Military Appreciation Profile: Spotlighting Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Shields, Ensuring Mission-Ready Solutions

CACI — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:30:00 -0400

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Michael H. “Mike” Shields built a distinguished 34‑year career in the U.S. Army before bringing his operational insight and strategic leadership to CACI. Today, he serves as senior vice president of Advanced Technology for Mission Adoption, helping accelerate next‑generation technologies that support the nation’s most critical missions.

Since joining the Army in 1985, Shields has served in a wide range of challenging command assignments to include the 3^rd Battalion, 504^th Parachute Infantry Regiment and most notably the 172^nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team in Iraq, which received the Valorous Unit Award for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an armed enemy. The 172^nd SBCT was extended during redeployment and served one of the longest combat tours of the war. He later went on to serve as commanding general, United States Army Alaska.

Shields has served in several key strategy and policy positions within the Joint Staff including assistant deputy director for European NATO Russian and African Policy and director of the National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center in the NMCC. In 2010, he was assigned as the deputy director for Operations and Intelligence for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. He returned from Afghanistan in 2012 to serve on the Joint Staff as the director of the Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell. His final role in the Department of War was as director of the Joint Improvised‑Threat Defeat Organization (Defense Threat Reduction Agency).

Throughout his military career, Shields worked extensively in joint environments and high‑risk missions, gaining deep expertise in threat analysis, rapid innovation, and operational integration. These experiences shaped his understanding of how emerging technologies can be fielded effectively to support warfighters in dynamic environments.

Shields joined CACI in May 2019. In his role on the strategy team, he supports strategic planning to ensure advanced technologies are aligned to customer mission needs and are successfully integrated into operational use.

Shields was drawn by CACI’s strong heritage supporting intelligence community and defense missions and its growing portfolio of mission‑critical technologies. He recognized CACI’s commitment to developing advanced capabilities that directly support warfighters and national security priorities, an alignment that allowed him to continue his service in a new capacity.

His Army career instilled in him a mission‑first mindset, a deep appreciation for collaboration, and a commitment to delivering capabilities quickly and effectively. His experience directing Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO) — an organization tasked with rapid innovation and agile operational support — informs his approach to accelerating technology pipelines, strengthening cross‑functional collaboration, and ensuring solutions are truly mission‑ready.

While transitioning from military to civilian leadership, Shields found CACI’s culture strongly aligned to the values he lived throughout his service. The company’s innovative environment enables Shields and other veterans to leverage their experience, contribute directly to national defense priorities, and help shape the next generation of technology for those in uniform.

From leading soldiers on the ground to guiding national‑level threat‑defeat initiatives and now advancing transformative technologies at CACI, Shields has devoted his career to protecting U.S. warfighters and strengthening national security. His path reflects a lifelong dedication to mission, innovation, and service - values he continues to carry forward every day at CACI.

CACI offers careers for veterans that are as dynamic as they are. Explore opportunities to continue your mission with CACI.

About CACI

CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) is a national security company with 27,000 talented employees who are Ever Vigilant in expanding the limits of national security. We ensure our customers’ success by delivering differentiated technology and distinctive expertise to accelerate innovation, drive speed and efficiency, and rapidly anticipate and eliminate threats. Our culture drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. We are members of the Fortune 500™, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit us at caci.com.

Corporate Communications and Media:
Lauren Presti
Executive Director, External Communications
(703) 434-5037, lauren.presti@caci.com

Keysight Releases 2025 Corporate Social Responsibility Progress Report and Disclosures

Keysight Technologies — Fri, 29 May 2026 15:05:00 -0400

SANTA ROSA, Calif., May 29, 2026 /3BL/ - Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) released its 2025 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Progress Report, highlighting the company’s recent achievements across ethical business and governance, environmental sustainability, and positive social impact. The progress report, with its accompanying 2025 CSR Data Report, encompasses Keysight’s CSR performance in fiscal year 2025 and includes operations worldwide. The CSR Data Report includes disclosures prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) revised universal topic standards and aligned to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) frameworks, as well as additional human capital metrics not included in the mentioned frameworks.

Progress toward environmental goals

Driven by sustained investment in responsible innovation, Keysight made steady progress toward its goal to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, including science-based targets, and interim measures. In fiscal year 2025, energy efficiency initiatives delivered an estimated 6,160 MWh in energy conservation and more than 1,740 metric tons of CO₂e in annual emissions savings, while the company extended responsible practices across its global supply chain.

Strengthened community investment

Keysight bolstered its social impact, exceeding its goals by investing more than $319 million in communities and engaging over 3.5 million students through STEM education initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to empowering the next generation of innovators.

Governance and ethics oversight

Strong governance practices were reinforced through active board‑level oversight. A 100% completion rate for Standards of Business Conduct training supported a culture of integrity. Enhanced materiality, assurance, and transparency strengthened preparedness for evolving global disclosure requirements, while the company met its goal for zero material negative impacts to the income statement from CSR-related efforts.

Advancing a sustainable future

Alongside ongoing global recognition for its leadership in sustainability and responsible business practices, the 2025 CSR Progress and Data Reports highlight a year of accomplishments. These reports provide clear insight into how Keysight is contributing to a more connected, secure, and sustainable world.

Satish Dhanasekaran, President and Chief Executive Officer, Keysight, said: "I am proud of the progress we have achieved through integrity led leadership, measurable sustainability advancement, and meaningful impact across communities worldwide. As we look ahead, we remain firmly committed to delivering purposeful technologies that create lasting value and contribute to a more resilient future.”

Resources

About Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we're delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We're a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.

Contacts

Andrea Mueller, Americas
andrea.mueller@keysight.com

Jenny Gallacher, Europe
jenny.gallacher@keysight.com

Fusako Dohi, Asia
fusako_dohi@keysight.com

Scaling Circular Cotton Through Measurement and Collaboration

Cascale — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:35:00 -0400

Scaling textile-to-textile recycling requires overcoming persistent barriers related to fiber quality, feedstock consistency, and commercial adoption. As expectations around sustainability performance continue to rise, companies are also under increasing pressure to deliver circular solutions backed by credible, measurable impact.

A Cascale Corporate member since 2020, Recover recognized that advancing circularity would require material innovation supported by trusted data, consistent measurement, and collaboration across the value chain. By combining fiber innovation with industry-aligned tools such as the Higg Index, Recover is working to scale recycled cotton while strengthening its ability to measure and benchmark performance over time.

Top Takeaways

Recover is scaling textile-to-textile recycling by pairing recycled fiber innovation with standardized sustainability measurement through the Higg Index.
Recover uses Higg FEM, Higg FSLM, and Higg MSI to benchmark environmental and social performance, improve reporting consistency, reduce audit duplication, and strengthen transparency with brand partners.
From 2024 to 2025, Recover reported measurable improvements across its production hubs, including Higg FSLM scores averaging above 92% and gains in water management, emissions reduction, and employee engagement.
Collaboration across the value chain — including with Primark — alongside supportive policy frameworks like EPR, is helping move circular materials from innovation to commercially scalable solutions.

“Scaling circularity requires more than innovation in materials alone,” said Orsolya Janossy, senior sustainability manager, Recover. “It depends on combining technical solutions with credible measurement, strong partnerships, and the systems that enable progress at scale. Using tools like the Higg Index alongside collaboration across the value chain helps us turn circularity from ambition into action.”

