Award ceremony in November 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the WEC Gold Medal 

WASHINGTON, D.C. APRIL 22, 2024. The World Environment Center (WEC) today announced the WEC 40^th Gold Medal Award for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development is awarded to Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE:CARR), global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions. The WEC Gold Medal Award will be presented at an in-person ceremony in Washington, D.C. on November 13, 2024.

Since 1985, the WEC Gold Medal Award has been presented annually to a global company that has integrated sustainability into its business practices, created ground-breaking solutions to critical environmental and social challenges, and demonstrated global leadership to accelerate progress toward a sustainable future.

An independent Gold Medal Jury comprised of recognized sustainability experts selected Carrier in recognition of its ambitious environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, including helping its customers avoid more than 1 gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade. The Jury awarded Carrier for its commitment to sustainability reflected in the solutions offered in their products and services, investments made towards climate and energy innovations and continued commitment to their 2030 goals.

Gold Medal Jury Chair Linda Fisher, former Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer of Dupont, said, “On behalf of the Jury, I extend my sincere congratulations to Carrier for its thoughtful approach to sustainability. Their commitments coupled with global initiatives and partnerships have a far-reaching and positive sustainability impact around the world.”

In acknowledging receipt of the prestigious global sustainability award, Hakan Yilmaz, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer at Carrier said “We are honored to be the recipient of the 40th Gold Medal award, a recognition that shines a light on Carrier’s longtime commitment to innovating groundbreaking technologies and solutions that advance sustainability around the world. As a global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, we are reimagining environments for today and tomorrow to create a positive impact on people and our planet.

“We congratulate Carrier and salute the company’s deep understanding of its important role in getting the world to net zero,” said WEC President and CEO Margaret O’Gorman, “It is fitting that the 40^th Gold Medal Award recognizes innovation by a company that so closely aligns with WEC’s values of empowering sustainability leadership through intelligence, empowerment and action.”

The Jury is independent of WEC and its programs, and is composed of international leaders from academia, government, non-governmental organizations, and retired industry professionals. The winner is selected through a global competition among nominated companies invited to apply for the Award. Previous recipients of the WEC Gold Medal Award include Jacobs, AB InBev, Microsoft, the Ford Motor Company, Trane Technologies (formerly Ingersoll Rand), Ecolab, HP Inc., Jacobs, SC Johnson.

About the World Environment Center (WEC)
The World Environment Center advances sustainable development through corporate business practices. Headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Europe and Latin America, WEC advances corporate sustainability leadership through its global executive roundtable on key challenges and opportunities, builds capacity of small enterprises in emerging markets, and honors industry excellence through its annual Gold Medal Award. WEC is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization. For more information, please visit www.wec.org.

About Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC)
WHC has been working at the nexus of business and biodiversity for 35 years and is the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature. WHC builds strategies and frameworks for companies to integrate nature with climate, equity and engagement to support sustainable ecosystems and healthy communities. WHC corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations. WHC-certified programs can be found in nineteen countries and 48 U.S. states.

Earlier this year, WHC and WEC announced plans to combine the two organizations into a new entity. This combination will expand opportunities for best-in-class collaborations with companies to halt and restore nature loss, improve water stewardship, enhance climate and community resilience and support the transition to a circular economy. The new organization name and branding is expected to launch in the fall of 2024.

BETHESDA, Md., April 10, 2024 – WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) offers a new white paper available for download today, Enhancing Habitats for Reptiles and Amphibians | Corporate Conservation Efforts to Protect Herptiles. The white paper is sponsored by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and is available for free on our website.

Reptiles and amphibians have a rich global diversity. From painted turtles to green tree frogs, alligators to fire salamanders, these groups of species — collectively referred to as herptiles — exhibit many colors, shapes and sizes and exist on all continents except Antarctica. Unfortunately, herptiles are also among the world’s most endangered species.

