Day: December 15, 2022

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades is participating in his last ordinary summit of the European Council before the end of his tenure, he said in a tweet, on Thursday.

“#EUCO just started. Agenda includes exchange with @EP_President, Ukraine/Russia, Energy & Economy, Security & Defence, Southern Neighbourhood and Transatlantic Relations,” the President wrote.

“This would be my last ordinary European Summit, before my tenure as President of Cyprus ends on 28 February 2023” he added.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The European Union leaders have called upon the EU Energy Ministers to conclude the work for an agreement on the correction mechanism of natural gas prices during their upcoming meeting on Monday.

In the conclusions of the European Council meeting that is taking place in Brussels, it is noted that the European Council welcomes the progress made and calls on the Council to finalise on 19 December 2022 its work on the proposals for a Council Regulation enhancing solidarity through better coordination of gas purchases, notably through the EU Energy Platform, exchanges of gas across borders and reliable price benchmarks, a Council Regulation laying down a framework to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and a Council Regulation establishing a market correction mechanism to protect citizens and the economy against excessively high prices.

In a tweet, President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades notes that “on Energy, breakthrough on market correction mechanism for gas prices, to be settled by Energy Ministers”.

“Strikes balance between protecting citizens from high prices and safeguarding security of supply & financial stability”.

He further notes that “For Cyprus, agreement on the above also opens the way for the adoption of the Permitting Regulation, which will speed up the authorising of renewable energy sources, so that we can soon benefit from more affordable energy”.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Air Defence Exercise titled “APHRODITE SHIELD” with the participation of the National Guard and Aircrafts from the Royal Air Force took place Thursday, for the first time, a press release says.

The purpose of the exercise was to train the air defense personnel of the National Guard in air force deployment tactics, to increase operational readiness and the level of adjustment in the design and conduct of air operations. During the exercise, the air defense system was activated as well as the self-protection system of the National Guard facilities and its performance was evaluated in realistic conditions.

The personnel practiced in tactical weapons control and information transmission procedures as well as air defense procedures.

The exercise was conducted in the framework of Bilateral Defence Cooperation Program between the Republic of Cyprus and the United Kingdom and is considered particularly beneficial, as it provides the opportunity for National Guard personnel to train together with Units of the British Armed Forces.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

DALLAS: Mary Kay Inc., a global advocate for corporate social responsibility, today released a report detailing progress on Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow (ELTFAST), the brand’s global sustainability program.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221214005001/en/

Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow extends Mary Kay’s vision to 2030 and beyond. (Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)

“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made on our sustainability journey so far, and we are inspired to see how our actions today will address global challenges for future generations,” said Deborah Gibbins, Chief Operating Officer at Mary Kay Inc. “Mary Kay has operations in nearly 35 countries—we consider that an accomplishment and a responsibility. Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow is our roadmap for supporting our business strategy, reducing our environmental impact, and supporting communities where we operate.”

Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow extends Mary Kay’s vision to 2030 and beyond. It builds a picture of what good “looks like” for Mary Kay, Independent Beauty Consultants, customers and—most importantly—the planet. Enriching Lives Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow was developed with Mary Kay’s key stakeholders and is aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, making Mary Kay a key part of a global coalition to ensure a better future.

The 2020 – 2022 full report can be viewed here. An executive summary of the report is available here.

Since the launch of ELTFAST in 2020, Mary Kay has made significant progress toward its goals despite the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 epidemic. The 2022 report details its efforts since 2020—the beginning of its Decade of Action—and serves as a reaffirmation of the company’s drive to deliver sustainable change.

Business Excellence

Focusing on nurturing its company culture, Mary Kay garnered 13 employer / great place to work awards and was ranked #8 on list of “The Companies Employees Don’t Want to Leave,” published by Resume.io.

Released gender diversity data in leadership: executive team is 54% female, managers and above are 59% female, with 62% of the total workforce being female.

In 2021, scored 75% employee engagement, a 6% increase over the 2019 full engagement survey (This is 10% over the global average for employee engagement).

38 company awards in business excellence, social impact, and sustainability.

Deloitte named Mary Kay Inc. one of the 2022 U.S. Best Managed Companies.

Product Stewardship

Achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification (U.S.A only). The FSC certification ensures products come from responsibly managed forests providing environmental, social and economic benefits.

12% of our indirect suppliers are women, minority or veteran-owned (U.S.A. only).

Achieved palm oil–88% certified and palm kernel–72% certified.

Held inaugural Sustainability-Focused Supplier Summit at global headquarters.