To achieve this goal, Recover developed a mechanical recycling process that transforms post-industrial and post-consumer textile waste into recycled cotton fiber for use in new products, most notably apparel, accessories, and home textiles. Its approach combines three reinforcing strategies.

Fiber Innovation

Recover’s recycling process is designed to help preserve fiber quality and performance, supporting the integration of recycled cotton into commercial applications. Through its work with brands and value chain partners, Recover is helping demonstrate how circular materials can move from innovation to market-ready products at scale.

Sustainable Policy

Recover views supporting policy, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), as critical to building the infrastructure needed to scale circularity. Stronger collection systems, more reliable feedstock supply, and investment in recycling capacity can help create the conditions needed for recycled materials to become more widely available and commercially viable.

Data-Driven Performance

Recover uses the Higg Index as part of its approach to measuring and improving social and environmental sustainability performance across its facilities. Through the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) and Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (Higg FSLM), Recover applies a structured assessment framework to identify gaps, prioritize actions, and track progress year over year.

Using the Higg Facility Tools also gives Recover a consistent way to measure sustainability performance across its operations and value chain. This common methodology supports more reliable data, clearer internal and external reporting, and more meaningful benchmarking against industry peers.

For Recover, verified Higg Index assessments also support stronger customer relationships. By using a framework recognized by major global brands, Recover can help reduce duplicative audits, lower the overall audit burden, and build trust with partners through greater transparency and shared sustainability goals.

Recover also uses the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI), helping integrate recycled materials into product-level impact assessment.

By integrating the Higg Index into its operations, Recover has strengthened its ability to measure, benchmark, and improve performance over time. From 2024 to 2025, Recover reported improvements across both Higg FSLM and Higg FEM assessments across its three production hubs* reflecting:

Improved Higg FSLM performance across Recover’s production hubs, with an average score above 92 percent.
- A 6.9 percent increase at the Bangladesh hub, driven by improvements in employee engagement and management systems.
- A 3.5 percent increase at the Spain hub, supported by progress in health and safety and management systems.
- A first-year Higg FSLM score for the Vietnam hub that was in line with Recover’s other hubs, reflecting strong and adaptable social policies.
Improved Higg FEM performance across Recover’s production hubs.
A 5 percent increase at the Bangladesh hub, driven by stronger water and wastewater management.
A 2 percent increase at the Spain hub, mainly due to reduced air emissions.
A 1 percent increase at the Vietnam hub, linked to environmental management systems, air emissions, and chemicals.

* Aggregate averages were calculated across the three hubs; only Bangladesh data is externally verified, while the remaining facilities conducted self-assessments.

Demonstrating Impact

Recover seeks to demonstrate the viability of textile-to-textile recycled cotton as a solution that can help reduce waste and support lower-impact material inputs. Consistent measurement helps Recover benchmark performance, plan for continuous improvement, and strengthen credibility with customers and partners.

Its collaboration with Primark, also a Cascale Corporate member, was highlighted in Cascale’s “Source of Good” podcast and shows how brand partnerships can help move circular materials into commercial products and support shared solutions at scale.

Recover’s use of the Higg Index also demonstrates how a common measurement foundation can support more consistent insights, reduce duplication, and enable more confident decision-making. As circularity moves from ambition to implementation, this combination of innovation, benchmarking, and collaboration can help accelerate progress across the apparel and textile value chain.

Not a Cascale Member? Explore Membership

From Vision to Impact: How KeyBank Helped L&M Hair Studio Thrive

KeyBank — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400

When L&M Hair Studio opened its doors in Portland, it was built on more than a small business idea, it was a response to a need. Owner Melody saw a clear gap in the industry for textured hair services and took a leap of faith during the uncertainty of the pandemic to create something meaningful, not just for herself, but for others.

That vision quickly grew into something bigger.

Through KeyBank’s Key4Women program, Melody discovered an opportunity that would change the trajectory of her business: a small business pitch competition. Encouraged to go for it, she entered with a bold idea, to launch a Texture Hair Academy that would create career pathways in an underserved segment of the beauty industry.

Winning the competition became a turning point.

With KeyBank’s support, the academy came to life, offering training cohorts and opening doors for aspiring professionals. Today, the impact reaches far beyond the salon chair. Participants have gone from uncertainty about meeting basic needs to building stable, thriving lives.

The partnership between KeyBank and L&M Hair Studio demonstrates what’s possible when access, opportunity, and belief come together, helping small businesses grow, and in turn, uplift entire communities.

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment Expands Equity Platform With New Leadership Appointments and Key Hire

KeyBank — Fri, 29 May 2026 10:30:00 -0400

CLEVELAND, May 29, 2026 /3BL/ - KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI), a national leader in affordable housing finance, today announced a key hire and new leadership appointments to further strengthen and scale its equity syndications platform.

Naomi See has joined CDLI as a senior banker on the business development and investor relations team, enhancing the platform’s ability to deepen institutional investor relationships and accelerate capital formation. She reports to Christina Knuckles, Head of Equity Syndications and Fund Management, and is based in Seattle.

See will focus on raising capital and supporting the sourcing, structuring, and syndication of investments across low-income housing tax credits and state credits. She will work closely with acquisitions, fund management, and originations teams to align investor demand with a growing pipeline of opportunities.

Celia Smoot has been promoted to Head of Equity Originations, where she will lead investment strategies and execution, supporting continued growth of the firm’s affordable housing equity pipeline. A highly respected leader in the affordable housing industry, Smoot has more than two decades of experience in LIHTC investing, fund structuring, and community development finance, and she is known for her ability to execute complex transactions and drive scalable investment strategies.

“These additions reflect our continued investment in building a best-in-class equity syndication platform,” said Robert Likes, President of KeyBank CDLI. “We are strengthening our capabilities across acquisitions, syndication, and distribution to better serve our clients and investor partners and build on our position as one of the nation’s leading affordable housing lenders, recently ranked second by Affordable Housing Finance.”

These announcements build on a series of recent strategic leadership investments across the platform. In March 2026, Christina Knuckles was promoted to Head of Equity Syndications and Fund Management, recognizing her strong leadership, experience, technical expertise, collaboration, and steady approach. She has been instrumental in shaping the platform’s growth and is leading the team as it continues to scale and evolve.

CDLI previously announced the appointment of Jon Burckin as a Senior Banker in Equity Distribution in July 2025, further expanding the platform’s ability to grow investor coverage and distribution capabilities.

Together, these investments underscore KeyBank’s commitment to building one of the industry’s most integrated and high-performing equity syndication platforms, spanning acquisitions, fund management, syndication, and investor distribution.

About KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment

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

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp's roots trace back more than 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $189 billion at March 31, 2026.
Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 950 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

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Contact:

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

Key Media Newsroom:

Key.com/newsroom

Yum!’s Aurélie Dufour Helps Build a More Sustainable Future

Yum! Brands — Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:00 -0400

April was Earth Month, a time to reflect on how we care for our planet and the role each of us plays in building a more sustainable future.

For Aurélie Dufour, Europe Sustainability Regulation Lead for Yum!'s Global Sustainability team, this work connects closely to Yum!’s focus on regenerative, nature-positive agriculture. She leads sustainability regulation and governance across Europe, translating complex requirements into clear priorities for Yum!’s brands and markets, helping embed sustainability into how the business grows.

