Latest news with #CISL
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Taiwan NIAR and Cambridge CISL Forge Sustainability Partnership at Entopia Building
Dr. Hung-Yin Tsai, President of Taiwan NIAR. (Photography: The Icons) TAIPEI, Taiwan, Aug. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a report published by《The Icons》, Taiwan's National Institutes of Applied Research (NIAR) and the University of Cambridge's Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) have marked a milestone in tech diplomacy by co-hosting the Taiwan–UK Sustainability R&D Forum at Cambridge's award-winning Entopia Building. The event, held on June 16, 2025, united leaders from government, academia, and industry across Europe and Asia to drive collaboration on net-zero emissions, resilient urban environments, and sustainable semiconductors. Dr. Hung-Yin Tsai, President of NIAR, emphasized the forum's role in connecting Taiwan's innovation ecosystem with the global community. 'This collaboration is concrete evidence of Taiwan's tech sector entering the global supply chain and sustainability agenda,' Dr. Tsai stated. Focused on translating research into real-world solutions, NIAR spotlighted three pioneering Taiwanese startups—including DEUVtek, Microip Inc. and Light Momentum Technology Corp.—under the Advanced Chip Design Research Center (ACDRC) joint research projects, showcasing advances from green semiconductors to AI-powered smart technologies. The Entopia Building, a model for sustainable architecture, symbolized the spirit of shared progress and real-world impact. 'Hosting this dialogue here reflects our commitment to embedding Taiwanese innovation at the heart of Europe's sustainability ecosystem,' Dr. Tsai noted. NIAR's strategy includes supporting globally minded companies and fostering talent exchange, inviting European students to engage directly in Taiwan's industrial innovation. The forum affirms that meaningful breakthroughs emerge from cross-border, interdisciplinary dialogue and that Taiwan is committed to global partnership for a sustainable future. Through institutionalised collaboration mechanisms and international talent exchange programmes, NIAR is actively building an innovation ecosystem capable of global dialogue, connecting Taiwan with the world and shaping future possibilities. (Photography: CISL) Photos accompanying this announcement are available at CONTACT: Media contact The Icons bd@
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Circularity's Tipping Point? Trust, BSI Found
Perception versus reality is a tale as old as time: consumers say one thing and their wallets say another. The British Standards Institution (BSI) 's latest survey data all but confirmed the aphorism, as the business improvement and standards firm found consumer expectations concerning sustainability increasingly at odds with willingness to pay for those expectations. More from Sourcing Journal Accelerating Circularity Tracks Commercially Available Circular Materials H&M Group Inks Deal With Circulose to Scale Circular Cellulose Iskur Denim Joins Denim Deal BSI's 2025 Global Circularity study, 'The Tipping Point: Building Trust in the Circularity Economy,' was developed in partnership with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)— an impact-led institute within the university that leverages its corporate network to drive circular engagement and action—and identifies how building trust in quality and reliability can drive consumer uptake of circular behaviors. 'The circular economy presents an immense opportunity for both people and the planet, enabling us to protect natural resources and reap economic benefits,' Susan Taylor Martin, BSI's chief executive, said. 'Yet trust remains a crucial barrier to adoption.' Fueled by lack of trust, fears about the hygiene and quality of reused or repaired products are holding back global efforts to move to a circular economy and minimize the impacts of consumption on the planet, the UK government-appointed body found. That's because building trust is rather complex, involving 'multiple dimensions and numerous actors,' the report reads. For example, consider the consumer who is thinking about leasing a solar panel. That consumer needs to not only trust the supplier but the technology itself and, potentially, that the government will 'maintain consistent supportive policies.' 'Therefore, building trust demands a holistic strategy that identifies and addresses potential confidence gaps across the entire network, encompassing regulators, suppliers, technology performance, data security and partners throughout the value chain,' per the report. 