Named 2022 Silver Champion for Supplier Diversity & Inclusion.

Nominated and approved member of the steering committee for SPICE (Sustainable Packaging Initiative for CosmEtics).

Responsible Manufacturing

Supported The Arbor Day Foundation on three global reforestation projects in Brazil, Madagascar, and the United States.

Continued additional water usage analysis with plans to install new water flow meters.

Supported The Nature Conservancy’s Global Reefs program through 12 unique impact programs.

Joined the UN Global Compact’s Ocean Stewardship Coalition.

Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing/R&D facility (R3), announced it passed its OSHA VPP Star Re-Certification with zero findings and recommendations.

Received OSHA Star Re-Certification Credentials.

Women’s Empowerment

Published “Piloting SDG Localization at the Village Level: A Women-focused Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development Project in Yunnan Province, China.” Impact Report (Phase 1: 2017-2021).

Completed The Women’s Empowerment Principles Gender Gap Analysis Tool as part of our participation in the UN Global Compact Target Gender Equality Accelerator.

Advanced women’s leadership in the fishing industry in Mexico through eight projects implemented by The Nature Conservancy.

Powered the global launch of a free Entrepreneurship Program in six languages, developed by International Trade Centre SheTrades Initiative.

Awarded 14 STEAM grants to young women around the world pursuing dreams in STEAM-related industries.

Joined the UN Global Compact Target Gender Equality Program to deepen implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles.

Submitted survey on the implementation of commitments across the Generation Equality Action Coalitions; findings reflected in UN Women’s Generation Equality Accountability Report 2022.

Social Impact

Since 2008, Pink Changing Lives has impacted more than six million women and their families by partnering with over 3,250 organizations and donating over $17 million. In 2022, the cause empowerment program supported over 20 NGOs around the world.

Mary Kay and the Mary Kay Ash Foundation grants supported the development and launch of a “GBV Guidance for Development Programs” and its rollout in 10 countries of intervention as well as the establishment of a Community of Practice convening 240 members across 16 countries to date.

Mary Kay and the Mary Kay Ash Foundation grants helped the UN Trust Fund change the lives of 54,822 women and girl survivors of violence through 157 GBV projects in 68 countries across five regions including women and girls living with disabilities, internally displaced or refugee women and girls, and Indigenous women and girls.

Donated more than $1.3 million to global organizations helping to enrich women’s lives.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Renewed investment by the European Union in the Southern Neighbourhood countries (Middle East and Northern Africa) will reinforce stability in the EU, President Anastasiades tweeted right before the break that preceded the dinner of the leaders during Thursday’s summit in Brussels.

“Strongly believe that EU renewed investment in southern neighbours -Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia- will reinforce EU stability, including energy security and migration” the President wrote.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Global Grant Program and Social Campaign Highlights Young Women Changing the World through Science, Innovation, and Challenging Gender Norms

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– As a global leader in women’s empowerment and innovative science, Mary Kay Inc. announces six recipients of the 2022 Young Women in STEAM grant program for making tremendous contributions to STEAM fields worldwide – science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221215005712/en/

Mary Kay Inc. provides grants to young women making great strides in STEAM-related fields around the world. (Graphic: Mary Kay Inc.)

In 2020, Mary Kay launched the Young Women in STEAM grant program and social campaign to help shift the perception of “the face of science,” and encourage young women to pursue STEAM paths. According to UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, women remain a significant minority in scientific fields and are still under-represented in areas such as computing, digital information technology, engineering, mathematics, and physics.

“At Mary Kay, we celebrate young women who are embracing higher education and careers in STEAM areas as we continue to help narrow the gender gap and bias in scientific and related fields,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product and Science for Mary Kay Inc. “It’s no secret that women are underrepresented in STEAM industries, and we want to help change that by providing impactful grants to encourage young women to continue their pursuits in STEAM-related fields. Our 2022 Young Women in STEAM grant recipients are blazing trails around the world and helping to solve some of humanity’s most complex problems through science and innovation. We are proud to recognize their contributions and by supporting these remarkable young women, we continue Mary Kay’s steadfast mission of enriching women’s lives worldwide.”

The recipients of Mary Kay’s 2022 Young Women in STEAM grant program are highlighted on the company’s global social media channels and will receive $2,500 USD grants to assist with their current or future STEAM endeavors.

The 2022 Young Women in STEAM grant recipients:

Angela Busheska, 20 (Macedonia) – The social entrepreneur and research-innovator was inspired to pursue STEAM after joining her 7th grade math Olympiad team where she fell in love with solving problems. As a developer of the EnRoute app, Busheska helps users live a more sustainable lifestyle by utilizing machine learning algorithms to help users abandon fast fashion. She encourages other young women to join STEAM fields and looks forward to seeing humanity utilize STEAM technologies for greater social good.

