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Understanding the Return on Investment of Future Port Sustainability

Ericsson

Connectivity is essential not only for driving efficiencies and improving safety at ports, but to reach sustainability goals. As ports face more pressure in this area from public and government regulators, private cellular networks are the key to creating port sustainability for green ports of the future while providing a platform that will allow for a return on investment. With the transportation industry’s historically thin margins, especially coming out of the supply chain crunch caused by COVID-19, port operators must focus on profitability. At the same time, local and federal regulations, as well as global treaties like the Paris Climate Agreement, have put ports on notice that port sustainability needs to be a priority. The port of Rotterdam, one of the busiest ports in the world, has pledged to be emission free by 2050 – many others around the world are sure to follow suit. Strategic initiatives like the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may seem aspirational, but we see them as not only achievable but also essential – and the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry can be a major enabler. According to the Exponential Climate Roadmap, the ICT sector has the potential to enable a 15% reduction in global carbon emissions in other sectors, like transportation. While marine transportation is currently only responsible for 2-3% of global greenhouse emissions, that number is predicted to rise to 17% if left unchecked. Adding renewable power sources won’t be enough to meet this challenge – digitalization is critical. It’s important to note that ports don’t have to sacrifice one thing to achieve another – productivity, efficiency and sustainability are linked. To put it another way, improvements in sustainability can deliver return on investment (ROI) for everyone in the shipping value chain. Sustainability meets the bottom line Here are some of the ways that improving port sustainability, productivity and efficiency through digitalization enabled by a private cellular network can deliver ROI. Energy usage: Limiting idling time for vehicles and optimizing routes can substantially reduce fuel costs while simultaneously reducing emissions. In our pilot project with the Port of Livorno in Italy, we found that using 5G to optimize forklift actions, reducing total working time by two hours, could deliver an estimated annual fuel consumption saving of nearly 15,000 gallons per year. At the same time, these 5G technologies would decrease CO2 emissions for one terminal operation by 8.2 percent overall, thanks to the improved yard movements in the container terminal. Smart assets linked into a private virtual network and an asset management platform give equipment operators and supervisors in the field the ability to keep valuable assets working. This isn’t only for things like forklifts and cranes. We’ve found that optimizing vessel berthing can lead to a 20 percent average cost reduction per year, amounting to more than $2.7 million. And the less ships are idling in the harbor or lying in the roads, the less emissions are created – a prime example of technology driving lower TCO and helping meet sustainability goals. Predictive maintenance is another strategy for increasing OEE. Telematics solutions that monitor engine health can send alerts that a machine needs to be taken offline for a repair or maintenance, avoiding unexpected work stoppages and maximizing the useful life of an asset. Increased OEE can be realized through autonomous vehicles, such as forklifts, cranes and container trucks, automatically optimize acceleration, braking and speed, increasing fuel efficiency while reducing emissions. Making sure an effective route has taken place can also reduce emissions. Ericsson Routes, a new service, enables autonomous and unmanned vehicles to have consistent and reliable connectivity along a planned trip for all applicable wireless service providers. In addition to autonomous vehicles, the electrification of trucks moving materials in and out of the port is a major factor in reducing emissions. Companies like Einride, who have recently announced a partnership with the Port of Helsingborg, are providing fully electric trucks to ports across the US, and cellular networks can help these fleets run efficiently, as well as closely track maintenance needs. Determining the ROI of port sustainability is a complex calculation. To help port operators, together with ifm and Arthur D Little we created the Smart Ports Value Calculator. It can help make sense of the impact of five smart transitions: automated RTG Cranes, remote control of ship-to-shore cranes, cellular connected AGVs, condition monitoring and the use of drones for surveillance and deliveries. Models of the future Digital transformation is well underway at several ports, and it’s driving sustainability initiatives. Vancouver’s Port 2050 initiative aims for a post-industrial, post-carbon model that accommodates Canada’s trade needs while maintaining a healthy environment and enabling thriving communities. In the US, the port of Long Beach is working toward being a zero-emissions port. Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, aims to become the world’s smartest and most sustainable. It features cranes that are either completely automated or remote-controlled, and automated, guided electric vehicles that transport containers to storage facilities. When it became clear that Wi-Fi was too unreliable and insecure, Ericsson delivered a private LTE network for robust and cost-effective data communications for 100 clients into the RWG terminal in the Port of Rotterdam. Toward the port of the future The port of the future will employ always-connected sensors and enhanced IoT applications that control and make decisions in real time through secure, reliable networks. With intelligent insights into the port’s condition and operations, the potential for further optimization will be revealed – allowing ports to meet sustainability goals through things like fuel efficiency, electrification and more. Introducing new technologies that factor in the environment and have wider-reaching benefits will enable the transition toward the port of the future. Private 5G networks and digital technologies are crucial in addressing this challenge and transforming port operations. It’s important to note that, in the US, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act directs $450 million specifically to unclog ports by improving infrastructure, out of a total of $17.1 billion going to sea ports. It’s the largest infusion of funding ever for the Port Infrastructure Development Program. While port sustainability hasn’t been specifically called out as a key component of grant applications, worsening concerns about the availability of fossil fuels and the climate crisis should make this a prime consideration. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Ericsson on 3blmedia.com

