Globally The Race To Digital Adoption Picks Up During FY 20-21

Cashfree Payments sees over 150% increase in active merchants in last 12 months

●        Total active/transacting merchants grew by more than 150% between June 2021 and June 2020

●        Growth is primarily led by the e-commerce sector, followed by digital goods and ed-tech sector

●        Tier 2-Tier 3 India contribute increasingly to overall growth base

Leading digital payments and banking technology company Cashfree, announced that it has recorded a rise of 150 per cent in active/transacting merchants from July 2020 to July 2021 highlighting a gradual and systematic increment in digital adoption among merchants.  In the same period, the number of merchant sign-ups has grown from  around 70000 in July 2020 to more than 130000 in July 2021, recording a 95 per cent growth. Interestingly, almost 30 per cent of the overall merchant sign-ups have been from the e-commerce sector, followed closely by the digital goods and the ed-tech sector. Cashfree provides full-stack payments solutions enabling businesses in India to collect payments and make payouts via all available methods with a simple integration.

In the last one year, the pandemic situation has led to an all-time high digital adoption rate for both consumers and businesses. A key contributor to this growth has been the increased  adoption of digital payments among merchants during the pandemic, particularly during the second wave, leading to stringent lockdown measures and social distancing norms. This has propelled the need to cut down on physical modes of payments and adopt digital options. This is particularly evident in Tier 2-Tier 3 India, where the ease of digital payment options, combined with the need to comply with social-distancing norms has  seen the emergence of new geographies contributing to the overall consumer base growth.

Akash Sinha, CEO and Co-Founder, Cashfree said, “The pandemic has led businesses to rethink their entire payment management processes. At Cashfree, we’re using innovations and predictive analysis for precise credit assessment and customized solutions to build a suite of products that can be customised to meet the glocal needs of Indian merchants. One of the earliest adopters have been merchants from the e-commerce sector. They contribute to almost 26% of our overall merchant sign-up base, followed by digital goods and the ed-tech sector. It has also helped to open up our services to deeper India in places such as Indore, Jaipur, Lucknow among others. From bank account verification API and Auto Collect -- a virtual account solution to match inbound payments to customers, Cashfree is constantly trying to ensure that businesses in India have access to technologies that serve their needs.”

At present, Cashfree’s client list  includes leading names like  Cred, BigBasket, Zomato, HDFC Ergo, Ixigo, Acko, Zoomcar, and Delhivery among others.

Cashfree has been expanding rapidly over the past few months. Recently, India’s largest lender, SBI invested in Cashfree underscoring the company’s role in building a robust payments ecosystem. Further delivering on its commitment, Cashfree caters to the difficulties faced by young as well as traditional businesses. Through its partnerships, the company has launched several personalized products and solutions for specific business use cases to elevate end-user experiences. With over 50% market share among payment processors, Cashfree today leads the way in bulk disbursals in India with Cashfree Payouts.

Cashfree is also amongst the leading payment service providers in India and processes transactions worth USD 20 billion annually. Apart from India, Cashfree’s products are used in eight other foreign countries like the USA, Canada and the UAE.

Atos Successfully Delivered Critical IT For Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

* Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was the most digitally connected Olympic Games in history

Atos, the Worldwide IT Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, today announced it has run and orchestrated the key digital IT systems that helped to safely and securely deliver the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and enabled billions of fans around the world to follow the competitions in these unprecedented times.

Atos’ broad scope of responsibility in the Olympic Games included everything from program and operations management and the development and hosting of critical applications, to digital integration. Working side-by-side with the IOC (International Olympic Committee), Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and other technology partners, Atos ensured the effective digital delivery of the event.

