Day: September 9, 2021

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Sphera Announces Expanded Availability of Environmental, Social and Governance Reporting Solutions

Sphera’s ESG offering supports companies on the path to net zero while reducing operational risk and enhancing brand reputation.

CHICAGO, Sept. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sphera®, a global leader in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risk and performance management software, data and consulting services, announces the widespread availability of its integrated ESG solutions. They consist of a comprehensive suite of data, software and consulting services that help customers quickly and effectively elevate their ESG performance and reporting capability.

With this expanded offering, Sphera customers will have better access to data-driven insights to maximize cost-effectiveness, increase the value of their investments in corporate social responsibility efforts, and satisfy both traditional compliance and future sustainability needs. Managing ESG performance reduces exposure to environmental risk, increases revenue and drives organizations into a sustainable future. With growing investor demand for measurable ESG progress, business leaders need to be able to demonstrate their ESG performance with clarity and confidence. Sphera has adapted its technology suite to specifically address this burgeoning market need. Features of Sphera’s integrated ESG solutions include:

  • Industry-based sustainability data to provide reliable data-driven insights—close to 15,000 datasets for more than 20 industries—into a company’s value chain and create a foundation for fact-based improvement and communication of your ESG performance.
  • Connected, scalable software solutions to ensure transparency and increase the efficiency of each stage of a customer’s sustainability and ESG journey.
  • Expert-led ESG guidance from sustainability consultants to bring deep sector and method-specific knowledge into the equation.

Moving toward a net-zero emission target is one of the most important metrics for ESG reporting. However, the assessment, management and reduction of Scope 3 emissions are the most difficult parts to achieve due to the huge amount of information that needs to be collected and analyzed. Sphera’s combination of data, software and expertise helps companies address these strategic decarbonization challenges.

Sphera’s ESG solution also incorporates a number of widely accepted disclosure framework standards, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).  This flexibility enables companies across industries to efficiently report their sustainability activities in relevant, sector-specific terms.

“Innovation has always been at the heart of Sphera’s mission, and our laser focus on staying ahead of the risk management curve has helped us evolve to become a leading integrated ESG software, data and services organization—at a time when our clients need these services the most,” said Paul Marushka, Sphera’s president and CEO. “Companies with the highest levels of ESG performance see greater returns on their investments, and we believe our comprehensive solutions can help them harness this powerful correlation.”

Sphera has long been at the forefront of innovative sustainability reporting solutions, leveraging its triple-powered approach of Innovation, Information and Insights to help companies improve their ESG performance.​ Verdantix, an independent analyst firm, recently named Sphera as a market leader for environmental compliance, sustainability management and sustainability reporting in its EHS Software Benchmark report. Sphera achieved the highest aggregate score for environmental compliance management and Corporate Sustainability solutions.

“Sphera is one of the few digital solution providers to bring together capabilities for sustainability reporting, ESG risk management and product stewardship. They’ve made meaningful investments in building their ESG reporting capabilities,” added David Metcalfe, CEO of Verdantix. “Their recognition in our EHS Software Benchmark report is a direct reflection of their commitment to leading the way for corporate sustainability excellence.”

To learn more about how Sphera is helping customers in their sustainability journey, read about how the company helped Aptar, a global leader in packaging and drug delivery devices, validate their ESG risks and opportunities according to the TCFD methodology.

Dr. Michele Del Grosso, global program manager of sustainability at Aptar said that, “Sphera’s corporate sustainability and strategy experts provided Aptar with valuable insights into the financial implications of our climate-related risks and opportunities. This enabled us to provide our stakeholders with valid proof of our environmental performance. By integrating the results into CDP reporting, we were able to improve ESG performance and recognition to become a CDP 2020 Climate A-List company.”

For additional information on how Sphera is helping customers meet and exceed ESG performance goals, visit https://sphera.com/begin-your-esg-sustainability-journey/.

About Sphera

Sphera creates a safer, more sustainable and productive world. We are a leading global provider of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and risk management software, data and consulting services with a focus on Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S), Operational Risk Management and Product Stewardship.

For media enquiries, please contact:

[email protected]

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New Global Study Supports Healthy Buildings as a Critical Public Health Strategy

Study substantiates prior findings that improved indoor air quality leads to enhanced cognitive function and health of building occupants

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — For the first time on a global scale, new research has found that healthy buildings with enhanced ventilation can improve the cognitive function and health of occupants, suggesting that ventilation and filtration are preeminent healthy building strategies. The study, COGfx Study 3: Global Buildings, was led by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health as part of the renowned COGfx Study series, which examines the impact of indoor air quality on how people think and feel. This latest study supports the prior studies’ lab and U.S. findings and further supports that indoor air quality is not only good for people’s health and safety, it’s good for the bottom line – through increased productivity, fewer sick days and better cognitive function.

