LexisNexis Collaborates with U.S. Law Schools to Roll Out Lexis+ AI, Marking First Widespread Use of Legal Generative AI Solution in Law School Education

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Operations Team

Law students at American Bar Association accredited law schools will benefit from trustworthy, ethical generative AI tools tailored to the law school curriculum

NEW YORK, December 20, 2023 – LexisNexis^® Legal & Professional, a leading global provider of information and analytics, today announced it is expanding U.S. law school access to Lexis+ AI^™, a transformative legal generative AI solution that supports conversational search, intelligent legal drafting, insightful summarization, and document analysis. Earlier this fall, Lexis+ AI was provided to faculty and select students at leading law schools to test its applications in the law school environment. Feedback from the testing and discovery work was incorporated into the product and rollout plans. Students will begin to receive access as early as this week.

According to a recent LexisNexis survey of over 450 law school librarians, legal research and writing, and legal technology professors, 78% of law school faculty have plans to teach students about generative AI tools this spring. Feedback from this set of customers will be used to further optimize the solution for law school users, provide guided study tailored to the law school curriculum, and develop cutting-edge and ethical AI education tools.

“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to work closely with valued customers to introduce our effective, accurate, and secure generative AI tools into the law school curriculum,” said Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of LexisNexis North America, UK and Ireland. “It’s a win-win that helps the next generation of lawyers prepare to practice by honing their skills using Lexis+ AI. At the same time, law school faculty and student feedback is critically important to the continued development of the solution.”

Lexis+ AI is a generative AI solution designed to transform legal work. Its answers are grounded in the world’s largest repository of accurate and exclusive legal content from LexisNexis with industry-leading data security and attention to privacy. LexisNexis is focused on the continuous improvement of Lexis+ AI through customer feedback and the rapid development and introduction of new features and capabilities.

Law school faculty and students who have tested Lexis+ AI appreciate its ease of use, privacy, efficiency, and ability to retain context.

According to Kristina Chamorro, an Instructional and Educational Technology Librarian at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, “The most useful aspect for me has been to create a useful starting point that will save me a lot of time, and that highlights resources in a very useable way. The drafting aspects are also terrific in terms of freeing up my time to dig into the research.”

“Amazing product. Love that it’s confidential and the drafting component of it is surprisingly very articulate and requires little editing to get to a final product,” said Andie Sims, a 2L student at Wake Forest University School of Law.

“Very useful tool! Easy to use. Prompts are helpful. I think this will help prevent needless searching for draft formats,” added Payton Taylor, a 2L student at Wake Forest University School of Law.

Law firms have indicated they expect their summer and fall associates to be well-versed on the most advanced legal research tools, including generative AI. LexisNexis will be working closely with faculty during the spring semester to ensure students and graduates are ready to add value with Lexis+ AI next summer.

LexisNexis is responsibly developing legal AI solutions with human oversight. LexisNexis, part of RELX, follows the RELX Responsible AI Principles, considering the real-world impact of its solutions on people and taking action to prevent the creation or reinforcement of unfair bias.?

For more information on faculty resources for Lexis+ AI, including training webinars, videos, PDFs, and teaching tools, visit the Lexis+ AI faculty resources page.

About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis^® Legal & Professional provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis^® and Nexis^® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,300 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.

Media Contact

Dana Greenstein
Director of Communications, North America & UK
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
212-448-2163
dana.greenstein@lexisnexis.com

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In National Advertising Division Challenge Cincinnati Bell Voluntarily Discontinues Certain Claims for Altafiber

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Operations Team

New York, NY – December 19, 2023 – In a BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD) challenge brought by Charter Communications, Inc., Cincinnati Bell, Inc. voluntarily discontinued certain advertising claims for its altafiber that compared cable to fiber.

The challenged claims, which appeared online and in print, included claims disparaging cable and touting the alleged superiority of fiber over cable (specifically the superiority of Cincinnati Bell over Charter) as to reliability, speed, and other performance metrics.

Although Cincinnati Bell contended that NAD did not have jurisdiction to consider this challenge because the challenged advertising was targeted to consumers in a single market, NAD determined that it has jurisdiction over the challenged claims because the advertising appeared on the advertiser’s website and in a YouTube video, and targeted an audience that is larger than populations NAD has previously concluded were sufficiently substantial to support NAD review. In addition, the advertising at issue concerns Charter’s service, which is available nationally.

Because Cincinnati Bell agreed to permanently discontinue all challenged express claims, and, as a result, also permanently discontinued the challenged implied claims in the context in which they appeared, NAD did not review the claims on their merits.

In its advertiser statement, Cincinnati Bell stated that it “disagrees with NAD’s conclusion that it has jurisdiction over this matter but appreciates NAD’s recognition that Cincinnati Bell has permanently discontinued the challenged claims.”

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. This press release shall not be used for advertising or promotional purposes.

