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“Cities have just 2,000 days left to achieve critical sustainability goals,” warns Arcadis in latest report

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Arcadis’ Sustainable Cities Index 2024 reveals major disparities in sustainability progress, as cities race to meet 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  Amsterdam takes top spot as most Sustainable City, thanks to strong economic performance, social equity, and renewable energy investment. Maintaining trajectory critical as SDG deadline approaches, with opportunities for even highest-ranking cities to accelerate sustainability goals

AMSTERDAM, June 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Arcadis has issued a rallying call to cities worldwide, as the publication of its Sustainable Cities Index 2024 reveals the need for accelerated action in tackling climate change and other sustainability challenges.

The publication of the report comes with nearly 2,000 days until the 2030 deadline for achieving the UN SDGs. It reveals clear differences between leading cities such as Amsterdam (1st), Copenhagen (3rd) and Munich (5th), and those trailing behind – particularly US and Asian cities like New York (48th), Boston (56th), and Taipei (62nd).  

Arcadis’ Sustainable Cities Index ranks 100 cities across three pillars of sustainability – Planet, People, and Profit. Marking the 6th edition of the report since its inception in 2015, it comprises 67 metrics that highlight our evolving understanding of sustainability, including air pollution, waste management, and investment in low carbon infrastructure (including renewable energy and sustainable transport), as well as economic performance, social equity, and natural disaster resilience.

This year Arcadis has also added a fourth ‘Progress’ pillar to measure change over time. This demonstrates the impact of sustainability interventions over the last decade and, when considered alongside the other pillars, provides insights into a city’s future trajectory.

Overall, European cities dominate the top of the Index. All four German cities included in the report – Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, and Berlin – claim spots in the top 10, buoyed by achievements in water sanitation and waste management, and low greenhouse gas emissions.

High performance in the Planet pillar is associated with overall success, with eight of the top 10 cities for Planet also appearing in the overall top 10. The Planet pillar is comprised of metrics like sustainable energy systems and low-emission transport, suggesting these are powerful tools for urban sustainability.

This year’s index also highlights that high performance on the Profit metric does not necessarily come at the expense of environmental sustainability. The report emphasizes how a thriving economy should support investment in infrastructure, alternative energy sources, green initiatives, and social programs. Amsterdam, the most sustainable city of 2024, also ranks at the top of the Profit pillar, excelling in income and living standards, employment, and transport infrastructure.

North American cities dominate the Profit pillar. San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, Houston, New York, and Seattle all appear in the top 10 for Profit, thanks to ease of doing business, GDP per capita, and employment rates. However, while these cities demonstrate business success, wage levels and living standards are not keeping pace. To move higher up, socially inclusive development strategies are critical, and North American and European cities must draw inspiration from each other to continue making progress.

When it comes to progress over the last decade, many European cities have made significant strides – despite their sustainable starting points – to cement their position at the top of the Index. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, and Berlin all feature in the top third of the Progress pillar and the top third of the index overall. This is thanks to a commitment to renewable energy production, as well as socio-economic factors like female labor force participation, and healthcare.

Although low in the overall rankings, the dominance of Asian cities such as Jakarta, Wuhan, and Shanghai at the top of the Progress pillar shows that, in cities with limited prior sustainable infrastructure or practices, early steps can have enormous impact in generating momentum.

John Batten, Arcadis Global Cities Director, said:

“Cities play a critical role in advancing the sustainable development agenda. However, our progress assessment shows that more needs to be done to meet the SDG deadline. With just 2,000 days to go, the challenge is to keep innovating. Whether by scaling up renewable energy initiatives, integrating climate considerations into infrastructure planning, improving mobility through intelligent traffic management, or supporting the retrofit of existing buildings, there are always areas to improve. As 2030 approaches, cities must build on successes, identify areas for progress, and foster collaboration to address challenges.”

Download the full report here.

About Arcadis

 

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Cabana Partners with VA in Pilot to Expand Anonymous, Drop-In Support for Veterans Through Local Community Partners

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Pilot unites VA’s Mission Daybreak and SSG Fox Grant programs to deliver private, flexible support outside traditional healthcare settings.

ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded Cabana an initial one-year pilot contract—with the opportunity for a second year—to lead a community-based suicide prevention initiative in partnership with Upstate Warrior Solution and Veterans Bridge Home in North and South Carolina.

The pilot brings together two major VA investments to connect tech and peer support with trusted community outreach.

The pilot brings together two major VA investments—Cabana’s selection as a Mission Daybreak awardee and UWS/VBH’s roles as inaugural SSG Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program grantees—to connect technology-enabled peer support with trusted community-based outreach.

