Daily Archives: April 11, 2022

The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously today to conditionally concur with a federal determination that allowing energy companies and organizations to study a proposed offshore wind farm area on the Humboldt County Coast is consistent with the California Coastal Management Program.

The highly technical and bureaucratic vote clears the way for companies interested in purchasing federal leases to erect large, floating offshore wind turbines to generate renewable electricity off the coast to begin studying and assessing the project site. Known as the Humboldt Wind Energy Area, that site spans 132,000 acres 21 miles off Humboldt Bay, in which the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management plans to sell up to three leases in an auction process slated to begin in the fall.

The commissions vote today does not approve the wind farms or the start of any construction activities all of which would come back before the commission in the future for further review just the potential effects of lease exploration activities, like site characterization and assessment. Those activities will likely include additional boat trips out to the area nearly 500 estimated over a three-year period and the installation of up to three buoys outfitted with scientific sampling equipment.

But commission staff made clear in its report and presentation to the commission that while BOEM believes it is premature to analyze the full scope of environmental impacts of turning a swath of ocean waters off Humboldt Bay into a wind farm, such a transformation is a reasonably foreseeable result of todays vote, so should be considered to the extent possible. Further, commission staff explained this consistency determination was a chance to lay a foundation for the commissions role in the process moving forward as the state and federal governments continue to push for a more sustainable energy grid.

Specifically, the commission approved the following seven conditions:

Condition 1 requires BOEM to work with commission staff to ensure that lessees survey, sampling and analysis plans are coordinated to minimize impacts to coastal resources.

Condition 2 requires lessees to avoid intentional contact with hard substrate, rock outcroppings, seamounts of deep-sea coral/sponge habitats, all of which are critical for the region's biodiversity.

Condition 3 requires vessels conducting site research not exceed a speed of 10 knots to avoid unintentional strikes of sea mammals.

Condition 4 requires BOEM to ensure commercial fishing vessels safe navigation through the lease areas.

Conditions 5 and 6 require engagement with environmental justice communities and Native communities on site assessment and construction and operations plans.

Condition 7 requires lessees to have an independent fisheries liaison to work with the commercial fishing community to make sure site assessment activities dont conflict with local fisheries.

The overwhelming sentiment of the commissioners was that staff had done an excellent job of working with stakeholders and across state and federal agencies to produce a report and recommendations that both properly assessed impacts of the site exploration activities and also set the table for future conversations, all while working under very tight timelines.

California is not only a leader in clean energy in the world, we are a leader in our coastal, wildlife and marine protection, particularly for biodiversity, Commission Chair Donne Brownsey said. I think that this is a good start in show that those two really important goals can be balanced and really work together. I do think thats where were starting and I hope thats where can end.

During her staff report on the subject, Commission Deputy Director of Energy, Ocean resources and Federal Consistency Kate Huckelbridge noted there are a lot of unknowns with deep-water, floating offshore wind farms but made clear there will be environmental impacts.

Theres no free lunch, she said, explaining there will be tradeoffs as the state works to triple its clean energy production in the coming decades to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.

Moving forward in the process, Huckelbridge said data collection and adaptive management will be crucial components, saying plainly the full-scale impacts of an offshore wind farm on the Pacific Coast wont be clear until projects are in the water and we are able to monitor and measure the effects.

In his comments at the meeting, Humboldt County Fifth District Supervisor and Commissioner Mike Wilson underscored that this project could have profound impacts on Humboldt County.

"We have a community leaning into this we feel a community and a global responsibility to be a part of this effort to address climate change," Wilson said, quickly adding that the community's feet are also "firmly planted" in working to minimize potential negative impacts. "No one is going to roll over us on this. We are taking this really serious."

Check out commission staffs full staff report and supporting documents here and check next weeks Journal for a more thorough report on todays meeting.

Read the rest here:

Coastal Commission Votes to Move Forward with Humboldt Offshore Wind Exploration - North Coast Journal

For several years, there has been a growing expectation that all types of business organizations must pursue sustainability, address environmental risks such as climate change, and commit to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Not just to their employees but as members of local, national, and global communities. And, the time has passed when an organization, large or small, can passively address these concerns.

