Connect with us

Technology

Preferred Travel Group Launches Inaugural Climate Action Plan, Paving the Way To Industry Leadership

Published

2 years ago

on

The plan aims to halve the organization’s carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve Net Zero by no later than 2050, while leveraging their wider network of global stakeholders to scale solutions

NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Preferred Travel Group is proud to announce the official launch of its Climate Action Plan, a strategic initiative aimed at addressing the climate crisis and driving meaningful change within the travel and tourism industry. This plan, created in partnership with the Travel Foundation, a prominent international sustainable tourism organization, underscores the company’s commitment to reducing its carbon emissions and engaging associates in climate action at every level of the organization.

Preferred Travel Group is proud to announce the official launch of its Climate Action Plan, a strategic initiative aimed at addressing the climate crisis and driving meaningful change within the travel and tourism industry.

Building on the Preferred Travel Group signing of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, the Climate Action Plan aims to reduce the company’s carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve Net Zero emissions by no later than 2050. The plan focuses on five key pathways: Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate, and Finance, integrating climate action into the Preferred Travel Group corporate strategy and ensuring it becomes a core component of business decisions and a lens through which success is measured.

“As someone who has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of travel, I have always believed in its ability to connect people and cultures. With this privilege comes the responsibility to ensure that travel contributes positively to our planet,” said Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO, Preferred Travel Group. “Our Climate Action Plan demonstrates that we are taking concrete steps toward building a more sustainable future. This is a commitment we are wholeheartedly invested in, and we invite our industry partners and guests to join us on this critical journey.”

The Path to Action

Preferred Travel Group developed its Climate Action Plan through a structured, iterative, and data-driven approach, collaborating with experts at the Travel Foundation and ecollective, a carbon consultancy based in the United Kingdom. This process was grounded in thorough data analysis and input from internal stakeholders, ensuring the plan is both comprehensive and feasible within the company’s operational scope. The Travel Foundation’s expertise in climate action in travel and tourism helped align the plan with global climate frameworks, reinforcing the commitment of Preferred Travel Group to industry best practices.

The Climate Action Plan Development Process

The plan addresses internal operations and focuses on creating a broader impact, emphasizing opportunities to foster scalable, industry-wide collaboration in the years to come. The following steps have been taken to guide the plan’s development and implementation:

Baseline Emissions Inventory and Situation Analysis – Preferred Travel Group began by conducting a baseline emissions inventory led by ecollective, quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across Scopes 1 (direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the company), 2 (indirect emissions from purchased electricity), and 3 (all other indirect emissions, such as business travel and employee commuting). Alongside this, the Travel Foundation conducted a situation analysis, gathering feedback from Preferred Travel Group associates to identify key opportunities for climate action within the company’s operations and across its broader stakeholder network.

Defining Objectives Aligned with Global Climate Frameworks – Using the baseline emissions inventory results and situation analysis, Preferred Travel Group established a set of objectives leading to 2030 that outline the strategic direction of the Climate Action Plan. These objectives were designed based on three guiding frameworks:

— Paris Agreement Alignment: The company’s climate goals support global efforts to limit temperature rise to well below 2°C, with an aspirational target of 1.5°C. This involves achieving a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050.

— Five Pathways of the Glasgow Declaration: Objectives were structured according to the five pathways of the Glasgow Declaration — Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate, and Finance — to ensure a balanced, multi-faceted approach to climate action.

— Internal Operations and Sphere of Influence: Each objective was tailored to focus on key emissions sources and activities under the control of Preferred Travel Group, targeting areas where the company can scale positive impact through the company’s larger sphere of influence – including member hotels, suppliers, and wider tourism industry partners.

Identifying Actions to Achieve Each Objective – Preferred Travel Group identified specific actions for each objective to ensure practical implementation. Each action is tied to measurable outcomes that drive progress toward achieving broader climate goals.

Prioritization Framework – To ensure resources are effectively allocated, actions were prioritized based on cost, implementation timeframe, emissions reduction potential, ease of use, and associate engagement. A scoring system helped determine which actions would deliver the greatest impact.

The Path Forward: Operational Actions and Strategic Implementation

In 2025, Preferred Travel Group will focus on implementing its Climate Action Plan by establishing effective systems, refining policies, and engaging associates to create lasting impact. These efforts will provide a structured framework for reducing environmental impact and promoting a low-carbon future. Key priorities include enhancing emissions tracking and reporting systems for business travel and events, which contribute significantly to Scope 3 emissions, and refining travel and event policies to achieve emissions reduction across company operations. Associate engagement will be central to this effort, with training, workshops, and resources fostering a culture of climate action. Guided by the internal Climate Task Force and Climate Steering Committee, associates will be empowered to integrate more sustainable practices into their roles and help drive innovative climate initiatives across departments.

