The new Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper aims to advance green investment research
SINGAPORE, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Singapore Management University (SMU), in partnership with a global consortium of universities and finance leaders, has launched the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapper, a first-of-its-kind global platform that compares and connects sustainable finance taxonomies across countries.
Developed in partnership with Dublin City University, the University of Edinburgh, University College Dublin, the Climate Bonds Initiative, the EU Sustainable Finance Advisory Hub, GIZ, the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI), the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Mapperis a pioneering initiative to advance research, support policymakers, and improve international interoperability in sustainable finance policy standards. The project enables a shared understanding of taxonomy design across jurisdictions, from the perspective of both general design features as well as deep economic activity mapping.
Global research team driving academic collaboration
The research team behind the initiative is co-led by Dr Theodor Cojoianu (Singapore Management University), Prof Andreas Hoepner and Dr Fabiola Schneider (University College Dublin), and Dr Anh Vu (Dublin City University). The team, supported by Edinburgh Innovations, the University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service, is inviting universities and research institutions worldwide to contribute to expanding the Taxonomy Mapper and to join a growing global academic network advancing sustainable finance policy.
Commenting on the impact of the initiative, Dr Theodor Cojoianu, Associate Professor in Sustainable Finance, SMU said: “Our sustainable finance mapper tool and academic network will support policymakers, financial services actors and civil society by providing a data, research tools and education public goods for effective design of sustainable finance policies.”
Nathan Fabian, PRI’s chief sustainable systems officer, said: “The PRI has been engaging with investors on the implementation and use of sustainable finance taxonomies since their early inception. Enhancing the usability and interoperability of sustainable finance taxonomies is crucial to ensure well-functioning financial markets that collectively contribute to climate and broader environmental goals.”
Sean Kidney, CEO of the Climate Bonds Initiative commented, “The world has seen a wonderful explosion of sustainable finance taxonomies – shopping lists for the future. The next step is a tool to navigate seamlessly across them, quickly finding the extensive common ground. That’s what the Taxonomy Mapper is for.”
SMU faculty driving global impact
Assoc Prof Cojoianu of SMU’s College of Integrative Studies (CIS), in leading this initiative, underscores the College’s role in advancing SMU’s 2030 Strategic Plan and the University’s commitment to transformative education, impactful research and strategic partnerships.
SMU’s engagement with global challenges like climate change and sustainable finance is further exemplified by the active participation of CIS faculty such as Winston Chow, Lee Kong Chian Professor of Urban Climate and Co-Chair of Working Group II, IPCC AR7, in COP30 discussions, highlighting the university’s role in shaping international standards for sustainable finance and climate action.
Prof Elvin Lim, Dean, College of Integrative Studies, SMU said: “I am delighted that the College of Integrative Studies is fostering impactful international research partnerships on green finance policies. The mapping of green finance taxonomies to facilitate cross-jurisdictional operability is critical work that must be done to foster robust global cooperation on green finance. We are very excited to be a part of this consortium of esteemed institutions to do this impactful work.”
Bridging the global green finance divide
A surge in sustainable finance policies worldwide has led to the creation of numerous green taxonomies — each shaped by local economic and environmental priorities. While this diversity reflects regional needs, it also highlights the urgent need for independent academic research to improve global interoperability, helping policymakers enhance clarity and enable the smoother flow of green capital across borders.
The initiative is co-funded by the European Union under the EU Sustainable Finance Advisory Hub and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or BMZ.
SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — UBTECH has begun mass production and delivery of the first batch of several hundred full-size industrial humanoid robots, Walker S2, which will be deployed in phases across frontline industrial applications. This milestone moves the company toward its target of delivering 500 units within the year and marks the beginning of large-scale, real-world implementation of humanoid robotics.
UBTECH Walker S2 – World’s First Mass Delivery of Humanoid Robots
UBTECH humanoid robot Walker S2 begins mass production and delivery
By establishing a closed-loop commercial cycle—from technology and real-world application to delivery and iterative improvement—UBTECH has developed core capabilities to rapidly address market demands and efficiently secure and fulfill orders, setting a replicable benchmark for the deployment of humanoid robots. The start of mass delivery highlights UBTECH’s expanding ability to strengthen and re-configure industrial ecosystems, accelerating the industry’s shift toward global, high-quality, scaled deployment.