In response to these considerations has been the rapid maturation of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies as part of an organizations principles and practices. In its most simple form, ESG is a snapshot of an organizations impacts and strategies in these three crucial areas for investors, regulators, potential clients, and upstream and downstream customers. In more complex settings, such as publicly-traded companies, ESG reporting is evolving into a regulatory must that even asks organizations to account for ESG considerations of suppliers and consumers.

This article is designed to provide its own snapshot of the ESG landscape in 2022. Future articles will provide a more in-depth discussion of certain segments within that landscape, including the evolving regulatory and litigation concerns. To start, what is ESG and why should businesses, large and small, care?

What is ESG

ESG criteria are a set of guiding principles for an organizations operations that customers, consumers, and even investors can use to screen an organization and how it fits with their own goals or even reporting requirements. ESG generally includes the following considerations:

With so many factors in play, ESG can mean different things to different organizations, and not all the discreet items will apply or need to be addressed by every organization. Although there is no standard approach to the measuringand reporting of ESG data, there are several reporting frameworks available to companies of all sizes. Knowing the requirements for your organization (are you required to report?) is a first step in determining how your organization may approach its ESG analysis and statements to highlight awareness and action on each of the elements.

ESG is an Issue for your Legal Team

The ESG agenda is being driven not only by community consciousness but by the rapid development of laws and regulations at the state and federal levels. Accordingly, organizations legal teams and counsel are taking on critical roles in advancing the implementation of the ESG agenda and strategies. This is in part due to the Securities Exchange Commissions (SEC) growing scrutiny of ESG reporting and the introduction of new proposed rules that will make elements of ESG required reporting. However, more requirements are coming to businesses of all sizes as organizations are asking their supply chain partners for disclosures on sustainability and ESG frameworks to integrate into their own reporting.

Regulatory Considerations

Regulation based on ESG is here and is growing in scope. Consider that in March 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced the creation of a Climate and ESG Task Force division in the Division of Enforcement. Since then, it has become increasingly clear that ESG disclosure regulations for public companies are expected to increase. This is evidenced most recently by the SEC meeting of March 21, 2022, where a proposed rule was issued that would enhance and standardize the climate-related disclosures provided by public companies. The proposed rule would require disclosure about greenhouse gas emissions by the organization reporting, as well as consideration of Scope 3 emissions, which are the indirect upstream and downstream activities in the organizations supply chain and of its consumers. While these regulations are still in the public comment period, heightened scrutiny is coming to public companies and by extension, their suppliers.

Litigation Risks and Greenwashing

As with any developing business practice and regulation, litigation inherently follows, and this is no different in the ESG space. In fact, the litigation arising from ESG considerations even has its own name, Greenwashing.Greenwashing is when a business creates the impression through branding or marketing, or an erroneous or misleading ESG statement, that it and its products are environmentally friendly.Greenwashing may come from an intentional act or simply arise from poor wording or over-stating an organizations capabilities. Suits in this space may come from a variety of sources: consumer groups; consumer class actions; private actions where a company or investor relies on an inaccurate ESG statement of an organization; or even state or federal regulators. A future article will take a deeper dive into the rise in Greenwashing claims and the different actions that an organization may need to be aware of. For now, its worth considering that, just like other areas of business strategy, the best defense often begins with an active review by counsel as ESG strategies are developed and implemented.

What to Take Away

For many organizations, ESG is a strategic move to keep pace as the social consciousness in business organizations continues to evolve. For others, ESG reporting is a move to promote compliance with evolving laws and regulations.Or it could be that your business falls somewhere between the two ends of the spectrum.Wherever your organization falls and whatever the motivations, actively engaging your understanding of ESG has quickly become an essential element of operating in todays environmentally and socially conscious business environment.

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The Evolution of ESG in 2022 | Maron Marvel Bradley Anderson & Tardy LLC - JDSupra - JD Supra

In full transparency, the following is a press release from the Massachusetts Attorney Generals office submitted to SOURCE media. (stock photo)

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BOSTON In effort to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in both academic and sports settings, Attorney General Maura Healey today announced she is partnering with state leaders to help prevent and address hate and bias incidents in school athletic programs in Massachusetts.

