ACROFAN

The city government of Incheon introduces nature tourist spots in the city

Career Star Group Reach Milestone to Shake Up the Outplacement Industry

Ambow Education Announces First Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Bright Scholar Schedules Unaudited Financial Results for FY2020 Third Fiscal Quarter Ended May 31, 2020

UL's GREENGUARD Certification earns recognition in the Singapore Green Labeling Scheme

Adamson University Selects Blackboard Learn Ultra to Drive Student and Institutional Success

Columbia Business School Hosts the Great Debate "Government Debt and Deficit: Myth or Reality?"

Qkids Releases New App Updates to Boost Children's English-learning Efficiency

Color Star Technology Announces the Addition of Renowned Musician Larry Carlton to its Color World Online Education Platform

4 in 5 Women in Southeast Asia Aspire to be Entrepreneurs, but Wider Support Needed to Encourage Actual Action

Premium Passports Lose Their Shine in a Post-pandemic World

LONDON, July 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As parts of the globe cautiously begin to open up, the focus is on what travel freedom and global mobility will look like in a post–Covid-19 world. Last week the EU released a list of countries that would be allowed entry into the bloc from 1 July based on health and safety criteria. Included were Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea that traditionally score highly on the Henley Passport Index — the original ranking of all the world's passports according to the number of destinations you can access without a visa. However, in a move perceived as a stinging rebuke for its poor handling of the pandemic, the US was notably excluded from the welcome list, as were Brazil and Russia. Comparison: Q3 2020 HPI visa-free scores (with no travel restrictions) vs visa-free scores with EU travel restrictions only Although not reflected in the latest ranking, which does not take temporary travel bans into account, it is eye-opening to consider what travel freedom currently looks like for the holders of once-prestigious passports. The US passport usually ranks in the top 10, with its citizens able to access 185 destinations without a visa. However, under the current EU ban, Americans have roughly the same level of travel freedom as citizens of Uruguay and Mexico (ranked 28th and 25th respectively). Russian citizens — whose passport usually ranks ahead of countries such as Georgia and Albania (both included on the EU's list) — have seen their passport strength reduced to one of the weakest in the region. And Brazilian passport holders — most recently placed 19th on the index — currently have roughly the same travel freedom as citizens of Paraguay in 36th position. Without taking the current travel bans into account, Japan continues to hold the number one spot on the Henley Passport Index with a score of 191. Singapore remains in 2nd place, while Germany and South Korea are in joint-3rd place. Singapore however has been excluded from the EU list so its citizens currently have far less travel freedom than their closest competitors on the index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, says this latest decision by the EU indicates there's more upheaval to come. "Look at the US passport, for example — in 2014, it held the number one spot in the world on our index, but US nationals currently have far less travel freedom than most citizens of wealthy, industrialized nations and even of some less developed nations, being effectively locked out of Europe. In the coming months, we will see an emergence of a new global hierarchy in terms of mobility, with countries who have effectively managed the pandemic taking the lead, while countries who have handled it poorly falling behind." Experts suggest that the Covid-19 crisis is likely to make international mobility more restricted and unpredictable in the longer term. "Even as countries open their borders, it is expected that numerous governments will use epidemiological concerns as a justification for imposing new immigration restrictions and nationality-targeted travel bans that will mainly be aimed at citizens of developing countries," says Prof. Dr. Yossi Harpaz, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Tel Aviv University. Noting the recent decision by the EU with respect to the US and other countries, Harpaz says, "The passports of both developing and developed nations stand to decrease in value, at least temporarily. In such uncertain times, global demand for dual citizenship and investor visas is expected to increase." Dr. Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners, says for investors and their families, "having a second citizenship or an alternative residence is an even more precious asset than ever before, as concerns over access to first-rate healthcare, global mobility, and quality of life take on a new urgency." Photo - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/1200972/henley_passport_index_infographic.jpg?p=medium600 Media ContactPaddy BlewerGroup PR Directorpaddy.blewer@henleyglobal.com

Eye Level India's Initiative For Educating Young Learners At Home

GURUGRAM, India, July 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eye Level Math and English programs have always been parents' first choice as they help kids to master the concepts. Eye Level's Play Math program has also been the first choice for young learners as its core philosophy of learning is "fun." Due to the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic, kids have not been able to visit centers and attend classes. Eye Level India has always found new ways of educating children by keeping the interest and safety of the children as its top priority. Holding true to this belief, Eye Level India, one of the leading education providers, has launched Play Math At Home for young learners. Early childhood is a period of rapid growth and development. In fact, the highest growth rates are during the first year, then up to age 3, and then up to 6 or 7 years old. Most importantly, training up to age 5 builds the foundation of early childhood care and education. These are the years where programs like Eye Level's Play Math can play a role in a child's development--especially the child's cognitive development. At the core of Play Math is Eye Level's play-based approach in learning. The program and booklets are easy to use for both the child and parent. With Play Math At Home, parents can build a stronger bond with their children from the comfort of their homes. With the program, parents can now keep their children busy with fun activities while ensuring that they do not lag behind once schools reopen. Through Play Math, kids will build a stronger foundation and a stronger bond with their parents. Eye Level is confident that Play Math program builds logical and mathematical thinking capabilities through experiencing mathematical concepts before learning numbers. It also will mold the basis for learning numbers with a connection between counting objects and counting numbers for children. With the confidence of providing only the best to each child, Play Math At Home by Eye Level will surely turn out to be a wonderful learning experience. Eye Level wishes a Happy Learning Period to all children. Feel free to contact Eye Level India and enroll your child today. Go to myeyelevel.com for more detailed information. Related Links :https://www.myeyelevel.com/

