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Lengthy timeframe and uncertain returns constrain sustainability adoption: SIDBI – D&B SPeX

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MUMBAI, India, May 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The SIDBI – D&B Sustainability Perception Index (SPeX), also known as the ‘green pulse indicator’ decreased by around 2% to 54 during the January –March 2024 period, as MSMEs reported lower implementation of sustainability practices compared to last quarter. According to our survey, sustainability related policy implementation and training remain quite low amongst MSMEs. However, 1 in 10 MSMEs want to start taking social and governance related initiatives over the next six months.

Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, along with SIDBI, released SPeX for January –March 2024, which evaluates the perception of sustainability among MSMEs across three key areas: willingness, awareness, and implementation. The SPeX index value ranges from 0 to 100, with an increase in index value indicating enhanced perception of MSMEs towards sustainability. The overall SPeX value reflects changes within these dimensions, providing insights into how MSMEs understand, are willing to engage, and implement sustainability measures. An increase in SPeX suggests a positive shift in MSMEs’ perception and practices towards sustainability measures. A decrease may indicate challenges or a decline in willingness or implementation. 

Dr. Arun Singh, Global Chief Economist, Dun & Bradstreet, said, “The hurdle to MSMEs embracing sustainability isn’t just about implementation costs. Our research highlights that the lengthy timeframe and uncertain returns from sustainable initiatives also hinder adoption. Nearly half of MSMEs (42%) perceive sustainable practices as yielding results only in the medium to long term, while 35% find returns unpredictable. Moreover, quantifying ESG investments poses a significant challenge, as MSMEs often prioritize upfront costs. Hence, it’s vital for stakeholders to underscore the tangible benefits that MSMEs stand to gain from adoption of sustainable practices, such as cost savings, efficiency gains, and enhanced stakeholder appeal, rather than solely relying on incentives.”

Dr. R.K Singh, CGM, SIDBI stated, “SIDBI – D&B Sustainability Perception Index Survey, January – March 2024 indicates slight stability in the SPeX score, and hence there is a need to effectively scale up & augment the capacity building, orientation and awareness efforts on demand i.e., enterprise side. While awareness and willingness remain high for MSMEs on the top of the pyramid, the level of implementation needs a fillip across all sizes of enterprises. Thus, it is important to understand the business needs of the enterprise, how an enterprise leadership understands the potential benefits towards adopting Clean, Green, Environment Friendly, Sustainable practices / solutions. SIDBI, as a development financial institution (DFI) for MSMEs, has prioritized theme “Greening the Enterprising Ecosystem” and is committed to provide all out support to MSMEs (both developmental as well financial) showing willingness to move towards adoption of clean green climate-friendly, climate-tech innovative, sustainable practices & investments. SIDBI’s Panchtatva missions viz. Energy Efficiency, E-Mobility, Renewable Energy, Circular Economy Waste2Envttaste (Circular Economy, MSW, CBG, etc.) and Adaptation Finance (Nature based Solutions) are oriented to enhance the acceptability amongst MSMEs to ‘Go Green‘ and adopting Environmental & Social (E&S) practices for holistic improvement in the enterprise thereby making more resilient, competitive, sustainable operations / practices / products / services. SPeX is poised to evolve as a tracker of MSMEs’ intent and preparedness to ‘Go Green’. We are also reciprocating the aspirations of MSMEs through financial products coupled with digital tools and building lenders capacity. Our efforts are also on to address the sectoral and cluster aspirations.”

