MARY KAY INSPIRES FUTURE INNOVATORS: YOUNG WOMEN IN STEM ‘BLEND’ BEAUTY AND SCIENCE

Lewisville High School students attend immersive STEM Day for hands-on learning

Students from Lewisville High School – Harmon Campus (Texas, U.S.A.) putting their knowledge to the test by creating their own Mary Kay® Unlimited Lip Gloss at Mary Kay’s global Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing and Research & Development Center (Photo Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)

DALLAS, Feb 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — Mary Kay Inc., a global leader in science, innovation, and furthering young women’s education marked the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11 with an exploratory event aimed to inspire the next generation of female STEM leaders. According to UNESCO, “Women make up only 35% of students enrolled in STEM-related fields of study in higher education” (UNESCO, 2020).

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Thirty students from Lewisville High School – Harmon Campus arrived at Mary Kay’s Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing / R&D Center (R3) in Lewisville, TX, where they were greeted with an inspiring welcome and personal STEM career journey from Nichole Jones-Dooley, Vice President of Manufacturing North America at Mary Kay. Students then embarked on a guided tour of the state-of-the-art facility, learning about the vastly diverse aspects of STEM-related career opportunities within the global beauty and manufacturing industry.

The highlight of the day was a Cosmetic Chemistry class and hands-on experiment led by Carissa Dowdy, Manager, Product Formulation at Mary Kay. Participants learned about the intricacies of building complex product formulations and the science behind popular beauty products. Students then put their knowledge to the test creating their own Mary Kay® Unlimited Lip Gloss. Before departing, students and Mary Kay STEM professionals shared an engaging lunch, discussing various career paths for women in STEM, personal aspirations, and how to better encourage and support young women pursuing careers in science and technology.

“Empowering and inspiring the next generation of female scientists and innovators is a winning formula ensuring women are more equally represented in the future of STEM,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Brand and Scientific Officer at Mary Kay. “By giving them the tools and knowledge to explore STEM fields, we’re nurturing future leaders who will shape the beauty and STEM industries. Witnessing their curiosity take hold and the spark ignite as they imagine the possibilities of their future in STEM – it’s tremendous!”

Lewisville ISD has a long history of providing quality K-12 education to its diverse and growing communities providing academic excellence, renowned fine arts, storied athletic programs, and resources for more than 48,000 students across 69 sprawling campuses.

“At Lewisville High School, we’re committed to providing our students with real-world learning experiences that inspire their curiosity and foster their academic growth,” said Lindsay Ayers, Administrator of Business Partnerships at Lewisville ISD. “Partnering with Mary Kay gave our students a firsthand look at the endless possibilities in STEM fields and opened these young women’s minds to career opportunities they may not have considered. We are fortunate to have strong ties to global corporate partners in our local community serving our future STEM leaders.”

Boasting a 63% female, global R&D team, Mary Kay celebrates and encourages young women who are taking charge of their futures through leadership, innovation, and determination to excel in STEM fields. By offering continued support to young women in STEM areas, Mary Kay is continuing their mission to enrich the lives of women everywhere.

About Mary Kay

Then. Now. Always. One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in more than 40 markets. For over 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on FacebookInstagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

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Contact

Media Inquiries, please contact: 972-687-5332 or media@mkcorp.com

Source : Mary Kay Inc.

–BERNAMA

EBC’s CSR Initiative To Support Education, Empower Marginalised Communities In India

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 (Bernama) — EBC Financial Group (EBC), a global financial brokerage, has announced its latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative through a strategic partnership with the Shakti Empowerment Education Foundation, part of the Shakti Regeneration Institute (SRI).

EBC in a statement said this collaboration will support the Ramakrishna Vedanta Vidyapith school in West Bengal, India, providing 50 low-income students with access to essential educational materials, uniforms, vocational sewing classes, and extracurricular activities.

This partnership forms part of EBC’s broader CSR strategy, which complements its role as a global financial brokerage, enabling access to global markets while promoting equitable education and sustainable development in communities where economic opportunities are limited.

Moreover, EBC has also supported the University of Oxford’s What Economists Really Do public education series through the sponsorship of two episodes, namely The Economics of Tax Evasion in 2023 and Macroeconomics and Climate in November 2024.