Great Place to Work releases its 5th annual list of Best Workplaces in Hong Kong

We are BETTER TOGETHER! HONG KONG, July 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Place to Work®, the global authority on workplace culture, announces the Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ 2020. This year Great Place to Work® celebrated the 5th Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ Awards Ceremony in a unprecedented way due to the current situation of COVID-19. In order to uphold the safety of the colleagues and customers, the Institute made the responsible business decision to change the in-person Awards Ceremony to an online digital event. Earlier this year, Great Place to Work® launched a global campaign called BETTER TOGETHER to provide support to its clients and global affiliates. The Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ Awards Ceremony continued this by also having the theme of BETTER TOGETHER, reflecting the current situation that some people are working remotely and not being physically connected. The core of this campaign is to provide all kinds of information that can help different organizations and its employees from time to time, such as a COVID-19 survey, webinar and blogs, all of which can be found at the Great Place to Work® official website. The event was held virtually via ZOOM and it was a wonderful moment to witness that attendees from all over the world tuned in to participate and connect together. These included not only the awardees, but also other organizations and affiliates around the world who gathered together to celebrate this special moment. The hosting organisation was honoured to have Mr. Ho Kai Ming, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare HKSAR and Mr. Michael C. Bush, the Global CEO of Great Place to Work®️, participate in the event as they delivered some inspiring and encouraging speeches. During the event some of the outstanding practices of COVID-19 from the awardees were shared, where many organizations launched a variety of policies and practices that help in continuing to provide support to its employees and their families and even to their extended communities. Great Place to Work(R) releases its 5th annual list of Best Workplaces in Hong Kong(TM) Furthermore, Great Place to Work® presented a special award called LEGENDS™, which recognizes organizations that achieved the Best Workplaces™ recognition in 5 consecutive years. This recognition pays special tribute to those who have been committed in creating a better workplace, by consistently listening to their employees and maintaining high-TRUST workplace cultures over a sustained period of time. Congratulations to DHL Express Hong Kong and Mars Company Hong Kong Limited on achieving this LEGENDS™ recognition. This is truly a fantastic achievement. Additionally, the event revealed two leading companies: TE connectivity and American Express International, Inc. which received the recognition of Best Workplaces for Women™ this year. This award recognizes those top organizations that help to provide a great working environment to all employees, and also in creating positive and supportive workplaces for women. Best Workplaces for Women™ succeed in developing and promoting practices that make sure women in the workplace have a fair and positive work experience, and have the opportunity to contribute to the success of the business while they develop their talents personally and professionally. This year 50 organizations participated in the survey studies, while 16 companies earned the Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ recognition. In addition to the excitement of cheering the Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ 2020, the research findings show that TRUST remains the key winning differentiator, and that the award-winning companies are leading the way in creating a great workplace even when facing the most challenging year in recent history. The Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ 2020 (The list is published in alphabetical order) American Express International, Inc. DHL Express Hong Kong General Mills Hong Kong Limited HAYS Johnson & Johnson (Hong Kong) Limited Mars Company Hong Kong Limited Meijer Trading Ltd. Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Hong Kong Limited NVIDIA Rackspace SAP Hong Kong STRYKER CHINA LIMITED Takeda Pharmaceuticals (Hong Kong) Limited Tata Communications Hong Kong Ltd. The Trade Desk Wyeth (Hong Kong) Holding Company Limited So as the world continues to change due to the COVID-19, Great Place to Work® adapted to the new norm. Mr. Jose Carlos Bezanilla, CEO of Great Place to Work® Greater China commented "The "new normal", as we are discovering, is bringing with it many new challenges. But where they may be calls for 'out with the old and in with the new', our findings from our 2020 Best Workplaces Hong Kong™ evaluations show that a high level of TRUST in the workplace is consistently necessary for continuity, survival, innovation, resilience, keeping the motivation, among many other factors. We will need a different kind of leadership, an outstanding team of human capital/HR personnel, and a strong and resilient culture to survive and thrive. These traits are evident at the Best Workplaces™ that we are celebrating today at our 5th Hong Kong event." Finally, there were further announcements regarding upcoming events. Next up is the newly launched Best Workplaces in Taiwan™ 2020 list. It is to be announced in the late summer of this year and the Best Workplaces in Greater China™ 2020 will be celebrated in December in Shanghai. About the Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ List Since 2016, Great Place to Work® has identified the top organizations that create great workplaces in Hong Kong regardless of their business scale and industry through the publication of the Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ List. The objective of publishing the list is to acknowledge organizations and Great Workplaces from diverse industries and sizes that deliver and establish a great culture and enhance the competitive edge in Hong Kong. To be considered eligible for the Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ List, companies must score at least 70% as the overall result of the Trust Index© employee survey and score 120 points in Culture Audit© assessment and other standard requirements. About Great Place to Work® Great Place to Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures that provides executive advisory and culture consulting services to businesses, non-profits, and government agencies in more than 60 countries across five continents. Through proprietary assessment tools, benchmarks and certification programs, Great Place to Work® provides the expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. The Institute works with media throughout the world to select lists of Best Workplaces™. In Greater China, the Institute partner with Bloomberg Businessweek/China and South China Morning Post to publish the 'Best Workplaces™' list. In the US, the Institute works with Fortune Magazine to publish the '100 Best Companies to Work For®' list. About Great Place to Work® official website please visit http://www.greatplacetowork.com.hk/ Acknowledgements Official News Distribution Partner: PR Newswire Hong Kong Media Partner: Classified Post Supporting Organizations: Starmarker & Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong *PR Newswire is the official news distribution partner for the Best Workplaces in Hong Kong™ 2020 Awards Ceremony. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200706/2848853-1?lang=0

Riiid Labs launches AI education solutions in America

SEOUL, South Korea, July 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Riiid, a member company of the Born2Global Centre, could not be coming to America at a better time, as artificial intelligence transforms the global education landscape in 2020. Riiid Labs CI Riiid Labs is the global arm of parent company Riiid and has been established in Silicon Valley to build upon Riiid's success in Asia and to expand its business across the U.S., South America, Middle East and beyond. Riiid is a leading AI edtech start-up based in Korea, which successfully launched Santa for Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) test prep engine in Korea and Japan and reached No. 1 in sales among education apps in the Android market after only five months. Riiid has been an active member company of the Born2Global Centre since 2016. Riiid's proprietary AI technology analyzes student data and content, predicts scores and user behavior, and recommends personalized study plans in real-time to help students optimize their learning potential. Santa for TOEIC users have improved their score by an average of 124 points after just 20 hours of study. Leveraging the success and proven efficacy of Riiid's AI technology, Riiid Labs will continue to innovate and expand globally across new education verticals and domains. "Reinforced education using AI is more emphasized now than ever, as the current global pandemic situation dictates we face a new normal," said Riiid CEO YJ Jang. "I'm thrilled to launch Riiid Labs in the U.S. at this appropriate time and confident to see the strength and capability of our U.S. leadership team. We look forward to establishing a significant global footprint and bringing disruptive changes to the global education market." "Riiid has successfully verified the advancement of our proprietary AI-ed technology and proved its marketability," Jang said. "I'm confident we can continue, and surpass, our own success story while bringing highly efficient learning solutions to everyone and lead in making fundamental changes to the education market." "We're a leader in AI test prep throughout Asia, giving us a massive advantage in localizing to the cultural needs for the U.S. market," says Rob Barrett, Riiid Labs Chief Innovation Officer. "We're not starting from scratch; we're using our deep AI understanding to address and solve problems to best serve the market with maximum positive impact on students." Riiid Labs partners with leaders in education to re-imagine the old ways of approaching learners. The company's speciality is preparing students for tests like SAT and ACT with its own proprietary tech. Riiid Labs has hired top-tier talent in the U.S. for both its education and tech sectors. "AI will make the biggest impact in education," says David Yi, who comes to Riiid Labs as CEO after heading business development in Asia for U.S. standard test provider ACT. "We're talking not just financial impact, but more importantly, life impact for the well-being and future of humanity." Riiid Labs extends the mission of Riiid, which launched Santa for TOEIC in 2017. It's the world's first commercialized AI tutor solution, based on a deep-learning algorithm garnering more than a million users in Korea alone. It aims to replace textbooks and augment traditional lectures with personalized help from its AI engine. For more information, visit www.riiidlabs.ai and www.riiid.co/en/main. About Riiid Labs Riiid Labs (www.riiidlabs.ai), based out of Silicon Valley, is the global arm of parent company Riiid, a leading AI solutions provider delivering creative disruption to the education market through its cutting-edge technology. The company aims to empower global education players to rethink the traditional ways of learning via extending Riiid's AI competency. With a strong belief in equal opportunity in education, Riiid (www.riiid.co/en/main) launched Santa for TOEIC in 2017, the firm's first commercialized AI tutor solution based on deep-learning algorithm, attracting more than a million users in South Korea. Riiid's AI tutor solution replaces textbooks and traditional lectures with a personalized AI tutor outpacing human tutors at a fraction of the cost. Based on highly scalable and proven AI technology, Riiid is aggressively expanding its business to new test areas and geographical markets. It currently operates Santa for TOEIC in Korea and Japan and has launched Santa SAT in Vietnam. About Born2Global Centre Born2Global Centre (www.born2global.com) is a full-cycle service platform for global expansion. Since inception in 2013, Born2Global has been setting the standard for successful startup ecosystem as the main Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Born2Global has expanded and transformed startups to be engaged, equipped and be connected with the global market. Media contactRiiid: tony.hicks@riiid.co, kiyoon.kay@riiid.co Born2Global Centre: jlee@born2global.com Related Links :http://www.born2global.com/