AG Healey announced the partnership today during avirtual event called Addressing Hate & Bias in School Athletics: A Call to Action,that her office hosted in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, and Massachusetts School Administrators Association. The event provided a robust discussion and resources for school administrators, athletic directors, coaches, and referees.

In recent months, a rise in reported hate-based incidents across Massachusetts has presented an acute need and a clear opportunity for school and state leaders to come together and redouble efforts to ensure that schools and athletic programs provide a safe and healthy environment for young people.

As part of the event, AG Healey announced anew collaborative projectto expand programming around preventing and addressing hate and bias incidents in school sports, including an in-person conference planned for the start of the 2022-2023 school year, and regional trainings to be conducted by Northeastern Universitys Center for the Study of Sport in Society.

Sports can be a powerful tool for bringing people together, but in recent months weve seen too many examples where the hate and bias that infects so much of our culture has made its way into our locker rooms and onto our playing fields, saidAG Healey. At the end of the day, there is nothing more important than investing in the health and well-being of our young people. I want to thank our partner organizations and school leaders who are ready to build positive change throughout the state.

School sports are important to students physical and mental health and are a great way to build a sense of community, but only when teams, locker rooms and competitions are safe and welcoming places for everyone, saidElementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley.This has been a challenging year in many ways, and Im glad to see so many leaders convene around this important issue.

There is no more important responsibility of our schools than providing a safe and supportive environment for our students to grow as responsible citizens, saidTim Piwowar, President of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. Hate and bias have no place in our schools and community, and it is our collective responsibility to set appropriate expectations for our students.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association is positioned to play a significant role in growing the courageous leaders of tomorrow, saidRobert Baldwin, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. Utilizing interscholastic athletics as a platform that proactively promotes behaviors that instill respect for self, team, opponents, officials, rules and the game itself prioritizes our core responsibility particularly educational athletics, which includes sportsmanship and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Todays event provided attendees with information on current resources available to schools, including the AGs newSchool Sports Guidance. Following todays event, the AGs Office and its partnering organizations will host an in-person conference for school administrators, athletic directors, coaches, and referees, including panel discussions and workshops on best practices around creating a positive school environment and reporting hate and bias incidents. In addition, regional trainings across the state will beconducted by Northeastern Universitys Center for the Study of Sport in Societyto provide more in-depth training and equip school and athletic program leaders with the tools they need to empower and support their students and to prevent and address hate.

We, at the Northeastern Universitys Center for the Study of Sport in Society, applaud Attorney General Maura Healey for her leadership and unwavering commitment to stop the promulgation and proliferation of hate wherever it exists in our Commonwealth and beyond, saidDan Lebowitz, Executive Director of The Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University. Sport is an impact engine of inclusion. It has the power to elevate conversation, inspire individual and collective change agency, and create true, sustainable change. AG Healey, her office, and all the committed stakeholders in this initiative, see and embrace sport as a pathway to positive youth engagement, social-emotional development, and the collective community inherent in teamwork. Hate and hurt have no place in sport, and we remain grateful to AG Healey for her responsive proactivity in creating such an intentional program of hope and healing. We are honored to contribute and be part of the team.

For more information on the AGs project on addressing hate and bias in sports and to sign your school up for upcoming programs and trainings,click here.

Senator Jason Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education: Every student athlete in the Commonwealth should feel safe and supported on their team and in their school, and there should be zero tolerance for any incidents of hate or bias. I appreciate the leadership of Attorney General Healey, Commissioner Riley, and others who have joined together to help amplify this important message.

Representative Alice H. Peisch, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Education: The Commonwealth and the rest of the nation have seen a noticeable increase of racist, homophobic, and antisemitic incidents in school athletics over the last few years. Recent school-based incidents involving hate and bias, both on and off the field, demonstrate that there is still work to be done in strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion in our education system. Addressing this issue has been a consistent goal of the Legislature, as evidenced by the recent passage of legislation pertaining to genocide education. I am fully supportive of the efforts being undertaken by school administrators, athletic directors, and coaches from across the state, and I look forward to working closely with my legislative colleagues on continuing to prioritize actions to eliminate hate and bias from our schools.