These episodes explore how economics can address significant societal issues and reflect EBC’s broader mission of empowering informed decision-making, a principle that also drives its global brokerage services, enabling individuals and institutions to confidently navigate financial markets.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate EBC’s dedication to advancing educational access, promoting critical discourse, and addressing the interconnected challenges of socio-economic development and sustainability.

Shifting focus to India, EBC’s partnership with SRI reinforces its mission to drive long-term societal change at the local level, equipping individuals with the tools to thrive and contribute to the development of their communities while promoting sustainable development at the grassroots level.

In addition to this critical sponsorship, EBC’s leadership in global advocacy is reflected in its contributions to the upcoming documentary #TheRegenerationGeneration, an initiative of SRI directed by its founder, Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri.

The film, which addresses the urgent need for regenerative finance and education, highlights the efforts of Nobel Prize winners, innovators, business leaders, educators, and Indigenous leaders working together to protect vulnerable ecosystems and communities from the increasing threats of climate change.

Operating under top-tier regulation, EBC combines its mission to equip investors with access to global markets such as currencies, indices, and commodities with impactful social investments that contribute to community welfare and sustainability.

— BERNAMA

CARBONAI AND GREENPLINTH AFRICA TO PARTNER ON MAJOR CLEAN COOKSTOVE PROGRAM IN NIGERIA

Calgary-based GHG software developer will support the digital quantification and verification of carbon credits resulting from the distribution of millions of clean cookstoves in Nigeria and Africa over the next five years.

CALGARY, Alberta & LAGOS, Nigeria, Jan 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — CarbonAi Inc. and Greenplinth Africa Limited are pleased to announce that they have entered into an agreement under which CarbonAi will provide its software tools to support the digital measurement, reporting and verification (DMRV) of greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from a major clean cookstove program to be developed by Greenplinth Africa in Nigeria.

The program will distribute millions of clean cookstoves to households across Nigeria and Africa over the next five years, drastically reducing deforestation, GHG emissions, respiratory illness, gender inequality and other issues associated with traditional open-fire cooking.

Clean cookstoves are a critical project type for achieving sustainable development benefits in economically disadvantaged regions. They are often financed by the sale of carbon credits resulting from the displacement of open-fire cooking by highly efficient, cleaner-burning stoves. Carbon-financed cookstove projects have been subject to intense scrutiny related to the accuracy and reliability of conventional quantification methods, putting the continued financing of such projects—and the many benefits they generate—at grave risk.

CarbonAi has developed Spark, a patent-pending suite of tools for the end-to-end quantification, verification, issuance and management of high-integrity GHG reduction outcomes from cookstove projects. This includes a proprietary stove use meter to monitor and precisely measure cookstove usage. Spark was developed to bridge the gap between existing carbon market infrastructure and the emerging digital carbon market ecosystem to provide irrefutable proof of claimed GHG reductions, helping project developers to deliver high-integrity, high-value carbon credits.

“This Article 6.4 clean cookstoves project is a transformative initiative, and a significant step forward in combatting the adverse health and environmental impacts associated with traditional cooking methods, such as indoor air pollution and deforestation. It will also be a foreign exchange earner for the Nigerian economy,” said Dr. Olawale Akinwumi, President and CEO of Greenplinth Africa. “The provision of free clean cookstoves is set to transform the lives of millions of Nigerians, particularly women and children, who are disproportionately affected by the harmful effects of traditional cooking practices.”

“We are excited to support Greenplinth Africa as they leverage Nigeria’s tremendous natural and human resources to deliver large-scale climate impact projects across Nigeria,” stated CarbonAi’s Chief Carbon Officer, Yvan Champagne. “Scaling clean cooking is absolutely critical in any GHG mitigation pathway but it will only happen if project investors and carbon credit buyers have confidence in the integrity of underlying reductions. We look forward to helping Greenplinth Africa generate the highest quality emission reductions possible, thereby ensuring that the program will reach its full potential.”

About Greenplinth Africa

Greenplinth Africa, a Pan-African Green Solutions Corporation, is a Superlative Africa Green Platform and Sustainable Development Goals Projects implementation for the Africa Continent, with offices in Nigeria and the United States of America.