“As more people move toward returning to offices, schools and recreational activities, the health, safety and intelligence of indoor environments have come into greater focus,” said Dave Gitlin, Chairman & CEO, Carrier. “The COGfx Study continues to demonstrate that proper ventilation and filtration of indoor environments plays an important role across the globe in fostering a proactive health strategy. At Carrier, we are focused on delivering innovative solutions and services that positively impact the health, productivity and cognitive performance of occupants of all buildings.”

The COGfx Study 3: Global Buildings examined the impact of indoor air quality on the cognitive function of office workers across six countries – China, India, Mexico, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The research found that cognitive function declines as the levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO2) increase. Higher CO2 can be an indicator of poor ventilation in buildings.

Importantly, mechanical ventilation, such as an HVAC system with efficient filtration, can help to protect building occupants from the negative cognitive effects of PM2.5 and CO2. In addition to acute impacts on cognitive function, reducing exposure to PM2.5 is associated with many other health benefits including reductions in cardiovascular disease, asthma attacks, and premature death.

While the research focused on office employees in commercial buildings, the takeaways are applicable for all indoor environments. Carrier offers numerous products and services that optimize indoor air quality, including a suite of advanced solutions through Carrier’s Healthy Buildings Program that serves key verticals including, healthcare, hospitality, education, retail and marine. Carrier’s Healthy Buildings Program offers innovations including:

  • Abound – A digital, cloud-native platform that aggregates data from different systems and sensors and provides transparency into insights about air quality, thermal comfort, and other performance data.
  • OptiClean™ Dual-Mode Air Scrubber & Negative Air Machine – A portable negative air machine, which cleans and removes air potentially contaminated by the coronavirus.
  • Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Assessments – A selection of IAQ assessments to identify healthy building strategies that can be applied to buildings now and ensure solutions are effective long into the future.

This latest research builds on previous COGfx studies that demonstrated better thinking and better health can be found inside healthier buildings. The first study found cognitive function test scores doubled when study participants were in simulated green building environments with enhanced ventilation as opposed to conventional building environments. The COGfx Study 2 examined real-world building environments in the U.S. and showed that employees in green-certified buildings showed 26% higher cognitive function test scores and 30% fewer sick building symptoms versus buildings that were not green-certified.

The COGfx Study 3 can be found here and full reports are available at www.theCOGfxStudy.com. Follow the discussion on Twitter using the hashtag #TheCOGfxStudy.

Primary support for the study came from Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE:CARR).

About Carrier

As the leading global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions, Carrier Global Corporation is committed to making the world safer, sustainable and more comfortable for generations to come. From the beginning, we’ve led in inventing new technologies and entirely new industries. Today, we continue to lead because we have a world-class, diverse workforce that puts the customer at the center of everything we do. For more information, visit www.Corporate.Carrier.com or follow us on social media at @Carrier.

Contact: Danielle Canzanella
860-221-8457
Danielle.Canzanella@carrier.com

PDF – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1611980/Corporate_Carrier_COGfx_Study_3_Results_Infographic_0921.pdf

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In First Summit with International Business & Government Leaders, Essential Workers to Discuss Framework for Just COVID-19 Recovery

*Tune into Day 2 of the Summit at 13:00 GMT at essentialforrecovery.org*

London, UK, Sept. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wednesday, Sept. 8 marked the opening day of the first-ever global summit of essential workers. Participants from around the world tuned in to a powerful conversation about an economic recovery that prioritizes essential workers, especially women in the informal economy.

“Universal social protections for essential workers are no longer a choice for governments; it is a very necessary move for governments to take,” Lorraine Sibanda, president of StreetNet International, an international alliance of street vendors, told the crowd.

The Essential for Recovery summit, which runs from September 8 through September 10, brings together essential workers from North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia with global business and government leaders to discuss a framework for a just economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The event centers the demands of care workers and the 61% of workers worldwide who labor in the informal economy, including domestic workers, agricultural workers, street vendors, and home-based workers.

“Home-based workers contribute around $300 billion to the economy, but they don’t get any benefit out of it. We are part of supply chains but we are not recognized as contributors to the supply chains,” said Saira Feroze of the Home-Based Women Workers Federation, on Day 1 of the summit.

