The Company has reduced carbon emissions intensity by 47% since 2020 and strengthened environmental monitoring, renewable energy use and conservation initiatives

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 October 2026 – As Brazil marks National Day for Industrial Pollution Control in August, Bracell is highlighting its continued efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its industrial operations while advancing operational efficiency and sustainable development in Bahia.

Between 2020 and 2025, Bracell reduced its carbon emissions intensity by 47% per ton of pulp produced, reaching 0.257 tons of CO₂ equivalent per ton of product (tCO₂e/adt) across its operations in Bahia, São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul.

The progress is part of Bracell 2030, the company’s long-term sustainability strategy, which is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The strategy comprises 14 targets across four pillars: Climate Action, Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity, Sustainable Growth, and Empowering Lives.

Under its Climate Action pillar, Bracell aims to achieve a 75% reduction in carbon emissions per ton of product by 2030, reaching 0.122 tCO₂e/adt. At Bracell’s industrial unit in Camaçari, one of the key advances has been the modernisation of a pulp production line. A new cooking line, which began operating in October 2025, has improved process efficiency by reducing the amount of steam required during pulp manufacturing.

“As part of our goals, we seek to increase operational efficiency through continuous investments in innovation and technology in our processes, making us more sustainable, competitive, and aligned with our commitment to reducing carbon emissions,” said Angela Ribeiro, Sustainability Manager at Bracell Bahia.

Bracell also conducts an annual corporate inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. In 2025, the inventory covered the company’s pulp and paper value chain, including industrial operations in Bahia and São Paulo, forestry activities in Bahia, São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, and logistics operations.

Environmental controls at Bracell’s Camaçari industrial unit include continuous and isokinetic monitoring of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter and reduced sulfur compounds (RSCs). According to the company, monitoring results consistently remain below applicable legal emission limits.

“Environmental control includes continuous and isokinetic monitoring of parameters such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter, and reduced sulfur compounds (RSCs). The results consistently remain below legal emission limits, reinforcing the efficiency of the environmental control systems implemented at the factory,” said Angela.

The monitoring is conducted in accordance with Brazilian environmental legislation and forms part of the company’s broader approach to continuous environmental management. Bracell’s work in measuring, managing and transparently disclosing GHG emissions has also been recognised with the Gold Seal of the Brazilian GHG Protocol Program for four consecutive years. The programme is developed by the Centre for Sustainability Studies at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) and the World Resources Institute (WRI), in partnership with institutions including Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment and the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Bracell also participates in the Air Quality Monitoring Program of the Camaçari Industrial Complex, conducted by Cetrel. The Air Monitoring Network has operated continuously since May 1994 and is nationally recognised for the quality and technical reliability of the data generated.

Beyond reducing emissions from its industrial operations, Bracell has set a target to remove 25 million tons of CO₂ equivalent from the atmosphere between 2020 and 2030. Over the first five years of the programme, the company removed approximately 6 million tons of CO₂ equivalent. In 2025 alone, 3.4 million tCO₂e were removed, including 1.8 million tons from planted forests and 1.6 million tons from preserved native vegetation.

The results reflect the balance between emissions from operations, carbon sequestration in eucalyptus plantations and the conservation of native vegetation managed by the company, as well as areas conserved in partnership with governments in the states where Bracell operates.

“One of the most relevant milestones in our sustainability agenda is the progress of the One for One Commitment, through which we support the conservation of one hectare of native forest for every hectare of eucalyptus planted,” said Meryellen Baldim, Environment and Certifications Manager at Bracell Bahia.

By 2025, Bracell, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, had contributed to the protection of approximately 301,000 hectares of native vegetation across the states where it operates, achieving its established goal ahead of schedule.

In Bahia, the company owns four Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs). One of these is Lontra, located on the North Coast, which protects 1,377 hectares of Atlantic Forest, a biome of strategic importance for water and climate security. The reserve is recognised as an Advanced Post of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve (RBMA) by UNESCO.

Bracell’s climate strategy also focuses on increasing the efficiency of its industrial operations and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. At its industrial unit, approximately 90% of the energy consumed comes from renewable sources, supporting the company’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and the environmental impacts associated with industrial activity.

Together, investments in process efficiency, emissions monitoring, renewable energy, carbon removal and native vegetation conservation form part of Bracell’s broader commitment to developing more sustainable industrial practices while contributing to economic development and environmental responsibility.

https://www.bracell.com

Hashtag: #RGE #Bracell #Bracell2030 #Sustainability #Carbon #Environment #Renewable #Emissions

Starting today, customers can use Green GSM’s mobility services in key areas of Northern Mindanao, including El Salvador, CDO, Laguindingan, Alubijid and Opol, by booking rides through the Green GSM app, contacting the customer service hotline, or simply hailing an available vehicle on the street. With its extensive operating network, Green GSM aims to meet diverse mobility needs, from daily travel and intercity journeys to airport transfers.

Every journey with Green GSM is not only a convenient mobility experience, but also a green choice, empowering people to actively contribute to emissions reduction while helping limit air and noise pollution through their everyday choices. The company upholds its “5 Green Promises,” comprising Good Cars, Good Drivers, Good Prices, Good Experiences and Good for the Environment, helping establish a new standard for local mobility services.

Powered by a 100% all-electric fleet of VinFast vehicles, Green GSM offers quiet, relaxing rides with no emissions. The comfortable cabin and smooth operation of electric vehicles provide passengers with a pleasant experience, even on longer journeys.

Green GSM’s drivers are thoroughly trained in driving skills, professional conduct and road safety. In particular, fares are transparently displayed on the app or through the official in-car meter. Knowing the cost of a ride in advance also gives customers greater control when planning their journeys, particularly for intercity trips or airport transfers.

To mark the launch, new users who register with Green GSM will receive 15 Green Points, equivalent to 15 peso. The points can be used to receive discounts on Green GSM rides.

Green GSM’s presence in Northern Mindanao is expected to create meaningful value for the local community. The development of electric vehicle-based transportation will help strengthen regional connectivity while creating more employment opportunities for service drivers, while passengers gain an additional safe, modern and convenient mobility option with more affordable costs than other ride-hailing companies.

The official launch of the service in Northern Mindanao follows positive results from its trial period, which began in late August. Previously, Green GSM had launched electric taxi services in key urban areas across the Philippines, including Metro Manila in Luzon, Central Visayas and Mindanao.