April 26, 2022 01:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Illinois Electric Cooperative Selects Ericsson, XtremeLTE To Connect Underserved Rural Communities

Ericsson

April 21, 2022 /3BL Media/ Illinois Electric Cooperative (IEC), an Illinois-based electric service provider, has selected Ericsson, through its strategic partnership with XtremeLTE, to modernize networks in rural Pike County, Illinois. The project involves Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) delivered through the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum. The new partnership, which is part of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Connect America Fund Phase II (CAF-II), will support IEC’s efforts to improve capacity, coverage, and user experience for its customers. The project deployed in the fourth quarter of 2021. “Illinois Electric Cooperative is taking a major step towards expanding connectivity and broadband services in areas where they are unavailable,” said Matt Haverfield, Network Operations Manager for Illinois Electric Cooperative. “The selection of Ericsson, through their partnership with XtremeLTE, allows us to create private networks with superior uplink and downlink performance, and create an infrastructure that is affordable and enables reliable and quality communication services.” IEC sought vendors that could comply with the FCC’s challenging Connect America Fund Phase II (CAF-II) Above-Baseline performance tier on a massive scale. After an extensive evaluation process, IEC through Vantage Point Solutions (a third-party independent engineering consultant firm) conducted a field test at XtremeLTE’s facility in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, whereby the operator successfully demonstrated Ericsson FWA equipment’s capability in delivering a minimum 100 Mbps downlink and 20 Mbps uplink. “CAF-II performance requirements are stringent, so a robust evaluation process was in the best interest of IEC’s long-term success,” says Jay Briscoe, Engineering Staff at Vantage Point Solutions. “Our team has enjoyed working with IEC on their FWA deployment in rural Illinois, and this process was an extension of that support. Vantage Point Solutions congratulates Ericsson and XtremeLTE on their selection. Under the new agreement, XtremeLTE will be providing Ericsson Radio System which includes future-proof product lines supporting CBRS, as well as the Educational Broadcast Services (EBS) and Private LTE capabilities that were previously dependent on Wi-Fi technology. The partnership will also bring Ericsson’s AIR 6488 Advanced Antenna System (AAS) solution to more than 50 sites across Illinois. AAS enables state-of-the-art beamforming and Massive MIMO, powerful tools for fostering large-scale deployments in existing and future mobile networks. Through these solutions, IEC will achieve significant performance gains, with the capability to upgrade to 5G New Radio (NR) when needed. “CBRS in the 3.5GHz band will have big implications for building private LTE networks and in improving 4G and 5G service offerings,” said Bill Chotiner, Vice President & Chief Technology Officer for Customer Unit Regional Carriers, Ericsson North America. “This partnership allows us to continue bringing ultra-high-speed broadband to rural communities in America, and it comes at a critical time where service providers like Illinois Electric Cooperative are looking to scale their offerings, launch more use cases and protect existing services.” Ericsson and the XtremeLTE strategic partnership was first announced in October 2019, and is focused on assisting the Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) and the fixed wireless industry in obtaining and deploying Ericsson’s carrier-class LTE equipment. XtremeLTE creates a foundation for enabling full, end-to-end broadband deployment, where WISPs or FWA providers will be able to reach more customers with higher speeds, and wide-area coverage and capacity. XtremeLTE is proud and excited to support IEC with their CAF II Fixed Wireless network project in rural Illinois. This project aligns perfectly with XtremeLTE’s mission of bringing fast reliable broadband services to rural communities that need immediate access to the Internet. XtremeLTE currently supports over 40 Fixed Wireless Access networks across the USA. Through XtremeLTE, these networks can provide service to their communities in months or even weeks, compared to waiting years for fiber. David Tews, President of Xtreme LTE commented, “The combination of Ericsson’s technology and XtremeLTE’s unique ability to deliver quickly from our warehouse in Pennsylvania, has made it possible for us to deploy carrier grade networks in as little as 30 days. This rapid deployment solution helps our rural communities support the demand for high-speed Internet today.” View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Ericsson on 3blmedia.com

April 21, 2022 01:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Mariam Sorond: Head and Heart

