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THE DOVE SELF-ESTEEM PROJECT LAUNCHES NEW BODY CONFIDENCE PROGRAM FOR KIDS AS YOUNG AS 4 YEARS OLD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BLIPPI

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Furthering the brand’s commitment to self-esteem education, Dove launches a new body confidence program for kids as young as 4 years old to support a future where younger generations can experience a healthy and positive body relationship

TORONTO, Dec. 19, 2024 /CNW/ – This year marks Dove’s 20-year history of building body confidence and self-esteem in kids through the Dove Self-Esteem Project. Self-esteem and body confidence are important for a child’s development, helping kids do better at school, at home, and with friends. However, recent research by Dove has shown low body confidence is a growing issue with kids today.

Body image concerns start to manifest as early as 4-years-old, with 1 in 4 girls aged 4-6 years disliking something about their appearance[1] and 1 in 3 girls aged 6 years say they want to look thinner.[2]

In Dove’s latest research study, The Real State of Beauty: A Global Report, Dove surveyed kids aged 10–17 across 20 countries and found body confidence in kids is being impacted when it comes to their experiences at school, with more than 3 in 5 girls (63%) saying they have not felt confident at school because they don’t feel good about the way they look.

Now, the Dove Self-Esteem Project extends its program to a younger audience of 4+, in partnership with the popular live-action preschool brand, Blippi, because Dove believes that starting this education at a younger age will help to minimize self-esteem and body confidence issues, now and in the future. The Dove Self-Esteem Project in partnership with Blippi provides inclusive, upbeat content for kids to protect body confidence in kids as early as four years old and help empower caregivers to have conversations around this complex topic. 

The pressure to look a certain way from a young age can lead to long-term anxiety and unrealistic beauty expectations. Almost half of young girls expect to worry more about their appearance as they get older. Over the past two decades, the Dove Self-Esteem Project has reached over 114 million young people in 153 countries with self-esteem and body confidence education.

“Since 2004 Dove has been committed to building body confidence and self-esteem for the next generation of young people. Now, with children as young as four starting to become aware of their appearance and how they feel about their body, we knew we needed to urgently intervene and extend our program to a younger audience to support a healthy and positive outlook on body image and protect the younger generation from experiencing low body confidence. We want a future where young people feel empowered to confidently challenge beauty standards, advocate for themselves, and feel connected to and celebrate their bodies.” says Marcela Melero, Chief Growth Officer, Dove.

“Partnering with Dove was a dream come true and we are proud to help support Dove. As children become aware of their appearance at an increasingly young age, it’s vital that we continue to offer positive, empowering messages that build self-confidence and a healthy body image. Together with Dove, we’re excited to create a world where kids feel empowered, confident, and ready to embrace who they are.” says Dan’l Hewitt, Vice President, Brand Partnerships, Moonbug Entertainment.

To mark 20 years of the Dove Self-Esteem Project, Dove has united with expert partners to reach new audiences where body confidence is at threat, and raise awareness of the current state of young peoples’ self-esteem.

The Dove Self-Esteem Project and Blippi, in collaboration with body image experts at the Centre for Appearance Research, have developed engaging content proven to protect body appreciation in kids as young as 4 years old. Blippi launches first of its kind content focused on body confidence for young kids on Amazon and other streaming services, with additional episodes and exclusive music videos on Blippi’s YouTube channel, in English and French.In celebration of International Day of the Girl, Dove reached more than 12,000 students through in-person workshops and the first-ever Canada-wide virtual Dove Day event, designed to help students in grades 6-8 build the body confidence and self-esteem they need to reach their full potential.

To learn more, visit Dove.ca/selfesteem to download free, evidence-based resources and tools.

It’s never too early to start teaching kids about body confidence and self-esteem to help them grow into body confident adults. Dove is committed to ensuring the next generation grows up enjoying a positive relationship with the way they look to reach their full potential.

About the new research: 2024 The Real State of Beauty: a global report

Online survey conducted by Edelman DXI (Data x Intelligence), a global, multidisciplinary research, analytics, and data consultancy, in November / December 2023. This 25-minute survey was completed in 20 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, KSA, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Türkiye, the USA, and the UK.

