Assessment?

Climate risk assessment is a process of analyzing a company’s operations, assets, and value chain to identify the most significant climate risks it could face, both now and in the future. The evaluation looks at a company through the lens of climate change, parsing how staff, operations, resources, product delivery, and finances could be affected by these external events. Overall, you want to walk away from a climate risk assessment with a clear view of what climate-related risks your business is exposed to.

Different Types of Climate Risks

Typically, climate risk assessment evaluates a business’ risks in two categories: physical and transition risks.

Physical risks are the ways in which climate change could disrupt a company's physical assets, facilities, employees, and operations in short-term (acute) or ongoing (chronic) changes to weather. For example, excessive heat conditions could harm workers, or repeated flooding could lead to the decommissioning of a facility.

Transition risks encompass policy and law, technology, reputation, market, and more. These risks arise from the shift toward a lower‑carbon economy as policies, technologies, and market expectations evolve to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While setting targets such as carbon neutrality or net zero can be relatively straightforward, achieving them often requires significant investment in new technologies, operational changes, and value‑chain adjustments, which can introduce unexpected costs and competitive pressures. Transition risks may also include legal and regulatory exposure if companies fail to comply with emerging climate‑related requirements, or if public disclosures about climate commitments and performance are misleading or incomplete.

How Are Climate Risk Assessments Conducted?

Climate risk assessments are complex processes that require data gathering, predictive modeling, prioritization, and ultimately, action to address what’s been uncovered in the assessment. Support from expert practitioners and consultants ensures that each step is carried out thoroughly and effectively.

Climate risk assessment begins with identifying a company’s physical and transition risks, as well as its vulnerabilities to these risks under different futures scenarios. Physical and transition risks like those outlined above can be identified through geophysical analysis, desktop research, and/or stakeholder engagement.

Vulnerability mapping, the other key component of this part of the process, assesses potential climate-related hazards and draws connections to how and where risk exposures are most likely to affect the company and its stakeholders if they are realized. This forecasts how employees, protocols, resources, communities, and investments will be directly affected by climate-related risks. Impact will vary between different arms of your business.

Vulnerability and risk exposure mapping will uncover countless risks. But because it’s not possible to tackle all of them at once, companies must prioritize identified risks. You’ll want to assess which matters the most based on urgency, possible financial losses, safety concerns, and reputational damage. Take each risk and identify those that are both highly probable (exposure) and will have the most significant impact on your company (vulnerability). Those are the ones to address first.

From there, you can develop an action plan to correct these internal issues. You can also revisit prioritizing impacts over time. Just as regulations change, so will what is most important to your business. Ongoing climate risk assessment will ensure that your company is always on the cutting edge of sustainability. It is recommended that the full climate risk assessment process be completed every 2-3 years or as the company faces large changes in geography or structure, such that may arise with mergers & acquisitions, closures, and market prioritization shifts.

Benefits of Climate Risk Assessments

Climate risk assessments are a that delivers returns to both your company and the community it serves. Here are four of the most significant ways an assessment can empower your business:

Strengthening resilience. As the saying goes: an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure. Climate risk assessments prepare companies to be adaptable to the ongoing effects of climate change. It reduces moments of surprise, ensures action plans for risk-related events, and gives businesses more fortitude to bounce back from disruptions.
Identifying opportunities. The holistic nature of a climate risk assessment means that it identifies both risks and opportunities in one exercise. The kind of deep analysis required to complete an assessment provides a fresh point of view for discovering new potential and rethinking existing work, making a compelling business case for the undertaking, beyond just addressing potential threats.
Informing investments. With a clear view of climate risks, companies can budget for long-term climate-friendly planning. This could mean upgrading technologies, reinforcing facilities, protecting assets, and more. Either way, a business can invest to minimize future risk with confidence.
Supporting Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). ERM is all about anticipating future mishaps. Conducting a climate risk assessment will only strengthen a company’s ERM strategy. All findings should be integrated into ERM so that climate-related risks are given the same attention as others.

Guidance on How To Get Started

While you may be on board with performing a climate risk assessment, it may take some work to get proper funding and support from executives. The first step to getting there is to engage key stakeholders within your company. Identify departments that could be affected by assessment findings, and start documenting relevant information. Enterprise-wide collaboration will be essential to the process. Teaming up with legal, finance, operations, and more will bolster your case. Additionally, when department leadership invests in climate risk assessment, it’s easier to get executives to follow. A cross-functional workshop, led by your external partner in conducting the CRA, is another opportunity to engage executives and other leaders in understanding the business value of an assessment.

However, don’t just rely on internal resources. While your company’s leaders are experts in their field, they may not be experts in climate risk assessment. Connecting with external partners who have experience in risk assessment will take the guesswork out of the process. Having an objective external expert to guide you not only through the assessment, but also through internal conversations with leaders, makes the process more efficient and effective.

Building a better future

Climate risk assessment isn’t just a tool to help you navigate the now. It's an investment in resilience that will only enhance the long-term value of your company. If you are ready to take the next step in your commitment to sustainability and the environment, get in touch today. We offer a variety of climate-related risk assessment services to help your business stay strong and agile, no matter what extreme weather comes your way.

PSEG - Leading by Example: NJCC Upgrades Its Headquarters Through Energy Efficiency

PSEG — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 09:36:00 -0400

Originally published on PSEG ENERGIZE!

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce (NJCC) advocates for businesses of all sizes, lobbying for the economic growth and job creation policies that enable Garden State ventures to flourish. One key segment supported by the NJCC is small businesses—the backbone of the American economy.

As a nonprofit organization, NJCC understands the challenging environment small businesses face, where every dollar counts and resources must be stretched as far as they can go. This need to extend resources led NJCC to participate in our Direct Install Program, one of the many offerings within our broader business energy efficiency portfolio.

