Whether or not the Omicron variant turns out to be as deadly as earlier iterations of the COVID-19 virus, it should send up red flags for stakeholders in the grocery store business. Frontline retail workers are <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2020/karens-retail-workers/120861" target="_blank">already stressed</a> by a never-ending stream of negative customer interactions related to pandemic safety, and Omicron is a reminder that the threat of a mental health crisis looms larger with every fresh wave of infection.

<h2>A closer look at mental health among grocery workers</h2>

Almost two years into the pandemic, the physical risk of COVID-19 transmission in retail stores and other indoor spaces is well understood. Far less measured is the impact on mental health, and a new study of grocery store workers in Arizona seeks to close the gap.

Authored by a team of public health, worker health and retail marketing researchers at the University of Arizona, the study was published last September in the academic journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00333549211045817" target="_blank">Public Health Reports</a> under the title, “Essential but Ill-Prepared: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affects the <a href="https://theconversation.com/grocery-workers-suffer-the-mental-health-effects-of-customer-hostility-and-lack-of-safety-in-their-workplace-171664" target="_blank">Mental Health of the Grocery Store Workforce</a>.”

The study consists of an online survey completed by 3,344 grocery store workers in July 2020. The research team worked with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99 to solicit participation from the union’s 24,000 workers in Arizona. More than 90 percent of the respondents reported regular interaction with customers.

<h2>Workplace safety and mental health</h2>

The online format of the study may not convince skeptics, but the results strongly suggest that all retail stakeholders need to review and reinforce their COVID-19 safety protocols even as scientists learn more about the Omicron variant.

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In the Arizona survey, 20 percent of the respondents “exhibited signs of severe anxiety and depression” as the pandemic stretched into its first summer. The research team also notes that “for grocery workers, we found that the levels of anxiety and depression are more than twice the national average.”

The authors conclude that “the COVID-19 pandemic has placed grocery store workers on the front lines of essential services but left them largely ill-prepared to safely navigate their interactions with coworkers and customers, which greatly increases their risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2.”

They also observe that grocery workers tend to be economically disadvantaged, which amplifies the risks.

“Work environments that require frequent interactions with people outside one’s household, coupled with a lack of adequate support services, render this group vulnerable to negative physical and mental health consequences,” they explain.

<h2>Retail stakeholders can clean up their acts</h2>

The authors present two steps that grocery stores and other retail businesses can take to improve employee perceptions of their safety, leading to improved mental health outcomes.

One is to ramp up their workplace COVID-19 safety rules and enforce them, rather than relying on voluntary compliance.

“Both safety trainings and administrative controls increase employees’ perceptions of their employers’ commitment to their safety, which can motivate them to follow safety protocols and reduce transmission risks in the workplace,” the research team explains.

The second step, clearly necessary with the Omicron threat looming, is to ensure that all employees have access to COVID-19 vaccines, as a means of bolstering safety assurances.

<h2>Preparing for the Omicron variant</h2>

Both of these steps are fraught with challenges.

The <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/retailers-workers-vaccine/718486" target="_blank">COVID-19 vaccine</a> side of the solution should be simple, but it is not. Some employers did step up during <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/business-covid-19-vaccine/718616" target="_blank">the earliest months of vaccine availability</a> in 2021, but almost a year has passed and employers still need to proactively challenge misinformation, including politically charged ideology.

That is a very tall order. Even as the population of unvaccinated adults shrinks, the demographics of the unvaccinated have come into sharp focus. Reaching out to disadvantaged communities and people of color is only part of the solution.

As of May 2021, the Kaiser Family Foundation’s <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-profile-of-the-unvaccinated/" target="_blank">KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor</a> noted that “the unvaccinated group are younger, more likely to identify as Republicans or be Republican-leaning, and more likely to have lower levels of education and lower incomes than the vaccinated population.”

That survey occurred during the early months of vaccine availability. By late May, 62 percent of adults had been vaccinated. Younger adults had only just become eligible, which may have accounted for some of the age disparity.

In September, KFF noted that concern over the Delta variant was one of the factors motivating more unvaccinated adults to get vaccinated. Ethnic disparities in vaccination rates have also eased alongside concerted outreach efforts, but the political divide has sharpened.

As of late September, the KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor reported that 72 percent of adults had received at least one dose of a vaccine. Racial and ethnic disparities all but disappeared, but “large gaps in vaccine uptake remain by partisanship, education level, age, and health insurance status,” KFF noted.

If the Omicron variant does prove to be a lethal menace similar to that of Delta, employers should be prepared to encourage and assist more unvaccinated employees to get their shots.

<h2>Workplace safety and patriotic duty</h2>

Employers are beginning to recognize the impact of <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/post-covid-workspace/721716" target="_blank">COVID-19 safety concerns</a> on employee well-being. Many <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2020/covid-19-retailers/120976" target="_blank">took action in the early months of the outbreak</a>, even as former President Trump continued to downplay the impacts of the pandemic.

However, the workplace safety side of the solution is also complicated by the political divide over COVID-19 vaccination.

Even with clear protocols in place, employers and their workers must still deal with noisy, rude and all too often <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2020/retailers-politicians-wearing-masks/120896" target="_blank">violent backlash from customers</a> and clients who refuse to believe that COVID-19 is, in fact, a public health crisis.

Given the factors identified in the KFF survey, the prospects for toning down the backlash are slim. However, corporate leaders could make a difference, by exerting their financial muscle on elected officials who continue to thwart efforts to get the pandemic under control.

Public messaging could also make a difference. Vaccine refusers are singularly focused on their individual rights, regardless of the risk they pose to others — even to members of their own families. In consideration of the political divide over vaccination, corporate leaders could position their brands behind public health messaging that focuses on the common welfare as a patriotic goal. That could help diffuse and redirect the emotional underpinnings of vaccine refusal, at least to the extent they are rooted in politics.

The appeal to patriotism may not motivate hard core refusers to get their shots, but it would add some much-needed clarity to the debate over vaccine mandates. After all, the U.S. Department of Defense requires a long list of vaccines for active duty troops as well as for Reserves and National Guard, and that list that now includes COVID-19.

Given the cascade of supply chain crises linked to the pandemic, COVID-19 prevention really is a matter of national security. Any adult American shopper should be willing to rally around that flag.

Image credit via <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/GVSnfgZet54" target="_blank">Philippe Beliveau</a>/Unsplash

As Omicron Rises, Frontline Workers Face New Risks

The economic data suggests that this holiday season <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/consumers-spending-less-this-holiday-season-retailers-are-still-raking-billions-1654204" target="_blank">is a mixed bag</a> for companies so far, but for countless U.S. families, the bag, or should we say cupboards, are empty. Food banks from <a href="https://apnews.com/article/food-banks-hunger-inflation-a3d8f4ed0c4842fc3927710f11207c9e" target="_blank">Oakland</a> to <a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/espanol/el-sentinel-in-english/os-ex-english-food-banks-increase-central-florida-20211101-44slpzgyjzahzcgkqvrbhh4s3a-story.html" target="_blank">Orlando</a> to <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2021/11/30/philadelphia-food-banks-demand-inflation-supply-chain" target="_blank">Philadelphia</a> are <a href="https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/11/29/orange-county-food-bank-in-need-of-donations-as-need-for-food-doubles-pre-pandemic-numbers/" target="_blank">struggling</a> to keep up with demand. Their employees and volunteers face an uphill climb as surging food prices and ever-present supply chain snags are making it more complicated for them to help families still trying to get back on their feet while the pandemic still lingers. 

Little relief is in sight, though <a href="https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/giving-tuesday-is-super-bowl-for-atlanta-community-food-bank" target="_blank">this week’s Giving Tuesday</a> has offered a lift to some food banks. But overall, that's a blip in assistance, not a spike.

Companies that want to assist but are in need of ideas on how they can help can take notes from this northern California tech company.

San Francisco-based <a href="https://www.afresh.com/" target="_blank">Afresh</a> operates a platform that harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) to help grocery retailers run their fresh food supply chains run more efficiently. If deployed successfully, Afresh’s AI can help grocers reduce their losses from perishables that end up spoiling; and in turn, the technology can help keep food out of landfills, saving money for retailers and companies alike.

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Now, the four-year-old company seeks to pay it forward. Afresh and its employees recently adopted a Bay Area food bank. Going beyond cash donations, the company has also pledged to help the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank with volunteers once a week. Afresh employees volunteering their time will allow the food bank’s staff to deploy other volunteers to other food banks and pantries that are struggling with boots on the ground as they meet increased demand.

“We can’t run our local food pantries or provide our vital services like home-delivered groceries without volunteers. The pandemic caused not only a huge increase in need but also a shortage of volunteers,” said Katy Mann McKnight, Director of Community Engagement at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, in an emailed statement to TriplePundit. “We are so grateful to Matt Schwartz [the company's CEO] and the Afresh team for being the first company to adopt a food pantry and provide us with the ability to focus our efforts on other locations and programs. We hope this partnership will inspire other companies to do the same.”

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank <a href="https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/about/" target="_blank">currently distributes</a> about 1.3 million meals a week to 52,000 households – 20,000 more than before the pandemic. As with other food banks that serve <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/delta-variant-food-banks/727406" target="_blank">regions with a high cost of living</a>, such organizations won’t see a reduction in demand anytime soon as many families cope with accumulated back rent and mortgages. 

