Day: November 4, 2021

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Sustainability necessary for the hotel industry

Barrows Hotel Enterprises

Sustainability Investments

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Barrows, the provider of hotel investment and advisory services for hotels in the Middle East and Africa is investing heavily in making the hotel industry more sustainable.

A location where many people come together are hotels and hotel resorts. It is not without reason that the hotel industry is known as a major consumer of energy and consumption of food and drinks. But also consider, for example, the disposal of waste. There is still a lot to gain and improve in the hotel industry. Barrows Hotel Enterprises focuses on making the industry more sustainable and takes this into account in the choice for construction and hotel operator.

Employees and hotel guests have an important role in sustainability. New processes are used by them every day. The social responsibility of the hotel operator is increasing and that is necessary according to Chairman Erwin Jager of Barrows Hotel Enterprises.

Hotel operators and investors fully support making the industry more sustainable. It’s necessary, because one of the main drivers is the increased attention from the global society. “The hotel guest really pays attention to the sustainability of the hotels and we see that when they make a choice for the hotel booking,” said Erwin Jager of Barrows.

Hotel guests are also increasingly willing to pay more for the room and facilities if this benefits a more sustainable stay. The investment will therefore be able to be repaid sooner than was previously the case.

As a Hospitality Professional, we are closely involved in the triangle between developer, investor and hotel operator. We have developed a sustainable strategy that is easy to implement during the construction phase and that benefits the operational processes of the hotel operator. We really add value with these improvements even if the location is in Africa, Middle East or Asia.

Without a hotel operator there is no business model and therefore no cash flow. By focusing on sustainable elements that creates the link between building and company during the first phase, the company is much better able to meet the requirements of hotel guests when it comes to sustainable business processes.

“The use of an international quality mark therefore can give an enormous boost to the quality mark of the hotels and their management. Hotel guests really opt for this and are prepared to pay a higher room rate or an additional service charge”, said Erwin Jager of Barrows.

Barrows Hotel Enterprises internationally manages more than 10,000 hotel rooms in more than 10 countries. The company started in 2008 as a real estate investor in the residential market in Dubai. Since 2012, Barrows has changed its strategy and the company is fully focused on the fast-growing hotel industry in the Middle East and Africa.

For more information
media@barrowshotels.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1d802a33-b156-48f6-92c3-e5d72ed87f41

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10 Global Pharmaceutical Companies Launch First-of-its-Kind Supplier Program to Advance Climate Action

  • Collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the pharmaceutical value chain. ​
  • Schneider Electric to design and deliver global program, convened by partner Carnstone.

4 November 2021, Rueil-Malmaison – Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, which was recognized in 2021 as the world’s most sustainable corporation by the Corporate Knights Global 100 Index, and Carnstone, an independent management consultancy specializing in corporate responsibility and sustainability, today announced Energize – a program to increase access to renewable energy for pharmaceutical suppliers.

The Energize program is a collaboration between 10 global pharmaceutical companies to engage hundreds of suppliers in bold climate action and decarbonization of the pharmaceutical value chain. The program is a first-of-its-kind effort to leverage the scale of a single industry’s global supply chain in a pre-competitive fashion to drive system level change. Creating life-saving medicines and services requires a lot of energy, much of it being used by the value chain. By proactively engaging with their suppliers to create renewable energy opportunities, the 10 convening companies are taking meaningful action to collectively address their energy usage and inspire other industry sectors to follow suit.

The program will help pharmaceutical and healthcare suppliers to address their own operational Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions through green power procurement, which in turn will reduce the participating companies’ Scope 3 emissions. The program will be designed and delivered by Schneider Electric; the pharmaceutical companies will promote the program collectively, and individually invite their suppliers to participate. Corporate program members include:

  • AstraZeneca
  • Biogen
  • GSK
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • MSD
  • Novartis
  • Novo Nordisk
  • Pfizer
  • Sanofi
  • Takeda

The Energize program will enable pharmaceutical suppliers to learn more about renewable energy adoption and contracting. In practice, this will mean giving suppliers – who may not otherwise have the internal resources or expertise available – the opportunity to participate in the market for power purchase agreements (PPAs).

