“Imagine a health crisis that affects virtually everyone in the country, yet remains invisible.”

And so begins a piece in The Mandarin, an Australian government news and policy analysis site, coauthored by Jack Noonan, IWBI’s Senior Vice President and Head of Asia-Pacific, and Plum Stone, CEO and Founder of the Safer Air Project and Co-chair of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air, highlighting healthy indoor air as a form of inclusive, preventative healthcare that drives returns.

“For millions of Australians, breathing in shared indoor spaces has become a barrier to accessibility and inclusion. For people living with chronic health conditions – like heart disease, cancer, asthma or diabetes – a day at work, a visit to the doctor, or a holiday celebration with friends can pose an invisible health risk.”

The column highlights the humanity behind something that impacts us all, but can be impossible to see. “For millions of Australians, breathing in shared indoor spaces has become a barrier to accessibility and inclusion. For people living with chronic health conditions – like heart disease, cancer, asthma or diabetes – a day at work, a visit to the doctor, or a holiday celebration with friends can pose an invisible health risk,” an excerpt reads.

This is the heart behind the Safer Air Project, an organization dedicated to establishing indoor air quality (IAQ) as a critical accessibility and inclusion issue. Through Stone’s leadership, the Safer Air Project advocates for better air standards to protect high-risk populations, including those with chronic illnesses, from airborne threats.

Chief among those efforts is the organization’s cornerstone campaign, Making the invisible visible, wherein organizations around the world commit to monitor IAQ, and publicly display that data so that everyone can see it, increasing accessibility and promoting inclusivity.

“’We spend around 90% of our lives indoors, where airborne pathogens and pollutants can significantly affect health, with disproportionate impacts on people with chronic conditions or disability,” said Stone, Safer Air Project. “Visibly displaying indoor air quality turns an invisible risk into something actionable, leading to safer, healthier and more inclusive spaces for everyone.”

In its pilot year in 2025, more than 20 organizations across eight countries and scores of sectors–banking, science, technology, arts, local government, health, manufacturing–participated. The campaign had strong visibility, reaching more than 2 million people globally.

Coinciding with the end of Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month, October 26-November 1, 2026, the Making the invisible visible is a galvanizing moment for organizations to come together for change.

IWBI is a proud participant for the second-year running. “We know clean indoor air is essential to our well-being. It’s time we treat it like the human right it is, one that protects and enhances individual health and strengthens resilience across our communities,” said our own President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon in 2025.

Join us, and join the campaign.

View original content here.

As I step into the Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer role, I’m honored to share the substantive progress our teams accomplished in 2025. It’s important to emphasize that we do not- and cannot- do this work alone. In 2025, we consistently engaged with our shareholders and community partners on topics such as corporate strategy, financial and operating performance, and our responsibility as a corporate citizen. These conversations provided valuable insight, reinforced accountability and helped to drive continuous improvement. Read the full Corporate Responsibility Report.

Sustained and Consistent Community Impact

At PNC, community investment isn’t separate from our business. It is fundamental to it. In 2025, we completed and exceeded expectations on two transformative multiyear commitments- one focused on community improvement, and the other, on climate action:

• The four-year Community Benefits Plan surpassed our $88 billion pledge, with $119.3 billion in capital deployed to promote homeownership, support small business growth and advance community investment through loans, financing, investments and philanthropic contributions. In 2025, our Community Development Banking team extended $660 million in loans and investments, up from $469 million in 2024.
• Additionally, we successfully met and exceeded our $30 billion Environmental Finance pledge. Since 2021, we have mobilized $33.4 billion in financing across multiple lines of business, including renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, and environmentally linked loan products. We also achieved our 100% renewable energy goal for purchased electricity by the end of 2025, driven by two long‑term agreements.

More Accessible Financial Tools and Solutions 

We continue to innovate on customer‑focused financial solutions for the evolving marketplace. In 2025, we rolled out an enhanced online banking platform, delivering a more convenient, accessible and seamless experience for 11.5 million customers. We also invested in meeting customers where they are through our mobile branch network. In 2025, PNC mobile branches traveled nearly 94,000 miles, serving almost 20,000 customers in 3,449 visits coordinated by 255 community organizations. We complemented this outreach with 461 free financial education seminars designed to help participants make informed financial decisions.

