Read about Gen's commitment to sustainability.

Sr. Manager, CR and Environment

Environment

Earth Month 2024 is a special one. It not only reminds us of our shared responsibility to help protect the planet but also marks the two-year anniversary of our Sustainable Home Improvement Program (SHIP), which has become one of our most successful and beloved sustainability initiatives.&nbsp;&nbsp;We launched SHIP on Earth Day 2022, to help Gen team members bring sustainability into their daily lives. The <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/environment/seal-sustainability-awards-2023">award-winning</a> program offers individual grants of up to $500 per year for home projects that benefit the environment, and the response from Gen team members has been extraordinary. To date, more than 1,800 SHIP projects, both big and small, have been funded, from upgrading home appliances to more energy-efficient models to planting trees and backyard gardens.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I recently moved into a new house and needed to upgrade it to make it more heat efficient,” said Lisa Traynor, who works on the Global Supply Chain Team and is based in Dublin. “Although beautiful and green, Ireland can also be wet and damp! I used the SHIP grant towards attic spray foam insulation which reduced my energy use and my energy costs, making my home much more efficient in terms of heat retention. The SHIP grant was easy to access and easy to use.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Gen team members interested in using the benefit submit an application that describes how they will use the funds. The Gen Environment team reviews each one then reimburses the applicant once they have completed the project.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I chose to plant trees in my backyard,” said Alan Zhang, a Senior Network Security Engineer based in Ontario, Canada. “I believe it is a positive and meaningful way to celebrate and make a difference in the world. The trees can improve local air quality, provide habitat for wildlife and reduce erosion. I believe this program is a good approach to build a better world for future generations.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The long-term benefits that the program offers were a major motivator for team members to take part. Katharina Polainer, a Sales &amp; Marketing Specialist who lives in Tettnang, Germany, used SHIP to purchase solar panels and an accompanying battery for her home. Efforts like these also help us lower our overall Scope 3 emissions—GHG emissions from upstream and downstream activities.&nbsp;&nbsp;“With PV panels, we can produce environmentally friendly power for our own house and the community in peak seasons,” Katharina explained. “I highly appreciate the incentive as PV panel prices and battery prices are still at a pretty high level, so anything that helps us financially is a huge plus.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The SHIP initiative is one of many initiatives that helped empower employees to choose sustainability this Earth Month. The TERRA employee resource group, open to all team members who are interested in environmental topics, hosts events year-round to raise awareness of sustainability, biodiversity, green energy and more. Over the past several months, TERRA has hosted webinars on the impacts of climate change on the weather, major takeaways from the United Nations COP28 climate conference and tips on going green during the holiday season. The group has grown to more than 70 members globally.&nbsp;&nbsp;The more we do to reduce our impacts, the more sustainable our world can become. Learn how you can take action today at <a href="https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2024/">https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2024/</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