'A breakdown in trust at any single point can potentially undermine everything.' The research also isolated consumer concerns about safety and reliability as 'critical barriers' to the adoption of circular practices amongst consumers, despite widespread awareness of the eco-gains of keeping (rather than discarding) products after use. Despite more than three-quarters of respondents (76 percent) understanding this—that their behaviors and purchasing decisions contribute to circularity—the share of reused materials entering the global economy dropped from 7.2 percent to 6.9 percent in recent years, according to the Circle Economy's Circularity Gap Report. 'While consumers routinely weigh price and quality in their purchasing decisions, reused, repaired or recycled goods introduce new questions around quality, safety and reliability,' Martin said. 'For circularity to thrive, businesses must move beyond sustainability messaging and bolster it by demonstrating genuine value, durability and trustworthiness—convincing consumers that circular options are as reliable as traditional products.' Three critical concerns 'fuel the gulf' between perception and reality: an absence of trust in quality (56 percent), safety (51 percent) and reliability (49 percent). According to the business improvement and standards company, overcoming these trust barriers is essential to disrupting the ingrained inertia of linear consumption: buy new, use briefly, discard easily. 'We need circular products and services with quality, safety and reliability fully embedded and organizations that act decisively to introduce these solutions will facilitate an economic transformation whilst unlocking a wealth of opportunities,' Lindsay Hooper, CEO of the University of Cambridge's Institute for Sustainability Leadership, said. 'Our report provides essential guidance for driving meaningful change, outlining the conditions necessary for accelerating adoption and catalyzing tipping points, [to] offer a strategic blueprint for organizations ready to lead.' The research asked respondents to rate themselves along a scale of adoption for 10 circular behaviors—including recycling, reusing packaging or purchasing secondhand goods—with more than half (53 percent) identifying as early adopters or early majority. Lack of trust in environmental claims was a barrier to purchasing circular products for one in three respondents, while 59 percent said a recognized label to support claims would build confidence. 'There is a role here for transparent, credible certification to provide people with that necessary assurance,' Martin said. 'Ultimately, disrupting the linear economy will require agreement on a common language, with harmonization through standardization central to creating the clarity and coherence that can build trust.' The duo's research revealed high hopes for sustainable materials across the board. Forty percent of respondents have strong expectations for luxury brands, 37 percent for high street and 29 percent for discount online fashion, suggesting a 'clear and growing demand that will inevitably put pressure on sourcing and manufacturing practices.' Take Chanel, for example. The luxury label's classic products—often resold or passed down through generations—gain sentimental and financial value over time, per the report. Ralph Lauren, too, has embraced circular principles that reinforce the value of craftsmanship and legacy and demand for vintage products. 'Luxury fashion brands are also repositioning circularity as it further promotes the exclusivity and uniqueness of products,' the report reads. 'These examples speak to what [Malcolm] Gladwell calls the 'stickiness factor': the emotional resonance and memorability that drive adoption and advocacy.' Another key finding impacting the cost structures and investment decisions within the supply chain was the lack of increased consumer willingness to pay a premium for these sustainable products. The data shows that the respondents 'Net Likely' to spend over £200 pound (around $275) on a regular clothing item (39 percent) was virtually the same as for an upcycled/recycled item (38 percent) or one with third-party verified sustainability credentials (41 percent). 'Companies grapple with ensuring product longevity amid operational complexity and supplier challenges, while striving to balance the costs of investing in new processes or reshaping supply chains,' Martin said. 'And although consumers display high awareness of the benefits of sustainability, there is still a gap between ambition and action.'
Bloomberg
12-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Investors Face ESG Shock as Risk Mispriced, Cambridge Study Says
Investors lack financial incentives to chase sustainable targets, leaving them more exposed to losses once sentiment shifts, according to a study by academics at the University of Cambridge. Despite years devoted to trying to make environmental and social investing financially appealing, there still aren't enough structures to encourage banks and asset managers to allocate capital in ways that will ultimately protect the planet and its inhabitants, scholars at the Centre for Sustainable Finance at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) wrote in a study published on Tuesday.