The Equitable Education Fund and 60 Educational Reformers Partner to Hold an Interntional Conference on Equity Education: ALL FOR EDUCATION

BANGKOK, July 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant impact on people all over the world for an uncertain period. While governments around the world urgently take actions to mitigate various impacts from the pandemic, the increasing gap in education seems to be one of the major issues that is ignored. The inequity education tends to intensify since children and adolescences over 90% across the globe have to be temporarily out of the education system. Equitable Education Conference 2020 The Equitable Education Fund collaborates with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Ministry of Interior, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Bank, Global Partnership for Education, Save the children UNESCO and alliance partners to hold an international conference on equity education: ALL FOR EDUCATION during 10th-11th July 2020 via online channel. According to data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), there are around 263 million children out of the school system currently. Meanwhile, the educational reformers and academic researchers around the world assess that the inequality in education will become even more severe after the COVID-19 pandemic crisis as many more millions of children are at risk of dropping out from the education system. The conference is honored by the presence of more than 60 notably reformers and education leaders from 14 countries such as Amartya Sen, the Noble Prize laureate economist; Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), whose organization aims to reduce the inequality in education over 68 developing countries, Andreas Schleicher, the founder and behind-the-scenes operator for the Program using for International Student Assessment or PISA. The conference is also attended by one representative who is the great leader in Asian teacher developments from Singapore as well as one of the world top educators from Finland. All representatives will participate in the conference in order to seek solutions in educational inequality during COVID-19 crisis together. On this occasion, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will graciously preside over the opening ceremony and deliver the keynote speech on "Four Decades of Working in Education and Disadvantage Children Life's Development". For those who are interested, please register your online attendance for free at https://bit.ly/EquitableEducationConference2020 or http://afe2020.eef.or.th/ Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200703/2848365-1?lang=0

New Oriental to Report Fourth Quarter 2020 Financial Results on July 28, 2020

BEIJING, July 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- New Oriental Education and Technology Group Inc. (the "Company" or "New Oriental") (NYSE: EDU), the largest provider of private educational services in China, today announced that it will report its financial results for the fourth quarter ended May 31, 2020, before the U.S. market opens on July 28, 2020. New Oriental's management will host an earnings conference call at 8 AM on July 28, 2020, U.S. Eastern Time (8 PM on July 28, 2020, Beijing/Hong Kong Time). Participants can join the conference using the below options: Dialling-in to the conference call: Please register in advance of the conference, using the link provided below. Upon registering, you will be provided with participant dial-in numbers, passcode and unique registrant ID. Conference call registration link: http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/2169323. It will automatically direct you to the registration page of "New Oriental Fourth Fiscal Quarter 2020 Earnings Conference Call" where you may fill in your details for RSVP. If it requires you to enter a participant conference ID, please enter "2169323". In the 10 minutes prior to the call start time, you may use the conference access information (including dial in number(s), direct event passcode and registrant ID) provided in the confirmation email received at the point of registering. Joining the conference call via a live webcast: Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at http://investor.neworiental.org. Listening to the conference call replay: A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following number until July 28, 2021: International: +61 2 8199 0299 Passcode: 2169323 About New Oriental New Oriental is the largest provider of private educational services in China based on the number of program offerings, total student enrollments and geographic presence. New Oriental offers a wide range of educational programs, services and products consisting primarily of language training and test preparation, primary and secondary school education, online education, content development and distribution, overseas study consulting services, pre-school education and study tour. New Oriental's ADSs, each of which represents one common share, currently trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "EDU." For more information about New Oriental, please visit http://www.neworiental.org/english/index.html. ContactsFor investor and media inquiries, please contact:In China:Ms. Rita Fong Ms. Sisi ZhaoFTI Consulting New Oriental Education and Technology Group Inc.Tel: +852 3768 4548 Tel: +86-10-6260-5568Email: rita.fong@fticonsulting.com Email: zhaosisi@xdf.cn Related Links :http://www.neworiental.org/english/index.html

Color Star Technology Announces that Masa, Asia's "Guitar Guru," has Joined its Education Platform

BEIJING, July 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq CM: HHT) (the "Company", "we" or "HHT") is pleased to announce that Color China Entertainment Limited ("Color China"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Color Star Technology, has just signed a cooperation agreement with a renowned guitarist, Zhengyan You (a.k.a. Masa). Masa will take on the role of a Star Teacher of the "Color World" online education platform, created by Color Star. Masa, who is widely known as a "Guitar Guru" in Asian pop music, has participated in the production of thousands of albums since he entered the entertainment industry in 1974. His albums include top pop music stars in Chinese music, such as Wenzheng Liu, Dayou Luo, Qin Cai, Rui Su, Qin Qi, Xiang Fei, Jie Wang and so on. Multiple record labels and fellow artists have also been known to reach out to Masa for cooperation. His music has influenced musicians throughout the ages, solidifying Masa as a representative of guitar performance in Asian pop music. No matter the genre, classical, pop or rock, Masa's performances were widely praised. Many producers, guitarists and entertainers of Chinese pop music are honored to be able to learn from Masa. On June 26, 2020, we have invited Masa to join Color World as a teacher, as we believe that there will be a great demand for his teachings in the Asian market. The addition of Masa allows our students, regardless of whether they are ordinary music lovers or professional practitioners, to be able to learn and improve with the best, as is the original intention of Color World. We hope that more entertainment enthusiasts will be able to learn what they are truly interested in, and that they can also improve their skills professionally. The signing of this contract with Masa also marks the beginning of Color World's development of its reach into the Asian market. Sean Liu, the CEO of Color Star, said, "In the future, we will cooperate with more top artists and producers in Asia, including music, film, television, animation, dance and other industries. We believe that Color World has the potential to bring richer content to our students." In the future, Color China will continue to sign contracts with top artists from China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and other countries. We believe that their additions will greatly improve Color World's competitiveness in facing the Asian market of over 2 billion consumers. About Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. Color Star Technology, is a holding company whose primary business is offering both online and offline innovative education services. Its business operations are conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Color China Entertainment Ltd. and CACM Group NY, Inc. The Company also anticipates providing an after-school tutoring program in New York via its joint venture entity Baytao LLC, and providing online music education via a platform branded "Color World." Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "estimate", "plan", "outlook", and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include the business plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties following the completion of the acquisition, and HHT's estimated and future results of operations, business strategies, competitive position, industry environment and potential growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. As a result, caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Due to known and unknown risks, our actual results may differ materially from our expectations or projections. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: there is uncertainty about the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it will have on HHT's operations, the demand for the HHT's products and services, global supply chains and economic activity in general. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in the other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by HHT. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact our expectations and projections will be found in our periodic filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019. HHT's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. HHT disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: Color Star Technology Co., Ltd.Contact: Investor RelationsFinancialBuzzIR™info@FinancialBuzzIR.com Tele: +1-877-601-1879