Even as technology allows for new, more accessible service options, we understand many customers rely on the convenience of their neighborhood banks. We expanded our branch network in 2025, including 26 new branches and 170 renovations that modernize the in‑branch experience while supporting local communities.

This growth will continue under PNC’s $2 billion investment commitment in our branch network over the next five years- adding more than 300 new branches and 1,400 renovations. On January 5, 2026, PNC completed its acquisition of FirstBank Holding Company, including its banking subsidiary, FirstBank, significantly expanding our presence in Colorado and Arizona.

Early Childhood Education to Drive Economic Opportunity

PNC has invested in early childhood education for more than 20 years because we know education is a powerful driver of economic opportunity.

Through PNC Grow Up Great®, our signature $500 million, bilingual early childhood education initiative, we remain steadfast in our philanthropic commitment to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. From the program’s inception in 2004 through 2025, PNC Grow Up Great has supported more than 11.5 million children through over $290 million grants and educational programs. PNC employees have volunteered more than 1.3 million hours for this worthy cause. In 2025, they volunteered a total of 84,549 hours across up to 2,000 partner organizations focused on early childhood education or economic opportunity.

Taking Action to Help Close the Housing Affordability Gap

Like education, home ownership is a powerful driver of economic opportunity and generational wealth. At a time when our country faces a clear shortage of affordable housing, we’re focused on expanding access.

We know that homeownership is one of life’s biggest decisions, and we are here to support individuals and families through that important process. In 2025, more than 40 percent of our mortgages in primary assessment area markets supported low‑ and moderate‑income (LMI) borrowers.

In addition to homeownership, PNC also expands opportunity by supporting the development of affordable rental housing. In 2025, PNC Multifamily Capital, one of the nation’s largest syndicators of affordable rental housing, provided $4.0 billion in debt and equity to create or preserve affordable rental housing across urban centers, suburban neighborhoods and rural communities. These investments produced 15,900 units of affordable rental housing in 127 properties across 31 states and Washington, D.C.

Through this work, and our insights from the Community Benefits Plan, we will continue to make meaningful investments and improvements in our communities to support housing affordability and strengthen the trust that our stakeholders place in PNC.

Talent & Inclusion Drive Growth

Our business stands on serving a diverse group of individuals, families and businesses across the country. To do so effectively, and win in the marketplace, we must recruit and retain talented employees with the relevant experiences, skills and perspectives to best support them. This is a business imperative, and we work every day to foster an accessible and inclusive workplace where all employees — and customers — can feel welcomed, valued and respected. To support this imperative, we do not discriminate against any employee, potential or current client, supplier, or any other stakeholder, consistent with applicable laws.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Our 55,000-plus employees strive to elevate our business, and we are intentional in supporting their well-being. In 2025, we advanced our competitive talent strategy by introducing Brilliant Thrives Here^{® –} a new Employee Value Proposition (EVP)- reinforcing our commitment to help employees grow, contribute and thrive. We also continue to improve the employee experience by offering professional development and education benefits. More than 10,500 employees have enrolled in academic programs through PNC’s education benefit in partnership with Guild since late 2022. Through PNC University (PNCU), employees had access to more than 26,000 learning content options, completing 4.2 million hours of training, including PNC’s AI Skills Academy, which launched in 2025. Teams also leveraged multiple generative AI platforms that we deployed in 2025, including Microsoft CoPilot®, to enhance employee productivity and support informed decision-making.

Looking Forward

When we help a child develop a love of learning or help a family access stable housing, we strengthen the communities where we live and work.

Our community investments, educational initiatives, and support for housing affordability reinforce our approach to growth: serving communities well, earning long-term trust, and building our coast-to-coast franchise responsibly. That includes the ethical and productive use of AI, which remains a critical focus for PNC and our stakeholders. In 2025, PNC strengthened governance for the responsible use of AI through the establishment of the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) framework and policy, alongside the Responsible AI Working Group’s continued oversight of adherence to and expansion of the firmwide application of PNC’s Responsible AI principles.

