Category: 3. Business

Newest version of BD® Research Cloud features an AI-powered tool for automated panel design to improve quality, efficiency and usability of scientific results across research areas

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced the global commercial release of BD® Research Cloud 7.0, furthering the company’s AI roadmap while strengthening its leadership in flow cytometry and life sciences research. The new release introduces BD Horizon™ Panel Maker, an AI-powered tool for automated panel design – one of the most critical steps across immunology and cancer research experiments designed to help ensure the quality and usability of scientific results.

BD® Research Cloud version 7.0 provides scientists with a cloud-based ecosystem for flow cytometry that supports collaboration between team members, streamlines workflows, and manages laboratory operations, from instrument health to purchasing and managing reagents.

The new BD Horizon™ Panel Maker tool leverages a novel, sophisticated AI algorithm to generate optimized panel recommendations within seconds. Researchers can create panels using custom experimental inputs or draw from curated databases of validated options. Poorly designed panels can lead to unusable, unreliable or irreproducible data, resulting in wasted time, samples, and reagents. By providing automated recommendations and integrated visualization tools, like comparison tables and complexity scores, BD Horizon™ Panel Maker enables researchers to more efficiently evaluate and select the panels best suited for their experiments.

“By harnessing the power of AI, the new version of BD^® Research Cloud is engineered to help scientists reach high-quality scientific insights in a fraction of the time, while reducing complexity and potential for error,” said Steve Conly, worldwide president, BD Biosciences. “This new AI tool also unlocks the full potential of our BD FACSDiscover™ Cell Analyzer and Cell Sorters, letting researchers get the most out of both cutting-edge hardware and software, for even the most complex experiments.”

BD Horizon™ Panel Maker is the only commercially available tool that supports integrated imaging and spectral panel design when working with BD FACSDiscover™ Instruments.

BD® Research Cloud version 7.0 with BD Horizon™ Panel Maker is now available at bdresearchcloud.com. More information is available at bdbiosciences.com.

About BD
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its more than 70,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians’ care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers’ capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/, X (formerly Twitter) @BDandCo or Instagram @becton_dickinson. 

 

SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)

Global Finance magazine announced the winners of the Sustainable Finance Awards, honoring achievements in 2025. BBVA was named the best bank in sustainable finance in Spain, and Garanti BBVA was named the best bank in sustainable finance in Türkiye. These awards put the spotlight on the bank’s leadership, innovation and commitment to the sustainable finance field, supporting initiatives designed to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and help build a more sustainable future.

Sustainability remains one of BBVA’s priorities in its new strategic cycle. The financial institution wants to boost sustainability as a driver of growth, and as a way to foster new business. Climate, natural capital and social opportunities are the three pillars underpinning its sustainability strategy. The bank aims to channel €700 billion in sustainable business between 2025 and 2029.

In 2025, the Group led significant sustainable transactions in its main markets – Spain, Mexico, Türkiye, South America, as well as through BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (BBVA CIB) – in line with its goal of supporting customers in their transition and generating new business opportunities in sectors where the transition is already an economic reality.

This leadership was also backed by Global Finance recognizing BBVA as the best bank in the world for green bonds, and presenting the bank the award for sustainable finance deal of the year for the agreement with Verdalia to finance infrastructure in the biomethane sector.

Sustainable Finance regional awards

In the Western Europe regional category, the bank in Spain received the award for the best bank for green bonds, and for sustainable finance deal of the year, for the financing of Verdalia.

Meanwhile, Garanti BBVA stood out in the Central and Eastern Europe categories as the best bank to support communities and the sustainable finance deal of the year for the  Antalya–Alanya highway project.