VMware

Title: Chief Technology Officer, Service Provider & Edge Business Unit Base of operations: Reston, Virginia Start date at VMware: March 28, 2022 I try to lead with empathy. Great leaders lead from the heart and not just the head. Mariam Sorond, Chief Technology Officer, Service Provider and Edge, VMware Welcome to VMware! You have more than 27 years of experience in the telecommunications industry across mobile, wireless, fixed, satellite and cable technologies. What brought you to VMware? I gained much of my experience while working on the operator side. I saw what it takes to run a network and understand what operators will need to deploy future networks. I want to focus the next part of my career on creating solutions for these future needs. VMware sits at the crossroads of many emerging technologies that will shape the future of telecommunications. Multi-cloud, disaggregation, open interfaces, and automation, to name a few. We have an opportunity to create solutions that will evolve the way we build and operate networks, as well as evolve and grow how we communicate. The telecommunications industry has not historically been known for its pace of innovation. Do you think this is changing? It must change and it must change quickly as more agile competitors are moving in on new markets like private networks. Take hyperscalers for instance. They can innovate and implement new technology quickly because they are starting with a blank sheet of paper. And they are partnering with telcos to gain much-needed experience in how to build and operate networks. I think these are exciting times as this kind of competition will drive innovation. While it may seem like telcos are at a disadvantage, I think they will rise to the challenge. The way we communicate is changing and they are more familiar with current and future users. It’s not just about connecting people but also about connecting things and entities that have different needs. A new type of network is needed that is agile and can grow in a modular fashion as user demands change. New use cases mean new market opportunity. Telcos know they must move fast to take advantage of new revenue streams. In your estimation, how are 5G rollouts going? When the industry first started talking about 5G, we focused on outcomes in three areas: Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) – how fast the network runs. Ultra-reliable and low-latency Communications (uRLLC) – supporting edge use cases like smart manufacturing and autonomous vehicles. Massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) – connecting millions of smart devices to the network (e.g., Smart City). We’ve seen progress in the first pillar. But to me, faster speeds is only unleashing a small subset of new use cases. The other two pillars – uRLLC and mMTC – will enable technologies that will change society as we know it today. These are harder to move forward faster as they require more investment from operators. Also, when we mention 5G, we should couple it with other technological evolutions happening alongside it such as virtualization, Open RAN and edge compute-enabled architectures. We have seen new operators make strides in these areas with new networks. We have also seen existing operators make very aggressive and impressive announcements about their future plans. These investments will require a monetization plan; therefore, it’s important to identify things like the edge-native killer use case. What is your experience as a woman in the telecommunications industry? I consider myself fortunate to have worked at many amazing companies throughout my career. I’ve gained a variety of experience that spans many technologies. But rising as a woman in this industry is challenging. It’s great to see companies focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) but there is a lot of work to be done. I can’t tell you how many LinkedIn messages I receive that start with “we want to talk with you because we need more women on our leadership team.” They are missing the point. I’m not interested in helping you improve a statistic. I am interested in bringing my unique experience and lens to a team. That’s the power of DEI – bringing together a group of people who represent diverse communities and perspectives. My hope is that the work I am doing today and the challenges I have overcome will create a more inclusive workplace for my 7-year-old daughter. For most of my career, I’ve been the only woman in the room. By the time my daughter enters the workforce, I hope she is working with a much more representative group of colleagues than what I experienced. How would you describe your leadership style? I try to lead with empathy. Great leaders lead from the heart and not just the head. So, while much of my work must be from the head, I often remind myself I must lead from the heart. Believing in people and diversity. Mentoring and coaching others to bring their talents and value forward for their company’s and customers’ success – as well as for their own career accomplishments. Describe yourself in three words. Compassionate. Genuine. Collaborative. Do you have a personal mantra? Dream Big, then Stay Curious, Be Passionate. I’ve always loved “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish”, but believe in addition to need and openness, you must also have passion and curiosity to make the most out of life. Click here to view the original content. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from VMware on 3blmedia.com

April 20, 2022 04:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Ericsson's Commitment to Their People