“As evidenced by the publication of this plan, Preferred Travel Group is prepared to integrate climate action at all levels of the organization,” said Nina Boys, Vice President of Sustainability, Preferred Travel Group. “The company is well positioned to reduce emissions in the pursuit of ambitious climate targets while also leveraging our larger sphere of influence to scale positive impact in the years ahead.”

By prioritizing the decarbonization of internal operations, Preferred Travel Group sets a strong foundation for expanding these efforts across its global network of stakeholders. This approach emphasizes the company’s commitment to leading the travel sector’s transition to a lower-carbon future, fostering innovation, accountability, and partnership. Beyond emissions reduction, the company is dedicated to empowering associates and stakeholders to adopt climate-conscious practices and contribute to collective industry transformation.

To view the full Climate Action Plan, including details on the emissions inventory methodology, full list of 2025 objectives and actions, and more, please visit PreferredTravelGroup.com/ClimateActionPlan.

Media Contact
Hannah Nelson, Preferred Travel Group, 1 3038857186, hnelson@preferredtravelgroup.com, www.preferredtravelgroup.com

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/preferred-travel-group-launches-inaugural-climate-action-plan-paving-the-way-to-industry-leadership-302323442.html

SOURCE Preferred Travel Group

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Technology

Toku launches Makimoto Flows, a visual builder for speech AI pipelines, taking its open-source initiative beyond transcription

Published

40 minutes ago

on

October 21, 2026

By

Developers can chain transcription, summarisation and call tagging on one canvas, test each step and export the pipeline as code, with every step processed in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Toku Ltd. (SGX: TKU), a Singapore-headquartered AI-powered customer experience (CX) platform, has launched Makimoto Flows (“Flows”), a visual builder within its open-source conversational AI initiative where developers assemble speech AI pipelines block by block and test each stage on a recorded call. Flows is now live at makimoto.ai.

On the Flows canvas, developers connect blocks to build a speech AI pipeline and test each step individually. The Transcribe block converts audio into text using Kawa, the Summarise block generates a topic and short summary from the transcript, and the Tags block classifies each call across seven categories, including customer sentiment. Developers can see how audio moves from transcription to analysis, and control how each stage connects and runs. Every block runs in Singapore, so audio, transcripts and the resulting analysis stay in-country.

The Chained Analysis starter template puts these blocks together in one click, and developers can adjust any block and rerun it to compare results. Each block maps to a Makimoto API endpoint, and any flow can be exported as ready-to-run Python code, so developers can take the same capabilities into their own code for applications such as call recaps and call triage.

“Developers should have control over how their voice AI works, from the models they use to the way each stage connects. That is the principle behind Makimoto. Flows puts the orchestration layer in front of them: they can build a pipeline, run a recorded call through it and see what each step produces before anything reaches their customers. Models will keep changing. The ability to compose them, and to know where they run, is what lasts,” said Thomas Laboulle, Founder and CEO at Toku.

Flows builds on the composable architecture Toku set out when it introduced Makimoto in April 2026, and takes the initiative beyond transcription. Kawa, released on schedule on 1 July 2026, established the transcription layer through a Singapore-hosted API; summarisation and tagging endpoints followed in September; Flows now lets developers compose them visually. Next, Makimoto plans to add audio preparation blocks, starting with noise filtering, giving developers more control over how recordings are processed before transcription.

By pairing open-source development with enterprise-grade deployment, Makimoto complements Toku’s existing customer experience platform and supports long-term innovation opportunities across the Group’s AI roadmap.

Developers can create a free account at makimoto.ai, open the Chained Analysis template and run a sample recording, or one of their own call recordings, through it; each account includes 1,000 free minutes. Feedback reaches the Makimoto team directly from the portal.

About Toku

Headquartered in Singapore, Toku Ltd. (SGX Catalist: TKU) is a cloud-native, AI-powered customer experience platform purpose-built for enterprises operating in complex, multi-market environments. With deep roots in the APAC region and an expanding global footprint, Toku’s modular 360° CX Platform orchestrates customer interactions across voice, chat, email and digital channels while managing regulatory, linguistic and infrastructure complexity at scale.

Built on end-to-end ownership of its technology stack, from carrier-grade connectivity to AI applications, Toku delivers enterprise-grade security, reliability and deployment flexibility in commercial cloud, private data centres and hybrid environments. Its AI capabilities include transcription, summarisation, sentiment analysis, conversation analytics and governed virtual agents, designed to integrate seamlessly with enterprise systems and customer data.

