CHENNAI PLUS

Godrej DEI Lab, which focuses on diversity and inclusion, and the law firm Khaitan & Co held an event to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities. They launched the second edition of the Handbook on Rights of Persons with Disabilities during their Disability Inclusion Summit in Mumbai. This handbook acts as a useful resource for understanding the development of disability rights in India. Parmesh Shahani, the head of Godrej DEI Lab, emphasized the importance of this event in promoting workplace inclusion. He mentioned that by collaborating with various stakeholders, they aim to create a more fair workplace in India and believes the handbook will help organizations shift from just following legal requirements to truly committing to including persons with disabilities (PwD). Aakash Choubey from Khaitan & Co highlighted that creating an inclusive workplace is not just a legal duty, but a necessity for organizations. He suggested that effective strategie...

Shree Cement, a leading cement company in India, has received the CII Performance Excellence Awards 2024 for its innovative work in renewable energy at its Solar, Wind, and Hybrid Plants. This recognition was given at the Green Power Conference in Chennai, where Shree Cement was honored for three key projects: a 20 MWp Solar Plant in Beawar, Rajasthan; a 31. 5 MW Wind Plant in Kushtagi, Karnataka; and a 10. 5 MW Wind Plant in Jath, Maharashtra. These projects highlight the company's dedication to sustainable energy and innovation. Neeraj Akhoury, the Managing Director, expressed pride in the achievement, stating that the awards reflect the company's commitment to integrating sustainability into its operations. He emphasized the importance of renewable energy moving forward, as it contributes to building a better future. The awards were presented by notable figures, including government officials and leaders from the renewable energy sector. Shree Cement has a power portfoli...

Aviva India has announced its financial results for the first half of FY25, showcasing steady progress across key metrics. Building on its robust FY24 performance of ₹90 crore in profit, the company is on track to surpass this benchmark, driven by strategic initiatives, customer-centric innovations, and operational efficiencies that continue to bolster its market position and financial health. The Assets Under Management (AUM) grew by 13% to ₹14,636 crore in H1 FY25, reflecting prudent fund management and growing investor trust. Additionally, sales quality saw a notable improvement, with “complaints per 10K policies” reducing from 10.3 in H1 FY24 to 8.8 in H1 FY25, underscoring Aviva India’s commitment to enhancing customer experience. The Gross Written Premium (GWP) for H1 FY25 stood at ₹548 crore, reflecting flat growth compared to ₹546 crore in H1 FY24, while operational efficiency significantly improved. The Opex-to-GWP ratio declined to 27% from 30% last year, demonstrating a...

Amazon India announced the expansion of its Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) offerings, enhancing automation capabilities and payment options for sellers and Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands. This expansion includes two key features: an Integrations API suite and a Pay-on-Delivery (POD) payment option. Following a successful pilot earlier in 2024, these services are now available to businesses of all sizes, across India. Launched at Amazon Smbhav 2023, MCF enables D2C brands and small businesses to use Amazon's fulfillment network for orders from various sales channels, including their own websites. This service simplifies order processing, tracking, and shipping from a single inventory pool, eliminating the need for separate warehouses or logistics partners. It allows entrepreneurs to focus on core business activities while Amazon manages fulfillment. Today, more than 1000 entrepreneurs and D2C brands including Himalayan Organics, DermaTouch, Satthwa and others are using MCF service...