The first day of the innovative summit brought together diverse voices from across the globe. Martha Chen, a lecturer at Harvard and senior advisor to Women in Informal Employement: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), interviewed Rosheda Muller, president of the South African Informal Traders Alliance, on how street vendors are organizing globally. Legendary South African labor leader Myrtle Witbooi spoke with Maina Kiai, senior official at Human Rights Watch and former United Nations Special Rapporteur. And actor and activist Martin Sheen and actress Yalitza Aparicio made special appearances.

“COVID-19 taught us the importance of all workers in different sectors, recognizing that they deserve decent work and are important in the global economy. Governments know about this issue, but what are they doing about it?” asked Aparicio, who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the 2019 movie Roma.

Day 2 of the event on Thursday will focus on the fight against inequality, sexual harassment, and abuse in the workplace. Guests include: Rosa Pavanelli, the General Secretary of Public Services International, interviewing “Mama Union” Rose Omamo, leader of the Kenyan metal workers union; journalist Xanthe Scharff interviewing Mercedes D’Alessandro, feminist economist and Argentine government official; and journalist Reena Ninan interviewing business leader Brid Gould of Sodexo.

About Essential For Recovery:

The Essential for Recovery Summit is led by non-profit labor organizations — including  HomeNet International, International Domestic Workers’ Federation, International Trade Union Confederation, Solidarity Center, StreetNet International, UNI Global Union, and Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing — and supported by the Open Society Foundations.

Communications
Open Society Foundations 
(212)-548-0378
media@opensocietyfoundations.org
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Reimagining ADAS and AD Solutions, Join LeddarTech at Three Major International Events in September 2021

QUEBEC CITY, Sept. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LeddarTech®, a global leader in Level 1-5 ADAS and AD sensing technology, is pleased to announce its participation in several digital and in-person events during September in the capacity of both an exhibitor and presenter. These global events will showcase LeddarTech’s comprehensive end-to-end technology platforms, which enable customers to solve critical sensing and perception challenges across the entire value chain of the automotive and mobility markets. These featured solutions include the LeddarVision™ sensor-fusion and perception platform and the cost-effective, scalable LiDAR development platform based on patented LeddarEngine™ technology.

“The acceleration of autonomous driving depends heavily on the ADAS solutions being developed today,” stated Daniel Aitken, VP of Global Marketing, Communications, and Product Management at LeddarTech. “These upcoming events highlight LeddarTech’s scalable and flexible reimagined approach with LiDAR and sensor-fusion and perception solutions that address individual customer needs,” he continued. “We are especially pleased to have Mike Thoeny, President of the Automotive Business Group at Flex, co-host one of our sessions. We look forward to you joining us for one or all of these events,” Mr. Aitken concluded.

Industry Tech Days – September 13-17 (Digital)

Industry Tech Days brings essential insights in electronics, everything from edge intelligence design to next-generation automotive sensors, delivered LIVE straight from industry experts to your desktop or mobile device.

Join LeddarTech for two presentations:

  • “Sensor-Fusion and Perception Solutions for Key ADAS and AD Applications” (Use Case), featuring Youval Nehmadi, Engineering Director, LeddarTech Sensor Fusion and Perception Platform Research & Development Center, Israel.
  • “Why Flexible Platforms Are Required for Future ADAS/AD Deployments,” by Frantz Saintellemy, LeddarTech’s President and COO, and Mike Thoeny, President of the Automotive Business Group at Flex.

Register for free here.

China International Optoelectronic Conference (CIOE) / MEMS Seminar – September 16-18 (Live in Shenzhen, China)

CIOE is China’s largest optoelectronic industry event, held in the Shenzhen World Convention and Exhibition Center. Mr. Horry Cheng will represent LeddarTech on the panel for “LiDAR and 3D Camera Sensing Technology & Applications,” and LeddarTech will also exhibit at this prestigious event.

Register here.

Automotive LiDAR Conference 2021 – September 21- 23 (Digital Event)

This conference is one of the only events exclusively focused on automotive LiDAR technologies and applications. The conference sessions will present the various approaches in developing a LiDAR system and explain the reasons for choosing one approach over another.

  • Join LeddarTech’s CTO Pierre Olivier on September 21 at 2:00 p.m. EST for his featured presentation “Combining LiDAR, Radar, and Camera: Sensor Fusion Challenges and Solutions.”

Register here.

For a complete list of LeddarTech’s upcoming live and virtual events, please visit leddartech.com/events.