“Sustainable finance continues to expand in key markets around the world, driven by strong issuance of green, social, and sustainability bonds and a sustainable debt market now measured in the trillions of dollars. However, persistent challenges remain, including regulatory fragmentation, data and disclosure gaps, concerns about greenwashing, and the need for more credible impact measurement,” said Joseph Giarraputo, founder and editorial director of Global Finance. “Global Finance’s Sustainable Finance Awards celebrate financial institutions that show creative, innovative, and successful leadership across a wide range of initiatives,” he added.

The winners were selected in 56 countries, territories and districts and they will be honored at the Global Finance Investment Bank and Sustainable Finance Awards ceremony on April 21 in London.

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Lyon, January 23, 2026 – FedEx in France has today proposed a significant transformation programme to modernise and simplify its domestic operations in order to secure its long-term competitiveness in France. The proposal, which includes a restructuring of the company’s facility footprint and a confirmed investment of up to €78M in new infrastructure and technology, underscores FedEx’s commitment to France, one of the company’s largest markets in Europe.

The French courier and express transportation market is dominated by a highly competitive and cost-pressurised domestic parcels sector. To strengthen its competitive position in France, FedEx has presented bold plans to redesign its ground operations network, modernise its technology and infrastructure footprint, and align its commercial strategy towards more international growth to and from France. Accordingly, there are no proposed changes to the FedEx international air network, including the Charles De Gaulle hub in Paris, as part of this programme.

The ground operations network redesign will simplify the network and eliminate overlapping infrastructure. As a result, the FedEx station footprint will be scaled down from 103 to 86 stations. In doing so, FedEx may reduce up to 500 operational positions and change working locations and schedules for up to 800 operational team members. Additionally, a potential more than 770 new full-time and part-time operations positions may be created as a result of the operations network redesign and technological enhancements, with affected employees given priority for these roles.

The plan comes with a confirmed investment of up to €78M to upgrade key facilities in the network and deploy state-of-the-art scanning technologies, improving the experience for team members and the service offered to customers. This is a clear demonstration of the commitment to the French market.

FedEx is also modernising its technology landscape, with the roll-out of an innovative new platform to optimise pickup and delivery operations. The platform digitises and unifies systems, modernises scanning processes, and improves service levels through enhanced route optimisation. Already proven in the U.S. to enhance team member and customer experiences, it is making its European debut in France.

In line with its people-focused culture, FedEx will conduct this process with the utmost care and respect and will work closely with social partners to establish fair and appropriate accompanying measures throughout the information and consultation process.

FedEx will pursue the formal consultation process with social partners in accordance with local labour law.

ENDS

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K, such as statements relating to FedEx’s, FedEx France, and Federal Express Corporation’s (“FEC”) estimates of pre-tax cash expenditures and savings as a result of the strategic operational restructuring initiatives and the timeline for completion, may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include those preceded by, followed by or that include the words “will,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “believe,” “expected,” “anticipated,” “plans,” “estimates,” “targets,” “projects,” “intends” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of FedEx France and FEC to receive applicable local country works council approvals, the disruption of ongoing business, the ability of FEC to achieve the expected benefits from the operational restructuring initiatives, and other factors which can be found in FedEx’s and FEC’s press releases and FedEx’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. FedEx and FEC do not undertake or assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With annual revenue of $90 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions utilizing its flexible, efficient, and intelligent global network. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.
Notes to editors

FedEx Express France refers to the legal entity FedEx Express FR.

For more information, please contact fedex@apcoworldwide.com

 

In an age where young Indians chase global corporate jobs and polished office titles, a surprising career pivot is quietly playing out on India’s retail shopfloors — even foreign-qualified graduates are choosing frontline retail training to get job-ready.

 

It’s not because they ran out of options. It’s because many are figuring out something early: degrees open doors, but don’t always prepare you for the moment when a customer is standing in front of you — impatient, uncertain, comparing brands, and expecting answers in seconds.

 

This shift is becoming visible in Samsung’s DOST Sales Programme, which has steadily grown into a structured route for young professionals to learn the business from the ground up. The 2026 cohort reflects that change clearly — with participants coming from diverse academic backgrounds, including graduates with international education, choosing hands-on retail experience as a foundation for long-term careers.