As is the case across much of the U.S., California’s re-opening this past summer masked continuing problems. While some people have been moderately or untouched by pandemic’s economic impacts, food banks are clearly facing continuing support needs by a larger number of people who are still harder-hit than before last year’s COVID-19 shutdown. Continuing that high level of financial and logistical support is essential for effective food bank operations and crucial for supporting the large numbers of local food-insecure families across the country.

Image credit via San Francisco-Marin Food Bank <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/91r8poy2ht6np3m/AABPfbbpwJGgiRbwavNkOdLva?dl=0" target="_blank">press room</a>

Food Banks Are Struggling to Meet Demand: Here’s How One Company is Stepping Up

It’s difficult to fathom, but <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/sanitation/index.html" target="_blank">roughly 2 billion people</a> around the world don’t have access to basic sanitation, including toilets and wastewater systems. <a href="https://water.org/our-impact/water-crisis/global-sanitation-crisis/" target="_blank">According to Water.org</a>, “More people have a mobile phone than a toilet.”

The <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals" target="_blank">U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a> lay out an actionable agenda for improving the equity and sustainability of our systems. Ensuring <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6" target="_blank">universal access</a> to water and sanitation, <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/poverty/" target="_blank">ending poverty</a>, <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal13" target="_blank">tackling climate change</a>, and <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal5" target="_blank">achieving gender equality</a> are central to this agenda. 

With less than a decade left to achieve the SDGs — and <a href="https://www.iisd.org/articles/sdg-setback-tremendous-covid-19-accelerates-slide" target="_blank">setbacks related to the coronavirus pandemic</a> threatening to derail progress — it’s past time to take concerted, strategic action to push forward on key equity issues. 
<figure role="group"><img alt="South African school children use outdoor hand washing station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d6f3ede-40fd-41a6-ad2c-76a28b46ee6e" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/South%20African%20school%20children%20use%20outdoor%20handwashing%20station.png" width="1000" height="668" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>WaterAid, Tsogang Water and Sanitation, and Kimberly-Clark are working together to install clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities at or near schools across South Africa. Here, schoolchildren use outdoor handwashing facilities at Ramauba Secondary School in the northwest part of the country. (Credit: WaterAid/Eben Liebenberg)</figcaption></figure><h2>Putting humanity at the center of product design offers an opportunity for businesses to create long-term, sustainable change </h2>

As we look ahead, businesses have a clear role to play in helping to address these SDGs, specifically in the way products are designed, with a focus on affordability, accessibility, availability, and acceptability for a diverse array of people at every socioeconomic level in our society. 

Product development traditionally focuses on what consumers need, what the business requires to meet its standards and generate a profit, and what’s possible through science and technology. This approach delivers consumer-centric innovation (at least to those who can afford it), with quality products that meet shoppers’ needs. But what if product designers and innovators considered the needs of all of humanity? What if businesses solved the biggest problems facing humanity in an economically viable way?

As the chief scientist and technical vice president at Kimberly-Clark, it’s my job to figure out what’s next for the company and how we can continue to develop products that provide better care for a better world. I am proud that we make essential products like children’s diapers, menstrual pads and tampons, and incontinence products that overcome social stigma, alleviate embarrassment, and give people greater control of their lives. 

At Kimberly-Clark, we’re on a mission to <a href="https://www.kimberly-clark.com/en-us/esg/2030-ambition" target="_blank">advance the well-being of 1 billion people</a> in underserved communities around the globe by 2030 with the smallest environmental footprint possible. We’ll only accomplish that by inspiring diverse, inclusive, empowered, passionate people — inside our company and beyond. 

That ambition may seem far-fetched to some, but to change the world, we first need to change our minds. We all have the potential to become billionaires if we stop defining a billionaire as someone who accumulates a billion dollars and start defining it as someone who helps a billion people.   

And I believe <a href="https://www.3blmedia.com/news/who-wants-be-billionaire" target="_blank">we can all become billionaires</a> through “humanity-centric innovation.” This is about solving the biggest problems for humanity in an economically viable way. It’s about moving our businesses from being consumer-centric or even human-centric enterprises to focusing on the greatest needs of humanity and solving these problems to benefit every single person, and ultimately every living thing on Earth for generations to come.  

<h2>Embrace a breakthrough mindset</h2>

We need a breakthrough mindset to make this happen. Breakthroughs come about by asking: What is impossible today, but if it could be done, it would fundamentally change our lives for the better?

A great example of where all of this could come together is in a menstrual pad or a roll of toilet paper. Imagine a world where a used product is worth more than a new product. Imagine if we could access the bio-data and bio-materials in these products with a high degree of data security and bio-ethics. What could it tell us about human health and wellness, and how could that data improve the lives of people all around the world? 

Imagine if your toilet paper could tell you if you had the onset of colon cancer, or if a panty liner could send a signal to a smartphone with information about ovulation, pregnancy, a urinary tract infection or a sexually transmitted disease. 

If a used product is worth more than a new product, products could be given away for free. Anyone needing period products would have access to them so they could go to school, be empowered, realize their potential, and help us to achieve gender equality.

Now, imagine if the products were not only free, but if they could also generate income for their users who could choose to sell their bio-data or bio-materials to pharmaceutical companies to cure diseases. Or what if this data and these materials could provide a source of donations to advance medical science and improve human health? Ultimately, if a used product is worth more than a new product, there is greater incentive to recycle, which fuels the circular economy and helps reverse global warming.

This type of humanity-centric innovation will help us apply exponential technologies and new business models to ordinary products to solve problems like ending poverty, improving human health, mitigating climate change, and achieving gender equality.  
<figure role="group"><img alt="Demonstrating Proper Handwashing in South Africa - Increase Access to Hygiene Through Humanity-Centric Innovation" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="48f75c83-36a6-4fe8-80af-1e604c467fa4" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Demonstrating%20Proper%20Handwashing%20in%20South%20Africa%20-%20Increase%20Access%20to%20Hygiene%20Through%20Humanity-Centric%20Innovation.png" width="1000" height="670" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>Mrs Ratshisevhe NC, a senior educator who is responsible for sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health at Ligege Secondary School in South Africa, teaches good handwashing practices at the school's new handwashing station. (Credit: WaterAid/Eben Liebenberg)</figcaption></figure><h2>Explore new solutions that expand access to sanitation and empower women and girls </h2>

While many of the product innovations I mentioned above are not possible today, there is still a critical role for businesses to play in thinking differently about how they can help to address some of the world’s most critical challenges and push new solutions forward. As an example, Kimberly-Clark recently came together with our foundation, our Kotex brand and the nonprofit <a href="https://www.toiletboard.org/" target="_blank">Toilet Board Coalition</a> to create the Women in the Sanitation Economy <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/women-entrepreneurs-sanitation/728901" target="_blank">Innovation Lab</a>. 

Launched in 2020, this targeted incubator aims to cultivate and catalyze women-led, early-stage businesses within the sanitation economy. What’s really different about the Innovation Lab is it empowers women entrepreneurs to solve sanitation challenges in their own communities — where they are the true experts — while engaging Kimberly-Clark mentors in a way that shows our teams how important this work is and how it impacts people. It also provides our employees with a way to use their talents and skillsets to help lift others up.

This work builds on our <a href="https://www.news.kimberly-clark.com/2021-11-16-Kimberly-Clark-and-its-Toilets-Change-Lives-Program-Brings-Clean-Water-and-Sanitation-Solutions-to-7-Million-People-Across-15-Countries" target="_blank">Toilets Change Lives</a> program that we launched in 2014 in partnership with Water For People, WaterAid and Plan International in response to the global sanitation crisis.

<h2>Find synergy between your personal purpose and your work</h2>

When I think about these big societal issues like ending poverty, tackling climate change, achieving gender equality, and providing access to clean water and sanitation, I always think about my own personal accountability to take action, and why it’s up to each one of us to commit to making lives better. 

About 24 years ago, I learned my wife was pregnant with our first child, and I started reflecting on what I had accomplished in life, what I had not accomplished yet, and what I wanted my legacy to be. I then crafted my personal purpose statement, which has been my North Star ever since. My personal purpose is to help create businesses that improve people’s lives, and to help raise children who live a life fulfilled. 

I’m fortunate that my personal purpose is in complete harmony with Kimberly-Clark’s purpose of Better Care for a Better World — and finding ways to fulfill my own purpose while delivering on my company’s both drives and inspires me. 

It is time for each of us to stop thinking of ourselves as employees of institutions and to ask how we motivate our institutions to work for us to make the world a better place. In the 20th century, institutions hired individuals. I predict that in the 21st century, individuals will hire institutions to enable humanity-centric innovation, fulfill personal purposes, and make us all billionaires. 

So, what’s your personal purpose? What’s your moonshot? I truly believe if you dream it and believe it, you can achieve it. Just remember, if you don’t paint your masterpiece then it won’t get painted. No one can paint it but you!

This article series is sponsored by Kimberly-Clark and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

Image credits: Water for People/Grover Quiroga and WaterAid/Eben Liebenberg

Making Lives Better Through Humanity-Centric Innovation

The transportation sector is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions#industry" target="_blank">according to the EPA</a>, having dislodged electricity generation from the top spot in 2017. It will likely remain the chief emissions offender too, because while GHGs from electricity generation have fallen compared with 1990 levels, emissions from transportation activity are still edging upward.  

As this trend continues, sharper focus will fall on the need for emissions reductions from the transportation sector. Though total transportation emissions also include those from planes, trains and ships, over half of the sector’s emissions come from road vehicles alone. 