These efforts in 2025 represent just a snapshot of the comprehensive accomplishments detailed throughout this report, demonstrating our commitment and service to our customers and stakeholders. It’s how we’ve prospered for more than 160 years — and it’s what we’ll continue to do in communities across the country.

STACY M. JUCHNO
Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer

This blog was co-authored by Jennifer Mulhern, Vice President of AP Program Access, College Board

Read on Cisco’s Blog

Cybersecurity professionals have become essential to protecting our society’s critical infrastructure. Yet globally, 4.8 million cybersecurity-related vacancies remain unfilled, and organizations across industries are feeling the impact. As the demand for talent continues to grow, the pipeline isn’t keeping pace.

As AI introduces more sophisticated cyber threats, many students are eager to explore careers in the field. Too often, they lack access to learning experiences that help them build real-world skills. Instead, they’re asked to choose between coursework that prepares them for college and learning that prepares them for careers.

We have the opportunity to bridge that gap.

Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, College Board will launch AP Cybersecurity as part of a new set of Advanced Placement® (AP®) Career Kickstart courses. Cisco is proud to support this effort through Cisco Networking Academy, which will serve as a resource to bring industry-aligned curriculum, hands-on labs, and educator support to classrooms nationwide.

Connecting college readiness with career relevance

The AP Cybersecurity course is designed to bring greater real-world relevance to foundational academic learning, ensuring students are prepared both for related college coursework and the demands of today’s workforce.

Students can earn college credit based on their AP Exam score and enter higher education with a strong foundation in cybersecurity principles. This allows them to build on that knowledge more quickly and intentionally as they progress through their academic and career journey.

For those who choose Cisco Networking Academy as their instructional resource, the AP Cybersecurity course will also provide preparation for the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity certification. This industry-recognized credential signals job-ready skills in a competitive hiring market.

This dual approach reflects a broader shift in career-relevant education: students increasingly expect their academic experiences to have direct real-world applications, while employers are prioritizing candidates who can contribute from day one.

Expanding access by supporting educators

The successful implementation of cybersecurity education ultimately depends on the educators tasked with bringing it to life.

Across the country, schools are working to introduce new career pathways. Still, many face common barriers: limited resources, a lack of specialized equipment, and the challenge of keeping pace with a field that is evolving at breakneck speed. Many educators have not had the opportunity to receive formal training in cybersecurity.

Cisco Networking Academy helps address these challenges by providing a ready-to-teach curriculum, built-in hands-on labs, and professional development for educators, helping schools implement cybersecurity programs without the complexity typically associated with launching technical courses.

We’ve already seen the impact. During the 2025–2026 pilot, the AP Cybersecurity course reached 3,100 students across 183 schools in 30 states, with strong teacher adoption and high levels of student engagement. Nearly 500 educators have registered for AP Summer Institutes ahead of the upcoming national launch.

In this pilot video, participating teachers describe the power of the AP Cybersecurity to bring cybersecurity concepts to life through hands-on learning and real-world application.

Building a future-ready cybersecurity pipeline

The cybersecurity workforce shortage remains a pressing challenge. In a competitive job market – one where the definition of ‘entry level’ is changing every day – we cannot ask interested students to wait until college to begin preparing for their cybersecurity careers.

The launch of AP Cybersecurity is a practical step toward addressing both student interest and a significant talent shortage. Through this collaboration, Cisco and the College Board are working closely to ensure that students are gaining academic knowledge while also building clear, sustainable pathways into cybersecurity careers.

We remain focused on supporting educators and expanding access to high-quality, career-connected learning through Cisco Networking Academy. Strengthening this connection between classroom learning and real-world opportunity is a critical part of building a more resilient cybersecurity talent pipeline.

View original content here.

Transformation is often framed as a clean break – a bold leap from past to future. But in reality, the most powerful transformations do not come from departing from your heritage. They come from learning to embrace the tension between legacy and innovation, between what grounds us and what propels us forward.