What stands out most to Aurélie is Yum!’s collaborative approach. By working with farmers, suppliers and partners, our teams are helping advance more resilient agricultural practices and healthier ecosystems. She also brings teams together through cross-brand forums that drive alignment and progress across Europe.

At Yum!, we lead with Smart, Heart and Courage. Aurélie brings Smart to life by shaping forward-looking strategies that build resilience across our value chain.

Learn more about building your career at Yum! and our approach to being good stewards of the environment

From Compliance to Leadership: How WELL Supports ESRS and Advances Social Sustainability

International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) — Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:00 -0400

As sustainability reporting expectations continue to evolve across Europe, organizations are facing a more nuanced reality: while the environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting has accelerated significantly in recent years, current discussions around the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) scope adjustments and broader regulatory simplifications are creating a more complex landscape.

Social sustainability is not yet universally central in practice. In some sectors, it is advancing rapidly; in others, it is still emerging or even being prioritized amid regulatory uncertainty. Yet this is precisely where leadership matters most.

The recent webcast by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) on WELL and ESRS explored this tension directly: how organizations can move beyond compliance and use WELL to strengthen long-term value, resilience and business performance through measurable social sustainability strategies.

Bringing together perspectives from policy, industry and real estate, the discussion highlighted to a clear conclusion: the challenge is no longer understanding why social sustainability matters, but how to measure it, implement it and report on it in a credible way.

A new level of expectation: from narrative to data

Across markets, ESG is moving from high-level commitments to structured, comparable and decision-useful data. Nowhere is this more visible than in the EU regulatory landscape.

As Saara Mattero, Head of Office for a Member of the European Parliament, noted: “EU regulation raises the ambition globally […] companies tend to align with the most stringent standards and scale them across regions.”

This shift is particularly significant for the “S” in ESG. Social sustainability is now being defined through measurable indicators, covering workforce well-being, equity, health and user experience.

The implication is direct: organizations are expected not only to act, but to demonstrate impact in a structured, comparable and decision-relevant way.

Bridging performance and reporting

This is where WELL plays a distinct role.

Rather than operating alongside ESG frameworks, WELL functions as a bridge between what organizations do and how they report it, by translating health and well-being strategies into measurable indicators supporting disclosure expectations.

This connection has been further identified through IWBI’s WELL–ESRS Alignment Tool. The analysis shows that WELL strategies may support up to 50% of ESRS disclosures, with particularly strong alignment in the social pillar.

As Lefteris Zacharakis, Client Success Manager, EMEA Region at IWBI, noted: “The shift we’re seeing is from ESG as a narrative to ESG as an operational and reporting requirement. What clients are asking for now is clarity and how to translate what they’re already doing into something measurable, comparable and reportable. That’s exactly the gap the WELL-ESRS alignment is designed to address.”

This is where IWBI’s work becomes increasingly central, by helping organizations move from fragmented initiatives to an integrated model where performance, measurement and reporting are directly connected.

From intention to evidence in the real estate sector

The real estate sector illustrates this shift clearly. Developers such as Atenor are moving beyond intention, focusing on how social value can be demonstrated and quantified.

As Julie Willem, Archilab Director and Member of the Management Committee for Atenor sa, explained: “Policy brings intention, but frameworks like WELL bring evidence […] they make social value comparable and credible with data.”

This marks a broader transition in the built environment. Elements such as daylight, indoor air quality, thermal comfort and access to nature are no longer qualitative features, they are measurable drivers of user experience, asset performance and long-term value. In this context, social sustainability becomes both visible and investable.

Regulation as a baseline, not the endpoint

At the same time, regulation alone is not enough to drive this transformation.

As Lourdes Calderon, Sustainability Manager at the European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA), noted: “The EU regulation sets the base… but to go further, you need complementary initiatives.”

This reflects a critical dynamic. Regulation defines what needs to be reported. Frameworks like WELL enable organizations to define how to deliver, measure and continuously improve performance. For companies, this shifts the mindset from compliance to leadership, by moving early to structure, measure and communicate impact in a credible way.

The business case for health is becoming clearer

This shift is not only regulatory, it is also increasingly financial.

IWBI’s Investing in Health Pays Back special report consolidates a growing body of evidence linking health and well-being strategies to business outcomes. These include improved employee performance and retention, reduced absenteeism, stronger tenant demand and enhanced asset differentiation.

As Ann Marie Aguilar, Senior Vice President, EMEA Region, IWBI, noted: “We’re seeing a growing body of evidence that investing in health and well-being delivers measurable value for organizations.”

In the context of ESRS, this matters. Organizations are not only expected to disclose policies, but they are expected to demonstrate outcomes.

Health and well-being are increasingly part of that value equation.

A practical starting point: begin with what you measure

Despite the complexity of ESG frameworks, the most effective starting point is often simple.Most organizations are already collecting relevant data on workforce health, absenteeism, engagement or workplace conditions. The opportunity lies in structuring and scaling that data into a consistent reporting approach.

As Saara Mattero put it: “What you measure, you get […] when we start measuring well-being and health, we start improving them.”

Organizations that move forward effectively will focus on:

Selecting a small number of meaningful indicators
Building consistency over time
Connecting performance directly to reporting

From compliance to leadership

ESRS is not just a reporting requirement, it is a catalyst for change.

It is pushing organizations to clarify how they define social sustainability, how they measure it and how they communicate it externally.
In this context, WELL provides a practical pathway to move from:

Intent to implementation
Implementation to measurement
Measurement to reporting

Reporting to financing and long-term strategy

As Minjia Yang, Vice President and Head of Sustainable Finance, IWBI, noted: "Sustainability goes beyond compliance. Especially in periods of regulatory uncertainty, leadership is about holding firm to the fundamental values that underpin our society—and translating them into action.”

Organizations that act early have an opportunity not just to comply, but to lead by making social sustainability measurable, credible and strategically relevant.

Explore the tools and resources

To support this transition, IWBI has developed resources that help organizations operationalize social sustainability and align with ESRS:

These tools are designed to reduce complexity, improve clarity and enable organizations to translate strategy into measurable outcomes.

Conclusion

Social sustainability is entering a new phase: one defined by measurement, accountability and business relevance.

As reporting expectations evolve, the question is no longer whether to act, but how to do so in a way that is credible, structured and aligned with value creation. WELL’s role in this landscape is increasingly clear: not just as a certification system, but as a framework that connects people, performance and reporting.

For organizations navigating ESRS, this is where the opportunity lies, not only to comply, but to lead.

WELL and ESRS is also the topic of IWBI’s latest EMEA regional webcast, “From Alignment to Performance: How WELL supports ESRS reporting in practice.” View the recording here.

View original content here.

Beyond the Trade Show: Giving Back During GEOINT 2026

Leidos — Fri, 29 May 2026 09:05:00 -0400

During the first week of May, thousands of national security professionals from industry, academia and the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) gathered in Aurora, Colo., for the 2026 United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation GEOINT Symposium.

Inside the convention center, conversations centered on artificial intelligence, autonomy and the evolving role of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). But, for a group of Leidos employees attending the symposium, a part of the week’s focus extended beyond the trade show floor.

