Latest news with #corporatesocialresponsibility
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Deep Roots, Flourishing Growth: Avenue CI's Legacy Takes Shape
RAROTONGA, Cook Islands, July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following its recognition as a rising star in 2024, Avenue International (Cook Islands) Limited ("Avenue CI") has once again received the "Outstanding Award of Trustee Service" from the Chinese Edition of Bloomberg Businessweek's Financial Institution Awards in 2025. This back-to-back honour underscores Avenue CI's steady momentum and deep-rooted presence in the international trust landscape. More than a mark of continued industry confidence, the award validates Avenue CI's brand vision in motion—delivering a clear and purposeful path to asset management and asset protection, much like an avenue lined with trees offering both direction and shelter. Avenue CI has long upheld a philosophy of integrity and transparency. From due diligence to asset management, it adheres to international standards and delivers professional trust services rooted in the unique advantages offered by Cook Islands International Trusts—advantages unsurpassed by any other jurisdiction. With this steadfast approach, Avenue CI has earned the trust and admiration of clients across the Asia-Pacific region, steadily establishing itself as a key player in the regional trust market. In addition to delivering professional trust services, Avenue CI actively embraces corporate social responsibility by integrating sustainability, education, and charitable engagement into its daily operations. From day one, the company has implemented a fully paperless workflow—digitising client services and application processes—as a concrete manifestation of its commitment to a greener, more sustainable future. Avenue CI is equally committed to promoting financial literacy by sharing fundamental concepts of saving and investment. The company believes that raising public awareness in this area can contribute to a more financially secure ageing society and help reduce the risk of individuals falling victim to scams or other financial challenges. Looking beyond its own walls, Avenue CI upholds a deep sense of global responsibility. In times of crisis, the company is among the first to act—mobilising resources and offering meaningful support to those in need. Through consistent action and a values-driven approach, Avenue CI reaffirms its role as a conscientious corporate citizen—delivering not only professional service, but also empathy, integrity, and hope. The Chinese Edition of Bloomberg Businessweek's Financial Institution Awards recognise outstanding companies that are shaping the future of the financial industry, with winners selected based on performance, growth potential, development strategy, and innovation. Winning this award for a second year not only affirms Avenue CI's achievements in service excellence and market performance but also highlights its long-standing commitment to delivering world-class trust experiences while making a positive impact on society. About Avenue International (Cook Islands) LimitedAvenue CI is a licensed trustee company in the Cook Islands, offering integrated trust and wealth management solutions. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Avenue International (Cook Islands) Limited Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data
Bloomberg
20-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Nidec CEO Stresses Compliance in Shift From Fixation on Growth
Nidec Corp. founder Shigenobu Nagamori said the Japanese maker of precision motors is prioritizing compliance, stepping away from a half-century-long focus on profit and growth. The acquisitive company is now teaching employees about the importance of contributing to society, even if that means additional costs, Nagamori said at the annual shareholders' meeting Friday in Kyoto. Nidec earlier this week delayed its submission of its securities report over errors in country-of-origin declarations and unpaid import tariffs at a subsidiary in Italy.