“Today marks ‘Energy Day’ of the 2021 United Nations Conference of Parties (COP26) on climate change, where representatives from around the globe come together to accelerate action towards the mitigation of climate change,” said Susan Uthayakumar, President, Sustainable Business at Schneider Electric. “In support of that mission, we’re honored to launch the Energize program and collaborate with the pharmaceutical industry to drive emissions reductions, ultimately benefitting both people and our planet.”

“We believe Energize will be a really effective collaboration of pharmaceutical companies looking to take bold climate action. Every business should be moving aggressively towards using 100% renewable electricity, and supporting their supply chains to do the same,” said Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100, Climate Group.

Renewable energy procurement can be challenging for companies of all sizes for a variety of reasons. The Energize program is designed to overcome typical market barriers such as inadequate knowledge about renewable energy transactions, load size, lack of credit, and the need for guidance throughout a complex and protracted contracting process. Participating suppliers will learn about the renewable energy market, receive guidance on PPAs, and have the opportunity to access and contract for renewable energy on their own or as part of a collaborative buyers’ cohort.

The program will initially focus on suppliers with energy load in Europe and North America, with the intention to expand globally where interest and renewable energy market opportunity align.

“Limiting global warming to safe levels will depend on moving the entire world to renewable energy. This is not something that companies can achieve on their own. We are strong believers in the power of collaboration, and are honored to be bringing the pharmaceutical industry together to drive the adoption of renewable energy in its supply chains,” said Glynn Roberts, Senior Partner, Carnstone.

Convened by Carnstone, the Energize program will be designed and delivered by Schneider Electric. Schneider’s team of leading renewable energy experts will engage with participating pharmaceutical suppliers and facilitate an education and project selection process to advance supplier progress towards the execution of individual and aggregated renewable energy purchases. Schneider Electric is the leading global consultant on corporate renewable purchasing, having advised companies on over 150 utility-scale PPA purchases across North America, Europe, India, Australia and Latin America for a total of more than 11,000 megawatts of wind and solar power. The Energize program will be powered by Schneider’s NEO Network™, a global collaboration platform and community designed to accelerate renewable energy decision-making and decarbonization.

Pharmaceutical suppliers, other pharmaceutical, bioscience, and healthcare corporations, members of the media, and interested parties are welcome to join one of two introductory sessions to learn more about the program and how to participate:

About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

www.se.com

About Carnstone

Carnstone is a specialised management consultancy working globally at the intersection of sustainability
and business strategy. Rooted in sound technical and commercial understanding, we provide advice and
support to large companies, international organisations and NGOs from offices in London and Shanghai.

We believe collaboration is one of the most effective ways to tackle complex sustainability issues, and a significant part of our work consists of bringing companies together, including in the pharmaceutical, chemical, media and publishing sectors.

www.carnstone.com

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Daesh-Claimed Terror Attacks Spell Fear Among Afghans

KABUL– The recent terrorist attacks, reportedly conducted by the affiliates of the Daesh in Afghanistan, have spread fear among Afghans, who believed that peace had returned, following a change of regime in the war-torn country.

 

“I was very happy after Taliban’s Aug takeover, as I believed that suicide attacks and bomb blasts would not occur any more. But my hopes and wishes for peace shattered, as we witnessed a series of bomb blasts, killings and disappearances in recent weeks,” Kabul resident, Sayyed Hashmat, said.

 

Earlier yesterday, the Daesh claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on the country’s largest military hospital in the capital, Kabul, according to a statement from the group.

 

The attack took place on Tuesday, when five Daesh members, armed with guns and suicide bomb jackets, stormed the 400-bed Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital, in a diplomatic district, killing seven people, including three women, a child and three Taliban members, spokesman for Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed, on social media.

 

At least two attackers detonated their suicide jackets at the gate and in the premise of the hospital.

 

Among those killed was Maulvi Hamdullah, a key Taliban member, who led the counter-attack, according to multiple sources.

 

Hamdullah was the first Taliban high-ranking figure to enter the Afghan presidential palace, after the Taliban’s takeover on Aug 15, when former administration officials left the country.

 

At least 20 people were wounded in the blast and gunfight, according to an Italian-run emergency hospital in Kabul.

 

“Now we are in fear of the Daesh militants’ terrorist attacks. Everywhere, every location and every place could be the target of their bombings, as we witness they attacked airport and mosques, as well as, Taliban vehicles in big cities in recent weeks,” said resident Hashmat, who runs a small business in Kabul.

 

The Daesh claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks across the country, since mid-Aug.

