Running a profitable business in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry isn’t easy – especially when inflation has consumers pinching pennies and hunting for basement bargains. Add that to the list of challenges the CPG industry is facing, which include lingering pandemic hurdles and conflict-zone embargoes that suppliers and manufacturers are obliged to observe.

Meanwhile, companies are under pressure to monitor their risks and impacts on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. That means not just finding and monitoring their ESG data, which can be a huge task on its own, but also developing a strategy complete with targets and accountability measures to reduce ESG risks and minimize negative impacts from business activities. 

So, how in the world are business leaders supposed to do all of that? 

The answer lies in the “G” of ESG. Strong corporate governance and commitment from C-suite executives are how organizations can manage today’s business requirements and thrive under the opportunities that this new landscape presents. After all, ESG-focused funds proved resilient even amidst recession fears — attracting $37 billion of net inflows in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to $200 billion of net withdrawals in the broader market, <a href="https://www.morningstar.com/articles/1133418/us-sustainable-funds-suffer-a-worse-quarter-than-conventional-peers" target="_blank">according to research from Morningstar</a>.

<h2>Which governance mechanisms drive ESG strategy?</h2>

TriplePundit sat down with Jonathan Gill, global head of sustainability advocacy at Unilever, to gain insight into the governance mechanisms that drive ESG strategy in the CPG industry. The key takeaway? ESG strategy must be integrated into overall business strategy, with the two components working in coordination to drive success across all brands.

<h2>1. Integrating ESG into business strategy</h2>

If there’s one thing to know about driving a successful ESG strategy, it’s this: ESG strategy has to be integrated into overall business strategy. Without integration, the two objectives will be competing for priority rather than working in tandem.

“Unilever’s purpose is all about <a href="https://www.unilever.com/our-company/strategy/" target="_blank">making sustainable living commonplace</a>. So that’s kind of the North Star, the way we think about everything,” Gill explained. “It’s been years since we had separate strategies for sustainability and for business. It’s one integrated strategy.”

<h2>2. Business structure facilitates ESG performance</h2>

For Unilever, this integrated strategy — which it calls the <a href="https://www.unilever.com/news/news-search/2020/the-unilever-compass-our-next-game-changer-for-business/" target="_blank">Unilever Compass</a> — is “locked into the governance side of things,” Gill said. "The board oversees it. We have an external advisory council to make sure we’re making the right decisions and choices. It’s locked into our remuneration, but also into our structure.”

In the CPG industry, a parent company will own many different brands. While those brands have different priorities in business and in ESG strategy, the structure and the relationship between the parent company and its brands needs to facilitate ESG progression.

“We’ve got five semi-autonomous business units within Unilever, and each and every one of those business units have sustainable priorities within them,” Gill continued. "That’s agreed by the most senior level, by the executives, so the delivery is really embedded into it.”

<h2>3. Ensuring all stakeholders have their voices heard</h2>

When it comes to actually developing an ESG strategy and identifying key performance indicators (KPIs), it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of what is important to stakeholders from the beginning and throughout an organization’s ESG journey. 

Whether that’s from investors, customers, employees, brands or the broader community, understanding the expectations of stakeholders will align and drive ESG strategy, Gill said. For example, the company holds bi-weekly sessions with employees and executives and operates 37 “People Data Centers” around the world to keep its finger on the pulse of what customers are looking for — among many other ways in which it engages with stakeholders. 

Organizations that listen to stakeholder voices are better positioned to perform well on the metrics that matter, driving ESG performance and business growth.
<figure role="group"><img alt="unilever brands - corporate governance in the CPG sector" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e9ab7c63-fd64-4b8f-9f7f-e061932bf39d" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/unilever%20brands%20-%20corporate%20governance%20in%20the%20CPG%20sector.jpg" width="1262" height="820" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>Some of Unilever's best-selling brands. </figcaption></figure><h2>4. Brands develop their own ESG priorities</h2>

It can be tempting to delegate to brands what their ESG priorities should be and how they should approach the subject. Parent companies are ultimately responsible for their brands, after all. But it is much better when those companies facilitate that development and allow brands to grow their ESG priorities organically.

“Within the Unilever Compass, the three priorities we have around sustainability are planet, health and wellbeing, and social. Our brands’ purposes generally fall within those three spaces, but we don’t have a formal way to make sure brands are focusing in specific areas,” Gill explained.  “The brands themselves are responsible for identifying what their purpose is and delivering that. It has to be organic, it has to be real, and therefore top-down just wouldn’t work.”

<h2>5. Transparent accounting </h2>

When asked about the value of transparent accounting, Gill said, “We think it’s quite an important lever for change to accelerate the transition toward sustainability.”

As global ESG reporting and accounting standards are being hashed out around the globe, transparent accounting is not only important to today’s investors and consumers, but it’s also soon to become a requirement. Businesses that incorporate this practice before legislation is finalized will benefit from the ease of transition to mandatory reporting, as well as from the influx of investor dollars into ESG funds. Having the <a href="https://www.workiva.com/solutions/esg-reporting" target="_blank">right technology</a> in place to gather, track and report on ESG data will be essential for businesses in the future.

<h2>6. Transparent ESG goals, progress and communication</h2>

Transparency in ESG goals, progress and communication is vital for highly visible, consumer-facing companies like Unilever. The company reported regularly on the progress of its 10-year sustainability strategy, the <a href="https://www.unilever.com/files/92ui5egz/production/16cb778e4d31b81509dc5937001559f1f5c863ab.pdf" target="_blank">Sustainable Living Plan</a>, from 2010 to 2020. Some of its targets were reached, some were narrowly missed, and others fell well short. Whatever the case, the company was open about its progress and the challenges it faced along the way — and it <a href="https://www.unilever.com/news/news-search/2022/how-were-driving-growth-through-our-five-strategic-choices/" target="_blank">continues to report</a> on the new Unilever Compass strategy. 

This type of transparency builds trust. Trusted voices in the ESG sphere are exactly what investors and consumers are looking for amidst the tsunami of ESG information being released by companies looking to attract today’s consumers and investors.

<h2>7. Accountability measures</h2>

Finally, accountability measures must be built into the structure of the organization. Naturally, the market will act as its own accountability measure as investors and consumers pull money from companies that are underperforming and redirect those funds to companies with stronger ESG strategies.

Internally, Unilever ties ESG performance into its executive remuneration scheme. “We have essentially eight metrics, and if you perform well on those, your bonus is higher,” Gill said. “If you’re motivated by money, then obviously you’ll be motivated to deliver on those sustainability goals.”

Not everyone is motivated by money, but it’s a strong measure to incentivize performance and show commitment to ESG strategy.

<h2>A look to the future of ESG and governance challenges</h2>

One of the biggest challenges facing business executives in all sectors with regards to ESG and corporate governance is the uncertainty of reporting requirements. There are different global reporting standards, all of which are similar but none of which are mandatory — at least not yet. 

“The challenge we’ve got at the moment is there are three big standards — from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the European Union (EU) — and they are big beasts of information that need to be prepared,” Gill explained. “Making them standardized — not necessarily the same, but interoperable — would be very helpful, and we’re very keen to see them being mandatory for all companies above a certain size.” 

The biggest challenge in Gill’s eyes is that with the sense of urgency to enact mandatory reporting and organizations rushing to comply, there are likely to be some errors in reporting, or errors made by assurers on the audit side that could provide the anti-ESG cohort some extra fuel for their fire. In the midst of our climate emergency, the onus is on legislators to not only get the requirements in place quickly, but to make sure it’s done right.

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

Regardless of inflation risks, shifts in the regulatory environment or industry challenges, ESG is here to stay. Our partner on this series, Workiva, offers an end-to-end solution to help companies unlock value. You can find out more <a href="https://www.workiva.com/teams/esg-sustainability" target="_blank">here</a>. 

Images courtesy of Unilever

ESG Amidst Inflation: 7 Governance Mechanisms That Drive Value Creation in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry

With biodiversity loss <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/biodiversity-loss-must-stop-protect-one-five-people-dependent-wild-species/749776" target="_blank">quickly accelerating</a> across the globe, investors increasingly recognize the quantifiable risks in their portfolios — and many are engaging with companies to take bold actions that reduce their impact on nature.

Over half of the world’s GDP ($44 trillion of economic value generation) is at risk from the looming danger posed by nature loss, and supply chains for critical resources that depend on vital natural ecosystems are under growing threat. Between $235 billion and $577 billion of global crop outputs <a href="https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3402856" target="_blank">are at risk annually</a> from pollinator loss alone, which is an operational risk for companies that source agricultural commodities. The global community cannot afford to let these tremendous risks escalate further. 

Fortunately, there is good news for investors seeking to capitalize on this momentum and confront the substantial risks in their portfolios. If we implement policies and measures that protect nature, we can avoid an estimated global GDP decline of $2.7 trillion annually by 2030, according to the <a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/fcc11682-c752-51c4-a59f-0ab5cd40dc6f" target="_blank">World Bank</a>. 