Telegraph
11-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
‘Work has a massive impact on your whole life'
On average, each of us will spend 90,000 hours at work across our lifetimes. What we do with that time – where it's spent, who it's with and the impact of the work we do – can have a seismic impact on our happiness, both in and out of work. Work and happiness have not historically been linked, but increasingly the business case for happy employees has become not only understood but embedded within corporate strategies. In the past decade, and even more acutely post-pandemic, the lines between our personal and professional lives have been blurred as ideas of what a business exists for shift from exclusively profit-driven to serving its community, employees and planet alongside its owners and shareholders. And as the corporate world takes a more integrated view of business's role in society, employees are being viewed more holistically, as well as expecting more from employers – elevating the importance of health, wellbeing and happiness so that they are on par with performance, talent and productivity. The building blocks for happiness Susie Wilson has worked at The Plan Group for 17 years, a family-owned independent insurance intermediary selling commercial insurance as well as specialising in niche personal lines insurance, namely home, travel and pedal cycle insurance for cyclists. She's had a front-row seat to the shift in values across the business world: 'Where you work has a massive impact in your whole life,' she says. 'And if you've got a happy workforce, you'll have less employee turnover, less time and money spent on recruitment, and a much more productive and engaged workforce that produces better-quality work.' As head of HR & risk, Wilson is committed to ensuring that happiness is embedded within the company. 'There's a lot that goes into happiness at work, but two big factors are flexible working and continuous learning and development,' she says. 'After Covid, we switched to a hybrid model. I think that definitely reduces stress – for example, I started later to let me do the school run, which is a massive help because childcare is so hard to find.' Wilson also points out that a hybrid model allows The Plan Group to widen its recruitment net and source the best talent, rather than being restricted to a catchment area. 'People are willing to commute one or two days a week if they don't live in the area – but they definitely wouldn't if it was five days a week.' Learning, development and training are also crucial elements to fostering a happy workforce according to Wilson. 'It's so important for employees to grow with the job, because roles don't stay the same. I've been here 17 years, and my job has changed every couple of years. If I was still doing what I was doing when I started, I don't think I'd be happy.' The Plan Group has embedded learning throughout the organisation to ensure that employees have access to growth opportunities, upskilling and professional qualifications. 'We've got an in-house training team and we use an online learning management system to really drive engagement and growth.' Digital learning platforms allow employees to take their professional growth and development into their own hands, such as leading HR, payroll and finance provider MHR's People First platform. This allows employees to cut out the noise and focus on their growth journey more effectively as there's no need to switch between platforms, thanks to the all-in-one ecosystem the tech provides. Empowering employees to have a say in the organisation is also important to a happy, thriving workplace. 'We have an open-door policy,' says Wilson. 'If anyone has a problem or something they want to discuss, we're never too busy to talk to them.' The Plan Group has employee-led committees to incorporate staff opinions, values and interests into how the business operates. Its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee decides how the organisation's CSR budget will be spent every year, while its social events committee ensures that work socials are inclusive and open to all employees. 'Asking what employees think is really important. That's why we do our annual employee survey and always take the feedback to our directors and see what we can put into place.' Business is personal The other increasingly talked-about facet of happiness at work is how we connect to our jobs through values, meaning and purpose. Three of The Plan Group's directors – brothers Scott, Ryan and Grant – are keen cyclists and noticed that finding cycle insurance was difficult. 'They had a passion for it, so they manufactured a policy for cycle insurance,' says Wilson, 'and now we've got two brands that do cycling insurance: Yellow Jersey and Pedal Cover. 'I think that doing meaningful work boosts self-esteem,' she says. 'Aligning work with values and passions often comes down to the environment and the relationships. We've got People First,' she adds, referring to MHR's people platform that empowers employees, prioritises experiences and drives engagement to foster a happier, more productive workforce. 'On there, you can add recognitions about employees, and also keep people updated about what other people in the company have been doing. You might see something on there that affects you or that you're passionate about and then you can get involved or offer to support.' Crucially, Wilson says, it comes down to connecting your employees to the organisation's values. 'If you've got people that are aligned with your values, then you'll get people that are happier in their work.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fosun International Receives the "ESG & Sustainability Award" and Two Other Prestigious Honors from Global Banking and Finance Review