How our sustainability benefits and employee groups help protect the planet 

Celebrating Earth Month with Team Gen

March 22 is <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day">World Water Day</a>, an annual reminder of the critical need to preserve and expand global access to water.&nbsp;&nbsp;To mark the occasion, Gen has partnered with <a href="https://planet-water.org/">Planet Water Foundation</a> to bring clean, safe water to communities in rural India that need it most.&nbsp;&nbsp;The day was a beautifully orchestrated event, with each Gen volunteer and the Planet Water team working in perfect harmony. Our collective efforts led to the successful installation of a new <a href="https://planet-water.org/community-water-filtration-system/">AquaTower</a> and Aqua San Hygiene system at Panchayat Union Middle School. The school serves more than 330 students in the nearby village of Gummipoondi, which has a population of more than 2,000 people. The new water filtration system can produce 1,000 liters of clean drinking water per hour and doubles as a handwashing station for students, caregivers and family members.&nbsp; &nbsp;“Most of our students belong to low-income families, making it a challenge for them to purchase bottled water,” said Indumati G., the principal of the school. “We needed an AquaTower urgently to combat diseases among these children.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/india/brief/world-water-day-2022-how-india-is-addressing-its-water-needs">World Bank</a>, India is one of the most water-stressed countries in the&nbsp; world. It is home to roughly 18 percent of the world’s population but only four percent of its water resources. Those who live in rural communities are at even greater risk of water scarcity due to the long distances they must travel to find water.&nbsp;&nbsp;When clean water is scarce, as it was in Gummipoondi, residents are forced to drink contaminated water, which can carry diseases and lead to frequent illness. When students and their families are sick, they miss school and work and incur higher healthcare costs. The AquaTower not only reduces the spread of disease, but also helps students attend school more regularly, supporting the overall growth of the community.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dinesh Bhalaji C B, Program Manager for the Global Consumer Services, Sales &amp; Support Group at Gen, was there on-site volunteering. He shared his thoughts on the impact that was made that day.&nbsp;"As the event wrapped up, we all felt a deep sense of accomplishment and gratitude, uplifted by the knowledge that our efforts had provided the local community and 100s of students with clean, safe drinking water for years — a significant stride towards enhancing their lives. Seeing the children's joy and curiosity during the hygiene education program and their first taste of clean water was unforgettable. Their excitement, gratitude, and hope, along with the community's warm thanks, underscored the meaningful change we helped bring about."&nbsp;The project is one of many that Planet Water Foundation has planned for World Water Day. The organization has reached more than four million people in impoverished communities across 28 countries through the installation of community-based water filtration systems and implementation of hygiene education programs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our work with Planet Water Foundation is part of our efforts to do our part to protect the planet and to enable our employees to take an active role in caring for the environment. You can read more about our environmental stewardship efforts, in our <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/social-impact/social-impact-report/">2023 ESG Report</a>.&nbsp;

Gen team members volunteer for World Water Day 

Bringing Clean Water to Rural India

Today, Gen™ received SEAL’s 2023 Environmental Initiatives Award for our Sustainable Home Improvement Program (SHIP). SEAL (Sustainability, Environmental Achievement &amp; Leadership) is a top environmental advocacy organization that honors leadership through its business sustainability and environmental journalism awards while funding research and pursuing environmental impact campaigns.&nbsp;

Our Sustainable Home Improvement Program (SHIP) is a benefit we began offering on Earth Day 2022 that provides our colleagues at Gen all over the world cash incentives for home improvement projects that help reduce environmental impacts.&nbsp;

SHIP was born out of the understanding that as our team members shifted to remote work, Gen’s environmental footprint was shifting too. We conceived the program to empower employees to bring home the culture of sustainability they’d helped create at work and to help address Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

We received more than 300 project proposals in its first three months since we started SHIP, and nearly 30% of our workforce participated by the first anniversary of the program. Projects range from energy-saving appliance replacements and heating/cooling upgrades to home garden installations, electric vehicle charging, composting, and installing energy-saving LED lightbulbs. We believe there truly is no project too small to have an impact on our collective future, and that is a core tenet of the program.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our Social Impact team reviews each proposal and once projects are approved and complete, Gen reimburses costs up to $500. SHIP accepts applications on a rolling basis, and participants are eligible to take advantage of the benefit every calendar year.&nbsp;

SHIP is one example of how we <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/environment/low-carbon-commitment">do our part to protect the planet</a>. In addition to programs that <a href="https://www.gendigital.com/blog/impact/environment/earth-month-2023">inspire, engage, and educate our workforce</a> (including our environmental employee resource group TERRA), we focus on reducing GHG emissions and operating a low-carbon business, as well as amplifying our environmental impact through nonprofit partnerships.&nbsp;

We are honored by the recognition of our program and to be in such good company of our fellow award winners.&nbsp;

You can read more about this year’s awards, as well as SEAL Awards’ year-round efforts, <a href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/esg_leaders_recognized_at_2023_seal_business_sustainability_awards/prweb19339574.htm">here</a>.

Sustainable Home Improvement Program receives Environmental Initiatives Award.

Gen Sustainable Home Improvement Program Wins Top Honors at 2023 SEAL Award

Each April, people, businesses, and governments around the world come together to celebrate Earth Month. While at Gen we work to advance our environmental stewardship year-round, Earth Month is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to protecting the planet and advocate for positive change around pressing environmental challenges.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Here are three ways Gen advances environmental progress through our business:&nbsp;