Investors are responding in kind by taking important steps to address nature and biodiversity loss as shown by the launch of bold new initiatives like <a href="https://www.natureaction100.org/" target="_blank">Nature Action 100</a>. Launched in December, the global investor engagement partnership with leading sustainability groups aims to drive greater corporate ambition and action to reduce nature and biodiversity loss. 

There are several essential actions that companies must take to ensure they are effectively addressing their nature-related risks. Thanks to new benchmarks and frameworks, companies can now knowledgeably execute those actions while investors can gain the insights they need to inform their investment decisions and engagements on nature with the businesses in their portfolios.

Companies should be evaluating and disclosing nature-related risks and opportunities. The <a href="https://tnfd.global/" target="_blank">Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures</a>, a market-led, science-based initiative backed by members representing $20.6 trillion in assets, is <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/nature-related-risk-disclosures/764481" target="_blank">developing a framework</a> that will help companies with this assessment and disclosure. Over 150 companies and financial institutions worldwide have <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/prepare-mandatory-biodiversity-disclosures/769806" target="_blank">piloted the framework</a>, which will be finalized in September. The Taskforce also created an assessment process that companies can use to analyze the risks they face in specific ecosystems and to manage those impacts, as a complement to their disclosure recommendations.

Companies must also set a commitment to address nature and biodiversity loss by creating actionable and accountable goals. The <a href="https://sciencebasedtargetsnetwork.org" target="_blank">Science Based Targets Network</a> looks to build on the adoption of science-based targets for climate and equip companies to set similar targets for protecting nature and biodiversity. The coalition released <a href="https://sciencebasedtargetsnetwork.org/resources/sbtn-public-consultation-2022/" target="_blank">draft technical guidance</a> for companies to measure, set and disclose freshwater targets for public consultation late last year. Most recently, the initiative concluded a public consultation period on a <a href="https://sciencebasedtargetsnetwork.org/resources/public-consultation-for-the-first-land-science-based-targets/" target="_blank">draft of their land target’s technical guidance</a> focused on the protection and restoration of ecosystems.  

In addition, investors can track progress being made by companies within industries on their actions to tackle nature and biodiversity loss. The World Benchmarking Alliance’s <a href="https://www.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org/nature-benchmark/" target="_blank">Nature Benchmark</a> makes this tracking possible by ranking major companies on their efforts to protect nature and biodiversity. By 2023, the Alliance will have benchmarked 1,000 companies across 22 industries.

The development of these frameworks and benchmarks further enables effective investor engagement with companies on the immense crisis of nature and biodiversity loss. Important global initiatives like Nature Action 100 and others in the biodiversity space will leverage these new capabilities to support investors in taking on the challenge of driving urgent corporate action and reduce risks from nature loss. 

While we can applaud progress to date, companies are urged to continue to act ambitiously on their nature-based risks. If we do not, it will become increasingly difficult to reverse the damage to our planet.

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/6jhfleCGlSE" target="_blank">Wim van 't Einde</a> and <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/cODBHUVe8xE" target="_blank">Guillaume Bolduc</a> via Unsplash

Now is the Time for Investors to Engage with Companies on Nature

Companies trying to spark more innovation often overlook the creativity that comes from connecting with enterprise-ready startups — especially those that bring diversity to the table. That’s the fresh take on traditional innovation models offered by the independent innovation consultancy <a href="https://www.venturefuel.net/" target="_blank">VentureFuel</a>.

VentureFuel partners established companies with startups to tackle two problems at once: stifled innovation within larger companies and <a href="https://www.thirdway.org/report/women-wanted-the-equity-gap-in-venture-capital" target="_blank">abysmally low levels of diversity</a> in startup funding. 

The consultancy builds programs that use “external innovation” provided by the startups. “Our programs focus on changing the behaviors and beliefs necessary to unlock new sources of growth,” Shira Averbuch, vice president of innovation and partnerships at VentureFuel, told TriplePundit.

The partnerships help companies address their biggest strategic challenges faster — with less risk and greater impact than traditional innovation models — while helping startups develop at the same time, Averbuch said. 

For example, VentureFuel has <a href="https://blog.venturefuel.net/in-the-press/dicks-sporting-goods-creates-venture-fund-sports-startups" target="_blank">connected Dick's Sporting Goods</a> with relevant startups to enhance the customer experience with tools like e-commerce and artificial intelligence (AI). Comcast NBCUniversal <a href="https://blog.venturefuel.net/in-the-press/comcast-is-launching-a-new-lift-labs-model-first-with-a-theme-of-generative-ai" target="_blank">also works with the consultancy</a> on startup partnerships, including a recent accelerator series focused on generative AI tools (think: ChatGPT). Other legacy corporate partners include Chevrolet, Bacardi, FedEx, Hulu and JPMorgan Chase. 

Startups in VentureFuel’s global innovation network <a href="https://www.venturefuel.net/" target="_blank">reported</a> over $12 million in revenue from over 100 corporate partnerships and are now collectively valued at over $2 billion. “The reason we believe our model works so well is because it provides value across all sides of the ecosystem,” Averbuch said. “We can act as a bridge between how large companies operate and small startups function, because we speak both languages.”

<h2>Why diversity is essential to innovation</h2>

The <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2020/venture-capital-women-entrepreneurs/708696" target="_blank">lack of diversity in venture capital (VC)</a> funding is well documented. Women-founded startups raised 2.1 percent of all VC funds in 2022, according to a <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/13/q1-2023-investment-women-founders/" target="_blank">TechCrunch market analysis</a>. That’s a 53 percent decline from a year earlier.  

VC funding for Black entrepreneurs — typically less than 2 percent of total VC funding — also fell 45 percent last year, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/02/venture-capital-black-founders-plummeted.html">CNBC reported</a>. Startups founded by Black women receive an even smaller share at less than 1 percent.

That’s why diverse representation is at the heart of VentureFuel’s model, starting with its own staff — 70 percent of whom are women, Averbuch said.

“We believe that diversity and equal access to capital are fundamental to healthy and successful innovation and a healthy innovation ecosystem,” she said. “Most of our programs look at diversity and inclusion as a component for selecting the startups that our clients work with — and what we see is that different backgrounds and perspectives lead to more innovative outcomes.”

<h2>Connecting “rogue women” entrepreneurs</h2>

Around 90 percent of all venture capitalists are men, 97 percent of all VC dollars go to male founders, and 86 percent of all startups with VC funding have only men on their teams, according to <a href="https://roguewmn.com/" target="_blank">VentureFuel</a>.

Looking to change these statistics, the <a href="https://roguewmn.com/" target="_blank">Rogue Women’s Fund</a> invests in women-led tech startups across the U.S. The fund hosts invite-only events across the country to bring together corporate executives, startup founders and investors. 

A great deal of benefits come from increased diversity in startups and more established companies. Diverse companies are more likely to retain talent, identify risks and be more profitable, according to the <a href="https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_NES_DEI4.0_Toolkit_2020.pdf" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.

“What we've seen time and again is that diverse points of view — whether from diversity of backgrounds, situations or lived experiences — enable new and different thinking, which spurs innovation,” Averbuch said. 

<h2>The balance is slowly shifting</h2>

Bringing diversity into the venture capital world is a slow journey. But Averbuch sees more effort and energy going toward bridging those gaps that will have beneficial ripple effects. 

“While I can't speak for the hiring practices at established companies, I do know that when female founders are able to raise funds and scale the companies they've started, they're often more likely to hire diverse staff," she said. What works for VentureFuel is leaning into networking and mentorship as a solution to the imbalance. 

<h2>Startups develop smart ways to use tech for greater diversity</h2>

The tools that underrepresented startup founders develop can also help larger companies to improve their own diversity. For example, some startups are leveraging new technologies to overcome challenges in hiring, such as AI tools that can read through job descriptions to identify and <a href="https://ideal.com/unconscious-bias/" target="_blank">minimize unconscious bias</a>. “This technology can essentially flag that the way a job description is written might be less inclusive, so we can recommend changing it to other phrasing” Averbuch said. 

Other startups are using technology to reduce barriers in the digitization of networks. One example, <a href="https://www.tap.ec/" target="_blank">Tap</a>, is a business marketplace app that brings together entertainment executives and creatives. The app’s AI technology cuts expenses, time and effort by 420 percent, according to <a href="https://www.tap.ec/newsroom/ai-entertainment-startup-tap-raises-1-8-million-in-pre-seed-funding-to-connect-everyone-in-entertainment" target="_blank">the company.</a>

“Networking no longer means you need to be in the same location as someone else,” Averbuch said. “The digitization of a lot of these networks and tools has enabled people from all over the world — from different locations and different perspectives — to come together and has provided them with opportunities.” 