 

So, what exactly is DOST? Put simply, it is a structured retail skilling programme that trains youth for organised sales roles through a mix of classroom learning and on-ground store exposure. Participants learn customer handling, product understanding, communication, and the basics of retail operations — skills that often decide whether a fresher stays stuck at entry-level or grows.

 

India’s retail market today is no longer about simply “selling”. It’s about solving. Customers arrive with online reviews, price comparisons, and strong opinions. And the shopfloor executive isn’t just a salesperson anymore — they are a guide, problem-solver, and trust-builder in a fast-moving consumer environment.

 

 

For Quazi Faizan Afroz Akhlaque Uz Zama (27), an MBA graduate from Amravati University currently training in Amravati, the programme has been less about theory and more about learning real-time decision-making.

 

 

“Through training and hands-on exposure, I learned how to communicate with customers, manage situations, and make informed decisions in real time,” he said. “Understanding customer behaviour and product differentiation has helped me approach conversations with clarity and confidence.”

 

But the headline moments in this year’s cohort come from those with global exposure. Take Rashneet Kaur Chhabra (26) — a graduate of University College London (UCL) with a master’s degree in architecture focused on Bio-Integrated Design — now training in Pune.

 

It’s not a conventional move. But she says it’s a necessary one.

 

“The diversity of the programme — across age, background, and experience — helped me understand business from a very human perspective,” she said. “In India, retail is deeply rooted in relationships and cultural understanding. Building trust and personal connection with customers is central, and that’s a lesson I will carry into global markets.”

 

Her experience captures what many young professionals are discovering: real confidence is built on the shopfloor — not in a classroom. It comes from conversations you can’t script, objections you can’t predict, and pressure situations you can’t pause.

 

The international footprint of the cohort also includes participants like Tushar, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the University of Technology, Sydney, underlining a growing view among youth — that frontline experience can be a serious career accelerator, not a temporary stop.

 

Beyond individual journeys, programmes like DOST Sales reflect a broader shift in what employability now means in India. While companies across sectors often speak about “future-ready talent”, the challenge is real: many graduates are qualified but not fully prepared for high-pressure customer environments, performance-driven roles, and rapid on-the-spot problem-solving.

 

That’s where structured retail skilling programmes can have a larger social impact — turning education into experience, and experience into opportunity. For many young Indians, especially first-generation professionals, the shopfloor is not just a workplace — it is where confidence is built, careers take shape, and ambition becomes practical.

 

“With its industry-first, five-month training framework, Samsung DOST is addressing a critical need for job-ready talent in the retail ecosystem. The sharp rise in enrolments this year, including candidates with global education exposure, reflects the growing relevance of the programme. At a time when digital transformation is reshaping retail, DOST is helping build a skilled workforce equipped for the future,” said Shubham Mukherjee, Head, CSR & Corporate Communications, Samsung Southwest Asia.

 

As India’s organised retail economy expands, the demand for professionals who can combine product knowledge with customer trust-building is only rising. And for an increasing number of globally educated young Indians, starting at the ground level is no longer seen as “small”.

 

It’s seen as smart. Because in today’s economy, the fastest way to learn isn’t always through a job title.

 

Sometimes, it begins by proving yourself — one customer at a time.

Ricoh is a leading provider of integrated digital services and print and imaging solutions designed to support digital transformation of workplaces, workspaces and optimize business performance.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh’s global operation reaches customers in approximately 200 countries and regions, supported by cultivated knowledge, technologies, and organizational capabilities nurtured over its 85-year history. In the financial year ended March 2025, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,527 billion yen (approx. 16.8 billion USD).

It is Ricoh’s mission and vision to empower individuals to find Fulfillment through Work by understanding and transforming how people work so we can unleash their potential and creativity to realize a sustainable future.