1. Engaging our employees&nbsp;

Empowering our employees to lead more sustainable lives is critical for our own sustainability success. Gen maintains an employee resource group (ERG) called Terra to engage our employees on environmental action. Terra is committed to protecting the planet by taking small actions every day — as we believe that, together, our individual acts can help save forests, conserve water, reduce air pollution, and tackle climate change.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Terra has grown to more than 60 members, who are interested in and passionate about the environment. The ERG has arranged educational events such as upcycling and growing your own food. To celebrate Earth Month, we’ve partnered with <a href="https://girlup.org/">Girl Up</a> and <a href="https://www.anthesisgroup.com/">Anthesis </a>to host a panel on climate activism, justice, and equality. Employees also have an opportunity to participate in themed Earth Month Missions and challenges on our Giving Hub each week!&nbsp;

Last Earth Month, we <a href="https://www.nortonlifelock.com/blogs/corporate-responsibility/earth-day-2022">announced</a> the Sustainable Home Improvement Program, which provides our employees with up to $500 per year to make sustainability improvements in their own homes. To-date, 780 employees participated in the program, completing sustainability improvements such as installing solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, composting systems, upgrading to energy efficient home appliances, and more.&nbsp; With many of our employees working remotely, helping them to improve their home sustainability helps Gen lower our own Scope 3 emissions — our GHG emissions from upstream and downstream activities of the company.&nbsp;

2. Partnering with NGOs&nbsp;

Gen recognizes that we can do more for the planet by working with others. That’s why we partner with NGOs to amplify positive environmental impact, such as increasing access to renewable energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

One way Gen does this is through <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/13iuU-7E5r1IyIYNX1syb8xBqcEdE34ru_UsVbWjnCSA/edit">our partnership</a> with GRID Alternatives National Tribal Program. GRID is a leading nonprofit helping low-income communities get clean, affordable, renewable energy, transportation, and jobs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since our partnership launched in April 2022, GRID has worked with 20 tribes in California, Colorado, Washington, and New Mexico to complete over 155 renewable energy projects. Some of the key results of our funding include:&nbsp;

<ol start="1">
	<li>
	Installing 720 kilowatts of solar power and 38 backup storage batteries that will prevent an estimated 13,000 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the lifetime of the systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;
	</li>
</ol>

<ol start="2">
	<li>
	Benefiting 380 Tribal families from the completed projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;
	</li>
</ol>

<ol start="3">
	<li>
	Generating $4 million in financial savings for Tribal leadership over the system's lifetime.&nbsp;&nbsp;
	</li>
</ol>

<ol start="4">
	<li>
	Engaging 57 trainees to gain 2,700 hours of hands-on experience installing these projects, which exceeded our goal of 50 individuals.&nbsp;&nbsp;
	</li>
</ol>

Gen also supports international efforts to increase renewable energy. Our three-year partnership with Barefoot College International (BCI) supports their women-centered global network, dedicated to sustainable development in impoverished communities. BCI operates across more than 90 countries, and Gen’s financial support enables the organization’s Solar Mama initiative, which provides solar engineering and education programs.&nbsp;

3. Improving energy and operational efficiency&nbsp;

With 98% of our products offered digitally, emissions from data centers are a top priority for improving our environmental performance.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To address data center emissions, we decommissioned our Tucson data center and moved operations to more efficient co-located data centers that rely on less carbon intensive electricity grids. This contributed to our 39% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions between FY21 and FY22. We continue to look for ways to minimize our energy and operational footprint.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Earth Month is a time for all of us to pause and reflect on all that we’ve achieved — and the work yet to be done — to build a better and more sustainable world. For ideas on how to take action this month, visit <a href="https://www.earthday.org/take-action-now">https://www.earthday.org/take-action-now</a>.&nbsp;

Gen™ partners with NGOs, engages internal teams, and focuses on energy efficiency.

3 Ways We Cared for the Planet This Earth Month

Every year on March 22, <a href="https://www.worldwaterday.org/">World Water Day</a> serves as potent reminder of the need to safeguard global access to clean water, and for the third year in a row, Gen™ is taking up the call to action.&nbsp;

The company has once again partnered with <a href="https://planet-water.org/">Planet Water Foundation</a> to deliver clean drinking water to rural communities in India. For this year’s project, Gen volunteers will work alongside Planet Water Foundation representatives to construct a new AquaTower at the Arignar Anna Municipal School in Anumandputheri, Tamil Nadu, a village of 2,250 people.&nbsp;