Given reptiles’ and amphibians’ ubiquity, their important ecological roles and their sensitivity to environmental disturbances, conservation efforts to support these species are vital. This white paper highlights examples of reptile and amphibian conservation projects at corporate sites around the world. These case studies share how, at varying scales, corporations can meet the needs of reptiles and amphibians. Featured case studies from WHC-Certified sites include:

• Ashland: 009 Landfill, Georgia, USA
• Atlantic Richfield Company, a bp subsidiary: Warm Springs Ponds, Montana, USA
• Boston Properties: Carnegie Center, New Jersey, USA
• Canadian Nuclear: Chalk River Laboratories, Ontario, Canada
• Covia: Nepheline Syenite Operations, Ontario, Canada
• CRH: Dufferin Aggregates Acton Quarry, Ontario, Canada
• Georgia-Pacific: Monticello, Mississippi, USA
• Stellantis: Opel Automobile GmbH Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
• Toyota: Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, Texas, USA
• WM: Sainte-Sophie Landfill, Quebec, Canada

Sponsored by OPG, this white paper features a foreword stating, “Reptiles and amphibians play vital roles in maintaining ecosystem balance by controlling populations of other species and contributing to nutrient cycling. OPG understands that reptiles and amphibians carry out their life cycles in a wide range of habitats, each species having specific requirements for survival; understanding these habitat needs is fundamental for conservation efforts at OPG.”

About WHC:

WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) has been working at the nexus of business and biodiversity for 35 years and is the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature. WHC builds strategies and frameworks for companies to integrate nature with climate, equity and engagement to support sustainable ecosystems and healthy communities. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations. WHC-certified programs can be found in 19 countries and 48 U.S. states. Learn more at www.wildlifehc.org.

Elevate women’s network will provide opportunities to share innovative ideas, exchange insights and engage in mentorship

BETHESDA, MD, January 19, 2024 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) announces the launch of Elevate, a robust network of women leaders working at the intersection of business and nature. Elevate seeks to fill the gap of global initiatives for women working on nature-related issues in business by providing a network to connect with and learn from one another. Through mentorship connections, networking events and an online platform, members of Elevate will support each other in working to overcome the challenges often faced by women in business.

The first online event for Elevate members will be held Feb. 28, 2024, sponsored by CRH. An in-person gathering will take place in New Orleans, La., at the WHC Conservation Conference June 4-5, 2024. Individuals from WHC member companies, partners and supporters will be invited to join as founding members.

“Research has shown that companies with strong female representation in senior management positions tend to prioritize environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues,” said Anna Willingshofer, WHC Chief Science and Innovation Officer. “However, women remain underrepresented in top leadership positions across industries; Elevate will serve to empower women in the business of nature to fill those gaps.”

CRH Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President Eunice Heath added, “At CRH, we recognize the strength and opportunity that diversity brings and the important role it plays in delivering sustainability goals. Sustainability leadership is a core focus for our business and we’re proud to support WHC and the launch of Elevate, creating a much-needed learning and mentoring space for women working in business and nature.”

About WHC:

WHC has been working at the nexus of business and biodiversity for 35 years and is the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature. WHC’s corporate members are leading national and multi-national corporations and their collective efforts have resulted in more than 1,500 WHC-certified programs around the world. Learn more at www.wildlifehc.org.

BETHESDA, MD, December 13, 2023 – WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) offers a new white paper available for download today, The Corporate Nature-Positive Journey | Private Sector Biodiversity Methodologies, From Strategy to Implementation. The white paper is available for free on our website.

It has become clear that the world is facing a biodiversity crisis in tandem with both a climate and pollution crisis. Within the last few decades, climate change mitigation and source reduction have become widely regulated and material concerns to the private sector, but until very recently, the escalating global loss of biodiversity has not been given the same widespread attention. As all industries rely on and impact nature, private sector action is a necessary part of global efforts to stop biodiversity loss and restore habitats.

Because of recent events and initiatives, companies are increasingly exploring how to start, scale up or report on their nature-positive action, generally described as actions that halt and reverse current trends of ecological loss. Initiatives like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) highlight the need for private, financial and governmental sectors to commit to nature positivity. In response to emerging governmental regulations, voluntary frameworks are emerging to help companies meet new reporting expectations.

Unlike other goals like net zero, the concept of “nature positive” is not a destination, but rather an ongoing set of approaches and strategies — the Nature-Positive Journey. The nature-positive journey looks different for every company, and taking the first step can seem confusing or intimidating.

As the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature, WHC supports companies through each step of the nature-positive journey — from developing a comprehensive corporate biodiversity plan to operationalizing on-the-ground action to sharing successes. This white paper traces the journey towards nature positivity that WHC has blazed throughout its 35-year history, with examples of available solutions and successful collaborations with members and partners.

About WHC:

WHC has been working at the nexus of business and nature for 35 years. It is the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature. WHC builds strategies and frameworks that connect corporate ambition for nature to robust action on corporate lands. WHC works with mostly Fortune 500 corporations, traversing value chains, jurisdictions and geographies. It seeks to integrate nature, especially biodiversity, with climate, equity and engagement to support sustainable ecosystems and healthy communities. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries.