HONG KONG, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fosun International Limited (HKEX stock code: 00656) was recently notified by the renowned British finance magazine, Global Banking and Finance Review, that it has received three awards: "ESG & Sustainability Awards – Best Sustainable Development Company Asia 2025", "CSR Awards – Best CSR Company Asia 2025", and "Brand of the Year Awards – Holding Group Brand of the Year Asia 2025". These accolades underscore the market's recognition of Fosun's exceptional performance in ESG strategy, corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection, information disclosure, and stakeholder engagement. Honoring Companies for Excellence in Business Performance and Sustainable Development Global Banking and Finance Review highlighted that, after more than 30 years of development, Fosun has evolved into a global innovation-driven consumer group. As a global large-scale private enterprise, Fosun has pursued a core business-focused strategy, embraced innovation, and advanced its globalization efforts, leading to steady business growth. While enhancing its operations, Fosun has also strengthened its sustainable development management, actively fulfilling corporate social responsibility, improving ESG performance, and leveraging the resources and advantages of its global industrial ecosystem to contribute to a better world. In recognition of these efforts, the magazine honored Fosun International with three prestigious awards in ESG and sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and branding. These accolades not only acknowledge the growth potential of Fosun's core industries but also reaffirm the Company's dedication to advancing ESG-driven sustainable development. Fosun's Sustainable Development Strategy: "Create IMPACT" Looking back on the past, Fosun has always paid attention to the reform and development of the global policies in the field of sustainable development. It has established a comprehensive ESG management system, integrated ESG management requirements into business management over the years, actively responded to national and global strategies in relation to sustainable development, ensured information security, promoted technology innovation, implemented "dual carbon" goals, protected the rights and interests of employees to promote sustainable management and value creation. Last year, Fosun formulated its sustainable development strategy: "Create IMPACT", which outlines its six key long-term directions: I: Innovation-driven, M: Mindful Operation, P: People and Partner Oriented, A: Advanced Governance, C: Climate and Planet Positive and T: Transparency. Advancing Global Sustainable Development with Outstanding ESG Performance Fosun remains committed to its core businesses. By leveraging its increasingly sophisticated global business presence, it has operated responsibly across more than 35 countries and regions, actively contributing to public welfare and creating sustainable value worldwide. Fosun has long been dedicated to philanthropy projects in areas such as rural revitalization, healthcare, educational equity, community construction, culture and art, significantly expanding its impact across global communities and striving to build a more responsible, inclusive and sustainable future. As a responsible global citizen, Fosun officially joined the United Nations Global Compact ("UN Global Compact") in 2014. It fully supports the ten principles of the UN Global Compact on human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption, and has deeply integrated these principles into its "Create IMPACT" sustainable development strategy and code of conduct. Over the past year, despite the global environmental, social and economic uncertainties, Fosun remained committed to sustainable development, diligently upholding its long-term commitments in key areas of sustainable development, and achieving good results. Fosun International maintained an MSCI ESG rating of AA, achieved an HSI ESG rating of AA-, ranked in the top 5% among global peers in latest S&P Global's Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), was included in S&P Global's Sustainability Yearbook 2025, and was selected as the top 1% in S&P Global's Sustainability Yearbook 2025 (China Edition). Fosun for Good: Giving Back to Society In order to better promote the fulfillment and implementation of corporate social responsibility, Fosun Foundation was established in 2012. It has been making unremitting efforts in the fields of global emergency relief, rural revitalization, healthcare, youth entrepreneurship, education, community development and culture & art, etc. to create social value. Among these initiatives, the Rural Doctors Program has supported 25,000 rural doctors and benefited 3 million rural families since its launch in 2017. Moreover, the "Rural Doctors Program Empowering Rural Medical Services" was included in the "20 Cases of Private Sector's Sustainable Development in China for 20 Years" Report of the UN Global Compact. Fosun adheres to the innovation-driven strategy and actively facilitates its businesses to achieve innovative results so as to make greater contributions to society. Thanks to the long-term accumulated technology innovation capabilities, Fosun has continued to realize the "world's first" and "China's first" achievements. Henlius' innovative drug, HANSIZHUANG (serplulimab injection), an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, was approved for marketing in the European Union in early 2025. This milestone makes it the first and only PD-1 innovative drug approved for the first-line treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) in the European Union. As of the end of 2024, Fosun Pharma's independently developed artesunate for injection had saved more than 80 million severe malaria patients worldwide, with more than 400 million doses supplied globally. Regarding youth entrepreneurship and development, under the principle of "Innovation and People-oriented Development", Fosun Foundation, in collaboration with Fidelidade and Portugal's healthcare group Luz Saúde, launched the sustainable innovation project "Protechting Open Innovation Program" in early 2016. Since 2018, Protechting has incubated 40 pilot projects and led to 5 commercial collaborations. On 9 April 2025, the 7th Protechting Open Innovation Program took place in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, where the top four finalists were announced. In May 2025, these four teams visited Shanghai, Macau, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong for exchanges and roadshows, while also seeking potential business collaboration opportunities. Over the past seven years, Protechting has expanded from Portugal to Europe and now to China and beyond, becoming an international platform for technology innovation exchange that connects young people from different cultures and continents. Looking ahead, Fosun remains dedicated to advancing its social responsibility through innovation and responsible global operations. Guided by its "Create IMPACT" sustainable development strategy, Fosun will intensify its efforts to build a more responsible, inclusive and sustainable future. View original content: SOURCE Fosun