Image Credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/VpcgTEKerEQ" target="_blank">Christina</a>/Unsplash

This Consultancy Connects Diverse Startups with Legacy Companies to Drive Innovation

Millions of people across the U.S. are locked out of stable employment due to past involvement with the criminal justice system. After decades of mass incarceration, <a href="http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/barriers-to-work-individuals-with-criminal-records.aspx" target="_blank">around 1 in 3 U.S. adults</a> now has a criminal record that would appear on a routine background screening. Particularly as industries across the country <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage-the-most-impacted-industries" target="_blank">face labor shortages</a>, employers are taking a renewed interest in second chance hiring as a way to stay staffed — and the trend offers life-changing potential for those who have served their time and are looking to re-enter the workforce. 

Second chance hiring aims to challenge the stigma of criminal justice involvement and bring more people with records into the ranks of businesses large and small. More than filling a vacant position, employers see real benefits when they take a chance on these individuals. More 80 percent of business leaders and 85 percent of hiring mangers say employees with criminal justice histories <a href="https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/press-room/press-releases/pages/new-shrm-and-cki-survey-highlights-value-of-workers-with-criminal-records.aspx#:~:text=85%20percent%20of%20HR%20professionals,to%20workers%20without%20criminal%20records." target="_blank">perform just as well or better</a> in their jobs compared to those without. 

Still, many business leaders <a href="https://secondchancebusinesscoalition.org/press-releases/second-chance-business-coalition-marks-second-anniversary" target="_blank">say they face barriers</a> that make it more difficult for them to hire people with certain or any criminal justice involvement. The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ), an international nonprofit that works with companies to champion criminal justice reform, <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee10a9bb6f257396e28e5f2/t/644945dbdceeb810049a47c7/1682523611429/RBIJ+SCH+Roadmap.pdf" target="_blank">published research</a> that explores these challenges further and sets out a roadmap for employers to further embrace second chance hiring. 

The report is based on dozens of conversations with companies across industries, including financial services, insurance, manufacturing, service providers and restaurants, as well as academics and nonprofits. 

“Businesses are open to implementing second chance hiring programs, yet many don’t," Ashley Furst, senior program manager for employment opportunities at RBIJ and lead author of the report, told TriplePundit. "I spoke to those who aren’t about what has deterred them from the process, and those who are actively hiring from this population about best practices to ensure both businesses and their new hires are successful.”

<h2>A roadmap for second chance hiring</h2>

Through the course of her interviews with employers, Furst identified three main reasons why businesses do not engage in second chance hiring. For starters, some employers say they are unable to identify justice-impacted candidates. Some also say prospective candidates may lack necessary skills, such as digital literacy. This makes logical sense: Those locked up are <a href="https://qz.com/1233966/new-data-clearly-illustrate-the-poverty-to-prison-pipeline#:~:text=This%20is%20the%20eye%2Dopening,born%20into%20the%20top%2010%25." target="_blank">most likely to be poor</a> and may have lacked access to digital tools before their incarceration, and those who served longer sentences re-emerge into a world that has changed quickly due to technology advancements. Further, some employers struggle with cumbersome internal processes or regulatory barriers. 

In response, RBIJ's roadmap recommends three central "pillars" to drive second chance hiring across the workforce: 

<ul><li>Employer education on <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/business-case-second-chance-hiring/770586" target="_blank">the business and human case</a> for second chance hiring, as well as the unique challenges faced by people who are looking to restart their lives after being released from jail or prison </li>
	<li>Identifying community-based organizations and re-entry partners to help businesses develop successful second chance programs and support hires with criminal justice histories </li>
	<li>Workforce development and training opportunities for returning employees that open up pathways for employment and upward career mobility</li>
</ul>“There have been numerous reports that have shown how beneficial it can be for a business to start second chance hiring, but what we found time and again was that employers were at a loss for where to start," said Furst, who is herself justice-impacted. "This roadmap can serve as a guide for businesses who are looking to hire justice-involved individuals, to ensure the most effective relationship for both the employer and the employee.”

<h2>How employer education powers second chance hiring</h2>

The first pillar, employer education, revolves around understanding the unique challenges returning citizens face, as well as building awareness within companies about what second chance hiring is, how to do it and why it matters. 

Furst and the RBIJ recommend employers get started by reviewing and updating their hiring policies, identifying partners and markets that can help them build a second chance candidate pipeline, and clearly communicating the business case and company commitment to second chance hiring internally. 

"Where most efforts to accelerate [second chance hiring (SCH)] programs get stuck is in between 'not doing it at all' to 'doing it really well,'" Furst wrote in the report. "A consequence of this perception is that SCH programs may stop soon after they start."

Most often, the employers that are most successful are those who start small, seek guidance from other employers and partners, and build their programs up over time, Furst found. <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee10a9bb6f257396e28e5f2/t/644945dbdceeb810049a47c7/1682523611429/RBIJ+SCH+Roadmap.pdf" target="_blank">See Page 7 of the roadmap</a> for further guidance on employer education. 

<h2>Identifying the right partners </h2>

When it comes to corporate action on social issues, building a network of partners that understand the needs of people and communities is crucial. As <a href="http://www.mywhyagency.com/emerald-jane-hunter/" target="_blank">Emerald-Jane "EJ" Hunter</a>, founder of the inclusion-focused integrated marketing firm <a href="https://www.mywhyagency.com/creative-digital-agency/about/" target="_blank">myWHY Agency</a>, told TriplePundit earlier this year: "If you had known better, you would’ve done better," and connecting with those who can help to build your understanding is and essential step to getting started. 

Furst and the RBIJ recommend employers seek out community-based organizations and partners specifically focused on re-entry after incarceration in order to build their second chance hiring programs and meet the needs of employees with records. 

"Second chance employees may have additional needs that should be addressed with accommodations, manager training, and/or cultural sensitivity training," Furst wrote in the report. "Individuals with criminal records, particularly those who have been recently released from prison and have limited work experience outside of the institution, will require a range of supportive services that most employers will not have the expertise or resources to provide." 

Community-based partners can help to provide those services and ensure second chance hiring is successful, she found. <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee10a9bb6f257396e28e5f2/t/644945dbdceeb810049a47c7/1682523611429/RBIJ+SCH+Roadmap.pdf" target="_blank">See page 10 of the roadmap</a> for guidance on identifying and engaging with the right partners in your community. 

<h2>Meeting employee needs with workforce development</h2>

Some people with criminal justice histories have work experience, degrees and certifications, but many are limited in these areas. Rather than passing over them or relegating them to entry-level positions, employers can help them skill up — benefiting the company and the employee, as well as communities and the broader economy. 

"With proper access to upskilling and workforce development opportunities, second chance talent could fill a tremendous number of open roles and address the labor shortage that businesses across the country continue to face," Furst found. 

<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee10a9bb6f257396e28e5f2/t/644945dbdceeb810049a47c7/1682523611429/RBIJ+SCH+Roadmap.pdf" target="_blank">See Page 13 of the roadmap </a>for guidance on how employers can find and attract second chance employees and help them succeed in their careers. 

<h2>The bottom line: Second chance hiring is good for people, employers and the economy</h2>

Second chance hiring may be a change for some employers, but it's well worth the effort. As companies look to fill <a href="https://www.bls.gov/jlt/" target="_blank">nearly 10 million job openings</a>, this long-overlooked population is ready, willing and able to fill the gap — if they can get the support they need to succeed. Taking a chance on them benefits employers, helps to strengthen communities, and changes lives for people and families impacted by the criminal justice system, RBIJ found. 

“I spoke with employers from across the country and across sectors, and it’s clear what businesses can do to be successful in becoming a second chance employer," Furst told us. "By understanding the unique needs of justice-involved workers, working with community-based organization partners to address those needs, and providing opportunities for advancement within your organization, employers can create meaningful second chances and strengthen the economy in the process.”

New Roadmap Aims to Drive Second Chance Hiring in the U.S.

Businesses benefit from the orderly pursuit of legal precedent in a democratic society, because precedent helps to create a level playing field and a predictable regulatory environment. When that order is upended, chaos ensues. That is exactly what happened in April when a federal judge in Texas ruled that the drug mifepristone should be pulled from the market. Now it’s up to stakeholders in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries to unravel the mess — if they can. 

<h2>400 CEOs finally wake up</h2>

The judge in question is U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of Amarillo, Texas, who has become widely known for his association with <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/pharmacies-medication-abortion-mifepristone/768636" target="_blank">religious extremists</a>. On April 7, Judge Kacsmaryk issued his ruling on a case that challenged the authority of the Food and Drug Administration to approve mifepristone for abortions. The FDA initially approved mifepristone 23 years ago and has reaffirmed its findings in <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/walgreens-medication-abortion-mifepristone/768001" target="_blank">recent regulatory updates</a>. 

