Building Forever 2021 sustainability report shows strong progress following first full year since announcing the 12 goals

LONDON, UK – Media OutReach – 1 June 2022 – De Beers Group has reported on the strong progress made in 2021 towards the achievement of its 2030 ‘Building Forever’ sustainability goals in its latest sustainability report, published today.

• Completed a strategy for addressing Scope 3 emissions in De Beers Group’s global supply chain.

Partnering for thriving communities

• Supported more than 2,600 jobs through enterprise development initiatives in southern Africa and supported more than 18,000 students at 25 schools in South Africa
• Commenced delivery of the partnership with National Geographic, which includes commitments to support the development of livelihood opportunities for 10,000 people across Africa’s Okavango Basin and help ensure water and food security for more than one million people
• Pledged $6.8 million to support vaccine procurement and roll-out in De Beers Group’s host countries, including establishing vaccination clinics at the company’s operations for employees and community members
• Invested $35 million on social investment initiatives. Accelerating equal opportunity
• Announced an additional $3 million investment to extend the AWOME programme in southern Africa, which is focused on supporting women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses – more than 1,800 entrepreneurs have been supported to date
• Engaged 1,500 girls in STEM in southern Africa in partnership with WomEng and provided 21 scholarships to women studying STEM at university in Canada, in partnership with UN Women and Scholarships Canada
• Awarded 12 young jewellery designers in De Beers Group’s host countries training opportunities through the company’s Shining Light Awards competition
• Launched the #BlackIsBrilliant campaign in partnership with RAD Red Carpet Advocacy, bringing together Black jewellery designers with top celebrity stylists.

Beyond its Building Forever sustainability commitments, De Beers Group continued to make a vital contribution to its host countries and communities through tax and royalty payments, employment and local procurement, which totalled $4.7 billion in 2021. In addition, 80 per cent of the revenue generated by the company’s operations remained within host countries.

Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group, said: “As the first full year since announcing our ambitious 2030 sustainability goals, 2021 was a pivotal year for our business. We embedded the goals into our operational and commercial frameworks, established critical foundations and partnerships, engaged with stakeholders and took tangible steps forward, all while continuing to operate against a backdrop of Covid-19. Our Building Forever sustainability goals underpin our commitment to create a better future for people and the planet and we will continue to build on our strong momentum throughout 2022 and beyond.”

The full report, titled Building Forever: Our 2021 Sustainability Report, includes a detailed overview of progress, including relating to each goal, and is available to download here.

Notes to Editors

• Images reflecting Building Forever progress highlights during 2021 are available to download here.
• A condensed version of De Beers Group’s 2021 sustainability report is available to download here.

About De Beers Group

Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of the De Beers Group strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions, such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives GemFair and Tracr. De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.

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#sustanability #debeers #naturaldiamnds

Filling the coverage gap for their journey with no registration required

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 1 June 2022 – AXA Hong Kong (AXA) is offering “AXA Free Protection for Inbound Travellers Programme” (the “Programme”) to enhance the protection for homecoming customers by providing additional free benefits during their compulsory quarantine period, with no prior registration required.

AXA recognises the potential risk of unforeseeable accidents during their stay in quarantine hotels or community isolation facilities. From now until 31 December, 2022, customers with designated travel insurance policies[1] can enjoy the below add-on free coverage, up to 14 days from their arrival to Hong Kong:

• Up to HKD200,000 for accidental death or permanent total disablement benefit
• Up to HKD500,000 for personal liability
• HKD5,000 for baggage and personal belongings protection, up to HKD1,000 per item

At AXA, our Purpose is to “Act for human progress by protecting what matters”. Since the start of the pandemic, we have launched a series of additional programmes such as “Post-Vaccination Protection” and “Free AXA SportCare Programme” to stand shoulder to shoulder with our customers. By extending the protection to travel insurance, our customers can remain worry-free throughout their overseas visits, vacations or business trips and the quarantine period afterwards with our comprehensive protection.

For more information on this Programme, please visit: https://www.axa.com.hk/free-protection-for-inbound-trvallers-programme-en

About AXA Hong Kong and Macau

AXA Hong Kong and Macau is a member of the AXA Group, a leading global insurer with presence in 50 markets and serving 95 million customers worldwide. Our purpose is to act for human progress by protecting what matters.

As one of the most diversified insurers offering integrated solutions across Life, Health and General Insurance, our goal is to be the insurance and holistic wellness partner to the individuals, businesses and community we serve.