Mr. Pham Nhat Minh Hoang, Global CEO of Green SM, said: “Expanding into Northern Mindanao enables Green GSM to increase our service coverage in a region with strong potential, while giving more residents access to electric mobility with consistent service quality and reasonable costs. We will continue to develop our network and work with local partners to build a scalable electric transportation model that can create long-term value for the Philippines.”

With a focus on innovation, sustainable development and a people-centered approach, Green GSM aims to contribute to the green transition in the Philippines. Going forward, the company will continue to enhance service quality, develop its network and consistently uphold its “5 Green Promises”, delivering safer, more convenient and sustainable mobility experiences.

Hashtag: #GreenSM

Source: Whole Earth Farming

18 September 2026

At full maturity, regenerative “whole earth farming” practices could also offset CO2 emissions equal to the entire airline industry’s

NEW YORK – Hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers could play an outsized role in feeding humanity’s growing population while restoring nature, but a new book underlines that they are the least supported producers in global agriculture.

Whole Earth Farming: Smallholders and the Great Regenerative Transformation says there are roughly 475 million smallholder farms in the Global South, typically operating on less than two hectares (five acres). Together, these farmers already produce about 30% of the world’s food, despite severely limited access to finance, markets, technical and practical education support.

In his book, development expert Hugh Locke says helping just half of the smallholders farmers worldwide – about 240 million farming families – to adopt regenerative agriculture and agroforestry could yield all the additional food required by population growth through 2050 while improving rather than degrading nature.

And those farms would occupy only about 12% of the world’s arable land.

“The world’s smallholder farmers are too often treated as beneficiaries of development assistance when they should be recognized as architects of the next agricultural transformation,” says Locke, co-founder of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance in Haiti.

The world population is expected to increase by roughly 1.5 billion by 2050, he notes, with that growth concentrated in developing countries. Locke’s central proposition is that meeting that additional food does not have to come at the cost of further soil degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change.

Instead, he argues, the same investment needed to increase smallholder productivity could help turn agriculture into a regenerative force.

Haiti: a working laboratory

Many of the insights in Whole Earth Farming are based on Locke’s experience with the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA), which he co-founded with Haitian agronomist Timote Georges in 2010.

The organization now works with roughly 10,000 member farmers in Haiti.

When participating smallholders receive basic agricultural support based on sustainable practices, their yields increase by an average of about 40%, he notes, while household incomes rise between 50 – 100%, depending on local conditions.

SFA members also plant an average of approximately 1 million trees a year.

With SFA’s leadership and help, Haiti’s farmers began transitioning production to a regenerative approach that combines agroforestry with what the SFA calls “tree currency”: farmers plant and care for trees in exchange for agricultural services, training, seeds and other inputs. The model connects increased farm productivity directly with environmental restoration.

The Haiti experience helped shape one of the book’s central conclusions: hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers are producing below their potential because agricultural policies, research, financing and extension systems have disproportionately supported large-scale agriculture for decades.

“This is not about nostalgia or returning agriculture to the past,” Locke says. “It is about recognizing where one of the greatest opportunities for the future now exists.”

Farming that restores instead of extracting from nature

Rather than simply reduce the damage farming causes, regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that aims to improve the natural systems on which agriculture depends.

It draws on three streams of knowledge: Indigenous and ancestral farming traditions; decades of experience with organic farming, agroecology, permaculture and other sustainable approaches; and contemporary science, including advances in soil biology, ecosystem science and impact measurement.

Depending on local conditions, regenerative farmers can employ techniques including crop rotation, cover crops, intercropping and diverse cropping systems, composting and other methods of building soil organic matter, reduced tillage, agroforestry and integration of livestock.

The objective is not adherence to a universal checklist. It is measurable improvement in outcomes such as soil health, biodiversity, water quality and availability, carbon storage, food production, farmer livelihoods and community resilience.

Locke describes this as regenerative agriculture’s “dual revolution”: a farming methodology and a framework for determining whether farming is actually producing regenerative results.

This distinction is important because practices appropriate to a smallholder in Haiti, India or Kenya may be very different from those suitable for a farm in Canada or the United States.

“The question is not simply, ‘Are you using regenerative practices?’” says Locke. “The more important question is, ‘Is the land, the ecosystem and the farming community measurably better as a result?’”

The approach represents a shift, he says, from shifting agricultural practices to “do less harm” to practices designed to produce net positive outcomes.

Climate dividend

The book also examines how such a transformation could affect climate change.

Healthy soils and growing plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon in soil and biomass. Regenerative systems can also reduce emissions associated with the manufacture and transportation of synthetic fertilizers.

Drawing on peer-reviewed research, Locke says approximately 240 million smallholder farms making the transition to regenerative agriculture across an estimated 480 million hectares could eventually remove every year up to 0.72 gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually during the period in which soil carbon is actively accumulating.

Furthermore, reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizer could provide an additional climate benefit of roughly 0.1 gigaton of CO2 equivalent annually, bringing the estimated combined benefit to approximately 0.6 to 0.85 gigatons per year at mature adoption.

That is roughly comparable in scale to the annual CO2 emissions of global aviation.

Locke stresses that soils cannot absorb carbon indefinitely. Soil carbon generally accumulates over one to three decades before approaching a new equilibrium, and outcomes vary substantially with soils, climate, farming practices and farmers’ starting conditions.

“Regenerative agriculture is not a license to keep emitting carbon elsewhere,” says Locke. “Its climate potential is important precisely because it comes alongside other benefits we urgently need anyway: healthier soil, greater biodiversity, more resilient farms, increased food production and stronger rural communities.”

Measuring what “regenerative” actually means

The book arrives as regenerative agriculture is moving rapidly into the mainstream but still lacks a universally agreed definition.

Locke argues that this makes credible measurement especially important.

Rather than allowing a farm or company to be considered regenerative because it has adopted one favoured technique, Whole Earth Farming advocates assessing a broad range of environmental and social outcomes.

The book highlights the emerging “Regen10 Outcomes Framework,” developed through more than two years of global consultation, as an important step toward establishing a common reference for assessing regenerative agriculture while allowing farmers to choose methods appropriate to local circumstances.

The framework encompasses ecological health, farmer livelihoods, food quality, community resilience and other outcomes.

The distinction also guards against reducing regenerative agriculture to carbon alone.

A farming system that sequesters carbon while degrading biodiversity, water resources or farmer livelihoods, Locke argues, cannot meaningfully be called regenerative.