Amid rising market demand, UBTECH has outlined a clear production ramp-up plan, targeting an annual capacity of 5,000 industrial humanoid robots by 2026, scaling to 10,000 units by 2027. UBTECH is already supplying its Walker S2 robots for key industrial uses in automotive manufacturing, smart factories, intelligent logistics, and data collection centers.
UBTECH has also taken the lead in shifting its delivery approach from providing products to delivering full operational capabilities, introducing a first-of-its-kind, standardized and replicable turnkey solution. With UBTECH’s proprietary BrainNet technology platform, these solutions enable rapid scenario deployment, enhance usability for industrial customers, and support innovative applications across manufacturing environments. Walker S2 is the world’s first industrial humanoid robot integrated with Co-Agent—UBTECH’s proprietary intelligent agent system. This system empowers the robot with closed-loop operational capabilities, including intention understanding, task planning, tool usage, and autonomous anomaly detection and handling. Complemented by a comprehensive user-training system, this shift from product delivery to scenario-based enablement offers a practical pathway to large-scale adoption of humanoid robots.
UBTECH humanoid robot Walker S2 begins mass production and delivery
Since early 2025, UBTECH’s Walker series humanoid robots have accumulated orders exceeding 800 million yuan (approx. US$112 million), reinforcing the company’s leadership in global humanoid robot commercialization. Among these, a recent contract to deploy Walker S2 robots at a data collection center in Zigong, valued at 159 million yuan, ranks as the second-largest order of the year, following a record 250 million yuan order secured in September. These accomplishments reflect growing market demand and strong industry recognition of UBTECH’s product capabilities.
UBTECH collaborates with leading industry players including BYD, Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, Geely Auto, FAW-Volkswagen Qingdao, Audi FAW, BAIC New Energy, Foxconn, and SF Express. Furthermore, with the Walker S series now entered on a wide range of automotive production lines to complete different tasks, UBTECH continues to accumulate extensive real-world data and frontline operational experience. This continuous scenario-based practice is essential for optimizing product performance and enables the development of production-line-ready, task-driven swarm intelligence.
James Zhou, Founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO of UBTECH, has witnessed the start of mass production and delivery of the company’s industrial humanoid robot Walker S2
Humanoid robots, recognized as the ultimate form of embodied intelligence, now stand at a historic inflection point—evolving from technological prototypes toward industrial-scale deployment. To achieve real-world commercialization in the age of embodied intelligence, the industry must overcome three fundamental challenges: technological maturity, real-world application, and scalable delivery. As the world’s first company to complete the loop between technological validation and commercial deployment in industrial environments, UBTECH is executing a proven strategy: advancing core technologies to support field deployment, using real-world insights to refine delivery models, and expanding scaled delivery to drive continuous technological evolution. UBTECH is committed to collaborating with industry partners to build an open, collaborative ecosystem and advance toward the large-scale adoption of humanoid robotics.
SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Krinwave Technology, an innovator in medical imaging, announced plans to release one of the first ultrasound device powered by NVIDIAJetson Thor. The device fully leverages Jetson Thor’s powerful computing performance to support the high-performance requirements of Krinwave’s proprietary kOS ultrasound system. This demonstrates an early application of Jetson Thor in ultrasound imaging, further extending its presence in medical imaging and unlocking the potential of advanced computing in diagnostic innovation.
Krinwave to Launch One of the First Ultrasound Device Powered by NVIDIA Jetson Thor
Krinwave’s proprietary kOS system, built on its original super resolution beamforming algorithm and advanced low-frequency phased-array transducer technology, achieves a major breakthrough in overcoming the traditional trade-offs among spatial resolution, penetration, and temporal resolution in ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound devices powered by kOS deliver significant performance enhancements and lead the industry with HUS (High Penetration Probe, Ultrafast Plane Wave, and Super Resolution Beamforming) technology. Krinwave’s high-penetration probes reach imaging depths of up to 40 cm, and the ultra-fast plane wave imaging achieves a frame rate of up to 5,000 frames per second —50 times faster than traditional methods.
The system also breaks the diffraction limit to achieve super-resolution imaging, enabling high-definition visualization of adult cranial structures and propelling ultrasound imaging into a new era of super-resolution, precision, and intelligent diagnostics This leap in performance is enabled by NVIDIA’s full-stack edge computing platform, including Jetson Thor. Kirinwave developers leveraged NVIDIA acceleration tools such as Nsight Profiler, NVIDIA CUDA, NVIDIA TensorRT, and NVIDIA JetPack to improve performance and get to market fast.