Thirty employees, both from the local area and those visiting for the event, spent part of May 6 volunteering with the Food Bank of the Rockies. Together, they assembled meal bags and created ‘food for health’ cards to support Colorado families facing food insecurity.

For many of the volunteers, whose day-to-day work directly supports the IC and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the opportunity served as a reminder that service can take many forms.

“Our mission begins in the communities where we live and work,” said Jason O’Connor, president of Leidos Intelligence. “Even while we were gathered for an important industry event, it’s critical that we take time to support those around us.”

The volunteer effort was paired with a $15,000 corporate donation from Leidos to the Food Bank of the Rockies, along with an additional $1,400 contributed by employees. Together, those contributions are expected to help provide approximately 45,000 meals across the region.

Food insecurity remains a persistent challenge for families, seniors and children throughout Colorado. For organizations like the Food Bank of the Rockies, partnerships with businesses and volunteers play a critical role in helping meet growing demand.

“Financial contributions combined with hands-on volunteer support allow us to expand our reach and help ensure our neighbors have access to nutritious meals when they need it the most,” said Charlene Moser, corporate partnership manager, Food Bank of the Rockies.

Connection to the community is especially important for Leidos as Colorado continues to grow as a hub for employees supporting space, intelligence and national security programs.

And as organizations compete for talent and cultivate workplace culture, volunteerism and philanthropy increasingly reflect the values employees want to see in the companies they represent.

MORE ON LEIDOS GEOINT WORK & INNOVATION

Aetna Better Health® of West Virginia Opens New Community Resource Center in Clarksburg

CVS Health — Fri, 29 May 2026 08:30:00 -0400

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

New facility at Community Care of West Virginia’s Clarksburg location offers health and wellness resources, community meeting space and member support

CLARKSBURG, W.Va., May 29, 2026 /3BL/ - Aetna Better Health® of West Virginia, a CVS Health® company (NYSE: CVS), announced the opening of a new Community Resource Center (CRC) located within the Community Care of West Virginia’s Clarksburg facility. Open to the public, the center provides access to supportive health-related resources and a welcoming space for community meetings.

The CRC plans to host wellness events and vaccine clinics to help address gaps in care and bring services closer to where people live. The space also offers flexible meeting rooms, computers for virtual care appointments and teleconferencing capabilities for community use.

For Aetna Better Health of West Virginia members, the center will provide in-person support from care managers several days a week, along with the option to schedule one-on-one meetings outside of typical clinical hours.

“This Community Resource Center strengthens our ability to provide accessible health care support and meet people where they are,” said Todd White, CEO of Aetna Better Health of West Virginia. “Whether someone needs one-on-one assistance, attends a wellness clinic or participates in a community meeting, the center offers valuable resources to the local community.”

“Community Care of West Virginia is proud to partner with Aetna Better Health of West Virginia to bring this Community Resource Center to Clarksburg,” said Patricia “Trish” Collett, CEO of Community Care of West Virginia. “In a region where access to care and support services can be a challenge, this space helps remove barriers by connecting people to the resources they need close to home. Together, we are expanding whole-person care beyond the exam room and creating new opportunities for individuals and families to improve their health and well-being.”

Community Resource Centers extend care beyond traditional health care settings by connecting people to local health and social services in their communities. With nearly four in 10 West Virginians living in rural areas, CRCs help bring resources closer to home and support stronger health outcomes, economic stability and family well‑being.

Aetna Better Health of West Virginia is a Managed Care Organization serving more than 166,000 Medicaid members across 55 counties. For more information, visit https://www.aetnabetterhealth.com/westvirginia.

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About Aetna Medicaid

Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC (Aetna Medicaid), a CVS Health company, has over 30 years of experience managing the care of Medicaid members, using innovative approaches and a local presence in each market to achieve both successful health care results and effective cost outcomes. Aetna Medicaid has expertise serving high-need Medicaid members, including those who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Currently, Aetna Medicaid owns and/or administers Medicaid managed health care plans under the names of Aetna Better Health and other affiliate names. Together, these plans serve members in 15 states, including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. For more information, see www.aetnabetterhealth.com.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of March 31, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 88 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated more than 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company’s integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

Media contact

Monica Prinzing
Monica.Prinzing@CVSHealth.com

CACI Champions Military Families With Charitable Support for Fisher House Foundation

CACI — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:30:00 -0400

May 28, 2026 /3BL/ - CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced today a new donation to the Fisher House Foundation totaling approximately $35,000. In line with the company’s continuous commitment to the veteran and military community, this latest philanthropic contribution included a $30,000 gift and an additional $5,000 raised through the “Hoops for Heroes” basketball challenge, where CACI Cares, the company’s philanthropic program, pledged to match every point scored.

This effort further strengthens CACI’s longstanding partnership with the Fisher House Foundation, which provides lodging for military and veterans during medical stays. In addition to CACI’s philanthropic gift, the company’s Digital and Enterprise Solutions line of business organized a volunteer initiative to directly benefit families staying at Fisher House comfort homes. Employees assembled 40 wellness kits containing water bottles, packing cubes, socks, lip balm, carabiners, and dental kits to offer practical comfort and care.

CACI is dedicated to honoring and uplifting those who have sacrificed so much in service to our nation. Explore opportunities to continue your mission with CACI.

About CACI

Corporate Communications and Media:
Lauren Presti
Executive Director, External Communications
(703) 434-5037, lauren.presti@caci.com

Middle Schoolers Discover New Ambitions Thanks to Digital Lab Sponsored by Arrow Electronics

Arrow Electronics — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:10:00 -0400

CENTENNIAL, Colo., May 28, 2026 /3BL/ - Ask a few students at Monarca Academy in Indianapolis what they plan to do when they grow up and you’ll get some pretty impressive responses: engineer, architect, nurse, astronomer.

A few years ago, these career choices may have seemed out of reach. But a digital lab established by Arrow Electronics and nonprofit N50, has provided Monarca’s students with access to technology that has broadened their horizons. Arrow recently celebrated the first anniversary of the lab, which has grown into a larger space with new technology and additional programming.

“It’s been really great in one year to see the engagement around the things that the lab has brought us,” said Felicia Sears, Monarch Academy’s founding principal.

The lab launched with 20 workstations, interactive SMART boards, an AI tool, 3D printer, a FIRST Robotics kit (to allow students to build and program a competition-grade robot) and a reliable Internet connection. Four additional 3D printers now round out the offerings. The technology enables students to unlock new skills such as coding and AI experimentation.

“Before, I wanted to be a construction worker,” remarked one student. “But now that I know how to make designs and the only limit is my imagination, I kind of want to be an architect.”

Monarca’s lab is part of N50’s EdTech Equity initiative, which is committed to expanding access to technology and connectivity for students in under-resourced communities. Arrow, along with companies like Intel, ApplianSys and SMART Technologies, is helping N50 bridge the divide through low-cost, scalable and sustainable technology solutions.

Arrow’s relationship with Monarca goes beyond just providing critical equipment. Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team Driver Pato O’Ward has long served as mentor for the school and on a recent visit, took the students to McLaren’s U.S. headquarters to learn about race engineering and technology. O’Ward finished fourth in the 110^th Indy 500 on May 24.