Soka Gakkai Joins with ITTO to Support Forest Restoration in Togo, West Africa

TOKYO, July 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 1, 2020, Minoru Harada, President of the Soka Gakkai Buddhist organization, met with Dr. Gerhard Dieterle, Executive Director of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), for the signing of a memorandum to launch a reforestation project providing income opportunities for women's groups in two rural areas of Togo. A donation of 10 million yen (US$93,300) will be made for the initial one-year phase of the project, to be launched on September 1, addressing climate change, poverty and gender issues in Togo, where forests are being lost rapidly and poverty is increasing. The coronavirus pandemic has also caused people to return to rural villages, increasing the strain on forest resources. Mr. Harada commented that the Soka Gakkai is glad to support this project that will bring real benefit to rural women and their families. Togo's forests are being lost due to farmland expansion, extreme weather events, and overuse of forests to provide household energy and housing. The Ministry for the Environment and Forest Resources (MERF) announced in 2018 that the rate of degradation of Togolese forests is one of the highest in the world. Dr. Dieterle expressed his gratitude, saying, "Often people talk about protecting the forest without concern for people's lives. This project will protect women's rights, boost the rural economy and food security and restore degraded forest." The project will be carried out by the Togo NGO "African Women's Network for Community Management of Forests" (REFACOF), a local partner of ITTO, and it will support women's groups in two of Togo's poorest prefectures; Blitta and Lacs. In Pagala-gare village of Blitta Prefecture, forest restoration and enrichment planting will take place, and in Lacs Prefecture, a community forest for fuelwood will be created on a plot made available by the chieftaincy of Agouegan village. In both villages, agroforestry trees will also be planted on family land. Increasing women's income will contribute to the realization of gender equality. Forest restoration mitigates the damage caused by climate change and strengthens community resilience. This project is in line with Togo's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for climate change and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the UNFCCC Paris Agreement of 2015. It will contribute to SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 13 (Climate Action), and 15 (Life on Land). Please visit:https://www.itto.int/news/2020/07/01/itto_and_soka_gakkai_to_help_empower_women_in_togo_through_forest_restoration/ The Soka Gakkai is a global community-based Buddhist organization that promotes peace, culture and education centered on respect for the dignity of life. It promotes the SDGs, education for sustainability, and protection of the natural environment through projects and institutions including the Soka Institute for Environmental Studies and Research of the Amazon. The Soka Gakkai has 12 million members around the world, who contribute to society based on the humanistic philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism. Contact: Joan AndersonOffice of Public InformationSoka Gakkai Tel: +81-80-5957-4711E-mail: anderson[at]soka.jpwww.sgi.org

Four Seasons Education Announces Changes to Board of Directors

SHANGHAI, July 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Four Seasons Education (Cayman) Inc. ("Four Seasons Education" or the "Company") (NYSE: FEDU), a leading Shanghai based educational company dedicated to providing comprehensive after-school education services with a focus on high-quality math education, today announced the appointment of Mr. Bing Yuan as an independent director to the Company's board of directors (the "Board"), effective July 1, 2020. Mr. Yuan will serve as the chairman of the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee and a member of the audit committee. Mr. Dele Liu has resigned as an independent director due to personal reasons, effective July 1, 2020. Mr. Yuan is the Chief Operating Officer of Hony Capital and a member of Hony Capital's Executive Committee, responsible for its equity investment operations. Prior to joining Hony Capital, Mr. Yuan served as a managing director of the Special Situation Group of Morgan Stanley Asia Limited from 2008 to 2009. Before that, Mr. Yuan served as a managing director of the Investment Banking Division at Morgan Stanley Asia Limited from April 2004 to June 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Yuan served as a Vice President with Credit Suisse First Boston in Hong Kong and New York from August 1998 to March 2004, focused on corporate finance and merger & acquisitions transactions in the technology, media and telecom industry. During his investment banking time, Mr. Yuan has assisted numerous prominent Chinese State-Owned Enterprises and private sector companies in completing their IPO, corporate finance and M&A transactions. Mr. Yuan has also worked as a financial analyst in project finance with Fieldstone Private Equity LLP in New York from 1993 to 1995. Mr. Yuan received his bachelor's degree in English from Nanjing University in July 1990, and received his master's degree in International Relations in June 1993 and his Juris Doctorate's degree in June 1998 from Yale University. Ms. Yi (Joanne) Zuo, the Director and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "I would like to thank Mr. Dele Liu for his contributions to Four Seasons Education during his tenure on the Board, and wish him all the best in his future endeavors. I would also like to warmly welcome Mr. Bing Yuan to the Board. We believe his leadership and extensive financial and investment experience will add significant value to the Board as we continue to create long-term value to our shareholders." Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements, including the statements relating to the Company's future financial and operating results, are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as "will," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, management's quotations and the Business Outlook section contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about the Company and the industry. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those relating to its ability to attract new students and retain existing students, its ability to deliver a satisfactory learning experience and improving their academic performance, PRC regulations and policies relating to the education industry in China, general economic conditions in China, and the Company's ability to meet the standards necessary to maintain listing of its ADSs on the NYSE or other stock exchange, including its ability to cure any non-compliance with the NYSE's continued listing criteria. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that its expectations will turn out to be correct, and investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties faced by the Company is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 20-F. About Four Seasons Education (Cayman) Inc. Four Seasons Education (Cayman) Inc. is a leading Shanghai based educational company dedicated to providing comprehensive after-school education services with a focus on high-quality math education. The Company's vision is to unlock students' intellectual potential through high quality and effective education that can profoundly benefit students' academic, career and life prospects. The Company provides educational programs that are primarily focused on elementary-level math and have expanded in recent years to also include other subjects, including physics, chemistry, and languages, and other grade levels, including kindergarten-level and middle school-level programs. The Company's proprietary educational content is designed to cultivate students' interests and enhance their cognitive and logic abilities. The Company develops its educational content through a systematic development process and updates it regularly based on student performance and feedback. Such process allows the Company to effectively drive better learning outcomes and serve students of different ages, aptitude levels and learning objectives. The Company's faculty is led by a group of experienced senior educators, including recognized scholars, award-winning teachers. Over the years, the quality of the Company's education services has been demonstrated by its student outstanding academic performance. For more information, please visit http://ir.sijiedu.com. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China:Four Seasons Education (Cayman) Inc.Olivia LiTel: +86 (21) 6317-6678E-mail: IR@fsesa.com The Piacente Group, Inc.Xi ZhangTel: +86 (10) 6508-0677E-mail: fourseasons@tpg-ir.com In the United States:The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi PiacenteTel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: fourseasons@tpg-ir.com Related Links :http://www.sijiedu.com

Color Star Technology Announces Having Bobby Roth, a Famous American Director, to Join its Education Platform