Ericsson

Originally published in Ericsson's 2021 Sustainability and Corporate responsibility Report Ericsson is committed to placing its workforce at the center of everything the Company does. Ericsson strives to create a people experience that enables employees to realize their full potential and, in doing so, creates long term value for the business. This people experience is shaped by Ericsson’s purpose, vision and values. In 2021 the Company added integrity to its existing three values of professionalism, respect, and perseverance. This reflects Ericsson’s commitment to ethical, responsible, and sustainable practices and its pride in making transparent, honest, and uncompromising decisions. Ericsson embeds its values in its business through the Company’s ongoing culture transformation program, Ericsson on the Move. This program has five focus areas: Empathy and humanness, Cooperation and collaboration, Executing speedily, Fact based and courageous decisions and Speak up. Ericsson is committed to ensuring that its workforce has the diverse skills and capabilities necessary to create value. In 2021 Ericsson invested in enhancing talent attraction, providing targeted learning and development and strengthening retention of talent. This was paired with action to protect workforce well being in the context of the continuing challenges of COVID-19. Identified risks and opportunities As Ericsson moves into 2022, it is mindful of the following risks: COVID-19: COVID-19 continues to create challenges for the health, wellbeing, and worklife balance of all of Ericsson’s workforce. In particular, the impact on schools and family life are disproportionately impacting women, potentially increasing attrition rates. This is occurring at a time when Ericsson is seeking to increase gender balance as part of its strategy to ensure access to the whole talent pool to meet future business demands. Talent attraction and retention: According to external reports, approximately 40% of the global workforce is considering changing jobs in the next three to six months 1 ). Ericsson is already in a highly competitive market with skills shortages, and there is a risk that the Company cannot hire sufficient people with the key competencies and skills required by the business. To mitigate this, in 2021 Ericsson launched a new segmented recruitment model, which leverages the latest artificial intelligence technologies, to improve the candidate hiring experience. Ericsson is also focused on capitalizing on opportunities including: Upskilling for the future: Ericsson’s business growth requires that it has world-leading capabilities connected to its strategy. Moreover, it is important for Ericsson to build these critical skills in anticipation of their relevance to future development. This is the basis for its focus on broad and deep upskilling in the workforce, which creates a strong employee value proposition in the market. Attracting new and diverse talent: Ericsson has the opportunity to attract new and diverse candidates through an employee value proposition grounded in a human and empathetic experience of work. The Company’s recent investments in cultural transformation (Ericsson on the Move) and its revised purpose, vision and values put Ericsson in a good position to attract new candidates. Enhancing workforce well-being: Ericsson is well positioned to support its workforce in maintaining their productivity and wellbeing during challenging times. In 2021, Ericsson built on its systematic approach to well-being through the Ericsson Care program with tools and assets that are easy for employees to access. To support the workforce through the challenges of COVID-19, Ericsson also provided additional financial flexibility in locations where this was most needed, for example, salary advances. An Ericsson survey revealed that 90% of employees believe that a genuine interest has been taken in their well-being. This further enhances its employee value proposition. Delivering on our People Strategy 2021 With its People strategy, Ericsson seeks to enable the future success of its business as the Company gears for growth, with a focus on three strategic people areas detailed here. Talent and Skills: Ericsson works to ensure that it has the best talent in its business, where people are performing at their best. This is grounded in data-driven insight through global People analytics and workforce planning. Ericsson is committed to accessing the whole talent pool to meet future business demands. To deliver on this, in 2021, Ericsson launched a program of work to enhance the candidate hiring experience, including ensuring both that candidates from different backgrounds are represented in Ericsson’s hiring process and that the hiring process is tailored to the many different roles the Company recruits at any one time. This complements Ericsson’s ongoing work to increase representation in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) fields, which includes partnering with organizations such as Black Girls Code in the US to increase the diversity of the future workforce. Ericsson works to ensure that, once in the Company, people can perform at their best. In 2021, Ericsson delivered on this by clearly signalling the global, critical skills necessary to execute on its 2025 growth strategy and providing learning and development opportunities that enable the workforce to upskill and reskill in these areas. The critical skills identified are a mix of technology, including 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and sales and commercial as well as power skills such as transformation, design thinking and communication. In 2021 over 97,000 employees actively used Ericsson’s learning platform to upskill, completing 3.1 million learning sessions and earning more than 10,000 new credentials, such as digital badges. This represented a 64% year over year increase in the amount of learning. Employees together with their managers set individual career and learning plans and follow up on these throughout the year. Diversity and inclusion: Ericsson aims to ensure that people from different backgrounds can succeed in the Company, and in 2021 there were a growing community of Employee Resource Groups to support this. The Company also continued its work to achieve greater gender balance with its leadership acceleration program for women, ALTitude. Since the program started, 26% of the 257 participants changed roles, and 23% had a change of job stage (seniority). Ericsson will scale the ALTitude program in 2022 alongside expanding a leadership training program piloted in 2021 to embed inclusive behaviors. Ericsson matches its commitment to diversity and inclusion with public targets, and in 2021 the Company reviewed and reiterated its target of 30% representation of women in the total workforce, among line managers and in the executive population by 2030. Representation of women is currently at 25%, 21% and 36% respectively. This target is driven by the Executive Team, alongside greater focus on representation of nationalities and age groups and is underpinned by targets for each Business Area and Market Area. To ensure it attracts and retains candidates across the whole talent pool, the Company is addressing the gender pay gap, which at the global level equates to an unadjusted average pay gap of women in relation to men of 18%. Among other things, this figure reflects the higher proportion of men in senior leadership positions and in technical roles. To ensure Ericsson continues to make progress in this area in 2022, it will continue to make inclusion and fairness a focus in training for leaders and a review criterion in reward processes. Culture and Leadership: Ericsson supports all employees in being courageous and ethical. The addition of integrity as a new value, including performance metric, complemented the existing Ericsson on the Move global culture transformation program, which, to date, has engaged more than 80% of Company leaders in workshops on how to embed Ericsson’s culture and values in the business. The Company also launched the revised and enhanced Code of Business Ethics, which was embedded in the business through a new approach to compliance training. The impact of these actions is reflected in Ericsson’s employee survey, where the highest score is in Ethics and Compliance, with 91% of respondents stating that they agree that Ericsson is showing a commitment to ethical and responsible business. Future of Work: Ericsson is focused on being an attractive company for which to work, where everyone feels included and proud to belong to a caring technology leader. In 2021, Ericsson worked to drive engagement, with a particular focus on preparing for the future of work. This included supporting more flexible ways of working, particularly through COVID-19, and providing wellbeing support for employees in challenging situations. Ericsson adjusted local rewards policies to better fit changing needs. For example, the Company provided enhanced support and coverage for COVID-19 cases, enhanced Employee Assistance programs and access to telemedicine and IT support. In preparation for a phased return to the office, when and where it is safe to do so, Ericsson’s leaders have been trained in new ways of working and leading that promote flexibility, well-being, belonging, and performance in the hybrid workplace. The impact of these actions is apparent in Ericsson’s employee satisfaction score, which is currently at 81 and has been stable and above 80 the last two years. This is above average for the technology industry (73). After several years of steady increase in different employee engagement dimensions, Ericsson saw a stabilization of scores in 2021, with a slight decline in some dimensions in Q4. This decline is consistent across industries and may be linked to pandemic fatigue. While being above average of the technology industry for all areas measured, Ericsson is addressing the outcome through its cultural transformation to avoid a downward trend. Governance Ericsson’s People Strategy is governed by Group Function People, with the Global People Leadership team having responsibility for strategy formulation and execution. Subject matter experts develop Group-wide processes that are embedded throughout business and market areas, and other group functions by unit people leaders. A global people services function supports the delivery of the people process in an efficient way, ensuring consistent practices across the business. The People Strategy is anchored on Ericsson’s Code of Business Ethics and summarizes the fundamental Group policies. The People Group Policy states that all activity relating to the workforce, including employment, development, compensation, and benefits, will be carried out without discrimination and with equal opportunity for all. 1 ) https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/great-attrition-or-great-attraction-the-choice-is-yours View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Ericsson on 3blmedia.com