At the core of our service commitment is continuous product innovation and customer experience enrichment, which is achieved through actively listening to our customers and leveraging technology and digital transformation.

We embrace our responsibility to be a force for good to create shared value for our community. We are proud to be the first insurer in Hong Kong and Macau to address the importance of mental health through different products and services such as offering free mindfulness practice resources through Mind Charger which is fully accessible to our customers and the public via our holistic wellness platform AXA BetterMe.

AXA also takes part in a wide range of ESG initiatives and programmes both globally and locally. AXA Group established AXA Climate School and Net-Zero Insurance Alliance in 2021 and set out various global green targets such as reaching €26 billion in green investments by 2023 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2025. In Hong Kong, AXA pledges to reduce paper usage via digitisation and is the first insurer to join the ‘Green Monday ESG Coalition’. As of Feb 2022, AXA Hong Kong’s green investments have exceeded HKD4 billion. We strive to contribute to a sustainable future as an investor, insurer and an exemplary company.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS AVAILABLE ON AXA’S WEBSITE: AXA.COM.HK

#AXA

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Certain statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and can be affected by other factors that could cause AXA’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to Part 4 – “Risk factors and risk management” of AXA’s Universal Registration Document for the year ended December 31, 2019, for a description of certain important factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect AXA’s business, and/or results of operations. AXA undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise, except as part of applicable regulatory or legal obligations.

“RF front-end ICs and Bluetooth SoCs are key building blocks of today’s consumer electronics and IoT devices,” said Daisuke Ichikawa, Executive Officer and General Manager of E Solution Dept. of Takachiho Koheki. “OnMicro’s high performance products and high-volume capability can help our customers reduce long lead time and ease the shortage situation in some cases.”

“OnMicro is honored to work with Takachiho Koheki (TK),” said Bruce Qian, CEO of OnMicro. “By leveraging TK’s excellent technical knowledge and deep customer relationships with Japanese electronics companies, we hope to expand OnMicro’s penetration in the Japan Market.”

Founded in 1952, Takachiho Koheki (TK) is one of Japan’s leading distributors of electronics components and systems. TK has over 60 years’ experience in promoting advanced technologies into the Japanese market and gives its partners the vital support necessary to make their products a success. TK has experience in a wide range of high-tech fields, including hardware, software, systems integration and cutting-edge emerging technologies. Today, TK’s distribution channels cover advanced computer networks, semiconductors, industrial products, surveillance systems, automated mailing systems and much more.

OnMicro is one of the fast-growing fabless design companies in China. Renowned for its patented CMOS power amplifier designs, OnMicro offers complete RF front-end devices, including RF switches, LNAs, power amplifiers and highly integrated RF front-end modules for 2G, 4G, 5G, IoT devices and systems. OnMicro’s Bluetooth and 2.4GHz SoCs are widely used in voice remote controllers, wireless keyboards and mice, telemetric tracking devices, Bluetooth MESH smart home devices and many other applications.

Sales and Technical Support
International Sales: William Zhong, William.Zhong@onmicro.com.cn
International Application: Sheldon Xu, Sheldon.Xu@onmicro.com.cn

About OnMicro

Founded in 2012, OnMicro has been designing innovative, award-winning radio frequency (RF) solutions, including mobile front-end ICs, modules and switches. Having built a reputation for product quality and reliable delivery, the Company’s customers now include a variety of mobile device manufacturers, including top-tier OEMs. Headquartered in Beijing, OnMicro is a fast-growing global company. It has two state-of-the-art R&D centers located in Hong Kong and Guangzhou as well as sales and engineering support centers in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Seoul and Taipei. The Company is ISO certified to both the 9001 and 14001 standards. For more information, visit www.onmicro.com.cn/about.html

Important Notice

The information provided herein by OnMicro is believed to be reliable; however, OnMicro makes no warranties regarding the information and assumes no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the use of the information. Customers should be aware that all information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Unless explicitly specified, OnMicro products are not warranted or authorized for use as critical components in medical, life-saving, or life-sustaining applications, or other applications where a failure would cause severe personal injury or death.

#OnMicro

New Advisors Raise Project’s Profile with Brands, Art, Philanthropy, and Compliance

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 1 June 2022 – Asia’s first decentralized NFT-Fi platform, SOLARR, announced today that prominent Hong Kong socialite, Yvette Yung, acclaimed philanthropist, Rowena Wan, and leading regulatory and compliance lawyer, Sherman Yan, have been appointed as advisors for the project.

