Governments Morehouse School of Medicine Morehouse School of Medicine (Morehouse) won a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human in actionServices, Office of Minority Health, to address COVID-19 in racial and ethnic minority, rural, and Federal, state, and local government agencies that socially vulnerable communities. Morehouse took into place a strategic focus on ESG can produce tangible account infrastructure and regulatory requirements impacts on operations, finances, and organizational along with the additional complexities of a siloed resilience. workforce; the complex health needs of the communities characterized by mental health Here are a few examples: challenges, co-morbidities, and other social determinants of health (SDOH); disparities in SDOH U.S. Army and healthcare access that pose unique challenges to disseminating an effective mitigation strategy; and The U.S. Army broke new ground in February 2022 linguistic barriers that often alienate under-served when it released its first-ever Army Climate Strategy populations. (ACS). The strategy is designed to help counter the threat climate change poses to the Army’s ability to Morehouse developed a platform that gathers critical provide trained and ready forces in response to national resources and data on COVID-19 to connect families to security threats around the world. The ACS includes culturally and linguistically appropriate information and aggressive goals to reduce Army net greenhouse gas services. The platform enables communication and Now is the time pollution, attain net-zero Army greenhouse gas information dissemination, linking the country’s most emissions, and electrify all non-combat vehicles, among vulnerable populations to the right care at the right other objectives. time. In aiming to decrease overall infection and death Now is the time for governments to transform their rates, Morehouse demonstrates the major return on The ACS aims not only to secure a sustainable, cleaner mindsets—to consider ESG holistically as central to investment that can be achieved by addressing health tomorrow but also to save soldiers’ lives. In combat, for their missions rather than as siloed issues managed in inequity and access. example, the supply lines that provide fuel for forward distinct areas. operating bases, Humvees, and other fighting vehicles are major targets for attack. Taking fossil fuels out of City of Los Angeles Now is the time for governments to take action—to the equation—or even just improving the fuel efficiency make ESG investments in a coordinated manner so of tanks and other heavy vehicles—can potentially help that positive outcomes can be greater than the sum of Aiming to “lead the automotive revolution of the mitigate that threat. their parts over time, and consistently so. future,” the City of Los Angeles approved an “Electric New York Power Authority Vehicle Master Plan” in April 2022. The plan outlines Now is the time for governments to lead by example. an entirely electric fleet of more than 10,000 City- With a mission to make the world better, the purpose owned vehicles and deployment of an electric vehicle New York Power Authority (NYPA) is embedding ESG of government at all levels—federal, state, and local— (EV) charging infrastructure across the City. The as a foundational pillar of its 10-year strategic plan. The squarely intersects with the purpose of ESG: to make initiative is part of its effort to be one of the first U.S. plan addresses 15 material ESG areas, from a world that sets the standard for better living and cities to rely on carbon-free energy by 2035. decarbonization and energy reliability, to affordability better working, running more efficiently and cost and accessibility, employee health and safety, the effectively, for the betterment of all. The City is focused on equitable placement of EV environmental and social impacts of its supply chain, infrastructure across Los Angeles, leveraging state and and enterprise risk and resilience. Central to its strategy Now is the time to help deliver on the promise of a federal funding—including historic investments in the is the reporting and disclosure of comprehensive data Modern Government—one that is connected, EV sector in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and related to the implementation of ESG goals. NYPA aims powered, and trusted, creating positive change that Jobs Act—for the mass adoption of EVs. to become among the first U.S. utilities and benefits government workers, constituents, and government entities to issue an integrated report for the communities. 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 Environmental, Social, and Governance: 17 Environmental, Social, and Governance: Government leadership as a catalyst for success Government leadership as a catalyst for success 18 © 2022 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member © 2022 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.