Researchers spoke with more than 33,000 respondents: 19,306 respondents aged between 18 to 64 years old (14,673 women, 3,776 men*) and 14,292 respondents aged 10 to 17 years old (9,475 girls, 4,753 boys*). 

15 experts ranging from academic experts to consultants on body image and activists in the field were consulted on the research questions and outputs, and we ensured the survey was representative of various subgroups e.g. people with larger bodies, disabilities, mental health conditions, LGBTQ+ people and people of colour.

All interviews were conducted in local languages and dialects, with only appropriate questions asked in each market and the methodology was consistent with the level of national online penetration required to avoid sampling bias.

*Note: Other gender identities and non-binary respondents were surveyed but are not reported due to the limited sample sizes.

About the Dove Self-Esteem Project

As the world’s leading provider of self-esteem education for girls, Dove continues to support girls wherever their self-esteem is at stake and ensure the next generation grows up enjoying a positive relationship with how they look. Since 2004, Dove has reached over 100 million young people globally, in over 150 countries through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, with a goal of reaching 250M young lives by 2030.

About Dove

Dove started its life in 1957 in the US, with the launch of the Beauty Bar, with its patented blend of mild cleansers and ¼ moisturizing cream. Dove’s heritage is based on moisturization, and it is proof not promises that enabled Dove to grow from a Beauty Bar into one of the world’s most beloved beauty brands. 

Women have always been our inspiration and since the beginning, we have been wholly committed to providing superior care to all women and to championing real beauty in our advertising. Dove believes that beauty is for everyone. That beauty should be a source of confidence and not anxiety. Dove’s mission is to inspire women everywhere to develop a positive relationship with the way they look and realize their personal potential for beauty. 

For more than 65 years, Dove has been committed to broadening the narrow definition of beauty in the work they do. With the ‘Dove Real Beauty Pledge,’ Dove vows to:

Portray women with honesty, diversity and respect. We feature women of different ages, sizes, ethnicities, hair colour, type, and style.Portray women as they are in real life, with zero digital distortion and all images approved by the women they feature.Help young people build body confidence and self-esteem through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, the biggest provider of self-esteem education in the world.

About Blippi:

Blippi, the world’s most popular live-action preschool brand, turns the world into a playground for preschoolers everywhere. The brand encourages a lifelong love of learning which helps to instill confidence and curiosity at a young age. Blippi has become a worldwide sensation with more than one billion monthly views across platforms including Netflix, HBO Max, Cartoonito, Sky, Amazon and YouTube and millions of fans around the world. The franchise has expanded rapidly since it was acquired by Moonbug Entertainment in 2020. Blippi is available in more than 20 languages, including ASL, and is distributed by more than 30 global broadcast and streaming partners. Blippi’s buddies Meekah and Juca have spun off into their own shows and Blippi lives off the screen with sold-out live events, popular music tracks, and in-demand toys available at all major retailers.

_____________________________

[1] Hayes, S., & Tantleff‐Dunn, S. (2010). Am I too fat to be a princess? Examining the effects of popular children’s media on young girls’ body image. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 28(2), 413-426.

[2] León, M. P., González-Martí, I., & Contreras-Jordán, O. R. (2021). What do children think of their perceived and ideal bodies? Understandings of body image at early ages: A mixed study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4871.

SOURCE Dove

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RSPO Launches New Guidance to Leverage Sustainable Palm Oil Certification for IFRS® Sustainability Disclosure Standards

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has released a guidance document, “Leveraging RSPO Principles and Criteria for IFRS® Sustainability Disclosure Standards”. This new resource supports certified sustainable palm oil producers to align their sustainability practices with the IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 disclosure standards that serve as the global framework for reporting sustainability-related financial information.

As more than 30 jurisdictions, representing around 60% of global GDP, move towards adoption of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (IFRS SDS), companies are increasingly required to disclose how sustainability-related risks and opportunities affect their financial position and prospects.1

This resource provides a practical pathway for palm oil producers to respond to these requirements by leveraging their existing compliance with the RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C), without duplicating efforts or creating parallel systems.

Informing investor-relevant disclosures: A four-step approach

Certification and the IFRS SDS serve different purposes. This guidance, developed with support from PwC Malaysia, provides a practical bridge between operational sustainability practices and financial disclosure expectations by helping members translate certification-related topics, metrics, and evidence to inform investor-relevant disclosures.