Despite that history of science-based approval, Judge Kacsmaryk accepted the plaintiffs’ argument that the FDA was wrong. In doing so, he exposed the entire drug and biotech industries to the threat of having their products suddenly pulled off the market for any reason, regardless of the FDA’s science-based determinations.

The reaction from the pharmaceutical and biotech industries was forceful and united. More than 400 CEOs <a href="https://docsend.com/view/2ahvmwy8djzxax3g" target="_blank">signed an open letter</a> that warned against “judicial activism” and “judicial interference,” while underscoring the bottom-line risks of pulling FDA-approved products off the market without a basis in science or evidence.

The letter also emphasized that Kacsmaryk placed the whole future of modern U.S. medicine and biotechnology at risk because his decision disincentivizes researching, developing and bringing new products to market.

<h2>Mifepristone is not an isolated case</h2>

As framed by the mifepristone letter, it is difficult to imagine a more far-reaching and destructive anti-business decision rendered by a federal judge. Adding to the irony is the fact that Kacsmaryk is among the many federal judges appointed by former President Donald Trump. When Trump won his office in 2016, he carried a pro-business reputation with him, consistent with the pro-business mantle cultivated by Republican Party leadership over generations.

That pro-business reputation now seems to have evaporated. The Kacsmaryk ruling is just one manifestation of a broader attack on businesses large and small, including book bans against publishers and drag show bans that target entertainers and their host venues. The <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/anti-woke-legislation/764301" target="_blank">"woke capitalism” canard</a> against corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs is another manifestation, as are the state-based legal actions aimed at thwarting <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/business-pushback-anti-esg/772676" target="_blank">corporate and investor principles</a> that follow science-based environmental, social and governance (ESG) guidelines.

The Kacsmaryk decision was itself enabled by the three Trump appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court. As half of a six-judge supermajority on the court, all three demonstrated an <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/anti-science-dobbs-dei/756496" target="_blank">antipathy toward science</a> when they voted to overturn 50 years of precedent on abortion rights in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson case. The ostensible aim of the Dobbs ruling was to empower states to set their own abortion standards. Apparently Kacsmaryk did not get the memo.

<h2>What CEOs can do</h2>

If drug and biotech CEOs are serious about tamping down the existential risks posed by individual judges with a <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/15/federal-judge-amarillo-abortion-fda/" target="_blank">religion-based agenda</a>, they can start by taking accountability.

David Dayan, executive editor of American Prospect, rendered just such a verdict on the open letter. "The industry’s lament about judicial activism feels a bit like Dr. Frankenstein expressing outrage over the destruction carried out by his monster," <a href="https://prospect.org/power/2023-04-12-pharma-cash-conservative-court-majority/" target="_blank">he wrote in a long-form article</a> published on April 12. "The pharmaceutical industry as a whole, and many of the individual officials who signed the letter, financially supported the Senate Republicans who confirmed Kacsmaryk to the federal bench.” 

The industry gives generously on both sides of the aisle. However, this policy-blind approach to corporate political giving is clearly out of step with the radical anti-business, anti-science activism practiced by many in today’s Republican leadership.

In addition, as Dayan notes, there is no accounting for the partisan flow of dark money. If the activities of industry trade groups are any indication, though, the aura of policy-blind giving starts to crumble. Dayan cites the example of the leading trade group PhRMA, which has steered 81 percent of its donations to Republican officials over the past 15 years. Among the chief recipients of that largesse is Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is widely credited with engineering Trump’s <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/09/24/mcconnells-fabricated-history-to-justify-a-2020-supreme-court-vote/" target="_blank">three Supreme Court appointments</a>.

<h2>Money is a good place to start, but not the only place</h2>

In advance of the all-important 2024 presidential election cycle, the U.S. pharmaceutical and biotech industries could help counterbalance anti-business radicalism by halting the flow of both public and dark monies to Republican candidates who look to restrict business activities and civil rights.

Beyond that, industry groups can help increase public support for reforming the U.S. Supreme Court. Opinion polls indicate that <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/politics-policy/government/supreme-court/" target="_blank">the public knows something is wrong</a>, but they may not necessarily realize just how far below the ethical bar some of the Supreme Court justices have slid.

The lavish, undisclosed gifts endowed upon <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow" target="_blank">Associate Justice Clarence Thomas</a> by a Republican mega-donor placed him in the media spotlight earlier this year. Since then, other instances of partisan influence-peddling have come to light, including <a href="https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/scalia-law-school-moved-up-in-the-rankings-after-it-cultivated-ties-with-supreme-court-justices" target="_blank">magnanimous teaching assignments</a> at the conservative George Mason University for Associate Justices Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. The role of Chief Justice John Roberts’ wife as a <a href="https://www.salon.com/2023/05/02/john-roberts-wife-made-millions-from-elite-law-firms-major-companies-whistleblower-docs_partner/" target="_blank">top recruiter for law firms</a> with cases before the court is another red flag.

The mifepristone case is heading to the Supreme Court on appeal. Pharmaceutical and biotech stakeholders will breathe a sigh of relief if it is overturned, but the fight to restore a pro-business, rational, science-based approach to public policy has only just begun.    

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/OvRmyFbRqFE" target="_blank">Gayatri Malhotra</a>/Unsplash

400 Drug Company CEOs Stand Up for Mifepristone

The <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/organic-seal" target="_blank">USDA Organic seal</a> and <a href="https://www.nongmoproject.org/blog/know-your-labels-the-butterfly-makes-non-gmo-easy/" target="_blank">Non-GMO Project butterfly</a> are the two most recognizable certifications on food products, but those logos may be getting competition soon. Regenerative agriculture verification programs <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/regenerative-organic-certified/768106" target="_blank">are emerging</a>, and food companies are starting to display logos of these programs on their packaging. 

<h2>58 of the top 100 food companies are focusing on regenerative agriculture</h2>

Regenerative agriculture continues to grain ground in the United States and worldwide. Fifty-eight of the world’s 100 leading food companies have either made regenerative agriculture commitments or have publicly stated regenerative ag pilots or intentions, said Tina Owens, senior fellow at the <a href="https://www.soilcarboninitiative.org" target="_blank">Soil &amp; Climate Alliance</a>. 

These companies see regenerative agriculture as essential to mitigating climate change and rebuilding the world’s soils. At the recent U.N. climate talks (COP27), regenerative agriculture was <a href="https://climatechampions.unfccc.int/agriculture-cop27/" target="_blank">touted as one of the solutions</a> to combat climate change. 

But as the regenerative agriculture trend continues to grow, so does the need for a <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/regenerative-agriculture-standards/769721" target="_blank">uniform definition and standards</a> for what regenerative agriculture is. Unlike organic, regenerative agriculture has no legal definition or regulatory standard today. Such standards provide specific criteria for regenerative agriculture to producers and food brands and protect consumers from greenwashing by companies making unverified regenerative claims. “The lack of definition and misalignment around practices and what constitutes as ‘regenerative’ can create a risk of greenwashing,” the Food and Land Use Coalition found in a <a href="https://www.foodandlandusecoalition.org/knowledge-hub/regenag-people-nature-climate/" target="_blank">recent report</a>. 

Fortunately, third-party regenerative agriculture verification programs are emerging. Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) <a href="https://regenorganic.org/roc-directory/" target="_blank">has been adopted</a> by tens of thousands of organic farms worldwide, and the ROC logo is now seen on products made by Patagonia, Nature’s Path and Alter Eco. The Ecological Outcome Verified standard of the Savory Institute’s <a href="https://www.landtomarket.com" target="_blank">Land to Market program</a> has been adopted by more than 80 brands in the food and fashion industries.

Three new regenerative agriculture standards — <a href="https://www.soilcarboninitiative.org/" target="_blank">Soil Carbon Initiative</a>, <a href="https://agreenerworld.org/certifications/certified-regenerative/" target="_blank">Certified Regenerative</a> by A Greener World and <a href="https://regenified.com/" target="_blank">Regenified</a> — are starting to verify farms and food brands. The three programs share similarities, including an emphasis on building soil health, continuous improvement, and testing for positive outcomes such as better water quality and enhanced biodiversity, among others. A recent webinar by the <a href="https://www.climatecollaborative.com/" target="_blank">Climate Collaborative</a> featured these verification programs. 

<h2>Soil Carbon Initiative focuses on entire supply chain</h2>

The Soil Carbon Initiative (SCI) focuses on rapidly scaling acres under regenerative management, starting with soil management. The program aims to deliver third-party verified outcomes of soil health, soil carbon, increased biodiversity, improved water quality, climate resiliency, and greater farm and rural prosperity. 

“We measure outcomes and don’t dictate practices,” says Adam Kotin, SCI’s managing director. Unlike ROC, SCI is open to all farmers — conventional to organic. “We want to welcome people where they are, but want to see a deepening commitment to soil health and regenerative practices,” Kotin says. 

