Month: April 2025

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Consolidated Credit is proud to announce that April Lewis-Parks, Director of Education and Corporate Communications, and William Wolf, Director of Strategic Partnerships, have coauthored a groundbreaking research article alongside Dr. Albert Williams of Nova Southeastern University. The report, titled “Is Credit Card Usage for Entertainment Related to Demographic, Psychological, and Financial Characteristics of Credit Card Owners?”, is now published in the Journal of Academy of Business and Economics (JABE).

JABE is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the International Academy of Business and Economics, with a mission to promote contemporary, high-quality research that bridges theory and practice in global business and economics.

The study appears in Volume 25, Issue 1 of the journal (page 107) and explores the relationship between entertainment-related credit card usage and various consumer factors such as age, income, personality traits, and financial behavior. The findings shed light on patterns that may influence how credit cards are used for discretionary spending—insights that are particularly relevant amid rising consumer debt and changing economic conditions.

“This research is an extension of our mission at Consolidated Credit: to understand the financial behaviors that shape people’s lives and help create solutions,” said April Lewis-Parks. “Working with Dr. Williams and William Wolf on this academic study was a great opportunity to share our field experience with a global scholarly audience.”

“Credit card debt related to non-essential purchases is an often-overlooked driver of financial instability,” added William Wolf. “By examining the factors influencing this behavior, we can better develop educational tools and interventions that resonate with real-life consumers.”

Dr. Albert Williams, professor of finance and economics at Nova Southeastern University, noted the collaboration as a successful example of academic and nonprofit synergy. “We were able to combine rigorous methodology with real-world experience from Consolidated Credit to gain new insights into how consumer behavior intersects with credit usage. This kind of research can inform both financial education and public policy.”

The article contributes to a growing body of literature that emphasizes the importance of financial psychology in understanding consumer debt. It is also timely, given recent national trends indicating that Americans are increasingly turning to credit cards for entertainment and lifestyle expenses—even as interest rates and debt levels rise.

The full article is available through JABE’s current issue: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:ca50713e-59d9-4101-b862-f0206a551d0a

About Consolidated Credit
Consolidated Credit is a nonprofit organization that has helped more than 10 million people overcome debt and achieve financial freedom through education, counseling, and debt management programs. For over 30 years, the organization has been a trusted resource for financial wellness nationwide.

About Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is the largest private research university in Florida and a top employer in the state, with more than $5 billion in projected economic impact. NSU is classified as an R1 institution by the Carnegie Foundation among universities with the highest level of research activity. NSU educates more than 22,000 enrolled students from more than 115 countries and all 50 U.S. states. NSU is a Military Friendly School, committed to meeting the needs of its active military and veteran population. It is 1 of 4 universities in the U.S. with both M.D. and D.O. colleges and is the largest educator of physicians in Florida. Research at NSU addresses such critical areas as cancer, marine life, and brain health.

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SOURCE Consolidated Credit

LEO is a purpose-designed solution built with Google Cloud for smarter, faster, and more efficient sustainability disclosure, developed in partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

• Corporates and financial institutions face growing demands to meet sustainability due diligence and disclosure requirements, yet data gaps and inefficiencies persist.
• Powered by ESG Book’s platform and BCG’s Climate and Sustainability Data Template, LEO has been designed to align with evolving requirements and supports regulatory reporting, risk management, and opportunity creation.
• Smart pre-fill capabilities reduce the reporting burden, with access to 200,000+ disclosures cutting the time and cost of sharing sustainability information.
• Corporates can use LEO to efficiently manage disclosure requests, map data across frameworks, and securely share privileged data with multiple stakeholders. 
• Leading financial institutions including ING, Lloyds, and NatWest are adopting or piloting LEO to support critical use cases including risk management, supply chain resilience, and capacity building.

LONDON and NEW YORK, April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ESG Book, in partnership with BCG, today announced the launch of LEO, a purpose-built solution for smarter, faster, and more efficient sustainability disclosure, built with Google Cloud.

Corporates and financial institutions face growing demands to meet sustainability due diligence and disclosure requirements, making reliable, standardised data essential for risk management and regulatory compliance. However, challenges persist, as recent changes of corporate disclosure requirements could widen data gaps for financial institutions and make data collection inefficient and incomparable.

In response, LEO has been developed to offer a streamlined new approach to sustainability data sourcing and reporting, supporting corporates and financial institutions for a range of use cases including meeting evolving regulatory requirements, while reducing cost and effort.

Powered by ESG Book’s disclosure platform, which leverages cloud and AI technology, LEO is a secure, framework-neutral solution that helps corporates and financial institutions customise disclosure and data sourcing practices to meet regional regulations, industry standards, and stakeholder expectations.

Its modular reporting template, designed to be interoperable with global standards including those from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), adapts to the diverse needs of companies – from SMEs to large enterprises across industries and regions. Smart pre-fill capabilities, which allow for publicly disclosed data to be pre-filled into the template, ease the reporting burden with access to over 200,000 disclosures.