“We don’t know what those careers look like now that are going to be available in 10 years. But we are helping students be future ready and this technology is helping us in that,” said Francisco Valdiosera, Monarca Academy’s executive director of Arrow’s support.

Arrow has worked with N50 to open 4 labs in the U.S. and Mexico. Together, they expect to launch two labs this year.

About N50 Project
The N50 Project’s EdTech for All initiative is committed to closing the digital divide in education by providing students and educators in underserved communities with critical access to technology. With over 60 global partners, the initiative supports the deployment of connectivity kits, smart boards, digital learning platforms and refurbished laptops to empower the next generation with the digital skills needed for a modern workforce. Learn more at n50project.org.

About Arrow Electronics

Arrow Electronics (NYSE:ARW) sources and engineers technology solutions for thousands of leading manufacturers and service providers. With 2025 sales of $31 billion, Arrow’s portfolio enables technology across major industries and markets. Learn more at arrow.com.

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From Deposit to Dedication: Inside Covia’s Portage Plant

Covia — Thu, 28 May 2026 14:15:00 -0400

For more than a century, Covia’s Portage Plant has been part of Wisconsin’s industrial landscape. Located in Pardeeville, Wisconsin, the plant transforms a naturally distinctive silica sand deposit into materials that support customers across markets including glass, building products, foundry, and engineered stone. Portage has a long history of producing essential materials, but the plant’s story is not defined by products alone. It is also the story of a resilient 17-member team that has continued to adapt, improve, and deliver, a combined effort that ultimately earned Portage recognition as Covia’s 2025 Plant of the Year.

A Plant Rooted in Wisconsin Sand

The Portage facility began as a silica brick manufacturing plant in the early 1900s. Today, the facility continues that long industrial legacy by producing silica sand products used in a range of customer applications, including:

These products directly support industries where consistency, chemistry, grain shape, and performance matter. That breadth of service is part of what makes the plant an important contributor within Covia’s broader network.

A Deposit with Natural Advantages

One of Portage’s defining strengths lies beneath the surface. The facility’s strategic location plays a key role in the team’s ability to produce a range of quality products.“The geological deposit is a unique aspect of the plant,” explains Plant Manager, Nolan Mundwiller. “Portage mines the Galesville Member of the Wonewoc Sandstone Formation which has chemistry, size distribution, and shape characteristics that are naturally desirable to our end customers.”According to Nolan, Portage’s mining and processing methods also set the facility apart. He cites the dredge mining process as particularly notable, as the dredge recovers sand from approximately 50 feet below the water level before pumping it to the wet process. That sand is then stockpiled for the winter months so the plant can provide products to customers throughout the year. It is a highly coordinated operation that requires equipment knowledge, process discipline, and clear communication across a tight-knit team.

A Firsthand Look at Customer Impact

In 2025, the Portage team brought Covia’s Mission, Vision, and Values to life by connecting employees directly with the impact of their work. The team toured a customer’s facility to see how the materials they produced truly impact the success of a valued customer.The experience gave employees a firsthand look at the customer side of the value chain, beginning with a panoramic view from the top of the facility before touring the control room, maintenance facility, storeroom, and production areas. Witnessing memorable moments like a sand batch entering the furnace to begin its transformation provided a new perspective on the connection between the team’s daily work and customer success.The overall tour reinforced a key message across Covia that a plant’s work doesn’t end when material leaves the facility. Each team member’s contributions play a continuing role through the customers and industries that depend on their dedication to quality and innovation.“I encourage all Covia plants to explore similar opportunities,” Director of Operations Excellence, Sean Lyons said. “Seeing our product in action, understanding its value to customers, and connecting with their teams is a powerful way to build pride, purpose, and engagement among our team members.”

Continued Resilience Throughout the Years

The Portage plant earned the award for 2025 Plant of the Year for its exceptional operational results while meeting all its safety and environmental KPIs. What’s especially impressive about this performance is that they succeeded during a year that tested the team’s adaptability.Like many industrial operations, Portage faced changing market conditions and volume-related uncertainty. Despite being one of Covia’s smaller, older facilities with limited capital investment, the team responded with focus, accountability, and a shared commitment to performance. Notable highlights include:

Achieving cost-per-ton performance at or below budget
Maintaining zero plant-controllable customer complaints.
Implementing innovative scheduling and workforce adjustments
Optimizing operations to reduce electricity costs

“I am most proud of the resilience of the team and their ability to work together and weather challenges,” Nolan said. “Volume losses in 2025 brought about much uncertainty, but the team rallied together to exceed expectations. It was incredible to see the perseverance and growth mindset of the team given the challenges.”

Safety as a Shared Responsibility

At Portage, safety is more than a requirement. It is a daily commitment shaped by accountability and care for one another, culminating in the plant recently achieving two years without a recordable incident. According to Nolan, that achievement would not be possible without the commitment of the entire team.“Safety first means having an unwavering commitment to ensure everyone goes home safe at the end of the day,” Nolan said. “Everyone at the plant holds each other accountable and you truly feel that the team looks out for one another each and every day.”

Environmental Stewardship for Today and Tomorrow

Another reason why Portage was named Plant of the Year is that the team’s connection to its site extends beyond production.The dredge pond used in the plant’s mining process is a Wisconsin Registered Fish Farm. Looking ahead, the site is expected to become a wildlife habitat certified site through reclamation, creating long-term value for the Columbia County community.That future-focused approach adds another dimension to the plant’s role in Wisconsin. Portage is both a working industrial operation and a site with a longer environmental story, one that connects resource development, employee engagement, and community stewardship.

An Award-Winning Plant Built on Commitment

Covia’s Plant of the Year award recognizes excellence across safety, manufacturing performance, environmental stewardship, community engagement, customer focus, and operational results. Succeeding across all these criteria is impressive, and none of it is possible without having the right people.Portage’s recognition as Plant of the Year reflects the strength of a team that continued to deliver in a challenging year while staying grounded in the values that guide Covia’s work. From the geological strengths of the Wonewoc Sandstone Formation to the teamwork behind every product, Portage represents the balance of technical expertise and people-first culture that defines Covia’s best operations.

IWBI Evolves Works With WELL Program To Expand Alignment Pathways for Products and Services

International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) — Thu, 28 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400

NEW YORK, May 28, 2026 /3BL/ - The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) today announced a significant evolution of its Works with WELL program, introducing expanded alignment pathways and a redesigned platform experience that broadens how manufacturers, service providers and solution providers can demonstrate alignment with the WELL Building Standard and support healthier spaces around the world.

Originally launched in 2023, Works with WELL was created as a product licensing program to help manufacturers showcase how their products contribute to WELL strategies and help project teams more easily identify solutions aligned with health and well-being goals. The program and its solution directory has been a tremendous support tool for project teams and specifiers around the world to access products and services already validated to support WELL strategies. The expanded program introduces a significantly enhanced platform experience for both manufacturers and specifiers, a streamlined application and review process and new pathways for alignment that broaden eligibility beyond product categories explicitly referenced within WELL requirements.