Few brands embody this balance as clearly as Mary Kay, the iconic beauty and entrepreneurship global brand. Born from Mary Kay Ash’s vision to empower women, the company has spent more than six decades building a global community rooted in purpose. Today, as consumer expectations evolve and technology reshapes how people engage with brands, Mary Kay is evolving while keeping its purpose strong.

Late spring, Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Brand and Scientific Officer at Mary Kay was a keynote speaker at the Direct Selling University (DSU) conference in Dallas, where she reframed brand transformation as the art of holding tension and turning it into momentum through six leadership lessons.

In Conversation with Dr. Lucy Gildea 

Q: Your perspective on transformation is rooted in “holding the tension.” What does that really mean?

Dr. Gildea: Tension is often misunderstood as something negative, something to resolve or eliminate. But in reality, tension is where growth happens. It’s the space between where you’ve been and where you’re going.

In transformation, you’re constantly balancing opposing forces: preserving what works while challenging what doesn’t, moving fast without overwhelming people, and making bold decisions while maintaining trust. The mistake leaders make is thinking they must choose one side. You don’t. The real breakthroughs happen in the space between.

Q: How has your background shaped the way you lead through transformation?

Dr. Gildea: I’m a scientist by training, and that fundamentally shapes how I think. Science teaches you to question assumptions, test hypotheses, and stay open to new evidence.

When I joined Mary Kay, I realized I had found a place where science, storytelling, and purpose intersect. That’s rare. It also reinforced something important: leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about staying curious, being willing to challenge your own thinking, and navigating complexity with clarity.

Q: Mary Kay has a powerful legacy. How do you evolve without being held back by it?

Dr. Gildea: Legacy becomes a strength when we choose to understand it, not simply preserve it. It’s about protecting the heart of your brand while allowing the expression to evolve. This is the meaningful way we choose in honoring our legacy.

In the process, we have had to ask ourselves tough questions: What truly defines us? What still serves us? What doesn’t? Culture evolves, but traditions must earn their place.

We’re not trying to become something new. We’re becoming more of who we truly are. That’s not disruption, it’s reconciliation.

Q: Transformation often creates uncertainty. How do you bring people along?

Dr. Gildea: Uncertainty isn’t the enemy, silence is. When people don’t have clarity, they fill the gaps with their own stories, and those stories can quickly derail progress.

Our role as leaders is to create clarity where we can, and transparency where we can’t. That comes down to three things: consistency, visibility, and inclusion.

You can’t do transformation to people. You have to do it WITH them. When people understand the “why,” see their role, and feel included in the process, belief starts to build. And belief is what drives real transformation.

Q: In a complex global business, how do you balance perfection with impact?

Dr. Gildea: Perfection is not the goal – impact is. If you chase perfection, you stop experimenting. And without experimentation, there’s no innovation.

We operate across multiple markets, cultures, and consumer needs. There is no perfect answer. Every decision involves trade-offs. Take product innovation, for example. Too much complexity can dilute your brand and confuse customers. Global portfolio management requires discipline, clarity, and a deep understanding of what truly creates value.

Q: How do you see the balance between digital and human connection evolving?

Dr. Gildea: This is one of the most important tensions in our business today. Digital platforms offer incredible reach and flexibility, but human connection remains at the heart of what we do.

The future isn’t about choosing one over the other. It’s about blending both intentionally.

Technology should enhance relationships, not replace them. When you combine digital innovation with authentic human connection, you create something incredibly powerful, something that resonates with the next generation of entrepreneurs and consumers.

Q: Finally, what role does purpose play in transformation?

Dr. Gildea: Purpose is everything. People may buy products, but they believe in brands because of what those brands stand for.

Our purpose has always been to enrich women’s lives. That hasn’t changed – and it won’t. What’s changed is how we bring that purpose to life in a modern world.

Tension tests your purpose. It forces you to ask: Does this still hold true? Does it still matter? For us, the answer is yes. Our purpose is timeless, and that’s what gives us the drive to push forward with confidence. Not because the tension is gone, but because we’ve learned how to harness its power and lead through it.