Highlights of the SPeX Report:

78% of MSMEs claim cost reduction to be a pivotal factor for sustainability adoption closely followed by regulatory compliance (64%). Less than half believe incentives to be a major driver.54% of MSMEs strongly agree that sustainability adoption will improve attractiveness to stakeholders.Across SPeX leadership categories, the importance of sustainability benefits varies.For Leaders, cost reduction along with improved brand image and competitive advantage are the top two benefits. For Integrators, improved brand image and improved attractiveness to stakeholders are the top two benefits. For Aspirers, improved brand image is the key benefit.Awareness of Green Financing also varies with size and age of company as well as by leadership category: 71% of Leaders are aware of green financing compared to 27% of followers. Among different business sizes, compared to 54% of small businesses, 34% of micro sized businesses are aware of green financing. Regarding firm age, 49% of those established for 5-10 years are aware, compared to 39% among those established for 1-5 years.Sustainability related policy implementation and training remain quite low amongst MSMEs.For the majority of MSMEs, awareness of policies to support sustainability adoption is low; 57% of MSMEs are not aware of any policies and 17% who are aware have not availed of any policies.1 in 10 MSMEs want to start taking social and governance related initiatives over the next six months.

About Dun & Bradstreet:

Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, enables companies around the world to improve their business performance. Dun & Bradstreet’s Data Cloud fuels solutions and delivers insights that empower customers to accelerate revenue, lower cost, mitigate risk and transform their businesses. Since 1841, companies of every size have relied on Dun & Bradstreet to help them manage risk and reveal opportunity. For more information on Dun & Bradstreet, please visit www.dnb.com.

Dun & Bradstreet Information Services India Private Limited is headquartered in Mumbai and provides clients with data-driven products and technology-driven platforms to help them take faster and more accurate decisions in domains of finance, risk, compliance, information technology and marketing. Working towards Government of India’s vision of creating an Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) by supporting the Make in India initiative, Dun & Bradstreet India has a special focus on helping entrepreneurs enhance their visibility, increase their credibility, expand access to global markets, and identify potential customers & suppliers, while managing risk and opportunity.

India is also the home to Dun & Bradstreet Technology & Corporate Services LLP, which is the Global Capabilities Center (GCC) of Dun & Bradstreet supporting global technology delivery using cutting-edge technology. Located at Hyderabad, the GCC has a highly skilled workforce of over 500 employees, and focuses on enhanced productivity, economies of scale, consistent delivery processes and lower operating expenses.

Visit www.dnb.co.in for more information.

Click here for all Dun & Bradstreet India press releases.

About SIDBI:

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) in its role as the Principal Development Finance Institution for MSME sector has played a significant role in developing the financial services for MSME sector through various interventions including Refinance to Banks, Credit Guarantee programs, Development of the MFI sector, Contribution to Venture capital/AIF funds, MSME ratings, promoting digital lending ecosystem, etc. The Bank has proactively been working toward Energy Efficiency (EE) in MSMEs since 2005-06 as part of Direct Finance business using support of multilaterals like World Bank, ADB, GiZ, FCDO, JICA, AFD, KfW etc for energy efficient projects. SIDBI has taken steps to promote Energy Efficiency and Cleaner production in the MSME sector and propose to accelerate its efforts for MSME sector for their survival, growth and competitiveness in long run during prevailing climate related challenges.

Looking to importance of ESG aspects and the need for a simplified, Customised ESG risk rating framework, SIDBI has already started integration of ESG framework into its operations. Subsequent to setting up of Green Climate Finance Vertical for prioritised focus, a Board level Committee has been constituted for guidance, oversight and monitoring on ESG, Green Strategy of the bank, including relevant SDGs etc. To lead with the example, SIDBI has set a target to become Carbon Neutral by 2024 and Net Neutral organization in subsequent years.

Through Green Financing products and other developmental activities, SIDBI enables the manufacturers and service providers in MSME sector to adopt green energy efficient technologies helping in lesser waste leading to positive impact on environment and sustainability.

Visit www.sidbi.in for more information.

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Laifen Expands U.S. Retail Footprint with Costco Launch of Best-Selling SE Hair Dryer

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Starting July 18, Costco Members Can Shop Laifen’s Award-Winning Hair Dryer in Select Warehouse Locations Across the U.S.

NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Laifen, ranked the world’s No.1 high-speed hair dryer brand, today announced the launch of its best-selling SE High-Speed Hair Dryer at select Costco warehouse locations, marking the brand’s largest U.S. retail expansion to date and bringing its award-winning haircare technology to Costco members across select U.S. markets.

The launch brings Laifen’s award-winning haircare technology to Costco, making it easier for consumers to experience the brand through one of the nation’s leading membership retailers. Laifen joins Costco’s growing portfolio of premium beauty and personal care brands. The initial rollout includes select Costco warehouse locations across the United States, with a strong presence across the Western U.S., including California, the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest.

Costco’s reputation for quality and its highly selective merchandising approach make this partnership especially meaningful. The Costco launch reflects Laifen’s continued expansion beyond direct-to-consumer channels as the brand accelerates its U.S. omnichannel retail strategy. “Costco represents an important milestone in our U.S. retail strategy,” said Romeo, General Manager of International Business of Laifen. “As more consumers seek salon-quality performance at an accessible price, we’re excited to make Laifen available through one of America’s most trusted retailers.”

Engineered to deliver professional-level performance in a sleek, lightweight design, the Laifen SE is powered by the brand’s proprietary high-speed brushless motor, delivering fast drying, reduced heat damage and smoother styling. An intelligent temperature control system continuously monitors airflow to help minimize frizz while protecting hair from excessive heat.

The Costco launch represents the next phase of Laifen’s U.S. retail expansion as the brand continues to grow beyond its direct-to-consumer and online channels. By expanding into one of the nation’s most trusted retailers, Laifen aims to broaden access to its category-disrupting haircare solutions while advancing its mission to bring more thoughtful design and everyday excellence into more homes.

The Laifen SE High-Speed Hair Dryer in White will be available at select Costco locations, while Costco.com shoppers will have access to additional color options including Purple and Pink, alongside the White model.

For more information on Laifen, please visit LaifenTech.com.

About Laifen: 

Founded in 2019, Laifen is a global personal care technology brand combining high-performance engineering with modern design across hair care, oral care, and grooming categories. Ranked the world’s No. 1 high-speed hair dryer brand by Euromonitor International, Laifen first gained recognition for its self-developed 110,000 RPM high-speed brushless motor, the proprietary technology behind its award-winning hair dryers.

Building on this innovation, Laifen has expanded its portfolio to include electric toothbrushes and shavers, delivering premium technology and elevated everyday experiences to consumers worldwide. Today, Laifen products and accessories are used by over 22 million households across more than 60 countries, supported by more than 600 patents and recognized with over 50 international design and innovation awards. Driven by continuous technological breakthroughs, Laifen is committed to making cutting-edge personal care technology more accessible to consumers around the world.

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SOURCE Laifen

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Pillsbury Notice of Data Breach

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NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (“Pillsbury”) was among many law firms targeted by sophisticated social engineering attempts in an incident last year. While the firm quickly detected and blocked the activity, an unauthorized actor was able to access some of the firm’s documents during a short window of time. Pillsbury notified any impacted clients last year and undertook a detailed process to review the accessed documents for personal information. Pillsbury then began notifying individuals whose personal information was affected. That process is now complete, and today, Pillsbury is publishing substitute notice as a final step.

For more information, please visit the substitute notice on our website at https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/breach-notice.html

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SOURCE Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

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From Remote Racing to Embodied AI: Fibocom and Intedigo Bring 5G Bidirectional Data Transmission into Real-World Applications

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SHANGHAI, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From July 17 to 20, Fibocom and Intedigo will jointly present a cross-regional, beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) teleoperation demonstration at Booth H3-C408 during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026. Visitors will be able to enter a remote driving cockpit and control a real race car located at HURA PARK in Jiading, Shanghai, steering, accelerating, and braking in real time while experiencing how 5G connectivity enables remote operation.