Yvette Yung, Hong Kong Socialite and Non-Executive Director of APAX Group

Ms. Yvette Yung is a prominent Hong Kong socialite and luxury and fashion entrepreneur. As the Non-Executive Director of APAX Group, a leading experiential marketing group in Asia, and Founder of PLS Consultancy, a luxury and lifestyle consultancy, Ms. Yung is famed for devising exclusive services and accessing the most sought-after events for the ultra-rich. She is also a distinguished philanthropist renowned for her work with non-profit organizations amfAR Hong Kong, Teach for China, Lumieres Hong Kong, Louvre Museum Gala Macau, Society of Academy for Performing Arts, and First Initiative Foundation.

Ms. Yung comes from an impeccable family lineage steeped in a long tradition of philanthropy and is descended from one of China’s wealthiest families. She is the third generation of the acclaimed Yung family, billed as the first “Red Capitalist” by the leadership in Beijing in the 1950s in recognition of the family’s commercial empire clout and patriotism.

Recently, Ms. Yung also served as the arts and culture advisor to the ImpactNFT Alliance Advisory Council where she advocates for quality education, igniting impact creation to fight climate change, and promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development among The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

“Ms. Yung’s global Rolodex is key to helping SOLARR bridge the East and West with the Metaverse and NFTs as SOLARR extends our NFT-as-a-Service (NFTaaS) offering to brands. We want to empower brands in creating new commercialisation models with NFT- and Metaverse-commerce,” said Alex Lee, Founder and CEO of SOLARR.

Rowena Wan, Founder and Chairlady of Parkville Charity Fund

Ms. Rowena Wan is the Founder and Chairlady of Parkville Charity Fund Limited, a charitable organisation with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement status, championing environmental protection, youth education, and care for the underprivileged in society. She is most noted for her philanthropic efforts and active involvement in solving social and welfare issues, and promoting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. Professionally, she is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in banking and finance.

Ms. Wan is also the Vice-Chairlady of Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society Kowloon, where she helps facilitate the development of medical and health, elderly care, education, and social welfare services of the charity. She is also a School Supervisor and director of a number of primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong.

Recently, Ms. Wan sponsored middle school students on various environmental protection programmes, including expeditions to the North and South Poles, the Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort, and the desert in Xinjiang, with the aim of equipping these youths with life-saving and collaboration skills, greater understanding of the natural environment, and increased awareness of natural resource preservation. The expeditions have encouraged and empowered these youths to promote environmentally responsible attitudes among the young generation.

“Ms. Wan who joins SOLARR as a Philanthropic Advisor, brings with her a wealth of experience across major charitable causes. Her active involvement in philanthropic efforts and extensive experience in ESG are highly strategic to SOLARR’s mission to accelerate NFT mass-adoption with utility and accessibility as we explore new ways of giving back to society through NFT philanthropy,” said Lee.

Sherman Yan, Managing Partner and Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution of ONC Lawyers

Mr. Sherman Yan is the Managing Partner and Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution of ONC Lawyers. He has extensive experience in handling complex commercial disputes, especially shareholders’ disputes in listed companies including proxy fights, and regulatory issues under the Securities and Futures Ordinance. More recently, he has contributed to the academic work “Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap 571): Commentary & Annotations” by Sweet & Maxwell.

Mr. Yan has frequently acted for listed companies, their shareholders or directors, and securities investors in dealing with inquiries and investigations by regulatory bodies such as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, and the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. He is a member of the Civil Litigation Committee of the Law Society of Hong Kong with extensive experience in handling and reviewing new laws and regulations relating to litigation. He also speaks regularly on regulatory and compliance matters for professional bodies.

With the advent of NFTs and the rise of Web 3, Mr. Yan has been actively engaged at the forefront of these nascent technologies from the compliance perspective. He advises on a range of legal issues relating to securitization, compliance, intellectual property, licensing, and other related matters.

Given Mr. Yan’s comprehensive experience in regulatory compliance and his active and pioneering involvement in NFTs and digital assets, he is well-positioned to guide SOLARR to higher legal compliance grounds and ensure the integrity of the project.

About SOLARR

SOLARR is Asia’s first decentralized NFT-Fi platform, empowering users to increase utility, unlock value, and liquify NFTs within a secure multi-chain ecosystem with integrated economic infrastructure, paving the way into the metaverse virtual economy.

For more information, visit:
● Website: www.solarr.xyz
● Telegram: https://t.me/solarrxyz
● Twitter: https://twitter.com/solarrxyz
● Discord: https://discord.gg/bx29yxDggd
● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarrxyz

#SOLARR