SCI focuses on six management pillars: minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining living roots in the ground, maximizing diversity both above and below ground, integrating livestock, reducing synthetic inputs, and farmer learning. “We see regenerative agriculture as the implementation of these principles as ways that drive results from an environmental, economic and agronomic perspective,” Kotin says.

A key part of SCI is testing for positive soil health outcomes using the <a href="https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-07/haney-test-soil-health#:~:text=The%20Haney%20test%20uses%20unique,organic%20nitrogen%20and%20their%20ratio." target="_blank">Haney Soil Test</a>. “This provides actionable insights to the farmer for building soil health and allows us to track progress over time,” Kotin says.

SCI is being developed in collaboration with SCS Global Services, an international leader in third-party certification. A unique aspect of the SCI standard is that it focuses not just on the farm, but also the entire supply chain up to food companies.  “We’re focused on acre transition and taking the full supply chain as part of our purview,” Kotin says. 

SCI launched a “go-to market” pilot in 2022 with 42 farmers involving more than 100,000 acres across different crops and production systems. Another SCI pilot will be launched this year with the goal of having 10 million acres committed for SCI verification within the next three years.

An <a href="https://www.soilcarboninitiative.org/companies" target="_blank">SCI logo</a> has also been developed that food companies can display on products that are verified — which is set to start appearing on products in the second quarter of this year, Kotin says. The Quinn snack food company is among the participants in the SCI program.

<h2>Certified Regenerative: Comprehensive verification of the farm</h2>

<a href="https://agreenerworld.org/certifications/certified-regenerative/" target="_blank">Certified Regenerative</a>, launched by independent, nonprofit certifier A Greener World (AGW), is a comprehensive program that looks to quantify and qualify regenerative agriculture, says Emily Moose, AGW executive director. “It looks at a variety of sustainability metrics — not just air, water, soil health and livestock — but also how workers are treated and buildings and infrastructure," she says. "This is meant to be a full 360-degree, complete picture of the farm.”

Some of the key features of Certified Regenerative include animal welfare requirements such as a prohibition on Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), an in-depth plan to improve biodiversity, social standards such as addressing living wages, and requirement for low- or no-till practices. A unique aspect of Certified Regenerative is that it prohibits the use of agrochemicals on crops that will be directly consumed, as well as genetically-modified crops. 

Central to the program is the regenerative plan, which a farmer develops with a qualified expert of their choice. AGW’s review panel reviews and approves the plan. 

AGW’s role is to help farmers be accountable to the plan and deliver the benefits of the program. “Producers have found this to be very helpful in terms of using it as a management tool and something that can be utilized on ongoing basis,” Moose says. 

As with other regenerative agriculture certifications, soil health is the basis of AGW’s program. “Soil health is foundational to sustainability, and the foundation of any healthy, functioning, living system that we all depend on,” Moose says.

Biodiversity is “incredibly important” to Certified Regenerative, she continues. “It is measured on every farm in the program and ensuring that biodiversity is not only maintained but improved.”

Certified Regenerative also has a logo that food companies can display on their products. <a href="https://zacksmighty.com/" target="_blank">Zack’s Mighty Tortilla Chips</a>, which are made with corn that is Certified Regenerative by AGW, now displays the logo on product packaging. <a href="https://non-gmoreport.com/articles/origin-milk-aims-to-bring-innovation-and-disruption-to-dairy-with-regenerative-organic-and-a2-milk/" target="_blank">A2 Milk</a> recently announced that two of its products are now Certified Regenerative by AGW.   

<h2>Regenified uses a tiered approach to verification</h2>

Regenified is a verification program founded in 2021 by Gabe Brown and Allen Williams, two pioneers in regenerative agriculture. “Both of those farmers have been in this regenerative space for two or three decades,” says Doug Peterson, chief science officer at Regenified. “Who better to start this process than them?”

Peterson says Regenified is a mark of good stewardship of the land and the earth. “We believe that if you nourish the soil, the plants, animals on it, everything flourishes including the communities, economics of rural communities, and economics of the individual farms,” he explains. 

Regenified’s mission is simple. “It’s to help transition the world’s supply chain to regenerative agriculture by offering one of the most reliable standards and verification services,” Peterson says.

The Regenified “<a href="https://regenified.com/hubfs/2023%20Regenified%206-3-4%20Verification%20Standard%203-29-2023%20(1).pdf?hsLang=en#:~:text=Regenified%27s%206%2D3%2D4™,the%20needs%20of%20the%20planet." target="_blank">6-3-4 Verification Standard</a>” aims to be very comprehensive, yet easy to understand, and is both practice- and outcome-based. Six stands for six pillars of regenerative agriculture: context or a farmer’s unique location, climate, and soil conditions, soil disturbance, “armoring” the soil, crop diversity, living roots in the ground, and livestock integration. Three stands for three rules of adaptive stewardship. Four ecosystem process outcomes are measured: water and mineral cycles, energy flow, and community dynamics. 

Regenified is a tiered certification program based on continuous improvement. Tier one is zero to 20 percent of a farm operation enrolled in Regenified. Tier 2 is 20 percent to 40 percent of the farm, tier 3 is up to 60 percent, tier 4 is up to 80 percent, and tier 5 is up to 100 percent. In order to encourage continuous improvement, farmers cannot remain in any of the lower tiers for more than three years. 

The Regenified team has verified hundreds of thousands of acres, with another 5 million acres in the pipeline, Peterson says. Products with the Regenified seal will start appearing on store shelves in the first and second quarters of this year. Star Hill Farm, the home of Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, recently announced it had received Regenified Certification. 

A version of this story was previously published in the <a href="https://non-gmoreport.com/articles/verified-regenerative-products-coming-soon-to-a-store-near-you/" target="_blank">Organic &amp; Non-GMO Report</a>. 

Image credit: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/pregnant-woman-holding-basket-with-groceries-7990620/" target="_blank">Ivan Samkov</a>/Pexels

More Certified Regenerative Foods Are Popping Up On Store Shelves

It has become de rigueur for companies eager to reduce their climate-related disaster risks to sign up with groups that focus on assisting corporate clients with their climate change challenges. 

The <a href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/" target="_blank">Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)</a>, for one, helps the private sector set science-based emissions reduction targets. It’s a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Another, the <a href="https://www.fsb-tcfd.org/about/" target="_blank">Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures</a>, offers guidelines for how companies can report their exposure to physical climate-related risks, among other things.

The assistance these groups provide is timely. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which protects investors and regulates publicly-held companies’ disclosures, is <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/prepare-sec-climate-disclosure-rules/766336" target="_blank">considering rules to require public companies</a> to provide climate risk-related financial data. And most (if not all) U.N. agencies and other international climate change-related programs recognize the need to address disaster risks and other forms of climate risk worldwide. 

But do these groups follow climate science? That question arose last month when a distinguished engineer openly questioned climate science in a presentation to the U.N. Disaster Risk Reduction Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (<a href="https://www.ariseglobalnetwork.org" target="_blank">ARISE</a>) and its growing membership of U.S. corporate leaders. “We don’t know if climate change is happening now, and we don’t know if it will happen in the future,” he contended.

Peruse any legitimate climate source, and it’s nigh impossible to question climate science, whether our planet is warming and the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The U.N. has a growing set of resources, among them:

<ul><li><a href="https://climatechampions.unfccc.int/what-is-the-race-to-resilience/" target="_blank">Race to Resilience</a>, a global campaign that convenes non-government actors to build climate resilience in vulnerable communities.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2016/09/un-secretary-generals-climate-resilience-initiative-set-to-mobilize-and-accelerate-climate-action-for-sustainable-development/" target="_blank">The A2R U.N. Climate Resilience Initiative</a>, a global multi-stakeholder effort to strengthen climate resilience for vulnerable countries and people.</li>
	<li><a href="https://pedrr.org/mooc/" target="_blank">U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) online course</a> on Nature-based Solutions for Disaster and Climate Resilience, which has extended nature-based solutions certificates to more than 60,000 leaders worldwide. </li>
	<li><a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/sustainable-cities/world-cities-day-2021" target="_blank">New Urban Agenda’s World Cities events</a>, with “Adapting Cities for Climate Resilience” themes</li>
	<li>Annual agreements from the U.N. Conference of the Parties, of which the <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement" target="_blank">Paris Climate Agreement</a> is the best known</li>
</ul>As the U.N. <a href="https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/climate-change#:~:text=It%2520is%2520unequivocal%2520that%2520human,cryosphere%2520and%2520biosphere%2520have%2520occurred." target="_blank">plainly asserts</a>: "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred." 