The kOS system has already been integrated with NVIDIA Holoscan platform, enabling intelligent-assisted diagnosis in scenarios such as transcranial ultrasound screening for Parkinson’s syndromes and cerebrovascular assessment, significantly improving diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. With the addition of the Jetson Thor processor, Krinwave’s next-generation system is capable of up to 2 petaFLOPS of AI performance, dramatically enhancing its ability to process and analyze large-scale ultrasound data in real time. This provides strong technical support for more complex clinical applications, including the assessment of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression. Beyond bedside stroke screening and diagnosis, the system also supports intraoperative guidance, neurocritical monitoring, cerebrovascular assessment, pediatric neuroimaging, and neurorehabilitation monitoring—further expanding the frontiers of ultrasound imaging.
“As NVIDIA continues to deliver ever more powerful full-stack computing platforms, Krinwave’s ultrasound systems will be able to run larger AI models, enabling smarter, more accurate, and more adaptive diagnostic capabilities,” said Jiajia Liu, CEO of Krinwave Technology. “Looking ahead, our kOS System will further integrate with NVIDIA Isaac, an openrobotics development platform to build autonomous and intelligent ultrasound systems capable of robotic scanning, real-time image optimization, and AI-assisted diagnosis. Future clinical applications—including low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) for neuromodulation and ultrasound-based brain–computer interfaces—will also benefit from the combined power of NVIDIA AI infrastructure and Krinwave’s AI-driven innovation.”
SINGAPORE, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — At the Singapore FinTech Festival 2025 (SFF 2025), Jason Cao, CEO of Huawei Digital Finance BU, delivered a keynote titled Beyond Digital: Towards AI-Infused Finance. He highlighted Huawei’s innovations in scenario-based agents, AI platforms, data and knowledge platforms, and infrastructure that address the core challenges of AI adoption in finance. Leveraging systematic engineering capabilities, Huawei aims to help financial institutions accelerate their intelligent transformation.
Cao noted, “The intelligent era will be characterized by hyper-personalization. AI in finance has reached a critical stage, and the key lies in its deep integration into core production processes and business scenarios, where it can deliver real business value. To gain a competitive edge in the next decade, financial institutions should harness AI to drive structural transformation across their workflows.”
Jason Cao, CEO of Huawei Digital Finance BU
Over the past decade, financial digitalization removed barriers of time and distance but still followed the 80/20 rule—80% of resources serving 20% of core users. In the decade ahead, AI will popularize the “one person, one team” model, empowering each individual with the capabilities of a full team through super AI assistants as the primary service portal. “Future financial services will evolve from recommending products directly to individuals to channeling them to personal super assistants. Those who lead this shift and deliver hyper-personalized services will get a head start.” Cao emphasized. He added that AI-driven structural transformation will extend across all aspects including financial service models, collaboration models, risk decisioning, and infrastructure.
Building a Four-Layer Systematic Solution to Achieve All-Scenario Intelligence
Cao outlined two paths global financial institutions are taking to advance AI-native applications: Large institutions build a matrix of agents, providing an AI assistant for each role and a trusted AI advisor for each customer; small and medium-sized institutions focus on high-value scenarios such as credit, deploying agents rapidly to achieve intelligent processes. To date, Huawei has already helped global financial customers deploy more than 500 AI use cases, spanning office, operations, marketing, risk management, and customer service. This helps customers enhance their internal efficiency, deliver greater value to end users, and mark the shift from single scenarios to systematic, comprehensive solutions.
Huawei has placed its intelligent computing platform at the core of a systematic solution covering computing power, platforms, engineering, and scenarios. To meet the demands of high concurrency and low latency in AI inference, Huawei has developed a leading computing power platform. This foundation supports enterprise-wide AI data governance through a unified knowledge and data platform, integrated with financial agent platforms and practices in data and model engineering—together forming a closed loop of end-to-end (E2E) AI capabilities. By collaborating with global ecosystem partners, Huawei is unlocking full-stack technological momentum to accelerate the deployment of AI in high-value scenarios.
In the intelligent mobile banking scenario, Huawei and a major Chinese bank have jointly innovated a next-generation intelligent mobile service architecture. Built on intelligent computing infrastructure and AI platforms, the architecture leverages hierarchical multi-agent collaboration, long-term memory storage, and E2E performance optimization across hardware and software. This has achieved intent recognition accuracy above 90% and latency as low as 1.2 seconds, helping the bank transform from passive response to proactive service.
Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to build on its leading computing power platform, systematic AI engineering expertise, structured ecosystem development, and new co-creation models with customers and partners. These initiatives will strengthen customer engagement, enhance risk management, and drive E2E business transformation, further embedding value-driven AI applications in the financial industry and helping financial institutions accelerate the effective adoption of AI.
Collaborating with More RongHai Partners to Establish a New Financial AI Ecosystem
During this event, Huawei, together with three RonghHai partners—Neuxnet, Speakly AI, and TrustDecision, respectively signed strategic cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia’s leading financial institution Atmaal. The partner network of Huawei’s Ronghai program also continued to expand, with three new members onboarding: CMA, which provides stable payment services for central banks worldwide; Instadesk, which offers intelligent outbound calling and marketing capabilities; and MagicEngine, which delivers model development, inference, and services for financial institutions. An increasing number of valued financial solution partners are accelerating global collaboration with Huawei.
Through the Ronghai program, Huawei aims to co-create with global partners a “six-capability cluster” to systematically build an AI ecosystem along the financial production flow. This includes model development, agent engineering, industry knowledge bases, and scenario-based applications, while optimizing AI deployment efficiency through E2E hardware-software synergy.
As the financial industry moves from digitalization to digital and intelligent transformation, Huawei will continue to strengthen collaborative innovation with customers and partners, focusing on reshaping financial workflows and advancing ecosystem development. These efforts will enable AI to move beyond technology enablement toward significant improvement in productivity, opening a new chapter in intelligent finance.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 November 2025 – iRad Hospital, the pioneering resort medical facility located at Studio City, today announced the signing of a cooperation agreement with Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital. This partnership launches comprehensive cross-border medical concierge services, reinforcing the Macau government’s “1+4” moderate economic diversification framework and supporting Macau’s emergence as a medical tourism destination.
This strategic alliance enables seamless connectivity of medical services between the two regions, providing patients with access to expanded specialty medical resources through iRad’s medical concierge platform.
Combining Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital’s 103-year legacy of comprehensive medical excellence with iRad’s over 20 years of professional medical experience and resort-integrated healthcare model, this partnership establishes an unprecedented healthcare network covering the Pearl River Delta region.
The medical concierge program facilitates integrated care coordination, efficient cross-institutional scheduling, and personalized treatment plans utilizing resources from both institutions. This comprehensive approach ensures seamless continuity of care, delivering better clinical outcomes for patients seeking medical services in the region.
Mr. Lawrence Ho, Founder of Black Spade Capital and Chairman & CEO of Melco, stated, “The collaboration between iRad and Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital demonstrates our commitment to advancing Macau’s ‘1+4’ industrial transformation agenda, creating vital healthcare connections between the two regions, enriching Studio City’s health tourism offerings while expanding healthcare options for the Greater Bay Area community.”
Mr. Wyman Li, Chief Operating Officer of HKSH Medical Group, remarked, “Partnering with iRad reflects our vision of borderless healthcare, bringing exceptional value to patients in both markets, developing new approaches for the Greater Bay Area, and further deepening collaborative innovation across various sectors within the region.”
Hashtag: #iRadMedicalGroup
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About HKSH Medical Group
Officially launched in September 2017, HKSH Medical Group promotes public health and advanced medicine through a multi-faceted, coordinated approach across clinical services, medical education, scientific research and public health education. Members of the Group, including Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, HKSH Healthcare and HKSH Eastern Medical Centre, are dedicated to offering top-quality holistic care to patients, upholding the motto “Quality in Service, Excellence in Care.”
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital is a key member of HKSH Medical Group. Established in 1922, it is one of the leading private hospitals in Hong Kong. Living up to its motto of “Quality in Service Excellence in Care,” the Hospital is committed to serving the public as well as promoting medical education and research.
For more information about HKSH Medical Group, please visit www.hksh.com.
About iRad Medical Group—Hong Kong’s Largest MRI Diagnostic Service Provider
Established in 2005, iRad is a trusted leader in diagnostic radiology across Hong Kong. Black Spade Capital has been iRad Medical’s controlling shareholder since 2021. As at 2024, iRad was the largest MRI diagnostic services provider in Hong Kong by revenue and by the number of MRI scanners. Focused on delivering high-quality imaging services and exceptional patient care, the Group’s strong and extensive client base includes the Government of the Hong Kong SAR, as well as other high-profile medical groups, corporations, private doctors and NGOs. Meanwhile, iRad Hospital is the first and largest private medical imaging and examination service provider within an integrated resort in Macau, making iRad Group the first medical imaging group in the world to offer comprehensive private imaging and examination services, including MRI and CT services, to the integrated resort industry.