 

On Aug 26, the group claimed a deadly suicide attack at a gate of Kabul International Airport that killed about 180 people, including 13 U.S. soldiers, and wounded over 200 others, when a U.S.-led evacuation operation was ongoing.

 

The group also staged three suicide bombings against mosques in Kabul, northern Kunduz and southern Kandahar provinces, killing more than 100 people and injuring nearly 250 others, besides bomb blasts against Taliban vehicles in Kabul, Jalalabad and Kunar province.

 

On Tuesday, Hijratullah Khogianiwal, a civil society activist, and his brother were killed, after gunmen, riding a vehicle, fired on them in Jalalabad, according to local media reports.

 

Local residents found two bodies after they were executed and hanged in trees in Nangarhar’s Chaparhar district, early Tuesday morning. No details about the killings were available.

 

Meantime, another Kabul resident and a government employee, Naqibullah Haidari, said, “The Daesh militants were not only attacking innocent people nowadays, but they had also killed scores of people during the past government.”

 

“I don’t know what is happening in my country. We are fed up with the persistent killings and explosions. All groups claim they are doing well and working for Islam. But they are killing mostly innocent people,” daily wager Baktash, said.

 

“Attacking civilians, worshippers in mosques, and public facilities like hospitals is immoral and has no justification,” he said.

 

Local media reported that members of previous administration’s security forces had joined the Daesh outfit, while the Taliban spokesman, Mujahid, has rejected such reports as baseless.

 

Mujahid said, Taliban security forces were capable enough of smashing any terrorist group and will not allow any Afghan soil to be used against any country.

 

Senior Taliban officials, Afghan politicians and the UN mission in Afghanistan, strongly condemned Tuesday’s attack.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

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Nepal Receives 1.6 Million Doses Of China-Donated COVID-19 Vaccine

KATHMANDU– Nepal yesterday received a fresh shipment of 1.6 million Vero Cell vaccine jabs, granted by the Chinese government to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official from the Nepali Ministry of Health and Population said.

 

“China-donated 1.6 million doses of Vero Cell vaccine arrived in the country yesterday afternoon,” Upendra Dhungana, chief of the Logistic Management Section, under the Department of Health Services, told Xinhua.

 

China has become the largest source of vaccines for Nepal by providing to its southern neighbour nearly 15 million doses of the Vero Cell vaccine, developed by the Chinese Sinopharm company through the grant, commercial purchase and the COVAX mechanism, and the efficacy and efficiency of the vaccine has been widely accepted by the Nepalese, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi said, at the handover ceremony held at the Health Ministry.

 

Hou voiced China’s readiness to work with Nepal, to implement initiatives relating to cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines and green development, under the Belt and Road Initiative by forging a closer partnership.

 

“As we are seeking to vaccinate all the population against COVID-19 by mid-Apr next year, cooperation and facilitation from China in delivering the vaccine are very helpful in achieving the target,” said Birodh Khatiwada, Minister for Health and Population, in Nepal.

 

Nepali health officials said, the new Chinese vaccine shots would soon be dispatched to various districts to vaccinate more of the population.

 

“The District COVID-19 Crisis Management Centres have been authorized to determine who should be vaccinated with the newly-arrived vaccine shots,” Sagar Dahal, chief of the National Immunisation Programme under the Ministry of Health and Population, told Xinhua.

 

Nepal, battered now by two waves of the virus, started its vaccination campaign in late Jan, and 8.71 million of the 30 million population have received the first dose by yesterday, while 7.38 million have been fully vaccinated.

 

Of them, 5.82 million have been administered first shot with the Chinese vaccine, and 4.16 million with two doses of the Chinese jab, according to the health ministry.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

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Business Sentiment Of Japanese Companies In Malaysia To Improve In 1H2022

KUALA LUMPUR— Business sentiment among Japanese companies in Malaysia is forecast to improve in the first half of 2022 (1H2022) based on a survey by the Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry Malaysia (JACTIM).

 

According to the survey, which is conducted bi-annually, the business sentiment diffusion index is projected to improve to 3.1 points in 1H2022, after being in the negative territory since 2H2018.

 

JACTIM general advisor cum Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Kuala Lumpur managing director Mai Onozawa said many Japanese companies are positive about Malaysia’s outlook, premised on the global recovery, and plan to continue their business activities in Malaysia.