And when you do that, you don’t just transform a brand, you shape the future.

***

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

The summit – convened by the Healthy Schools Network (HSN), the Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN), the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), and The Center for Environmental Policy at American University’s School of Public Affairs (CEP)– will bring together leaders from public health, education, research, policy, industry and philanthropy to address one of the most consequential challenges facing our schools: ensuring every child has access to a healthy school environment.

“Healthy schools are foundational to healthy children, thriving educators and strong communities,” said Jen Lemon, Acting Executive Director of Healthy Schools Network. “This summit will unite our diverse community of stakeholders to build a shared roadmap for making our schools healthy places to learn and grow.”

Millions of students attend schools struggling with aging infrastructure, inadequate ventilation, exposure to environmental hazards and growing vulnerability to extreme weather and climate-related events. The average school building in the United States is approaching 50 years old, and research shows that the nation’s school infrastructure faces a massive underinvestment of $90 billion every year.

The consequences of these challenges are significant and wide-ranging. Poor indoor air quality alone contributes to asthma-related illness and approximately 14 million missed school days each year, undermining student health, attendance and academic performance.

“If we are serious about improving children’s health, we need to recognize and prioritize our schools as the critical public health environments that they are,” said Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, Executive Director of CEHN. “Every child deserves to learn in a school that supports their learning, health and ability to thrive. This summit is an opportunity to align leaders around practical, equitable and achievable solutions that put children’s well-being at the center of school policy and investment.”

The summit will bring together leading experts, advocates and policymakers to produce a forward-looking Health-First Agenda for America’s Schools, focused on school modernization, healthy materials, indoor air quality and ventilation, emergency preparedness and resilience, healthy lighting and acoustics, pollution prevention, remediation of legacy environmental hazards, technical assistance for schools and communities, and priority research needs. It will be a roadmap of actionable recommendations designed to align stakeholders around shared national priorities and accelerate progress toward healthier schools for every child in the country.

The Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids Summit will be held on August 5, 2026, at the KFF Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Washington, D.C. The event is proudly supported by the National Education Association, EWG and IQAir, whose leadership and commitment are helping advance healthier schools across the country. FacilitiesNet.com is the official media partner for the Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids Summit. To learn more and register, visit https://healthy-schools-summit.eventbrite.com.

What Leaders are Saying:

“For millions of children with asthma and allergies, school can be the difference between thriving and just getting by,” said Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO of AAFA. “A classroom with poor air quality isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s a barrier to learning. This summit is about fixing that, building schools that work for these kids instead of against them.”

“Children spend over a thousand hours each year in school buildings,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of IWBI. “The quality of those facilities has significant and far-reaching implications for millions of students, affecting their health, well-being and learning. By bringing together leaders from across sectors, this seminal gathering will help create the momentum needed to transform how we design, operate and invest in our schools and our children’s future.”

“Universities have a responsibility to help bridge research, policy and practice,” said Daniel Fiorino, founding Director of the Center for Environmental Policy and Distinguished Executive in Residence in the School of Public Affairs at American University. “We are proud to support a summit that brings together diverse perspectives and expertise to develop actionable recommendations that can improve the daily lives of the more than 50 million people who go to schools every day.”

Children and their parents shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their drinking water or the air they breathe while they’re at school,” said Alex Formuzis, Senior Vice President for Communications and Strategic Campaigns, Environmental Working Group. “Creating healthier schools means addressing the environmental exposures that can affect children’s health and learning—from drinking water and indoor air quality to hazardous chemicals in school environments. We’re proud to support this summit and help advance practical solutions that put children’s health first.

