(9 March 2016 – Hong Kong) New World Department Store China Limited (“NWDS” or the “Company”; Hong Kong stock code: 825), one of the largest owners and operators of department stores in Mainland China, will participate in the “Earth Hour” lights-off campaign for the seventh consecutive year, to call for public support in conserving the Earth's resources. NWDS stores and offices will turn off non-essential lights for an hour from 8:30pm on 19 March while some stores will hold the “Unplugged Concerts” to spread green messages by the power of music. The Company will also organize a retweeting activity called “NWDS・Second Unplugged Concerts” on NWDS CSR Weibo, to fully promote green messages online and offline .

NWDS has continually supported the “Earth Hour” lights-off campaign to show its attention to climate change since 2010, and has organized the “Unplugged Concerts” for two consecutive years coupled with word of mouth. This year, Beijing New World Liying Department Store, Hong Kong New World Department Store – Shanghai Shaanxi Road Department Store and Xi’an New World Department Store will invite musical bands to perform delightful green music with live singing and unplugged instruments.

NWDS will hold the “NWDS・Second Unplugged Concerts” retweeting activity on NWDS CSR Weibo from 11 March to 19 March. Online users will gain an opportunity to win exquisite prizes, including Sony DSC-KW1 auto-retouching digital camera for selfies. The Company will also launch the “NWDS・Selfie for Unplugged Concerts” uploading activity on NWDS CSR Weibo from the evening of the “Earth Hour” lights-off campaign to 21-March noon, so as to invite concert audiences to upload concert photos hashtagged with “NWDS・Selfie for Unplugged Concerts” to their personal Weibo page to jointly spread green messages.

Founded by the World Wide Fund for Nature in 2007, the “Earth Hour” lights-off campaign encourages organizations and the public to reduce energy consumption and spread low-carbon and energy-saving concepts by turning off non-essential lights for one hour. In response to the hazardous haze, the theme for this year’s lights-off campaign in China is “Consume Less, Enjoy More”, which encourages the public to take actions such as reducing the use of coal and other fossil fuels to improve air quality.

Ms. Violet Chan, Assistant General Manager of Corporate Affairs and Chairman of Sustainability Steering Committee of NWDS, said, “In recent years, environmental issues such as haze and global warming have seriously affected people's daily life. Environmental protection is imperative. To propagate messages about low-carbon lifestyle to our customers and the public, NWDS will support the ‘Earth Hour’ lights-off campaign for seven consecutive years, and organize the ‘Unplugged Concerts’ at some stores. We are more than happy to invite our customers to count down for the lights-off campaign and join the concert at our stores, and to take baby steps towards the Earth’s resource preservation concretely.