About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than a dozen globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create a fairer playing field for businesses, and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and leveling the playing field for business.

Contact:
Jennie Rosenberg
Media Relations
BBB National Programs
press@bbbnp.org

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In National Advertising Division Challenge, B-Stock Solutions Voluntarily Discontinues Certain Claims for its Pre-Owned Mobile Devices

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Operations Team

New York, NY – December 14, 2023 – In a BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD) challenge brought by Assurant, B-Stock Solutions, LLC voluntarily discontinued certain advertising claims for its pre-owned mobile devices.

During the proceeding, B-Stock Solutions informed NAD that instead of submitting substantiation, they permanently discontinued all challenged claims. Therefore, NAD did not review the claims on their merits.

Contact Information

Name: Jennie Rosenberg
Email: jrosenberg@bbbnp.org
Job Title: Media Relations

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Privacy Watchdog Brings Sonobi into Compliance with Digital Advertising Privacy Best Practices

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Operations Team

McLean, VA – December 14, 2023 – The Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP) of BBB National Programs brought Sonobi, Inc., a leading advertising technology developer and digital advertiser, into compliance with the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Self-Regulatory Principles for online interest-based advertising.

Following a consumer complaint regarding ineffective opt-out experiences despite using industry-provided tools, DAAP investigated Sonobi’s practices. The inquiry revealed that Sonobi is engaged in interest-based advertising (IBA) collection across non-affiliate websites, but that its technology did not respect opt-out signals as intended. Additionally, Sonobi’s privacy policy lacked a statement aligning with OBA self-regulatory principles in its section on opting out of Interest-Based Advertising.

DAAP conducted testing of Sonobi’s advertising technology, which revealed consistent overwriting of opt-out cookies, disregarding user preferences across multiple tests and devices indicating the ongoing IBA tracking despite user opt-outs, even after users set preferences via DAA and Network Advertising Initiative tools. Sonobi also shared user profile cookie contents with third-party IBA companies via cookie syncing servers, compromising opt-out choices.

In response to DAAP’s inquiry, Sonobi immediately conducted a review of its compliance with the DAA Principles to identify areas that needed strengthening. Sonobi discovered an error in its advertising technology that affected the opt-out logic and resulted in Sonobi servers overwriting previously established opt-out preferences.

Sonobi promptly corrected the error in their server’s response and DAAP found that Sonobi’s opt-out cookies now operate properly, allowing users to set an opt-out preference that remains and prevents further collection by Sonobi regardless of subsequent browsing activity. Sonobi also added a statement of adherence to the DAA Principles in its privacy policy.

DAAP is satisfied with Sonobi’s response and its commitment to transparency and consumer choice, reflected by its expeditious action to rectify the matter.All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of DAAP decisions, visit the DAAP Decisions and Guidance webpage.

Contact: Jennie Rosenberg, Media Relations, BBB National Programs, press@bbbnp.org

About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than a dozen globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create a fairer playing field for businesses and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About the Digital Advertising Accountability Program: The Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP), a division of BBB National Programs, was developed by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) to enforce industry self-regulation principles for data privacy in online and mobile advertising, holding companies accountable to the DAA’s Privacy Principles. DAAP provides guidance to companies looking to comply with industry principles and responds to complaints filed by consumers about online privacy.

Contact Information

Name: Jennie Rosenberg
Email: jrosenberg@bbbnp.org
Job Title: Media Relations

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LawToolBox AI in Microsoft 365 Keeps Attorney Client Data Safe

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Operations Team

LawToolBox unveils AI for legal professionals that extracts deadlines and events from hand-written orders and adds to matter calendars in Microsoft 365.

DENVER, Dec. 11, 2023 LawToolBox, a world leading provider of legal solutions today unveiled a suite of AI-powered features that transforms its award-winning experience for legal professionals with groundbreaking advancements in deadline extraction and rules-based calendaring in Microsoft Teams and Outlook. LawToolBox AI amplifies core deadline management functions, safely and responsibly by processing AI behind Microsoft’s enterprise-grade security.

LawToolBox AI Works with Microsoft Copilot (PRNewsfoto/LawToolBox.com, Inc.)

The introduction of LawToolBox AI facilitates the conversion of handwritten court orders into actionable deadlines, clause extraction from real estate contracts, automatic deadline tracking in commercial agreements, and more. Highlights of LawToolBox AI include:

Extracting deadlines from emails and attachments then add to user/matter calendar
Mapping deadlines from links to civil rules and other documents
Summarizing emails and attachments, and other documents
Drafting responses to emails

“The novel use of AI by LawToolBox to manage matters signals a new era of legal technology.” says Uriel Rootshtain, Sr. Director, Modern Work field and partner, Microsoft.

In addition, the LawToolBox app for Microsoft Teams has been updated with natural language capabilities, enabling users to inquire about weekly deadlines, recent matters, find other team members who have time to respond to deadlines and tasks, and reschedule meetings through simple conversational inputs.