More than an immersive driving experience, the demonstration provides a live validation of 5G bidirectional data transmission for embodied AI teleoperation. The vehicle continuously sends live track video, vehicle status, and operating data to the remote cockpit, while control commands are transmitted back to the vehicle, creating a closed-loop teleoperation system. Stable, low-latency, and highly reliable connectivity is essential for high-dynamic maneuvers such as high-speed cornering, precision braking, and continuous lane changes.

Developed by Intedigo, the remote driving system connects a real race car with an immersive remote driving cockpit. It supports 1080p@60Hz video transmission, glass-to-glass (G2G) video latency of less than 80 ms, and control latency of less than 10 ms. The demanding racing environment magnifies differences in video continuity and control responsiveness, making communications performance directly perceptible, measurable, and verifiable.

At the joint demonstration, Fibocom’s FM160 5G module provides cellular connectivity for the system. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon™ X62 5G Modem-RF System, the FM160 supports SA and NSA network architectures as well as 3GPP Release 16. On the downlink, it supports NR Carrier Aggregation (NR CA) with bandwidth of up to 120 MHz, delivering peak speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps in NSA mode and 2.5 Gbps in SA mode. On the uplink, it supports UL MIMO and delivers peak speeds of up to 900 Mbps in SA mode. These capabilities support the continuous transmission of HD video and vehicle status data, along with reliable delivery of control commands.

As embodied AI moves into factories, data centers, logistics operations, and industrial parks, robots are becoming increasingly capable of performing tasks autonomously. Yet complex environments, unexpected events, and edge cases still require Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) remote intervention to help ensure safe and reliable operation.

Daniel Liu, CEO of Intedigo, said:

“5G represents the pinnacle of human communications and the starting point of machine communications. In the past, communications connected people to people; in the future, they will connect people to robots and robots to robots. Remote racing is simply the easiest entry point for people to understand this concept. What we are truly validating is a communications system capable of supporting remote collaboration for embodied AI. HURA makes low-latency remote driving a tangible experience, while RoBOX extends this capability to robots and a broader range of intelligent terminals. Together with Fibocom, we hope to enable more machines to receive remote assistance whenever needed while remaining continuously connected and operating reliably.”

Simon Tao, VP of Wireless Solutions Business Group and General Manager of MBB BU at Fibocom, said:

“As embodied AI enters real-world industrial environments, reliable connectivity will become the foundation for telemetry feedback, remote control and operational management. Fibocom’s 5G solutions, represented by FM160, provide the cellular connectivity required for continuous on-site data transmission and reliable control command delivery. Fibocom will continue collaborating with ecosystem partners such as Intedigo to bring cellular connectivity to more robots, autonomous machines and mobile intelligent terminals, enabling embodied AI systems to stay continuously connected and respond reliably in real-world applications.”

From remote race cars to robots, unmanned equipment, and mobile intelligent terminals, 5G is evolving from connecting people to connecting machines. This joint demonstration makes the capabilities of 5G bidirectional data transmission directly perceptible, experiential, and verifiable, helping pave the way for embodied AI to scale across real-world applications.
 

About Fibocom

Fibocom, founded in 1999, is China’s first wireless communication module company listed on both the A-share and H-share markets (300638.SZ, 0638.HK). As a global leading provider of wireless communication modules and AI solutions, Fibocom leverages wireless communication and artificial intelligence as its core technologies to provide integrated hardware and software solutions that empower industry applications. These solutions accelerate the transformation from “Connect Everything” to “Intelligent Connectivity” across diverse industries.

Fibocom’s one-stop solutions encompass cellular communication, AI, automotive, and GNSS modules, as well as AI toolchains, supporting industry-side and mainstream large model integration, and providing AI Agent, global connectivity, and cloud services, driving the digital intelligence upgrades in industries such as robotics, consumer electronics, low-altitude economy, intelligent transportation, smart retail, and smart energy.

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SOURCE Fibocom Wireless Inc.

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