Reducing the environmental impact of the Olympic Games

The fast-evolving secure, decarbonized, digital technology landscape brings innovation, in each edition of the Olympic Games and Tokyo 2020 was an exciting next step in the digital transformation of the Olympic Games. In line with its own groundbreaking commitments towards decarbonization and Net Zero, Atos is actively participating in global efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the Olympic Games – fully migrating all systems to the cloud, supporting key technology testing and rehearsal remotely and scaling down the number of physical servers needed for previous Olympic Games. This new delivery model enabled to reduce energy consumption, heat emanation, reduce the amount and number of resource intensive hardware infrastructures, as well as limiting the number of employees travelling to the host city. Atos will be reusing the same technologies for the Paralympic Games.

“In these unprecedented times, the support and confidence of our Worldwide Partners is now more important than ever. We are pleased to be working with Atos, our trusted guide in a period of great digital transformation, to provide the digital backbone and key digital platforms we rely on to run the Olympic Games. We are delighted to be able to keep counting on Atos to support the Olympic Movement and to help bring the Olympic values to billions of people across the globe.” said Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Tokyo 2020 in numbers

* All critical applications were hosted 100% in the Atos cloud

* 400,000 accreditations issued (up to 30% since Rio 2016) – which also served as a secure official border entry document into Japan

* 41,724 volunteers accepted through the volunteer portal

* 339 events in the Olympic Program with near-instant transmission of results to fans, journalists and broadcasters

* Billions of viewers

* 200,000 hours of technical testing during the preparations – including Olympic Games-first virtual methods to complete technology rehearsals

* Physical servers have been reduced by nearly 50% compared to previous editions – operating from 250 servers in Rio 2016 to just over 130 in Tokyo 2020

* Record breaking traffic for Olympic digital platforms (+50% users compared to Rio 2016)

* 6.5 M users of the official Olympic website during the first days of the Olympic Games

“Members of the Atos team are champions behind the scenes, and I am extremely proud of their hard work and dedication,” said Elie Girard, Atos CEO. “We brought our trusted digital expertise and 30-year experience to ensure the successful delivery of the Olympic Games. By quickly adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Atos family has shown flexibility and has leveraged its digital security expertise to enable fans and all stakeholders worldwide to keep track of their favorite athletes – which is a fantastic achievement, as these Olympic Games were the most connected in history.”

Atos provided critical digital solutions to Tokyo 2020, including Games Management Systems supporting the planning and operations of the Olympic Games and Information Diffusion Systems delivering real-time results to the media and the Olympic family. Atos also secured the entire IT infrastructure, leveraging its expertise in digital cybersecurity and as number #2 managed services provider worldwide. Its centralized and cloud-based security services included a Security Operations Center (SOC), a Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), endpoint detection & response and vulnerability assessment services.

As part of the digital innovations of the Tokyo 2020, Atos also implemented edge computing technology allowing reduced processing time and developed the most innovative Advanced Access Control Sy­stem in history, which integrates facial recognition.

Looking forward to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Beijing 2022 and Paris 2024.

After an extraordinary Olympic Games, Atos will look to accomplish the same feat for the truly exciting Paralympic Games, starting August 24, supporting the same spectrum of digital technologies covering 540 events from 22 different sports.

As the secure, decarbonized digital technology landscape evolves Atos teams are eager to bring their innovation commitment and passion for the successful organization of the next editions and will be supporting the IOC for the Beijing 2022 and  Olympic Games Paris 2024 https://atos.net/en/olympic-games.

Vi Integrates Vi Movies And Television All In Vi New App

* Now Stream Your favourite Content on Vi App

Vi, India’s leading telecom operator, today announced a significant capacity addition by integrating ‘Vi Movies & TV App’ into the ‘Vi App’, which now allows customers to stream their favourite content seamlessly. Offering a simplified and new user experience, Vi App will now double up as an OTT app offering a rich repertoire of content, in addition to the wide range of products & services available. 