BEIJING, July 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq CM: HHT) (the "Company", "we" or "HHT"), a company engaged in the business of providing education services, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Color China Entertainment Limited ("Color China") has signed a Broadcast and Educational Licensing Agreement with the famous American director Bobby Roth. Bobby Roth is a famous Hollywood director. So far, he has directed over 100 episodes of TV shows, 25 movies, and 13 cinema films. Some of his most well-known projects include shows such as "Prison Break," "Lost," and "Agents of SHIELD," and movies including "Heartbreakers" and "Jack the Dog" to name a few. Bobby Roth has also won honors at more than 100 film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival, winning the "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the Miami Internet TV Festival in 2017. He is a founding member of the Independent Film Federation and the first Co-Chair of the Independent Film Committee of the Directors' Union. On June 30, 2020, Bobby Roth has signed a contract with Color China to serve as a Star Teacher on the online education platform "Color World." Bobby Roth will provide those who are interested in film production with his vast experiences with actors, producers, dancers, costume designers and post-production from the director's perspective. Management expects that its online education platform "Color World" will continue to integrate the world's stars and entertainment professionals as its teachers, giving students the superior professional and practical learning experience. Sean Liu, CEO of Color Star, said, "We hope that our Color World platform can provide our students with a new online experience that renders more professional learning experience to our students compared to other traditional online education platforms." "Color Star is very honored to cooperate with Bobby Roth." Color Star's CEO Sean Liu further commented, "This agreement is a prelude to our plan for cooperation with more global stars and artists as teachers on Color World. We have prepared a list of one hundred artists that we plan on reaching out to recruit as star teachers for our online education platform. We believe that the launch of Color World will establish new heights for our brand of online entertainment and education." In the future, Color Star plans on constantly updating its list of star teachers, whom will bring their various expertise in music, film, sports, animation, television, presentations, dance, art and other entertainment industries. Color Star believes that these top global celebrities and professionals can pass their precious experiences on to pupils all over the world as teachers on our platform, helping to instill the desire for knowledge in their hearts. About Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. Color Star Technology, is a holding company whose primary business is offering both online and offline innovative education services. Its business operations are conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Color China Entertainment Ltd. and CACM Group NY, Inc. The Company also anticipates providing an after-school tutoring program in New York via its joint venture entity Baytao LLC, and providing online music education via a platform branded "Color World." Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "estimate", "plan", "outlook", and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include the business plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties following the completion of the acquisition, and HHT's estimated and future results of operations, business strategies, competitive position, industry environment and potential growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. As a result, caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Due to known and unknown risks, our actual results may differ materially from our expectations or projections. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: there is uncertainty about the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it will have on HHT's operations, the demand for the HHT's products and services, global supply chains and economic activity in general. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in the other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by HHT. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact our expectations and projections will be found in our periodic filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019. HHT's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. HHT disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Atlas Renewable Energy and Dow announce the signing of a Solar Energy PPA in Brazil

Atlas Renewable Energy's – Jacarandá Solar Plant will have an installed capacity of 187MWp and will provide clean, renewable energy to Dow's Aratu Site in the State of Bahía SÃO PAULO, July 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlas Renewable Energy, a leading renewable energy company in Latin America along with the American material science multinational company Dow (NYSE: DOW) announced today the signing of a large-scale solar energy contract in Brazil. The clean energy supply will be through the Jacaranda photovoltaic solar plant, located in Juazeiro, the State of Bahía, and is expected to supply over 440GWh per year that will mostly be used to serve Dow under a 15-year duration contract, with offtake starting in the first half of 2021. The Jacaranda solar plant will have an installed capacity of 187MWp with more than 450,000 modules. The plant will generate enough energy to supply a sizable part of Dow's Aratu Site's energy needs. According to the average consumption of a Brazilian family, the amount of energy generated will be equivalent to supply enough power to a city of +750,000 inhabitants. Furthermore, the plant will avoid an approximate of 35,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year based on the GHG (Green House Gases) Protocol, methodology developed by the World Resources Institute which follows the methods used by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and it is aligned with Dow's Global Emissions Inventory. This amount of avoided CO2 emission could be compared to removing 36,800 vehicles from the streets of São Paulo. This contract to secure renewable power capacity contributes to achieving one of Dow's 2025 Sustainability Goals, a commitment to obtain 750 MW of its power demand from renewable sources by 2025. Dow also recently announced additional Carbon Reduction Goals, which aim to reduce Dow's net annual emissions by 15% from 2020 to 2030, representing a reduction of 5 million tons of CO2 in the next ten years and another significant step toward reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. Currently, Dow is the number one user of clean energy in the chemical industry and among the top 25 global corporations for renewable power use (BNEF ranking), with contracts for wind, solar, hydro, biomass and landfill gas. The Jacarandá solar plant will be developed, built and operated by Atlas Renewable Energy, whose track record and expertise in Latin America has positioned the company as an essential player in the renewable energy sector in the region. The company also keeps expanding its footprint in the Brazilian market, where it has established itself with three more operating plants in the State of Bahia and another plant in the State of Ceará: São Pedro (67MW), Sertão Solar Barreiras (117 MW), Eng. Manoel de Andrade, previously known as Juazeiro (167MW) and Sol do Futuro (81 MW). The Jacarandá project will be neighboring the Eng. Manoel de Andrade solar plant and will make use of its digital substation, a breakthrough innovation, first-of-its-kind in the Brazilian solar industry, introduced by Atlas Renewable Energy in 2019. Furthermore, the Jacarandá project will host bi-facial module technology, a major cutting-edge technology in solar energy. These innovative solar panels use the reflection of the sun's rays from their front and back sides, increasing the efficiency of the photoelectric conversion, therefore enhancing the overall efficiency of the plant. As part of Atlas Renewable Energy's commitment to the State of Bahía, the Jacarandá plant's construction will develop programs to bolster local communities' overall wellbeing. The project will provide training and employment focused on creating new skills for locals. It will also advocate for gender equality by implementing the program: "We are all part of the same energy" developed by Atlas Renewable Energy. This program focuses on the promotion of inclusive practices by empowering the local female workforce through training that will enhance or create new skills. This will allow local women to have access to new job opportunities within the project and uplift their skillsets and potential by integrating them into more specialized jobs. Thanks to this program the company is expecting to hire 3 to 4 times more women than the female workforce usually hired during the construction of solar projects in Brazil. In addition, the execution of the Jacarandá project is expected to have a maximum of 1,200 workers, of which a 70% is expected to be from local workforce. "Dow is pleased to partner with leading clean power producers like Atlas Renewable Energy as we work to reduce our emission intensity and support projects that add greater renewable contribution and diversity to the grid/matrix," said Claudia Schaeffer, Dow's global business director for Energy & Climate Change. "In addition to our passion for a lower carbon future, our companies share a commitment to ESG (Environmental Social and Governance) principles that encourage economic growth and social development for the communities where we operate." Carlos Barrera, Atlas Renewable Energy CEO mentioned: "Atlas is positioning itself as the right partner for large consumers in Latin America to serve them with clean energy and help lower their carbon footprints and reduce their costs. Our aim is to create competitive clean energy solutions for our clients by developing and implementing new, world-class renewable energy projects, all while acting responsibly with local communities. We look forward to continue supporting Dow, and other energy users across Brazil and Latin America to reduce their carbon footprints while reducing their electricity bill." Luis Pita, General Manager of Atlas Renewable Energy for Brazil, emphasized: "We aim to continue to boost the thriving bilateral market in Brazil by implementing top-of-the-line solutions with novel technology and the highest-in-class sustainability standards in all our projects. It is an honor for us to partner with Dow, a leader in its sector that stands out for its ambitious sustainable approach in operations and culture." He also added: "We are also breaking ground in this project by implementing our program "We´re all part of the same energy", centered in the inclusion and promotion of qualified female labor force, through the development of training programs and the application of the learnings during the construction and operational phase of the plant. This will definitely help promote and integrate female workforce in the region." Luiz Ballester, Commercial Director for Atlas Renewable Energy in Brazil, also commented: "Signing a corporate or bilateral PPA is usually an intricate and detailed process where many variables come to play. Our expertise in the matter and financial capabilities have proven to be a major differentiator for sophisticated large energy consumers, like Dow, when implementing clean energy solutions from development to full operation. Our strong know-how and bankability allow us to provide an all-encompassing service - we believe in creating a personalized and tailor-made solution that can effectively maximize each client's goals while ensuring predictability and long-term commitment." About Atlas Renewable Energy Atlas Renewable Energy is a renewable energy generation company that develops, builds, and operates renewable energy projects with long-term energy contracts across Latin America. The current company portfolio is 2GW of contracted projects in development, construction, or operational stages, and aims to expand by an additional 4GW in the next years. Launched in early 2017, Atlas Renewable Energy includes an experienced team with the longest track record in the solar energy industry in Latin America. The company is recognized for its high standards in the development, construction, and operation of large-scale projects. Atlas Renewable Energy is part of the Energy Fund IV, founded by Actis, a leading private equity investor in the energy sector of emerging markets. Atlas Renewable Energy's growth is focused on the leading emerging markets and economies of Latin America, using its proven development, commercialization, and structuring know-how to bring clean energy to the region. By actively engaging with the community and stakeholders at the center of its project strategy, the company works every day to provide Latin America with a cleaner future. To know more about Atlas Renewable Energy, visit: https://www.atlasrenewableenergy.com/ About Dow Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company. Dow's portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure and consumer care. Dow operates 109 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 36,500 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2019. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit http://www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter. Media ContactsAtlas Renewable EnergyJeffreyGroupRejane Rodrigues – rrodrigues@jeffreygroup.com Vinícius Araújo – varaujo@jeffreygroup.com Eduardo Gaggini – egaggini@jeffreygroup.com DowOribá ComunicaçãoAnna Brom – anna@oribacomunicacao.com.brJúlia Meriqui – julia@oribacomunicacao.com.brNayme Bizaio – nayme@oribacomunicacao.com.br (11) 4106-5944Related Links :https://www.atlasrenewableenergy.com/