Tanisha Sullivan, President of NAACP Boston: When the NAACP Boston launched Take the Lead with our professional sports teams in 2017, it was with the belief that athletes and the sports community have an important role to play in stomping out hate and bias and promoting the American values of justice and equality. Following that lead, and to build stronger school communities, it is critically important that we invest in education and supports to ensure that our youth athletes and programs are also serving as champions of anti-hate and bias in our school communities.

Ivn Espinoza-Madrigal, Executive Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights: We are grateful for the Attorney Generals leadership in ensuring equity and fairness in school athletic programs. Hate and bias have no place in sports.

Robert Trestan, Anti-Defamation League New England Regional Director: The need for a statewide call to action to end hate, bias and hazing in youth sports could not be greater. Leadership and education remain the pathway to eliminating hate from the locker rooms, fields, gyms and arenas.

Patience Crozier, GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders Senior Staff Attorney: Everyone should have a place in school athletics.Through sports, youth learnessentiallife skills like teamwork and collaboration and, most importantly, they have fun.LGBTQ students experience high rates of bullying in schools, and this bias-based bullyingleads tohigher rates of anxiety and depression.Our school communities coaches, teachers, administrators, adult caregivers, and student-athletes- must work together to foster inclusion and safety in athletics.Too often lately, weve heard disturbing reports of anti-LGBTQand racialbias and bullying in local locker rooms.Were grateful to see this initiative.Together, we can do better, raise awareness, and send a collective message that hate and bias have no place in Massachusetts school sports.

Kimm Topping, The Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students Program Manager: We are proud that Massachusetts is a leader in creating safe and supportive school communities for all students, and yetLGBTQ students in our state continue to experience disproportionate risk. We must be intentional in upholding the anti-discriminationpolicies and best practices that our state has created to protect all students, particularly those experiencing marginalization. We hope that todays collaboration will ultimately create new resources that will allow districts to be even more proactive in protecting students through training, technical assistance, and ongoing education.

Anh Vu Sawyer, The Southeast Asian Coalition of Massachusetts Executive Director: Hate and bias against members of our communities too often spills into our schools and even our school sports teams. We are grateful for the work of the Attorney Generals Office to provide resources to schools and athletic programs to address hate incidents and ensure a supportive and inclusive environment for all kids.

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Mass Attorney General Hosts Virtual Call-To-Action To Address Hate & Bias in School Athletics - framinghamsource.com

(As prepared for delivery)

In declaring our nations independence nearly 350 years ago, our founders affirmed the belief that all men are created equal. But as our nation evolved, that founding principle did not result in equal opportunity or equal outcomes for all Americans. When I became Ways and Means Chairman, I made it a priority that our Committee would explore why thats the case and what Congress can do to level the playing field for everyone.

For more than three years now, examining the health and economic inequities engrained in our systems has been central to our work. Our hearings on these issues have looked at a range of topics, from the maternal mortality crisis to the ways the tax code subsidizes hate, to the need for trade policies to include workforce protections.

Our experience with COVID-19, in particular, has heightened the Committees focus on the overlapping issues of health and economic disparities. Early in the pandemic, Ways and Means held the first virtual hearing in the history of the House of Representatives to examine the disparate impact COVID-19 has had on communities of color.

Throughout the pandemic, this Committee has led Congress in crafting policies that promote an equitable recovery, so that all Americans can see their lives improve.

Todays hearing is our next step in this continuing equity work. From health to tax to trade to worker and family support programs, today, we will seek to understand how racial biases have been baked into our policy choices and resulted in stark inequities for communities of color.

In the 20th century, Congress passed several socially transformative pieces of legislation that we all know well. Landmark policy initiatives like the New Deal, the G.I. bill, and the Great Society built out our middle class in unprecedented ways, but they did so unequally. Simply because of skin color, some Americans were left standing on the sidelines without access to the supports that brought the American Dream within reach for many White Americans.