Vi subscribers can now access robust content on Vi App from: 

·         450+ Live TV channels including the likes of Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Colors HD, Colors Infinity, Discovery, MTV, History TV, SunTV, Zee Bangla, Animal Planet, Nick & many more

·         Live News on channels like Aaj Tak, India TV, CNBC Awaaz, Republic TV, ABP News, NDTV 24x7, CNN News & many more

·         Premium content from OTT apps like Voot Select, Discovery, Lionsgate Play, SunNxt and Shemaroo Me

The integrated experience is now live for Android users and will soon be available for iOS users. You can download the App via: https://myvi.in/VI_MTV  

About Vi:

Vodafone Idea Limited is an Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group partnership. It is India’s leading telecom service provider. The Company provides pan India Voice and Data services across 4G, 3G and 2G platform. With the large spectrum portfolio to support the growing demand for data and voice, the company is committed to deliver delightful customer experiences and contribute towards creating a truly ‘Digital India’ by enabling millions of citizens to connect and build a better tomorrow. The Company is developing infrastructure to introduce newer and smarter technologies, making both retail and enterprise customers future ready with innovative offerings, conveniently accessible through an ecosystem of digital channels as well as extensive on-ground presence. The Company is listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India. 

Tetra Pak’s Sustainability Report Shows Strong Actions To Meet Net Zero Ambition

 

* Accelerated development of the world’s most sustainable food package with €100 million investment per annum

Tetra Pak, a world leading food processing and packaging solutions company released the 2021 Sustainability Report, celebrating the many ways the company has worked to protect food, people, and the planet in the past year. An annual tradition since 1999, this year's report is especially poignant during a global pandemic, while the world's focus on planet and the environment is being challenged.  

Here are some highlights from the global operations in 2020:

·         Continued to ensure food safety and help customers maintain uninterrupted food supplies during the COVID-19 crisis; In 2020 alone, over 77 billion litres of products have been sold in Tetra Pak packages.

·         Worked in partnerships to ensure 64 million children in 45 countries received milk or other nutritious beverages in Tetra Pak packages in their schools, despite the pandemic

·         Achieved our 2020 climate goal, decoupling economic growth from GHG emissions across the full value chain, scope 1, 2, 3 (-19% versus 2010). Achieved an outstanding –70% GHG reduction in our own operations from 2010 to 2020, scope 1 and 2.

·         Announced a net zero climate goal and SBTi approved science-based targets across all scopes 1, 2 & 3

·         Technical validation with limited commercial launch of first aseptic package with non-foil barrier.

·         Launched breakthrough low-energy equipment line for processing juices and still drinks

·         Led and implemented a wide range of activities across the recycling value chain in markets around the world, contributing to increased global carton package recycling rate of 27%.

·         Became the only company in the carton packaging sector to be included in CDP’s leadership band for environmental transparency and action for five years in a row and to score an outstanding double “A” for climate and forests

·         Extended the use of renewable electricity across our factories to 83% in 2020, up from 69% in 2019, surpassing our target of 80%.

In addition, here are some highlights of Tetra Pak's initiatives in India in 2020:

·         Continued to ensure uninterrupted support to our customers and the nation during the lock-down period owing to COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1.8 billion litres of products have been supplied to brands across India in 2020 alone.

·         Deployed over INR 5 crores towards COVID-19 relief efforts in India

·         Worked closely with customers to help optimise their operations and equipment to help reduce water, energy and product waste

·         Installed solar panels with a capacity of 3000 kW, at our manufacturing site at Chakan (Maharashtra) - a step towards reaching our 100% renewable electricity target

·         Doubled the capacity of our Certified Renovation Center that refurbishes packaging & processing equipment by reusing 80% of the material, while extending the life of the equipment by another 60%, significantly reducing the CO2 impact

·         Tetra Pak’s Collection & Recycling Network expanded to cover 26 states and Union Territories, over 45 cities & 15 Army cantonments, supported by 4 recyclers across India

o   4 new collection partners added in 4 cities - Earth Recycler in Chennai, FINISH Society in Udaipur, The Kabadiwala in Bhopal and Waste Warriors in Dehradun

o   A new used carton package collection facility set up in partnership with the Indian Army at Joshimath, Uttarakhand

o   Also, the first ever carton package recycling facility was set up in Sri Lanka, in partnership with EcoMaximus

·         Reached a recycling rate of over 40% in India owing to Tetra Pak’s own efforts as well as the efforts of the industry through Action Alliance for Recycling beverage Cartons (AARC)

o   AARC now includes 15 member companies including leading F&B brands and carton manufacturers

·         Successfully completed 11 years of Go Green with Tetra Pak (consumer awareness program in Mumbai), collecting over 80 lakh carton packages over the years. The program was expanded further to Chennai with 18 consumer drop-off points set up across the city.