PARIS, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 November 2025 – Huawei and Paris Photo mark their third year of collaboration with the announcement of the 2025 XMAGE Awards winners, selected from more than 743,000 submissions across 78 countries.
Amid the bustle of Paris Photo, HUAWEI unveiled the 100 outstanding works chosen for the XMAGE Awards, with three receiving the prestigious XMAGE 100 Grand Prize.
One of the winning images, “Ethereal Lines” by Romanian pharmacist and photographer Gheorge Popa, was captured using the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra. The photograph showcases the striking and naturally vivid colours of Geamăna Lake in Transylvania, a village overtaken by mining waste nearly half a century ago.
“It was a very foggy morning, and I couldn’t fly my drone,” Popa explained. “I had my phone and found these patterns near the shore. I didn’t expect to be a winner, but I’m really happy.”
Another Grand Prize winner, “Origin of Skiing” by architect and photographer AC Chen Guanhong, features a young girl from Altay, China. The portrait highlights the region’s heritage as the birthplace of skiing and reflects pride in its cultural traditions.
“It’s a great honour to show my work here,” Chen shared. “Using a phone is easier and lighter, and it lets people feel more relaxed in front of the camera.”
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and XMAGE 100 jury member Liu Heung Shing commended the quality of the submissions, noting: “You can see the trust established between photographer and subject. The standard of mobile photography has advanced remarkably.”
The 2025 HUAWEI XMAGE Awards exhibition at Paris Photo celebrates global creativity and the evolution of mobile imaging technology, demonstrating how photography continues to connect people and stories around the world. Hashtag: #Huawei
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
CALIFORNIA, USA- Media OutReach Newswire – 17 November 2025 – On November 13 (Pacific Standard Time), Phase I of ONE Carmel — a top-tier real estate project in California that has been eight years in the making — reached a pivotal milestone by obtaining its White Paper, formally known as the Final Subdivision Public Report issued by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE). The approval of this permit marks a critical milestone, as the project has crossed the key threshold from planning to market entry and has officially entered the compliant sales stage.
The issuance of this White Paper is of critical importance, as it represents the DRE’s final approval of the project’s legal and financial structure. It provides paramount assurance to all stakeholders by confirming that the offering is transparent, financially sound, and in full compliance with California’s stringent real estate laws. This foundational approval not only solidifies the project’s credibility but also directly underpins its market valuation. In line with this,the latest valuation report indicates that following the permit’s approval, the land value of the ONE Carmel project has now exceeded US$200 million (approximately HK$1.56 billion), while the total project value surpasses US$2 billion (approximately HK$15.6 billion).
Obtaining California’s real estate sales white paper is widely regarded as a highly challenging milestone. The project must undergo comprehensive review covering land use planning, infrastructure construction, community governance structure, and funding supervision systems, and must satisfy more than 300 government approval conditions. Throughout the entire process, the developer is required to complete all infrastructure — including roads, water, electricity, and telecommunications — in advance; establish a Homeowners Association (HOA) with fully compliant legal documentation; and provide substantial completion bonds to ensure that future public facilities are delivered with required quality and on schedule. The issuance of this white paper signifies that the project has completed the government’s full review of land planning, infrastructure, homeowner protection mechanisms, and fund supervision systems. It also represents the California Real Estate Department’s recognition of ONE Carmel’s extensive preparatory work and provides future homeowners with solid regulatory assurance.
ONE Carmel enjoys an exceptional geographical location, situated in the heart of Northern California’s wealthiest residential region, adjacent to Highway 1 and surrounded by exclusive private estates. The area is enriched with world-class resources: it is a 10-minute drive from the Pebble Beach Golf Links — ranked No. 1 among America’s public golf courses — and dozens of elite golf clubs nearby. Hollywood star Brad Pitt has a residence here; Clint Eastwood once served as mayor in this area; and Chinese master artist Chang Dai-chien once lived and painted in this remarkable landscape. Its cultural heritage and academic atmosphere together form the foundation of its irreplaceable and rare value.
ONE Carmel is located in Carmel Valley of Monterey County, California, covering 891 acres (approximately 3.6 square kilometers), and is planned for the development of 73 custom estate lots, with an average land size of approximately 4.38 acres each. After nearly eight years of development, the Phase I foundational works of this California top-tier real estate project — which has undergone more than 30 years of entitlement history — have now been completed.