“This is a first-of-its-kind effort to bridge VA’s innovation and community-based suicide prevention priorities,” said Dr. Nick Armstrong, Cabana’s Head of Public Sector. “We’re testing how to reach Veterans earlier, through trusted local partners and supportive peer connection.”

Referred Veterans will access Cabana’s anonymous, moderated support groups designed to reduce barriers and preserve privacy. All participants are cameras off, use aliases, and may enable voice masking features.

The pilot’s day-to-day implementation is managed by Chris Morris, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret Lieutenant Colonel and Cabana’s Program Manager.

“You don’t always know who’s struggling—and sometimes, it’s the smallest conversations that open the door to bigger steps. I’m honored to continue to serve fellow Veterans, especially those who may not even know what kind of help they’re ready for. Cabana can be that first step.”

The initiative launches this month in Upstate South Carolina and Greater Charlotte, NC. Pending progress, it will expand in year-two to three (3) additional SSG Fox grantee communities.

Learn more and access the full announcement: https://www.yourcabana.com/news/cabana-launches-community-based-suicide-prevention-pilot-in-partnership-with-va-and-local-veteran-organizations

About Cabana™
Cabana is a leading, modern mental health provider offering confidential, tech-enabled support solutions tailored to the needs of diverse communities. Through live, professionally moderated group sessions, evidence-based content, and adaptable wellness tools, Cabana helps individuals proactively manage their mental health. Our mission is clear: to make mental health care more accessible through technology and human connection.

Media Contact
Nick Armstrong, Ph.D.
Head of Public Sector, Cabana
nick@cabanahealth.org

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Orange 142 Releases Best Practices for Foot Traffic Attribution as Real-World Visits Rebound

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New guide reveals how today’s smartest marketers are turning digital ads into real-world results with next-gen attribution strategies

AUSTIN, Texas, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Orange 142, a division of Direct Digital Holdings (NASDAQ: DRCT) and a leader in digital marketing for mid-market brands, today released a guide demystifying foot traffic attribution, a fast-evolving capability that helps marketers connect digital ad exposure to real-world store visits.

With foot traffic rebounding across categories like grocery and retail, understanding how marketing drives in-store behavior has become more critical than ever. An April report highlights a surge in consumer footfall, with Albertsons’ recent 6% increase in visits demonstrating the renewed value of physical retail spaces in a post-pandemic landscape.

“In an environment where every dollar of ad spend is scrutinized, foot traffic attribution gives marketers the confidence to link digital engagement to offline results,” said Lindsey Wilkes, SVP, Business Development at Orange 142. “This guide is designed to help brands future-proof their strategies by mastering both the challenges and opportunities of foot traffic measurement.”

Tackling Attribution Challenges Head-On
Despite its promise, foot traffic attribution is not without complexity. The guide explores key challenges, including fragmented device data, evolving privacy regulations like CCPA and GDPR, and the technical limitations of geofencing accuracy in busy retail zones such as malls or shared shopping centers.

Orange 142 emphasizes best practices in user consent, data minimization, anonymization, and cross-device transparency to ensure data collection remains compliant and customer-friendly. For example, rather than tracking individuals, marketers are encouraged to analyze aggregated trends that provide actionable insights without compromising privacy.

The Rise of AI, Wearables, and Smart Devices
Emerging technologies are unlocking new layers of insight. Orange 142’s guide explores how AI-powered models, connected cars, wearables, and smart home devices transform attribution accuracy. These tools go beyond smartphone-based tracking, offering richer, multi-touch insights into the modern consumer journey, from a smart speaker voice command to an eventual store visit.

In-store kiosks and Bluetooth beacons close the loop, capturing post-visit behaviors like product lookups, QR scans, or loyalty signups, turning store visits into measurable, optimizable conversion events.

Best Practices for Brands Ready to Act
The guide concludes with a detailed best practices section, offering actionable tips for SMBs and regional advertisers looking to implement foot traffic attribution effectively. Marketers are encouraged to:

Focus on localized campaigns with geofencing or DOOH adsUse time-sensitive offers to create clear attribution windowsChoose interactive ad formats like voice-activated prompts or mobile location-based adsEducate consumers about the value exchange of shared dataAvoid the “creepy factor” by prioritizing transparency, subtlety, and context.

To download the Foot Traffic Attribution eBook or explore additional Emerging Channels resources, visit: https://orange142.com/emerging-channels-hub

About Orange 142

Orange 142 is a digital marketing and advertising company with offices across the US. We service marketers and agencies. We are part of Direct Digital Holding, the ninth Black-owned company to go public.