“Using AI to further automate deadline management and legal matters in Microsoft 365 is a game-changer”, says Carol Lynn Grow, Chief Operating Officer of LawToolBox. “We’ve incorporated AI to augment the core functions of LawToolBox in a way that is intuitive, safe, and responsible. Once a legal professional uses LawToolBox AI to extract hand-written deadlines from scheduling or other case management orders, they will never want to do it manually again.”

LawToolBox AI leverages Microsoft AI-ready infrastructure for calendar events, meetings, documents, and chat conversations in Microsoft. LawToolBox AI is processed inside – and never leaves – each customer’s Microsoft 365 cloud. LawToolBox AI safely interprets customer data inside Microsoft 365, only processing data which they can access. LawToolBox AI uses Azure OpenAI Service and can be added to Copilot for Microsoft 365. In both cases, customers’ prompts and responses are never used to train language models that benefit other legal professionals.

“The novel use of AI by LawToolBox to manage matters signals a new era of legal technology. By building their AI-powered solutions on Microsoft 365, LawToolBox is providing legal professionals with tools that are not only intelligent but also secure and trustworthy. Assisting legal professionals with AI to reduce risk and automate important business processes will contribute toward the transformation of law firms and offices of general counsel into more efficient, agile, and client-centric organizations”, says Uriel Rootshtain, Sr. Director, Modern Work field and partner, Microsoft.

On November 1, 2023, Microsoft announced Copilot for Microsoft 365. Concurrently, LawToolBox AI is available for Microsoft Teams and/or Copilot for Microsoft 365 users. For law firms and offices of general counsel requiring less than 300 licenses, LawToolBox AI is available with pay-as-you-go Azure OpenAI services enabled in their Microsoft 365 account. Furthermore, enterprise customers can apply toward both their LawToolBox base subscription and their LawToolBox AI add-on subscription.

Existing customers can add LawToolBox AI licenses starting December 11, 2023.
New customers can purchase LawToolBox from Microsoft AppSource today and join the AI waitlist to gain access to LawToolBox AI effective December 1, 2023.

About LawToolBox:

Founded in 1998, LawToolBox is a leading provider of legal calendaring and deadline management software trusted by over 8,000 law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies worldwide. LawToolBox offers a range of tools that help legal professionals manage court, administrative, transactional, and regulatory deadlines, activate matters from document management and accounting software, and collaborate seamlessly with team members. LawToolBox natively integrates with Microsoft 365, including Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, and other leading legal software providers. LawToolBox has been recognized for its innovation and impact, winning numerous Microsoft awards, including “2021 Microsoft Partner of the Year Finalist,” “Best SharePoint Solution” and “Best Office Integration.”

Media Contact

Carol Lynn Grow, LawToolBox.com, Inc., 303-759-3572, clg@lawtoolbox.com, www.lawtoolbox.com

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SOURCE LawToolBox.com, Inc.

BEEAH, Masdar & SEWA Announce Development of Region’s First Landfill to Solar Project at COP28

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Operations Team

Dubai, UAE (December 07, 2023): BEEAH, the Middle East’s sustainability pioneer, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company – Masdar, and SEWA, the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, have announced their partnership to develop the MENA region’s first landfill to solar project.

Announced at the UAE Pavilion at COP28 by His Excellency Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, Director-General of SEWA, Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, in the presence of senior delegates from government entities and other esteemed dignitaries, the pioneering project will transform a capped landfill into a solar farm to drive the advancement of goals in circularity and sustainability, while generating renewable energy.

With Sharjah achieving the Middle East’s highest waste diversion rate of 90% through BEEAH’s fully integrated waste management strategies and the Sharjah Waste to Energy Facility, the UAE’s first waste-to-energy plant, the emirate is now on track to becoming the first zero waste city in the Middle East. On reaching this target for total waste diversion, the Al Saj’ah landfill in the Emirate will become redundant. The landfill will then undergo final closure and be capped according to international regulations, environmental laws, geotechnical safety standards, and rehabilitation procedures. The coalition consisting of BEEAH, Masdar and SEWA will transform the landfill site into a solar farm, generating sustainable clean energy, optimizing land usage, and providing an economically and environmentally beneficial solution to the challenge of closed landfills.

His Excellency Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, Director-General of the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, commented H.E. Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, Director General of the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA), said: “We are extremely delighted today with the announcement of the pioneering project aimed at converting the Al Saja’a landfill into a solar power farm, in collaboration with BEEAH Group and Masdar.”

Al Shamsi emphasized that the announcement aligns with SEWA’s vision for diversifying energy sources and generating clean and renewable energy.

“This approach is in line with the overarching vision of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to safeguard our natural resources for future generations. The emirate of Sharjah is progressing in the right direction under the directives and visionary leadership, paving the way for a promising future for its people. This concerted effort aims to attain environmental objectives and ensure the establishment of sustainable energy sources.”, he said.