For further information, please visit

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© 2026 RICOH COMPANY, LTD. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

The proposed hybrid LTESA would sit alongside the existing Generation LTESA designed for stand-alone generation projects, offering long-term contracts for renewable energy, firming and storage projects in NSW.

ASL, NSW’s consumer trustee for the state’s electricity infrastructure roadmap, is tasked with ensuring the long-term financial interests of consumers by improving affordability, reliability, security and the sustainability of electricity supply. Recognising that hybrid projects have an important role in meeting ASL’s stretch target of 16 GW of new generation by 2030, the new hybrid LTESA seeks to ensure hybrid wind and solar renewable projects are both commercially viable and are ultimately delivered to the market.

The hybrid LTESA aims to fast track the development and bidding process for renewable generation, firming and long duration storage projects in New South Wales, in line with the upcoming NSW roadmap tenders for new projects.

Market stakeholders are being invited to submit their views by 16 February on two potential options for the hybrid generation LTESA.

The first, a fixed shape-fixed volume product, would mean developers bid a set volume of energy they’ll supply while the government sets the fixed shape for that energy. Developers will nominate an annual payment cap on how much they receive in a year.

The second, a generation-following with price risk sharing model, would have developers offering the government a settlement based on how much electricity is actually sent into the grid, minus what they draw from it, with each developer setting a maximum amount they can pay or receive each year. This model includes a price-risk sharing percentage, currently proposed at 50%, to ensure projects are operating in a revenue maximising way.

Nick Li, an expert in renewable energy at Pinsent Masons, said: “This consultation on a hybrid LTESA was launched because there has been a noticeable shift away from standalone solar projects to solar-hybrid projects in the development pipeline. We encourage developers and other stakeholders with NSW hybrid projects in development to review this new LTESA product and provide comments to ASL.”

23/01/2026

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
President: Norio Nakajima

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (President: Norio Nakajima; hereinafter, “Murata”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a virtual PPA¹ (hereinafter, “this PPA”) with Cosmo Eco Power Co., Ltd. (President: Fumiaki Nokura; hereinafter, “Cosmo Eco Power”) effective January 14, 2026. 
^{1 Virtual PPA: A contractual arrangement whereby a consumer procures only the environmental value, not the actual electricity generated, from a renewable energy power plant installed off-site}

Through this PPA, Murata will receive environmental value with additionality² in the form of NFCs from Oita Wind Farm (started commercial operation in April 2023) and Chuki Wind Farm (started commercial operation in April 2021), both of which are operated by Cosmo Eco Power. This is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 13,700 tons per year.
This will be Murata’s third virtual PPA, and the first time that we have procured environmental value from wind power generation.
^{2 Additionality: Creating new renewable energy for society as a whole and encouraging investment in new renewable energy facilities}

Murata has set the creation of a decarbonized society as one of its material issues, and we are working towards the goal of 100% renewable energy adoption by 2035.
In addition to endeavors to save energy in our production processes, Murata will reduce the environmental impact of its business operations and contribute to the realization of a sustainable global environment by installing in-house power generation facilities at its plants and expanding its renewable energy procurement portfolio through various types of PPA.

Conceptual Diagram of the Virtual PPA 

 

 

 

 

Exterior view of the Oita Wind Farm

Overview of the Power Plant

 

 

Exterior view of Chuki Wind Farm

Overview of the Power Plant

Power plant name	Chuki Wind Farm
Location	The ridgeline of the Shirama Mountain Range, which extends across the towns of Hirogawa, Hidakagawa, and Aridagawa in Wakayama Prefecture
Facility capacity	48.3MW

 

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Murata in Brief

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of ceramic-based passive electronic components & solutions, communication modules and power supply modules. Murata is committed to the development of advanced electronic materials and leading edge, multi-functional, high-density modules. The company has employees and manufacturing facilities throughout the world.

For more information, visit Murata’s website