“We are so glad Gen has returned as one of our World Water Day program partners for 2023,” said John Deotrakul, Director of Global Communications &amp; Development for Planet Water Foundation. “We have already seen the enormous impacts that our work together in past years has had on communities in <a href="https://www.nortonlifelock.com/blogs/corporate-responsibility/world-water-day-2022">Keerapakkam</a> and <a href="https://www.nortonlifelock.com/blogs/corporate-responsibility/worldwaterday2021">Vandavasi</a>, and we are thrilled to expand those efforts with this new AquaTower in Anumandputheri. The safe drinking water and hand-washing access that these projects provide revolutionize the overall health and wellness of these communities.”&nbsp;

The Arignar Anna Municipal School, which serves 340 elementary and middle school students, sees absenteeism spike during the rainy season because of waterborne diseases. With no water filtration system in the village, students have no choice but to drink polluted water, and the resulting sicknesses cause them to miss school.&nbsp;

The AquaTower is a water filtration system capable of producing 1,000 liters (~265 gallons) of clean drinking water per hour and functions as a handwashing station for students, caregivers, and family members. The clean water this system provides will help keep these children well enough to attend school and prevent illnesses in the school community and beyond.&nbsp;

This project is one of 22 similar initiatives across six countries that Planet Water Foundation will undergo for this year’s World Water Day, all in support of progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 6) of achieving water and sanitation for all by 2030.&nbsp;

Gen supports SDG 6, as well as several other SDGs, described in more detail in our <a href="https://www.nortonlifelock.com/us/en/corporate-responsibility/esg-report/">2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report</a>.

The U.N. first announced World Water Day in 1993, and in recent years, this day has become a rallying cry for an urgent response to the global water crisis. Planet Water Foundation has worked since 2009 to meet these needs, delivering safe drinking water through the AquaTower, water-health and hygiene behaviors through its education programs, and surface disinfection systems through its AquaSan equipment. The organization has reached more than three million people in 26 countries.&nbsp;

Our partnership with Planet Water Foundation is one example of our commitment to environmental stewardship. You can read more about how we help protect the planet in our <a href="https://www.nortonlifelock.com/us/en/corporate-responsibility/esg-report/">2022 ESG Report</a>.&nbsp;

Gen helps bring clean drinking water to communities in rural India.

Providing Clean and Safe Water on World Water Day

Our corporate responsibility program supports our business mission to empower people to live their digital lives freely and safely. As we work towards a safe and sustainable future for our employees, consumers, and communities, it is important that we do our part to protect our planet.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As a software company, Gen’s business model does not have a large impact on the environment. Despite this, we will not bury our heads about what is happening across the globe with climate change. I believe that it is important that we remain committed to key elements driving the changes in our climate: GHG emissions reductions and operating a low-carbon business.&nbsp;

Between 2018 and 2019, before the pandemic hit we reduced our global GHG emissions by 18%. Over the last three years, we reduced our GHGs by 60%. While part of this was due to the pandemic, we also took significant steps to reduce our carbon footprint. We did this not by buying credits but by looking inside our house: achieving operational efficiencies, shifting to a flexible work environment, and collaborating with our employees, suppliers, and nonprofit partners.

To reduce future emissions, we will look at everything, but only make commitments that are underscored with action and impact. We will evaluate our offices, supply chain, and products to find more energy efficient solutions, use more renewable energy, and eliminate the use of high-emission refrigerants.

Addressing climate change requires help from everyone. It’s important that we cultivate a climate-conscious culture throughout the organization. Our newest employee resource group, <a>Terra</a>, does just that, inspiring, educating, and encouraging employees to act to protect the planet.&nbsp;

In 2022, we also launched a new employee benefit – the Sustainable Home Improvement Program – through which we provide financial incentives to employees who green their homes. We will continue to provide opportunities for awareness and education to help our employees choose sustainability every day.

Finally, we are looking at areas we can positively influence outside of our own operations. A large portion of our vendors have climate targets, and we continue to amplify our impact through partnerships with organizations like <a href="https://gridalternatives.org/">GRID Alternatives</a>, <a href="https://www.barefootcollege.org/">Barefoot College International</a>, and <a href="https://planet-water.org/">Planet Water Foundation</a>.

To learn more about our ongoing environmental sustainability efforts, <a href="https://www.nortonlifelock.com/us/en/corporate-responsibility/esg-report/">read our ESG Report</a>.&nbsp;