Sharing his thoughts on the landmark venture, Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH, said “Combining our vision for sustainability with our leadership in green technologies, we are pioneering innovations in clean energy and pushing the boundaries for higher quality of life. Through integrated waste collection & management, recycling, material recovery, and waste-to-energy solutions, we have achieved the Middle East’s highest diversion rate in Sharjah and will soon achieve 100% waste diversion in the emirate: leading to the closure of landfill sites. This landfill to solar project represents an ideal solution for the repurposing of capped landfills and closes the loop for waste management, while expanding the UAE’s renewable energy capabilities though new solar infrastructure. Apart from augmenting decarbonization in waste management, this game-changing solution also has the potential to accelerate the clean energy transition, and support goals in climate action and sustainability. Through our partnership with Masdar and SEWA, we are pleased to foster the power of collaborations, innovation, and leadership to advance the UAE’s goals for a clean energy, net-zero future.”

With an innovative, first-of-its-kind approach to the repurposing of empty landfills, the landfill to solar project will transform over 68 hectares of land into solar farms, with a total energy production capacity of 120 MW. Solar photovoltaic panels will be installed on top of the Al Saj’ah landfill, which is located in close proximity to BEEAH Group’s state-of-the-art Waste Management Complex.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar said: “Masdar is dedicated to finding innovative renewable energy solutions. By optimizing and repurposing land that would otherwise have remained out of use, and working with our partners BEEAH and SEWA, this project is advancing the energy transition and supporting Sharjah’s zero waste ambitions, for a cleaner, greener future.”

Due to stringent environmental monitoring and remediation requirements, closed landfills often face redevelopment issues worldwide. By reclaiming the site for solar farms, the landfill to solar project is ensuring a closed-loop economy, while reintroducing socio-ecological life into the area and enhancing its landscape potential through a vegetative cover. The area will be landscaped using native and indigenous plants that add greenery and increase the aesthetic and sustainable value of the project. The venture will also introduce an innovation and learning centre, within proximity of the new solar farm, to educate visitors on the features, benefits, and importance of the project.

At the ongoing COP28, more than 100 countries have pledged to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity by 2030, aiming to cut the share of fossil fuels in the world’s energy production. As a proponent for the pledge, the UAE has led efforts to decarbonize the energy sector. By 2031, the UAE aims to have clean energy sources account for 30% of its total energy mix, tripling its renewable energy capacity to 14 GW by the end of the decade. With pioneering clean energy solutions, BEEAH Group has supported the UAE’s transition to alternative energy sources. Earlier this week at COP28, BEEAH had announced its partnership with Chinook Hydrogen and Air Water Gas Solutions to develop the world’s first commercial-scale super green hydrogen plant. Building on the success of a newly inaugurated demonstration plant in the UK, the proposed facility will produce green hydrogen from solid waste, in a carbon-negative process with one of the world’s lowest production costs.

Last year, the Emirates Waste to Energy Company, another BEEAH-Masdar joint venture, had inaugurated the Sharjah Waste to Energy Facility, the first waste-to-energy plant in the UAE. This plant processes 300,000 tonnes of waste yearly, produces 30 MW of clean energy, displaces 450,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and powers up to 28,000 homes in Sharjah.

About BEEAH Group

BEEAH Group is the region’s leading sustainability and digitalisation expert, renowned for ground-breaking environmental innovations and smart solutions for future-ready cities. Recognising sustainability and technology as the pillars of a modern economy, BEEAH Group has invested in a comprehensive, full-circle strategy for the future. BEEAH Group operates in the industries of waste management, renewable energy, technology, consulting, education, transport, real estate and healthcare. Raising the bar for the quality of life in the region, BEEAH Group businesses continue to set industry benchmarks in sustainable, smart solutions and help countries across the region create and execute their roadmap for a socially responsible future. The Group currently operates in the UAE, Egypt and KSA.?For more information, please visit beeahgroup.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) @beeahgroup

About Masdar

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) is the UAE’s clean energy champion and one of the fastest growing companies in the world, advancing the development and deployment of renewable energy and green hydrogen technologies to address global sustainability challenges. Established in 2006, Masdar has developed projects in over 40 countries, helping them to achieve their clean energy objectives and advance sustainable development. Masdar is jointly owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), and under this ownership the company is targeting a renewable energy portfolio capacity of at least 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and an annual green hydrogen production capacity of up to 1 million tonnes by the same year. Contacts: For Masdar media inquiries, please contact: press@masdar.ae

For more information please visit: http://www.masdar.ae and connect: facebook.com/masdar.ae and twitter.com/masdar

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Launch of the Voluntary Recycling Credits (VRC) Initiative at COP28 Marks World’s First Standard to Incentivize Recycling Globally

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Operations Team

Dubai, 05 December, 2023: In response to global waste crisis and aligning with global commitments to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards and net-zero targets, an international consortium led by Roland Berger and BEEAH Group, in collaboration with DFINITY Foundation, and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), demonstrated the world’s first global incentive system to counteract the solid waste footprint. Supported by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment (MoCCaE) and the COP28 Presidency, the public-private coalition introduced the Voluntary Recycling Credits (VRC) Initiative at the UAE Pavilion at COP28, marking a new era of positive climate action.