Preserving a historic landmark while modernizing its systems

NJCC’s headquarters is no ordinary office: it’s a former residence built in 1875 and listed as a national historic site. But with this legacy comes complexity: multiple heating types (baseboard, radiant, ventilated), a mix of fluorescent and residential‑style fixtures, old and drafty windows and doors and a single heating zone that often made temperatures swing dramatically from one floor to another.

These constraints once made the notion of upgrading feel risky, as if any change might disrupt the building’s character or operations. Yet upgrades made through our energy efficiency program have proved the opposite – showing that careful, targeted improvements can respect history while solving modern comfort, safety and cost challenges.

When the opportunity arose to participate in our Direct Install Program, NJCC leadership saw it as a no‑brainer.

It seemed incomprehensible not to participate. Not only do you get an upfront financial benefit from not having to outlay hundreds of thousands of dollars in advance, but you deal with experts who know exactly how to make your unique space energy efficient.”
-Christine Lee, NJCC Facilities Manager

In addition, NJCC leadership liked the fact that every kilowatt saved could “give back” grid capacity, making the decision feel not just smart, but almost like a civic duty.

What changed: Boilers, lighting and peace of mind

The work began in the 8,400-square-foot building’s basement, where three aging boilers had reached the end of their useful life and were draining NJCC’s budget. Constant repairs, hard‑to‑find parts and inefficient appliances meant every winter brought about financial anxiety and discomfort from working in drafty, cold rooms.

NJCC’s old, outdated boilers were replaced with three, high efficiency boilers.

Following the improvements, NJCC now has three brand‑new, high‑efficiency boilers, which sit where the old ones once struggled. The program also included installation of a hot‑water pump and controls, and replacement of every lightbulb in the building with modern, low‑wattage bulbs that draw roughly a quarter of the energy the old bulbs used. Additionally, motion sensors were installed to control lighting in infrequently used spaces.

The practical impact of this work has been immediate: Christine shared that the upgrades immediately improved comfort and reliability throughout the building. While employees and visitors remark on how warm and inviting the space feels, and NJCC no longer has to pay contractors to climb ladders and swap burnt‑out bulbs throughout the property on a regular basis. And all of these upgrades occurred without any interruptions to operations. As noted by Christine, “They replaced each boiler without having to shut us down, which was remarkable.”

The total project cost was approximately $62,000, with PSE&G covering nearly 40% through program incentives. The remaining balance is being paid by NJCC through interest-free on-bill-repayment over five years. Once repayment is complete, the upgrades are expected to deliver more than $17,000 in annual energy savings, including electric and gas savings.

Comfort, savings and a better experience

The most noticeable change since the project started is comfort; staff are now fine‑tuning thermostats instead of begging for heat. That shift – from never quite warm enough to being able to dial back – is a clear signal that the new system is performing efficiently and reliably.

Operationally, NJCC has gained time and money back. Fewer emergency calls and interruptions for maintenance and lower ongoing lighting costs mean staff can stay focused on serving members, rather than troubleshooting facilities issues. Once the investment is paid off, NJCC plans to redirect savings into core priorities, such as lobbying and networking.

A surprisingly easy path – and a call to action

When NJCC began the project, they collaborated with a responsive team of experts who answered questions clearly, guided them through eligibility and documentation, and made the entire process feel straightforward and pleasant. “Interested businesses shouldn’t be intimidated by the process,” says Christine. “All the players made the process easy.”

For NJCC, making this energy efficiency investment was more than a facilities decision. It has become an ongoing commitment to improving operational efficiency and comfort. The organization encourages every eligible business to see energy efficiency as a powerful way to care for our communities, the bottom line, and the shared grid that keeps New Jersey open for business.

We offer a range of energy efficiency programs designed to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. To learn more about available solutions, visit mybizenergy.pseg.com.

Ponterra Partners With Arbor Day Foundation to Accelerate Large-Scale High Integrity Reforestation in Mexico

Arbor Day Foundation — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400

LINCOLN, Neb., April 6, 2026 /3BL/ - Ponterra today announced a new project finance loan and partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, the world’s largest nonprofit organisation dedicated to planting trees. The loan represents one of the first project finance investments from the Arbor Day Foundation's mission driven investment initiative, the Arbor Day Impact Fund.

The loan provided by the Arbor Day Impact Fund will support early-stage operations at Ponterra’s latest project, La Esperanza, the largest Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) project in Mexico. Designed to scale to over 100,000 Ha, La Esperanza restores degraded agricultural and idle lands into biodiverse native forest, providing a financially and environmentally sustainable income for local community members.

“Arbor Day's unique combination of deep carbon market experience and unparalleled reputation make them ideal partners for Ponterra as we bring La Esperanza to market. We applaud the Foundation for stepping up to provide impact capital to projects when they need it most and look forward to working together to unlock nature-based solutions at scale,” said Leigh Madeira, Head of Investments, Ponterra.

“Early-stage reforestation projects often face a critical gap between planting trees and securing long-term financial sustainability. We want to close that gap by pairing low-cost capital with market access. This partnership with Ponterra demonstrates a shared commitment to building forestry projects that deliver positive environmental and social outcomes,” said Pete Davis, Managing Director of the Arbor Day Impact Fund.

For the initial 10,000 Ha, Ponterra will plant more than 6 million trees from more than 50 different native species. The project will create over 200 formal jobs, strengthening community prosperity through employment, skills training, and revenue-sharing. As a result, La Esperanza is forecast to deliver over $160 million in community benefits in the next 40 years.

The Arbor Day Impact Fund was created to fill a critical gap in early-stage finance for nature-based solutions. While demand for high quality reforestation is rising, few financing mechanisms exist that can deploy mission-aligned capital into the early stage of project development, when it is needed the most yet hardest to secure. Through the Arbor Day Impact Fund, the Arbor Day Foundation addresses this gap by providing impact-first, catalytic debt and equity investments that prioritise measurable environmental outcomes and demonstrate that reforestation projects can be financed responsibly and at scale.