Fengyun Chen, 17 (China) – Her projects entail physics and the role of clean energy in environmental sustainability. In 2017, Chen founded Yun Energy, an alliance of science and technology innovation that serves 20,000 people per year through courses in scientific enlightenment and physics. She conducted a 30-day investigation with her father that also led to the invention of the Water Distribution Device of Power Generated by Geothermal Energy and Air 3.0. She believes STEAM education allows students to explore practical ideas through hands-on experimentation that stimulates creativity and imagination.

Farzana Alam Eshita, 23 (Australia) – As a civil engineer and honors student at the Monash University in Australia, Eshita’s final year project focuses on investigating the development of shear bands in triaxially loaded sand bands using x-ray computed tomography. Her current projects also include engineering major road projects in accordance with Australian standards and development of a landmark sports complex structure highlighting excellence in architectural and urban design. Eshita believes being a female in a STEAM field offers a variety of benefits including the opportunity to gain confidence, improve problem-solving abilities, and develop new educational and employment prospects.

Aruna Sherma, 20 (Germany) – Her project is focused on developing an alternative contrasting agent for MRI scans that replace the conventional agent, gadolinium. As a physics student, Sherma has worked in four different labs to develop the contrast agent, and a series of tests at the University of Hamburg has shown it to be biocompatible with a stronger effect in MRI scans at a lower dosage than conventional contrast. Although STEAM subjects can be daunting to many, she believes diversity is important in all fields and feels women are just as capable as men of shaping the future in technology and research.

Jingyuan Xu, 31 (Germany) – The energy conversion technologist and sustainable energy champion is a research fellow at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. Xu’s research focuses on sustainable energy technologies to provide economical solutions in cooling, heating, and power. She is passionate about applying her knowledge and expertise to minimize global-primary energy use and reduce CO2 emissions. In her view, women in STEAM boost team spirit, and the diversity that comes with inclusivity produces better science. She encourages young girls to pursue STEAM fields with enthusiasm and follow their hearts to benefit the world with breakthrough science.

Eizelle Yee, 30 (Philippines) – An environmentalist, architect, and entrepreneur, Yee is a founding member of Pocket Garden, a public space design collective started by a group of volunteers who co-create and design shareable green spaces in the Philippines. She believes women have a keen eye for detail that helps marry art and science in an organized fashion. When it comes to STEAM initiatives, she feels collaborations between diverse cultures and traditions can bring inclusive and relatable creations in the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.

For more information on the Young Women in STEAM grant program, visit https://newsroom.marykay.com/.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

UNSG’s Special Representative in Cyprus and head of the UN peacekeeping force, Colin Stewart, briefed on Thursday members of the diplomatic community for a briefing on the UN’s activities and current state-of-play in Cyprus.

The UN in Cyprus said in a post on their Twitter account that the top UN official in Cyprus welcomed members of the diplomatic community for a briefing on the UN’s activities and current state-of-play in Cyprus.

Moreover the UN in Cyprus said that it looked forward to continue to work with them to promote peace, trust and cooperation in 2023.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Defence Minister Charalampos Petrides paid Jordan a working visit Thursday during which he reviewed the Cyprus-Jordan bilateral defence cooperation and ways of strengthening and deepening it, a press release by the Ministry says.

According to the Ministry, some important bilateral collaborations took place in 2022 which include, among others, the participation of the National Guard in large multinational exercises and training of special forces in Jordan and Cyprus.

The Minister’s visit is part of the regular bilateral consultations on defence and security issues with states in the region, the press release reads, highlighting Cyprus’ regional cooperation role.

Petrides was received by the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Abdullah, to whom he conveyed the warm greetings of the President of the Republic of Cyprus.

He also met with the Chief of the Jordanian Armed Forces, General Youssef Al Hunaity. The Minister of Defence and the Chief of the Armed Forces signed a bilateral agreement that regulates the status of forces (Status of Forces Agreement – SOFA) in matters of mutual support. This agreement forms the basis for the further development and development of bilateral defence cooperation.

Through this agreement, future joint trainings and the participation of military forces in exercises are facilitated.

Petrides also visited the Royal Museum of Armored Tanks where in a special ceremony a CASCAVEL type armored vehicle was granted by the Republic of Cyprus for the Museum’s collection, on the occasion of this year’s sixtieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Source: Cyprus News Agency