The repercussions of decades-old policy decisions that intentionally excluded communities of color reverberate through our society today. We still see significant gaps in income and wealth accumulation that have compounded over generations.

For example:

There is no denying that the American economy does not work for everyone.

Just as these inequities have stemmed from policy choices made decades ago, we now have the opportunity to make different choices.

Enhancing the EITC and closing the Medicaid coverage gap are examples of policy decisions that can help change our nations trajectory and improve outcomes for everyone.

The zero-sum mindset that the advancement of some people holds others back is false. Fuller participation in our economy means a stronger economy for everyone.

We have an opportunity and a responsibility to address racism to build the inclusive and equitable benefits and shared prosperity that all of us deserve.

This is not an easy conversation, but it is one we need to have. I am reminded of the words of our dear friend, the north star of the Committee, John Lewis. He said:

When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something. Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.

With an honest dialogue and intentional policies, we can improve our laws and public programs to truly deliver on the promise of the American Dream so that all Americans have the opportunity to experience economic advancement and live healthy lives.

And with that, I would like to yield the balance of my time to the co-chairs of the Committees Racial Equity Initiative. Representatives Terri Sewell, Steven Horsford, and Jimmy Gomez have spent considerable time focusing on these issues and spearheading this important work and I think their brief remarks can help us frame todays discussion.

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Read more:

Neal Opening Statement at Hearing on Overcoming Racism to Advance Economic Opportunity - Ways and Means Committee

Gina Coleman shares her thoughts on challenges in the D&I space and PNC objectives.

Northampton, MA --News Direct-- PNC Financial Services Group

PNC Chief Diversity Officer Gina Coleman believes the banks commitment to inclusion shapes how people lead, interact with their colleagues and deliver on business strategies. A former PNC client and community relations director in the Detroit markets office of the regional president, she returned to the bank after nearly two years most recently serving as chief sales officer for MassMutual Great Lakes. Coleman officially began her role as chief diversity officer Jan. 1, 2022 and is looking forward to elevating and strengthening Diversity and Inclusion at PNC.

During her previous tenure at PNC, she not only participated in PNCs Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRG), but she co-founded one the Womens Connect EBRG. Coleman also became a PNC-certified Womens Business Advocate to use her expertise in helping women thrive in their businesses and has worked to drive engagement in PNCs market-level diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Today, Coleman spends her time building strategies and programs that allow PNC to grow and sustain a talented, diverse workforce and works to further advance a culture of inclusion among PNCs stakeholders. She shares her thoughts on some of PNCs D&I objectives and the challenges corporations face in the space.

What do you think are the greatest challenges facing corporate diversity and inclusion?

I see the greatest corporate challenges being centered on the slow progress of diverse representation in senior-level roles, effective measurements of impact within D&I programs, deeper embedding of D&I into talent, recruitment and retention and the drive for inclusion during this current remote and flexible environment. The effects of the pandemic, the great reshuffling of talent and a wave of state legislation impacting segments of diverse populations add to these challenges.

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D&I is one of PNCs core values, can you share its importance from a business perspective?

D&I is a business imperative, and we must approach it and manage it like any other business strategy. Its not just a nice thing to do, but something that has a tangible impact on business success and should be viewed as a strategic necessity.

As we continue to navigate operating in this flexible work environment and with talent being top of mind, I believe now more than ever that fostering inclusion and embracing diversity is an integral component for PNCs success. Even with present-day challenges, I'm excited about the critical role that D&I plays.

Our commitment to inclusion really shapes how we lead, how we interact with our colleagues, how we deliver on our business objectives and how we serve our customers, communities and all PNC stakeholders.

What are your key priorities as PNC's Chief Diversity Officer?

For more than a decade, PNC has been on a progressive D&I journey led by our first chief diversity officer, Marsha Jones. Our focus has been and continues to be centered on our greatest asset, our employees, while being intentional in building diverse, high-performing teams.