With the updated program, organizations can now pursue alignment through three distinct pathways:

Directly Contributes — products and services that are explicitly called for and meet the relevant criteria within the WELL requirements
Measures — products that measure performance thresholds referenced in WELL strategies
Supports — products and services that support the implementation of WELL strategies, even when not explicitly referenced within WELL requirements

The addition of the new “Measures” and “Supports” pathways significantly expands the range of organizations eligible to participate in Works with WELL, opening the program to new categories of technologies, devices, services and operational solutions that help advance health and well-being in the built environment.

“As the healthy building movement continues to accelerate globally, a growing range of innovative products, technologies and services are helping advance human health and well-being in the built environment," said Jessica Cooper, IWBI Chief Product Officer. “This evolution of Works with WELL is designed to match that pace, giving organizations more ways to connect their products and services to WELL strategies, and giving specifiers an easier way to find them.”

The redesigned program also introduces a refreshed user experience for both manufacturers and project teams. Updates include a streamlined, guided submission process, improved flexibility to define product skus or models, ease of editing and adding new images. All of these new features contribute to improved user navigation and enhanced visibility in the solution directory where users can identify products and services validated to align with WELL strategies.

Products and services validated to align with WELL strategies may use the Works with WELL mark to demonstrate how they relate to the global standard for making buildings and organizations a powerful venue for promoting health. The Works with WELL mark and its solution directory can help organizations strengthen brand visibility, build customer confidence and connect with growing market demand for healthier and higher-performing spaces.

As the market for healthy buildings continues to grow, with WELL programs already integrated in nearly 100,000 commercial and residential locations across more than six billion square feet of real estate, the expanded Works with WELL program reflects IWBI’s broader effort to support a growing ecosystem of organizations helping advance health, well-being and performance across buildings, organizations and communities.

What Works with WELL participants are saying about the program:

“We’ve taken the guesswork out of material health. By validating our most‑specified products against WELL’s material health features, the Works with WELL mark gives designers and clients a clear, credible path to achieving their certification goals.”

Eric Doyle, Global Sustainability, Steelcase

“Joining the Works with WELL program is a natural extension of UNICORN in every stall’s mission to support more inclusive and human-centered restroom experiences. The program provides a credible framework that aligns our solutions with leading standards for health, accessibility, and thoughtful building design. We believe the restroom is an important part of the overall building experience, and Works with WELL helps reinforce that vision in a meaningful and tangible way.”

Ellen Cynar, MS, MPH, Partnerships & Operations, UNICORN

“By validating that EcoWorx aligns with material health features within WELL, the Works with WELL mark makes it even easier for customers focused on health & wellbeing to make confident purchasing decisions."

Candi Hampton, Vice President of Global Sustainability, Shaw Industries

“For more than 40 years, Logitech has worked with industry leaders to unlock the power of people and teams to do their best work. By collaborating with IWBI and earning the Works with WELL mark on our workplace technology solutions, including Logitech Spot and Rally Board 65, we give global enterprise leaders the tools and real-time insights they need to optimize their workspaces in ways that benefit both people and the planet.”

David Houseman, Global Head of Workplace Experience, Logitech

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

Media contact:
media@wellcertified.com

View original content here.

How the Member Analytics Portal (MAP) Makes Higg Index Data Sing

Cascale — Thu, 28 May 2026 13:15:00 -0400

Information wants to be free.

But too often it ends up locked away behind opaque reporting systems, busy experts, and data stores that won’t cooperate with each other. When that means I can’t get my bike computer to read my heart rate from my watch, that’s annoying, but I’ll live with it. When it means that our industry doesn’t have the reporting it needs to make data informed decisions about addressing supply chain driven climate impacts that’s a problem Cascale needs to solve.

Cascale’s Member Analytics Portal (MAP) is a member-only dashboard that provides aggregated, anonymized insights from Higg Index data. It frees Higg Index data and makes it easy to act on internally. With a user-friendly interface that enables fast exploration and even custom report building, all Cascale Corporate members can feel confident to internally analyze, measure, and act upon their Higg Index data.

Why now? Anyone attending my data sessions in years past at the Annual Meeting will recall that the MAP was soft-launched to select members in November 2023, and shared more broadly among members in April 2024. Over those years we’ve received a lot of member feedback, much of it positive, some of it negative, but all of it kind and useful and we’ve been able to take member experiences with the MAP to create a reporting platform that shines across a broad set of member use cases:

Pinpoint hotspots. Compare sustainability performance data. Access gaps in Scope 3 reporting. Compare facility data. Export it all into one easy downloadable Excel report. The MAP unlocks data strides for our industry.

How to Use MAP

The MAP provides value for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting by tracking progress across sustainability initiatives, and delivers valuable Higg Index data insights to industry stakeholders.

The use cases are immediate. With MAP, Corporate members can:

Highlight high-impact hotspots in the supply chain
Compare sustainability performance to industry averages through Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) and Higg Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM) data
Complete data gaps for Scope 3 environmental reporting
Compare facility data
Access and download results from each view to integrate with Higg FEM data in Excel.
MAP offers a range of views, including Higg BRM benchmarking, Higg FEM energy and water data to help members analyze performance and track sustainability progress.

During testing, one Cascale member cited MAP’s ease of access and pointed toward the ability to at some point enable better conversations between vendors. Another member noted how MAP was not only “fun” but “immensely helpful.”

It’s available now to explore for Cascale Corporate members, but before diving into the data, there are a few helpful points for members to keep in mind.

How NOT to Use Map

This data is meant for Cascale Corporate member companies to utilize internally and act upon however their sustainability journey merits! It is not meant to be shared or communicated externally. Once again, MAP cannot be used to make external comparative claims or industry-wide performance assessments.

Remember, Cascale does not – and will not – endorse any member external data claims or verify the accuracy of such analyses. Information may be free but it still requires a responsibility for proper usage.

With the MAP, we believe our members will gain the confidence to proceed confidently in their own data-driven discoveries.

Onward!

Aaron Di Silvestro is Cascale's senior director, Higg products.

Donated Semi-Truck Helps El Paso Food Bank Reach Those in Need

Marathon Petroleum — Thu, 28 May 2026 13:15:00 -0400

Key Points

The only food bank in El Paso, Texas, has expanded its capacity to get food to people in need across a three-county area.
The El Pasoans Fighting Hunger food bank took delivery of the tractor portion of a semi-truck donated by Marathon Petroleum and its midstream component, MPLX.
The tractor will be used daily to haul trailers of frozen and non-perishable food to pantries, shelters and distribution events.

The tractor portion of a semi-truck that delivered fuels for years is now hauling cargo of a much different kind: food for people in need in the El Paso, Texas, area. The El Pasoans Fighting Hunger (EPFH) food bank recently received the vehicle as a donation to expand its capacity to supply partner pantries and distribution sites across three counties.

“Every mile matters,” said EPFH CEO Kris Yagel. “This truck helps us reach more neighbors, strengthen our partnerships and ensure food gets where it’s needed most.”

The donation from Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) involved its El Paso refinery and midstream segment, MPLX, which provided the unit from a fleet in its Transport & Rail component. This effort is an outgrowth of the refinery’s ongoing assistance to the food bank, which includes annual grants and employee volunteer support of monthly food distributions on refinery grounds.

“Many of our employees grew up here in El Paso, and our refinery is deeply connected to the community and with El Pasoans Fighting Hunger in particular, so we look for ways to make substantial impacts,” El Paso Vice President of Refining Les Davis said. “The additional ability that this donation brings will truly make many people's lives better. It will be exciting to see the blue MPC semi out in the community doing the food bank’s great work.”