A great regenerative transformation

Locke calls the opportunity a “Great Regenerative Transformation,” comparable in ambition to the Green Revolution that dramatically increased agricultural production during the second half of the 20th century.

But there is a fundamental difference. Where the Green Revolution relied heavily on improved crop varieties, irrigation, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and increasing standardization, Locke envisions a transformation that combines traditional agricultural knowledge with ecological science, locally adapted practices and modern systems for measuring outcomes.

The goal is not simply more food per hectare. Success would instead be measured by what agriculture produces and what it leaves behind: healthier soils, restored ecosystems, greater biodiversity, improved water systems, climate resilience and viable farming communities.

Locke argues that smallholders are particularly well positioned to lead such a transformation because many retain traditional agricultural knowledge, operate diversified farms and have not adopted industrial farming systems as extensively as producers in wealthier countries.

The challenge is giving them access to the training, finance, research, markets, data and extension services needed to make that potential real.

Alongside its practical exploration of smallholder farming and regenerative agriculture, Whole Earth Farming makes a less expected case: that the Bahá’í Faith offers principles relevant to agriculture’s future; its teachings connect farming with humanity’s spiritual, social and economic development.

Locke focuses particularly on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who from 1901 to 1921 directed the farming community of ‘Adasíyyih in the Jordan Valley. He argues that practices used there anticipated many now associated with regenerative agriculture, including crop rotation, agroforestry, integrated livestock and soil-building, while applying broader principles of equality, consultation and justice.

Locke extends these ideas globally, arguing that the faith’s principle that “the earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens” provides a framework for treating farmers, governments, companies and international institutions as parts of an interdependent agricultural system. He stresses that the principles require no religious belief, describing them as “open-source foundational truths” that could help regenerative agriculture scale across cultures, continents and generations without fragmenting into competing definitions.

“Not a measure of the problem, but a measure of the possibility”

The book carries a foreword by Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President, Food Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation, who describes the world’s 475 million smallholder farming households as “not a measure of the problem, but as a measure of the possibility.”

Steiner writes that regenerative transformation cannot be reduced to carbon or measured by crop yield alone, and that it cannot succeed without farmers themselves being active agents of change.

The book has also drawn endorsements from leaders spanning agriculture, humanitarian action, conservation, development and public policy.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton says Locke shares lessons from his work with smallholders “with both rigorous evidence and genuine humanity.”

Chef and humanitarian José Andrés writes that farmers have the power not only to produce food but to strengthen local economies and nourish the future, concluding: “Read this book. Then do something.”

Other contributions and endorsements have been provided by

• Elizabeth Dowdeswell, former UN Environment Programme Executive Director and Lieutenant Governor of Ontario;
• Danielle Nierenberg, Food Tank President;
• Rainn Wilson, actor and environmental advocate, who wrote the introduction;
• Paula Caldwell St-Onge, former Canadian Ambassador to Haiti;
• Tara Shyam, Executive Director of Regen10; and
• Leaders from organizations working in agriculture, food security, reforestation and international development.

The book includes 21 stories from 18 countries illustrating regenerative agriculture through the experiences of farmers and farming communities rather than presenting it solely as an abstract global model.

Its examples range from Colombia and Thailand to Canada, the Netherlands and farming communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Launched during Climate Week NYC, Whole Earth Farming offers a deceptively simple proposition: The world need not choose between feeding more people and restoring the planet. It’s possible to do both if hundreds of millions of farmers who have long operated at the margins of agricultural policy are finally given the means.

By the numbers

• 570 million – Approximate number of farms worldwide.
• 475 million – Smallholder farms in the Global South with less than two hectares (five acres).
• ~2 billion – People living and working on those smallholder farms, approximately one-quarter of humanity.
• 30% – Approximate share of the world’s food already produced by smallholders.
• 1.5 billion – Approximate increase in world population expected by 2050, concentrated in developing countries.
• 240 million – Smallholder farming families the book proposes supporting in a global regenerative transition.
• 12% – Approximate share of global arable land those farms would cultivate.
• 0.48–0.72 gigatons CO2/year – Estimated potential annual soil carbon removal at mature adoption during the active accumulation period.
• 0.6–0.85 gigatons CO2e/year – Estimated combined mature annual climate benefit when avoided emissions associated with reduced synthetic fertilizer use are included.
• 10,000 – Approximate number of Smallholder Farmers Alliance members in Haiti.
• 1 million – Approximate number of trees planted annually by SFA members.
• 21 stories / 18 countries – Farmer and regenerative agriculture stories featured in Whole Earth Farming .

About the author

Hugh Locke has spent his career working at the intersection of environmental conservation, international development, humanitarian service and interfaith collaboration. Since co-founding the Smallholder Farmers Alliance in Haiti in 2010, he has focused much of his work on smallholder agriculture and regenerative farming. He is President of the Impact Farming Foundation and serves on the board of the global reforestation nonprofit One Tree Planted.

Whole Earth Farming: Smallholders and the Great Regenerative Transformation

September 2026

George Ronald Publisher

ISBN 978-0-85398-688-1

Official release

The ceremony was held under the theme “Chasing the Light, Connecting the World.” In recent years, Optics Valley’s innovations have been reaching the world at an accelerating pace. The overseas social media matrix of “Optics Valley of China” has continued to attract attention, and “made in Optics Valley” products such as the Optics Valley Photon sky rail and driverless minibuses have been repeatedly applauded by spokespersons of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, becoming a “calling card for China” in the eyes of overseas netizens. To help companies move from “product export” to “brand export,” Optics Valley has worked with the News & Information Service Center of Xinhua News Agency and other partners to establish the Optics Valley International Communication Alliance, opening international communication resources to Optics Valley companies and providing them with one-stop services such as overseas public opinion response and multilingual content production, so as to serve as a “navigator” for companies going global. As the national news agency of China, Xinhua News Agency has 184 overseas branches and has established cooperative links with more than 2,000 media outlets around the world.

Speaking as a representative of the founding members, Li Lei, vice president of FiberHome, said that FiberHome’s business now covers more than 100 countries and regions, with wholly owned subsidiaries in 36 countries and three overseas optical cable plants in Ecuador, Thailand and Hungary; at its Philippine subsidiary, locally hired employees account for more than 95 percent of the workforce. “We will stay committed to high-quality global expansion and to deepening localized operations, and, with the platform of the Optics Valley International Communication Alliance, we will not only export China’s advanced communication technologies and solutions, but also serve as a bridge for industrial cooperation and people-to-people connectivity between China and the rest of the world,” he said.