About LeddarTech

LeddarTech is a leader in environmental sensing platforms for autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems. Founded in 2007, LeddarTech has evolved to become a comprehensive end-to-end environmental sensing company by enabling customers to solve critical sensing and perception challenges across the entire value chain of the automotive and mobility market segments. With its LeddarVision™ sensor-fusion and perception platform and its cost-effective, scalable, and versatile LiDAR development solution for automotive-grade solid-state LiDARs based on the LeddarEngine™, LeddarTech enables Tier 1-2 automotive system integrators to develop full-stack sensing solutions for autonomy level 1 to 5. These solutions are actively deployed in autonomous shuttles, trucks, buses, delivery vehicles, smart cities/factories, and robotaxi applications. The company is responsible for several innovations in cutting-edge automotive and mobility remote-sensing applications, with over 100 patented technologies (granted or pending) enhancing ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities.

Additional information about LeddarTech is accessible at www.leddartech.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Contact:
Daniel Aitken, Vice-President, Global Marketing, Communications, and Product Management, LeddarTech Inc.
Tel.: + 1-418-653-9000 ext. 232
[email protected]

Leddar, LeddarTech, LeddarSteer, LeddarEngine, LeddarVision, LeddarSP, LeddarCore, VAYADrive, VayaVision, and related logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeddarTech Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names, and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners.

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Zoom Video Communications To Hold Financial Analyst Briefing During Zoomtopia

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) will hold a Financial Analyst Briefing on September 13, 2021 during its premier customer event, Zoomtopia. The event will be hosted by members of the executive team and will cover Zoom’s business strategy, opportunities, and initiatives.

Attendees of the Financial Analyst Briefing must first register for Zoomtopia at: https://www.zoomtopia.com/. Once registered, attendees will receive instructions for joining the Zoomtopia lobby from where they may search for and join the Financial Analyst Briefing track. The live video webinar will begin at 2pm ET/11am PT, and last for approximately two hours. Attendees must update their Zoom client to version to 5.7.6 or later in order to run Zoom Events and join the session smoothly.

A replay will be available approximately three hours after the conclusion of the live event at https://investors.zoom.us/news-events/events.

About Zoom

Zoom is for you. We help you express ideas, connect to others, and build toward a future limited only by your imagination. Our frictionless communications platform is the only one that started with video as its foundation, and we have set the standard for innovation ever since. That is why we are an intuitive, scalable, and secure choice for large enterprises, small businesses, and individuals alike. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Visit zoom.com and follow @zoom.

Press Relations

Colleen Rodriguez
Global PR Lead for Zoom
[email protected]

Investor Relations

Tom McCallum
Head of Investor Relations for Zoom
408.675.6738
[email protected]

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Rain-wind/thundershower expected in ICT, Punjab, KP, GB, Kashmir, Balochistan & Sindh

Rain-wind/thundershower (with isolated heavy falls) is expected in Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, eastern Balochistan and Sindh during the next twelve hours.

Temperature of some major cities recorded this morning:

Islamabad twenty-two degree centigrade, Lahore and Peshawar twenty-five, Karachi twenty-seven, Quetta twenty-four, Gilgit and Murree sixteen and Muzaffarabad twenty-one degree centigrade.

According to Met office forecast for Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, cloudy/chances of rain-wind thundershower weather is expected in Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian and Baramulla.

Temperature recorded this morning: Srinagar eighteen degree centigrade, Jammu twenty-four, Leh thirteen, Pulwama and Baramulla seventeen, Anantnag and Shopian sixteen degree centigrade.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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Government not to make any compromise on safety, dignity of women: Sarwar

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has said that an awareness campaign will be launched in universities of province about torture and sexual harassment against women.

Talking to a delegation of Women Peace Council Punjab led by MPA Uzma Kardar in Lahore on Thursday, he said the PTI government will not make any compromise on the safety and dignity of women.

He termed the incidents of harassment against women as a cancer for the nation and country.

He said culprits involved in such crimes cannot be given any concession and they will be dealt as per law and constitution.

Source: Radio Pakistan

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Steps on modern lines being taken to increase SMEs in country: Khusro

Federal Minister for Industries and Production Khusro Bakhtiar Ahmed has said that steps on modern lines are being taken to increase small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) in the country.

This he said in a meeting with Governor Sindh Imran Ismail in Karachi on Thursday.

They discussed construction and development of industrial zones, issues of Pakistan steel mills and other issues of bilateral interest.

Khusro Bakhtiar said that new SMEs policy will result in increase in business in the country and said that all possible facilities are being provided to the business community linked with industrial sector.

Source: Radio Pakistan