ARISE, whose U.S. arm I co-chair, follows the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/world/2021-progress-report-implementation-un-plan-action-drr-resilience-july-2022" target="_blank">latest documents of the Framework</a> — the 2015 U.N.-adopted document that calls for assessing and reporting progress on disaster-reduction plans — emphasize that disaster risks “are growing at an unprecedented rate globally, inflicting damage across sectors and vital systems for human societies and economies.”

<a href="https://www.undrr.org/publication/global-assessment-report-disaster-risk-reduction-2022" target="_blank">It also maintains</a>: “We are living outside the boundaries of what our planet can sustain, to the detriment of future generations. Radical shifts are needed to change course toward a more sustainable and risk-informed pathway, as the world is facing a projected 40 percent increase in disasters during the lifetime of the Sendai Framework to 2030.” 

The Framework cites climate change on over half of its 140 pages, and the No. 1 commitment of the U.N. Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience is to take a risk-informed approach. 

We must also heed another distinguished engineer, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, who earned a degree in the field from the Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal back in 1949. “Greenhouse gas emissions keep growing, global temperatures keep rising, and our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible,” <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/07/were-on-a-highway-to-climate-hell-un-chief-guterres-says.html#:~:text=%22Greenhouse%20gas%20emissions%20keep%20growing,%2DSheikh%2C%20Egypt%2C%20says." target="_blank">he told CNBC last year</a>. “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator.” 

And we must promote companies looking to the SBTi and others for assistance in mitigating disaster risks.  Onward with this important work!

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/6ZgTEtvD16I" target="_blank">Jonathan Ford</a>/Unsplash

The Climate Science Behind Managing Disaster Risks

Gourmet popcorn maker <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/celebrating-national-popcorn-day-with-prospector-theater-in-ridgefield-conn/" target="_blank">Prospector Popcorn</a> is setting the bar for disability inclusion. The nonprofit's mission is not just to employ people with disabilities, but also to give them the opportunity to shine.

The popcorn brand addresses the significant barriers to employment people with disabilities face by providing meaningful work that offers a better way of life through financial independence. TriplePundit spoke with Ryan Wenke, director of operations and technology at <a href="https://www.prospectortheater.org/" target="_blank">the nonprofit</a> that started the brand, to learn more.

<h2>Opportunities come with competitive wages</h2>

"<a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/employment-population-ratio-for-people-with-a-disability-increases-to-21-3-percent-in-2022.htm" target="_blank">Roughly 80 percent</a> of Americans with disabilities do not have a job," Wenke said. "Obviously, it's not because we don't want to work. It's that we're not given enough opportunities to work. Or the opportunities that are given are things like pushing shopping carts, bagging groceries, things that we don't find to be meaningful."

A lot of employers offer tedious jobs to people with disabilities and are allowed to pay them <a href="https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/RightsForWorkersWithDisabilities.pdf" target="_blank">less than minimum wage</a> through a certification from the Department of Labor. These waivers allow employers to pay based on the employee’s perceived ability to do the job less efficiently than workers without disabilities — instead of finding accommodations that could allow them to produce comparable work. For many, that means earning <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/28/disabled-workers-living-wage-fight" target="_blank">less than $4 an hour</a>.

Prospector Popcorn takes a very different approach. "Our mission is providing competitive and inclusive employment for people with disabilities," Wenke said. "The average hourly rate that we have is about $18 an hour."

But it’s not just about the competitive wage. "No job is off limits here, and there's a variety of ways we do that. There are low-tech solutions and there are also high-tech solutions."

<h2>The pandemic pivot</h2>

The beginning of Prospector Popcorn can be traced to the Prospector Theater in Ridgefield, Connecticut. There weren’t any movie theaters within 10 miles of the city, Wenke said. In 2014, the nonprofit set out to address that need while providing jobs for the local community — specifically for people who self-identify as having a disability. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the theater ceased normal operations and a new opportunity arose.

"We've sold gourmet popcorn since we opened the concession stands," he said. "And when the pandemic hit, it kind of accelerated the idea of turning our core toward popcorn, so that what we sold in person could now go to homes across the country. We've always longed to share our mission with families and businesses that aren't able to come to Connecticut to see a movie."

Prospector Popcorn comes in sweet and savory flavors like strawberry ice cream, maple walnut ice cream, buffalo cheddar, sweet and spicy and a cheddar-caramel combo.
<figure role="group"><img alt="Prospector Popcorn's superstar-crunch-flavored, gourmet popcorn. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="213fad3c-88cf-4119-af7e-9092f436f90b" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Superstar%20Crunch%20Popcorn_7r.jpg" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>Prospector Popcorn's superstar-crunch-flavored gourmet popcorn, created to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month in April. </figcaption></figure><h2>A variety of jobs for a variety of talents</h2>

"Just like the theater, there are so many jobs that go into one bag of popcorn," Wenke said. "You have to pop the popcorn. You have a marketing team to sell it. Our production team makes the graphics and the labels."

When Wenke says no job is off-limits, he means it. The nonprofit makes accommodations to remove accessibility barriers. The elevator installed in the theater is one example: If someone who uses a wheelchair wants to work in the projection room, they can use the elevator to do so.

"When it comes to popcorn specifically, we have everything color-coded to help with organization. We have images — large images — as we do have some Prospects that have difficulty reading," he said, explaining that the brand refers to employees as Prospects. "We have graphics in the kitchen that show measuring sizes represented by Mama Bear, Baby Bear, Goldilocks and Papa Bear. We have C-Pen readers that can scan a text and read it out loud."

Out of 125 Prospects, or employees, 75 percent identify as having a disability, Wenke said. That is much higher than the average business. And unlike many other businesses that employ people with disabilities, there isn’t a classification of jobs that are solely available to them. Those who self-identify as having a disability occupy all kinds of roles within the company — from the kitchen and box office all the way to the C-suite.

"There are many times when people come into the theater and say, 'Hey, I heard you have this mission, but everything's running smoothly,'" he said. "I think there's some notion that when you come here you're going to see people screaming, shouting, running. It's totally not that because, again, matching the appropriate job with the appropriate person is what's going to occur [here]. So there’s no distinction. I'm held to the same standards as somebody who just started yesterday. And that's how it has to be."

<h2>A role model for other businesses</h2>

Prospector’s model is inclusive and competitive, Wenke said. "We're all about teaching and training and not gatekeeping jobs." That model is making a difference in people’s lives — for those who stay at Prospector long-term and for those who gain valuable skills that allow them to move on to other things.

"We've had so many Prospects that, through earning a paycheck, move out of their parents’ home and get their first apartment," Wenke said. "Finally, get that first car. Go on a nice vacation for themselves. We've also had Prospects who have gone on to work at other jobs like working at Apple, or working at a real estate company in town, or working as a bartender after getting started in our cafe."

Prospector Popcorn isn’t gatekeeping its methods either. The nonprofit is eager to share its model with other businesses and is doing some consulting. "We don't want to be the only player in town," Wenke said. 

Images courtesy of Prospector Popcorn

Prospector Popcorn Provides Meaningful Work for People with Disabilities

Valentine Thomas sees the fishing industry firsthand on her dives around the world. The professional spearfisherwoman and sustainable seafood advocate’s <a href="https://www.unionsquareandco.com/9781454946908/good-catch-by-valentine-thomas/" target="_blank">latest cookbook</a>, Good Catch: A Guide to Sustainable Fish and Seafood with Recipes from the World's Oceans, will publish on May 16. The book offers not only seafood recipes inspired by her travels, but also a thorough definition of sustainable fishing and insight on the impact of seafood sourcing beyond the water. 

While technically a cookbook, Good Catch combines recipe, anecdote, reflection, and scientific analysis into a robust quilted perspective on eating from the water. The book’s refusal to bend to genre constraints delivers a whole-system awareness of fishing practices and an approachable guide to selecting seafood. 
<figure role="group"><img alt="The cover of Valentine Thomas' cookbook, Good Catch: A Guide to Sustainable Fish and Seafood with Recipes from the World's Oceans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="da67d19f-8c52-4bb6-94fc-cd8b0cb6b3f7" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Good%20Catch%203D%20book%20cover.png" width="469" height="640" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>Valentine Thomas' cookbook, Good Catch: A Guide to Sustainable Fish and Seafood with Recipes from the World's Oceans</figcaption></figure>The preface details how Thomas thought little about her own seafood sources before her first dive. “I picked my fish based on just what looked the best and was the cheapest, basically,” Thomas remembered in an interview with TriplePundit. 

Born in Quebec, Thomas studied criminal law and worked in finance before accepting an invitation to her first spearfishing dive from an acquaintance while traveling. Since then, she quit her corporate job and dedicated most of her time and professional life to hunting <a href="https://issuu.com/sterlingbooks/docs/good_catch_9781454946908_egalley" target="_blank">170 feet</a> below the water’s surface. Spearfishing often involves free-diving, the practice of holding one’s breath underwater — in Thomas’ case, <a href="https://issuu.com/sterlingbooks/docs/good_catch_9781454946908_egalley" target="_blank">up to six minutes at a time</a> before surfacing — without the aid of oxygen tanks. Spearfishing with scuba equipment or other oxygen aids is <a href="https://www.oceanhunter.co.nz/resources/spearfishing-basics.html" target="_blank">banned in many waters</a>, in large part to protect marine biodiversity. 

