Latest news with #Environment
Business Wire
2 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
National Vision Releases Annual Sustainability Report Highlighting 2024 Progress
DULUTH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Vision, Inc., one of the largest optical retail companies in the U.S., released its 2024 Sustainability Report, 'A World Worth Seeing.' The report focuses on the company's performance across its Social, Employees, Environment and Governance (SEE+G) framework, and reflects continued progress against the environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues that matter most to the company's business and stakeholders. "This past year, our refreshed leadership team made significant strides to accelerate our business transformation, including the implementation of new strategic initiatives to expand our customer base, enhance profitability and create long-term value for shareholders,' said CEO Reade Fahs. 'Alongside these advancements, we continued our mission of increasing accessibility and sustainability, never wavering in our commitment to provide essential eye care and eyewear to communities around the country and around the world." Highlights from the 2024 Sustainability Report include: Social: Impacted more than 1.1 million lives through National Vision's philanthropic activities Impacted more than 1.1 million lives through National Vision's philanthropic activities Employees: Strengthened commitment to internal development, with more than half of new managers promoted from within National Vision Strengthened commitment to internal development, with more than half of new managers promoted from within National Vision Environment: Implemented waste reduction measures across National Vision's network of labs and stores, eliminating most of the need for paper and achieving considerable paper savings Implemented waste reduction measures across National Vision's network of labs and stores, eliminating most of the need for paper and achieving considerable paper savings Governance: Advanced 3rd party risk management, including publishing a first-ever Sustainable Supply Chain Strategy The report is aligned with recognized guidelines including those developed by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The report is available online at About National Vision Holdings, Inc. National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE) is one of the largest optical retail companies in the United States with over 1,200 stores in 38 states and Puerto Rico. With a mission of helping people by making quality eye care and eyewear more affordable and accessible, the company operates four retail brands: America's Best, Eyeglass World, and Vista Opticals inside select Fred Meyer stores and on select military bases, and an e-commerce website offering a variety of products and services for customers' eye care needs. For more information, please visit
New Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Andhra Dy CM Pawan orders 24/7 monitoring of elephant movement in Chittoor, Tirupati
VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan, who also holds the portfolios of Forest and Environment, has directed Forest Department officials to enforce round-the-clock surveillance in Chittoor and Tirupati districts, where elephant herds have been damaging crops and posing risks to villagers. During a video conference on Tuesday, the Deputy Chief Minister reviewed recent incidents of crop destruction and the death of a farmer following an elephant attack. Pawan Kalyan stressed the need for real-time alerts to be issued through village-level WhatsApp groups, enabling timely warnings about elephant movement. He instructed that these alerts be monitored by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) offices and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF). He also called for immediate implementation of measures to divert elephant herds away from farmland and back into forest areas using non-invasive techniques. Officials also reported a new incident in Chandragiri constituency, where a herd of 11 elephants, including four calves, damaged fields near Satya Sai ST Colony close to Kalyani Dam.
Deccan Herald
19 hours ago
- General
- Deccan Herald
DRFO Gururaj Gouda honoured for village relocation efforts
The certification was presented by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Bhupendrer Yadav in New Delhi on Tuesday as part of the International Tiger Day celebrations.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- General
- Business Standard
India aims to plant over 100,000 saplings across 58 tiger reserves
India is aiming to plant more than 100,000 saplings across 58 tiger reserves, as part of the country's wildlife conservation initiative. With Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh being declared a tiger reserve last March, India currently has a total of 58 tiger reserves. Speaking at the National Zoological Park in New Delhi on Global Tiger Day, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday announced the launch of a nationwide tree plantation drive. This will involve planting over 100,000 saplings across all 58 tiger reserves, making it one of the largest such campaigns in the world. Madhya Pradesh has nine tiger reserves; Maharashtra has six; Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have five each. As part of the initiative, each tiger reserve will plant 2,000 saplings of indigenous plant species in degraded areas to promote habitat restoration and strengthen the ecological foundations essential for tiger conservation. Forest nurseries at three locations in the Aravalli landscape were also inaugurated. These will serve as key resources for afforestation using native species and for fostering long-term ecological resilience. Aimed at eliminating the use of all single-use plastics within tiger reserves, a 'Plastic-Free Tiger Reserves' campaign was also launched. Emphasising the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) launched by India to protect the seven big cats found globally, Yadav informed that 24 countries have already agreed to join this effort, with the IBCA headquarters to be based in India. Yadav called upon the youth to live a life of determination, patience and humility, and to contribute to society through conservation efforts under Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). India's wildlife conservation efforts involve a multi-pronged approach, including the establishment of protected areas like national parks and sanctuaries, species-specific conservation projects like Project Tiger and Project Elephant, and community engagement initiatives. These efforts aim to protect biodiversity, mitigate threats such as habitat loss and poaching, and promote sustainable practices. As of the 2023 tiger census, India is estimated to have 3,682 tigers. About 30 per cent of them are considered to be living outside tiger reserves.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Bengaluru toxic flow polluting Thenpennai: Centre
CHENNAI: The central government has confirmed that Thenpennai river, flowing from Karnataka into Tamil Nadu, is severely polluted due to unchecked discharge of industrial effluents and untreated sewage from Bengaluru's sprawling urban and industrial zones. In a written reply to a question from DMK MP TR Baalu in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh admitted the downstream stretches of rivers like the Thenpennai are heavily contaminated. The ministry's statement corroborated findings by Tamil Nadu authorities and national monitoring agencies that identified the river at Chokkarasanapalli Bridge in Karnataka – near Tamil Nadu border – as a Priority-I polluted river stretch, the most critical category under national classification. Water quality data collected under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme revealed alarming figures: Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels at Chokkarasanapalli ranged between 17 and 52.4 mg/L, far exceeding the safe threshold of 3 mg/L. Even more concerning was the total coliform levels – an indicator of fecal contamination – peaking between 16 lakh and 350 lakh MPN/100 ML, alongside dangerously low dissolved oxygen levels. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that in some cases, dissolved oxygen is below detectable limits.
