Saudi Arabia’s stc Group Wins Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Award

stc Group logo
stc Group logo
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Saudi Arabia’s stc Group Wins Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Award

stc Group logo
stc Group logo

stc Group, the Saudi enabler of digital transformation, has won the Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Award in recognition of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable practices in four areas related to climate, society, digitalization and the future of work.
The award was received by stc Group Vice President of Corporate Relations Mohammed bin Rashid Abaalkheil on the sidelines of the Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Summit 2023, which was held in Abu-Dhabi on November 2-3.
The award represents a testimony to stc Group’s commitment to sustainable business practices, which are being applied within the group’s various divisions. The group’s initiatives have had a positive impact on the environment and the communities within which it operates, from reducing carbon emissions to environmental awareness campaigns, as stc Group considers sustainability fundamental in dealing with the environment and a vital necessity for doing business.
The group pledges its commitment to shaping a sustainable future for its customers, employees, and the communities to which it provides its services, it said in a statement.
The sustainability efforts made by the group have received recognition from other organizations as well, such as the United Nations Global Compact and the Carbon Disclosure Project. The group’s sustainability strategy aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and focuses on three main areas: environmental responsibility, social investment and governance, it said.
The statement added that stc Group is committed to sustainability and carries out practices that help the environment, cementing its position as a leader in sustainable business practices. By reducing the carbon footprint and implementing sustainable practices, the group is having a positive impact and making the world healthier and more prosperous for future generations.
stc Group has a number of achievements in many aspects of sustainability, including providing 4,348 hours of sustainability training to employees, relying 38,21% on local content, involving 213 small and medium enterprises in procurement processes, and awarding contracts to giant projects that use local content worth SAR 5billion, as well as providing more than 127,000 hours of training through stc Academy.
The group, through the InspireU accelerator, adopted about 100 startup companies and provided them with support at a value of up to SAR10 billion, has 52% women in the advanced analytics department, employs 43 different nationalities in the work team, and contributed to the technical empowerment of 324 non-governmental organizations through the technical empowerment program, which provides services to more than 10,000 users in 64 cities.



Report: Apple Considering Raising iPhone Prices

People visit an Apple store promoting its iPhone 16 at an outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP)
People visit an Apple store promoting its iPhone 16 at an outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP)
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Report: Apple Considering Raising iPhone Prices

People visit an Apple store promoting its iPhone 16 at an outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP)
People visit an Apple store promoting its iPhone 16 at an outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP)

Apple is weighing price hikes for its upcoming fall iPhone lineup, but is keen to avoid linking any increases to US tariffs on imports from China, where most of its devices are assembled, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

The technology giant's shares were up 7% in premarket trading, tracking gains in the wider market after Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily slash the reciprocal tariffs on Monday. But Chinese imports will still be subject to a 30% levy in the US.

Apple is among the most prominent firms caught in US-China trade tensions, which intensified in recent months after a series of tariffs initiated by President Donald Trump.

The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the WSJ report, which cited people familiar with the matter.

Raising prices could help Apple cushion higher costs stemming from the tariffs that have hampered global supply chains and forced the company to shift more production to India.

Apple said earlier this month that tariffs were expected to add about $900 million in costs during the April-June quarter and that it would source a majority of the iPhones sold in the US in the period from India.

Analysts have for months speculated about a price increase from Apple, but warned that such a move could cost it market share, especially as rivals such as Samsung try to attract consumers with AI features that Apple has been slow to roll out.

The cheapest iPhone 16 model was launched in the US with a sticker price of $799, but could cost as much as $1,142 due to tariffs, per projections last month from Rosenblatt Securities, which say the cost could rise by 43%.

The WSJ report said Apple was planning on coupling the price hikes with new features and design changes including an ultrathin design, which could help justify the increases.