It sets out a four-step approach to IFRS SDS-aligned reporting, guiding RSPO Members on applicability, reporting boundaries, identification of sustainability-related risks and opportunities, and links to financial performance. It also includes seven practical examples, illustrating how the RSPO P&C requirements and implementation evidence can inform disclosures across key sustainability topics, from ethical conduct and legal compliance to environmental protection and worker health and safety.

Beyond growers, the guidance document also supports financial institutions by helping banks, insurers, and investors understand how palm oil sustainability issues, such as labour disputes and traceability gaps, can translate into financial risks, impacts, and opportunities, enabling clearer risk profiling and more informed financing decisions.

Joseph D’ Cruz, RSPO Chief Executive Officer, said: “As sustainability reporting becomes an integral pillar of financial performance, this guidance bridges certification and disclosure, providing RSPO members with a practical framework to demonstrate sustainability performance in ways that resonate with global capital markets. In line with the growing importance of sustainability disclosures in financing and investment decision-making processes, this guidance illustrates how RSPO Principles and Criteria practices can complement an organisation’s strategy and risk assessment processes.”

Andrew Chan, Partner, Sustainability Leader at PwC Malaysia, said: “This guidance responds to the broader shift towards measuring sustainability through a financial lens, with the adoption of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (IFRS S1 and IFRS S2). For RSPO growers, this creates an opportunity to demonstrate how sustainability practices contribute to business resilience as well as value creation — building investor confidence for the long term.”

Importantly, the guidance also reflects RSPO’s longer term interest in progressively strengthening linkages with sustainability disclosure frameworks. As disclosure expectations continue to evolve, RSPO intends to further explore how certification-related data metrics and assurance processes can support broader and more integrated sustainability disclosures in the future.

The Guidance Document can be downloaded here.

For more information, visit www.rspo.org 

About RSPO:
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable. Formed in 2004, the RSPO is a multi-stakeholder non-profit organisation that unites members from across the palm oil value chain, including oil palm producers, palm oil processors and traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social or developmental NGOs.

As a partnership for progress and positive impact, the RSPO facilitates global change to make the production and consumption of palm oil sustainable. To inspire change, we communicate the environmental and social benefits. To make progress, we catalyse collaboration. To provide assurance, we set the standards of certification.

The RSPO is registered as an international association in Zurich, Switzerland, with main offices in Malaysia and Indonesia, and offices in China, Colombia, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States. 

About PwC:
At PwC, we help clients build trust and reinvent so they can turn complexity into competitive advantage. We’re a tech-forward, people-empowered network with more than 364,000 people in 136 countries and 137 territories. Across audit and assurance, tax and legal, deals and consulting, we help clients build, accelerate, and sustain momentum. Find out more at www.pwc.com

1

IFRS Foundation, ISSB Podcast February 2025

 

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SOURCE Roundtable On Sustainable Palm Oil

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Nordic Capital announces agreement to sell ArisGlobal to Dassault Systèmes, following its transformation into a scaled and AI-enabled life sciences platform

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WALTHAM, Mass., 23 July 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Nordic Capital today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell ArisGlobal, a leading provider of software to the life sciences industry, to Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8) (Paris: DSY.PA). The transaction represents a full exit for Nordic Capital and marks the successful culmination of a partnership that has transformed ArisGlobal into a scaled, cloud-native and AI-enabled platform serving more than 200 life sciences companies, CROs and government health authorities worldwide.

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, ArisGlobal develops and delivers regulatory, safety, and quality software to a global client base that includes many of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, as well as regulatory authorities. Its flagship LifeSphere® platform is a fully integrated, cloud-native suite that enables life sciences organisations to manage complex regulatory submissions, pharmacovigilance workflows and clinical data on a single platform, improving compliance, speed and operational efficiency. The platform also embeds advanced AI-enabled automation across core pharmacovigilance workflows, reducing manual processing and accelerating safety case management.

“Nordic Capital invested in ArisGlobal because the business had strong fundamentals, a loyal blue-chip client base and significant potential to modernise its technology and scale its commercial reach. Working closely with Aman and his team, Nordic Capital has supported the company’s transformation into a leading cloud-native platform for the life sciences industry with differentiated AI-enabled capabilities and a strengthened market position. Nordic Capital is proud of what has been achieved together with management and looks forward to seeing the company continue to grow under Dassault Systèmes ownership,” said Daniel Berglund, Partner and Head of Healthcare, Nordic Capital Advisors.

Nordic Capital first invested in ArisGlobal in 2019, partnering with the founding family and management team to pursue an ambitious development strategy. In 2021, Nordic Capital made a further investment in the company, reflecting its conviction in ArisGlobal’s growth potential and the progress achieved since the original partnership began. Throughout the ownership period, Nordic Capital worked closely with management to accelerate the SaaS transition, professionalise the go-to-market organisation, broaden the product offering and strengthen the leadership team.

The migration to a modern, cloud-native architecture created the foundation for ArisGlobal to become an early leader in the application of AI to drug safety. A key milestone was the development and launch of NavaX, ArisGlobal’s generative AI solution for safety case processing, which automates and accelerates core pharmacovigilance workflows and has been adopted by a number of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. NavaX has further differentiated ArisGlobal’s offering and marked an important step in the Company’s evolution into a broader, AI-enabled safety and regulatory software platform.

“The life sciences industry is at an inflection point as regulatory complexity is increasing, data volumes are growing and our clients need software that can keep pace. The partnership with Nordic Capital gave us the resources and the runway to build exactly that. NavaX and our expanded platform are the result of that ambition, and I am confident we are well placed for what comes next,” said Aman Wasan, CEO, ArisGlobal.

Alongside its technology transformation, ArisGlobal strengthened its management team and commercial organisation, while two strategic acquisitions broadened the Company’s platform capabilities. Today, ArisGlobal serves more than 200 enterprise customers, including half of the world’s top 50 biopharma companies, processes more than 12 million safety cases annually and is expected to generate approximately USD 175 million in revenue in 2026. As rising regulatory complexity and increasing volumes of adverse event reporting continue to drive demand for advanced life sciences software, ArisGlobal is well positioned for future growth through solutions that automate compliance workflows, reduce manual processing and enable organisations to manage regulatory risk more effectively.

The transaction brings together ArisGlobal’s leadership in AI-enabled safety and regulatory software with Dassault Systèmes’ capabilities across research, clinical development and manufacturing. Nordic Capital believes the combination represents a highly compelling strategic fit, pairing complementary capabilities to create a broader, end-to-end offering across the life sciences value chain. ArisGlobal will also benefit from Dassault Systèmes’ global scale, customer reach and investment capacity, providing a strong platform for its next phase of innovation and growth.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2026.

Evercore and Jefferies LLC acted as financial advisors to ArisGlobal and Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal advisor to ArisGlobal.

Media contacts:

Nordic Capital
Katarina Janerud
Communications Manager, Nordic Capital Advisors
+46 8 440 50 50
katarina.janerud@nordiccapital.com

ArisGlobal
Morgan Scott
Vice President, Marketing & Communications and Chief of Staff
mscott@arisglobal.com

About ArisGlobal

ArisGlobal is a leading provider of software to the life sciences industry. Its LifeSphere® platform delivers integrated regulatory, safety, and quality solutions to more than 200 life sciences companies, CROs and government health authorities worldwide. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, ArisGlobal combines deep domain expertise with advanced technology to help clients improve compliance, accelerate development cycles and manage regulatory complexity at global scale. For more information, visit www.arisglobal.com.

About Nordic Capital

Nordic Capital is a leading international private equity investor and subsector specialist dedicated to building stronger, more resilient businesses through transformative, long-term growth in partnership with management teams. With over 35 years of experience, Nordic Capital currently manages approximately EUR 39 billion in assets, investing in middle-market companies across Northern Europe and North America. Rooted in its Nordic heritage and values, it combines global reach with local presence through dedicated sector investment advisory teams, bringing deep expertise across its core sectors: Healthcare, Technology & Payments, Financial Services, and Services & Industrial Tech. Through active ownership, strong operational capabilities, a global network of experts and technology-enabled transformation, Nordic Capital helps companies scale, innovate and become sustainable leaders. For more information, visit www.nordiccapital.com or connect on LinkedIn.

“Nordic Capital” refers to, depending on the context, any, or all, Nordic Capital branded entities, vehicles, structures, and associated entities. The general partners and/or delegated portfolio managers of Nordic Capital’s entities and vehicles are advised by several non-discretionary sub-advisory entities, any or all of which are referred to as “Nordic Capital Advisors”.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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Cognizant and Gulf Edge Announce Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Enterprise AI Adoption in Southeast Asia

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Partnership combines Cognizant’s global AI engineering capabilities with Gulf Edge’s sovereign digital infrastructure to capture the region’s growing demand for secure, scalable AI solutions.

BANGKOK, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leading AI builder and global technology services provider, and Gulf Edge Company Limited, the digital infrastructure arm of Thai energy and infrastructure conglomerate Gulf Development Public Company Limited (GULF) or Gulf Group, today announced a landmark strategic partnership. The alliance is designed to accelerate enterprise AI adoption and establish a resilient, AI-native digital economy in Thailand and the broader region.

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes industries, economies, and societies worldwide, the partnership aims to establish the foundational ecosystem needed to enable Thailand’s next phase of digital transformation. By combining trusted sovereign digital infrastructure with world-class AI engineering and enterprise transformation capabilities, Gulf Edge and Cognizant will help organizations deploy AI securely, responsibly, and at scale.

The collaboration brings together Gulf Edge’s leadership in digital infrastructure, energy, cloud, and strategic relationships across Thailand’s most important industries with Cognizant’s global expertise in AI, digital engineering, cloud modernization, data, and intelligent operations. Together, the two companies will deliver end-to-end AI capabilities spanning infrastructure, AI platforms, enterprise solutions, systems integration, and managed services.

The partnership will initially focus on accelerating AI adoption across key sectors including banking and financial services, energy and utilities, healthcare, telecommunications, manufacturing, and the public sector. Through industry-specific AI solutions, organizations will be able to improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, strengthen decision-making, automate complex business processes, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth.

Beyond enterprise transformation, Gulf Edge and Cognizant share a broader ambition of strengthening Thailand’s position as a regional AI hub. The partnership is expected to attract global technology expertise, stimulate investment in advanced digital capabilities, and create high-value employment opportunities across AI engineering, data science, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. The two companies also plan to collaborate with universities, research institutions, technology partners, and public-sector organizations to develop AI talent, promote responsible AI adoption, and foster a sustainable innovation ecosystem for the country.

Mr. Sarath Ratanavadi, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Development Public Company Limited, said, “Our partnership with Cognizant marks an important milestone in our vision of helping Thailand become an AI-native economy. By combining Gulf Edge’s strengths in digital infrastructure, energy, cloud, and deep understanding of the Thai market with Cognizant’s global expertise in enterprise AI, digital engineering, and transformation services, we are creating a comprehensive platform that enables organizations to adopt AI with confidence and generate measurable business outcomes. Together, we will develop secure, resilient, and future-ready sovereign digital infrastructure while delivering industry-specific AI solutions tailored to the needs of Thai enterprises and public institutions. We believe AI has the potential to transform every sector, creating new opportunities for productivity, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.”

Mr. Ganesh Ayyar, President of Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ), Cognizant, said, “As Thailand works toward its ambition of becoming an AI-native economy, we see this partnership as a meaningful way to help contribute to that vision, not just through the projects we deliver, but by building lasting AI and technology capability inside the country. With Gulf Edge’s market reach and Cognizant’s AI Builder strategy and global delivery capability, we are positioned to deliver transformative outcomes for Thai enterprises across every major sector.”

About Gulf Edge
Gulf Edge Company Limited is the digital infrastructure arm of Gulf Development Public Company Limited, Thailand’s leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate. Gulf Edge is building a robust digital ecosystem, spanning data centers, cloud services, satellite technology, and AI infrastructure, to accelerate Thailand’s digital transformation and position the country as a regional hub for the AI economy.

About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, building the bridge between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for clients. Its deep industry, process, and engineering expertise enables it to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, realize tangible returns, and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at www.cognizant.ai or @cognizant.

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SOURCE Gulf Development Public Company Limited (GULF)

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