Huakang Clean, also a founding member, is a leading enterprise in China’s cleanroom industry. It has made going global a core strategy for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, completed its market layout in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, South America and Africa, and exported mature cleanroom technology solutions. It looks forward to deepening cross-border collaboration and strengthening brand building through the alliance platform.

At the ceremony, a think tank report was released — “Going Global, Competing Worldwide: How ‘Optics Valley of China’ Polishes Its International Calling Card in Service of Building a Strong Nation in Science and Technology — Practices and Insights,” written by Reference News Press · Reference Think Tank. According to the report, leading enterprises represented by the “Seven Stars of Optics Valley” have seen average annual growth in overseas revenue of more than 30 percent. The report sums up Optics Valley’s global communication path as “one strategic direction and ten keywords”: Optics Valley takes serving the building of a strong nation in science and technology as its strategic direction, and adheres to central-local coordination, AI empowerment, going global as a team, and tailored measures for different markets.

The report states that Optics Valley has witnessed and written the confidence and determination of a brand of a strong nation in science and technology going global, and that when the light of “Optics Valley of China” illuminates the global industrial landscape, it conveys the narrative of the times in which China takes part in global competition through technological self-reliance and self-strengthening and shares its opportunities with the world. The report suggests that, for Optics Valley to keep polishing its international calling card in service of building a strong nation in science and technology, three things need to be fully considered: first, elevating the Optics Valley story from “corporate behavior” to a “national narrative”; second, making full use of AI, a global knowledge-service infrastructure, to carry out global communication; and third, moving from “communication empowering industry” to “communication as an industrial capability.”

A training session on overseas communication capacity building was held alongside the inauguration ceremony, with David Wei, founder of Vision Knight Capital, and Cao Yang, deputy director of the International Communication Department of the News & Information Service Center of Xinhua News Agency, invited to give lectures.

The launch ceremony, themed “A Tribute to the Land,” was held in a field on the outskirts of Tacheng City, inviting Chinese and international guests to immerse themselves in the spectacular autumn harvest.

The event centered on processional performances, all presented by local performers from Tacheng. As the performances unfolded along the route, the influencers watched and captured the most touching moments with their cameras.

According to the organizers, the influencers will determine their routes by opening “mystery boxes”. They will split into two groups and take two different routes deep into Tacheng for traveling, immersive field experiences and content creation. Through short videos, photo essays, live streams and other formats, they will continue to share original content across social media platforms and media outlets in China and abroad.

Located in northwestern Xinjiang, China, Tacheng has long been home to people from different ethnic groups. Its diverse folk traditions and cultures have given this Silk Road border city a distinctive and vibrant character.

Hashtag: #Tacheng

As Hong Kong’s healthcare needs continue to evolve amid an ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic conditions, there is an important opportunity to further strengthen prevention, early intervention and primary healthcare. Enabling people to stay healthy and improve their quality of life not only supports better health outcomes, but also contributes to a more resilient and sustainable healthcare system for the future.

At Bupa Hong Kong, we believe healthcare should go beyond treating illness to empowering people throughout their health journey, actively supporting individuals to manage and improve their health at every stage of life. By bringing together health insurance, integrated Western and Chinese healthcare services and digital health solutions, we enable people to take greater control of their health while receiving comprehensive medical and preventive care support.

We also recognise that strong public-private collaboration and leveraging GBA healthcare resources will be essential to meeting Hong Kong’s evolving health needs, improving hospital services and alleviating pressure on the public healthcare system. By harnessing the collective strengths of government, healthcare providers and the private sector, Hong Kong can further strengthen primary healthcare, support the adoption of digital health solutions and promote healthy ageing. Together, we can help make healthcare more accessible and seamless, while supporting better health outcomes across the community.

Bupa Hong Kong looks forward to continuing to work alongside the Government and partners across the healthcare ecosystem to support Hong Kong’s long-term development, helping people live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

For more information about Bupa Hong Kong, please visit www.bupa.com.hk/en/.

Hashtag: #Bupa #BupaHongKong #FirstFiveYearPlan #2026PolicyAddress #Healthcare

Bupa – A health insurance specialist

Source: Samsung Electronics New Zealand

Following a period of global attention around one of technology’s most recognisable names, another Tim Cook has made a significant change.

Auckland, New Zealand – 14 September 2026 – Samsung New Zealand has enlisted Tim Cook to put the new Galaxy Z Fold8 through its paces, marking a new chapter for Cook, as he chooses Samsung’s latest foldable as his phone of choice.

There is one important distinction: this Tim Cook is from Palmerston North, New Zealand. He is a real estate professional – not the technology-industry leader with the same name, who recently stepped down from a prominent CEO role within a fruit-named company.

In Samsung’s new campaign, “Tim Cook has an announcement. And for once, it’s about Galaxy,” Cook takes centre stage to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold8 and its large, foldable display. The campaign playfully follows Tim as he makes the switch from his old phone to a new foldable experience, building on a category Samsung introduced with the original Galaxy Fold in 2019.

“The Galaxy Z Fold8 opens up new possibilities,” says Tim Cook. “You have a phone when you need one, and a larger screen when you want to work, watch, create or do more.”

The campaign arrives as interest in foldable smartphones has hit fever pitch, as new brands are now entering the category. Samsung has spent seven generations evolving the foldable experience, which brings a premium smartphone, immersive large screen and powerful productivity tools in one device.

“While this campaign is tongue-in-cheek, the consumer trend behind it is real,” said Shannon Watts, Marketing Director at Samsung New Zealand. “We’re seeing more Kiwis switch to Samsung, with many looking for a phone that gives them more flexibility and a truly different experience. It’s great to see even Tim Cook making the switch – the Palmerston North one, of course.”

The Galaxy Z Fold8 has an expansive main display, slim design and flexible form factor, which makes it perfect for those wanting to get more from their phone. whether managing a busy day, working across multiple apps, watching content or staying connected on the move.

The new Galaxy Z8 series gives Kiwis more choice than ever, with bespoke experiences engineered to fit different needs. Galaxy Z Fold8 combines an expansive main display, slim design and flexible form factor for people wanting to get more from their phone. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, for maximum productivity and content creation in a larger workspace and the Galaxy Z Flip8, the sleekest one which is built for expression.