New research by Veldhoen + Company finds that companies experience an average 17% increase in overall workplace satisfaction post-transition to Activi

NEW YORK, June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Veldhoen + Company is an integrated consultancy firm and the founders of Activity Based Working. Armed with 30 years of expertise in evolving the Future of Work, Veldhoen + Company, has launched Activity Based Working: Research on Measurable Outcomes and Key Differentiators, on employee perception of workplace effectiveness as they transition from traditional office environments to activity based workspaces. In the biggest global research on Activity Based Working, the consultancy analysed 32,369 pre-and post-transition data from 29 projects spanning across 16 organisations in 11 countries to uncover the measurable impact of Activity Based Working and the commonality shared among high-performing transitions. Activity Based Working is a strategy that accelerates organisations' transitions to more collaborative, dynamic workplaces and empowers individuals and teams to perform at their highest potential. It recognises that people perform different activities at work and require a variety of workspaces, supported by the right physical setting and technology, to carry out activities effectively. The study found that on average, organisations that transitioned to Activity Based Working saw a 17% improvement in overall workplace satisfaction, 13% increase in individual productivity, 8% growth in team productivity, 11% gains in organisation culture and 4% boost in sense of community in the workplace. The success of an Activity Based Working transition is largely influenced by the match between employees' way of working and the support they receive from the work environment, employees' genuine sense of choice, and workstyle flexibility and mobility enabled by organisational culture. Companies that enjoyed greater returns involve employees in co-creation from the get-go, utilised technology to support employees at their work and built a work culture of trust and empowerment. Conversely, others were hindered by an implementation approach that neither met users' need for optimal job performance, nor truly supported a change of mindset and behaviours among employees . Employees may also be held back due to a fear of productivity loss or a lack of trust from their managers. Luc Kamperman, Managing Partner Americas at Veldhoen + Company shared, "After the industrial revolution the world of work has changed in the past 20 years as a result of mobile technology, AI and robotics. But as with many innovations, we need a shift in mindset to make a difference. COVID-19 will accelerate this change in mindset. Read our research and insights to help you shape a better world of work." Activity Based Working: Research on Measurable Outcomes and Key Differentiators can be downloaded at https://www.veldhoencompany.com. ABOUT VELDHOEN+COMPANY Veldhoen + Company is the global market leader and founder of Activity Based Working (ABW), a business strategy that reimagines traditional work practices. From small organisations to multinationals across the globe, the company has worked for more than 30 years with innovative, forward-thinking clients on over 500 projects worldwide, with currently six offices across Australia, Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Website: https://www.veldhoencompany.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veldhoen-company/ Related Links :https://www.veldhoencompany.com

Sweeping Workplace Changes Expected in a Post-pandemic World, Says Research From The Adecco Group