We are committed to fostering a culture where every employee is respected, valued, and has a sense of belonging and confidence to bring their authentic selves to work and pursue equitable opportunities for growth. We will continue driving inclusion and increasing engagement of our D&I initiatives through our core pillars of Workforce, Workplace and Marketplace.

Increasing diverse representation within all ranks of our workforce will continue to be a priority. We know that talented teams, with varied experiences, skills and perspectives help us to better innovate, create solutions to help meet the needs of our growing and increasingly diverse customer base.

We look to further embed inclusion and mitigate bias in our policies and practices and advance the integration of D&I with our culture, customer experience and community. And we will continue to strengthen accountability measures across PNC for all employees, especially our people leaders. Advancing our efforts will require more transparency around workforce demographics and sharing measures of progress.

How will you measure D&I success at PNC?

Our success relies on objectives that are measurable, where employees and managers, at all levels, are being held accountable in living our values and meeting PNC leadership standards.

We leverage clear and transparent metrics around workforce demographics. We track engagement in D&I learning and development and survey our employees at least twice a year to garner feedback that informs action and meaningful progress.

Senior leaders are responsible for identifying opportunities to increase diverse representation and develop and execute plans to drive change.

We set an example from the top of the house through PNCs corporate diversity council. This council comprises senior executives across a wide range of busines lines. I serve as co-chair alongside PNC CEO Bill Demchak on the council, which helps define accountability measures, strategizes how we attract, retain and develop a talented and diverse workforce. Council members serve as sponsors and champions for targeted D&I initiatives throughout the enterprise.

In the spirit of accountability, we have an equity and inclusion subcommittee of the PNC board of directors. As the chief diversity officer, I work closely with the corporate responsibility officer, the chief human resources officer and our CEO to oversee these collective D&I efforts at PNC.

What areas of diversity and inclusion will be under the spotlight in the year ahead?

I think its important to continue our D&I work through our three main pillars of Workforce, Workplace and Marketplace, but well also be working to elevate how we deliver and measure the impact of our programs.

Workforce objectives will be to engage more employees and managers by expanding our Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs), especially in our expanded markets. We currently have 12 EBRGs, with over 100 chapters and over 14,000 participants throughout our footprint. We will support retention efforts by growing participation of our D&I mentoring program.

All efforts within the Workplace pillar contribute to fostering inclusive skills and behaviors. We want to drive a best-in-class, inclusive culture that will help to build diverse representation and give all employees a sense of belonging. D&I learning, and development will be centered on building self-awareness and leadership skills.

We will continue to focus on our Listen, Learn and Act framework to keep employee needs, front and center while providing actionable D&I tools and resources for all to participate. Our 20 D&I line of business councils work to further D&I objectives through their respective verticals.

In Marketplace, we want to continue enabling diverse customer and business growth. This allows us to create a compelling and competitive brand within the communities we are a part of and serve. This work will be delivered through the lens of the three tenets of our Corporate Responsibility Group education, economic empowerment and entrepreneurship with our 40-plus D&I regional councils, that align with our Main Street bank model, D&I business roundtables, history and heritage and thought leadership programs.

Those Corporate Responsibility tenets are captured in PNCs $88 billion Community Benefits Plan, which commits to providing better economic opportunities for the communities and people we serve. Its our hope that we can better offer access to capital and resources to traditionally underrepresented individuals and communities specifically low- and moderate-income individuals and neighborhoods, as well as women, veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ population and people from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds. That attention to inclusivity will put us on top.

It's important to note that D&I at PNC does not operate in a silo. We have strategic alignment with key internal partners throughout the enterprise, including multiple areas within human resources, supplier diversity, marketing, legal and many more. Everyone in the company plays a vital role in advancing our efforts and meeting key performance objectives.

Its going to take engagement with all our stakeholders to get there. This work is important in our efforts to be a better colleague, a better company, a better community and a better investment.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from PNC Financial Services Group on 3blmedia.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/pnc-chief-diversity-officer-inclusion-is-key-factor-in-shaping-business-195302226

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PNC Chief Diversity Officer: Inclusion Is Key Factor in Shaping Business - Yahoo Finance