According to the project plan, Phase I will prioritize infrastructure works for 36 lots, as well as public facilities at the community entrance, which are expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, design and construction of model homes and a wellness clubhouse will be launched concurrently to establish the foundation for future market exhibitions and customer experience.
The wellness center has officially entered the design stage and has reached cooperation intentions with several internationally renowned luxury brands and master designers.
Together, we will create a benchmark wellness experience integrating Eastern aesthetics, natural healing, and world-class lifestyle concepts.
At the same time, the design review and sales preparation for Phase I lots and custom residences have officially commenced and will be launched in phases to global high-end markets.
Beyond its unique natural advantages and human-centered cultural character, ONE Carmel is also committed to building a future community where technology and nature coexist. The project will integrate world-leading AI intelligent systems — including security robots, AI baristas, and smart concierge services — delivering immersive 24/7 service and redefining smart community living. In addition, ONE Carmel has exclusively developed ONE Plus, an AI-powered global luxury membership service platform designed for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, providing comprehensive solutions spanning real estate development, bespoke residences, global luxury travel, and full-spectrum lifestyle management. Its core advantage lies in integrating proprietary real estate assets, an exclusive membership ecosystem, and an intelligent service system, achieving a one-stop closed-loop experience from asset allocation to lifestyle management through a tiered membership structure.
Importantly, in October this year, DL Holdings launched the Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization plan for the ONE Carmel project, transforming its US$40 million (approximately HK$312 million) shareholding into digital tokens via blockchain technology. This groundbreaking initiative not only provides special dividend distributions for shareholders but also pioneers a new investment model that integrates top-tier real estate with digital finance, advancing the digitalization of real-estate-backed assets in the industry.
Through eight years of dedicated development, ONE Carmel has deeply integrated natural endowments, cultural heritage, intelligent technology, and financial innovation. The approval of the sales white paper is not only the decisive milestone marking the project’s transition from blueprint to market, but also an official endorsement of its development strength, financial safeguards, and compliance credibility. With government certification as its foundation and premium living as its core, ONE Carmel is creating an ideal living environment that spans both the physical and digital dimensions for the world’s elite. Hashtag: #DL
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
One of the world’s first open-access playbooks providing hospitality operators with a holistic, practical framework to embrace disability inclusion
Supported by SG Enable, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and Valuable 500 and reviewed by nearly 20 disability inclusion experts globally
Company announces global disability inclusion commitments, including standardised accessibility profiles for all properties, frontline disability awareness training and reporting on the hiring of persons with disabilities starting 2026
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 November 2025 – The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the wholly owned lodging business unit of CapitaLand Investment (CLI), has launched the Disability Inclusion Playbook for the Accommodation Sector. As one of the world’s first open-access, holistic disability inclusion playbooks, it sets a new benchmark for inclusive hospitality. Developed by Ascott in partnership with disability inclusion specialists Colorful Earth, it is supported by SG Enable (Singapore’s focal agency for disability and inclusion), World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (a global coalition driving sustainability in hospitality) and Valuable 500 (a global non-profit of over 500 multinational corporations advancing disability inclusion).
(Back row) Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Social and Family Development & Ministry of Law was the Guest-of-Honour at the launch ceremony for The Ascott Limited’s Disability Inclusion Playbook for the Accommodation Sector. He was flanked by Ms Lee May Gee, CEO, SG Enable (left) and Ms Beh Siew Kim, Chief Financial & Sustainability Officer, Lodging, CapitaLand Investment (right). Featured with them were contributors to the playbook (front row, from left) Mr Isaac Liang, Mr Ryan Yap and Ms Alethea Lew.
Offering guidance across five key pillars of disability inclusion – Inclusive Training, Spaces, Hiring, Digital Interfaces and Programmes – the playbook empowers accommodation providers of all sizes to deliver welcoming and inclusive stay experiences from pre-arrival to departure, while fostering inclusive hiring and training practices. It addresses the diverse needs of travellers with disabilities, covering areas such as governance and strategy, collaboration with the disability community, barrier-free infrastructure, accessible programmes and function-specific training.
The playbook’s launch event took place at Citadines Science Park Singapore, officiated by Guest-of-Honour Mr Eric Chua, Singapore’s Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Law. He said: “A truly inclusive society that strengthens the quality of life for persons with disabilities is a whole-of-society effort. I am glad that like-minded partners such as Ascott have come onboard, and welcome more to join us. Together, we must work together to build a more caring and inclusive Singapore.”