Trusted by leading enterprises and public-sector organisations, Toku helps organisations streamline operations, scale customer engagement and deliver consistent experiences in fragmented markets worldwide.

For more information about Toku, visit toku.co.

About Makimoto

Makimoto is Toku’s open-source initiative, operated through Makimoto Technology Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Toku Group, dedicated to building composable conversational AI infrastructure for Asia-Pacific. Its releases include Makimoto Kawa, a Singapore-hosted transcription API; summarisation and tagging endpoints; and Makimoto Flows, a visual builder for composing speech AI pipelines. For more information about Makimoto, visit makimoto.ai.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Toku’s expansion plans, business strategy and planned product releases. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Toku undertakes no obligation to update these statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Sponsor’s Statement

Toku Ltd. (the “Company”) was listed on Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the “Exchange”) on 22 January 2026. The initial public offering of the Company was sponsored by PrimePartners Corporate Finance Pte. Ltd. (the “Sponsor”). This press release has been reviewed by the Sponsor. It has not been examined or approved by the Exchange and the Exchange assumes no responsibility for the contents of this press release, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this press release. The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms. Ng Shi Qing, 16 Collyer Quay, #10-00 Collyer Quay Centre, Singapore 049318, sponsorship@ppcf.com.sg.

Investor Relations Contact:
investor.relations@toku.co

Developers and Partners:
contact@makimoto.ai  

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/toku-launches-makimoto-flows-a-visual-builder-for-speech-ai-pipelines-taking-its-open-source-initiative-beyond-transcription-302914906.html

SOURCE Toku Ltd.

Continue Reading

Technology

Conscious Spark LLC Launches Alphimiya® Neuro-Recalibration Framework Designed to Resolve C-Suite Revenue Plateaus

Published

40 minutes ago

on

October 21, 2026

By

New research-backed neuro-recalibration framework targets the autonomic nervous system’s threat response to managing high financial amounts, offering enterprise leaders a biological pathway to scaling.

ANTALYA, Turkey and ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Conscious Spark LLC, a research and advisory firm specializing in applied neuroscience for executive leadership, today announced the official launch of Alphimiya®, a proprietary C-suite neuro-recalibration framework designed to resolve corporate revenue plateaus by upgrading the biological capacity of enterprise decision-makers.

Developed to address the root causes of stalled enterprise growth, the Alphimiya® framework targets the human autonomic nervous system’s subconscious threat response to managing high financial amounts. When commercial leaders and CEOs attempt to scale past historical capital thresholds without recalibrating their stress response, the body’s natural survival mechanism triggers decision fatigue, strategic risk aversion, and systemic self-sabotage. Alphimiya® recalibrates this biological safety brake, enabling executive teams to hold, absorb, and scale larger financial volumes without physiological or operational friction.

“A corporate revenue plateau is rarely an operational or marketing failure; it is a biological safety brake embedded within executive leadership,” stated Dr. Ahmed Al-Nashi, Founder of Conscious Spark LLC. “When managing high financial amounts triggers an underlying physical stress response, the enterprise subconsciously contracts to remain in its perceived safe zone. Alphimiya® removes that biological friction, allowing C-level leaders to multiply revenue with calm, biological authority.”

The Alphimiya® framework restructures executive performance across three core operational pillars:

Sovereign Enterprise Scaling: Expands the nervous system’s tolerance for high-stakes capital, allowing leadership teams to scale revenue without experiencing executive burnout.

High-Value Deal Execution: Regulates autonomic stress responses during multi-million-dollar negotiations and volatile market entries, eliminating hesitation under pressure.

Restored Strategic Clarity: Removes chronic decision fatigue across C-suite teams, restoring mental focus and strategic presence inside and outside the boardroom.

By recalibrating the autonomic nervous system’s response to high capital exposure, Alphimiya® removes the subconscious biological brakes that lock corporate revenue at a standstill. Senior C-level executives and enterprise leadership teams seeking to evaluate their organization’s biological capacity can access the official executive briefing, case studies, and framework assessment directly at https://alphimiya.co/.

About Conscious Spark LLC

Conscious Spark LLC is a U.S.-registered firm specializing in executive education, training, and strategic performance consulting. Pioneering applied neuroscience for C-level leaders, founders, and commercial decision-makers, the firm utilizes its proprietary Alphimiya® methodology to enable leadership teams to recalibrate biological stress responses, resolve revenue ceilings, and build scalable corporations.

