January 12, 2023

FURA Gems nomme Mazars SA et amorce le processus d’enregistrement auprès du Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC)

FURA Gems

Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire from FURA Gems

DUBAÏ, Émirats arabes unis, 11 janv. 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FURA Gems a annoncé aujourd’hui avoir amorcé le processus de certification avec le Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), démontrant ainsi son engagement en faveur de pratiques commerciales responsables. Le projet sera pris en charge par Mazars Suisse, qui assistera FURA Gems et tous ses sites d’exploitation minière en Colombie pour les émeraudes, au Mozambique pour les rubis et en Australie pour les saphirs dans le processus de préparation du RJC. FURA a déjà enregistré son site australien auprès du RJC et prévoit maintenant d’étendre la certification au groupe et à l’ensemble de ses sites d’exploitation. Avec le soutien de Mazars, FURA visera à achever le processus de certification au plus tard le 31 décembre 2023 pour tous ses sites d’exploitation.

La certification RJC s’inscrit dans le cadre de l’ambitieuse stratégie ESG déployée par FURA depuis sa création en 2017. Au début de l’année dernière, FURA a annoncé son partenariat avec Gübelin pour assurer la traçabilité de toutes ses pierres grâce à la Provenance Proof Blockchain. La certification RJC marque une étape supplémentaire importante vers la réalisation des objectifs ambitieux de FURA en matière de critères ESG.

« Il s’agit d’une prise de position forte de notre part, car nous lançons la certification de toutes nos mines produisant des émeraudes, des rubis et des saphirs », déclare Dev Shetty, fondateur et PDG de FURA Gems. Le processus de certification nous permettra de formaliser notre engagement depuis notre fondation : fournir au marché de la joaillerie des pierres précieuses de couleur en assurant la traçabilité et la provenance de sources durables. Pour y parvenir, nous avons identifié Mazars comme le partenaire idéal pour mener à bien le processus au siège social comme sur l’ensemble de nos sites de production. Mazars offre la combinaison idéale d’expertise régionale et de perspective mondiale, ce qui nous permet de mener le projet avec le plus haut degré de compétences et de professionnalisme. »

Franck Paucod, associé chez Mazars, ajoute : « Nous sommes ravis d’accompagner FURA Gems dans le processus exigeant de la certification COP du RJC. La réalisation du projet sur les trois (3) mines en même temps témoigne de l’engagement de FURA en faveur de l’exploitation minière responsable. Nous sommes convaincus que notre expertise dans le secteur des pierres précieuses et de la joaillerie nous permettra de soutenir FURA dans son engagement à développer un cadre solide pour l’obtention de la certification RJC. »

À PROPOS DE FURA GEMS

Créée en 2017, FURA Gems Inc. est une société spécialisée dans l’extraction et la commercialisation de pierres précieuses de couleur. Basée à Dubaï, aux Émirats arabes unis, FURA compte plus de 1 200 employés sur tous les continents. Il s’agit de la première entreprise pionnière, créative et éthique à couvrir l’ensemble de la gamme des pierres précieuses de couleur. Elle exploite trois filiales minières en Colombie, au Mozambique et en Australie qui extraient des émeraudes, des rubis et des saphirs. FURA a également lancé son programme de prospection à Madagascar en vue de l’extraction de saphirs. Il s’agit de la société d’extraction de pierres précieuses de couleur qui connaît la plus forte croissance tout en assurant la stabilité et la traçabilité des pierres précieuses de couleur extraites de manière éthique, de l’état brut à la commercialisation.

À PROPOS DE MAZARS

Mazars est un partnership intégré à l’échelle internationale, spécialisé dans l’audit, la comptabilité, le conseil, la fiscalité et les services juridiques. Présent dans plus de 90 pays et territoires à travers le monde, Mazars s’appuie sur l’expertise de plus de 44 000 professionnels pour accompagner ses clients de toutes tailles à chaque étape de leur développement.

Mazars Suisse est spécialisée dans le secteur de l’horlogerie et de la joaillerie. Mazars peut soit accompagner les clients tout au long de la préparation et de l’enregistrement de la certification COP du Code de pratique du RJC, ce qui est le cas pour FURA Gems, soit effectuer des audits pour la certification d’entreprises conformément à la COP du RJC.

