Panasonic Holdings Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the Panasonic Group) has received the "Social Empowerment" award at the "Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) 2026" for its corporate citizenship activity "LIGHT UP THE FUTURE," which donates solar lanterns made by the Panasonic Group to areas without electricity. The awards ceremony was held on June 26, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where representatives of the Panasonic Group received the award. This award recognizes the efforts of companies that contribute to solving social issues and realizing a sustainable society, with the aim of promoting responsible corporate management in the Asian region. "LIGHT UP THE FUTURE" was recognized for delivering solar lanterns to people living in areas without electricity, as well as creating opportunities for education, health, and income improvement, thereby contributing to the revitalization of local communities. The judging panel highly praised the initiative for being meticulously planned and executed based on a clear strategy, and for bringing direct impact to the beneficiaries. "This is a highly significant initiative that expands the possibilities for education, health, safety, and living in areas without electricity through 'light,' which is the origin of the Panasonic Group. It is an excellent example of corporate citizenship where the company's core business technology is naturally linked to solving social issues, and we highly value that this has continued for 13 years and spread to 36 countries worldwide. We hope that this award will further increase the recognition of the significance of this initiative," commented Naoki Adachi, Representative Director of Response Ability Co., Ltd., and an AREA 2026 judge. ■ Project Background Since 2013, the Panasonic Group has been engaged in activities to deliver "light" to "areas without electricity" where people cannot escape poverty due to the lack of light and electricity. To date, in collaboration with appro