AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Texan by Nature (TxN), a Texas-led conservation non-profit founded by former First Lady Laura Bush, today announced 20 honorees of the 5th annual Texan by Nature 20 (TxN 20) - an official ranking of companies with Texas operations that have made a demonstrative commitment to conservation.
The TxN 20 recognizes the best and most innovative work in conservation coming from business based or operating in Texas. As part of the TxN 20, Texan by Nature honors companies across 12 industries in the Lone Star State whose ingenuity cultivates impactful programs and forges new, beneficial paths in conservation. With 171 million acres of land and global leadership across multiple industries, Texas is fortunate to have industry leaders who see the value in partnering with conservation initiatives while also developing innovative, environmentally sustainable methods and processes within their business.
“We believe in building an environmentally sustainable future through actions, collaborations, and innovative models in conservation,” said Joni Carswell, CEO & President of Texan by Nature. “It is an honor to celebrate the Texas-based industry leaders that share these values and prove the transformative benefits of pairing business resources with conservation efforts to impact the globe.”
A catalyst for thought leadership, innovative partnerships, and community-led solutions, Texan by Nature has been working with the Texas business community to implement Texas-led conservation practices. The TxN 20 provides not only recognition to honorees, but a catalogue of best practices and metrics to industry peers. The honoree’s commitment to conservation, their projects and programs, best practices, and lessons learned are examples and inspiration for us all.
“I’m happy to celebrate this year’s TxN 20! And I encourage other companies to follow their example and engage in conservation. Together, we can contribute to our prosperous economy, protect our rich natural resources, and ensure that Texas has a bright and beautiful future for our children and grandchildren to enjoy,” said former First Lady and Texan by Nature Founder, Laura Bush.
The 2023 TxN 20 is catalyzed by Jetco Delivery. “With our investment in the TxN 20, we hope to amplify cross-industry innovations and actions that will inspire and propel businesses toward a sustainable future,” said Kyle Kristynik, President at Jetco.
To select the 2023 TxN 20, company data submissions were evaluated and independent research across 2,000+ of Texas’ publicly traded and private companies was conducted for 12 industry sectors. All companies were evaluated on key criteria through a 17-point scoring system to narrow down the list to the top 60 companies in Texas. Key scoring criteria included: stated commitment to conservation; reported metrics related to conservation; measured investment in conservation; reported Return on ConservationTM results; positive conservation impact on land, water, wildlife, people, waste, energy, and more; and activities such as infrastructure, production and supply chain, employee engagement, and more. Each year, an esteemed selection committee of top industry leaders is formed to evaluate the top 60 companies and select the final honorees for the TxN 20. TxN 20 selection and recognition is also supported by HOLT CAT.
2023 TxN 20 HONOREES INCLUDE:
- Alamo Group
- Cemex
- Cirrus Logic
- CPS Energy
- Darling Ingredients
- Desert Door Sotol
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- HOLT CAT
- JP Morgan
- Mary Kay
- Microsoft
- NextEra Energy
- North American Development Bank
- Ørsted
- Overland Partners
- PepsiCo
- Stantec
- Texas Health Resources
- Wayne Sanderson Farms
- WM
To read more about each 2023 TxN 20 honoree, please visit: www.TxN20.org/2023-honorees/
The TxN 20 2023 Selection Committee members included:
- Rick Archer, Founding Principal – Overland Partners
- Andrejs E. Avots-Avotins, MD, PhD, The Elizabeth & Drayton McLane, Jr. Chair in Health & Wellness Vice President of Medical Affairs – Baylor Scott & White Health – Temple
- Zach Baumer, Interim Chief Sustainability Officer — City of Austin
- Tracee Bentley, President & CEO – Permian Strategic Partnership
- Stoney Burke, Founder/CEO — Aquia Group, TxN Advisory Council
- Edward Craner, Sr. Vice President – HOLT CAT
- Matthew Crommett, Managing Director – LH Capital, Inc, Lyda Hill Philanthropies
- Michael Dorff, Communications and Public Affairs – Raytheon
- Trey Dyer, Director of Land and Fixed Assets – The East Foundation
- Smith Getterman, Director of Sustainability and Special Projects – Baylor University
- Robert Horton, Vice President, Environmental Affairs & Sustainability – Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, TxN Board
- Devin Hotzel, Manager, Government Relations – Enbridge
- Bob Malone, Chairman, President & CEO – Sonora Bank
- Richard McDonald, Corporate Director of Sustainability, Sundt Construction Corporation
- VJ Smith, Manager, ESG and Stakeholder Engagement – Marathon Petroleum
- Audrey Templeton, Enterprise Risk Manager – Molson Coors
Activating new investments, amplifying and accelerating innovations, and connecting partners to the resources they need to succeed, Texan by Nature offers select programs to help engage Texans in stewardship of the state’s rich land and diverse communities including the Conservation Wrangler program, TxN Certification, the Conservation Summit, Symposia series, the TxN 20 and select statewide initiatives. For more information on TxN partnerships and programs, or to learn how to get involved, please visit www.texanbynature.org.
ABOUT TxN:
Texan by Nature (TxN) brings conservation and business together to advance conservation - positively impacting natural resources, prosperity, and health across Texas and beyond. TxN partners deeply with conservation groups and business, acting as an accelerator for conservation groups and a strategic partner for business. Their projects and programs have impacted 7M+ people, 19.5M acres, and all of Texas' 254 counties over the last 2 years. Get involved and learn more at www.texanbynature.org and follow on Facebook @TexanbyNature, Twitter @TexanbyNature, and Instagram @texanbynature.