As El Paso's only food bank, EPFH is the distribution center for almost 100 partner pantries. In 2024 alone, the food bank distributed 110 million pounds of food across El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson counties.

“The tractor just came off active duty, and we removed the telematics and camera system and then detailed the unit,” said MPLX Transport Asset Reliability Manager Sam McCullough. “It’s great knowing that this tractor will be used daily to move food more efficiently to local distribution events and shelters.”

Depending upon the logistical needs of a given day, the tractor will be paired with different trailers to carry food. These include a refrigerated trailer that the El Paso refinery donated to EPFH several years ago.

“The refrigerated trailer has been put to great use, and adding a tractor is a natural extension of our efforts to increase deliveries that benefit families, seniors and children,” said El Paso Refinery Principal Corporate Social Responsibility & Community Relations Representative V.J. Smith. “We are honored to be in position to help the food bank expand its reach.”

Championing Accessibility Through Inclusive Design at Lenovo

Lenovo — Thu, 28 May 2026 12:05:00 -0400

On Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Lenovo is spotlighting how its Inclusive Product Design Office (IPDO) is partnering with teams across the company to champion accessibility through both hardware and software innovation, helping create experiences that are more inclusive by design.

Creating smarter technology for all starts with understanding that people interact with technology in different ways.

That belief is driving Lenovo’s approach to inclusive design and accessibility across its product portfolio. On Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Lenovo is spotlighting how its Inclusive Product Design Office (IPDO) is partnering with teams across the company to champion accessibility through both hardware and software innovation, helping create experiences that are more inclusive by design.

Working closely with engineers, designers, and product teams, helps identify accessibility barriers early, align products with evolving standards, and improve experiences across Lenovo’s portfolio. This approach helps ensure accessibility is built into products, not added later.

Today, that work is becoming increasingly visible across Lenovo’s ThinkPad portfolio through a growing range of accessibility-focused hardware and software enhancements.

“Accessibility and inclusive design are fundamental to our ThinkPad portfolio, said Tom Butler, Vice President, Commercial Portfolio & Product Management, Intelligent Devices Group, Lenovo. By embedding these features in both our hardware and software from the onset of design, we’re intentionally making technology more accessible, inclusive, and better for everyone.”

Recent updates include tactile keyboard markings, grouped function keys, distinct arrow keys, anti-glare display treatments, higher display brightness targets, one-handed opening support, non-slip materials, and more accessible packaging. Together, these improvements support users with low vision, mobility limitations, and dexterity challenges while also improving usability for a broader range of customers.

Making system feedback more accessible

One recent enhancement is focused on making important system information more accessible through multiple forms of feedback.

Historically, many important system states (such as volume, mute, brightness, battery level, or charger connection) were communicated primarily through visual indicators like LEDs or pre-configured assistive tools. For some users, especially those with low vision, this could make essential information harder to access quickly.

To improve accessibility, Lenovo introduced audible and spoken feedback for key hardware events through Lenovo Vantage, creating an additional channel for system communication.

The result is a more inclusive and resilient experience. Users can now immediately understand important system changes without relying solely on visual cues, improving accessibility while also making interactions more intuitive in everyday situations.

Accessibility through flexibility

Another recent advancement focuses on how users physically interact with devices.

Trackpad palm rejection technology is typically designed to prevent unintended input while typing. However, for some users with limb differences or alternative interaction methods, rigid palm rejection behavior can unintentionally limit usability.

To improve flexibility, Lenovo introduced adjustable trackpad palm rejection settings, allowing users to modify or disable the feature based on their needs and preferred interaction style.

This gives users more control over how they engage with their device and supports a wider range of mobility and dexterity needs. It also demonstrates how inclusive design often comes from rethinking assumptions about how technology “should” be used.

Supporting accessibility in complex software environments

The IPDO’s work also extends beyond hardware, helping teams improve accessibility across Lenovo software experiences.

During development of Lenovo Performance Tuner, teams identified that users relying on keyboard navigation and screen readers were missing critical system feedback. Messages could feel repetitive or unclear, and content updates were not always communicated effectively.

Working together, IPDO and development teams introduced clearer keyboard shortcuts, tested compatibility with major screen readers, simplified system messaging, and added live status updates.

The result was a more intuitive experience with reduced cognitive load and faster, more confident task completion.

As Carrington Wilmer, TPM, Workstation Software & Solutions Architecture, explained:
“Designing our product to be accessible allowed us to provide a better solution for our customers.”

The IPDO also partnered with teams working on a complex cloud software interface built within a Windows Presentation Foundation environment. The project involved aligning with accessibility standards such as WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guide) and the European Accessibility Act (EAA) while improving compatibility with assistive technologies.

The team helped clarify how User Interface Automation supports assistive technologies, identified improvements to labelling and structure, and guided developers through accessibility implementation decisions.

“The IPDO provided invaluable guidance and feedback for our team in implementing WCAG 2.2 and EAA requirements,” shared Brian Riggan, a Lenovo Software Engineer. “Their input clarified the user experience and taught us how to think about the guidelines in a holistic way.”

Accessibility as a driver of better design

Together, these examples show how Lenovo is viewing accessibility: not as a compliance exercise, but as a driver of smarter product design.

By integrating accessibility considerations across hardware and software experiences, Lenovo is helping create products that are more adaptable, intuitive, and inclusive from the start. This aligns closely with Lenovo’s ESG priorities, including its commitment to inclusion and positive social impact.

On Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Lenovo recognizes that accessibility is an ongoing journey, one that continues to shape how products are designed, developed, and experienced.

Through the work of IPDO and collaboration across teams worldwide, Lenovo is continuing to advance inclusive design across its portfolio, helping ensure technology is more accessible, adaptable, and empowering for all.

Learn more about Lenovo’s efforts to create accessibility technology with the Governor Moorehead School for the Blind.

DP World Video Highlights VIP Hockey Experience for Salish Storm Youth

DP World — Thu, 28 May 2026 11:15:00 -0400

DP World welcomed members of the Salish Storm youth hockey team to Vancouver for a memorable two-day experience, captured in this video highlighting the power of sport, mentorship, and community.

Through its partnership with Canucks Sports & Entertainment, DP World hosted young athletes from Nanaimo at Rogers Arena, where they experienced professional sport up close – from attending a Vancouver Warriors lacrosse game to cheering on the Vancouver Canucks from a VIP suite.

Beyond the games, the visit focused on inspiration and learning. Players took part in a behind-the-scenes arena tour, connected with Canucks legend Kirk McLean, and joined a leadership discussion with Squamish Nation member Simon Baker, who shared perspectives on culture, resilience, and community.

For many of the participants, the trip offered a rare opportunity to travel, build confidence, and see new possibilities through sport. The Salish Storm Hockey Association continues to provide Indigenous youth with access to hockey and mentorship, removing barriers and supporting personal development both on and off the ice.

This initiative reflects DP World’s ongoing commitment to creating meaningful community impact – supporting youth, strengthening partnerships, and helping the next generation thrive.