The new Tim Cook campaign has gone viral globally, making headlines in Brazil, South Korea, Russia and across Europe. A huge feat for Samsung New Zealand to be punching above its weight and creating headlines around the globe.

The Palmerston North local’s videos have already generated 8.3 million organic views and helped gain over 14,000 new followers across Samsung New Zealand’s social channels. News of Tim’s switch has also been covered in more than 100 international media articles, in addition to a live radio interview on More FM.

The video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zP5VQUEm6og

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, digital signage, smartphones, wearables, tablets, home appliances and network systems, as well as memory, system LSI and foundry. Samsung is also advancing medical imaging technologies, HVAC solutions and robotics, while creating innovative automotive and audio products through Harman. With its SmartThings ecosystem, open collaboration with partners, and integration of AI across its portfolio, Samsung delivers a seamless and intelligent connected experience. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at https://news.samsung.com/.

Via the integration with EBANX, Canva becomes the first merchant on Capitec Pay’s new recurring A2A payment

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, SINGAPORE, and STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 September 2026 – Canva, the global visual communication platform, has become the first international company to offer recurring subscription payments to South African customers via Capitec Pay, the account-to-account payment method built by South Africa’s largest personal bank — Capitec. The milestone is made possible through Canva’s ongoing partnership with EBANX, a global technology company specializing in payment services for emerging markets.

The announcement represents a shift in how global subscription businesses can reach South African consumers. Credit card penetration in the country ranges between 8% and 10% of the adult population, according to the South African Reserve Bank and the World Bank. This limitation has historically restricted the reach of traditional card-on-file subscription models, excluding 44 million people in South Africa who do not own credit cards.

Instead of needing a credit card, Capitec Pay lets clients approve a recurring payment once in the Capitec app. After that, participating businesses can collect future subscription payments automatically. Canva is the first international subscription service to offer recurring payments with Capitec Pay.

Capitec is South Africa’s largest personal bank by customer base, with 26 million clients and over 16 million app users. According to Capitec, one in three South African adults uses its mobile app. “For Canva, going live as the first global merchant on this infrastructure is a removal of a structural barrier that was preventing a large portion of South Africans from accessing our platform at all,” said Bianca Sibiya, Canva Africa Lead.

The offering of recurring payments through Capitec Pay by Canva in South Africa is possible thanks to its partnership with EBANX, which helped enhance the solution and became the first global payment service provider (PSP) to integrate it into cross-border payment flows.

“For years, card-based billing has been treated as the default model for global subscription products, but that default was built around consumer behavior in the United States and Western Europe, not South Africa,” explained Wiza Jalakasi, Commercial Lead for Africa and the Middle East at EBANX.

EBANX has become a leading enabler of recurring alternative payment methods (APMs) in cross-border digital commerce across the world. Including South Africa, the company supports recurring APMs across 12 emerging markets, enabling global merchants to reach more than 1 billion consumers, many of whom lack access to credit or debit cards.

“Capitec’s philosophy is to ensure that our clients experience simple, affordable and innovative services. Recurring payments through Capitec Pay is just one of the many ways we bring that simplicity to life, offering clients a payment experience they already know and trust. Through this partnership with Canva, we are expanding our trusted payment experience and giving clients access to international merchants in an accessible way,” said Francois Viviers, Group Executive of Marketing and Client Experience at Capitec.

South Africa’s digital commerce market continues to grow rapidly, reaching 74% of adults and annual growth projected at 20% through 2028, according to Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI) data analyzed by EBANX. By that year, South Africa’s e-commerce market is expected to represent a USD 23 billion opportunity, based on PCMI insights featured in EBANX’s Beyond Borders study.

https://www.ebanx.com/en/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ebanx

Hashtag: #EBANX #Canva #Capitec #Fintech #Payments

About EBANX

About CANVA

About CAPITEC

The latest response followed the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10, 2026. The support from 1win Charity reached nearly 2,000 people, who received drinking water, food and hygiene kits, warm meals, blankets, sleeping mats, and first-aid supplies. A member of the 1win VIP community, Valentina Gómez, and Colombian creator Yeferson Cossio visited the affected communities to deliver relief.

Earlier in the year, 1win Charity supported more than 8,000 families after the June earthquakes in Venezuela. Working alongside local emergency organizations, hospitals, and community leaders, 1win delivered food, water, hygiene products, medicines, and medical supplies across affected communities in Caracas, La Guaira, and Miranda.

In Chile, 1win Charity carried out two major relief initiatives. Following extreme rainfall, winds, and storm surges in July, 1win Charity volunteers joined cleanup and debris-removal efforts in Quillón and Bulnes, while the organization provided rescue boats, drinking water, tools, protective equipment, and other provisions to communities and emergency teams.

The response followed an earlier initiative in the wake of devastating wildfires in Biobío and Ñuble, which burned more than 34,000 hectares. At the beginning of 2026, together with professional boxer Andrés Campos and the Chilean National Content Creators, 1win Charity supplied drinking water and emergency kits. Combined, the two Chilean initiatives supported approximately 20,000 families.

“For us, a long-term commitment to Latin America means being present all the time — during the happy celebrations and when communities face their most difficult moments. Our approach is to listen to local needs, work with trusted partners, and provide practical support where it can make a real difference,” 1win Charity representatives mentioned.

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Advanced packaging requires integrated cooling at the semiconductor level // TRUMPF uses ultrashort-pulse lasers to enable the industrial production of the microstructures needed for this // Ultra-fine structures are created directly within the chip stack

DITZINGEN,GERMANY / TAIPEI,TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 September 2026 – The next generation of high-performance AI chips requires new cooling solutions. At Semicon Taiwan, TRUMPF is showcasing for the first time a new ultrashort-pulse laser application that enables the industrial production of cooling systems integrated into AI chips. “Heat dissipation will become the bottleneck for future AI processors. Without new cooling concepts, the high requirements cannot be met. Our ultrashort-pulse lasers enable the cost-effective production of the microstructures required for this on an industrial scale,” says Cathrin Conrad, Business Development Manager at TRUMPF and responsible for chip cooling. With the new laser application, chip manufacturers can flexibly integrate cooling structures into the chip stack. The process is suitable for various materials, such as silicon carbide and diamond.