Of that portion, medium- to heavy-duty trucks have the most impact, contributing a full 20 percent of road transportation emissions while representing just 5 percent of all registered vehicles. Decarbonize these, and substantial GHG reductions can be realized. 

Happily, momentum is building to make this happen, spurred on by various cities, states, the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/22/fact-sheet-biden-administration-advances-electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure/" target="_blank">U.S. federal government</a> and the business community. 

<h2>Decarbonizing corporate fleets is a key tool to reduce global emissions</h2>

Black &amp; Veatch, a leader in clean energy, engineering and transportation infrastructure, <a href="https://www.bv.com/resources/2021-corporate-sustainability-goal-setting-and-measurement-report?utm_medium=partner&amp;utm_source=association&amp;utm_campaign=decarbonization&amp;utm_content=triplepundit" target="_blank">surveyed executives at 420 Fortune 1,000 companies</a>, and 89 percent of them said reducing GHG emissions is an organizational goal. Over half (53 percent) also indicated that electrifying their vehicle fleets is a primary strategy to cut emissions. 

Augmenting that effort is <a href="https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/approved/20200714a.shtml" target="_blank">pressure from state governments</a> that are making zero emissions vehicles (ZEV) mandatory at some point on the horizon. But while the signposting toward cleaner transportation seems clear, fleet decarbonization will not happen overnight. 

“To convert a fleet to zero emissions by 2030 or 2040 would be considered an aggressive goal,” said Maryline Daviaud Lewett, director of business development for transformative technologies at Black &amp; Veatch. “It takes five to 10 years to convert a medium to large size fleet, so to reach a 2030 goal, you need to start now.” 

Even starting today, fleet managers have much to consider, not least of which is figuring out which zero-emission technology will best fit their operation. 

Unlike the passenger vehicle market, where electric vehicles (EVs) have been on sale for around a decade with choices growing robustly each year, zero-emission fleet transportation vehicles are really just beginning to emerge. As the technology in this space evolves, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) will come into their own alongside battery EVs, because for some classes of vehicle, fuel cells will be more suitable.  

<h2>EVs or hydrogen fuel cells? What works best and where</h2>

In general, EV power trains work best in predictable environments where temperate climates prevail, as those systems excel over shorter range hauls with flatter terrain. They’re also better suited for lighter weight vehicles, up to Class 6 — which, for context, includes single-axle trucks and school buses.

Conversely, FCEVs are advantageous for longer range cycles, performing better in colder climates and in circumstances where repeatedly negotiating steep grades with heavy payloads is expected. Class 8 trucks — think: large semi-trailer trucks — would be ideally suited to FCEV power trains. 

There are further considerations fleet managers must consider, though, even once they figure out which zero-emission vehicle platform will likely work best. As things stand today, they face a zero-emission fleet market still in its infancy, with commensurate limitations. 

<h2>Scaling zero-emission fleets in an emerging market</h2>

For the moment, EV technology is further along. There is a higher degree of standardization in charging infrastructure, for example, along with increasing vehicle choice either available now or in the near-term pipeline. 

There’s a lot of business interest in EVs, too. For example, Amazon has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/27/rivian-electric-vehicle-maker-backed-by-amazon-files-for-ipo.html" target="_blank">invested in the EV company Rivian</a> and committed to purchase 100,000 electric delivery trucks from the startup. In addition, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/03/17/976152350/from-amazon-to-fedex-the-delivery-truck-is-going-electric" target="_blank">the major international logistics companies</a>, Fed-Ex, UPS, DHL and even the U.S. Postal Service, have all made commitments to introduce electric trucks for their “last-mile” deliveries.

Even Class 8 vehicles can be fully electric on predictable short-range routes. Via a public-private partnership, the <a href="https://www.act-news.com/news/act-expo-2021-north-americas-largest-deployment-of-class-8-battery-electric-trucks/" target="_blank">Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative</a> announced in August will deploy 100 fully-electric Class 8 trucks made by Daimler and Volvo. These will serve the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles in California, connecting them with nearby distribution centers. The project is slated to displace 690,000 gallons of diesel fuel a year, while reducing pollution in the disadvantaged communities those routes traverse.  

But while EVs forge ahead, “hydrogen is a bit behind regarding the technology adoption rate in the US,” Daviaud Lewett told TriplePundit. “Things are not standardized, and the infrastructure is expensive.” Progress is nonetheless being made in the FCEV space. 

Black &amp; Veatch has built 18 hydrogen stations in California, where the nation’s hydrogen filling stations tend to be concentrated. Yet for FCEVs to gain traction and become an important part of the zero-emission fleet, the U.S. needs more fueling stations as well as reliable hydrogen supplies in distributed locations, ideally green hydrogen. 

<h2>The road forward for hydrogen fuel cells</h2>

Sourcing hydrogen itself is a tough nut to crack, with a carbon footprint of its own to consider. Most hydrogen produced today is derived from natural gas, with <a href="https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/hydrogen_production.html" target="_blank">production centralized in just three key U.S. states</a>. Additionally, since natural gas is mostly methane, which is itself a greenhouse gas, only if it involves carbon-capture can it be seen as a suitable bridge fuel known as “blue hydrogen.” The most promising source, however, is green hydrogen. 

Green hydrogen is derived from the electrolysis of water: the process of splitting off hydrogen atoms from H20 in an electrolyzer. Though energy intensive, if done with 100-percent renewables, the process would result in zero-carbon emissions. Ultimately, site level electrolyzers are foreseeable, reducing the current reliance on centralized sources. 

There are several pilot programs running for renewable hydrogen around the world, but as a reference, even conventionally sourced hydrogen <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-production-natural-gas-reforming" target="_blank">cuts emissions in half</a> compared with the diesel and gasoline it replaces in FCEVs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Beyond solving for hydrogen sources, FCEVs face another fundamental challenge: There are no large truck fleets currently on the market. <a href="https://www.octa.net/Bus/Hydrogen-Fuel-Cell-Electric-Bus/Overview/" target="_blank">FCEV buses are just now coming into the mix</a>, which will help with moving people, and Daviaud Lewett predicts truck fleets could follow in about three to four years’ time.

<h2>The bottom line: Decarbonizing fleets is challenging, but it’s more than doable</h2>

In short, there are a lot of moving pieces involved in decarbonizing fleet vehicles in a young and still evolving market. Fleet operators who want to make the switch have to plan carefully to select the right technology and the right vehicles while considering infrastructure needs, especially if they want to bring EV charging or hydrogen filling stations on site. For fleet EV charging, it can take up to 18 to 24 months to build out the onsite charging infrastructure, including getting the requisite power supply from local utilities. But it will likely be increasingly advantageous to make the effort.

The bottom line, Daviaud Lewett told us, is “the total cost of ownership of a zero-emission fleet is already competitive with conventional fleets.” But since there are greater upfront costs, government investment can spur things along. “Where there are subsidies and grants available, things are moving fast,” she said. 

It’s also encouraging to note also that major oil and international energy companies are getting involved in the zero-emission fleet vehicle space, which brings a final thought: If incumbent energy companies are prepared to invest in technology that allows for the decarbonization of fleets, there is promise in the possibility that the world can transition from the legacy technology of the internal combustion engine to a zero-emission fleet future.

This article series is sponsored by Black &amp; Veatch and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team. 

Image credit: Daimler (<a href="https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/Electric-vehicles-from-Daimler-Trucks--Buses-prove-their-capabilities-in-customer-use-worldwide-more-than-7-million-kilometers-driven.xhtml?oid=47398028" target="_blank">press use only</a>)

Zero-Emission Corporate Fleets May Be Closer Than You Think

One obstacle standing between electric vehicles (EVs) and the commercial market is the length of time it takes to recharge the battery. However, EV charging times have been steadily shrinking as the technology improves, and a new chip from the firm Navitas Semiconductor could kick the fast-charging trend into high gear.

<h2>EV charging and the disappearing gas station</h2>

Charging time is not an issue for fleets that can park when not in use at privately-owned garages, lots and depots. The time issue mainly applies to fleets that need to rely on public charging stations. A long EV charging time can easily add an unwelcome layer of complexity onto scheduling and route planning.

Fortunately, concern over access to public charging station is beginning to fade. Improvements in battery range enable new EVs to stay on the road longer without recharging, and today’s electric vehicles can charge faster. A sharp, ongoing increase in the number of public charging stations also makes it easier for fleet vehicles to recharge on-the-go.

In fact, public EV charging stations are rapidly becoming more available than gas stations. That is especially evident in urban areas, where “gas deserts” are occurring as real estate trends push local pumping stations out of city centers.

Analysts at The Rocky Mountain Institute argue that the gasoline gap can be <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/ride-hailing-services-evs/718341" target="_blank">can be filled</a> by EV charging stations. They suggest that automakers, ride-hailing companies and other electric vehicle stakeholders work to ensure that charging stations are built in urban low-income communities.

Consolidation in the gas stations sector has also had <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2021/11/15/more-ev-charging-stations-than-gas-stations-then-what/" target="_blank">an impact on gas availability</a> outside of cities, forcing drivers to travel farther in search of fuel. As the 20th century drew to a close there were about 200,000 gas stations in the U.S. Now there are only 150,000, many of which are co-located with convenience stores.

The co-location strategy has been a lifeline for the remaining gas stations, but it requires more land, limiting site selection for new locations.