Alongside the loan, Ponterra and the Arbor Day Foundation have established a partnership that enables the Foundation and its corporate partners to claim tree planting rights from project activities at La Esperanza as part of their own reforestation commitments. The Arbor Day Foundation will also make La Esperanza available to its vast network of corporates for offtake and upfront financing, giving them access to tree planting claims and carbon credits from one of Latin America’s most ambitious reforestation projects.

Since 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has planted over 500 million trees and works with corporate partners to integrate tree planting into sustainability strategies. The Foundation already partners with project developers globally, including Taking Root in Nicaragua, and GreenTrees in the Mississippi River Valley, to connect corporate demand for high-integrity reforestation with credible, scalable projects. The partnership with Ponterra expands this portfolio into Mexico and adds a large-scale native species restoration project with both carbon and biodiversity outcomes.

The transaction follows Ponterra’s recent announcement of a first-of-a-kind biodiversity credit-backed loan from Fondo Nimbus, and reinforces growing investor confidence in Ponterra’s integrated approach to carbon, biodiversity, and community impact. Together, these transactions demonstrate that diverse sources of capital, from impact-first philanthropic finance to outcomes-based investment, can be mobilised into large-scale restoration when underpinned by operational excellence, high integrity project design, and deep community engagement.

About Ponterra

Ponterra is a commercial developer and operator of biodiversity-rich reforestation projects with the mission to restore nature at scale. Ponterra develops high-quality carbon projects that sequester carbon, restore biodiversity, and uplift rural communities through a vertically integrated model that blends ecology, operations, finance, and technology. Ponterra’s portfolio includes large-scale projects in Panama and Mexico, as well as pioneering biodiversity credits as the only ARR project developer selected for Verra’s SD VISta Nature Credit pilot program. For more information, please visit https://ponterra.eco/.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

And this is only the beginning.

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

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Inogen Alliance Sponsors the 7th International PFAS Congress, June 16-19

Inogen Alliance — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 12:15:00 -0400

ST. PAUL, Minn., April 3, 2026 /3BL/ -Inogen Alliance is pleased to sponsor the 7th International PFAS Congress, 16th to 19th of June 2026 in Paris. It is one of the largest PFAS Congresses internationally, with participants from industries, service providers, consultants, authorities, universities, lawyers, insurance companies, and more. Presentations and discussions span across 4 days with experts from the European Community (Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Sweden) and from the UK, Switzerland, USA, Canada, and Australia.

Inogen Alliance will have a session on 17^th June on PFAS risk management in a digital age with presenters from DGE Group and Peter J. Ramsay & Associates.

Presentations are focused on innovative site investigations (water, soil, air, sediments, organisms), risk assessments (human health & environment), use of AI for contamination sources identification and differentiation for cost sharing and court disputes, case studies of remediation and treatment technologies and new research results.

"We're excited to co-sponsor and attend this year's PFAS congress, working alongside industry leaders, regulators, and researchers to drive innovation and progress in PFAS assessment and remediation,” Annika Taylor, Peter J. Ramsay & Associates and co-leader of the Global Remediation Working Group.

Thanks to our Associate co-sponsors, DGE, Peter J. Ramsay & Associates, Antea Brasil and Brown & Green.

Find more details and register here: W.E.B.S. - World Event Business Solutions

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of over 70 of independent local businesses and over 6,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates, listen to our podcast and follow us on LinkedIn.

Complimentary Webinar - Preparing for CSRD Mandatory Assurance: What Companies Need to Do Now

SCS Global Services — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400

COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR

Preparing for CSRD Mandatory Assurance: What Companies Need to Do Now

Thursday, April 30th, 2026 at 10:00 AM PST

REGISTER TODAY

If your organization is in scope for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the next step is building the processes, controls, and evidence needed to meet assurance requirements. This session provides a practical roadmap for readiness, covering data governance, internal control frameworks, documentation standards, and alignment with ESRS reporting.

Whether you are early in your CSRD journey or already reporting, this complimentary 30-minute webinar will help you build an assurance-ready ESG reporting system.

Join Danielle Stapleton, SCS Global Services' Program Manager for ESG Assurance, as she highlights the following:

- What auditors will expect
- Common challenges organizations face in their first assurance cycle
- Key actions companies should take now to avoid delays or rework

A live Q&A session will follow the discussion.

REGISTER NOW

Water Stewardship: Why Global Trade Must Invest in the World’s Most Critical Resource

DP World — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Water sustains life. It also sustains global trade.

From the rivers that feed agricultural production to the oceans that carry 80% of global trade, water is the connective infrastructure of the global economy. Yet it is increasingly under pressure – from climate change and pollution to population growth and rising demand. For global logistics leaders, protecting water resources is not simply an environmental responsibility. It is a strategic imperative.

At DP World, water stewardship sits at the heart of our sustainability strategy because resilient supply chains depend on resilient ecosystems and thriving communities.

From Ports to Planet: A System-Level View of Water

Ports, terminals and logistics hubs exist where land and water meet. This unique position gives the trade sector a powerful opportunity – and responsibility – to protect freshwater and marine ecosystems.

DP World approaches water sustainability through a “source-to-sea” framework, recognizing that rivers, wetlands, coastlines and oceans are deeply interconnected. Sustainable management upstream affects ecosystems downstream, influencing biodiversity, water quality and coastal resilience.

By taking a holistic view, businesses can address water challenges at their root rather than treating them as isolated environmental issues.

Why Water Is a Business Imperative

The global economy depends on water far more than many realize.

Water underpins sectors responsible for around 40% of global jobs, including agriculture, fishing and tourism. At the same time, the majority of global trade moves by sea.

But the world faces a growing water crisis:

Half of the global population already experiences severe water scarcity.
Water-related health challenges cause hundreds of thousands of deaths each year.
Rising sea levels and extreme weather increasingly threaten coastal infrastructure and communities.