Media Relations Team
Conscious Spark LLC
Email: hello@consciousspark.online 
Website: https://alphimiya.co/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/conscious-spark-llc-launches-alphimiya-neuro-recalibration-framework-designed-to-resolve-c-suite-revenue-plateaus-302901454.html

SOURCE Conscious Spark LLC

Continue Reading

Technology

Daffodil Software Brings Multilingual Conversational AI to Aadhaar’s Udai Mascot

Published

41 minutes ago

on

October 21, 2026

By

GURUGRAM, India, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Daffodil Software showcased an AI-powered conversational experience featuring UIDAI’s Udai mascot at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026. Developed by Daffodil Software, the assistant is designed to help users access Aadhaar-related information through natural conversation, using official UIDAI as its reference knowledge base.

Daffodil Software has developed Udai, an AI-powered virtual mascot that helps users get clear, reliable answers about Aadhaar simply by talking to it. The assistant was showcased at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026, held in Kolkata on 29 September, coinciding with the 17th Aadhaar Day, where visitors watched it listen, respond, and gesture in real time in their own language.

For most people, questions about Aadhaar come up in daily life, and they usually need answers fast. Which documents do I need for an address change? How much does an update cost? How do I link Aadhaar to my bank account or mobile number? The answers exist, but finding them usually means working through long help pages and documents.

 Udai is designed to answer exactly these questions in a natural conversation, without anyone having to search through long help pages.

A conversation in the user’s own language

Udai speaks and understands 11 languages: Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, and English. A user simply asks a question. Udai listens, works out the answer, and replies in the same language, with natural speech, matching lip movements and expressive hand gestures.

What sets Udai apart is how it is built. AI avatars rely on expensive, specialised graphics hardware to bring a face to life. Udai takes a simpler route. The character is created from pre-filmed footage, and its lip movements are matched to its speech in real time using lightweight processing that runs in a web browser.

The result is a smooth experience at 24 frames per second on ordinary servers, at a fraction of the usual cost per user. For a programme that serves hundreds of millions of people, that efficiency is what turns a nationwide rollout from an ambition into a practical plan.

“Our focus with Udai was to make Aadhaar-related information easier to access through natural conversation. Combining multilingual voice interaction with official reference content allowed our team to build an experience that is practical, approachable, and useful to users,” said Yogesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, Daffodil Software.

Answers drawn only from official sources

The assistant uses official UIDAI material as its reference knowledge base: frequently asked questions, provisions of the Aadhaar Act, and government policy documents on Aadhaar services. It covers the topics users ask about most:

Enrolment and registrationAddress and demographic updatesFees, required documents and eligibilityeKYC and Virtual IDLinking Aadhaar with bank accounts, PAN and mobile numbersmAadhaar servicesGrievance redressal

Users don’t need to phrase their questions in any particular way. Udai understands everyday language, whether a question is spoken in English, Hindi, or asked in a mix of both, and finds the most relevant official information to answer it.

Built to be accurate, respectful, and secure

When a public service speaks directly to users, trust matters as much as convenience. Udai is protected by three layers of safeguards.

Accuracy first. Udai answers only from its verified knowledge base. Responses are grounded in a curated knowledge base of official UIDAI material. If a question falls outside Aadhaar, it guides the user back rather than offering an answer it cannot stand behind.

Respectful conversations. A screening layer catches abusive or offensive language in English, Hindi, and Hinglish before it reaches the assistant. Screening is designed to identify abusive language while supporting legitimate queries

Protection against misuse. Udai cannot be talked into abandoning its role, pretending to be someone else, revealing its internal setup, or answering beyond its approved scope. These checks work almost instantly, so users experience no delay.

What comes next?

Udai is planned to roll out in two phases.

In the first phase, the mascot will be placed in Aadhaar Centres. Visitors will be able to check information and understand processes on their own, such as which documents they need for an address change. This frees centre staff to focus on their core work instead of answering the same questions again and again.

In the second phase, Udai will come to the Aadhaar website and mobile app, taking the place of the current text-based chatbot, which was also built by Daffodil.

About Daffodil Software

Daffodil Software is a software engineering and AI solutions company serving businesses across industries. Its services span software consulting, product engineering, UI/UX design, AI/ML development, quality assurance, cloud and DevOps, and maintenance. The company serves sectors including healthcare, fintech, banking, technology, and digital commerce. Its client portfolio includes organizations such as the Reserve Bank of India, Mount Sinai Hospital, Maruti, Samsung, Pramerica Insurance, and Dangote Group. Daffodil Software has also been featured in industry research and recognition by Gartner, Everest Group, Zinnov, and Frost & Sullivan. For more information, visit https://www.daffodilsw.com

Media contact

Kunwar Pal Singh
media-relations@daffodilsw.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/daffodil-software-brings-multilingual-conversational-ai-to-aadhaars-udai-mascot-302914965.html

Continue Reading

Trending