<h2>The seafood sourcing conversation mirrors sustainable agriculture </h2>

Good Catch also notes the particularities of aquaculture while emphasizing that “the discussion we need to have about better sourcing practices and conservation… [is] no different, really, from how lots of us have been talking about fruits and vegetables.” 

Conversations around overfishing parallel those around crop rotation and soil depletion. Overfishing, when the rate of fishing <a href="https://www.msc.org/en-us/what-we-are-doing/oceans-at-risk/overfishing-illegal-and-destructive-fishing" target="_blank">exceeds the rate of fish reproduction</a> needed to maintain a healthy population, destabilizes species populations and risks affecting the entire food web within the biome. These effects, of course, foreshadow human and industrial consequences. 

For example, Canada’s Grand Banks cod fishery collapsed due to overfishing <a href="https://www.msc.org/en-us/what-we-are-doing/oceans-at-risk/overfishing-illegal-and-destructive-fishing" target="_blank">in 1992</a>, and <a href="https://www.msc.org/en-us/what-we-are-doing/oceans-at-risk/overfishing-illegal-and-destructive-fishing" target="_blank">more than 35,000 plant workers and fishers from over 400 coastal communities</a> lost their jobs. Programs like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) developed largely in response to such catastrophes to oversee commercial fisheries and establish nationally and internationally accepted fisheries management and science. 

Good Catch decodes which sustainability certifications to look for when buying seafood: “These include the MSC, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), and Seafood Watch. Only wild-caught products that come from fisheries certified according to scientific sustainability criteria will display them.” 

<h2>Sharing success stories with context to inspire action </h2>

In keeping with her book, Thomas also advocates for a shift in narrative around marine health, from a focus on what’s going wrong to success stories that often inspire actionable change more effectively. “When it comes to wild fisheries, everybody should learn from the U.S., Denmark, Australia and New Zealand, who are really the leaders when it comes to sustainable seafood. The problem is that the U.S. imports about 98 percent of its seafood, [but the country] is a leader when it comes to protecting its water — it’s super fishy.” 

The book adds nuance to common sourcing and nutrition misconceptions, including that farmed fish is inherently unsustainable. The environmental impact of aquaculture and farmed seafood depends on many factors, including the farm’s waste discharge, species, impact on surrounding ecosystems and quality of life. 

Considering different regions’ and countries’ fishing context — cultural significance, natural resources, trade and more — develops a more realistic, compassionate understanding of environmental impact. Thomas recalled diving in Zanzibar in her early 20s and feeling critical of a local’s fishing practices. A local said, “‘Look, girl, I don't have money to feed my family. I'm going to do everything I can to bring food to my kids and wife.’ He was telling me about the fishing fleets from other countries and said, ‘What am I supposed to do?’ That's when I understood.” 

<h2>Expect entrees with global insights </h2>

Good Catch sorts 75 stunning recipes into 14 regional chapters, from Mexico to Sweden to New Caledonia. Each chapter is prefaced by and garnished with Thomas’ vibrant insights from dives in each locale. Florida’s recipes — like Swordfish Eggs Benedict with Dill Hollandaise or Baby Scallop Ceviche with Kohlrabi and Pineapple — come with accounts of catching invasive species like lionfish and how certain species that are less conducive to commercial fishing become grocery store rarities. 

Taiwan’s chapter — amid dishes like Crab Dumplings in Dashi and Whitebait Chips with Yuzu-Tarragon Mayo — recall how Thomas and the Taiwanese Sustainable Fishing Association submitted alternative spearfishing regulations to the Ministry of Environment and Fisheries’ <a href="https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/05/08/2003670182" target="_blank">proposed ban</a>. Their accepted proposal, which includes commercial fishing regulations, strategies to improve fish stocks and efforts to educate the public, preserved many local families’ main access to food and addressed the actual problem of commercial overfishing. 

Good Catch may initially hook readers with its richly detailed dishes and guide to smart seafood selection. But Thomas’ steadfast, inquisitive love for life underwater imparts lessons beyond the ocean. 

“Having a true conversation about food sourcing will offend a lot of people,” she said. “What can we do instead of calling each other pieces of shit because somebody's eating a steak, or patting each other on the back because we shared a campaign about saving the turtles? Realistic conversations are how we're going to evolve as a species.”

This Cookbook Serves Up Seafood Recipes with a Side of Conservation

Mobile devices like Apple's iPhone <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/the-metals-inside-your-iphone-are-more-precious-than-you-thought-heres-why/" target="_blank">contain at least 30 chemical elements</a> — from common metals like aluminum, copper, lithium, silver and gold, to rare earth elements like yttrium, terbium, lanthanum, neodymium and dysprosium, all of which are extracted from the earth through mining.

Apple is looking to reduce demand for these elements and others by quietly expanding its use of recycled content. The company reached a new high for recycled materials in 2021, with nearly 20 percent recycled content across all products, <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/04/apple-expands-the-use-of-recycled-materials-across-its-products/#:~:text=For%20the%20first%20time%2C%20the,ever%20use%20of%20recycled%20content." target="_blank">according to its 2022 Environmental Progress Report</a> released last week. It also introduced certified recycled gold for the first time in 2021, and more than doubled the use of recycled tungsten, rare earth elements and cobalt, the company reported. 

Recovering more materials for use in future products helps reduce mining. For example, a single metric ton of iPhone components contains the same amount of gold and copper that's typically extracted from 2,000 metric tons of mined rock. 

“We are making real progress in our work to address the climate crisis and to one day make our products without taking anything from the earth,” Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, said in a public statement. “Our rapid pace of innovation is already helping our teams use today’s products to build tomorrow’s.”

Increasingly, that means the use of recycling robots like <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/19/video-offers-a-closer-look-at-how-apple-uses-its-daisy-robot-to-recycle-iphones/" target="_blank">Daisy</a>, which the company says can disassemble up to 1.2 million phones a year and recover key materials like rare earths. With recently enhanced capability, Daisy can now take apart 23 models of iPhone, and Apple has offered to license the robot's patents to other companies and researchers free of charge.
<figure role="group"><img alt="apple daisy iphone recycling robot" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cffafba7-4125-4449-927b-c17b54218923" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/apple%20daisy%20iphone%20recycling%20robot.jpg" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>Apple's first recycling robot, Daisy, can disassemble up to 1.2 million phones each year, helping Apple recover more valuable materials for recycling, according to the company. </figcaption></figure>Apple rolled out <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/19/23031930/apple-recycled-materials-taz-machine-earth-day" target="_blank">Taz</a>, a cousin to Daisy, last year — which uses "shredder-like technology" to recover more rare earth elements from devices. An additional robot, Dave, disassembles taptic engines, the technology that provides users with tactile feedback to simulate actions, such as clicks on a stationary touch screen. These steps help in the recovery of valuable rare earth magnets, tungsten and steel, the company said. 

All totaled, Apple products that came off the assembly lines in 2021 included 45 percent certified recycled rare earth elements, the company's highest mark ever. 

The company has also committed to extend product lifetimes through refurbishment. It reported sending more than 12 million devices and accessories to new owners for reuse in 2021, extending their lifetime and reducing the need for future mining. In the long term, Apple aims to use only renewable or recyclable materials in its products, a goal announced in 2017.

The company's 2022 report also highlighted its progress toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. In a year when many other companies saw large increases in their footprints and the company’s revenue grew by 33 percent, Apple’s net emissions remained flat. The company has been carbon neutral for its global operations since 2020, including 100 percent renewable energy used to power all offices, stores and data centers since 2018.

And Apple says it's spreading the gospel of renewables, with Apple suppliers more than doubling their use of clean power from 2020 to 2021, according to the report. As of April 2023, 213 of the company’s manufacturing partners have pledged to power all Apple production with renewables across 25 countries.

The company has also reduced plastic in its packaging by 75 percent since 2015, on the way eliminating plastic packaging entirely by 2025.

Image credits: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/vXmlV3fberQ" target="_blank">Bagus Hernawan</a>/Unsplash and Apple

Your iPhone Contains More Recycled Materials Than You Thought

Microorganisms that thrive in some of the most inhospitable places on earth — carbon-dioxide-rich environments like volcanic vents and hot springs — could be the start of new carbon capture technology.

The microbial science company <a href="https://www.seedhealth.com/" target="_blank">Seed Health</a> recently <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scientists-discover-volcanic-microbe-that-could-unlock-new-frontier-in-carbon-capture-technology-301801394.html" target="_blank">discovered</a> efficient, carbon-dioxide-eating cyanobacteria that outperform the microbes previously thought to be best for the task.