AI Boom drives demand for new cooling concepts

Manufacturers are increasingly turning to advanced packaging, a cutting-edge semiconductor technology in which chips are stacked or closely interconnected to enable greater computing power in a small space. As a result, heat is increasingly generated inside the chip stack and can only be dissipated to a limited extent using conventional cooling methods, such as cooling server racks or entire data centers. Leading semiconductor manufacturers have therefore included novel cooling solutions for chips in their development roadmaps, such as microfluidic cooling or heat spreaders. This involves incorporating extremely fine structures into the chip package that dissipate heat where it is generated.

Semiconductor manufacturers must integrate these cooling structures into materials such as silicon carbide. This material is suitable for demanding applications in the semiconductor industry and efficiently dissipates heat. However, manufacturing the required microstructures poses major challenges for the semiconductor industry, as silicon carbide is extremely hard, the required structures are extremely small, and they are difficult to produce using established etching processes.

TRUMPF lasers enable industrial production of cooling structures

This is where TRUMPF’s ultrashort-pulse lasers (USP) come into play. “The key advantage of our technology: It is the combination of high laser power, beam-shaping technology, and our many years of application expertise that makes the industrial production of integrated cooling systems in chip stacks possible,” says Conrad.

The USP lasers ablate the silicon carbide with micrometer precision and create the fine structures. High precision is crucial for reliable cooling. Compared to etching, ultrashort-pulse lasers enable at least five times the processing speed while delivering excellent surface quality and precise geometry of the cooling structures. This allows the semiconductor industry’s requirements for both quality and cost-effectiveness to be met simultaneously. After all, in addition to quality, productivity plays a central role for chip manufacturers.

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Digital photographs in print-ready resolution are available to illustrate this press release. They may only be used for editorial purposes. Use is free of charge when credit is given as “Photo: TRUMPF”. Graphic editing – except for cropping out the main motif – is prohibited. Additional photos can be accessed at the TRUMPF Media Pool.

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TRUMPF

The future of AI chips is increasingly being shaped by packaging // With its HiPIMS product line, TRUMPF is addressing a key challenge facing the semiconductor industry: the reliable coating of highly complex glass substrates for the next generation of high-performance AI processors.

DITZINGEN, GERMANY / TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 September 2026 – The race for more powerful AI chips is increasingly shifting to packaging. To pack more computing power into a smaller space in the future, industry leaders are therefore investing in new substrate technologies such as glass substrates. These enable more functions to be integrated into a smaller space and allow data to be transmitted faster and more efficiently within the chip. To achieve this, however, manufacturers must drill millions of microscopic holes into the glass and then coat them with conductive material.

Millions of through-holes must be error-free

TRUMPF has now developed the first industrial process of its kind that enables the production of such structures with high quality and reproducible results. With its HiPIMS products, the high-tech company is supporting the semiconductor industry in bringing glass substrates for the next generation of high-performance AI processors to series production. “The computing power of modern AI chips is increasing rapidly. As a result, the demand for packaging is also growing. Through-glass vias are considered a promising approach for future generations of chips. However, it is crucial that millions of extremely fine structures can be reliably coated. This is exactly where our HiPIMS technology comes into play,” says Piotr Lach, Head of Next Technology Demands at TRUMPF Elektronik. The challenge: The holes in the glass substrates are both very deep and very narrow. Even a small number of incorrectly coated through-vias can render an entire glass panel unusable.

For mass production, therefore, reliable processes, consistent results, and a high yield of functional components are crucial. TRUMPF’s technology improves process stability and increases production yield compared to conventional methods. This enables TRUMPF to help chip manufacturers economically transition new packaging concepts for AI applications into series production.

HiPIMS products precisely direct charged particles into deep structures

HiPIMS is a particularly high-performance coating process. TRUMPF’s industrially manufactured HiPIMS generators produce a highly ionized plasma with a higher proportion of electrically charged particles than conventional methods. These ions can be precisely controlled using additional electric and magnetic fields and directed into deep, narrow structures. This results in a significantly more uniform coating, even in deep trenches.

HiPIMS generates significantly higher ionization, leading to a higher density of deposited molecules. “This improves the quality of the coating. The technology helps increase manufacturing yield and lays the foundation for cost-effective mass production of future AI chips,” says Lach.

A Pioneer in the Industry

TRUMPF has many years of experience with HiPIMS technologies in industrial production environments. The company launched its first HiPIMS solutions for other application areas many years ago and has continuously refined the technology. Today, this high-tech company has extensive experience gained from real-world manufacturing processes.

“For our customers, it’s not just about technological performance. What matters most is that processes can be scaled and replicated consistently worldwide. With our industrialization expertise and technological lead, we support leading chip manufacturers in bringing advanced packaging technologies into mass production quickly and reliably,” says Lach.

TRUMPF covers several key technologies for advanced packaging

In addition to HiPIMS, TRUMPF offers other technologies for advanced packaging. These include ultrashort-pulse lasers for the production of through-glass vias, as well as plasma power supplies for coating and etching processes in semiconductor manufacturing. Together, these technologies form an important foundation for the production of high-performance chips for artificial intelligence, data centers, and high-performance computers.

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Digital photographs in print-ready resolution are available to illustrate this press release. They may only be used for editorial purposes. Use is free of charge when credit is given as “Photo: TRUMPF”. Graphic editing – except for cropping out the main motif – is prohibited. Additional photos can be accessed at the TRUMPF Media Pool.

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This partnership will support governments, institutions, international organisations and businesses seeking to strengthen strategic communications, develop international partnerships, explore market opportunities and advance cross-border initiatives.

The Singapore platform combines Link To Asia’s capabilities in government project consultancy, market-entry advisory and, international partnerships, with The IBR Asia Group’s established expertise in strategic communications, public relations, reputation management, media relations and stakeholder engagement.

“The next chapter of Asia will not be defined by borders, but by the strength of the connections we build across them. Singapore is one of the world’s great gateways — a global business and financial centre where Asia meets the world.

“This strategic partnership will allow us to create a stronger platform to engage governments, institutions, businesses and international organisations across the region,” said The Honourable Dato’ Beatrice Maria Nirmala, Honorary Consul of Nicaragua to Malaysia and Group Managing Director of The IBR Asia Group.

Based in Singapore, Link To Asia, founded by Mr. Tevadass Thangevelloo has been supporting governments, institutions and international organisations in turning cross-border opportunities into well-structured, locally relevant initiatives, with a focus on government engagement, market intelligence, institutional partnerships and project coordination.