We help marketers of all sizes grow their reach and revenue through data-driven media strategies. We also partner with agencies and execute campaigns on behalf of their clients.

Our team of experts deeply understands the digital landscape and the latest advertising and marketing technologies. We work closely with our clients to develop and execute custom advertising and marketing campaigns that meet specific goals.

We are committed to providing our clients with the highest service and transparency. Open communication and collaboration are essential to the success of every advertising and marketing initiative.

About Direct Digital Holdings

Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT) combines cutting-edge sell-side and buy-side advertising solutions, providing data-driven digital media strategies that enhance reach and performance for brands, agencies, and publishers of all sizes. Our sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers curated access to premium, growth-oriented media properties throughout the digital ecosystem. On the buy-side, Orange 142 delivers customized, audience-focused digital marketing and advertising solutions that enable mid-market and enterprise companies to achieve measurable results across a range of platforms, including programmatic, search, social, CTV, and influencer marketing. With extensive expertise in high-growth sectors such as Travel & Tourism, Energy, Healthcare, and Financial Services, our teams deliver performance strategies that connect brands with their ideal audiences.

At Direct Digital Holdings, we prioritize personal relationships by humanizing technology, ensuring each client receives dedicated support and tailored digital marketing solutions regardless of company size. This empowers everyone to thrive by generating billions of monthly impressions across display, CTV, in-app, and emerging media channels through advanced targeting, comprehensive data insights, and cross-platform activation. DDH is “Digital advertising built for everyone.”

For more information, visit www.directdigitalholdings.com.

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Cecilian Partners Launches XO KISS, Expanding Its Residential OS™ Platform to Meet Developers at Every Stage

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XO KISS is purpose-built for developers who need powerful tools and simple workflows.

NEW HOPE, Pa., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Cecilian Partners, a leader in proptech innovation, today announced the launch of XO KISS—a property development platform purpose-built for growing community developers. Part of Cecilian’s Residential OS™, XO KISS delivers streamlined inventory management, real-time reporting, and a faster digital map experience.

“Our customers asked for something faster, simpler, and just as reliable. XO KISS is our answer.”

XO KISS joins Cecilian’s award-winning suite of products, including The XO®, the industry’s definitive operating platform for larger master-planned communities. Together, XO KISS and The XO meet developers wherever they are on their growth journey, offering the right level of functionality, insight, and support for every stage.

“Our philosophy has always been simple: listen to our customers,” said Philip Worland, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Cecilian Partners. “We heard that while The XO is a powerful workflow engine, not every developer needs the full depth of functionality—especially those not dealing with anti-monotony. Our customers asked for something faster, simpler, and just as reliable. XO KISS is our answer.”

Data-Driven by Design

Drawing on years of collaboration with homebuilders and developers, Cecilian Partners has a deep understanding of how teams use, share, and manipulate critical data. XO KISS addresses common pain points by eliminating reliance on spreadsheets, closing collaboration gaps, and providing teams with 24/7 access to real-time reporting and insights.

XO KISS redefines the developer toolkit with:

Next-gen inventory management: no more spreadsheets, just smart, scalable controlReal-time intelligence: automated reports and live dashboards for faster decisionsPlug-and-play builder connectivity: seamless integration with builder systemsA lightning-fast, mobile-first Homefinder experience: built to engage today’s buyer

Built with the same enterprise-grade security and architectural rigor as The XO, XO KISS ensures even the simplest operations have a future-ready foundation. As needs grow, XO KISS customers can easily scale into the full capabilities of The XO and other Residential OS solutions without switching vendors, retraining teams, or compromising data integrity.

Meeting a Critical Market Need

While some proptech companies offer stripped-down solutions, XO KISS stands apart by combining simplicity with true scalability, data security, and best-in-class customer support.

“There’s a significant segment of developers who don’t need all the complexity of larger platforms…yet,” Worland added. “We built XO KISS to meet them where they are, while giving them the confidence that as their communities, business models, and needs evolve, our platform—and our partnership—will be right there with them.”

XO KISS will be available to select new and existing clients beginning June 30, 2025.

About Cecilian Partners

Cecilian Partners brings data-driven innovation to residential real estate development and homebuying. The company’s Residential OS™ suite offers end-to-end digital solutions for homebuilders and developers, including the industry’s first lot banking platform, interactive 3D maps, patented property development software, digital marketing tools, and an all-in-one app for community management and resident engagement. Learn more at cecilianpartners.com.

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