Fast Company
10-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
The importance of B Corp certification
Butler/Till was introduced to the idea of becoming a B Corp in 2015 when we acquired a small marketing consultancy that did a lot of work in the energy space. Being a B Corp was really important to those employees, and with just a little bit of homework, we realized that the values involved in the certification process were the same values we'd woven into our DNA since our founding. The B Corp designation has become a kind of shorthand for a purpose-driven company that balances profits with people and the planet. The designation is not 100% altruistic, nor should it be. B Corps are for-profit companies that believe you can do business for good and that your employees, your clients, and your business all benefit when you do. We are just finishing up the recertification process, which is required every three years. While it can be a challenging process, it pushes us to reevaluate our commitment to corporate social responsibility across five areas: community, governance, customers, environment, and workers. At Butler/Till, this is not a top-down process; it is spearheaded by a dedicated committee of employees who want to ensure we stay true to our values every day. The problem with B Corp certification In recent years, B Corp certification has come under fire from within the community. In 2022, a group of B Corp organizations sent an open letter to B Lab, the nonprofit organization behind the process, protesting the certification of a multinational company with a history of child labor issues and anti-environmental practices. The letter pointed out flaws in the certification process, suggesting it had become susceptible to exploitation for greenwashing purposes and demanding changes. In response, B Lab acknowledged these concerns and published a set of new rules in April to rectify the situation. While the rewriting of these rules took longer than expected, Dr. Bronner's—one of the companies that signed the letter in 2022—decided not to wait. Earlier this year, the company publicly announced it would be relinquishing its B Corp status when it expires near the end of 2025 and that it would be taking the B Corp logo off of its products. The founders explained, 'Sharing the same logo and messaging regarding being of 'benefit' to the world with large multinational CPG companies with a history of serious ecological and labor issues, and no comprehensive or credible eco-social certification of supply chains, is unacceptable to us.' I applaud their conviction for a just and sustainable planet, but I think their decision to denounce the system rather than stay and fix it is shortsighted. The letter pointed to other highly successful companies committed to justice and sustainability, notably Patagonia and Ben & Jerry's, as examples of those doing it right. The not-so-subtle message here is that the 8,000+ companies that have invested the time and resources to become certified B Corps are not doing it right or not doing enough. Work together to do good This 'you can't be us' message is the opposite of the inclusivity organizations seek when they commit to becoming a B Corp. We're in a moment in this country when companies face backlash for DEI efforts, and the need for corporate social responsibility of any kind is being questioned. This is not the time to give up on efforts to do business in a better way. If anything, employees need us to lean in more than ever. The B Corp values of working together to do good are engraved into our ethos. We make a conscious effort to create an environment where people get to do their best work, feel fulfilled, acknowledged, and respected, and earn a good living doing it. We are also a 100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), meaning that the company is fully employee-owned. This keeps us independent and allows us to make decisions that are truly in the best interest of our clients and also happen to be in the best interests of our employee-owners. We've also committed to spending a certain portion of our dollars with like-minded, minority-owned, women-owned businesses, including other B Corps and other ESOPs. Social good is ingrained in everything we do. B Corp certification helps us solidify and display that commitment to our employees, our clients, our partners, and our community. Giving that up because the process is not perfect would be steps backward versus forward. Throwing away certification isn't the answer It's easy to call people out—it's practically all anyone does on social media these days—but purity tests aren't useful. B Lab's process may certainly be flawed. Companies are scored in each area, and then the results are averaged. This means a low score in one area, like customers or governance, could be essentially ignored if the scores in other areas were high enough. I certainly hope that B Lab's new rules fix this glaring error in calculation, but throwing the certification away entirely is not the answer. The truth is that most companies do not meet the existing metric. Isn't it better to call them in versus out and give them something to strive for than to declare that there's a small club of pure companies out there that they can never belong to, even if they try?
