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Socfin publishes its 2026-2031 Sustainability Strategy and updated Responsible Management Policy

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The palm oil and natural rubber group sets five ESG priorities for its operations in Africa and Asia, from supply chain traceability to human rights due diligence.

FRIBOURG, Switzerland, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Socfin Group, an agro-industrial group producing natural rubber and palm oil in Africa and Asia, has published its Sustainability Strategy 2026–2031 together with an updated Responsible Management Policy (RMP), establishing a common approach to guide the Group’s environmental, social and governance priorities through 2031.

The two documents are designed to work together. The Sustainability Strategy defines Socfin’s long-term direction, priorities and roadmap, while the RMP sets out the commitments, governance principles and responsibilities guiding implementation. Together with the Sustainability Action Plan, they connect commitments with implementation, performance monitoring and continuous improvement.

The Strategy is structured around five priorities:

Strengthening governance and transparencyProtecting nature and the climateEmpowering people and communitiesBuilding responsible and traceable supply chainsDriving ESG performance

These priorities cover biodiversity, human rights, supply chain traceability, ESG data reliability, certifications and strategic partnerships.

The updated RMP builds on principles first introduced in 2017 and revised in 2022. It is aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Principles and Criteria and the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) Policy Framework.

Implementation will follow a three-phase roadmap through 2031, moving from compliance, structuring and strengthened commitments in 2026–2027 to deployment and consolidation in 2028–2029, followed by increased focus on performance monitoring and continuous improvement in 2030–2031.

“This Strategy gives us a clear direction for the next stage of our sustainability journey. It brings our environmental, social and governance priorities together within a common roadmap and strengthens the link between our commitments, their implementation and the way we measure progress across our Group.” Céline Schmitz, Head of Sustainability, Socfin Group

Read the full press release and access the documents

About Socfin

Founded in 1905, Socfin is an international agro-industrial group active in tropical agriculture, whose activities focus primarily on the production of natural rubber and palm oil. Operating in 10 countries across Africa and Asia, the Group draws on long-term experience in agricultural development. Its approach is based on the gradual strengthening of environmental and social practices, constructive stakeholder engagement and a continuous-improvement process, in line with internationally recognised standards.

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Mitrade Taps Former Pit Trader and Brokerage CEO Christopher Brankin as Global Markets Advisor

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LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Award-winning CFD broker Mitrade has engaged Christopher Brankin as Global Markets Advisor. A markets commentator featured on CNBC, Bloomberg, and Reuters, Brankin was the founding CEO of TD Ameritrade Singapore and later headed regional expansion for a CFD brokerage.

The appointment comes as global events continue driving European market conditions. In September alone, the ECB raised rates citing the Middle East supply disruptions, the euro fell 0.5% after the Fed followed suit, and Europe’s gas benchmark held above twice pre-war levels as Hormuz LNG flows slumped.

Having worked both the trading floor and the helm of major brokerages, Brankin brings over three decades of market experience. Starting in Chicago’s open-outcry futures pits in 1995, he ran a proprietary trading desk and oversaw execution and clearing at thinkorswim before building and leading regulated firms across Asia, navigating cycles from the 2008 financial crisis to 2020 market volatility.

“2026 has put European traders through a war-driven energy shock and back-to-back rate rises. Europe now imports its volatility, and traders who understand its source see the market differently. Mitrade shares my belief in financial literacy, and I look forward to adding my perspective through the platforms I have,” said Christopher Brankin, Global Markets Advisor, Mitrade Group.

In this role, Brankin will contribute institutional analysis, market commentaries, and educational insights on global market developments for Mitrade.

About Mitrade 

Mitrade is a CFD trading platform operating in eligible EEA markets through Mitrade EU Limited, a CySEC-authorised investment firm (CIF438/23). Other legally separate entities within the international group are independently authorised and regulated in their respective jurisdictions by ASIC (AFSL398528), CIMA (SIB1612446), FSCA (FSP54842), FSC (GB20025791), and CMA (20200000397). 

Globally, the brand connects 7M+ traders to 1,000+ CFDs on indices, forex, commodities, shares, ETFs and more. The platform is designed to provide fast execution, flexible leverage on a per-position basis, competitive spreads and an intuitive interface accessible across multiple devices. 

Risk Warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. 

Visit https://www.mitrade.eu for more information.