Ascott’s Disability Inclusion Commitments At the launch, Ascott announced a comprehensive set of disability inclusion commitments, structured around the playbook’s five-pillar framework:
Starting from 2026, at least one Ascott property in every country where it operates will host a community programme dedicated to disability inclusion. The company will also begin reporting on the hiring of persons with disabilities in its annual sustainability reports. Every property will feature a standardised accessibility profile detailing room features, measurements and accessible transport options, empowering guests to make informed booking decisions. Currently, around 60% of Ascott’s operational properties already provide accessibility information, with plans to transition to a standardised template and extend it progressively across the remaining properties.
By 2027, 100% of Ascott’s frontline associates globally will have completed disability awareness training. To date, over 100 associates in Singapore and Australia have been trained to create welcoming stay experiences for guests with disabilities.
By 2028, all guest-facing digital platforms will meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA accessibility standards, ensuring a seamless and inclusive online experience. Ascott’s booking website, DiscoverASR.com, already complies with these standards, with its Ascott Star Rewards mobile app next in line.
Ms Beh Siew Kim, Chief Financial and Sustainability Officer, Lodging, CapitaLand Investment, said: “We are honoured to launch the open-access Disability Inclusion Playbook for the Accommodation Sector, a practical resource developed in close collaboration with disability inclusion experts and informed by our global hospitality operations. The playbook will guide Ascott’s disability inclusion efforts across our global portfolio of more than 1,000 operational and pipeline properties in over 40 countries, and we welcome other operators to join us in this collective journey.”
“Real inclusion requires more than guidance – it demands action, accountability and shared learning. That is why Ascott is backing this playbook with measurable commitments across our global portfolio, including standardised accessibility profiles for our properties, comprehensive staff training and transparent reporting on our progress. By sharing both our learnings and commitments, we aim to accelerate collective progress and show that inclusive hospitality is not just the right thing to do; it is vital to building resilient businesses that truly serve all guests and communities,” she added.
Ms Beh Siew Kim, Chief Financial & Sustainability Officer, Lodging, CapitaLand Investment announced a comprehensive set of commitments, structured around the Disability Inclusion Playbook’s five-pillar framework.
Driving Inclusive Hospitality Through Collaboration and Expertise An estimated 1.3 billion people – or about 16% of the global population – live with permanent disabilities[1], representing a substantial yet underserved market in tourism and hospitality. Accessibility is therefore both a social imperative and a significant opportunity for the hospitality industry. Ascott’s Disability Inclusion Playbook addresses this need with practical guidance drawn from its global operations and reviewed by nearly 20 experts from Colorful Earth, SG Enable, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and Valuable 500.
The playbook is also a key outcome of Ascott’s 2024 Memorandum of Understanding with SG Enable, the first partnership of its scale in Singapore’s hospitality sector. This collaboration has already produced industry-first initiatives, including Singapore’s first hospitality-specific disability inclusion training, launched at the Ascott Centre for Excellence in June 2025.
Ms Lee May Gee, CEO of SG Enable, said: “This global disability inclusion playbook translates aspiration into action – exemplifying what can be achieved when industry leaders, persons with disabilities, and community partners come together to co-create solutions grounded in lived experience. We hope it inspires others in the hospitality and tourism sectors to join us in shaping a world where everyone feels welcomed, valued and included.”
Mr Glenn Mandziuk, President & CEO, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, stated: “Today marks a pivotal moment for global hospitality. This Playbook is more than a guide; it is a beacon for systemic change, transforming the industry’s ambition for disability inclusion into tangible action. We are profoundly grateful to Ascott for their catalytic investment and leadership, and to Colorful Earth for authoring a truly superb and practical playbook. This collaborative triumph with SG Enable and the Valuable 500 proves that true hospitality must be universally accessible. It provides our entire industry with the crucial roadmap to build a future where everyone, without exception, can truly belong.”
Ms Katy Talikowska, CEO, Valuable 500, said: “Ascott’s Disability Inclusion Playbook offers practical processes and strategic guidance to help hospitality organisations of all sizes move from intent to impact. It recognises that inclusion is not a single department’s job but a shared responsibility that touches every guest experience and employee interaction. From accessible digital interfaces to inclusive hiring and spatial design, the framework aligns perfectly with Valuable 500’s vision of inclusion as a driver of innovation, growth and resilience.”