These risks affect not only ecosystems but also supply chains, workforce wellbeing and economic stability.

For companies operating at the intersection of trade and infrastructure, water resilience is inseparable from long-term business resilience.

Turning Commitment into Action

DP World’s water strategy focuses on three interconnected priorities: protecting ecosystems, improving operational water stewardship and expanding access to safe water in communities.

1. Protecting ecosystems and biodiversity

Healthy ecosystems are natural infrastructure. Mangroves, wetlands and estuaries filter pollution, stabilize coastlines and store carbon.

On Puná Island in Ecuador, DP World is working with partners to plant thousands of mangrove seedlings – helping restore marine biodiversity while strengthening natural coastal defenses.

Similar projects protect waterways from plastic pollution and restore wetlands that act as vital ecological buffers.

2. Driving responsible water management in operations

Across its global operations, DP World is implementing a Sustainable Water Conservation and Management Strategy designed to reduce consumption, improve efficiency and safeguard water quality.

Embedding stewardship principles into operations ensures that growth in global trade can occur alongside responsible resource management.

3. Expanding access to water, sanitation and hygiene

Access to clean water remains one of the most urgent global challenges.

DP World is investing in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes aimed at improving community access to safe water systems. By 2030, the company plans to invest over $5 million in WASH initiatives reaching more than 250,000 people worldwide.

Projects range from solar-powered water systems in healthcare centres in Mozambique to atmospheric water generators and infrastructure upgrades in water-stressed regions.

Collaboration Is the Only Path Forward

Water challenges cannot be solved by any single organization.

That is why DP World works with partners ranging from NGOs to international initiatives, including WaterAid and the Water Resilience Coalition. Through collaboration, companies can scale solutions that strengthen climate resilience, restore ecosystems and improve water access for communities.

Equally important is education and engagement. Empowering employees, communities and schools with knowledge about water stewardship ensures that sustainable practices extend far beyond individual projects.

Building a Sustainable Blue Economy

Water stewardship is closely linked to the broader vision of a Sustainable Blue Economy – an economic system where ocean resources are managed responsibly while supporting growth and livelihoods.

By protecting marine ecosystems, reducing pollution and investing in resilient infrastructure, businesses can help ensure that trade continues to thrive without compromising the natural systems that make it possible.

The Opportunity Ahead

The global water challenge is immense, but it is also an opportunity.

Companies that invest in water resilience today are investing in stronger supply chains, healthier communities and a more stable global economy tomorrow.

For the logistics sector, leadership means looking beyond the dockside and recognizing that the future of trade depends on the future of water.

And protecting that future must be a shared commitment—from source to sea.

Learn more here: https://www.dpworld.com/sustainability/water

What are DP World’s water sustainability and conservation strategies?

DP World actively advances water sustainability by targeting a net positive impact by 2030. Through enhancing sustainable water management, encouraging reuse, and supporting ecosystem restoration, we align with global water goals.

Why is water sustainability important at DP World?

Water sustainability is a priority at DP World to safeguard essential natural resources. By focusing on sustainable water management, we strengthen business resilience and support global communities, aligning with UN SDG 6.

How does DP World help maintain water sustainability?

DP World leads in water sustainability by investing in efficient technologies, developing resilient infrastructure, and fostering community partnerships. We improve access to clean water and educate communities on sustainable water practices.

How does DP World’s water conservation projects help the environment?

Our water conservation projects at DP World, including mangrove planting, wetland restoration, and solar water systems, enhance water quality and ecosystem resilience, while benefiting biodiversity and the communities we operate in.

Learn more here: https://www.dpworld.com/sustainability/water

Assurant and AT&T Tree for Trade‑In Program Supports Ongoing Reforestation in California Through the Arbor Day Foundation

Arbor Day Foundation — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

LINCOLN, Neb., April 2, 2026 /3BL/ - For a second consecutive year, Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ), a premier global protection company that safeguards and services connected devices, homes, and automobiles in partnership with the world’s leading brands — is collaborating with AT&T (NYSE: T) in a “Tree for Trade-In” initiative to support the Arbor Day Foundation’s ongoing forest restoration efforts in wildfire-impacted areas of California.

Launched on April 1 and running through the end of the month, every phone, tablet or device traded-in to AT&T online or -in-store will support the planting of a tree in the Placerville Nursery for California Wildfire Reforestation, the only forest service nursery in the state. This year’s “Tree for Trade-In” initiative will result in the planting of another 75,000 new trees at the Placerville Nursery, bringing the campaign’s total trees planted to 150,000 over the past two years. The trees that are planted through this project will later be transplanted into the forests and communities devastated by the January 2025 Los Angeles-area wildfires, supporting the restoration of these critical ecosystems and preserving California’s natural landscapes for future generations.

“This collaboration is helping accelerate critical restoration efforts in California by turning everyday consumer actions into long‑term environmental impact,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Wildfire recovery efforts are a long‑term commitment, and projects like this help ensure that we can hit the ground running when these landscapes are ready. Thanks to the continued support from Assurant and AT&T, thousands of new trees are being grown at the Placerville Nursery and prepared for replanting in ecosystems that were severely burned, helping strengthen forest resilience and support communities as they recover.”

Assurant supports this initiative by helping ensure that traded-in devices returned by AT&T customers are securely processed and repurposed or responsibly recycled. The trade-in initiative supports circularity by repurposing devices to extend their useful life and responsibly recycling those that reach end of life.

“This initiative demonstrates how we support communities impacted by wildfires through our product offerings, our Assurant Foundation and our sustainability commitments,” said Michael Bellantis, Vice President of Sustainability at Assurant. “Our efforts with AT&T and the Arbor Day Foundation brings sustainability to life through trusted collaboration—showing how aligned priorities across the value chain can strengthen community resilience and create lasting environmental impact.”