In addition, the convenience factor is not exclusive to gas stations. EV charging creates many more opportunities for adding convenience to daily routines. For example, Ikea <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2013/ikea-doubles-down-ev-charging-stations-retail-stores/50556" target="_blank">was an early adopter</a> of EV charging for shoppers, and the U.S. Department of Energy has been working with numerous corporations to add <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2019/how-workplace-ev-charging-and-electrified-corporate-fleets-can-become-even-cleaner/85181" target="_blank">workplace charging stations</a>. Drivers with home charging stations can also enjoy the convenience, comfort and safety of refueling at home, rather than detouring to a gas station. 

<h2>The rise of EV fast-charging</h2>

Corporations seeking to burnish their sustainability credentials are <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2020/coalition-electric-vehicles/120836" target="_blank">especially interested</a> in growing the nationwide EV charging network. From a logistics and operational point of view, the only remaining obstacle is charging time. Despite recent improvements in fast-charging technology, there is still a wide gap between the time it takes to recharge EV batteries when compared to filling up a gas tank.

That is about to change with a new generation of technology improvements. One example is <a href="https://navitassemi.com/navitas-semiconductor-honored-at-ces-2022-innovation-awards/" target="_blank">Navitas Semiconductor</a>. The company recently introduced a new iteration of its power-integrated circuit used in mobile charging, from hand-held devices to electric vehicles.

Navitas is marketing the award-winning chip under the name GaNFast. Instead of the conventional silicon-based formula, GaNFast is based on gallium nitride, a crystalline material known for superior switching speed and conductivity performance.

“GaNFast integrated power ICs use next-generation GaN to replace legacy silicon chips and enable up to 3x faster charging and 3x more power in half the size and weight for mobile fast chargers, consumer electronics, solar inverters, data centers and electric vehicles,” Navitas states.

A companion technology, GaNSense, is designed to build even more efficiency into the fast-charging system.

<h2>From smart phones to electric vehicles</h2>

Though the impact on charging times for electric vehicles has yet to be demonstrated, Navitas has documented the performance of the GaN platform on small handheld devices. The company claims that its “ultrafast” charger using GaNSense can take a smartphone with a powerful 4,500 mAhr battery from zero to 100 percent charged in just 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, it looks like fleet managers will soon be able to trim their calculations for charging times at public EV charging stations.

Tesla has been grabbing media attention with its “Supercharger” network of fast-charging stations, but activity has also been bubbling up outside of the spotlight.

In one especially interesting development that has an impact on EV charging times, the Department of Energy notes that the level of power available at <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1210-november-1-2021-sixty-percent-electric-vehicle-dc-fast-charging" target="_blank">DC fast-charging ports</a> has increased dramatically. Earlier DC (direct current) ports were capped at 50 kilowatts. Now they routinely exceed that mark, which some reaching as high as 350 kilowatts in the U.S.

Legacy engineering firms are also contributing to the trend. The global company ABB, for example, is behind the increase in 350-kilowatt charging stations in the U.S., and it recently launched its <a href="https://new.abb.com/ev-charging/terra-360" target="_blank">“Terra 360” charging station</a> with 360 kilowatts of power.

ABB introduced the new EV charging station in Europe and reportedly plans on bringing it to the U.S., so the Department of Energy may have to revise its DC charging port figures again.

According to ABB, the new charging station can provide up to four electric vehicles with a full charge in less than 15 minutes.

For those topping off a battery, the charging time is even more attractive. ABB claims that the new station will add 100 kilometers of travel (about 62 miles) in less than three minutes of charging.

The new station is designed for commercial fleets as well as workplace or customer charging.

As gas stations continue to disappear, fleet managers have all the more incentive to begin planning their operations around electric vehicles and charging stations.

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/O63S96_qn8c" target="_blank">Michael Fousert</a> via Unsplash

Faster EV Charging: Yet Another Reason to Convert Your Fleet to Electric Vehicles

With online shopping carts already brimming with Cyber Week deals, 2021 is poised to be a record holiday spending season, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/articles/us164630_2021-holiday-retail-survey/DI_2021-Deloitte-holiday-retail-survey.pdf" target="_blank">retail survey</a>, which polls U.S. consumers and executives heading into the retail sector’s most important months. But as American families continue to grapple with the effects of the pandemic and worsening inflation, the season will be brighter for some than others. 

More than 11 percent of respondents, mostly from low-income households, don’t plan to spend anything at all this holiday season. That’s double the rate Deloitte recorded in 2020 and the highest it’s seen in a decade. Meanwhile, high-income households have seen their holiday spending power increase, another stark reminder of how the pandemic and related economic disruptions have <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/23/coronavirus-is-exacerbating-economic-inequality-in-the-us.html" target="_blank">worsened inequality in the U.S.</a> and <a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/covid-19-increasing-global-inequality" target="_blank">globally</a>. 

“Perhaps the most sobering fact about the holiday shopping season is that low-income groups continue to suffer,” Oleksandr Yampolskyi, director of retail and wholesale group leader at Deloitte Ukraine, said of the findings <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/ua/en/pages/press-room/press-release/2021/holiday-retail-sales-consumer-survey-2021.html" target="_blank">in a statement</a>. “Their average holiday spending has decreased almost twofold in the last two years.”

<h2>“Layaway angels” help make seasons bright</h2>

<a href="https://www.payawaythelayaway.org/about-us" target="_blank">Pay Away the Layaway</a>, a nonprofit that pays off layaway balances for children’s gifts, clothing and necessities during back-to-school season and the holidays, is once again looking to ensure that every child has something to smile about this season, regardless of their background. 

2020 was one of Pay Away the Layaway’s “biggest years ever” as donors rallied behind families struggling amidst the pandemic, founder Lee Karchawer <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/layaway-angels-during-pandemic-220420178.html" target="_blank">told Yahoo Life last year</a>. The organization calls its supporters “layaway angels” — a term that includes individuals who make small donations online, high-profile donors like television personality <a href="https://publicaffairs-sme.com/ExchangePost/2020/12/23/exchange-shoppers-holiday-wishes-come-true-with-more-than-66000-in-layaways-paid-in-full/" target="_blank">Montel Williams</a> and Dallas Mavericks center <a href="https://www.mavs.com/payaway2020/" target="_blank">Dwight Powell</a> who step up to clear hundreds of layaway balances at a time, and corporate donors that leverage their networks to benefit the nonprofit. 

T-Mobile is one of the backers looking to make 2021 another banner year for the organization. Every year, the mobile company rallies its employees, customers and fans to support an outstanding nonprofit in a campaign it fittingly calls <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/campaign/season-of-giving-2021" target="_blank">Season of Giving</a>. Past beneficiaries include <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/giving-tuesday-2018" target="_blank">Feeding America</a> and <a href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/t-mobile-giving-tuesday-2017/" target="_blank">Team Rubicon</a>, and this year T-Mobile is brightening the holiday season for hundreds of families with Pay Away the Layaway. 

“We chose Pay Away the Layaway because we understand how much of a financial strain the pandemic has put on families,” the company told TriplePundit in an email. “This year Americans are anticipated to experience the greatest insecurity toward holiday spending in the last decade. Pay Away the Layaway is an amazing organization working to make a difference for families in need by paying off their layaway balances that include gifts for their children, such as games, toys, books, backpacks, clothes and coats.” 

T-Mobile will donate up to $1 million to Pay Away the Layaway, including a $250,000 initial donation to pay off layaway balances at military exchanges and Burlington Stores on <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/campaign/season-of-giving-2021" target="_blank">Giving Tuesday (Nov. 30)</a>. T-Mobile customers can support the campaign through click-to-give on the T-Mobile Tuesdays app, triggering a $1 donation for each click up to $300,000, and anyone can contribute $5 to the campaign by re-tweeting the brand handle’s <a href="https://twitter.com/TMobile/status/1465606640120606726?s=20" target="_blank">#TMobileGivesBack</a> post, up to $200,000. 

The campaign, which runs from Nov. 30 through Dec. 14, is also an annual favorite among T-Mobile employees. “Employees across the country [are] fired-up to make a difference,” the company told 3p. “They are passionate about and support their local communities.”

Each T-Mobile employee gets $20 to give to their chosen charity each year through Benevity, and the company is also matching employees’ personal contributions to Pay Away the Layaway up to $250,000. Employees can also volunteer for their favorite local nonprofits to benefit Pay Away the Layaway, with T-Mobile matching employee volunteer time with $10 in charitable contributions per hour, up to $2,000 a year. 

“Our Season of Giving is all about coming together during a time of year that should be joyous, but is often challenging for far too many families …. and we want to make a difference for those who may need a little help,” Janice V. Kapner, T-Mobile chief communications and brand officer, told 3p. “We want it to be easy for everyone to help give back, so just one click or tweet can really make a difference. It’s community supporting community – and we hope everyone will join us!”

<h2>Setting the stage for more engagement </h2>

Will a paid layaway balance solve the persistent challenges of wealth and income inequality in the U.S.? Of course not. But it can make the season a bit more special for a child in need, and that’s a victory in itself — not to mention a compelling conversation-starter when it comes to helping people think differently about what their neighbors may be facing in these still highly uncertain times. 

“We're grateful and thrilled to spread joy alongside T-Mobile this holiday season,” Pay Away the Layaway founder Lee Karchawer told 3p. “Knowing we will make thousands more children smile this year with T-Mobile's support is a dream come true. This partnership will change lives like we've never been able to before, all in the name of creating a kinder, gentler world.”