Commenting on the initiative, Hani Tohme, Managing Partner, Roland Berger Middle East said, “The VRC Initiative is built to solve a concrete market gap: with the private sector setting more commitments towards net-zero and circularity, we also acknowledge major barriers to deliver on it. Double-counting, transparency, cost-effectiveness. We decided to tackle it over solid collaboration and exchange between public and private sector, with a cross national approach and a cooperative mindset. Involvement from different stakeholder across countries and multiple layers of the value chain is a crucial part of the VRC value proposition, which aims at a joint effort to shape the future industry standards.”

Announced in Paris in May 2023 by Roland Berger, BEEAH Group, and ISWA on the sidelines of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-2) in Paris, the VRC Initiative is poised to make a significant impact and transform global recycling practices. It emphasizes the responsibility of all stakeholders to mitigate their environmental impact, promoting standardized processes and transparency on offset activities. The Proof of Concept for the VRC Initiative has been successfully developed, with the first live transaction showcased at the UAE Pavilion, COP28, on December 4th, 2023. The full-scale platform is set to be developed and officially launched in 2024. The initiative is actively seeking project investors, ecosystem partners for recycling credit trading, and technology collaborators for growing the system at the global scale.

Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH Group, commented on the VRC Initiative, stating, “BEEAH Group has been working relentlessly towards a zero-waste to landfill future, which we see as closely linked to fulfilling the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and broader sustainability agenda. While we drive increasing landfill waste diversion rates, accelerate the circular economy and support lower emissions in the UAE and the region, we want to enable similar positive impact globally. The VRC Initiative is a standardized incentive that is inclusive of all stakeholders across sectors, from waste collectors and recycling companies to large organisations who are committing to addressing the environmental impact of waste produced in their operations.”

In the face of the expanding global waste crisis, the world is struggling with a staggering generation of waste. Annually, individuals produce approximately 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste. When industrial, electronic, agricultural, and other economic activities are accounted for, this figure surges to an alarming 17-18 billion tonnes. With only half of this waste being managed, the remaining portion is contributing to significant environmental damage through landfilling, dumping, and burning, impacting soils, water resources, and air quality.

To counteract this situation, the VRC Initiative establishes a set of standardized rules and processes to enable institutions to compensate their solid waste footprint through a transparent ecosystem. This mechanism involves trading ‘recycling credits’ on a blockchain-based marketplace, ensuring auditable and secure transactions between waste offsetters and recycling companies. The initiative, which emphasizes additionality principle to incentivize more recycling worlwide, aims to boost collection and recycling of solid materials, furthering the management of all types of waste.

The DFINITY Foundation, the technology partners for this initiative, will provide a solution built on the Internet Computer blockchain that will instill confidence, credibility, and scalability into the project, ensuring its viability as a global standard for recycling incentives. “The VRC platform is a great showcase on how we use Web3 technology for tackling environmental issues. The Internet Computer Protocol technology from Dfinity is a perfect match for it,” says Pierre Samaties, Partner and Global Head of Digital Assets and Web3.

Dominic Williams, Founder and Chief Scientist of the DFINITY Foundation, expressed his views on the VRC Initiative, “The Internet computer is a fully decentralized and tamper-proof network. It guarantees a transparent, auditable, and secure record of recycling credits and transactions. This transparency ensures that all parties – whether waste producers or recyclers – can trust in the veracity of the credits they purchase, sell, or trade.”

Brazil welcomes the VRC Initiative, which aligns seamlessly with the country’s ongoing strong efforts to shift from a linear to a circular economy. Emphasizing the importance of efficient waste management, Adalberto Maluf, National Secretary of Urban Environment and Environmental Quality at the Ministry of the Environment, Brazil, attended the event and shared that the country aspires to further develop and showcase this initiative, with the goal of presenting it as a global standard at COP30 in Brazil. He emphasized the important social role this initiative could bring as it accounts for waste pickers, an important social category for the country.