In addition to these campaign efforts, AT&T commemorated the anniversary of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year by engaging local employee volunteers in a community tree planting event on the campus of a local Title I elementary school that was directly located in the Altadena burn area. Dozens of trees were planted to help provide much-needed shade during the warmer months, all while also creating a more natural and calming learning environment for students throughout the year.

“Our Tree for Trade-In initiative with the Arbor Day Foundation and Assurant highlights what we can accomplish when we work together,” said Mylayna Albright, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at AT&T. “Building on more than 20 years of work with the Arbor Day Foundation, our collaborative community engagement and reforestation efforts have helped plant more than 1.3 million trees—supporting disaster recovery and long-term restoration in areas affected by wildfires and other events.”

About Assurant

Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ) is a premier global protection company that partners with the world’s leading brands to safeguard and service connected devices, homes, and automobiles. As a Fortune 500 company operating in 21 countries, Assurant leverages data-driven technology solutions to provide exceptional customer experiences.

Learn more about how Assurant is integrating sustainability into its business at https://www.assurant.com/about-us/sustainability.

About AT&T

We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), please visit us at about.att.com. Investors can learn more at investors.att.com.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

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

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Subaru and the Arbor Day Foundation Give Away 65,000 Trees Nationwide During Subaru Loves the Earth® Initiative

Subaru of America — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 09:55:00 -0400

CAMDEN, N.J., April 1, 2026 /3BL/ - Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) today announced the return of its tree distribution program in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation™, continuing the automaker’s shared commitment to environmental and community impact. As part of the Subaru Loves the Earth® initiative taking place each April, nearly 600 Subaru retailers nationwide will give away 65,000 regionally appropriate trees, helping communities grow greener, healthier spaces over time.

^{Subaru of America and the Arbor Day Foundation® are growing a nationwide tree distribution program to give away 65,000 established and regionally appropriate trees in communities across the country. As part of the automaker’s Subaru Loves the Earth® initiative, this continues the largest such corporate effort in the non-profit’s history and will have tangible benefits for generations to come.}

Trees strengthen communities by improving air quality, managing stormwater, cooling local areas, and enriching the places where people live and gather. But each year, the U.S. loses 36 million trees due to age, disease, infestation, and extreme weather, harming the environment and public health. Building upon the largest corporate community tree distribution effort in the non-profit’s history, Subaru and the Arbor Day Foundation are committed to giving people across the country the opportunity to plant a tree in their own community.

^{Subaru of America and the Arbor Day Foundation will host tree donation distribution events throughout the regional 2026 planting season. Customers can find a participating retailer and reserve a tree on a first-come, first-served basis at}^{www.arborday.org/subaru-directory}^.

Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President, Marketing at Subaru of America, Inc.: “Our partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation continues to bring more trees to neighborhoods across the country by putting them right in people’s hands. Trees are an essential part of our daily lives, and thanks to our strong network of retailers, we’re thrilled to be contributing toward a healthier future and deliver meaningful benefits that grow within the communities we serve.”

Distribution events are taking place at Subaru retailers through May 16, aligned with regional planting windows. Trees can be reserved through participating retailer locations, and participants can expect a hands-on pickup experience as well as expanded resources, including tree-specific one-pagers and QR codes with care and species information to ensure these trees thrive for generations to come.

Dan Lambe, Chief Executive Officer of the Arbor Day Foundation: “Trees are foundational to healthy communities, and we’re looking forward to seeing this effort thrive. Working alongside Subaru for another year means we will be able to reach even more communities and continue to create positive change through trees. This partnership is indicative of our shared commitment to empowered environmental stewardship and giving people the opportunity to take part in caring for the places they call home."

^{Trees provide oxygen, filter water, clean the air, prevent flooding, and cool environments to help build healthier communities and a more sustainable planet. But every year, American cities lose millions of trees due to age, disease, infestation, and extreme weather. To help address this tree loss, Subaru, its retailers, and the Arbor Day Foundation will supply and distribute 65,000 trees this year, building upon a legacy of supporting environmental causes that includes the replanting of 1 million trees in western states to address post-wildfire reforestation efforts.}

Customers can find a participating retailer and reserve a tree on a first-come, first-served basis, at https://www.arborday.org/subaru-directory with additional information about tree species and guidance available at https://www.arborday.org/landing/subaru-planting.

Subaru will also provide additional support through two distinct cause marketing campaigns. First, through the Subaru Badge of Ownership program, the automaker will donate $1 to the ADF, up to $2,000 total, for every Arbor Day and Environment badge ordered.* Second, the automaker will make a tree donation through the Arbor Day Foundation in connection with the Gifts for Good and Subaru Love Encore program, reinforcing the automaker’s commitment to sustainability and giving back. For every reusable Love-Encore gift bag returned with a prepaid label, Subaru will plant a tree in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, creating a gifting experience that reduces packaging waste, encourages customer participation, and supports long-term reforestation efforts.

Subaru will amplify its Subaru Loves the Earth initiative with a nationwide integrated ad campaign, highlighted by the 30-second spot, “Kids”. The spot will air on NBC’s TODAY Show on Earth Day, on The Weather Channel as part of an Arbor Day sponsorship, and include broad support across streaming, digital, audio, Spanish-language, social, and influencer channels, with the spot also available on YouTube/Subaru.

To learn more about Subaru Loves the Earth and the automaker’s commitment to protecting, conserving, and helping the planet flourish for many generations to come, visit Subaru.com/earth.

*Maximum donation of $2,000. Donations apply to orders placed from 12:01 AM EDT Wednesday, April 1st, 2026, through 11:59 PM EDT Thursday, April 30th, 2026, through badgeofownership.com.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of about 640 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants, including Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise®, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $340 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged over 115,000 volunteer hours. Subaru is dedicated to being More Than a Car Company® and to making the world a better place. For additional information, visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

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Diane Anton
Corporate Communications Manager
(856) 488-5093
danton@subaru.com

Adam Leiter
Corporate Communications Specialist
(856) 488-8668
aleiter@subaru.com

The Continuing Evolution of ESG Due Diligence: Why There Are Always Risks to Be Managed and Value to Be Created

Inogen Alliance — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 08:45:00 -0400

ESG due diligence has changed significantly over the last decade. What was once often treated as a narrower environmental or compliance exercise has grown into a broader business consideration touching operations, supply chains, resilience, reputation, and long-term value creation.