For T-Mobile, this season of generosity complements year-round efforts to build more equitable systems in response to the pandemic — including <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/business-digital-divide-education/729196" target="_blank">Project 10 Million</a>, an investment of more than $10.7 billion to provide free internet and free mobile hotspots for underserved children in partnership with school districts.

As a values-driven company — as highlighted in its most recent <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/content/dam/t-mobile/assets/pdf/T-Mobile_CSR20_10921.pdf" target="_blank">Corporate Responsibility Report</a> — T-Mobile says it is committed to doing good this (and every season), which means not only doing right by its customers, but also others of those in need.

This article series is sponsored by T-Mobile and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

Image courtesy of Pay Away the Layaway

This Campaign Looks to Brighten the Holiday Season for Families Still Struggling Amidst the Pandemic

The UN climate summit in Glasgow may be over, but the debate over next steps has only just begun. As world leaders consider where to go from here, it’s important to remember that action, not commitments, will ultimately determine the success or failure of our global climate strategy — a strategy that requires the engagement of not only national governments, but companies and individuals as well.

The private sector has shown it can be a powerful engine for change but it’s the passion and ingenuity of the corporate workforce that keeps that engine humming. And therein lies the rub, for many companies have struggled to keep employees engaged — a task now further complicated by the pandemic. More than a year of isolation has left people feeling more disconnected from their employers and their sustainability work. And Zoom happy hours, while quite nice, aren’t going to bridge the gap.

Employee engagement is not a novel concept. For decades, companies have seen it as a valuable tool for securing and retaining talent, increasing productivity and improving their bottom line. Now, amid the public’s rising concerns about climate change and other environmental issues, employee engagement has also become an essential tool for implementing corporate sustainability strategies.

The good news is people want to be part of the solution. A <a href="https://www.earthshare.org/earthshare-white-paper-the-new-business-imperative/" target="_blank">2019 survey of the Fortune 1000</a> found that half of employees wanted to see environmental protection and other worthy causes somehow reflected in their job responsibilities. And yet, the same survey also found that only a quarter of employees actually felt that their company’s stated commitments were connected in any way with their day-to-day work.

Employees are rightfully demanding more transparency and accountability from their employers, and when they don’t feel they’re getting it, they’re increasingly embracing activist tactics. In recent years we’ve seen several high-profile examples of employee activism in the technology, apparel and consulting sectors — cautionary tales for any company that wishes to avoid similar conflicts.

The pressure for companies to step up their game is unlikely to abate any time soon. Today, Generation Y makes up the largest portion of the U.S. labor force, and 70 percent of them expect their employers to take an active role in addressing issues like climate change and social justice. Moreover, Generation Z, which is just now entering the job market, is more racially diverse and better educated than previous generations, and <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/14/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far-2/" target="_blank">shares many of Generation Y’s positions on environmental and social issues</a>.

Young Americans want their employer to be an agent of change, not a barrier to it. But business leaders need to offer more than lip service to prove their bona fides, they need to foster a culture of environmental stewardship — at every level of their institution.

At World Wildlife Fund (WWF) we identified three pillars upon which companies can build an effective employee engagement program. First, equip employees with the information they need to understand sustainability issues — how they impact their business as well as their daily lives. Second, provide meaningful ways employees can put this information into action — at work and at home. And third, incorporate philanthropy — both employee giving and corporate funding — to maximize the employees’ impact and incentivize participation through creative match and grant programs.

It’s not just about dollars. Employees can give, volunteer or lend their voices to the growing chorus of people calling for change. The important thing is they feel connected to the work and empowered to be a part of the solution.

Deloitte is one corporate partner laying the path for this employee journey. As part of its strategy to reach net-zero by 2030, Deloitte has set out <a href="http://www.deloitte.com/worldclimate" target="_blank">to drive responsible climate choices within its organization and beyond</a>. WWF worked with Deloitte to develop a <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/climate-impact-assessment.html?nc=1" target="_blank">climate impact assessment</a> to help people learn more about the impact of the food they consume, the products they purchase, and the way they travel. Employees can determine their climate impact and, more importantly, unlock positive climate actions they can take today to live more sustainably.

When employees are given the big picture and are able to see their company’s role in it, they then become empowered to carve out a meaningful role for themselves. And by bringing employees into the fold and acknowledging them as key stakeholders in corporate sustainability efforts, companies can spur exactly the kind of productivity and innovation needed to drive large-scale, transformational change.

So, there you have it. Even in these uncertain times, millions of employees across America are eager to roll up their sleeves and get to work. They have the will. Who will show them the way?

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/lSegRSDBMLw" target="_blank">Tim Foster</a> via Unsplash

Three Pillars of an Effective Employee Engagement Program

The discourse over electric vehicles (EVs) has been heating up, thanks partly to a field of high-profile startups headed by Tesla. However, much of the attention has tilted towards electric vehicle batteries. Hydrogen fuel cells also provide for zero-emission mobility, and Daimler Truck CEO Martin Daum is among those who advocate for including both fuel cells and batteries in the mix.

<h2>The case for batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, too</h2>

In the context of technology available today, <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/12/too-risky-to-not-use-battery-and-hydrogen-tech-daimler-truck-ceo.html" target="_blank">the case for including</a> both batteries and hydrogen in the global electrification strategy is a simple one.

During an interview with CNBC earlier this month, Daum explained that Daimler Truck is committed to both as it is a diversified company that makes trucks for a variety of uses.

Shorter distances are appropriate for batteries, especially where there are opportunities for overnight charging. For longer trips and quicker refueling, fuel cells fill the bill.

“In general, you can say: If you go to city delivery where you need lower amounts of energy in there, you can charge overnight in a depot, then it’s certainly battery electric,” Daum explained. “But the moment you’re on the road, the moment you go from Stockholm to Barcelona … in my opinion, you need something which you can transport better and where you can refuel better and that is ultimately H2.”

<h2>Daimler Truck and electrification diversity</h2>

<a href="https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/Shareholders-decide-on-spin-off-of-Daimler-Truck.xhtml?oid=51510984" target="_blank">Daimler Truck</a> is a recent spin-off from Daimler AG. Its focus is on buses and heavy-duty trucks, while the latter will concentrate on passenger cars and vans under the Mercedes brand.

That arrangement sheds additional light on Daum’s embrace of both fuel cells and batteries. He affirmed the diversified approach last month, when the Daimler Truck spinoff was announced.

“As a technologically leading manufacturer of trucks and buses, we will do everything we can around the world to offer our customers the best products, our shareholders an attractive return on their investment, and our employees sustainable jobs,” Daum said. “That’s why we are accelerating the development of battery and fuel-cell vehicles in all segments along the way to emission-free transport.” 

Fuel cell passenger cars are facing hurdles in the competition for market space against an ever-improving scenario for battery-electric cars. In contrast, the playing field is leveling in the area of heavy-duty mobility including construction equipment as well as trucks and buses.

<h2>Cleaning up the zero-emission act</h2>

Batteries and hydrogen fuel cells provide for zero emission mobility at the tailpipe, but Daimler Truck and other automakers still have to address sustainability challenges in both fields.

Battery electric vehicles currently rely on lithium-ion technology. Until other formulas are developed, the auto industry will need to address environmental and human rights issues in <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/electrification-nevada-decarbonization/726301" target="_blank">the global lithium supply chain</a>. The worldwide <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/ev-battery-recycling/720096" target="_blank">lithium-ion battery recycling industry</a> also needs to be ramped up.

Fuel cell technology also faces supply chain and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/norilsk-russian-arctic-became-one-polluted-places-earth-rcna6481" target="_blank">environmental issues related to mining</a>. Fuel cells generate electricity by combining hydrogen with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst, typically based on platinum. Until alternatives are developed, fuel cell car manufacturers will need to address the impacts of platinum mining.

<h2>The green hydrogen piece of the puzzle</h2>

Hydrogen fuel cells have garnered an eco-friendly image because they generate electricity without producing airborne pollutants. Water is the only byproduct. However, the zero-emission picture is clouded by natural gas, which is currently the primary source of the global hydrogen supply.

Fortunately, alternative sources have already begun to emerge. Much of the investment activity is currently focusing on green hydrogen, in which renewable energy provides electricity to run electrolysis systems, which can push hydrogen gas out of water. 

The renewable energy angle could help accelerate the growth of the global green hydrogen supply by attracting the same deep-pocketed oil and gas stakeholders that have been pursuing wind and solar energy opportunities.

That is apparently under way. Last spring, for example, Shell signed an agreement with Daimler Truck AG to develop fuel cell hubs and fueling stations in the European Union that <a href="https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/Daimler-Truck-AG-and-Shell-target-accelerated-rollout-of-hydrogen-based-trucking-in-Europe-simultaneously-building-truck-refuelling-infrastructure-and-rollout-of-fuel-cell-vehicles.xhtml?oid=50011745" target="_blank">feature</a> green hydrogen. Shell also played a key role in the launch of the EU’s new Refhyne green hydrogen project last summer, and earlier this month the company announced a new green hydrogen <a href="https://www.hydro.com/en/media/news/2021/hydro-and-shell-join-forces-to-explore-renewable-hydrogen-projects/">partnership</a> with the firm Norsk Hydro.