Breaking Barriers through Art A highlight of the launch event was the unveiling of the playbook’s cover artwork, a visual representation of the collaboration and creativity at the heart of Ascott’s disability inclusion initiatives. Co-created by artists with disabilities from SG Enable’s i’mable Collective alongside Ascott associates, the artwork reflects the values of empowerment, diversity and community that drive the company’s inclusion efforts. The i’mable Collective connects persons with disabilities to professional creative opportunities, making this partnership a demonstration of the inclusive practices the playbook promotes.
Behind this meaningful unveiling was a collaborative process that brought together diverse talents to create artwork representing the five pillars of Ascott CARES (Community, Alliance, Respect, Environment and Supply Chain), the company’s sustainability framework. The ‘Respect’ pillar artwork, embodying Ascott’s inclusion initiatives, was selected for the playbook front cover, while artwork representing all five pillars featured on the back cover. The artwork will also be incorporated into future Ascott CARES apparel and collateral, ensuring the spirit of this partnership continues to inspire across the organisation.
Bringing the Playbook to Life The launch event also showcased an assistive amenities toolkit that brings the playbook’s Inclusive Programmes pillar to life. Co-developed by Ascott and SalvageGarden – Southeast Asia’s first assistive tech makerspace – the 3D-printed prototype toolkit is designed to enhance the stay of guests with physical disabilities or limited handgrip. Ascott will pilot the initiative at its Singapore properties, including Citadines Science Park Singapore, lyf Funan Singapore, Citadines Rochor Singapore and Oakwood Studios Singapore. Each toolkit includes holders for cutlery, toothbrushes, combs and mugs, a toothpaste squeezer, and a tactile hotel map. Guests will be invited to test the toolkits and provide feedback to shape the next version of the toolkit.
Expanding the Playbook’s Reach Ascott’s Disability Inclusion Playbook for the Accommodation Sector is now publicly available on its global website, DiscoverASR.com, and will be promoted across partner platforms of SG Enable, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and Valuable 500. It will also be featured on Singapore Tourism Board’s website and its tri-annual newsletter to hotel stakeholders, reinforcing Singapore’s position as a world-class, accessible destination.
For more information and key milestones in Ascott’s disability inclusion journey, please refer to The Ascott Limited Sustainability Report 2024 (pages 23 to 28), which highlights the company’s actions and progress towards its vision of building a greener, more inclusive future.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The Ascott Limited
The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is driven by a vision to be the preferred hospitality company, enriching global living with heartfelt experiences. With a portfolio of more than 1,000 properties spanning over 230 cities across more than 40 countries, Ascott’s presence spans Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the USA. Its diverse collection of award-winning brands includes Ascott, Citadines, lyf, Oakwood, Somerset, The Crest Collection, The Unlimited Collection, Fox, Harris, POP!, Preference, Quest, Vertu and Yello.
Ascott specialises in managing and franchising a wide range of lodging options, including serviced residences, hotels, resorts, social living properties and branded residences, catering to the varying needs and preferences of global travellers. Through the Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) loyalty programme, members enjoy exclusive privileges and curated experiences, enhancing every aspect of their travel journey.
As a wholly owned business unit of CapitaLand Investment Limited, Ascott generates fee-related earnings by leveraging its expertise in both lodging management and investment management. It also drives the expansion of funds under management by growing its sponsored CapitaLand Ascott Trust and private funds.
Headquartered and listed in Singapore in 2021, CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) is a leading global real asset manager with a strong Asia foothold. As at 5 November 2025, CLI had S$120 billion of funds under management. CLI holds stakes in eight listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts and a suite of private real asset vehicles that invest in demographics, disruption and digitalisation-themed strategies. Its diversified real asset classes include retail, office, lodging, industrial, logistics, business parks, wellness, self-storage, data centres, private credit and special opportunities.
CLI aims to scale its fund management, lodging management and commercial management businesses globally and maintain effective capital management. As the investment management arm of CapitaLand Group, CLI has access to the development capabilities of and pipeline investment opportunities from CapitaLand Group’s development arm. In 2025, CapitaLand Group celebrates 25 years of excellence in real estate and continues to innovate and shape the industry.
As a responsible company, CLI places sustainability at the core of what it does and has committed to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 2050. CLI contributes to the environmental and social well-being of the communities where it operates, as it delivers long-term economic value to its stakeholders.
https://www.discoverasr.com/en
https://sg.linkedin.com/company/the-ascott-limited
https://www.facebook.com/discoverasr/
https://www.instagram.com/discoverasr/
TikTok