For businesses, investors, and property owners, that shift matters. ESG is no longer just about identifying what could go wrong. Increasingly, it is also about understanding where opportunities exist, how assets can become more resilient, and what actions will create value over time.

Through the global Inogen Alliance network, firms like Antea Group UK are helping companies navigate this evolving landscape by combining local expertise with global insight on sustainability and risk management. To explore how ESG due diligence is continuing to evolve, we spoke with Aaron Drury and Dan Ellis of Antea Group UK, who shared their perspectives on the drivers behind ESG risk assessment, the growing importance of resilience, and why ESG due diligence is increasingly about identifying opportunity as well as risk.

As Aaron Drury explains, “ESG is this opportunity to create value in your assets, but at the same time you don’t want to be caught out by an evolving legislative landscape.”

That balance between risk management and opportunity creation was a recurring theme throughout our discussion. Their perspective reflects how ESG due diligence is evolving in the UK and beyond, and why it remains an important part of good business decision-making, even as the language around ESG continues to shift.

ESG Due Diligence Is About More Than Compliance

From Dan’s perspective, the growth of ESG is rooted in a simple idea: “ESG is about doing good business.” He explained that it is about “being profitable whilst also generating value for the community in which you operate.”

That framing is important because it moves the conversation beyond reporting alone. While legislation and investor expectations are certainly part of the story, they are not the only drivers. Companies are also responding to changing expectations from employees, customers, and the public.

Dan noted that there is now much more awareness around what people want to see from the brands they buy from and the services they procure. In his words, “Buying patterns of customers are changing and, if you’re not practicing good ESG, customers can find out and move very easily”

Aaron pointed to both market expectations and regulation as major forces behind the shift. Resilient assets, he said, increasingly “command a better place in the market.” At the same time, legislation continues to evolve, particularly in the UK and across Europe, pushing investors and businesses to take a closer look at what they own, acquire, and operate.

From Broad ESG Strategies to Detailed, Practical Action

One of the clearest themes from the conversation was that ESG has matured.

Aaron noted that in many ways, environmental consultants were already doing this work long before the term ESG became mainstream: “We were doing ESG before it was called ESG.” What changed was that ESG became an umbrella term that pulled many disciplines together and gave investors and organizations a new way to frame these issues.

But like many fast-growing concepts, it also went through a period of oversimplification.

Aaron described the early response to ESG legislation and disclosure frameworks as something of a rush to define and package ESG quickly. He observed that “there was almost a bit of a gold mine rush to try and really understand what is ESG,” and that for a time there was “a real oversimplification towards trying to tackle ESG.”

Now, that is changing. Rather than staying at a high level, organizations are returning to the detail. Aaron described this as a shift “back to the detailed angle of ESG,” where the work may involve contaminated land due diligence, energy audits, health and safety compliance, supply chain issues, modern slavery policies, and more.

Dan described a similar evolution. ESG brought environmental, social, and governance disciplines together under one framework, creating a common language for what good performance could look like. That led many businesses to conduct materiality assessments and develop strategies. But the leading organizations have moved beyond that stage.

As Dan explained, “The forerunners of ESG are well beyond those stages now. They have their strategies — now it’s about implementation.”

That shift from strategy to implementation is a defining feature of ESG due diligence today.

Why Environmental Risks Still Dominate — But Social and Governance Risks Are Catching Up

Both Aaron and Dan acknowledged that, to date, the “E” in ESG has often received the greatest attention. Dan noted that environmental issues have often been easier to quantify, which made them more straightforward to measure and report on. But he also emphasized that social and governance issues are catching up quickly.

In fact, some of the less tangible elements may be among the most important. Reputation, workforce culture, supply chain practices, and governance structures can all have significant business impacts, even when they are harder to capture in a spreadsheet.

That broader lens is increasingly important in due diligence because the risks businesses face are interconnected. Organizations may still think first about compliance or reporting, but ESG risks can affect operations, investment performance, public perception, and future growth.

Physical Climate Risk Is Rising Fast

Among the most commonly overlooked areas, Dan pointed to is physical climate risk.

He explained that in the UK, flooding remains the most significant physical climate threat and is becoming more frequent and severe. But flooding is only part of the picture. Storms, wind damage, and heatwaves are also becoming more relevant.

As Dan put it, “We’re starting to see things like heatwaves becoming a real issue in the UK.”

He noted that once temperatures move into the high 30s and above 40 degrees Celsius, buildings and infrastructure begin to behave differently. Surface materials can degrade, coatings can fail, and flammable compounds may become more hazardous. For some businesses, that changes not only building performance, but also fire risk assessments and operational controls.

This is a good example of how climate risk is no longer a distant or abstract ESG issue. It is becoming an immediate operational and investment concern.

Energy Performance, Asset Resilience, and the Business Case for Action

Energy was another major theme in the discussion, especially in relation to real estate and investment due diligence.

Aaron stressed the importance of using reliable energy data, particularly when investors are making decisions about retrofits, capital expenditures, and long-term asset value. In the UK, Energy Performance Certificates and minimum energy efficiency standards play an important role in shaping expectations, but Aaron cautioned that theoretical or inconsistent data can lead to poor decisions.

The bigger point was that energy performance is not just a compliance issue — it is a resilience issue.

Dan explained that buildings aligned with a 1.5-degree net zero pathway are increasingly attractive because tenants want them. Corporates are looking for buildings that support their own sustainability goals, reduce energy costs, and offer more protection from fossil fuel price volatility.