About Roland Berger

Roland Berger is the only management consultancy of European heritage with a strong international footprint. As an independent firm, solely owned by our Partners, we operate 51 offices in all major markets. Our 3000 employees offer a unique combination of an analytical approach and an empathic attitude. Driven by our values of entrepreneurship, excellence, and empathy, we at Roland Berger are convinced that the world needs a new sustainable paradigm that takes the entire value cycle into account. Working in cross-competence teams across all relevant industries and business functions, we provide the best expertise to meet the profound challenges of today and tomorrow.
www.rolandberger.com

Press contact:

Salma Halawa
PR Middle East – Roland Berger
E-mail: salma.halawa@rolandberger.com
Tel.: +971 056 385 3146

About BEEAH Group

Press contact:

Mohamed Allawi
Email: mallawy@beeahgroup.com
Tel.: + 971 55 927 0990

About the DFINITY Foundation

The DFINITY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization comprised of leading cryptographers, computer scientists and experts in distributed computing. With a mission to shift cloud computing into a fully decentralized state, the Foundation leveraged its experience to create the Internet Computer and currently operates as a major contributor to the network.

Press contact:

Aaron Dodd
PR & Media, DFINITY Foundation
Email: aaron.dodd@dfinity.org
Tel.: +353 85 192 6681

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National Advertising Division Refers Health-Related Claims for Dr. Teal’s Melatonin Sleep Products to Federal Trade Commission for Further Review

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Operations Team

New York, NY – December 6, 2023 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs referred advertising claims made by PDC Brands for its Dr. Teal’s branded adult and kid’s lines of melatonin sleep products to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for review.

PDC Brands declined to participate in the industry self-regulation process, and as a result, NAD has referred its advertising claims to the FTC.

The claims at issue, which were challenged by The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), appeared on product packaging, Dr. Teal’s website, and social and digital media in connection with Dr. Teal’s topical bath soaks, scrubs, moisturizers, balms, and sprays. P&G argued that claims for these products were unsupported and misled consumers into believing that they deliver melatonin-derived sleep benefits that consumers have become familiar with (i.e., helping them and/or their children fall asleep and stay asleep).

During the inquiry, PDC Brands stated that, for reasons unrelated to the challenge, certain challenged claims were in the process of being modified or permanently discontinued. Therefore, NAD did not review these claims on their merits.

PDC declined to participate in the NAD self-regulatory process with respect to the remaining challenged claims, contending that they do not attribute any specific benefit to melatonin:

Teal’s “Sleep Balm —with Melatonin & Essential Oils”
Teal’s Body Lotion —“Sleep Lotion with Melatonin & Essential Oils”
Teal’s kids—“sleep spray with melatonin & essential oils”
Teal’s kids Gentle Epsom Salt Bath—“sleep soak with melatonin & essential oils”
Teal’s kids Body Lotion—“sleep lotion with melatonin & essential oils”
Teal’s kids—“sleep body balm with melatonin & essential oils”
Teal’s kids 3-in-1 Bubble Bath, Body Wash & Shampoo—“sleep bath with melatonin & essential oils”
“Just spritz pillows and bedding with the Sleep Spray and rub the Sleep Balm on their back, chest, or feet. They’ll be dreaming in no time.”
“The secret to a good night’s rest is Dr. Teal’s Sleep Lotion with Melatonin and Essential Oils.”

As a result of PDC’s decision not to participate in the NAD self-regulatory process with respect to these claims, NAD has referred the matter to the FTC for review and possible enforcement action.

Contact Information

Name: Jennie Rosenberg
Email:jrosenberg@bbbnp.org
Job Title: Media Relations

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National Advertising Division Finds Dr. Squatch “No Harmful Ingredients” Claim Supported; Recommends Other Comparative Claims be Discontinued

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Operations Team

New York, NY – December 5, 2023 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs determined that Dr. Squatch, LLC provided a reasonable basis for its “no harmful ingredients” claim for its Dr. Squatch brand of personal care products for men and that certain challenged claims, in context, do not convey a disparaging message as to competing brands.

However, NAD recommended that Dr. Squatch discontinue its use of the skull and crossbones imagery in the context of the “no harmful ingredients” and “Sh*t List” claims, certain comparative claims, as well as certain other claims that NAD found to be falsely disparaging, unsubstantiated, and/or misleading, including:

“For generations, traditional mass-market brands have been avoiding using natural ingredients in personal care products to make production cheaper and faster.”
“I’m never going back to aluminum deodorant again!”
“No X ALUMINUM X TRICLOSAN X PHTHALATES . . . can’t go back to that other junk”
“Don’t hit the showers with neon goop that looks like a sports drink.”
“I can even pronounce all the ingredients unlike my last deodorant.”

Dr. Squatch markets natural personal care products and distinguishes itself from other personal care competitors through edgy and attention-grabbing content.

The claims at issue, which appeared on the Dr. Squatch website, in video advertisements, social media, and videos on YouTube, were challenged by Unilever U.S., Inc., manufacturer of Dove brand cleansers and body washes.