This expansion strengthens The IBR Asia Group’s presence in Singapore and provides a platform for developing relationships and opportunities across Southeast Asia and international markets.

“The strength of Singapore is its ability to connect people, institutions and opportunities across Asia. Link To Asia provides a practical platform through which we can develop these connections and help organisations move from opportunities towards structured engagement and partnerships,” said Mr. Tevadas R. Thangavelloo, Founder of Link To Asia.

With Singapore as a gateway to regional and global markets, Link To Asia marks the next step in The IBR Asia Group’s international expansion to strengthen its global influence through communications, relationships and opportunities across Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Latin America.

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Link To Asia

Held at the grounds of Pon An Kiong Temple, the initiative provided residents with medical examinations and consultations for common health conditions, including acute respiratory infections, skin conditions and diarrhea. Residents also received cholesterol, uric acid and blood sugar tests to help monitor their health and identify potential risks at an earlier stage.

Apical Dumai Head of General Affairs M. Jaya Budi Arsa said the initiative was intended to make healthcare services more accessible to residents, particularly those living in communities around Apical’s operations.

“We want to provide support that delivers real benefits and responds to the community’s needs. Through this initiative, we hope residents can access basic health services more easily and address health concerns earlier,” Jaya said.

The initiative reflects Apical’s commitment to supporting communities through programmes that address key areas of wellbeing, including health, education and economic empowerment. These efforts are guided by Apical’s 5Cs philosophy — doing what is good for the community, country, climate and customers, and only then will it be good for the company — which underpins the company’s approach to supporting communities around its operations.

Dumai Health Agency Head Dr. Syaiful welcomed the initiative, noting that collaboration between the government, private sector and communities can help expand access to healthcare and encourage greater awareness of preventive health.

“Collaboration among the government, private sector and communities is important to expanding access to health services. We hope this initiative will benefit local residents while also raising awareness of the importance of regular health checkups,” Syaiful said.

The initiative also received positive responses from local residents. Idrus, representing residents of RT 015, said the free health screenings and medical services made it easier for residents to access healthcare, particularly as the activity was held close to their homes.

Through initiatives such as this, Apical, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, continues to work with local government and communities to support practical programmes that respond to local needs.
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Hashtag: #RGE #Apical #community #healthcare #Riau

About Apical

Community health volunteers and mothers of young children were invited to prepare healthy, nutritious and protein-rich dishes using simple, readily available ingredients. Beyond the competition, the activity also aimed to demonstrate that nutritious meals for young children can be prepared simply and affordably at home. Prior to the competition, participants attended a practical briefing on balanced nutrition and the preparation of nutritious supplementary feeding meal menus for young children. The session was led by Dr. Emy Pramita Utami, Sp.GK, a clinical nutrition specialist at Beriman Hospital in Balikpapan.

PT Kutai Refinery Nusantara General Affairs Manager Randy Suwenli said the competition provided a shared learning opportunity for Posyandu health volunteers and mothers to learn from one another and exchange ideas on preparing healthy meals that can be easily replicated at home.

“What matters is helping families understand their children’s nutritional needs and enabling them to prepare meals using ingredients that are readily available. The dishes prepared by the participants show that simple efforts and creativity can support toddlers’ healthy growth and development,” Randy said.

Dr. Nur Ayu Hasanah, Head of the Kariangau Community Health Centre, said she hoped the activity would encourage more families to adopt healthy feeding practices for young children at home.

“With the right understanding of nutrition, readily available everyday ingredients can be prepared as balanced and nutritious supplementary foods that support toddlers’ growth and development,” she said.

The activity also reinforces Apical’s commitment to supporting efforts to reduce stunting in communities surrounding its operations. Since 2023, Apical has implemented the SEHATI programme, short for “Satu Hari Satu Telur Cegah Balita Stunting” (“One Egg a Day to Prevent Stunting in Toddlers”), through nutrition awareness activities, training and the provision of supplementary food for toddlers who are suspected of or at risk of stunting.

Through SEHATI and other community initiatives, Apical continues to strengthen its contribution to the communities surrounding its operations. These efforts are aligned with the company’s 5Cs philosophy of doing what is good for the community, country, climate and customers, and then only will it be good for the company. By working closely with health workers, local government, Posyandu health volunteers and mothers of young children, Apical, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, aims to encourage simple yet meaningful changes in everyday nutrition practices and contribute to improved child health and development in Kariangau.
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Hashtag: #RGE #Apical #community #stunting #nutrition #health

About Apical

“The less developed a region is, the more it needs to pursue an innovation-driven development strategy.” This message, voiced at the conference, reflects the clear-eyed resolve of a provincial capital city.

That resolve is underpinned by real strengths.

Here, the National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre has shortened dairy-cattle breeding evaluation from four years to just 45 days and cultivated China’s first probiotic strain for infants and young children derived from Chinese breast milk, helping the “Dairy Capital of China” advance towards becoming a global dairy hub. A major scientific facility for aerospace, sky-to-ground, cross-scale metrology, benchmarked against international leaders, is rising in Horinger New District. Inner Mongolia University of Technology has launched the region’s first new-energy industrial large model open to the world. Meanwhile, a domestic enterprise—the only one currently able to produce 4N5 high-purity germanium products consistently—is helping quantum technology and calcium-titanium mineral photovoltaics overcome key raw-material bottlenecks. From a single microbial strain to a beam of light, technological and industrial innovation are converging here and reinforcing one another.

Even more compelling is the city’s tangible commitment.

Municipal fiscal investment in science and technology will double in 2026 and double again in 2027. Newly recognised national-level innovation platforms will receive a one-off research grant of RMB 3 million, while each “Qingcheng Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent” may receive up to RMB 500,000 in research support. By 2030, Hohhot aims to introduce an additional 10 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as 50 high-level innovation teams. Through a policy approach of “enjoy benefits without application and receive them directly and swiftly”, the city will provide inclusive computing-power vouchers, model vouchers and token vouchers to technology-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises—lowering barriers to innovation and demonstrating the city’s sincerity in supporting innovators.

Openness is a defining feature of Hohhot.

Drawing on the Hohhot Area of the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the city is building an international science and technology cooperation base with countries along the Belt and Road. It is also deepening coordination with Beijing’s Haidian District through a “two-hour innovation circle”, exploring a new pathway in which research and development take place elsewhere while results are transformed and applied in Hohhot. Hohhot understands that innovation cannot thrive as an undertaking enclosed behind walls.