Aaron summed it up well: “Energy is the hot topic in this respect.” He added that if a business is investing in energy efficiency, better-performing buildings, or renewable technologies, “you’re priming yourself for a much more resilient future.”

Dan shared that he has seen organizations that have invested in solar, wind, lower-carbon fuels, and other resilience measures become much more confident in forecasting future operating costs. In some cases, companies are even supporting their suppliers to make similar changes, recognizing that supply chain resilience also affects their own performance.

PFAS and Emerging Contaminants Are Becoming More Important in Due Diligence

The conversation also touched on PFAS and the growing importance of emerging contaminants in ESG and environmental due diligence.

Aaron acknowledged that the UK may be somewhat behind some European markets in this area, but made clear that PFAS is an issue that is continuing to evolve. Dan added an especially important due diligence point: liability is not limited to the original polluter - it transfers with land ownership

As he explained, “It doesn’t matter whether they created that pollution or not — it’s now their problem.”

That is a critical consideration for landowners, investors, and businesses acquiring or operating sites with historical uses that may have involved PFAS or other contaminants. Today’s due diligence decisions need to consider not only current operations, but also historical conditions that could create future liabilities.

Supply Chains, Social Risk, and Reputation Matter More Than Ever

While environmental topics dominated much of the discussion, Dan and Aaron also highlighted the growing importance of the social dimension of ESG due diligence.

Dan noted that understanding supply chains is about more than reducing operational or legal risk. It is also about understanding where materials come from, how work is performed across the value chain, and whether suppliers are operating in line with expected standards.

This is becoming more important as legislation evolves. Dan pointed to the EU deforestation regulation as an example of how due diligence obligations now extend deeply into the supply chain. If companies cannot demonstrate where their raw materials come from and show that they are not contributing to deforestation, they may lose market access.

In Dan’s words, “If you can’t do your due diligence, you might not be able to operate in certain markets.”

On the social side, Aaron reflected on how the workplace has changed since COVID-19. Commuting patterns, flexible working, and expectations around work-life balance have all shifted. Cities are also changing, with measures such as ultra-low emission zones altering how people move and work.

Those changes matter in due diligence because they affect how attractive, functional, and resilient an asset or business will be in the future. Aaron noted that if organizations are improving assets in ways that support local communities and better ways of working, “it just makes the asset more resilient as a whole.”

The Role of AI: Faster Data, But Not Better Judgment on Its Own

AI was another important topic in the discussion, particularly given the growing amount of ESG data available today.

Dan said clearly that AI is already changing the ESG landscape. Tasks that consultants once handled manually can now be automated, making data collection and analysis faster. But the real question is what businesses do with that information.

As Dan explained, “The element that AI currently doesn’t do is tell you what is right for your business and your culture.”

That is especially important in ESG, where decisions often involve trade-offs. A solution that improves one issue may create challenges somewhere else. Consultants still play a key role in helping businesses understand those trade-offs, apply local knowledge, and decide what makes sense in context.

Aaron took a similar view. “AI is going to change everything,” he said. “It’s going to make our lives easier, but it will always be a tool.” He emphasized that ESG is too broad and complex to be reduced to automation alone, and that something essential remains human: “That’s something AI will never be able to replace: a relationship.”

That point feels especially relevant in due diligence, where trust, judgment, and local understanding are central to good advice.

Practical Advice for Organizations Still Early in Their ESG Journey

For businesses that are still early in their ESG journey, Aaron offered reassuring and practical advice.

His first recommendation was simple: “The first step is just to pick up the phone.”

He acknowledged that ESG can feel overwhelming because of the number of service lines, standards, and topics involved. But not every organization needs to do everything at once. Often, a high-level review is enough to identify the issues that matter most now and the issues that may become more important later.

As Aaron put it, “If you’re thinking about ESG, that’s a great thing. If you’re already thinking about it, you’re already halfway there.”

Dan also stressed that businesses do not need to overcomplicate the process. There are now many good tools and frameworks available to help identify the most relevant ESG topics by industry. For smaller and mid-sized organizations, even a relatively simple materiality exercise can provide enough clarity to begin building a roadmap.

He also made an important organizational point: ESG should not sit off to the side as a completely separate function. Over time, sustainability and ESG responsibilities have become more integrated into finance, operations, procurement, and leadership roles. Rather than treating ESG as someone else’s job, companies should look at the capabilities they already have and build from there.

The Future of ESG Due Diligence: From Risk Identification to Opportunity Creation

Looking ahead, both Aaron and Dan expect ESG due diligence to continue evolving in a more practical, integrated direction.

Aaron emphasized the importance of trusted networks and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Particularly in areas like real estate, energy, and technical building performance, no single discipline has all the answers. The future, he said, lies in bringing together strong partners who can deliver meaningful, realistic advice.

Dan, meanwhile, described the future of ESG due diligence as going “beyond just risk mitigation.” Risk assessment remains important, but more clients are now asking what can be improved, what value can be unlocked, and what plans exists to move an asset or organization from where it is today to where it needs to be.

That is a meaningful change. Rather than using due diligence only to avoid problems, more organizations are using it to understand potential, prioritize actions, and guide investment.

Dan also pointed to the value of more holistic thinking. Instead of treating energy, nature, water, and social impact as separate issues managed by separate teams, he sees greater value in integrated solutions that deliver multiple benefits at once.

ESG Is Still About Good Business

Although ESG has faced some pushback in recent years, neither Aaron nor Dan sees that as a sign of decline. Instead, they see a field that is being refined and becoming more grounded in practical outcomes.

Aaron put it plainly: “There is real value to be created here through risk management or genuine opportunity.”

Dan returned to the broader principle at the heart of the discussion: ESG is not going away because, fundamentally, it is still about doing good business. It may be framed differently depending on the audience — risk, resilience, value, cost savings, supply chain stability, employee wellbeing, or reputation — but the underlying issues remain.