Leading financial institutions including ING, Lloyds, and NatWest are adopting or piloting LEO to ease client reporting burdens, increase efficiency of data sourcing, strengthen resilience, and drive capacity building.

ESG Book LEO enables corporates to:

• Manage disclosure requests and easily map data across multiple frameworks and stakeholders.
• Reduce the reporting burden using pre-filled data.
• Manage data and control access in one place, saving time and money.
• Securely share data publicly or privately with multiple counterparties, with no need for lengthy questionnaires.

While supporting financial institutions to:

• Automate and standardise data collection from clients and vendors, increasing efficiency and lowering costs.
• Facilitate compliance preparation for key regulations including EBA Pillar 3 and Basel III requirements.
• Enhance and streamline data access to support critical use cases including risk management and opportunity creation.  
• Improve data response rates from suppliers, enhancing engagement for use cases including supply chain resilience.

Justin Fitzpatrick, CEO of ESG Book, said: “As regulatory requirements evolve, managing risks and leveraging sustainability as an economic driver remains crucial for corporates and financial institutions. LEO cuts through complexity, simplifies reporting, and helps businesses focus on what matters – using data to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and create long-term value. Through our partnership with BCG and in collaboration with Google Cloud, we’re making data sharing smarter, faster, and more cost-effective.”

Roy Choudhury, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG, said: “As the demand for reliable and comparable climate-related information continues to grow, a standardised data request and reporting template is essential. Our collaboration on the LEO platform leverages BCG’s intellectual property and sustainability expertise to foster an innovative response to this challenge. The platform provides a common framework that helps companies respond more efficiently, making decision-useful information easier to access and interpret. This is especially valuable when requesting data from privately held companies, where these disclosures are often limited. BCG is proud to have led the harmonisation of data requirements across the industry for the LEO platform.”

“Businesses need to focus on driving sustainable growth, efficiency, and resilience rather than being burdened with complex reporting and disclosure requirements,” said Justin Keeble, Managing Director of Global Sustainability for Google Cloud. “Cloud and AI are at the heart of LEO and help to make reporting easier and more efficient, allowing companies to focus on delivering performance.”

Caroline Haas, Head of Sustainable Finance Advisory, NatWest, said: “We’re proud to have helped support the launch of the LEO platform, which aims to provide more efficient tracking of sustainability disclosure. Our business customers are often searching for tools to help them capture their sustainability performance with the aim to help their value chain with regulatory reporting and risk management. This launch shows progress as the LEO platform aims to assist them do this more efficiently. Businesses are prioritising growth and value creation, while facing multiple external requests to provide their sustainability credentials and progress, so having the LEO platform as an option means help is potentially at hand to provide more efficient sustainability reporting.” 

Cristina Gil White, Chief Engagement Officer at GRI, said: “We’re pleased to support the launch of the LEO platform. As a licensed GRI software partner, ESG Book’s practical digital reporting tools help organisations to effectively apply GRI’s globally leading standards for sustainability impacts. Providing a clear and structured set of metrics, LEO supports companies in navigating the GRI Standards alongside other frameworks – an approach that aligns with our aims to enable streamlined yet comprehensive sustainability reporting.” 

“More than 30 jurisdictions representing approximately 60 percent of global GDP are progressing towards introducing ISSB Standards in their regulatory frameworks,” said Andrew Brenner, Director of Client Integration, IFRS. “In order to facilitate corporate disclosure in this new regulatory environment, it’s imperative that various services and tools integrate ISSB Standards. As such, we welcome the development of the LEO platform, which aims to support the disclosure process.”

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SOURCE ESG Book

• The awards, organised in collaboration with B Lab Spain and GSMA Foundry, recognise technological projects with a sustainable vision
• The 17 finalists, selected among 157 candidates, will gather on the 12^th of June in Barcelona to discover the winners of this first edition of the MWCapital Awards

BARCELONA, Spain, April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCapital), in collaboration with B Lab Spain and GSMA Foundry, has announced the 17 finalist projects for the first edition of the ‘MWCapital Awards: Technologies for a Sustainable Future’. This new awards programme recognises the most innovative projects that leverage technology to drive the transition towards a more sustainable and inclusive future. Aligned with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the initiative celebrates creativity, innovation, and tangible impact – supporting a responsible and global digital transformation. The winners will be revealed during a dedicated ceremony on 12 June at Torre Glòries, Barcelona.

The call for entries, which closed in March, attracted 157 applications from 34 countries, reflecting strong global interest in technology solutions with social and environmental impact. The finalists, from 11 countries, represent a wide range of actors including startups, corporations, public institutions, non-profit organisations, and research or academic bodies.

From advancing energy sustainability to protecting biodiversity, early disease detection, and combating misinformation, the finalist projects reflect a strong commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. By leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data, nanotechnology, and the Internet of Things, these solutions demonstrate the power of digital transformation in building a more resilient and equitable world.