The findings are part of a collaboration with the <a href="https://twofrontiers.org/" target="_blank">Two Frontiers Project</a> (2FP), which looks to advance human and environmental health with research on the oceans and space, and funded by Seed Health’s environmental research offshoot, <a href="https://seed.com/seedlabs" target="_blank">SeedLabs</a>.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/resources/press/press-release/" target="_blank">identified</a> carbon uptake as crucial for mitigating climate change. “While there is no silver-bullet solution to climate change, we know that breakthroughs in carbon capture, along with many different technologies, will need to work and scale in tandem to make a meaningful impact,” Raja Dhir, Seed Health’s co-founder and co-CEO, told TriplePundit. “A first step to scaling microbial-based solutions is ensuring that the scientific community has access to data on beneficial microbes and their capabilities.” 

That’s why Seed Health researchers collected over 1,000 samples from Sicily’s coast and Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. It’s the largest project of its kind, Dhir said. 

The team <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scientists-discover-volcanic-microbe-that-could-unlock-new-frontier-in-carbon-capture-technology-301801394.html" target="_blank">collaborated with several universities</a> for its first expedition near Vulcano, a small island off the coast of Sicily. They sampled water, sediment and other sources of microbial life around volcanic vents releasing carbon dioxide. Researchers took the samples to a lab and used them to culture microbes capable of consuming the most carbon. That’s when they found the never-before-seen bacteria that most efficiently captures the greenhouse gas.

Researchers are looking to identify these microorganisms not only because of the need for carbon capture, but also because they can adapt to survive in places where humans never could, said Braden Tierney, executive director of 2FP.  

“It made sense to go, ‘Well in extreme environments where there are a lot of CO2, we might find microbes that have adapted to live off it, let’s go look for them,” Tierney said. “Because you're capitalizing on 3.8 billion years of evolution. That’s how long these things have been learning to survive.”

Tierney describes the microbes as “nature’s alchemists” because they absorb compounds like CO2 and produce things that might be useful to humans like energy and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/bioplastics" target="_blank">bioplastic</a> made from renewable resources.

The 2FP team is creating an open-source “living database” of extreme microbiomes that combines DNA-sequencing data with thousands of distinct environmental and biological samples, Dhir said. This database will be accessible to the scientific community so researchers can reference the stored samples to culture additional organisms of interest. 

“What that means is we have these freezers filled with bacteria and organisms that have been enriched in high-CO2 environments,” Tierney said. “When we can sequence them, that means we can look at their genomes and say, ‘Wow, this is a really interesting enzyme for capturing CO2 that maybe has never been characterized before.’”

Using this approach to preserve valuable data and material for future research and development has never been done at such a scale in this branch of microbiology, Dhir said, and only time will tell the extent of its impact.

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/gKUC4TMhOiY" target="_blank">Ousa Chea</a>/Unsplash

Could This CO2-Eating Microbe Revolutionize Carbon Capture?

Agriculture is the <a href="https://a.storyblok.com/f/109506/x/7b102e6831/agribusiness-task-force-white-paper.pdf" target="_blank">world’s largest industry</a> and an immense emitter of greenhouse gases. While the evolving alternative — regenerative agriculture — mitigates the industry’s negative environmental impact, it lacks a <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/regenerative-agriculture-standards/769721" target="_blank">legal and regulatory definition</a>.

Regenerative agriculture is commonly described as a collection of practices that mitigate the impact of climate change and sustain natural habitats. <a href="https://thecounter.org/regenerative-agriculture-racial-equity-climate-change-carbon-farming-environmental-issues/" target="_blank">It emphasizes ecosystem health</a> through increased carbon sequestration and improved water quality, soil health and natural habitats. 

Despite this, only 51 percent of research articles that reference regenerative agriculture define it, according to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2020.577723/full" target="_blank">a review</a> published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. And although 84 percent of practitioner organizations also define the term, when it is defined its meaning varies drastically. The lack of global consensus poses a challenge to advancing these practices and measuring the impact for growers, policymakers and researchers. 

Protecting biodiversity and sustaining natural habitats is no easy task. The practices under the umbrella of regenerative agriculture require study, a trial-and-test method and, ideally, documentation — all of which pilot projects provide. 

<h2>Pilot projects are high-stakes tests with long-term rewards</h2>

As the regenerative agriculture <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/02/21/2611745/0/en/At-a-CAGR-of-14-0-Regenerative-Agriculture-Market-to-Cross-US-16-8-billion-by-2027-Globally-Report-by-MarketsandMarkets.html" target="_blank">market grows</a>, its challenges grow, too. Consumers’ have limited knowledge on best practices. And there is <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/regenerative-agriculture-good-soil-health-limited-potential-mitigate-climate-change" target="_blank">limited scientific understanding</a> of some of its concepts such as carbon reduction and the potential of cover crops. Other <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346571410_Regenerative_Agriculture_Opportunities_and_Challenges_to_Catalyze_Profitable_and_Resilient_Agriculture_in_the_Context_of_Climate_Change_W_Case_Studies_from_the_Iberian_Peninsula" target="_blank">challenges include</a> production cost, resource cost and the high demand for low-cost goods.

Pilot projects are the best initial step in understanding and expanding regenerative agriculture practices to overcome these challenges. By creating standardization and communication, the projects help consumers understand and support the system. These projects help solidify successful practices and metrics to consider, provide insight to growing specific foods, and foster important partnerships between governments and companies. As definitions and results are solidified, more industry players can work together to overcome costs of regenerative agriculture and encourage its adoption.

Global interest in regenerative agriculture is growing — particularly in the private sector — as numerous companies engage with its practices in different ways. <a href="https://www.generalmills.com/how-we-make-it/healthier-planet/environmental-impact/regenerative-agriculture" target="_blank">General Mills pledged</a> to expand regenerative agriculture on 1 million acres of farmland by 2030. And groups like the Regenerative Organic Alliance have established <a href="https://regenorganic.org/why-regenerative-organic/#regen-organic-certified" target="_blank">certificates</a> for regenerative agriculture. While all engagement with this concept is positive, pilot projects in particular hold tremendous opportunities to advance the practice.

<h2>What makes regenerative agriculture pilot projects successful</h2>

Regenerative agriculture pilot projects require resources, financial support, and a solid relationship between growers and project leaders. 

Caitlin Birkholz, regenerative agriculture pillar lead at Kind Snacks, explained what is lacking in the regenerative agriculture industry and its pilot projects during an in-person tour of the <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2023/kind-regenerative-agriculture-almonds/771636" target="_blank">Kind Almonds Acres Initiative</a> plot. The company is working with one of its top almond suppliers, Ofi, to test six innovative agriculture practices across six plots within a 500-acre space in Fresno, California.

Similar projects often face challenges when growers aren’t included, Birkholz told reporters at the Fresno plot last month. "Something that is incredibly important when designing a regenerative agriculture project is to get close to the grower,” she said. “The grower is your most important asset. They know everything.” 

Omitting growers from pilot projects often limits their ability to scale, Birkholz said. “A pilot can be really great. You can be really excited about a pilot. But if you don’t include the grower and the local community, it’s really hard to get those practices to be adopted by growers around the region.” 

No location or environment is the same. <a href="https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/regenerative-agriculture-landscape-analysis/" target="_blank">These projects develop</a> the location and growing-specific knowledge critical for regenerative agricultural practices. And align with broader industry interests and goals. All of which requires transparency, innovation in supply chains and relationship-building. 

In addition to commitments and research, this industry requires testing. It is time for leaders to deliver. 

Image credit: Zeno Group

Editor's Note: Travel and accommodations to California’s Central Valley were provided by Kind Snacks. Neither the author nor TriplePundit were required to write about the experience.

ESG Amidst Inflation: 7 Governance Mechanisms That Drive Value Creation in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry

Prime Stories

Editor Curated

Now is the Time for Investors to Engage with Companies on Nature

This Consultancy Connects Diverse Startups with Legacy Companies to Drive Innovation

New Roadmap Aims to Drive Second Chance Hiring in the U.S.

400 Drug Company CEOs Stand Up for Mifepristone

More Certified Regenerative Foods Are Popping Up On Store Shelves

The Climate Science Behind Managing Disaster Risks

Prospector Popcorn Provides Meaningful Work for People with Disabilities

This Cookbook Serves Up Seafood Recipes with a Side of Conservation

Your iPhone Contains More Recycled Materials Than You Thought

Could This CO2-Eating Microbe Revolutionize Carbon Capture?

Pilot Projects Advance Regenerative Agriculture — and Growers Are Crucial

LATEST NEWS FROM 3BL MEDIA

Editorial Team

We report the business case for sustainability.

Tina Casey

Mary Mazzoni

Taylor Haelterman