About HSN:
Healthy Schools Network is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children learn and work in environmentally healthy and safe school environments. Healthyschools.org

About CEHN:
The Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN) is a national multi-disciplinary organization that for nearly 35 years has been leading the movement to protect children from environmental hazards and promote a healthier environment. CEHN is the voice of children’s environmental health in the nation’s capital–one that is uniquely informed by, and rooted in, pediatric and environmental health science. www.cehn.org

About the CEP:
The Center for Environmental Policy’s mission is to improve environmental governance in the United States by informing and educating future environmental leaders, while promoting innovative technology and policies that protect the air, water, land, and other resources on which our economy and lives depend. https://www.american.edu/spa/cep

About AAFA :
Founded in 1953, AAFA is the oldest and largest non-profit patient organization dedicated to saving lives and improving the quality of life for people affected by asthma and allergic diseases through support, advocacy, education, and research. AAFA offers extensive support for individuals and families affected by asthma and allergic diseases. AAFA is the first asthma and allergy patient advocacy group certified to meet the standards of excellence set by the National Health Council. For more information, visit: aafa.org.

About IWBI:
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. Media contact: media@wellcertified.com
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.

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Jones was recognized for his excellence on and off the field, as well as his decades long commitment to community impact across Los Angeles. Through sustained advocacy for education, inclusion, and equitable access to resources, he has demonstrated how sport can serve as a powerful platform for social good.

This recognition reflects the broader commitment of the LA Galaxy, owned by AEG, to advancing community engagement and leveraging soccer as a catalyst for positive change. Together, they continue to champion initiatives that uplift underserved communities and support leaders who drive meaningful, lasting impact through service.

For nearly 160 years², MetLife has helped individuals and institutions build financial security and confidence. In 2025, the company served more than 100 million customers across more than 40 markets, had approximately $741.7 billion in total assets under management³ and was supported by approximately 46,000 employees worldwide Additionally, MetLife paid more than $50 billion in policyholder benefits and claims in 2025, reinforcing its commitment to keeping promises when customers need support most.

The report also marks the first year of New Frontier, MetLife’s targeted five-year strategy designed to deliver stronger growth and attractive returns with lower risk. Built around the company’s strengths in scale, diversification, distribution capabilities and technology, New Frontier focuses on extending leadership in Group Benefits, capitalizing on its retirement solutions, accelerating growth in asset management and expanding its presence in high-growth international markets.

As the company looks ahead, the 2025 Sustainability Report demonstrates how MetLife is translating purpose into action, combining business performance, employee engagement and environmental stewardship to help build a more confident future for generations to come.

Read the full 2025 Sustainability Report
 

^{1 Information is as of December 31, 2025, or for the year ended December 31, 2025, unless otherwise noted. Certain metrics have been rounded to aid readability. Metrics do not include information from PineBridge Investments, unless otherwise noted.}

^{2 As of March 24, 2026.} 

^{3 At estimated fair value as of December 31, 2025. Includes PineBridge Investments assets under management.}

Forward-Looking Statements
The forward-looking statements in this article, using words such as “long-term,” are based on assumptions and expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, including the “Risk Factors” MetLife, Inc. describes in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. MetLife’s future results could differ, and it does not undertake any obligation to publicly correct or update any of these statements.

The June 24, 2026 update revises Table 2 of CalRecycle’s SB 343 Final Findings Report to reflect that cartons are now sorted for recycling by large-volume transfer and processing facilities serving 62% of California counties. This exceeds the threshold established by SB 343 that determines whether a package can be labeled as recyclable.

“This update reflects the real and growing capacity of California’s recycling system to recover and recycle food and beverage cartons,” said Jordan Fengel, President of the Carton Council. “We are pleased that on-package labeling will continue to accurately communicate that cartons should be recycled, helping to provide sufficient material to established and emerging recycling end markets.”

CalRecycle’s updated evaluation incorporates newly verified sortation at three California material recovery facilities (MRFs):

• Western Placer Waste Management Authority MRF in Roseville
• Pacific Recycling Solutions MRF in Ukiah
• Cold Canyon Landfill MRF in San Luis Obispo

Together with facilities previously identified by CalRecycle, these operations sort cartons into PSI Grade 52 bales and serve 21 California counties. The update reflects how cartons are collected, sorted, and marketed throughout the recycling system.

“This milestone is the result of continued collaboration across the recycling value chain,” Fengel said. “We appreciate the facilities that have invested with us in carton sortation, the communities that include cartons in their recycling programs, and CalRecycle’s careful review of all available data.”