BETHESDA, Md., November 15, 2023 – WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) announces the winners of its 2023 Insect Hotel Challenge. WHC invited corporate members, partners and community organizations to submit their insect hotel designs illustrating the creativity and innovation of this conservation effort. Insect hotels provide habitat for bees, beetles and other insects, with items like hollow tubes, leaves and bark offering shelter and nesting space.

The contest received 21 entries from corporate conservation teams, youth organizations and individuals working to support local insect and pollinator populations. WHC determined a winner for each of the following categories: large-size hotel, small- to mid-size hotel, use of found materials and renovation of an existing hotel. Congratulations to the winners:

Best Large-Size Hotel – General Motors Argentina

Located on the grounds of the GM Rosario Plant in Santa Fe, Argentina, this bug hotel was housed in the body of a car that was going to be disposed of. Instead of throwing it away, employees repurposed the car into a hotel filled with wood pallets, logs with pre-drilled holes, nesting tunnels, twigs, bark and the remains of other vegetation.

“We are thrilled about our first place in the Insect Hotel competition, an achievement that reflects our commitment to sustainability and creativity,” said Norberto Tinazzo, GM Sustainability Engineer. “This project highlights our passion for sustainability and demonstrates that innovative solutions can emerge from unexpected situations. We take pride in having created something meaningful for the environment and hope it inspires others to adopt sustainable practices to preserve our planet.”

Best Small- to Mid-Size Hotel – Olympus Energy

Olympus Energy used this insect hotel to supplement an existing pollinator garden at its site in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. Volunteers supplied recycled materials found at their homes or at work sites, including bricks, wooden pallets, pinecones, walnuts, woody stems and untreated logs. The design of the hotel was inspired by a previous farmhouse and barn on the property to honor the past while creating a new structure for the future.

“Olympus is proud to participate in projects that support biodiversity and sustainable ecosystems in the communities where we operate,” said Laura Karosic, Environmental Compliance Manager with Olympus. “Building an insect hotel was a fun and creative way to further support populations of native bees and other beneficial insects on our WHC-Silver Certified pollinator garden on the Gaia Well Pad property.”

Best Use of Found Materials – Conservation Blueprint

The construction of this insect hotel in Saint Paul, Nebraska, was a collaborative effort, drawing on the skills of an entire family. Situated in the middle of a wildflower garden at prairie conservation company Conservation Blueprint, this hotel provides shelter for native bees and wasps. The design incorporated dried milkweed pods, mud rock with holes, bark, cut stems from the last growing season, bamboo sticks and pieces of tin roofing from an old barn. By the halfway point of the construction process, the hotel was already being used by pollinators.

“When I first heard about the contest, I wasn’t sure I was up for the challenge,” said student Jared Mack, who worked with his parents and siblings on the construction of the hotel. “I knew, however, that people (and insects) were counting on me. One of my favorite moments of the whole thing was when I had finished putting in the bamboo sticks and called it a day. Then, when I got back up to the site to work on it again, there were already insects living inside!”

Best Renovation of an Existing Hotel – WM Southern Services Landfill

WM chose to renovate an existing bug hotel at its Southern Services Landfill site in Nashville, Tennessee. The team modeled the hotel after Nashville’s AT&T Tower, also known as the “Batman Building,” doubling the height of the existing bug hotel and adding pointy “ears” to match the famous skyscraper. Intended for bees, butterflies, wasps and beetles, the hotel includes pinecones whose sap attracts specific insects.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition for our insect hotel,” stated Kerrington Howard, who helps lead the WHC project. “This award is a win for the environment and the beneficial insects that will find a safe haven in our hotel. We believe small actions make a big difference, and this insect hotel is one of the steps WM is taking to further its commitment toward biodiversity and a more sustainable future.”

Insect hotels not only provide crucial shelter for wildlife, but they also offer opportunities to involve community members in the hotel’s construction and educate young people about the importance of conserving insects. Through these projects, conservation teams are inspiring and educating a new generation of environmental stewards.

About WHC:

WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) has been working at the nexus of business and biodiversity for 35 years and is the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature. WHC’s corporate members are leading national and multi-national corporations, and their collective efforts have resulted in more than 1,500 WHC-certified programs around the world. Learn more at www.wildlifehc.org.