And perhaps the strongest closing thought came from Dan, who said: “There are so many opportunities to make people’s lives better and make some money along the way. But if you dawdle and decide not to pursue some of those opportunities, someone else will.”

That may be one of the clearest ways to understand the continuing evolution of ESG due diligence today. It is still about risk. It is still about compliance. But increasingly, it is also about resilience, foresight, and the ability to create value in a changing world.

Get in touch for support on your ESG and EHS due diligence!

Environmental Stewardship: Marathon Pipe Line Sustainable Landscapes Program Reaches 10,000-Acre Goal

Marathon Petroleum — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:15:00 -0400

Key Points

The Marathon Pipe Line LLC (MPL) Sustainable Landscapes Program reached its goal of applying nature-based solutions to 10,000 acres of pipeline rights of way ahead of schedule, benefiting both operations and the environment.
The program uses a circular process of site assessment, tailored vegetation management, and ongoing monitoring, involving collaboration with contractors, landowners, and conservation groups.
Building trust with local stakeholders and adapting to their needs has been crucial to the program’s success and future expansion plans.

For years the solution to maintaining Marathon Pipe Line LLC (MPL) pipeline rights of way across the United States was simply to mow existing vegetation. It was not until Scott Sharpe, a natural resource manager by trade, joined the team that MPL began considering how investing in sustainable landscaping could protect its operations, benefit the local environment, drive cost-efficiency, and improve MPL’s relationships with landowners.

“We recognized that maintaining the status quo was not sustainable. Costs were going up, vegetation growth was not slowing down, and regulations were increasing across the country,” said MPL’s Right of Way and Public Engagement Manager Aron Velasquez, whose team is responsible for rights-of-way maintenance. “Something needed to change with our approach. Not just on the cost side but also from the nature side of things, too.”

^{Lessy Mehler, administrative assistant, and Seth Hesler, operations technician, check a birdhouse along a right of way at a Wildlife Habitat Council site in the Illinois Wabash Valley area.}

Sharpe, MPL senior environmental specialist, and Austin Bussard, MPL operations supervisor, explored the Sustainable Landscapes Program in 2021 and eventually launched it in 2023 with the goal of applying nature-based solutions to 10,000 acres of compatible rights of way by the end of 2025. These 10,000 acres represent approximately 50% of MPL’s compatible rights of way nationwide. The team hit their goal in September, months ahead of schedule.

“The rights of way are valuable from a wildlife perspective because houses will never be built on them,” Scott said. “We can help native plants and wildlife survive and thrive by creating sustainable habitats that help improve the local environment while protecting our assets and saving money.”

The new approach is saving MPL more than $2 million per year while also improving the company’s impact on biodiversity and its relationships with regulators and permitting agencies.

Circular process

The team follows a circular process to evaluate each land parcel, Sharpe said. Following a site assessment, the team develops a plan based on where it’s located, who owns it, what it’s used for, and the type of vegetation currently growing there. Then they execute and continuously monitor the site to see what works and what does not.

“For a majority of our rights of way, this is not a one-time process,” said Sharpe. “We remove invasive species to provide room for native plants to thrive. We also remove trees and shrubs with roots that may disrupt our pipelines and sometimes seed the area. In every case, we then monitor the response and make adjustments as needed.”

Last year the team seeded 1,000 acres of rights of way with integrated vegetation management (IVM) compliant seeds provided by Pheasants Forever, a wildlife conservation group.

“Each location required a different mix,” said Sharpe. “West Texas looks different from northern Utah or Ohio, so we adjust according to the local vegetation.”

^{Our landscaped right of way in one of Utah’s national wildlife refuges.}

The process requires constant communication and collaboration with contractors who perform the work and local stakeholders like landowners, the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and even nearby beekeepers. Julie Beaschler, MPL senior right-of-way specialist who joined the team in 2022, previously worked in robotics automation and oversees the tracking and execution of the program. She built a real-time dashboard with an interactive, color-coded map of our U.S. pipeline assets to provide in-depth details on the status of each acreage parcel and which contractor services it.

“It started as an Excel spreadsheet and evolved into a more sophisticated tracking system,” she said. “It’s necessary so we know where we need to apply herbicide, where we should mow, what areas are forested, and where someone else is managing the land with crops.”

The system also helps Beaschler track the work and progress of the handful of skilled contractors used across the United States who perform specialized work with custom-built, industrial equipment.

“The contractors have to be licensed individuals to perform the work,” she said. “We train our contractors to make sure the work is performed to our expectations while ensuring safety and to help them earn the trust of landowners.”

Building trust

The duo’s work has helped build inroads with landowners who were initially uncertain and skeptical about what MPL was doing and how contractors were tending to their property in a new way. In several cases, Sharpe met face-to-face with landowners explaining the program and its methods and completely changed the relationship. A prime example is the Umatilla Reservation in Pendleton, Oregon.

^{A bee visits native wildflowers along a right of way in Louisiana.}

“We had a strained relationship initially, so Julie and I went out to meet with their cultural resources and natural wildlife contacts and just listened,” Sharpe said. “We learned what was important to them and what they’re trying to accomplish on their land. We spent the day in the field identifying plants and listening to the history of why it meant something to their people.”

“If they didn’t have this plant, the community struggled to make it through the winter; this one was for weddings and funerals; this one was for seasoning a favorite dish,” Sharpe said. “They explained the challenges of preserving these important plants, so we used it as an opportunity to go after invasive species and support their native plants. We slowly built the relationship through accountability and follow through and now we have their trust.”

Planning for the future

While the team achieved their initial 10,000 acres goal, they are already deep into planning for 2026 and beyond.

“Even though we hit the goal, there is still more work to be done and more opportunities at our fingertips to expand the program,” Beaschler said. “Vegetation doesn’t stop growing, and there’s always something to assess and improve on.”

^{A butterfly lands on blooming flowers on a right of way in Louisiana.}