April 20, 2022 01:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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How to Build Sustainable Networks and Enable Climate Action?

Ericsson

Yossi Cohen, COO & Executive Vice President of Ericsson North America, breaks down the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector’s role in enabling climate action and the impact 5G will have in breaking the energy curve in mobile networks. First things first: Is it possible to roll out 5G without drastically increasing energy consumption? Cohen: The short answer is yes, 5G is the most energy-aware standard with network energy performance fully integrated into the design of this next generation mobile technology. The 5G standard includes two key technical enablers for better energy performance: Ultra-lean design leverages smart-sleep mode technology to ensure that radio frequency signals are transmitted by the radio hardware only when necessary. Massive MIMO increases network coverage and provides higher capacity requiring fewer sites to be installed. Helping reduce total energy consumption. These enhancements provide extended network coverage in a sustainable and resource-efficient way, reducing the total cost of ownership for service providers. Okay, but: to break the energy curve Mobile Network Operators will need to adopt a holistic approach that addresses all parts of the mobile network. Ericsson believes it’s our responsibility as a leading information communication technology solutions company to provide innovative solutions to make this a reality. 2. The background: What is the ICT sector’s historical performance with network energy consumption? Cohen: Data traffic has grown exponentially, with a 300 times increase over the last 10 years but service providers’ global network energy consumption has risen by just 64%. That tells us the energy usage growth isn’t directly linked to traffic, but rather the rollout of new radio equipment and additional spectrum bands. Going forward, providers have an opportunity to reduce energy consumption with 5G deployments, but only if they take a holistic approach to network deployment that prioritizes energy efficiency at every level. 3. Looking ahead: Is 5G an energy-efficient standard? Compared to previous generations, what opportunities does 5G provide to decrease network energy consumption? Cohen: Technological innovations have enabled mobile networks to support significantly more traffic while consuming only marginally more energy. In 5G, spectrum efficiency (i.e. the information rate per cell over a given bandwidth) has improved by an astounding 200% compared to 4G. This is key to preventing power consumption growing at the same rate as traffic. Additionally, the 5G standard provides key benefits that previous generations didn’t have: The ultra-lean design allows 5G networks to be available when needed instead of being available all the time, and the time between mandatory transmissions can be 100 to 800 times longer than 4G. This provides much better support for implementing energy-saving features. Massive MIMO lowers energy consumption to provide the same network capacity even though it requires fewer sites. 4. The strategy: How can network energy performance be improved while maintaining user experience? Cohen: Network energy performance can be improved by addressing all parts of the network holistically. Mobile network operators can start their energy savings by taking the first step that not only allows more savings, but also provides insights that can be applied later. 5. The deets: Can you talk about Ericsson’s innovative approach to reducing network energy use? Cohen: There are four key elements of this approach, which can be deployed in any order to secure network energy performance. Prepare the network: Modernizing the network with the latest energy efficient technology. ‍ Activate energy-saving software: Sleep mode functionality can reduce radio equipment energy consumption without compromising user experience. ‍ Build 5G with precision: It’s important to have the right equipment in the right place.‍ Operate site infrastructure intelligently: By making use of artificial intelligence (AI), service providers can operate site infrastructure more proactively. 6. The takeaway: What benefits will 5G and connectivity bring to the planet and society? Cohen: The ICT sector accounts for 1.4% of the global carbon footprint and consumes about 3.6% of global electricity consumption. This makes ICT a unique sector, in that it has a relatively limited footprint and provides benefits to many, with 70% of people globally using its services and solutions. According to Ericsson research, ICT solutions can enable a reduction of global carbon emissions by up to 15% by 2030. But to realize the full potential of the ICT sector, we need to accelerate the deployment of 5G networks and use technologies like AL/ML to take climate action. The impact: In a recently released paper, CTIA has reported that 5G enabled use-cases are projected to contribute 20% to the U.S. emission reduction goals. The use of 5G and cellular tech can enable decarbonization of key sectors such as: Electricity and energy supply: 5G enabled networks can enable the transition towards smart grids that are digitized, decentralized and decarbonized. Manufacturing: Ericsson 5G Smart Factory has been able to increase productivity per employee by 2.2X and reduce manual material handling by 65% using industrial IoT platforms. Transportation: A robust 5G innovation platform is required to further develop electric vehicles powered by renewable electricity — which are critical for decarbonization. Get more details. Read more here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Ericsson on 3blmedia.com