 

JACTIM’s survey on business trends in Malaysia in 2H2021 was conducted in September, involving 552 JACTIM member companies, including 120 companies from the manufacturing sector and 71 companies from the non-manufacturing sector.

 

“In the survey, many respondents pointed out that production activities are gradually resuming following the relaxation of the Malaysian government’s restrictions on social and economic activities, in line with the rising vaccination rates,” Onozawa told Bernama in an interview recently.

 

The extension of the Sales and Services Tax exemptions for new car purchases to up to June 2022 has also supported the automotive industry, she said.

 

“As for the services sector, especially the manufacturing-related services, the government’s move to ease restrictions with the transition to Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan has galvanised manufacturing companies to increase their production activities.

 

“This led to an increase in demand for related services such as import/export, sales and transportation of related products,” she said.

 

Onozawa noted that business sentiments were low in 2H2021 due to the economic downturn and low operating rate due to the prolonged lockdowns.

 

She said labour shortage has been a prevailing issue even before the COVID-19 pandemic, as large-scale manufacturing industries have been finding it difficult to secure a sufficient number of workers.

 

“With the suspension of new hiring of foreign workers from June 2020, in addition to the COVID-19 infection countermeasure, many companies said the number of general workers they were able to secure had decreased significantly.

 

“Japanese companies are actively recruiting Malaysian workers, but the turnover rate is very high, particularly for companies located in areas with a high concentration of companies such as Selangor and Johor,” she said.

 

To continue their economic activities in Malaysia, she stressed that Japanese companies also need highly skilled human resources such as engineers and production managers, however, the number of talents is insufficient and the companies have difficulties in hiring them.

 

“It is also important to secure a stable minimum workforce. We would like to request the Malaysian government to provide more opportunities to train Malaysian workers to promote recruitment and resume hiring new foreign workers where it is needed,” she added.

 

According to Onozawa, many Japanese companies said that production has not been sufficient to meet the demand due to the labour shortage.

 

“Additionally, some companies are finding it difficult to procure parts and materials from both domestic and overseas sources due to problems such as disruptions in marine transportation.

 

“As these issues cannot be resolved immediately, companies are expecting the situation of excess demand to continue for the time being,” she said.

 

Given the current situation, JACTIM has urged the government to create a business environment that will allow foreign companies to continue their economic activities in Malaysia for a long time in a win-win situation.

 

“We hope that the government will continue to support the stable operation of existing companies.

 

“In light of the trade conflict between the United States and China, it is also important to have a conducive investment environment to get companies looking for new investment destinations to invest in Malaysia,” she said.

 

Onozawa highlighted that many of the Japanese companies which are currently operating in Malaysia have been in business for more than 30 to 40 years, and all of them are keen to continue their business activities in Malaysia.

 

She also commended the government’s move to extend the Additional Reinvestment Allowance, saying that this would be beneficial for both foreign companies and Malaysia to attract new investments.

 

Onozawa also emphasised the importance of a clear carbon-neutral policy.

 

“From the perspective of achieving both zero emissions and ensuring a stable energy supply in the journey towards zero emissions, it is necessary to continue supporting the current conventional power generation system using existing fossil fuels using transition finance.

 

“At the same time, an immediate and clear policy to support the goal, such as subsidies and preferential measures for carbon-free alternatives, is also necessary,” she added.

 

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

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95.7 Per Cent Of Adult Population In Malaysia Fully Vaccinated

KUALA LUMPUR— A total of 22,409,335 individuals or 95.7 per cent of the adult population in Malaysia have completed their COVID-19 vaccination as of Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH).

 

Based on the MOH’s data on the COVIDNOW portal, 97.8 per cent of the adult population, or 22,891,080 individuals, have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

 

A total of 114,573 doses of the vaccine were dispensed on Wednesday, with 42,306 doses as second dose, 8,185 doses to first dose recipients and 64,082 doses as booster dose, bringing the total number of doses administered under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) that was launched last Feb 24 to 50,420,916.

 

As for teenagers who are aged 12 to 17 years, a total of 2,197,961 individuals or 69.8 per cent of them have completed the vaccination, while 83.3 per cent, or 2,622,306 individuals have received at least the first dose of the vaccine.

 

On the administration of booster dose, a total of 471,689 doses had been dispensed as of Wednesday.

 

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK