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AZZURRI GROUP LAUNCHES ITS 2024 SUSTAINABLE DINING REPORT AND ACHIEVES FURTHER REDCUTIONS IN CARBON EMISSIONS

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Market-leading operator of ASK Italian, Zizzi and Coco di Mama launches third annual Sustainable Dining Report revealing it reduced its GHG emissions intensity by 7% in 2024 which was delivered against an expanding restaurant portfolioReduction in operational emissions driven by 1.3 million kHh less electricity consumed, equivalent to serving 1.9 million pizzas annually Partnering with like-minded suppliers delivered carbon reductions in the Group’s value chain, for instance, the introduction of Wildfarmed flour at ASK Italian helped cut the business’ dough footprint by 50%Amidst a period of growth, the Group opened three more SKA Gold certified restaurants, ensuring key sustainability metrics are met when opening and refurbishing restaurants across the portfolioThe Group also continues to be invested in supporting communities by donating and redistributing over 250,000 meals to local communities since 2022

LONDON, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Azzurri Group, the hospitality platform investing in leading businesses including ASK Italian, Zizzi and Coco di Mama, today launches its fourth annual Sustainable Dining Report.

During FY24, the company delivered a strong financial performance, opening additional restaurants, expanding retail offerings and growing its portfolio with Boojum, Dave’s Hot Chicken and Openr.

During this period of growth, Azzurri Group achieved a reduction in total carbon emissions across its core businesses. This reduction was achieved both in absolute terms and an even greater intensity reduction of 7% (tCO2e/ £1m turnover), building on last year’s reported year-on-year reductions of 9.7%. This progress demonstrates Azzurri’s commitment to becoming a net zero business by 2040 and a reflection of how the business is integrating responsible stewardship at every level of its operations.

Restaurants are continuously monitored and incentivised on energy efficiency. Innovative behavioural campaigns were at the heart of the electricity reduction achieved in FY24. The Group also continues to work on its Scope 3 emissions hot spots and to devise strategies to reduce related emissions by constantly reviewing food offering and partnering with like-minded businesses. ASK Italian’s partnership with regenerative flour producer Wildfarmed is an example of a collaboration that allows the brand to offer a fantastic tasting product while reducing carbon emissions.

Linking performance with lower carbon emissions is also key to the Group’s design and construction strategy. The Group has opened three more sites with a SKA-Gold certification, a rigorous third party verified assessment aiming to promote environmental best practices within building fitouts. Zizzi Bridgend, Ask Italian Merry Hill and Zizzi Chatham were amongst the latest to achieve the accolade.

The Group also remains focussed on our communities. It made fast progress on its goal of donating half a million meals by 2030, already having donated and redistributed over 250,000 meals since 2022. This has been possible thanks to a range of strategies, such as Coco Di Mama’s committed to redistributing surplus food with food banks with Olio’s support and Ask Italian’s donations to FareShare and local food banks.

The 2024 Sustainable dining report captures the above and shares further details on the Group’s progress against its Responsible Business Goals and how these contribute to wider topics, such as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Steve Holmes, Chief Executive Officer of Azzurri Group, commented:

“Since we defined our purpose, mission and values back in 2021, our commitment to being a more sustainable business has grown year on year.

I am proud to see our teams lead with collaboration, innovation and dedication, embedding ESG into their day-to-day operations. This approach has meant sustainability is now woven into our decision making and the way we operate. Ultimately, this has strengthened our business, making us more resilient and more adept at building better food businesses.

I’m grateful to our teams who have embraced the opportunity to be a better business for our people and planet. Whether it’s through the 500 volunteer hours we have contributed since 2021, or our collective efforts to reduce carbon emissions across operations and supply chains, our teams have risen to the challenge to make sustainability happen across our business.”

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/azzurri-group-launches-its-2024-sustainable-dining-report-and-achieves-further-redcutions-in-carbon-emissions-302347377.html

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Achieve named to Az Business Magazine’s ’10 Best Places for Women to Work in Arizona’ for 2026

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July 23, 2026

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Recognition highlights the company’s commitment to creating opportunities for women to grow and lead

SAN MATEO, Calif., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Achieve, the leader in digital personal finance, has been named among the 2026 10 Best Places for Women to Work in Arizona by Az Business Magazine. The annual recognition highlights organizations that create supportive environments where women can thrive professionally, advance into leadership roles and build meaningful careers.

The honor reflects Achieve’s ongoing investment in workplace programs that support employee growth, flexibility, leadership development and career advancement. Women serve in leadership roles across the organization and play a critical role in shaping the company’s culture, products and long-term success.

“Creating an environment where women can grow, lead and build rewarding careers is central to who we are as a company,” said Achieve Senior Vice President of Human Resources Heather Marcom. “We’re honored to be recognized among Arizona’s top workplaces for women and remain committed to fostering a culture where employees feel supported, valued and empowered to do their best work.”

Achieve maintains a major corporate presence in the Phoenix area, where hundreds of employees contribute to the company’s mission of helping people move from struggling to thriving financially. The company supports employees through leadership development opportunities, employee resource groups, mentorship and learning programs designed to help team members reach their professional goals.

The recognition adds to a growing list of workplace honors for Achieve. Earlier this year, the company was named among the Top 3 Best Workplaces for LGBTQ+ Employees by BestCompaniesAZ and was also recognized by AZ Big Media as one of Arizona’s Most Admired Companies.

“Strong organizations are built by diverse perspectives and inclusive leadership,” said Marcom. “We’re proud of the talented women across Achieve who help drive our business forward every day and grateful for the impact they make on our employees, customers and communities.”

The 10 Best Places for Women to Work in Arizona list is determined through a public voting process conducted by AZ Big Media and published in Az Business magazine.

About Achieve

Achieve, THE digital personal finance company, helps everyday people get on, and stay on, the path to a better financial future. Achieve pairs proprietary data and analytics with personalized support to offer personal loans, home equity loans, debt relief and debt consolidation, along with financial tips and education and free mobile apps: Achieve MoLO® (Money Left Over) and Achieve GOOD™ (Get Out Of Debt). Achieve is frequently recognized for providing top-rated customer experience and satisfaction by both consumers and leading personal finance review platforms and has 2,200 dedicated teammates across the country, with hubs in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Achieve refers to the global organization and may denote one or more affiliates of Achieve Company, including Achieve.com, Equal Housing Opportunity (NMLS ID #138464); Achieve Home Loans, Equal Housing Opportunity (NMLS ID #1810501); Achieve Personal Loans (NMLS ID #227977); Freedom Debt Relief (NMLS ID # 1248929); and Freedom Financial Asset Management (CRD #170229).

Contacts

Austin Kilgore
akilgore@achieve.com
214-908-5097

Elina Tarkazikis
etarkazikis@achieve.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/achieve-named-to-az-business-magazines-10-best-places-for-women-to-work-in-arizona-for-2026-302833720.html

SOURCE Achieve

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National Press Club Statement on the withdrawal of subpoenas targeting New York Times journalists

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July 23, 2026

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WASHINGTON, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. released the following statement:

“The Justice Department’s decision to withdraw subpoenas targeting journalists at The New York Times is a welcome and necessary step to protect the public’s constitutional right to an independent press.

These subpoenas should never have been issued in the first place. Compelling journalists to reveal confidential sources sends a chilling message to those who seek to inform the public and threatens the very foundation of press freedom.

Every American should understand what is at stake when the government turns its investigative powers on journalists. It is not routine. It is an extraordinary intrusion that strikes at the heart of the First Amendment and your right to information about your government.

The greatest danger was not the subpoenas themselves, but the message they sent: That sources could be exposed, that whistleblowers should remain silent, and that the American people might know less about the actions of their own government.

A strong democracy depends on a press that can report freely, hold power to account, and inform the public without intimidation.

We urge continued vigilance to ensure that journalists can do their jobs without interference and that protections for source confidentiality are upheld consistently.”