To learn more, visit: www.greenplinthafrica.com

About CarbonAi

CarbonAi develops world-leading software tools that increase the integrity and auditability of GHG data and projects. The company’s tools for first-mile auditable data collection (Field), DMRV and quantification (Proof), integrity of clean cookstove data (Spark) and portfolio management (View) are used by industry leaders across the world to deliver high-integrity GHG outcomes.

To learn more, visit: http://www.carbonai.ca/spark

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Contact

Media Contact

Greenplinth Africa

Dr. Olawale Akinwumi
President and CEO
Tel: +234 (0) 803 316 4567
poa@greenplinthafrica.com

CarbonAi

Stephen Entwisle
Director, Cookstoves DMRV
Tel: +1 403-560-1944
stephene@carbonai.ca

Source : CarbonAi Inc.

MERZ AESTHETICS REVEALS GLOBAL DATA ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CONFIDENCE, SELF-AFFIRMATION AND AESTHETIC TREATMENTS

Graphic: Merz Aesthetics

New Research Suggests that People Seek Aesthetic Treatments to Align Inner Self with Outward Appearance

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — Merz Aesthetics, the world’s largest dedicated medical aesthetics business, today announced the findings of its inaugural global study, Pillars of Confidence: Global Insights on Aesthetics and Self-AffirmationThe study explored the role confidence plays in daily life and overall well-being, as well as the connection between our internal selves and outward expression.

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As part of its Confidence to Be platform, Merz Aesthetics surveyed 15,000 adults from around the world who have had an aesthetic treatment in the past or are open to having one in the near future. The Pillars of Confidence study revealed that a global majority of study participants have a strong sense of self-confidence, with 72% agreeing with the statement, “I am confident in who I am.”

The findings of the Pillars of Confidence study also link external appearance to internal self-concept. When it comes to aesthetic treatments specifically, 73% of respondents reported saying they feel “empowered” after having an aesthetic treatment, 69% seek aesthetic treatments to reflect how they feel inside and 72% said that aesthetic treatments impact how they view themselves.

Conducted in partnership with Ipsos*, one of the largest market research and polling companies globally, the Pillars of Confidence study engaged 15,000 adults aged 21 to 75** from 15 countries. Participating regions and countries included:

  • Asia-Pacific: China, South Korea, Thailand
  • Europe, the Middle East & Africa: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates
  • Latin America: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico
  • North America: United States, Canada

“Since becoming a standalone global business nearly five years ago, Merz Aesthetics has been committed to our purpose of fueling confidence by helping people look better, feel better and live better. We believe in the importance of feeling confident and what makes you feel like the best version of yourself—however you define it,” said Bob Rhatigan, CEO, Merz Aesthetics. “Our Pillars of Confidence research shows what we anecdotally knew to be true—that aesthetic treatments appear to do more than just enhance our appearance; they can help people feel empowered and support their self-confidence journey.”

“The Pillars of Confidence data shows how aesthetic treatments enable patients to take an active role in aligning their self-perception with their outward appearance,” said Dr. Shannon Humphrey, cosmetic dermatologist, medical director at Humphrey & Beleznay Cosmetic Dermatology and clinical associate professor at the University of British Columbia. “As a physician, I see this impact every day. These insights can help us better understand and support our patients as they work toward personal empowerment, which ultimately enhances the care we provide.”

Whether it’s the things we say, the people we surround ourselves with, or our choices around aesthetic treatments, Merz Aesthetics believes that every person’s journey to look, feel and live their best is unique. With a purpose to fuel confidence worldwide, Merz Aesthetics hopes that the data-backed insights of the Pillars of Confidence study will inspire meaningful conversations that enable even more people to celebrate being their authentic selves, both inside and out.

For more information on the Pillars of Confidence study and to download a full report of the findings, please visit www.merzaesthetics.com/confidence.

*Merz Aesthetics. (2025). Pillars of Confidence: Global Insights on Aesthetics and Self-Affirmation. Supported by research partner Ipsos.

**Age range in Asia-Pacific region was 21 to 65.

About Merz Aesthetics

Merz Aesthetics is a medical aesthetics business with a long history of empowering health care professionals, patients and employees to live every day with confidence. We aim to help people around the world look, feel and live like the best versions of themselves — however they define it. Clinically proven, its product portfolio includes injectables, devices and skin care treatments designed to meet each patient’s needs with high standards of safety and efficacy. Being family owned for more than 115 years, Merz Aesthetics is known for building unique connections with customers who feel like family. Merz Aesthetics’ global headquarters is in Raleigh, N.C., USA, with a commercial presence in 90 countries worldwide. It is also a part of Merz Group, which was founded in 1908 and is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Learn more at merzaesthetics.com.