Local Italy
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Local Italy
Music, parades and picnics: How Italy celebrates Labour Day on May 1st
A public holiday Labour Day has been recognised as a public holiday in Italy since shortly after the fall of Fascism in the mid-1940s – more on that below. The fact that Labour Day falls on a Thursday this year means many Italians will take the opportunity to fare il ponte and give themselves a long weekend break by taking the Friday off as well. Parades and protests For many in Italy, Labour Day isn't just a day off work but also a day of action, with unions and other organisations organising rallies and marches to campaign for workers' rights and other social issues. Most Italian towns and cities hold some kind of march or parade, with trade unions CGIL, CISL and UIL focusing on worker safety and job security this year. USI-CIT has called an all-day strike that may effect the healthcare and education sectors - though since May 1st is a public holiday anyway in Italy, it's unlikely to cause much additional disruption. A tradition borrowed from the US Though May 1st is Italy's Labour Day (as it is for a long list of other countries, including France, Spain and Germany), this day of action actually has its origins in a huge strike in Chicago in 1886. On May 1st, 35,000 workers walked out of their jobs, joined by tens of thousands more in the next couple days, leading a national movement for an eight-hour work day. The idea of introducing an international workers' day made its way to Europe, and Labour Day was first celebrated in Italy in 1891 – but the holiday was suppressed under Fascism, and only became an official public holiday again in 1946. Music concerts Some Italian cities celebrate May 1st with live open-air music concerts. The biggest of these is the C oncertone or 'big concert' held every May 1st in Rome's Piazza San Giovanni in Luterano (though last year it briefly relocated to the Circo Massimo venue). The event – the largest free live music concert in Europe – features performances from some of Italy's most popular singers. This year's lineup is set to feature Achille Lauro, Elodie, Ghali and Giorgia, among some 50 performers. The city of Taranto, in the southern Italian region of Puglia, hosts the free concert Uno Maggio Taranto, featuring musical acts interspersed with speeches from guests and activists. When the weather is sunny, public holidays in Italy are often observed with a gita fuori porta, or 'trip outside the city gates', and Labour Day is no exception. Italians living in towns and cities take advantage of the day off to take a day trip somewhere in nature, be that the seaside, countryside or the mountains. It might involve a stroll or even a short hike, but food is always key, whether it's lunch at a trattoria or a barbecue at a picnic spot. Classic dishes As is always the case on Italian holidays, food comes front and centre, and different parts of the country have their own favourite May Day dishes. In Rome and the surrounding region of Lazio, green fava beans are eaten raw, straight from the pod, along with pecorino cheese and usually some locally produced vino sfuso (cask wine) – a tradition that dates back to ancient Roman times. In the mountainous central Italian region of Abruzzo, virtù teramane, a thick stew made using leftover legumes, pasta and fresh vegetables is widely consumed. And on the island of Sardinia, pilgrims make their way to the shrine of San Francesco di Lula, in the Nuoro province, where they're served s u filindeu or 'God's threads' soup – a kind of minestrone made with very fine strands of pasta in a mutton broth. Calendimaggio and the 'Songs of May' Italy's May folk traditions and spring rites celebrating renewal and rebirth, known as Calendimaggio, date back to the ancient pagan festival of Floralia, in honour of Flora – the Roman goddess of flowers and fertility. In the Middle Ages, young men would go into the woods on the night of April 30th and pick flowering branches to place outside the doors of young girls as a courtship ritual. Towns and villages would celebrate with music, parades, games and banquets. Maggianti or maggerini singers would go door to door playing instruments and singing folk songs about spring, receiving meats, sweets and wine in return. Today, towns in parts of central and northern Italy - in particular, mountain villages around the Tuscan city of Pistoia - continue the tradition of Cantamaggio folk singing. Terni, in the central region of Umbria, stages a Carnival-style float parade on the evening of April 30th, while Assisi, also in Umbria, puts on a whole month of Calendimaggio celebrations.
Bahrain News Gazette
15-04-2025
- Business
- Bahrain News Gazette
BIBF Announces 9th Cambridge Islamic Finance Leadership Programme in August
Manama: The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) has announced the launch of the 9th edition of the Cambridge Islamic Finance Leadership Programme (IFLP), which is scheduled to take place from August 17 – 22, 2025, at Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. According to Bahrain News Agency, the programme is organised in collaboration with the Cambridge Institute of Islamic Finance (Cambridge IIF) and includes the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) as a contributing partner. The initiative is supported by the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) and is recognised as one of the leading executive initiatives in the field of Islamic banking and finance. The IFLP is designed to provide an in-depth and interactive learning experience for senior professionals in the Islamic finance sector. This includes executives, regulators, shariah scholars, and policymakers. Participants will engage in advanced executive training, case-based learning, one-on-one mentorship from global experts, and networking with over 30 industry leaders in an esteemed academic environment. Dr. Ahmed Al Shaikh, Chief Executive Officer of the BIBF, highlighted the programme's alignment with Bahrain's strategic objective to reinforce its global leadership in Islamic finance. He reiterated the institute's dedication to nurturing innovative leaders who can drive sustainability and ethical growth within the sector. Dr. Rizwan Malik, Head of the Islamic Finance Centre at the BIBF, mentioned that the IFLP combines academic insight with practical application, equipping participants with the necessary tools to lead in a swiftly changing financial landscape guided by Islamic principles. He also expressed appreciation for the inclusion of CISL as a contributing partner, which enhances the programme's breadth. The initiative aligns with the Kingdom of Bahrain's endeavors to fortify its status as a global hub for Islamic finance and to provide national talent with exceptional skills.