BP provides another example. Last week, Sally Prickett, the company’s vice president for hydrogen market development, <a href="http://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/112621-interview-hydrogen-is-massive-market-opportunity-for-bp" target="_blank">told attendees</a> at the recent S&amp;P Global Platts hydrogen markets conference that “we see hydrogen as a really important vector in decarbonizing some of the particularly difficult-to-decarbonize areas of industry and transport.”

According to Prickett, BP is providing room for gas-sourced hydrogen in its 10-year plan, but electrolysis systems for green hydrogen are also included.

Daimler Truck and other diversified automakers that are committed to incorporating fuel cells into their decarbonization plans should begin pressing BP and other energy stakeholders to make more green hydrogen available as quickly as possible. Otherwise, their new fuel cell vehicles will be dragging a long tail of fossil energy behind them for years to come.

Image credit via <a href="https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko.xhtml?oid=51952692&amp;relId=1001&amp;resultInfoTypeId=172&amp;ls=L2VuL2luc3RhbmNlL2tvLnhodG1sP29pZD05MjY2MDU1JnJlbElkPTYwODI5JmZyb21PaWQ9OTI2NjA1NSZyZXN1bHRJbmZvVHlwZUlkPTQwNjI2JnZpZXdUeXBlPXRodW1icyZzb3J0RGVmaW5pdGlvbj1QVUJMSVNIRURfQVQtMiZ0aHVtYlNjYWxlSW5kZXg9MSZyb3dDb3VudHNJbmRleD01JmZyb21JbmZvVHlwZUlkPTQwNjI4&amp;rs=2#toRelation" target="_blank">Daimler Truck</a>

CEO Advises EV Makers to Bet on Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Too

The health and safety of the workplace have always been a priority for employees, but the COVID-19 pandemic has put such concerns into sharp relief — and many Americans are still anxious about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/25/well/mind/return-to-office-anxiety.htm" target="_blank">their return to in-person work</a>. 

Companies that have decided to reopen their physical office spaces are putting their buildings’ health under the radar to support safer and healthier workspaces. And for an increasing number of them, the tool they lean on is the <a href="https://v2.wellcertified.com/health-safety/en/overview" target="_blank">WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management</a>.

Launched by the <a href="http://wellcertified.com" target="_blank">International WELL Building Institute (IWBI)</a> in July 2020, the rating is designed to help businesses large and small <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/well-being-buildings/724086" target="_blank">prepare their spaces for re-entry</a> in the wake of COVID-19 and into the future. While it was adapted from the widely used WELL Building Standard (WELL) and informed by the IWBI Task Force on COVID-19, it has broader applicability for supporting the long-term health and safety needs of people in a given space. 

“One thing that the pandemic has put into the forefront is the need for healthy and clean buildings that prioritize health,” Rodolfo Perez, senior director of standard development at IWBI, who leads the team’s water and materials concepts, told TriplePundit. “While the practices the rating promotes are not new, they have grown in importance since the pandemic, with interest from businesses growing exponentially.”

<h2>Safety, health and well-being are top concerns for building owners</h2>

Indeed, in a new survey focused on the facility management industry in the U.S. and Canada, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/can-you-hear-me-now-hybrid-work-is-key-component-of-return-to-office-planning-internet-connectivity-at-home-could-pose-challenge-301387277.html?tc=eml_cleartime" target="_blank">86 percent of building managers</a> responded that the safety, health and well-being of employees, occupants, and visitors is their leadership's top concern, according to Blue Skyre, a commercial real estate management company which facilitated the survey that was conducted by survey researcher HarrisX.

Perez of IWBI contributed to the cleaning and sanitization procedure requirements that are <a href="https://v2.wellcertified.com/health-safety/en/overview" target="_blank">one of five core areas</a> in the WELL Health-Safety Rating, along with <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/business-emergency-preparedness/727776" target="_blank">emergency preparedness programs</a>, health service resources, air and water quality management, and stakeholder engagement and communication. There is good reason to focus on cleaning and sanitization, Perez said, as these practices are critical components in the defense against the spread of pathogens. 

It’s no wonder, then, that some 94 percent of building managers have reported that their buildings installed or plan to install improved HVAC air filtration systems and adopt advanced wellness programs, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/can-you-hear-me-now-hybrid-work-is-key-component-of-return-to-office-planning-internet-connectivity-at-home-could-pose-challenge-301387277.html?tc=eml_cleartime" target="_blank">according to the Blue Skyre survey</a>, while hand sanitizing stations, temperature checks and frequent cleaning of high-touch areas are now common. 

<h2>From handwashing to reduced surface contact, simple procedures work</h2>

These are among the practices suggested in the WELL Health-Safety Rating: handwashing, reduced surface contact, better cleaning practices, the selection of preferred cleaning products and reduced respiratory particle exposure. Handwashing may seem like an obvious and long-recommended procedure for a hygienic workplace, but today the simple act of handwashing <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/inaugural-who-partners-forum/who-interim-recommendation-on-obligatory-hand-hygiene-against-transmission-of-covid-19.pdf" target="_blank">has gained enormous attention</a> as an effective way to reduce the spread of infectious disease — and studies show people often <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6940a2.htm?s_cid=mm6940a2" target="_blank">still need a reminder</a>. 

Reducing surface contact is another key tactic. While the main way people become infected with COVID-19 is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus, contact with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1828811/" target="_blank">contaminated surfaces or objects (fomites)</a> are a known source of spread for viral diseases, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/surface-transmission.html" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</a>, although the risk is generally considered to be low.

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-017-3042-4" target="_blank">Reducing the instances where people touch surfaces</a> can help to minimize one of the vectors of disease transmission. The first step is to assess all of the high-touch surfaces throughout a building and consider temporary or permanent strategies to reduce the frequency of touching those surfaces, or even the need for hand touch, Perez told us. For example, an automated soap dispenser that operates by sensor rather than touch, or a water fountain activated by a foot pump, would cut down the number of high-touch surfaces. Employers can also consider ways to avoid people touching door knobs, elevator buttons, faucet handles and security equipment, Perez suggested. 

<h2>For a sensible cleaning protocol, the key is not to overdo it</h2>

A key part of the arsenal to improve cleaning practices is a cleaning and disinfection plan that includes instructions, training and record-keeping, Perez told us. “You need to have a cleaning objective, establish a plan that will meet those requirements, and follow that plan,” he said. “The key is to do it right, but not overdo it.”

One aspect of cleaning and sanitization that shouldn’t be overlooked is the type of cleaning products used and to avoid any hazardous or harmful ingredients in those products. Commercial cleaning products may contain ingredients that degrade indoor air quality and are suspected to be hazardous to human health. “It’s also a question of equity,” Perez explained, “for instance, we should work to protect the health of janitorial staff with significant exposure to cleaning products.”

The final component of the rating’s cleaning and sanitization procedures is minimizing people’s contact with contaminated respiratory particles. Here is where the now-familiar step of establishing physical distance between people in the office, or even building physical barriers to prevent respiratory particles, may slow the spread of pathogens. 

While the approach will vary, every building owner or employer is seeking to create a level of comfort — physical and psychological — for those who decide to return to the workplace.

“Let’s not forget that we need to feel safe in the places where we work. If someone feels their personal safety is threatened in a specific setting, they are less likely to be comfortable there,” Perez said. “So in addition to the protection it brings against the spread of pathogens, cleaning and sanitization may play a very important role in making people feel welcome in a space.” 

<h2>Streamlined accreditations to spur uptake of best cleaning practices</h2>

With cleaning and sanitization as a critical line of defense, IWBI has joined forces with the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of the worldwide cleaning industry association International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), in a <a href="https://resources.wellcertified.com/press-releases/iwbi-issa-and-gbac-align-to-deliver-streamlined-solutions-for-building-owners-and-operators-in-the-fight-against-sars-cov-2-covid-19/" target="_blank">joint initiative</a> to accelerate the uptake of best practices that strengthen the role of buildings in the fight against COVID-19 and other infections.

Specifically, the GBAC Star Facility Accreditation Program is become a recognized path of partial compliance for cleaning and sanitization criteria within IWBI’s WELL Health-Safety Rating. A GBAC Star accreditation can count toward five of the 15 points necessary to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating overall.

Proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques when necessary and infection prevention practices are all important components in the age of COVID-19 and beyond, Perez said — and it can’t be a “one-and-done” type of approach. 

“Cleaning plans are living documents, not paperwork that only collects dust,” he told us. “The WELL Health-Safety Rating is meant to be operational. Building owners and employers need to continually assess their needs and adjust and update their cleaning and sanitization plans. More than ever, we need to take the precautionary approach, so that our buildings are equipped to meet the challenges of this changing work environment.”

This article series is sponsored by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

Image credit: zphoto83/Adobe Stock

With Employees Anxious About Returning to the Office, New Tool Can Help Boost Confidence in Buildings’ Health and Safety 

Tires may not be the first commodity that comes to mind when imagining a circular economy. Their numbers are hidden in plain sight. Globally, <a href="https://docs.wbcsd.org/2018/02/TIP/End_of_Life_Tires-Full-Report.pdf" target="_blank">approximately 1 billion</a> tires reach the end of their lives each year, and the potential consequences of discarding, stockpiling and dumping tires can include catching fire and breeding mosquitoes.  

The good news is that end-of-life tires, or ELT, are a valuable resource for the circular economy. Natural rubber, of course, is a significant component, but it only constitutes <a href="https://www.ustires.org/innovation" target="_blank">about a fifth</a> of a passenger vehicle’s tire. Elements like synthetic polymers, steel and textiles also play a part. Each has a unique purpose for tire performance, and each remains valuable, even at end of life. Ensuring that these components get to an appropriate end use, however, takes deliberate research, planning and management. 

<h2>Most end-of-life tires are already recovered. Circularity is the next step. </h2>

The bulk of ELT are already recovered, according to the <a href="https://www.wbcsd.org/Sector-Projects/Tire-Industry-Project/End-of-Life-Tires-ELTs" target="_blank">2019 Global ELT Management report</a> from the <a href="https://www.wbcsd.org/Sector-Projects/Tire-Industry-Project" target="_blank">Tire Industry Project (TIP)</a>, a CEO-led sustainability forum for the tire industry that sits under the umbrella of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Within the 45 countries considered, accounting for over 80 percent of the world’s vehicles in use, 86 percent of ELT were recovered. These findings represent a significant improvement over the last few decades. Only 30 years ago, the United States was <a href="https://archive.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/tires/web/html/basic.html" target="_blank">recovering 17 percent</a> of its ELT, compared to 75 percent in 2019. 

The tire industry continues to roll along, and its next destination is circularity. Members of TIP, leaders in the tire industry, provide useful indications of where the industry is growing. Some companies have been reworking the resources they use in their tires. <a href="https://corporate.goodyear.com/us/en/media/news/goodyear-using-soybean-oil-based-rubber-in-tires.html" target="_blank">Goodyear</a>, for example, has replaced petroleum-based components with soybean oil in some tread compounds. <a href="https://www.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/life/an-eco-journey-inside-a-tyre" target="_blank">Pirelli</a> aims to use at least 40 percent renewable materials in select consumer tires by 2025. 

Toward more sustainable natural rubber, and to lessen reliance on Hevea brasiliensis — the trees which provide the world’s supply of <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/projects/transforming-the-global-rubber-market" target="_blank">natural rubber</a> — <a href="https://www.bridgestone.com/technology_innovation/natural_rubber/guayule/" target="_blank">Bridgestone</a> has invested in the development of an alternative source, guayule, a rubber-producing plant indigenous to the hot and dry environments of the southwestern United States and north-central Mexico. And the <a href="https://www.michelin.com/en/press-releases/in-2050-michelin-tires-will-be-100-sustainable/" target="_blank">Michelin Group</a>’s 2050 target — to source all of its materials from recycled or renewable sources — will do its part to move the industry’s needle toward circularity. The group is also engaged in recycling end-of-life tires.

Understanding the importance of research for continued progress, as a whole, TIP members focus on advancing global knowledge about ELT management (through initiatives like its <a href="https://docs.wbcsd.org/2019/12/Global_ELT_Management%E2%80%93A_global_state_of_knowledge_on_regulation_management_systems_impacts_of_recovery_and_technologies.pdf" target="_blank">state of knowledge reports</a>). <a href="https://www.ustires.org/ustma-urges-nationwide-action-grow-and-develop-new-sustainable-circular-scrap-tire-markets" target="_blank">Tire manufacturers, recyclers and regulators</a> are all calling for more research and innovation in support of the sustainable management of ELT. Last year, the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) <a href="https://www.ustires.org/ustma-finds-recycling-end-life-tires-has-stalled-new-report-emphasizes-urgent-need-continued" target="_blank">reported a 20 percent decrease</a> in tire recycling nationwide since 2013, noting the importance of market development.

“Three decades after we successfully eliminated 94 percent of the over 1 billion scrap tires stockpiled around the country, this report reveals that efforts to find and develop new uses for scrap tires have stalled,” Anne Forristall Luke, president and CEO of USTMA, said in a statement. “We must take immediate steps to grow new and existing markets to recycle 100 percent of scrap tires. This not only protects our health and the environment — it drives innovation and jobs.”

<h2>Rubber modified asphalt a promising ELT innovation</h2>

Organizations like <a href="https://theray.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwg4-EBhBwEiwAzYAlssGT27v9vQyB7y43ziwlqOmyGLCTaC72GbMkJMwu7nfVisK4wniSrBoCfsUQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">The Ray</a> — a nonprofit pursuing net-zero roadway solutions on an 18-mile stretch of interstate highway in Georgia — are forging the way to a circular economy for tires through research, experimentation and advocacy. This year, The Ray worked with USTMA to examine the environmental impacts and benefits of one destination for end-of-life tires: rubber modified asphalt, an innovative paving material made from asphalt cement and ground ELT that carries a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to traditional asphalt pavement. 

The Ray has already installed rubber modified asphalt on one mile of the interstate’s four lanes, upcycling<a href="https://www.raycandersonfoundation.org/articles/liberty-tire-recycling-to-match-first-5000-donated-to-the-ray-on-georgia-gives-day" target="_blank"> over 40,000 pounds of rubber</a> from ELT in the process. While testing the pavement, the organization is looking to investigate previous research, Allie Kelly, executive director of The Ray, says — pursuing questions such as: Does rubber modified asphalt really make quieter and longer-lasting roads that resist cracking, as researchers hope? Do these roads manage stormwater more effectively? Can adding rubber reduce <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2020/tire-particles-microplastics-trwp/709331" target="_blank">tire wear</a>? 

"When you understand the knowns, you also understand the gaps, and then you can more strategically find any follow-up studies or follow-up research,” Kelly says. Results were published last summer with an immediate call for more research. In reviewing more than 300 scholarly sources and surveying 26 state highway agencies, the study found that rubber modified asphalt is a promising circular solution that reduces costs over the life of the asphalt, extends pavement life and reduces roadway noise, among other verified benefits. 

<h2>Valuing ELT, innovating toward a circular economy</h2>

Kelly emphasizes that a key to successfully giving tires a “second life and beyond” is changing how we view ELT. “The problem is that when the tire gets to the end of its life on a vehicle, we don't regard it as a commodity. We regard it as scrap,” she says. “And we don't really invest in scrap.”

There has been great innovation in manufacturing tires, Kelly notes — from airless tires to sensor additions to <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/car-technology/a22553570/waste-tires/" target="_blank">3D printable</a> tires. The Ray, recognizing the value in ELT, is advocating for innovation throughout the tire lifecycle, she says.

The shift from standard ELT recycling practices has only just begun. While rubber modified asphalt has great potential as a destination for ELT, Kelly recognizes a broader purpose for organizations like hers in the growth of this corner of the circular economy: “I think what our role is at The Ray, with partners like USTMA, is to make sure that we're taking full advantage of end-of-life opportunities for scrap tires,” she says. 

<h2>Driving progress, together</h2>

As The Ray pursued its study on rubber modified asphalt, TIP was rolling out a series of value-chain workshops for sustainable ELT management that aimed to improve the exchange of knowledge and good practices between stakeholders. The fruits of these efforts included the recently published <a href="https://www.wbcsd.org/Sector-Projects/Tire-Industry-Project/News/Toolkit-aims-to-drive-circularity-in-end-of-life-tire-management" target="_blank">ELT Toolkit for Improved ELT Management Systems</a>. The toolkit is directed toward markets that have the potential to recover more ELT; TIP also plans to establish a digital platform to facilitate knowledge-sharing among stakeholders. 

Citing how little of the world has achieved circularity, the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/circular-economy" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a> claims that a circular economy “requires unprecedented collaboration.” The ten member companies of TIP certainly can’t transform the global management of ELT on their own. That’s the beauty of TIP’s knowledge-sharing approach — good practices and approaches that work should be shared so they can reach the stakeholders and regions where they are most needed. Toward a circular economy for tires, knowledge sharing and stakeholder cooperation will be the key drivers of progress. 

This article series is sponsored by the Tire Industry Project and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team. Members of the Tire Industry Project (in alphabetical order) are Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho Tire, Michelin, Pirelli, Sumitomo Rubber, Toyo Tires, and Yokohama Rubber.

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/vVLrfAzmWYw" target="_blank">Imthaz Ahamed</a>/Unsplash

Next Stop for the Tire Industry: The Circular Economy

Yes, many of us have long snickered at the very thought of Ikea furniture and products – as this recent parody bit of John Oliver in this recent Saturday Night Live skit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAdYGBfOElk" target="_blank">sums up</a>. Of course, many of the snickering among us also shop at Ikea knowing the chances of running into anyone we know in those mazes disguised as retail showrooms are very low.

But Ikea has also been a leader on the sustainability front within the retail sector – for example, charging for plastic bags long before other retailers did the same, a move those chains generally made because of local ordinances. The company has also been a trailblazer on renewable power investments – so much so that earlier this year, Ikea said those projects were generating <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/ikea-renewable-energy/718146" target="_blank">more power than it could use</a>.

Speaking of plastic, today Ikea has announced that it will <a href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2021/11/17/ikea-to-phase-out-plastic-from-consumer-packaging-by-2028" target="_blank">phase out</a> all plastic from its consumer packaging by 2028. For example, those light bulbs encased in plastic blister packs that foment wrap rage? Well, now they are arriving on shelves packaged in paper boxes.  

According to the company, plastic now only consists of less than 10 percent of Ikea’s total packaging needs by volume. Nevertheless, the company has disclosed it spends about 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion) on 920,000 metric tons of packaging annually. Incorporating more renewable and recycled materials can help keep that tab down.

Most of the shift away from plastic packaging at Ikea will instead be toward paper-based materials. That won’t necessarily satisfy critics who argue that paper consumption drives deforestation worldwide – and much of the paper-based packaging produced worldwide <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/woodmackenzie/2020/08/24/is-paper-a-more-sustainable-flexible-packaging-material-than-plastic/?sh=53d12cb412d4" target="_blank">ends up in landfill</a>, especially it’s embossed with aluminum or lined with plastic. If (and that’s a massive if) paper waste streams are managed correctly, many global organizations have made the case that <a href="https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Design_Management_for_Circularity.pdf" target="_blank">paper can be a part</a> of the transformation toward a global circular economy. Again, we’re talking gargantuan if’s here.

Ikea insists this change in packaging will eventually be based on renewable and recycled materials – the details of which are vague for now. But in the grand scheme of things, and in comparison to other retailers, once again Ikea is a step or two ahead of its peers.

“Phasing out plastic in consumer packaging is the next big step on our journey to make packaging solutions more sustainable and support the overall commitment to reduce plastic pollution and develop packaging from renewable and recycled materials,” said Erik Olsen, the company’s packaging and identification manager at IKEA of Sweden. “The shift will happen progressively over the coming years, and mainly be focusing on paper as it is both recyclable, renewable, and widely recycled across the world.” 

Image credit via <a href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2021/11/17/ikea-to-phase-out-plastic-from-consumer-packaging-by-2028?assetID=065DEE1D-EE20-47E5-AA8B-7E1E848FA53C" target="_blank">Ikea</a>

By 2028, Ikea Will Phase Out Plastic from All Consumer Packaging

The shift toward virtual work, commerce and community during the COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated issues of accessibility online. People with disabilities are often unable to access the basic functions of websites and apps. And while some companies are making big strides in improving digital accessibility, it’s not nearly fast enough for people with disabilities who are taking their frustrations to court. For companies, this is both a wake-up call and an opportunity.

A stunning <a href="https://accessibe.com/compliance" target="_blank">98 percent of websites</a> are considered inaccessible. That leaves the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0816-disability.html" target="_blank">61 million Americans</a> who live with a disability, or 1 in 4 U.S. adults, without access to the online information that many of us take for granted. Globally, the situation is much the same: Websites are largely inaccessible for the <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability%23tab=tab_1" target="_blank">more than 1 billion people worldwide</a> who experience some form of disability.

That has many people fed up. The number of U.S. lawsuits alleging that websites, apps and digital videos were inaccessible to people with disabilities <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/lawsuits-over-digital-accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities-are-rising-11626369056" target="_blank">rose 64 percent in the first half of 2021</a>, and more than one of these lawsuits is now filed every hour. That is a <a href="https://accessibe.com/compliance" target="_blank">300 percent increase in lawsuits</a> since 2018, many aimed at large companies.

Once the pandemic boosted digital-first consumer interactions, companies got serious about accessibility — some for the first time. According to a recent survey from the market research firm Forrester, <a href="https://www.forrester.com/blogs/digital-accessibility-enters-the-spotlight-as-a-business-priority/" target="_blank">8 in 10 companies</a> are now working to achieve accessibility, but only about a third have a top-down commitment to creating an accessible digital experience. For nearly half of the companies surveyed, accessibility is driven by grassroots efforts from passionate teams or individual employees.

“It’s ironic that as we become more of a technological world where more things can be made accessible, less and less things are,” Michael Hingson, chief vision officer for AccessiBe, a company specializing in solutions for digital accessibility, told TriplePundit. 

Hingson is blind from birth and a longtime advocate for people with disabilities. His dramatic story of <a href="https://michaelhingson.com/" target="_blank">surviving the 9/11 attacks</a> at the World Trade Center, making it down 78 flights of stairs with his guide dog, Roselle, is chronicled in his book, Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog and The Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero.

“All my life, I have had the opportunity to be involved in visionary work, and that includes digital accessibility,” he told us. “COVID-19 has made the lack of accessibility a more visible problem, but it hasn’t solved it. I think we’re going to see more of an outcry that accessibility isn’t built into the websites, apps and the products we’ve come to depend on.” 

Not only is it the right thing to do, but serving the disabled community is also a significant market opportunity. Globally, people with disabilities control <a href="https://www.accenture.com/T20180124T093425Z__W__/US-EN/_ACNMEDIA/PDF-70/AMPLIFY-ACCESSIBILITY-ACCENTURE.PD" target="_blank">$8 trillion in disposable income</a>, including nearly $500 billion in the U.S. alone. Those people are much more likely to spend their hard-earned cash with businesses whose platforms they can easily use, Hingson explained. Businesses that prioritize accessibility can also earn customer loyalty, with a Nielsen study finding that <a href="https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/pdf-89/accenture-disability-inclusion-research-report.pdf" target="_blank">people with disabilities tend to be more brand loyal</a> and also make more shopping trips and spend more per trip than the average consumer.

<h2>Moving from a compliance to an opportunity mindset</h2>

What exactly is digital accessibility? As the U.S. Department of Labor’s Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) puts it, accessibility means that <a href="https://www.peatworks.org/about/" target="_blank">everyone can use the exact same technology</a> — regardless of how much they can see or hear, how they process information, or whether they can manipulate a trackpad, touchscreen or mouse.

Making websites accessible is the law. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice clarified that <a href="https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/doj-confirms-websites-are-covered-by-56505/" target="_blank">websites are considered places of public accommodation</a> and should therefore comply with the <a href="https://www.ada.gov/ada_title_III.htm" target="_blank">Americans with Disabilities Act Title III</a>. Due to the increased use of the internet, many countries have incorporated web accessibility into existing civil rights legislation that protects people with disabilities or created new laws to make the internet more accessible.

For many companies, digital accessibility strategy has been focused on meeting these legislative mandates. Not surprisingly, those actions tend to be more focused on risk containment versus business differentiation or innovation. 

BMC, an enterprise software company, has embedded accessibility into the way it designs its website — including creating a web accessible color palette, training developers and product managers to inclusively build products, and providing web accessibility checklists that allow for all functions of the company to build in accessibility accommodations.

“While it’s true that risk containment has been the catalyst for many accessibility initiatives including ours, it has also brought about a real change in the way we think about our digital experiences and our users,” said Mark Fries, AVP of web strategy and development at BMC. “By making accessibility something we build in from the beginning of a project, we are able to focus our efforts on the things that will be most meaningful to the most people and ultimately make the greatest impact. It’s not a tradeoff.”

Yet there is a great deal of innovation to gain in digital accessibility, as journalist John Brownlee, who is blind, <a href="https://modus.medium.com/why-accessibility-is-the-future-of-tech-a3f535cc4f0e" target="_blank">writes in Modus</a>: “Accessibility is probably the most important and exciting frontier in design right now. Far from being something that designers pursue grudgingly, it should be viewed as what it is: a crystal ball through which we can view the all-encompassing future of tech.”

The pandemic has also accelerated this mindset shift toward innovation, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-of-its-kind-primer-by-digital-inclusion-global-expert-frances-west-reveals-key-gaps-301292149.html" target="_blank">according to a recent report</a> from the International Labor Organization’s Global Business and Disability Network. “[COVID-19 has] significantly raised the visibility of digital technology’s impact on the workplace … and overall, the impact of the pandemic has further accelerated digital transformation,” the report reads. “It also has ‘normalized’ accommodation requests and the adoption of inclusive technology, and many companies do have well-established accessibility solutions and practices around mobility, vision, hearing, and increasingly in the area of cognitive and neurodiversity disability.”

Framing digital accessibility as an opportunity rather than a compliance matter is the way to go, Hingson told us. “It’s really a matter of education, and to have meaningful consumer input and involvement in the development of technologies,” he said. "Technology and devices should include accessibility right from the outset, not as an afterthought.”

<h2>The next step forward for digital accessibility</h2>

There is still much work to be done. Ensuring companies are inclusive and accessible requires a new mindset that incorporates <a href="https://www.accenture.com/T20180124T093425Z__W__/US-EN/_ACNMEDIA/PDF-70/AMPLIFY-ACCESSIBILITY-ACCENTURE.PD" target="_blank">human-centered and inclusive design</a> into the way companies create products and services. “Most organizations, including my own, still have a lot of work to do. However, it is imperative that all experiences, including products, content materials and websites, are inclusively designed,” Fries of BMC said.

Yet very few companies recognize that digital accessibility needs to be an integral part of their digital transformation strategies, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-of-its-kind-primer-by-digital-inclusion-global-expert-frances-west-reveals-key-gaps-301292149.html" target="_blank">according to the ILO report</a>. They fail to connect the dots that digital accessibility investment has a universally positive impact on all users, internal and external, and is a prerequisite for sustainable and scalable hiring in serving people with all different abilities. “Beyond simply benefiting users with disabilities, focusing on web and content accessibility improves brand perception, facilitates social inclusivity, and builds a better experience for all users,” Fries added. 

The situation can — and must — change, Hingson said — and he is confident that the technology for digital accessibility will continue to improve with advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning. But the bigger question is the commitment: that businesses give digital accessibility the focus it deserves. 

“The reality is, today we have the technology and the ability to make the world an inclusive place,” Hingson said. “What we don't have is an educated desire on behalf of all the decision-makers in the world to truly make it inclusive.”

This article series is sponsored by BMC Software and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team. 

Image credit: Peakstock/Adobe Stock

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We report the business case for sustainability.

Leon Kaye

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Mary Mazzoni