April 18, 2022 02:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Chemours' Chief Sustainability Officer, Sheryl Telford, on the Power of Responsible Chemistry

The Chemours Company

Chemistry underpins every facet of our lives. It is essential to our basic needs, improves the buildings where we live, work, and play, and makes possible our most ambitious innovations. From the development of green hydrogen to enabling more resilient electrical grids, to 5G infrastructure that supports smart cities and brings broadband capabilities to rural communities, chemistry has a critical role to play. Yet, as the world demands more advanced solutions to power progress, there is an in-kind demand for improved material performance, reliability, and sustainability. The chemical industry has a unique opportunity to play a foundational role in building greener, more sustainable, and more resilient societies through the power of chemistry. I believe that the innovative solutions developed by skilled scientists and engineers in labs are unsung heroes. These solutions are fundamental to advancing each of the technologies, products, and processes essential to solving some of the world’s greatest challenges – including food safety and security, water quality, and addressing climate change. Chemistry can help create a world where people can thrive. It can also be backed by an authentic commitment to sustainability with a clear resolve to meet the world’s growing demand for greater equity and safe, more sustainable products manufactured responsibly. Chemours is committed to making chemistry that is as responsible as it is essential, and we incorporate sustainability into everything we do. Responsible chemistry is embodied in our work and articulated through our ten bold CRC goals to achieve by 2030. These targets are grounded in the needs of people and our planet, and they reflect our core belief that we must go beyond doing well as a company; we must also do what’s right for society. And I’m proud that our team consistently pushes to exceed our views and expectations of responsibility. With that drive, in our most recent 2020 report, we shared the exciting progress we continue to make. We challenged ourselves to further our resolve to address climate change by committing to a 60% absolute reduction of operations-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, on a path to net-zero operations GHG emissions by 2050. We also led the effort to establish the industry-wide Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) to support members of underrepresented communities pursuing STEM degrees through scholarships, internships, and leadership development to create a more representative talent pipeline and advance diversity. And in the backdrop of a historic social revolution to acknowledge and address systemic racism and violence against the Black, Asian, and LGBTQ communities, we deepened our commitment to safety obsession. We adopted a more holistic approach and expanded our Safety Obsession value to include physical and psychological safety. We made it clear that it is not only important to be physically safe but that we will not tolerate a work environment where our employees do not feel safe. It’s about creating a workplace where each person can be their authentic self and thrive. We also recognize that we have more work to do on this journey and are conscious of the imperative for our company to continue to act. We are committed to doing what is right, not just what is required, and pushing ourselves to aim higher and achieve more for our people, our planet, our customers, and our communities. Sheryl Telford is the chief sustainability officer and vice president of environment, health, and safety at The Chemours Company. She plays a central role in establishing strategic collaborations and partnerships with external experts, companies, industries, and organizations to advance Chemours’ sustainability efforts and advocate for sustainable, science-based policy and regulation. Read more about Chemours’ Corporate Responsibility Commitment View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Chemours Company on 3blmedia.com

April 15, 2022 10:27 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Building Efficient 5g Network -the Journey to Net Zero Emissions

