Morehouse School of Medicine Morehouse School of Medicine (Morehouse) won a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, to address COVID-19 in racial and ethnic minority, rural, and socially vulnerable communities. Morehouse took into account infrastructure and regulatory requirements along with the additional complexities of a siloed workforce; the complex health needs of the communities characterized by mental health challenges, co-morbidities, and other social determinants of health (SDOH); disparities in SDOH and healthcare access that pose unique challenges to disseminating an effective mitigation strategy; and linguistic barriers that often alienate under-served populations. Morehouse developed a platform that gathers critical resources and data on COVID-19 to connect families to culturally and linguistically appropriate information and services. The platform enables communication and information dissemination, linking the country’s most vulnerable populations to the right care at the right time. In aiming to decrease overall infection and death rates, Morehouse demonstrates the major return on investment that can be achieved by addressing health inequity and access. City of Los Angeles Aiming to “lead the automotive revolution of the future,” the City of Los Angeles approved an “Electric Vehicle Master Plan” in April 2022. The plan outlines an entirely electric fleet of more than 10,000 City- owned vehicles and deployment of an electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the City. The initiative is part of its effort to be one of the first U.S. cities to rely on carbon-free energy by 2035. The City is focused on equitable placement of EV infrastructure across Los Angeles, leveraging state and federal funding—including historic investments in the EV sector in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—for the mass adoption of EVs. 17 © 2022 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. Environmental, Social, and Governance: Government leadership as a catalyst for success Governments in action Federal, state, and local government agencies that place a strategic focus on ESG can produce tangible impacts on operations, finances, and organizational resilience. Here are a few examples: U.S. Army The U.S. Army broke new ground in February 2022 when it released its first-ever Army Climate Strategy (ACS). The strategy is designed to help counter the threat climate change poses to the Army’s ability to provide trained and ready forces in response to national security threats around the world. The ACS includes aggressive goals to reduce Army net greenhouse gas pollution, attain net-zero Army greenhouse gas emissions, and electrify all non-combat vehicles, among other objectives. The ACS aims not only to secure a sustainable, cleaner tomorrow but also to save soldiers’ lives. In combat, for example, the supply lines that provide fuel for forward operating bases, Humvees, and other fighting vehicles are major targets for attack. Taking fossil fuels out of the equation—or even just improving the fuel efficiency of tanks and other heavy vehicles—can potentially help mitigate that threat. New Y ork Po wer Authority New York Power Authority (NYPA) is embedding ESG as a foundational pillar of its 10-year strategic plan. The plan addresses 15 material ESG areas, from decarbonization and energy reliability, to affordability and accessibility, employee health and safety, the environmental and social impacts of its supply chain, and enterprise risk and resilience. Central to its strategy is the reporting and disclosure of comprehensive data related to the implementation of ESG goals. NYPA aims to become among the first U.S. utilities and government entities to issue an integrated report for the 2022 reporting cycle. Sources: Department of the Army, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. February 2022. United States Army Climate Strategy. Washington, DC. New York Power Authority 2021-2025 Sustainability Plan Morehouse School of Medicine National COVID-19 Resiliency Network website City of Los Angeles Electric Vehicle Master Plan