SB 343 permits the use of the chasing-arrows symbol and other recyclability claims only for products and packaging that satisfy the criteria outlined in California law. CalRecycle’s characterization findings provide the collection and sortation data used to evaluate materials under those requirements.

The Carton Council will continue working with communities, material recovery facilities and recycling end markets to expand carton recovery and ensure that valuable carton material is returned to productive use.

About the Carton Council
The Carton Council is composed of four leading carton manufacturers, Elopak, Novolex, SIG, and Tetra Pak. Formed in 2009, the Carton Council works to deliver long-term collaborative solutions to divert valuable cartons from the landfill. Cartons are commonly used to package products like milk, broth, soup, juice and other beverages. When recycled, they can be transformed into premium building materials or new paper products, contributing to a circular economy.

Through a united effort, the Carton Council is committed to building a sustainable infrastructure for carton recycling in the U.S.  and Canada and works toward its goals of adding access to carton recycling, as well as increasing recycling rates. For more information, visit recyclecartons.com.

Drew Marsh, Entergy chair and CEO, delivered the meeting’s featured address, marking the conclusion of his service as campaign cabinet chair for our company’s employee giving effort. Each year, Entergy employees actively engage in the annual giving campaign to support their local United Way initiatives that enhance education, promote financial stability and improve health in the communities we serve.

For the local campaign, which focuses on supporting residents of Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes, Marsh led a team of local business leaders to encourage giving throughout Southeast Louisiana. Under his leadership, the campaign raised more than $7.7 million, surpassing their goal by $262,209.

“Here in Southeast Louisiana, it doesn’t take much — a storm, a medical bill, a lost hour of work, and yes sometimes a high electric bill from a cold winter or hot summer, or even high natural gas prices — for a family to slip into crisis,” Marsh said. “Our customers — the very people we serve — and our communities and even sometimes our employees turn to the United Way for support. And that’s why Entergy’s decades-long partnership with United Way means so much to me. Because United Way steps into those gaps. They don’t wait for crises — they work to prevent them.”

United Way leaders also honored Michelle Delery, Entergy vice president of internal and external communications, with the Edward J. Krause Volunteer of the Year Award. The award recognizes an individual who goes above and beyond to volunteer, advocate or donate in support of United Way’s mission to eradicate poverty. Delery, who serves on the United Way board of trustees, was recognized for her dedication to advancing the United Way initiatives and her longstanding commitment to community service.

Under Marsh’s leadership, Entergy employees continued their strong tradition of supporting United Way programs focused on education, financial stability and essential services for vulnerable households. Delery along with Patty Riddlebarger, vice president, corporate social responsibility also accepted the United Way Top Workplace giving campaign award on behalf of the company. United Way leaders praised Entergy for its continued partnership, calling the company a key contributor to long‑term community resiliency.

Learn more about Entergy’s commitment to serving its communities.

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Walnut’s journey began in Los Angeles, where he boarded a FedEx aircraft and traveled through Memphis before arriving in Omaha. Throughout the trip, Blank Park Zoo animal care and veterinary staff accompanied him to ensure his safety and well-being. SeaWorld San Diego provided a specialized transport crate, highlighting the level of coordination and care required to move animals safely between accredited institutions.

When the aircraft landed in Omaha, members of the Blank Park Zoo team met the flight directly on the tarmac and transported Walnut to Des Moines. Even in an unconventional delivery, some protocols remained unchanged—FedEx delivery paperwork still required a signature. As Chief Animal Officer Jay Tetzloff noted, it’s not every day you sign for a harbor seal, a moment that underscored the unique collaboration behind the effort.

Now settled in Iowa, Walnut will complete a standard quarantine period before joining California sea lions Zoey and Meatball at the zoo’s Hub Harbor habitat. His arrival marks an exciting addition during Blank Park Zoo’s milestone anniversary year—and serves as a reminder of how FedEx’s global network can support critical, one-of-a-kind missions that go far beyond traditional shipping.

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