About the National Press Club

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists and a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

Contact: Beth Francesco, Executive Director of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, media@press.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-press-club-statement-on-the-withdrawal-of-subpoenas-targeting-new-york-times-journalists-302833722.html

SOURCE National Press Club

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NCC Launches NCC Connect™ to Put Credit, Fraud, and Compliance Inside the CRM Dealers Already Use

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July 23, 2026

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A powerful new solution that embeds credit access, fraud detection, and compliance directly into the dealership’s existing CRM — removing the system-switching that slows deals and exposes dealers to risk.

AUSTIN, Texas, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — NCC, a leading provider of credit and compliance solutions for automotive dealerships, today announced the launch of NCC Connect™, a powerful platform that runs credit, fraud, and compliance from inside the CRM a dealership already uses — without friction or duplicate entry.

“Dealers don’t need another system to log into,” said Brian Skutta, President and CEO of NCC. “They need the tools they already have to work better together. NCC Connect puts credit, fraud detection, and compliance right where the team already works — inside the CRM they use every day.”

“Dealers don’t need another system to log into,” said Brian Skutta, President and CEO of NCC. “They need the tools they already have to work better together. NCC Connect puts credit, fraud detection, and compliance right where the team already works — inside the CRM they use every day.”

As deals grow more complex and fraud more sophisticated, dealers are juggling more disconnected systems than ever — the CRM, the credit system, the compliance tools — switching between them on every transaction. Each switch breaks momentum, invites a skipped step, and slows the path to funding. NCC Connect meets this moment with a single, seamless solution that keeps the full credit, fraud, and compliance engine right where the team already works.

Why NCC Connect Matters Right Now

Dealers lose time and margin switching between the CRM, credit, and compliance systems on every dealAuto lending fraud continues to climb, with industry fraud exposure reaching a record $10.4 billion in 2025, according to Point Predictive’s 2026 Auto Lending Fraud Trends ReportState compliance is tightening, with laws like California’s SB 766 (CARS Act) taking effect October 1, 2026Every disconnected step is another chance for an error, a delay, or a deal that stalls before funding

These pressures are forcing dealers to consolidate, and NCC Connect delivers the edge.

Product Highlights:

Inside the CRM — Soft-pull and hard credit access from all three major bureaus — Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax — without leaving the workflowFraud & Identity Built In — Identity verification and synthetic fraud detection delivered within the credit pull, flagging Red Flag conditions before the deal moves to fundingCompliance on Autopilot — FCRA and FTC controls with automatic, audit-ready documentation stored in the deal record99.99% Uptime — The industry’s highest, so the platform is there when a deal is on the desk

NCC Connect runs soft-pull pre-qualifications and hard credit pulls from any bureau or score model without leaving the CRM, while customer data stays inside the existing CRM structure. Every credit, fraud, and compliance result is captured on the deal record — giving dealers a single, audit-ready source of truth and a faster, cleaner path to funding.

NCC Connect extends the same powerful, credit-first engine behind NCC’s Complete Credit™ platform into the CRM where dealers already work. For dealers, that means more approvals, stronger fraud protection, and faster funding, without changing how the team works.

Learn more about NCC Connect at https://nccdirect.com/ncc-connect/

About NCC:

With offices in Austin, TX, Bettendorf, IA, and Las Vegas, NV, NCC has been a trusted partner in credit-driven retailing for automotive dealerships for nearly three decades. We combine a powerful credit and compliance engine with a fully integrated Desking platform to drive maximum profitability. Our focus on innovation, user-friendly products, and dependable systems — supported by a dedicated account management team — has solidified our reputation as a leader in the industry. www.nccdirect.com

Media Contact

Holly Smith, NCC, 1 8285732722, hsmith@nccdirect.com, https://nccdirect.com/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/ncc-launches-ncc-connect-to-put-credit-fraud-and-compliance-inside-the-crm-dealers-already-use-302832007.html

SOURCE NCC

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