No Harmful/Harsh Ingredient Claims

NAD determined that the following challenged claims are monadic or appear in a monadic context and do not convey the implied message that competing products are harmful or dangerous:

“No harmful ingredients”
“We never use harmful ingredients or harsh chemicals…”
“Blocks out B.O. without harsh chemicals” and “doesn’t burn my armpits or leave me with a rank B.O. mid-day”

NAD further determined that Dr. Squatch’s monadic “no harmful ingredients” claim was supported and that it provided a reasonable basis for the message that Dr. Squatch deodorant does not contain harsh chemicals and would, therefore, not burn a user’s armpits.

However, NAD determined that the skull and crossbones imagery that often accompanies the “no harmful ingredients” and “Sh*t list” claims does more than merely underscore a monadic message. The imagery reasonably conveys a message related to potential harms of ingredients found in personal care products and, when displayed in the context of the “Sh*t List,” further conveys a message that the ingredients listed, which include non-chemical and non-harmful ingredients, are harmful. As there was no support in the record that the ingredients Dr. Squatch excludes from its products result in the type of harm associated with skull and crossbones, NAD recommended that such imagery be discontinued.

NAD concluded that a comparative superiority message was not communicated by:

Squatch’s reference to the “Sh*t List,” and
The claim “Meet our Sh*t List, a roster of ingredients that we vow to never use in any of our products. We refuse to cut corners and we avoid both common and lesser-known chemicals, synthetics, and preservatives that can have a range of adverse effects on your skin and body.”

“The Personal Care Industry Needs Cleaning” Message

NAD found that Dr. Squatch’s claim that “the personal care industry needs cleaning” will likely be understood as a high-level reference to Dr. Squatch’s commitment to products with natural ingredients. Therefore, NAD found that the claim does not reasonably convey the message that competing products are harmful.

“For Generations, Traditional Mass Market Brands Have Been Avoiding Using Natural Ingredients in Personal Care Products to Make Production Cheaper and Faster” Claim

NAD determined that Dr. Squatch did not provide a reasonable basis for the claim “For generations, traditional mass market brands have been avoiding using natural ingredients in personal care products to make production cheaper and faster” and recommended that it be discontinued.

Free-From Claims

NAD concluded that Dr. Squatch’s claims “I’m never going back to aluminum deodorant again!” and “No X ALUMINUM X TRICLOSAN X PHTHALATES . . . can’t go back to that other junk,” as they appear in a comparative context in the challenged advertising convey the misleading message that other deodorant products are unsafe or pose potential risks or dangers.

As there was no evidence in the record that conventional deodorants (made by Unilever or other major brands) contain triclosan or phthalates, or that brands that contain these ingredients or aluminum are dangerous or unsafe, NAD recommended that Dr. Squatch discontinue these claims.

NAD noted that nothing in its decision prevents Dr. Squatch from highlighting the ingredients its products do not contain in a purely monadic context.

Regarding the modified claim “Let’s talk aluminum . . . sure it’s great for wrapping up leftovers but we avoid it for skin and body,” NAD concluded that in a purely monadic context, the claim does not convey a disparaging message as to competing brands.

“Don’t Hit The Showers With Neon Goop That Looks Like A Sports Drink” Message

NAD determined that the claim “don’t hit the showers with neon goop that looks like a sports drink,” in context is falsely disparaging because it conveys an implied superiority message that mainstream personal care products (some of which may be brightly-colored) have a goop-like or unappealing consistency, do not smell good, and are ultimately worthless. NAD recommended that Dr. Squatch discontinue the challenged claim.

NAD noted that nothing in its decision precludes Dr. Squatch from highlighting the benefits of its products, provided, however, the advertising does not otherwise convey the message that competing products are worthless.

“I Can Even Pronounce All The Ingredients Unlike My Last Deodorant” Claim

As Dr. Squatch did not provide any support for the challenged claim “I can even pronounce all the ingredients unlike my last deodorant” NAD determined that the advertiser did not provide a reasonable basis for the claim and recommended that it be discontinued.

Finally, during the proceeding, Dr. Squatch agreed to permanently discontinue several challenged claims. Therefore, NAD did not review these claims on their merits and will treat them for compliance purposes as though NAD recommended they be discontinued and Dr. Squatch agreed to comply.

In its advertiser statement, Dr. Squatch stated that it “appreciates NAD’s careful review of its advertisements and will comply with NAD’s recommendations in its future advertising” although it disagrees with several of NAD’s findings.

Contact:
Jennie Rosenberg
Media Relations
BBB National Programs
press@bbbnp.org

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BEEAH, Chinook Hydrogen, and Air Water Gas Solutions Inaugurate the World’s First Super Green Hydrogen from Waste Demonstration plant at COP28

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Operations Team

Building on several breakthroughs achieved in its a waste-to-hydrogen demonstration plant, BEEAH, the Middle East’s sustainability pioneer, Chinook Hydrogen, a UK-based innovator of waste-to-fuel technologies, and Air Water Gas Solutions, a US-based Industrial gas company and a subsidiary of Air Water Inc., a leading Japanese conglomerate with advanced industrial gases technologies, have entered a joint development agreement (JDA) to develop the world’s first commercial-scale waste-to-hydrogen plant in Sharjah, UAE. In the presence of His Excellency Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), the JDA was signed at the UAE Pavilion, COP28, by Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH Group, Dr. Rifat Chalabi, CEO and Co-Founder of Chinook Hydrogen, and Ishmael Chalabi, President and CEO of Air Water Gas Solutions.