Businesses and workers call for greater flexibility, questions raised over the hours-based contract, and a new empathetic leadership profile emerges ZURICH, June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers demand greater flexibility after coronavirus, with a 50/50 split of remote and office time confirmed as the universal ideal Questions raised over the hours-based contract, with 69% saying contracts should be based on results delivered rather than hours worked Boom in digital skills an unintended consequence of lockdown, with tech knowhow improving for six in 10 (61%), and two thirds (69%) eager for further digital upskilling post-pandemic Leaders need to reinvent themselves as more emotionally intelligent, but they are not prepared, as less than half felt equipped to support employees holistically during the pandemic The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in pivotal shifts in attitudes and expectations among workers and leaders, as both call for permanent changes in how and where we work, workplace relationships and future skills, according to new research from the Adecco Group. The Adecco Group, the world's leading HR solutions company, today unveiled the results of its latest study, Resetting Normal: Defining the New Era of Work, examining the expected short- and long-term impact of the pandemic on resetting workplace norms. Fieldwork was conducted in May 2020, with 8,000 office-based respondents (aged 18-60) across Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK and the USA. The Adecco Group's Chief Executive Officer, Alain Dehaze, said: "The world of work will never return to the 'normal' we knew before the pandemic struck. The sudden and dramatic change in the workplace landscape has accelerated emerging trends such as flexible working, high-EQ leadership, and re-skilling, to the point where they are now fundamental to organisational success. As many countries emerge from the acute crisis phase of the pandemic, employers have an opportunity to 'hit reset' on traditional workplace practices - many of which have remained largely unchanged since the industrial revolution. This research highlights that employee attitudes have shifted and gaps between workforce expectations and entrenched labour market processes have been exposed. As we step into the new era of work, now is the time to establish better norms that will enable a holistically healthy, productive and inclusive workforce into the future." Key research highlights: The research revealed that the working world is ready for a new "hybrid" model, with three quarters (74%) of workers surveyed saying a mix of office-based and remote working is the best way forward. The universal ideal of spending half (51%) of their time in the office and half working remotely (49%) transcends geographies, generations and parental status. And company executives agree, with almost eight in ten (77%) C-suite leaders saying businesses will benefit from increased flexibility. Another stark finding could signal the end of the hours-based contract and 40-hour week. More than two thirds (69%) of workers are in favour of "results-driven work," whereby contracts are based on delivering against business needs rather than working a set number of hours. A high proportion of C-suite executives (74%) agree that the length of the working week should be revisited. The pandemic has also demanded a new set of leadership competencies and these expectations are expected to accelerate a reinvention of the modern-day leader. Emotional intelligence has clearly emerged as the defining trait of today's successful manager, but the soft skills gap is evident. Over a quarter (28%) of those questioned said their mental wellbeing had worsened due to the pandemic, with only 1 in 10 rating their managers highly on their ability to support their emotional health. In a similar nature to flexible working, the findings demonstrate a universal appetite for mass upskilling. Six in 10 say their digital skills have improved during lockdown, while a further two thirds (69%) are looking for further digital upskilling in the post-pandemic era. A broad range of skills development were identified as important by the workforce, including managing staff remotely (65%), soft skills (63%) and creative thinking (55%). Finally, the findings highlighted the importance of sustaining trust in the new working world. Companies have risen to the challenge of supporting their people during the crisis, and as a result, trust in corporations has increased. In fact, 88% say that their employer met or exceeded their expectations in adapting to the challenges of the pandemic. And with this increased trust comes increased expectations. While the future of work is a collective responsibility, 80% of employees believe their employer is responsible for ensuring a better working world post-COVID and resetting norms, compared with 73% who say the government is responsible, 72% who agree it is an individual responsibility, and 63% who believe it is in the hands of labour unions. For more information: Download the Resetting Normal: Defining the New Era of Work full report here. Follow us on social #ResetNormal for updates About the Adecco Group The Adecco Group is the world's leading HR solutions company. We believe in making the future work for everyone, and every day enable more than 3.5 million careers. We skill, develop, and hire talent in 60 countries, enabling organisations to embrace the future of work. As a Fortune Global 500 company, we lead by example, creating shared value that fuels economies and builds better societies. Our culture of inclusivity, entrepreneurship and teamwork empowers our 35,000 employees and we are proud to have been consistently ranked one of the 'World's Best Workplaces' by Great Place to Work®. The Adecco Group AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN) and powered by nine global brands: Adecco, Adia, Badenoch & Clark, General Assembly, Lee Hecht Harrison, Modis, Pontoon, Spring Professional and Vettery. adeccogroup.comFacebook: facebook.com/theadeccogroupTwitter: @AdeccoGroup Logo - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/1197818/The_Adecco_Group_Logo.jpg?p=medium600 For further information please contact:The Adecco Group Press Office media@adeccogroup.com+41-(0)-44-878-87-87 Related Links :https://www.adeccogroup.com

Eye Level Learning Expands Into the Digital Landscape

SEOUL, South Korea, June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eye Level, a global children's education service provider, has successfully reached more than half of its students with its online coaching system. Utilizing this new system and its knowhow in providing personalized learning experiences to children, Eye Level is expanding its learning model into the digital landscape. Eye Level acted fast when it noticed confirmed cases of COVID-19 increase worldwide. The online coaching system, now dubbed Eye Level On Air, launched on February 6 and has gradually improved in stability and function. Now, more than 17 countries and 56% of Eye Level's existing students are using On Air. However, this expansion to the digital landscape did not come easy for the once offline-centric learning model Eye Level provided. With prolonged lockdown situations seen worldwide, teachers and parents had to adapt. Eye Level's programs are designed in small steps to accommodate the learning capability of each student. During this small-steps learning process, students can seek help from their teachers according to their needs. With Eye Level On Air, students can meet instructors at the convenience of their homes and receive the same type of coaching as they did at the learning centers. "It wasn't easy converting to a full 100% online learning process," says Head of Marketing, Min Lee. "Our previous model depended on students being supervised and coached for a certain allotted time at physical locations. However, thanks to our well-trained instructors and their professionalism, we were able to provide digital citizenship to tens of thousands of students and conduct more than half of our learning sessions purely online." Many countries are offering new students Free Trials for 2 weeks, so please find out more about the program at myeyelevel.com and contact your nearest center for consultation. About Eye Level Eye Level is a global leader in Math and English programs for students between the ages of 4 and 15. Eye Level places academic achievement as its top priority and believes that each child has the power to reach his or her true potential. Depending on each student level, students have access to level-appropriated booklets, worksheets, readers, additional practice problems, online games, and other supplementary materials. Online booklets are also available for those who cannot receive them at home via Eye Level's Learning Room. Related Links :http://myeyelevel.com

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste and China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation Partner to Jointly Tackle Plastic Waste in China

New Partnership focuses on driving local solutions to end plastic waste in the environment SINGAPORE and BEIJING, June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (the Alliance) today announced a strategic partnership with China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF) to jointly promote the reduction and elimination of plastic waste in the natural environment in China. The new partnership will bring together the Alliance's 47 leading global member companies and the strengths of CPCIF to jointly formulate a strategic approach to identify and collaboratively implement local solutions in China to address the plastic waste challenge. The Alliance to End Plastic Waste and China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation Partner to Jointly Tackle Plastic Waste in China "No one country, company or community can solve the plastic waste challenge on their own. The Alliance believes in the collaboration of governments through public-private partnerships and long term commitment focused on acting locally through projects that address a city's specific challenges," said Jacob Duer, President and CEO, Alliance to End Plastic Waste. "We are excited to have CPCIF as our partner and endeavour to make a meaningful and valuable contribution to China's national effort to eliminate plastic waste from leaking into the environment." "Advocating green development and promoting circular economy is one of the key tasks of China's petroleum and chemical industry," said Li Shousheng, Chairman of China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. "We firmly believe that since we invented plastic, we will also bound to find solutions to the plastic waste problem. CPCIF is willing to give full play to its industry advantages, work with stakeholders in the industry value chain and international partners, such as the Alliance, who shares the same vision as CPCIF, to jointly and effectively promote the plastic circular economy, improve and solve plastic waste problems. A joint Steering Committee will be set up under the partnership to formulate a long-term strategic approach to achieve the following key objectives: Bring together technical expertise, global investments and locally-led solutions that will make a positive contribution to improving the management of plastic waste in China Identify and assess locally-relevant projects that can reduce and alleviate the waste management and recycling crises that many cities and communities are facing Engage, educate and promote sustainable practices in China on issues related to plastic waste management In addition, the partnership will open up opportunities to prove and accelerate solutions that will unlock capital investments, which are necessary to tackle the plastic waste challenge in China. About the Alliance to End Plastic Waste The Alliance to End Plastic Waste is an international not-for-profit organization partnering with government, environmental and economic development NGOs and communities around the world to address the challenge to end plastic waste in the environment. Through programs and partnerships, we are focused on solutions in four core areas: infrastructure, innovation, education and clean up. As of May 2020, the Alliance has 47 members companies representing global companies of organizations located through the Americas, Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. We are headquartered in Singapore. For more information, visit: www.endplasticwaste.org About China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation The China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF) is a national, comprehensive, non-profit public organization with service and certain authorization and management functions. We have more than 500 members, which representing 70% of the petrochemical capacity in China. For more information, visit: http://www.cpcia.org.cn/cpcif/#/ Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200630/2844137-1?lang=0 Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200611/2826525-1LOGO?lang=0 Related Links :https://endplasticwaste.org/