Une photo accompagnant ce communiqué de presse est disponible à l’adresse suivante : https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80695a84-8e96-48d7-a21d-6548f0e035e7

POUR DE PLUS AMPLES INFORMATIONS

Gianluca Maina, Directeur marketing, FURA Gems, gianluca.maina@furagems.com

Franck Paucod, Associé, Mazars SA, franck.paucod@mazars.ch

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000776856

January 12, 2023

FURA Gems nomeia Mazars SA e inicia processo de registo junto do Conselho de Joalheria Responsável (RJC)

FURA Gems

Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire from FURA Gems

DUBAI, Emirados Árabes Unidos, Jan. 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A FURA Gems anunciou hoje ter iniciado o processo de certificação junto do RJC, demonstrando o seu compromisso com práticas empresariais responsáveis. O projeto será liderado pela Mazars Suíça, que acompanhará a FURA Gems e todos os respetivos locais de mineração em funcionamento, designadamente na Colômbia para as esmeraldas, Moçambique para os rubis e a Austrália para as safiras, através do processo preparatório do RJC. A FURA já tinha registado a sua unidade australiana junto do RJC, e procurará agora expandir a certificação ao grupo e a todos os respetivos locais de mineração. Com o apoio da Mazars, a FURA terá como meta concluir o processo de certificação até 31 de dezembro de 2023, para todos os respetivos locais de mineração.

A certificação do RJC faz parte da ambiciosa estratégia ESG implementada pela FURA desde a sua fundação, em 2017. No início do ano passado, a FURA anunciou a parceria com a Gübelin para fornecer rastreabilidade a todas as suas pedras através do protocolo de confiança (blockchain) da Provenance Proof. A Certificação do RJC marca um passo adicional importante rumo à concretização das ambiciosas metas ESG estabelecidas pela FURA.

“Trata-se de uma declaração forte da nossa parte, pois estamos a lançar a certificação para todas as nossas minas que produzem esmeraldas, rubis e safiras”, diz Dev Shetty, fundador e CEO da FURA Gems. “Este processo de certificação permitir-nos-á formalizar o compromisso assumido desde a nossa fundação: fornecer ao setor da joalharia pedras preciosas de cor rastreáveis e de origem sustentável. Para tal, identificámos a Mazars como a parceira ideal para conduzir o processo em todas as nossas unidades de produção e ao nível da sede. A Mazars oferece a combinação ideal de experiência regional e perspetiva global, permitindo-nos conduzir o projeto com um enorme nível de competências e profissionalismo.”

Franck Paucod, sócio da Mazars, explica: “Estamos entusiasmados por acompanhar a FURA Gems ao longo deste processo exigente que é a Certificação do Código de Práticas do RJC. A realização do projeto para as três (3) minas em simultâneo mostra o compromisso da FURA em termos de mineração responsável. Estamos confiantes de que, com a nossa experiência no setor das pedras preciosas e das joias, poderemos apoiar a FURA no seu compromisso de construir uma estrutura sólida para a obtenção da certificação RJC.”

SOBRE A FURA GEMS

A FURA Gems Inc. é uma empresa de mineração e comercialização de pedras preciosas de cor criada em 2017. Com sede no Dubai, Emirados Árabes Unidos, a FURA tem mais de 1200 funcionários em todos os continentes. É o primeiro empreendimento pioneiro, criativo e ético a cobrir todo o espectro de pedras preciosas de cor. A empresa opera em três filiais de mineração na Colômbia, Moçambique e Austrália, que extraem esmeraldas, rubis e safiras. A FURA também iniciou o respetivo programa de exploração em Madagáscar para a extração de safiras. É a empresa de mineração de pedras preciosas de cor que mais cresce para garantir a estabilidade e a rastreabilidade de pedras preciosas de cor eticamente extraídas, desde a extração em bruto até à distribuição retalhista.

SOBRE A MAZARS

A Mazars é uma parceria internacionalmente integrada, especializada em auditoria, contabilidade, consultoria, fiscalidade e serviços jurídicos. Com atividade em mais de 90 países e territórios em todo o mundo, a Mazars conta com a experiência de mais de 44 000 profissionais para ajudar clientes de todas as dimensões, em todas as fases do respetivo desenvolvimento.

A Mazars Suíça é especializada nos setores da relojoaria e joalharia. A Mazars pode acompanhar os seus clientes em toda a fase de preparação e registo da certificação do Código de Práticas do RJC, como é o caso da FURA Gems, ou realizar auditorias para a certificação das empresas em conformidade com o CdP do RJC.