Comcast and El Centro de la Raza Open Lift Zone in Federal Way to Help South King County Families Build Digital Skills

Comcast — Thu, 28 May 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Comcast launched its newest Lift Zone this month in partnership with El Centro de la Raza to advance digital skills and training opportunities for families in South King County. The Lift Zone, powered by Comcast Business, is located at El Centro de la Raza, 1607 S 341st Pl, Federal Way, WA 98003, and includes a $350,000 investment to support facility and technology upgrades.

This Lift Zone now serves as a hub for digital learning and workforce development and offers:

Free high-speed 6GHz Xfinity WiFi delivering fast, reliable connectivity
On-site Digital Navigators to assist with internet access, device support, and digital literacy assistance
Flexible, tech-enabled spaces for parent meetings, youth programming, and academic enrichment
Public access workstations for community use, including navigation support, public benefits application, employment, and life‑skills resources, and more
Hybrid digital skills training and small business workshops (in-person and online)

“The new Lift Zone at our Federal Way location represents a powerful investment in the future of our community,” said Estela Ortega, Executive Director of El Centro de la Raza. “With free, reliable WiFi access and Comcast’s generous contribution to support facility and technology upgrades, we are expanding our ability to serve members with the tools, connectivity, and programs they need to learn, grow, and succeed. This investment will strengthen our capacity to deliver digital skills training, support career advancement, and ensure families across South King County can fully participate in today’s digital world.”

Lift Zones are a part of Project UP, Comcast’s initiative to ensure more people in more communities have access to the internet and digital tools needed to thrive. Launched in 2020, the award-winning program includes more than 1,250 locations across the country.

“Lift Zones create pathways to opportunity,” said Keith Turner, Senior Vice President, Comcast Pacific Northwest. “We’re proud to partner with El Centro de la Raza to bring this location to Federal Way and provide a trusted space where community members can access high-speed internet, develop digital skills, and pursue their educational and career goals.”

Comcast has invested more than $7.4 million in cash and in-kind services in Greater Seattle over the past four years. This support includes expanding internet access, delivering digital skills training, and providing devices to help thousands of Seattle residents thrive in an increasingly digital world. To bridge the digital skills gap and create pathways to meaningful careers, Comcast’s investment has funded more than 60 local organizations that are deeply embedded in the area, including Asian Counseling & Referral Service, Evergreen Goodwill, Mary’s Place, YWCA Seattle–King–Snohomish, and more.

As an organization grounded in the Latino/a community of Washington State, it is the mission of El Centro de la Raza (The Center for People of All Races) to build the Beloved Community through unifying all racial and economic sectors; to organize, empower, and defend the basic human rights of our most vulnerable and marginalized populations; and to bring critical consciousness, justice, dignity, and equity to all the peoples of the world. The organization is 50 years old. El Centro de la Raza provides 43 programs and services to children, youth, families, and seniors in the community. Learn more at www.elcentrodelaraza.org.

Two Sides of the “Gift of Life” From DaVita Teammates

DaVita — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:30:00 -0400

Experiencing kidney disease can change one’s entire perspective on life, and for some it can spark a mission to help others navigate that same journey. As we reflect on the impact of organ donation, DaVita honors teammates who have experienced the transplant process from two profoundly different yet connected sides: as a transplant recipient and as a living donor.

Building on Personal Experience to Find a Fulfilling Career: Chris’s Journey

Chris Harris was just 26 years old when he “crashed” into dialysis — not knowing his kidney function was declining until they had failed.

As he navigated kidney failure and home hemodialysis, Harris found support from his DaVita care team, who made sure he had the information and resources he needed to manage his health and reach his goal: transplant.

"Transplant gave me a second chance to truly live my life with purpose, compassion, and understanding," he shares. "This is all possible due to my donor, who I can never repay but honor every day."

Inspired by his own care team, Harris realized his personal experience could help others through their own kidney journeys and made the decision to work at DaVita himself.

Starting as a patient care technician, he worked with patients as they received treatments offering care, support and education. Now he works for Kidney Smart®, a no-cost chronic kidney disease (CKD) education program, as an educator and coordinator.

“I always wanted to give back in a meaningful way and help other people to navigate through one of the most difficult times of their lives,” Harris says. “Becoming a DaVita teammate was the best decision I ever made. They have allowed me to turn one of the most difficult times in my life into something positive, helping others navigate their own journey with confidence.”

A Gift of Time: Angela’s Path as a Living Donor

On the other side of the transplant journey is Angela Laino, a DaVita social worker who donated a kidney at the beginning of 2026. As a non-directed donor, Laino does not know who received her organ, but she learned that her decision to donate helped spark a transplant chain – resulting in as many as three people being able to find matches and receive a transplant.

In her role as a social worker, Laino has helped patients navigate the transplant process, connecting them with transplant programs, reviewing requirements, connecting them with the right support and helping them advocate for their needs. This work has helped her witness the life-changing impact of transplantation.

Her own experience has only intensified her appreciation for this gift:

“Once I heard that my kidney started working right away for my recipient, it really hit home for me that she will have more time: more time to have a better quality of life, more time away from dialysis, and more time with loved ones,” says Laino.

Leading Through Lived Experiences

For both Harris and Laino, their personal experiences have transformed the way they connect with their patients:

Building Trust: Going through the donor surgery helps Laino connect with patients and families on a deeper level. "When they have the opportunity to hear from someone with lived experience, it opens up the door to deeper conversations," she explains, adding that some of her patients who were once hesitant are now considering looking for a living donor.

Fostering Empathy: Harris echoes Laino’s sentiment, approaching every patient conversation with patience, honesty and a goal to ensure they feel heard, understood, and seen.

Looking Ahead: The 2026 Transplant Games of America

Stories like these remind us of the resilience of the human spirit.

As part of DaVita’s ongoing commitment to the kidney care community and transplantation, DaVita is a proud sponsor of the 2026 Transplant Games of America this coming June in Denver.

As we look ahead to the Transplant Games of America, hosted by the Transplant Life Foundation, we celebrate and honor all living donors and transplant recipients — whose courage, compassion, and dedication transform lives and radiate hope.

MilliporeSigma's Approach to Embedding Sustainability Earlier in Product Development

MilliporeSigma — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:30:00 -0400

For MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, sustainability isn’t treated as a standalone initiative. It’s increasingly embedded across the product life cycle, from early R&D decisions to sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, customer use, and end of life.

The most meaningful opportunities to reduce environmental impact happen when product teams are still making foundational design choices. To help teams make those decisions more consistently, MilliporeSigma uses Design for Sustainability, or DfS, a life cycle approach to product development that helps identify improvement opportunities, evaluate tradeoffs, and prioritize changes that can reduce environmental impact without compromising quality or performance.

Turning Sustainability into a Repeatable Product Development Practice

In practice, DfS gives teams a more structured way to incorporate environmental thinking into those decisions. That can include evaluating alternative materials, identifying improvement opportunities in packaging concepts, and clarifying the data needed to support a more sustainable choice.

DfS reflects a shift from treating sustainability as a downstream check to building it into the product development process itself. By creating a clearer, repeatable framework for decision-making, MilliporeSigma aims to help teams move faster, strengthen customer conversations, and advance product sustainability in a more credible and measurable way.

Stay tuned for highlights on products recently developed through the company’s Design for Sustainability framework. To learn more about MilliporeSigma’s sustainability programs, visit SigmaAldrich.com/sustainability