© 2025 Merz North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Merz, Merz Aesthetics and the Merz Aesthetics Confidence To Be Logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA in the U.S. and/or certain other countries.

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Contact

Media Contact
Merz Aesthetics
Global Corporate Communications
6501 Six Forks Road, Raleigh NC 27615
919-302-3296
media@merz.com

Source : Merz Aesthetics

TRANSNATIONAL SPRING FESTIVAL GALA MELODY OF SPRING 2025 HELD IN NANNING

NANNING, China, Jan 27, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

As the hearts of people around the world are closely connected, they gather together in celebration of the New Year’s reunion. With the arrival of the Year of the Snake, the Melody of Spring 2025 Transnational Spring Festival Gala, co-hosted by the Nanning Municipal Government Information Office, the Nanning Foreign Affairs Office, and the Nanning International Communication Center, is being held in Nanning, capital city of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The Transnational Spring Festival Gala, themed “Crossing Mountains and Seas to Celebrate the New Year, Reuniting in Harmony and Joy,” brings together the festive spirit and the essence of diverse cultures, using aesthetic beauty to evoke deep emotional resonance.
 
The gala is structured into four key chapters: Spring, Warmth, Flower, and Bloom, conveying the themes of new beginnings, the warmth of home, the romance of love, and openness and unity respectively.

The gala highlights the charm of traditional Chinese culture through the theme of “New Year’s Flavor.” In the dance Ode to Landscape, the dancers’ movements embody the shapes of mountains and rivers, merging effortlessly with the virtual landscape on stage, vividly portraying the poetic beauty of Guangxi’s natural landscapes and cultural heritage. The instrumental ensemble pieces Dance of the Golden Snake and Cloud Palace Melody bridge the gap between traditional Chinese music, symphony, and electronic sounds, showcasing the harmonious beauty that arises from the fusion of different cultural influences. The opera dance New Year Painting breathes life into static paper, creating a mesmerizing artistic experience where reality and illusion intertwine. Meanwhile, the theatrical performance The Most Beautiful New Year Flavor presents an “international family” that, through a blend of song, dance, and drama, tenderly conveys the captivating essence of Chinese New Year traditions.

The enthusiastic participation of performers from ASEAN countries brought a unique energy and warmth to the gala. The Thai boy band PERSES ignites the atmosphere with their performance of BODY GUARD, unleashing a wave of youthful energy through their upbeat rhythms and vibrant dance moves. The song medley Hearts Connected across Mountains and Seas brought together iconic songs from Southeast Asia, offering a refreshing blend of exotic melodies that captivates the audience. The Sino-Vietnamese duet Love of Landscape not only reflects the deep bond between China and Vietnam, symbolizes by their shared mountains and rivers, but also highlights Nanning’s role as an international, open, and inclusive metropolis, fostering cooperation with ASEAN.

The gala also premieres Love·Ning, the theme song of the Singles Concert in Nanning, which stood out from over 100 songs submitted through a public recruitment process.

This year, the Transnational Spring Festival Gala expands its reach to Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Laos, filming special segments at satellite locations. Through captivating footage and performances that highlight the local charm of each region, the gala presents the joyous new year celebrations of people from diverse areas. It offers the audience a chance to experience the festive atmosphere and cultural richness of different countries and regions, all woven together in one spectacular event.

The Melody of Spring 2025 Transnational Spring Festival Gala is set to premiere on January 27, 2025, at 20:30 on Nanning Radio and Television Station’s News Comprehensive Channel. Subtitles will be available in English, Lao, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai, with the event being broadcast across approximately 48 media platforms in 16 countries and regions, including Lao National Television, Myanmar National Television, Philippine National Television, Cambodia National Television, and Hanoi Television in Vietnam.

The gala is attended by officials from central news media based in Guangxi, major regional media outlets, representatives from several universities in the area, and relevant departments of Nanning. Also present were the Consul General of Thailand in Nanning, the Consul General of Vietnam in Nanning, and officials from the consulates of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia in Nanning.

Source: Nanning International Communication Center

–BERNAMA