ACG School Jakarta's Student-Led Activities Help to Drive Positive Change in Community

With a focus on both the environment and the performing arts, many of ACG School Jakarta's student-led initiatives are working to positively impact the school community and surrounding area.JAKARTA, Indonesia, June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Developed to provide students with an array of external school projects in which they take active leadership roles, ACG School Jakarta continue to unveil an inspiring collection of student-directed programmes. Established by a group of secondary students, with the guidance of ACG teaching staff, these initiatives range from dynamic environmental movements to entertaining live music. They are designed to promote an entrepreneurial mentality with an emphasis on creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Coral Plantation at ACG School Jakarta "We inspire students to make an impact by following a method of real-life learning. Giving students the freedom to design and run their own programmes motivates them to constantly think strategically and puts them on a path to master their intellectual, social and leadership skills in the future," said Shawn Hutchinson, Principal of ACG School Jakarta. Following the inquiry-based approach of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, ACG School Jakarta focuses on a clear vision to help students become creative problem solvers who are confident users of technology and develop entrepreneurial mindsets. Highlighting the importance of learning experiences beyond the classroom setting, students are encouraged to establish entirely new systems and enterprises to promote positive change. Eco-Warriors: The Eco-Warriors are ACG School Jakarta's environmental action group whose role is to reinforce the awareness of sustainable living inside and outside of the school community. The initiative has introduced regulations to encourage the use of recycled paper for printing, to minimise waste, and to reduce the amount of plastic on campus. Since its foundation in 2015, the Eco-Warriors have been working hard to improve their school environment. They have also been a force in the wider community, participating in the annual 'Clean Up Jakarta Day' event. Once a year they invite hundreds of student volunteers, parents, and staff to help collect inorganic trash and recyclable material from Jakarta streets and environs. Now, because of the Eco-Warriors' efforts, the school is one step closer to receiving a Green Flag International Award and becoming a globally accredited well-managed green space area. "We're continuously looking to improve ourselves through acquiring different skills; from writing to problem-solving and identifying issues that inspire people," said Ghina Watiman, ACG School Jakarta student and Eco-Warriors inaugural member. "We believe this will optimise our team's efforts to obtain a sustainable mindset within themselves and the community." KarangKita: The KarangKita programme was founded in June 2019 to engage students in the preservation and restoration of one of the sea's greatest treasures: coral reefs. It was born from a fundraising campaign that students implemented to produce and sell pins to help finance the establishment of coral plantations. Throughout this project students have absorbed many valuable lessons including teamwork, organisation, and management processes, along with ways in which to foster individual resourcefulness. From fabricating hand-made merchandise to implementing their own marketing strategy, they have been required to think innovatively and independently to make the product a success. "Our efforts paid-off when we saw the formation of our first coral plantation in Kiluan Dolphin Lampung last year," explained Head Girl Alisha Kemp, who is an active participant in the KarangKita. Café Society: Established in September 2019, the Café Society provides a platform for ACG Jakarta's exceptional musicians to explore their talents and share their skills by performing during the lunchtime period. Three times a week, the school cafeteria is transformed into a mini concert venue as each entertainer takes the stage. "The main objective is to inspire creativity at our school, especially for the ACG secondary students," said Lina Hutchinson, Year 12 Prefect and founding member of the Café Society. "This also provides a great opportunity for students and teachers to interact and have fun while they're having lunch." The Café Society invites students to challenge themselves and their musical ambitions, while performing before their peers builds confidence and self-belief. The students focus on providing dynamic individual sets, along with mentoring new performers in an encouraging and supportive atmosphere. ACG School Jakarta's commitment to realising their vision enriches students with experiential learning and real-life practices. Through these initiatives they foster the development of compassion, empathy, and the desire to be a positive force for change in the future. About ACG School Jakarta: An international school for a global education, ACG School Jakarta provides outstanding academic services with proven quality and results in a values-driven, supportive, and diverse environment. Situated in South Jakarta and easily accessible to the Ring Road, it places a strong emphasis on academic learning, creativity, innovation, international curriculum, and the highest quality teachers. ACG School's dedication to developing the individual is also reflected in their co-curricular activities, including a wide range of music, sporting, cultural and leadership opportunities. Through top quality teaching, well-equipped classrooms, pleasant outdoor areas, and a caring environment, ACG School Jakarta offers a modern, safe, and highly stimulating place of learning. https://jakarta.acgedu.com/ Media Contact: Shawn HutchinsonPrincipal, ACG School JakartaEmail: Shawn.Hutchinson@acgedu.com Tel: (021) 2978-0200 Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200629/2843883-1?lang=0 Related Links :https://jakarta.acgedu.com

Veldhoen + Company: New research finds that companies experience an average 17% increase in overall workplace satisfaction post-transition to Activity

SYDNEY, June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Veldhoen + Company is an integrated consultancy firm and the founders of Activity Based Working. Armed with 30 years of expertise in evolving the Future of Work, the consultancy has launched Activity Based Working: Research on Measurable Outcomes and Key Differentiators, on employee perception of workplace effectiveness as they transition from traditional office environments to activity based workspaces. In the biggest global research on Activity Based Working, the consultancy analysed 32,369 pre-and post-transition data from 29 projects spanning across 16 organisations in 11 countries to uncover the measurable impact of Activity Based Working and the commonality shared among high-performing transitions. Activity Based Working is a strategy that accelerates organisations' transitions to more collaborative, dynamic workplaces and empowers individuals and teams to perform at their highest potential. It recognises that people perform different activities at work and require a variety of workspaces, supported by the right physical setting and technology, to carry out activities effectively. The study found that organisations that transitioned to Activity Based Working averaged a 17% improvement in overall workplace satisfaction, 13% increase in individual productivity, 8% growth in team productivity, 11% gains in organisation culture and 4% boost in sense of community in the workplace. A successful transition is largely influenced by the match between employees' way of working and the support they receive from the work environment, employees' genuine sense of choice, and workstyle flexibility and mobility enabled by organisational culture. Companies that enjoyed greater returns involved employees from the get-go, utilised technology to support employees at their work and built a work culture of trust and empowerment. Conversely, others were hindered by an implementation approach that neither met users' need for optimal job performance, nor truly supported a mindset and behavioural shift among employees. Employees may also feel restrained due to a fear of productivity loss or a lack of trust from their managers. Iolanda Meehan, Managing Partner APAC at Veldhoen + Company shared, "In this new world, working remotely will become more commonplace than ever before. Companies will need to build up more organisational readiness and capabilities. We hope our insights will not only help them navigate changes in a new world of work but lead the way in creating a better world of work." Activity Based Working: Research on Measurable Outcomes and Key Differentiators can be downloaded at https://www.veldhoencompany.com. About Veldhoen + Company Veldhoen + Company is the global market leader and founder of Activity Based Working (ABW), a business strategy that reimagines traditional work practices. From small organisations to multinationals across the globe, the company has worked for more than 30 years with innovative, forward-thinking clients on over 500 projects worldwide, with currently six offices across Australia, Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Website: https://www.veldhoencompany.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veldhoen-company/Related Links :https://www.veldhoencompany.com

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