Ericsson

Energy is a major expense and service providers across the world are adopting Net Zero emissions targets to align with the expectations of their customers, employees and shareholders. During our roundtable, Building efficient 5G networks—the journey to Net Zero emissions, we will discuss how service providers can reduce energy consumption while increasing their operational efficiency and secure network energy and sustainability performance with the introduction of 5G. Ericsson is excited to welcome James Crawshaw, Principal Analyst, Telco IT & Operations at Omdia, Tim Hatt, Head of Research and Consulting at GSMA Intelligence, and Paul Challoner, VP of Network Product Solutions at Ericsson as our panelists for this session. Please join us as they share their insights on how service providers can achieve their Net Zero emissions targets. Key insights will include: how Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry can achieve Net Zero emissions the importance of securing network energy performance to meet Net Zero target how service providers can reduce energy consumption and increase operational efficiency the role of renewable energy in decarbonization of mobile networks how ICT can enable the decarbonization of other sectors like transportation and manufacturing We look forward to hosting this digital discussion. Speakers James Crawshaw Principal Analyst, Telco IT & Operations, Omdia Tim Hatt Head of Research and Consulting, GSMA Intelligence Paul Challoner VP of Network Product Solutions, Ericsson Ciricia Proulx Head of Marketing and Communications, Ericsson North America, Moderator About Ericsson Ericsson is one of the leading providers of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to service providers. We enable the full value of connectivity by creating game-changing technology and services that are easy to use, adopt, and scale, making our customers successful in a fully connected world. Our comprehensive portfolio ranges across Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services and Emerging Business; powered by 5G and IoT platforms. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Ericsson on 3blmedia.com

April 14, 2022 01:56 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Qualcomm and the Dariu Foundation Bring Educational Laptops With Cellular Connectivity to Rural Schools Across Vietnam

Qualcomm

HANOI, Vietnam, April 14, 2022 /3BL Media/ – Qualcomm Incorporated, through its Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™ initiative, and The Dariu Foundation today announced their collaboration on the Vietnam Forward program, which aims to advance digital literacy and competencies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among youth. Vietnam Forward is a program that provides students with access to Always On, Always Connected computers powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon® compute platforms and equipped with mobile LTE capabilities to ensure a continuous connection to the Internet with 4G/LTE. Always On, Always Connected laptops are bridging the digital divide across Vietnam using Qualcomm-enabled technologies to reimagine the way students learn and educators teach by bringing the modern classroom to life and enabling a world where all learners are intelligently connected from the home, the classroom, or virtually anywhere. Approximately 100,000 primary-level and secondary-level students at 80 rural schools have been equipped with the technical building blocks to develop workplace skills needed for economic self-sufficiency. Students are learning to code in class and with a code club membership, they take devices home to work on collaborative computer programming-based assignments. Several student innovations have recently been recognized in regional coding competitions More than 6,000 educators indicated increased self-confidence in teaching coding proficiencies as a result of their participation in professional development trainings. And based on classroom competency exams, 90% of students developed digital skills and competencies in STEM that can lead to increase employment opportunities. Students also reported feeling more confident and interested in STEM, enhancing their opportunity to apply the newfound skills acquired by using the Always On, Always Connected laptops to invent prototype solutions to real-world problems. In reflecting on the program, ST Liew said “At Qualcomm, we believe that providing access to wireless technologies can significantly improve people’s lives. This is particularly relevant in Vietnam where we recognize the goals of advancing the country’s digital transformation and we see the role that we can play in doing so. Vietnam Forward is just one of the many programs that Qualcomm has initiated in leveraging our technologies to reimagine the way the world learns and teaches,” ST Liew, Vice President of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and President of Qualcomm's business in Taiwan and South East Asia. Qualcomm's collaboration with The Dariu Foundation has been critical to the program’s success. Hanh Nguyen, General Manager of The Dariu Foundation shared his thoughts on the program's impact for these students, “With the advanced Always On, Always Connected laptops powered by Qualcomm’s latest technologies, we can provide the students with STEM skills, including coding, computer science, and cyber robotics, as part of our program to bringing quality education to students wherever they are and whatever their economic status, providing them equal opportunity for learning. With uninterrupted connectivity, coding instruction, and ongoing teacher support, students are empowered to succeed in the digital world and getting ready to pursue education and careers in STEM-related fields.” About Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Qualcomm is the world’s leading wireless technology innovator and the driving force behind the development, launch, and expansion of 5G. When we connected the phone to the internet, the mobile revolution was born. Today, our foundational technologies enable the mobile ecosystem and are found in every 3G, 4G and 5G smartphone. We bring the benefits of mobile to new industries, including automotive, the internet of things, and computing, and are leading the way to a world where everything and everyone can communicate and interact seamlessly. Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business. About Wireless Reach Program Wireless Reach invests in sustainable programs that demonstrate innovative uses of wireless technology to strengthen economic and social development globally. Our programs foster entrepreneurship, aid in public safety, enhance the delivery of health care, enrich teaching and learning, and improve environmental sustainability. Since 2006, Wireless Reach has benefitted more than 24 million people. Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm, Snapdragon and Wireless Reach are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. About Dariu Foundation The Dariu Foundation is a non-governmental organization established in Switzerland in 2002 and officially operating in Vietnam in 2007. Our mission is to enhance the capacity and living standards of low-income households by providing microfinance services and educational support. Since our first mobile classroom in 2011, The Dariu Foundation has loaned laptops to 160 schools and supported provinces train nearly 10,000 teachers in programming languages. Since then, more than 1 million students have been trained in digital skills (informatics and programming) in Vietnam. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Qualcomm on 3blmedia.com