Foto deste comunicado disponível em: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80695a84-8e96-48d7-a21d-6548f0e035e7

MAIS INFORMAÇÕES

Gianluca Maina, Diretor de Marketing, FURA Gems, gianluca.maina@furagems.com

Franck Paucod, Sócio, Mazars SA, franck.paucod@mazars.ch

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000776856

January 12, 2023

Cloned Horse Raises Hopes for Equestrian Sports in China

A Chinese company presented a cloned horse to the public Thursday that is the first of its kind born in the country and approved for equestrian sport.

The cloning of competition and thoroughbred horses has been practiced in several countries since the early 2000s, particularly for genetic improvements.

Born last June from a surrogate mother, Zhuang Zhuang was produced by the Beijing laboratory Sinogene and is a clone of a horse imported from Germany.

The black animal is the first from the “warmblood” group of breeds to be born in China and to be officially approved by the China Horse Industry Association.

Warmbloods are generally light horses with a lively temperament.

Equestrian sports, especially show jumping, have been making strides in China in recent years.

But a shortage of high-performance horses and a lag in breeding technologies are limiting growth.

“I spoke with [Chinese] riders who participate in the Olympics. All of them have more than one horse, usually two or three. Each horse costs from a few million to 10 million yuan [$1.5 million],” Mi Jidong, CEO of Sinogene, told AFP. “Cloning can help reduce the price of breeding and raising horses.”

Producing competitive horses in China by cloning should make it less dependent on costly imported animals to supply Chinese equestrian sports.

The world’s first cloned horse was born in Italy in 2003.

Chinese animal cloning companies have made significant progress in recent years, with technologies now relatively mature for sheep, cows, pigs, dogs and cats.

Source: Voice of America

January 12, 2023

China’s Reopened Borders Raise Hopes for Soccer Resurgence

After three years of isolation and financial struggles in Chinese soccer, the country is reopening its borders and economy to the outside world. With it, frustrated fans, financially challenged clubs and unpaid players in the Chinese Super League might receive some long-awaited good news.

The 2022 season was unrecognizable from the 2019 edition, the last before COVID-19 hit. Then the league had an average attendance of over 24,000, the highest in Asia, and a number of big-name foreign imports.

From 2020 onwards, Beijing’s “zero-COVID” policy, designed to stamp out the virus, meant that teams mostly played in empty stadiums at centralized venues. Players were stuck in bio-secure bubbles for months on end and international stars, unable to enter the country, were released from contracts.

It also meant little ticket, broadcast or sponsorship revenue for clubs. In 2021, defending champion Jiangsu FC folded and several other clubs have struggled to pay players.

Opening up the country may not mean a return to the carefree spending of the previous decade, but it is a prerequisite to starting the journey back to pre-pandemic levels. It is reported that clubs will play home and away games in the 2023 season.

“It almost feels like there has been no league in the past three years with delays, months without games and strange schedules,” Shanghai Shenhua supporter Wang Yi told The Associated Press. “Some fans have lost interest, but I think that will change when we can all get together at the stadium again.”

Due to the government’s strict policies, foreign teams were unable to enter the country, forcing China to play 2022 World Cup qualifiers in neutral venues. It finished next to last in its final qualification group, eight points behind Oman. The country was scheduled to host the 2023 Asian Cup in June but last May, Beijing relinquished its staging rights.

“It remains to be seen if and how quickly Chinese football can return to its ambitions and plans of 2019, and prior to that.” Simon Chadwick, professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy at Skema Business School, told the AP, adding that state help will be needed.

“It is important that the sport doesn’t just restart, but that it is kick-started . . . there must be a worry that unless both the government and Chinese football commit themselves to refreshing and relaunching it, then the sport could get stuck in the international doldrums.”

The pandemic also exacerbated a downturn in China’s overheated property market. With more than half of the clubs in the top tier owned, at least in part, by real estate companies, it has been a major soccer issue.

Evergrande, the property developer, saw its club Guangzhou, who won eight titles in the previous decade, relegated in December after the team’s stars left and were replaced by young domestic players.

Opening up the country is expected to boost the housing market especially as, in December, Chinese state banks opened up a line of credit worth around $460 billion for real estate companies. It remains to be seen if this will ease the financial strain on clubs.

“One suspects that the Chinese government will be keen to decouple football from its previous unhealthy relationship with property investors,” added Chadwick. “Both sectors need to discover some market discipline whilst being subject to the state’s appropriate guidance.”

For now though, fans just want to go and see their teams play.

“I won’t believe it until it happens,” said Wang. “It is when something disappears that you know how much it means. It will be very exciting.”

Source: Voice of America