• AI for Selective Fishing (Spain) – Satlink’s an AI-enhanced device that enables sustainable fishing by differentiating tuna species under Fish Aggregating Devices. (SDG 14 – Life Below Water)
• BraiN20® (Spain) – Time is Brain S.L. is a real-time brain monitoring device revolutionizes stroke care with continuous functional data. (SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being)
• Data-Driven City for Citizens (Finland) – Tampere’s smart city initiative integrates AI and digital twins to enhance urban sustainability and citizen participation. (SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities)
• Embrace the Forest (Brazil) – Umgrauemeio’s wildfire management software, Pantera, leverages AI for prevention, detection, and impact analysis to mitigate CO2 emissions. (SDG 13 – Climate Action)
• Gov.pt – Portuguese Digital Wallet (Portugal) – It is a national app that digitizes official documents and streamlines access to public services. (SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions)
• H2SAREA (Spain) – Nortegas’ project integrates green hydrogen into natural gas networks, contributing to decarbonization and climate neutrality. (SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
• Julieta (Colombia) – Developed by Salva Health S.A.S, this AI-powered, portable device enables early disease detection without radiation or specialized personnel, making healthcare more accessible in underserved regions. (SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being)
• Kyiv Digital (Ukraine) – The Kyiv City Council’s smart city app enhances urban services and citizen safety. (SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities)
• Luchando contra la desinformación (Spain) – Universidad Politécnica de Madrid offers an AI-powered tool that combats misinformation, supporting journalists, fact-checkers, and public institutions. (SDG 4 – Quality Education)
• Natura 2000 Passport (Portugal) – Palombar’s initiative raises awareness about biodiversity preservation within the Natura 2000 network. (SDG 15 – Life on Land)
• Nut4Health (Mauritania) – SIC4Change’s blockchain-driven initiative fights malnutrition, supporting thousands of vulnerable families and aiming for global expansion. (SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being)
• PDApp (Spain) – Fundació Espigoladors’ digital platform streamlines agri-food surplus management, reducing food waste and supporting circular economy principles. (SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production)
• Saving Norway’s Endangered Atlantic Salmon (Norway) – Huawei’s AI-powered system sorts invasive species from rivers to protect the Atlantic salmon population. (SDG 14 – Life Below Water)
• SIMPaCT (Australia) – Western Sydney University’s IoT-driven smart irrigation system optimizes urban cooling and water efficiency. (SDG 13 – Climate Action)
• Tecnología con Propósito (Spain) – Samsung Electronics Iberia’s AI-driven accessibility initiatives support individuals with ALS, ASD, and speech disorders. (SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities)
• Victoria, Vaso Linfático Artificial (Mexico) – Universidad Panamericana’s nanotechnology-based implant addresses secondary lymphedema in breast cancer patients. (SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being)
• Xworks AI (United Kingdom) – Uses AI to transform waste into valuable secondary raw materials, advancing circular economy goals. (SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production)

MWCapital Awards Jury and Evaluation Process

During the next phase a jury of national and international experts in sustainability, technology, and social innovation will evaluate the 17 shortlisted projects to select one winner per category, plus the Barcelona Horizon Award.

Among the experts participating in this first edition are John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd.; Irene Kaggwa, Director General of the Uganda Communications Commission and representative of ITU’s GIGA initiative; Antonio Torralba, professor at MIT; and Xavier Sala i Martin, Professor at Columbia University.

The panel also includes Lucas Hunter, Interim Executive Director at B Lab Spain; Carlos Mataix, Director of the Innovation and Technology for Development Centre at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid; Pilar Roch, General Director of AMETIC and Xavi Pont Martin, co-founder of Ship2B, among others. Public administrations and the foundation’s founding partners will also take part in the evaluation panel.

This diverse and multidisciplinary group ensures a robust evaluation process, considering the innovation, scalability, and potential for real-world impact of each project. The six winners will be selected based on their ability to leverage technology to address social and environmental challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Among the six selected winners, one project will be awarded up to €50,000 to pilot its solution in Barcelona, based on its potential for local impact in the city.

A platform for global visibility and collaboration

The MWCapital Awards ceremony will take place on 12 June 2025 in Torre Glòries, Barcelona. During the event, the six winning projects will be announced, recognised for their level of innovation and their ability to drive positive change through technology.

Winners will have the opportunity to present their solutions at MWC26 Barcelona, gaining international visibility and access to strategic partnerships, funding, and collaboration opportunities. Additionally, the special prize “Barcelona Horizon Award” highlights the tangible impact of the MWCapital Awards within the city, where the winning project will implement the pilot. With this initiative, MWCapital aims to inspire a global movement around responsible innovation and strengthen Barcelona’s role as a hub for technology with impact.

About Mobile World Capital Barcelona

Mobile World Capital Barcelona is a public-private foundation that promotes the digital development of society to build a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future through the humanistic use of technology. MWCapital contributes to positioning Barcelona as a global benchmark in the digital field and to consolidating MWC’s legacy throughout the year, promoting initiatives in the field of technology transfer, the promotion of digital talent, and the development of innovative technological projects with social impact. MWCapital hosts MWC in Barcelona, is the founder of 4YFN and connects the international community of developers with the Talent Arena Project.

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SOURCE Mobile World Capital Barcelona