April 14, 2022 11:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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How Chemours Is Making the World a Better, More Inclusive Place Through Responsible Chemistry

The Chemours Company

The very fact that you’re reading these words depends on chemistry. The fact that you may be doing so in a comfortable room, no matter the weather outside, depends on that same science. Chemistry has enabled modern society to advance, and it has been such a succession of life-improving wonders that for a long time, few have paid much attention to how progress has impacted the world. We are now. From its earliest days, Chemours set out to be a different kind of chemistry company, one that combines an essential portfolio of products with an unwavering commitment to safety, responsibility and diversity & inclusion. In the next normal, we achieve that by embracing and leading responsible chemistry: an ethic that drives what Chemours does, from the products we make and the processes we use to the things we touch and the people who make up our workforce. Responsible chemistry combines the societal progress chemistry is responsible for with the responsibilities chemistry carries. Through it, we can continue to contribute to advancements like 5G communications, the future of electric vehicles, and a revolution in renewable energy envisioned by the hydrogen economy, all while reducing our impact on our shared planet. We are responsible for making products that improve lives, and we carry the responsibility to do that inclusively and sustainably. As our world moves towards a new concept of what constitutes normal, that’s what investors (through their Environmental, Social, and Governance, or ESG, guidelines), customers (through their own corporate social responsibility goals), society (through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals), and communities (through local politics, advocacy, and protests) expect of us. And it’s what the population at large demands of the companies they support. We feel the same way. After all, responsibility is coded into our corporate values and purpose. Meeting the Demand for Responsible Solutions That commitment led us to codify just what we had in mind, setting goals for producing a portfolio of offerings that meet the growing, changing needs of the world but that do so responsibly. By looking from end-to-end on every product, we are able to improve performance and sustainability throughout their lifecycles. We’re devoted to solving tomorrow’s problems, just as much as we are today’s, and so we focus our research and development on sustainable, responsible solutions that satisfy human demands, power progress, and improve lives, while reducing their impact on the planet. That devotion led us to reimagine our portfolio, and our new refrigerant solutions are a powerful example. Refrigeration is a transformative technology. It improved the lives of uncounted billions by taking the sting out of hot summer days and dangerous heat waves. It built a cold chain that enabled perishable goods to travel to market and opened up vast new frontiers in medicine. It is an essential part of delivering vaccines to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. But we understand that we carry the responsibility for creating refrigeration that has a lower environmental impact, and that’s where Opteon™ low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, foams, and fluids come in. Opteon™ refrigerants are transforming the transportation market, changing the way we cool large spaces, and helping people all along the cold chain meet environmental regulations with no decline in performance. Breaking Free of Carbon Responsible chemistry is also an essential ingredient in a new, hydrogen-based renewable energy economy, which is being enabled by Nafion™ membranes and dispersions. And responsible chemistry is driving a revolution on the roads, too. Teflon™ fluoropolymers and Nafion™ proton exchange membranes and dispersions make electric, hydrogen, and fuel-cell vehicles possible. Jump-starting the hydrogen economy is urgent, and is key to the planet-wide effort to decarbonize the industrial and energy sectors. The role Nafion™ plays in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels dovetails with the enduring effect responsible refrigerants like Opteon™ have on reducing greenhouse gasses. Chemours is setting an example for the industry in responsible manufacturing, undertaking significant capital investments to minimize our environmental impact and committing to sharply reduce our carbon footprint. Innovation Born of Diversity To build this different kind of chemistry company—one that’s geared to answer the challenges of the future—we need a more diverse, inclusive workforce. Studies show companies with above-average levels of diversity perform better and are more innovative 1,2. It takes a diverse group of inspired people to generate responsible chemistry. To create more breakthrough ideas to bring about the next normal, we must make chemistry a more diverse, inclusive industry, one that works for all people, because they’re represented within it. That’s not just the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing, too. After all, an inclusive and diverse workforce, enhances our innovation and customer experience, and strengthens our understanding of the communities we serve. We need to do more than open our doors to all; we need to make sure that anyone who wants to can pursue a career in chemistry, or any science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) discipline. The chemical industry has a poor record for diversity, and one of the ways to solve that is to provide the educational opportunities that make science-based industries an option for more people, which we are doing with scholarship programs. At Chemours, we carry our responsibilities with pride and with real optimism for the future. Human progress in the next normal depends on chemistry and responsibility coming together for a better world. 1 https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/delivering-through-diversity 2 https://hbr.org/2018/01/how-and-where-diversity-drives-financial-performance View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Chemours Company on 3blmedia.com

April 13, 2022 10:21 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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高通在美国对华为提起诉讼，指控华为未经授权使用其多项专利，特别是在5G技术领域。华为则反诉高通滥用专利权，要求高通支付合理的专利使用费，并停止对华为的专利侵权指控。

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