14 Mar 2014

Panasonic starts paying pollution premium

12:59 pm on 14 March 2014

The Japanese electronics giant Panasonic has starting paying its expatriate staff posted to Beijing a pollution premium.

The payment is only for expatriate staff relocated to China - not for the thousands of local Chinese people Panasonic employs, the BBC reports.

Particle readings on pollution monitors in Beijing soared in February to 15 times the daily maximum recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Pansonic's move coincides with an ambitious economic reform plan just announced by the Chinese government, the main message of which is lean, clean growth - with tackling pollution a key priority.