The JDA will build on the success of the hydrogen-from-waste demonstration plant, which has achieved major breakthroughs by demonstrating an attractive, carbon-negative solution to produce green hydrogen from waste. The demonstration plant transforms various organic-based waste, including Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), non-recyclable plastics and wood waste, into super green hydrogen that is connected to a Toyota fuel-cell unit that generates power from the hydrogen produced, similar to the fuel cell installed in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles such as the Toyota Mirai.

“We believe achieving zero-waste to landfill goes hand-in-hand with achieving net-zero emissions. With the launch of this waste-to-hydrogen demonstration plant, we have achieved a solution that we can address the challenge of waste and carbon emissions. It can also be scaled and replicated in countries around the world, and together, we will now begin with a commercial-scale plant in Sharjah,” said Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH. “I would like to congratulate Chinook Hydrogen and Air Water Gas Solutions for working with us to realise this milestone, which not only supports our objective of creating a large commercial waste-to-hydrogen plant in UAE, but also demonstrates an economically and environmentally attractive hydrogen production solution that can be easily adopted worldwide.”

The demonstration plant benefits from Chinook Hydrogen’s RODECS ® pyrolysis technology, developed and optimised over 23 years with 18 gasification units installed world-wide. The technology is heavily patented, using “Active-Hydropyrolysis^™” to process a wide range of post-consumer organic-based wastes in batches, including MSW, non-recyclable plastics, sewage sludge, biomass and waste wood feedstocks to produce a syngas. Chinook Hydrogen’s RODECS system is the only one in the world to process waste with low energy content to yield syngas with hydrogen concentrations of around 50%vol. In this system, the hydrogen rich syngas is further processed by advanced hydrogen refinement technology developed by Air Water to produce high purity fuel-cell grade hydrogen for use in transportation, fine chemical and industrial applications. The plant can also capture and store carbon dioxide from the syngas, making the process carbon negative.

“It is with immense pride and gratitude that I reflect on a journey marked by unwavering dedication and unparalleled innovation. This breakthrough hydrogen technology that we have developed is testament to the hard work and ingenuity of the Chinook team over the last 23 years and the decades-long collaboration with our partners BEEAH and Air Water Gas Solutions. That is 23 years of innovation wrapped by persistence and dedication,” said Dr. Rifat Chalabi, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Chinook Hydrogen. “In the realm of green hydrogen technology, we have not only merely advanced or pushed boundaries, we have pioneered the world’s first plant that produces Super-Green-Hydrogen™ that can fuel hydrogen fuel cells either for power generation or emissions-free mobility.”

The RODECS pyrolysis and gasification system in the demonstration facility is capable of producing up to 1.5 tonnes per day of hydrogen. The combined Active-Hydropyrolysis process controlled by the Hydrogen-Intelligence system ensures the production of the “Super-Green-Hydrogen™”, which offers one of the world’s lowest levelised cost of hydrogen (LCoH) today. Chinook Hydrogen, Air Water Gas Solutions, and BEEAH plan to implement a similar process and system, establishing the world’s first commercial-scale, hydrogen-from-waste facility in Sharjah, UAE, with an initial capacity of seven tonnes per day. The goal is to progressively augment the Sharjah plant capacity to reach 20 tonnes per day and extend the concept and innovation behind this plant throughout the Middle East.

Aligning with the UAE’s Net-Zero by 2050 Pathway, BEEAH has made significant strides in increasing landfill waste diversion rates and contributing to net-zero emissions. Its integrated waste management complex comprises 12 facilities, which process nearly all types of households, commercial and industrial waste, to produce recyclables, alternative fuels and alternative raw materials, enabling steadily increasing landfill waste diversion rates and contributions to the circular economy.

In May of 2022, BEEAH inaugurated the Sharjah Waste-to-Energy plant, the first project of BEEAH’s joint venture with global renewable energy leader Masdar, which further drove landfill waste diversion to a new regional record of 90% and displaces 450,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year.

In addition to the decarbonisation of the transport industry and lowering emissions in the waste management sector, the planned waste-to-hydrogen plant in Sharjah is also strategically aligned with the UAE National Hydrogen Strategy 2050, which sets a goal of producing of 1.4 million tonnes of hydrogen per annum by 2031 and aims to establish the nation as one of the world’s major hydrogen hubs.

Contact Information

Name: Mohamed Allawi
Email: mallawy@beeahgroup.com
Job Title: Public Relations Specialist

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