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BORICA and OpenWay Win PAY360 Award for Bulgaria’s Euro Payments Transformation

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The Best Partnership Initiative award recognizes BORICA and OpenWay for their contribution to Bulgaria’s payments transformation and successful euro transition.

LONDON, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BORICA AD and OpenWay have won the Best Partnership Initiative Award at the PAY360 Awards 2026 for their work together on Bulgaria’s payment infrastructure and the country’s successful transition to the euro.

The award recognizes the impact of a long-term partnership focused on a challenge where there was no room for disruption: transforming critical national payment infrastructure while ensuring that everyday card payments and ATM services continued from the first minute of euro adoption.

Since 2018, BORICA and OpenWay have worked together to modernize Bulgaria’s card processing infrastructure, combining BORICA’s expertise in national payment services and ecosystem coordination with OpenWay’s Way4 real-time digital payment software platform and payment technology expertise.

What set the initiative apart was its scale, continuity and practical impact. The partnership was developed over years of modernization and then tested under exceptional live conditions when Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026.

The euro programme brought together more than 35 banks, payment service providers, fintechs, government institutions and technology partners. BORICA and OpenWay worked closely to prepare and execute the card processing transformation, with extensive testing, rehearsals and operational coordination before the cutover.

The results came almost immediately after midnight. The first successful euro ATM withdrawal was completed just 20 seconds into the new currency environment. Within the first 48 hours, more than 930,000 card and ATM transactions worth nearly €42 million were processed with zero unplanned downtime.

Miroslav Vichev, CEO of BORICA AD, said:
“Our shared objective went beyond a successful technology transition. We wanted to ensure that a transformation of this scale could happen without disrupting the everyday payment experience. That required years of preparation, disciplined execution and trust between our teams and across the wider ecosystem.”

Pavel Gubin, CEO of OpenWay Group, said:
“What makes this achievement distinctive is not technology or scale alone, but what BORICA and OpenWay were able to accomplish together. We have spent years building a payment environment designed to evolve without compromising continuity. Euro adoption put that approach to the ultimate real world test, and the results speak for themselves.”

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SOURCE OpenWay

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Fibocom and Grid-OS Accelerate IoT Deployment at Scale in India at IMC 2026

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NEW DELHI, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fibocom, a leading global provider of wireless communication modules and AI solutions, is collaborating with India-based IoT ODM Grid-OS to advance smart payment and vehicle tracking applications in India. At IMC 2026, Grid-OS is showcasing a Payment Soundbox powered by Fibocom’s LE270 LTE Cat 1 bis module, alongside two 4G Vehicle Trackers based on Fibocom’s LE250 series LTE Cat 1 bis modules.

India’s IoT market is moving rapidly toward large-scale deployment. NPCI data shows that UPI transactions reached 24.51 billion in August 2026, while growing applications such as vehicle tracking are creating increasingly diverse requirements for reliable connectivity, low power consumption and positioning capabilities.

For the Payment Soundbox, Fibocom LE270 provides stable 4G connectivity for real-time payment information transmission. Optimized for connected-mode and DRX standby power consumption, LE270’s low-power design helps the Soundbox achieve approximately 7–8 days of battery life with a 2000mAh battery.

The collaboration also extends to two Grid-OS 4G Vehicle Trackers based on Fibocom LE250. The module provides LTE connectivity and GPS/BeiDou positioning, supporting vehicle location and operational data transmission. LE250 also supports OpenCPU and DFOTA, helping simplify product development and subsequent software maintenance.

“Fibocom’s broad wireless communication portfolio gives us the flexibility to select suitable solutions for different IoT product requirements,” said Raghav Gautam, Founder of Grid-OS. “Together with our capabilities spanning product development through mass manufacturing, this provides a strong foundation for expanding our collaboration across more applications.”

Ronald Chan, Vice President of APAC Sales at Fibocom, said: “India is an important IoT market for Fibocom. Our collaboration with Grid-OS, expanding from payment soundbox to vehicle tracker, demonstrates how our diversified wireless portfolio can support local partners across different device requirements and accelerate commercial deployment at scale.”

About Fibocom

Founded in 1999, Fibocom is a leading global provider of wireless communication modules and AI solutions. Its portfolio spans cellular, AI, automotive and GNSS modules, together with AI toolchains, global connectivity and cloud services, empowering connected and intelligent applications worldwide.

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SOURCE Fibocom

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