Like the Mongolian horse, it is resilient, diligent and determined—never resting until the goal is achieved. This is the character of the city: the breadth and inclusiveness of the grasslands, combined with the courage and pioneering spirit to open northwards, explore new frontiers and put ideas into action.

From the “Dairy Capital of China” to China’s “Cloud Valley”, from the pastures of Chilechuan to the computing-power clusters of Horinger, this green city is becoming a city of innovation.

Hohhot extends an invitation to the world: here there are supportive policies, real-world application scenarios and a genuine commitment to partnership—together with a vast landscape in which to join hands with those who strive and build for the future.

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• IFPHK x YF Life: Hong Kong–Macau Retirement Expense Indexrises to 131.6 — Monthly Spending Reaches HK$15,090
• Retiree Living Costs Have Risen Nearly 3 Times Faster Than General Inflation Since 2020

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – The Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong (IFPHK), in collaboration with YF Life Trustees Ltd. (YF Life Trustees), today launched the “IFPHK x YF Life: Hong Kong–Macau Retirement Expense Index” (Index). While the Index has been tracking retiree living expenses since its inception in 2020, this year marks the first time IFPHK and YF Life Trustees have partnered to expand the study to cover both Hong Kong and Macau, providing a broader regional benchmark.

The findings show that retiree inflation in Hong Kong has continued to outpace general inflation. The Index rose to 131.6 in 2026, up from 127.0 in 2023 and 100 in 2020, while average monthly spending increased to about HK$15,090 in 2026. On an annualised basis, the Hong Kong Retirement Expense Index grew by more than 5% per annumfrom November 2020 to May 2026, compared with about 1.8% per annum for Hong Kong’s Composite CPI over the same period, showing that retiree living costs have effectively appreciated close to three times faster than Hong Kong’s general Composite CPI over the same period, underscoring how retirement-specific inflation — driven by travel and dining — is materially outpacing headline price trends.

Furthermore, the study reveals that more than 72% of retirees carry at least one regret regarding their retirement preparation. Most commonly, respondents feel they should have started saving or investing earlier and learned about financial planning sooner, while many continue to express concerns about medical costs, inflation, longevity risk and the risk of outliving their savings.

Dr. Paris Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of IFPHK, stated: “The findings show that satisfaction alone does not mean retirees are fully prepared. More than 72% say they have regrets, and the most common regrets point clearly to the need to start saving, investing and planning earlier. At the same time, retiree inflation has been rising faster than headline inflation, which means future retirees need more robust and flexible plans to protect their purchasing power over time. Through this expanded collaboration with YF Life, we aim to provide deeper regional insights to help future retirees plan with greater confidence.”

He added: “Turning regret into action requires starting earlier, integrating healthcare protection into retirement planning, viewing MPF as a steady retirement paycheck, and engaging qualified financial planners to address estate planning gaps. More importantly, retirement planning should shift from a rigid, set-and-forget approach to a flexible plan that adapts to each retiree’s evolving needs—what we call moving from a ‘fixed plan’ to a ‘flexible, evolving strategy’. Our goal is to help future retirees achieve sustainable and wellplanned golden years.”

Mr. Alvin Tse, Chief Executive Officer of YF Life Trustees, stated: “As the exclusive Project Sponsor of this expanded regional study, YF Life is proud to collaborate with IFPHK on this critical benchmark for Hong Kong and Macau. The 2026 data clearly shows that while retirees desire active lifestyles, they are heavily squeezed by medical inflation and the fear of outliving their wealth. To bridge this gap, retirees must shift away from viewing retirement savings as a static lump sum. By maximizing the flexibility of the MPF through phased withdrawals and mixed-asset strategies, alongside pairing them with lifetime annuity-style income streams and robust medical protection, individuals can effectively convert accumulated assets into a predictable, lifelong paycheck. True financial peace of mind comes from building an integrated fortress that safeguards against both market volatility and longevity risk.”

Key Highlights of the Study:

• Retiree Inflation Has Outpaced General Inflation: The Index rose from 100 in 2020 to 131.6 in 2026, with average monthly retiree expenses increasing to about HK$15,090 and the Index growing at more than 5% per annum versus about 1.8% for Hong Kong’s Composite CPI for the same period. This escalation is driven partly by travelling and cross‑boundary transport—with roughly four out of five retirees visiting GBA Mainland cities and spending about RMB 1,100 per trip. This suggests that general inflation figures may understate retirees’ actual cash‑flow needs, highlighting the importance of planning for inflation‑protected retirement income and periodically rebasing budgets using a retiree‑specific living expense index rather than general CPI so they can maintain their intended post‑retirement lifestyle.
• Retirees’ Satisfaction Masks Ongoing Financial Anxiety and Planning Gaps: Although many retirees report being satisfied with their current retirement life, concerns remain widespread, with 51% worrying about unexpected medical expenses, 41% about inflation and 77% still lacking any form of estate or asset planning. This suggests that retirees should turn present satisfaction into future resilience by building healthcare and contingency reserves, setting clear drawdown rules to manage longevity risk, and putting in place basic estate and incapacity documents such as wills, enduring powers of attorney and advance directives well before potential health or family crises arise.
• Conservative Spending but Widespread Regret—Especially Among Asset‑Rich Retirees
  Actual retirement spending remains conservative, with average retirement expenses in 2026 equal to about 49% of pre‑retirement income. Yet more than 72% of retirees say they would have done something differently in preparing for retirement, most notably saving or investing earlier, learning financial planning earlier and communicating more openly with family about money and care needs. This pattern emphasizes that future retirees should start disciplined saving, investing and family financial discussions much earlier, even when their asset position appears comfortable.
• MPF Transitioning Toward Income Support: While most eligible retirees still treat MPF as a lump sum, with about 76% having fully withdrawn their benefits in 2026, the scheme is gradually shifting toward an income‑support role, as 22% now use MPF to fund monthly expenses, up from 12% in 2023. Retirees are encouraged to treat MPF as part of a structured retirement income strategy, considering phased withdrawals, annuity‑style income solutions, and planned drawdowns rather than a single cash‑out, converting accumulated MPF assets into a more predictable and sustainable retirement paycheck.

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About “IFPHK x YF Life: Hong Kong–Macau Retirement Expense Index”

About IFPHK

About YF Life Trustees Ltd. & YF Life