·         Successfully concluded Phase 1 (2017-2019) and kicked-off Phase 2 of Alag Karo – Har Din Teen Bin, a waste segregation program run in partnership with Coca Cola India, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, implemented by Saahas.

The full report including highlights & cases from India can be viewed here: https://www.tetrapak.com/en-in/sustainability/sustainability-updates

As a world-leading food processing and packaging solutions company, Tetra Pak recognizes that future success depends on the company’s ability to provide safe and environmentally sound products to consumers and commits to being socially responsible in the way that it operates across the value chain. The company has long taken a value chain approach because it recognizes that it can only create a more sustainable future by addressing the interconnected nature of the environmental, social and economic challenges. Tetra Pak uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to help prioritise sustainability efforts. The company’s Strategy 2030, which will guide the team over the next decade, has “Lead the sustainability transformation” as one of its central pillars comprising of two goals: “Lead with low-carbon circular economy solutions” and “Enhance sustainability across the value chain”. This is well reflected in the actions taken in 2020, and the plans laid out for the next decade.

About Tetra Pak:

Tetra Pak is a world leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries. With over 25,000 employees around the world, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business.

SIDBI Provides First Approval To Government Of Tamil Nadu Under SIDBI Cluster Development Fund

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), the principal financial institution engaged in the promotion, financing and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has provided the first approval under SIDBI Cluster Development Fund (SCDF) to Government of Tamil Nadu in a special event held at the Tamil Nadu Assembly today.

The in-principle approval letter was handed over by Shri Sivasubramanian Ramann, IA&AS, Chairman and Managing Director, SIDBI in the presence of Shri M. K. Stalin, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Minister for Finance, Shri Thangam Thennarasu, Minister for Industries, Shri T. M. Anbarasan, Minister for Rural Industries, Shri V. Irai Anbu, IAS, Chief Secretary, Shri S. Krishnan, IAS, Finance Secretary, Shri N. Muruganandam, IAS, Principal Secretary - Industries, Shri V. Arun Roy, IAS, MSME Secretary, Smt. Chitra K. Alai, Chief General Manager, SIDBI and Dr. R. K. Singh, Chief General Manager, SIDBI.

The project specific moderately priced loan assistance under SCDF will be extended by SIDBI to State Government for upgrading various existing MSME clusters and for developing new industrial infrastructural facilities in the State of Tamil Nadu.

Shri Sivasubramanian Ramann, IA&AS, Chairman and Managing Director of SIDBI said, “The thrust shall be laid on clusters in sectors/subsectors which can directly benefit the MSMEs in the state and to bring them to a level ‘NEXT’ wherein they emerge vibrant, higher on the value chain and become sustainable. SIDBI shall complement these with its customized direct lending products being channelized in the supported clusters, setting an example for other institutions to adopt and replicate. On need basis SIDBI shall also examine supporting the soft infrastructure issues in select clusters relating to technology, skilling/upskilling, energy efficiency, market and credit connect. A pilot has been launched in Ambattur leather cluster.”

The expert committee on MSMEs headed by Shri U.K. Sinha has recommended a more focused engagement of SIDBI with State Governments for MSME development and promotion including use of Priority Sector Shortfall (PSS) funds to create a low-cost lending window for State Governments for infrastructure projects in clusters.  Accordingly, SIDBI has set up Project Management Units (PMUs) in 11 states namely, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu., The PMUs in co-ordination with SIDBI and State Governments has given policy/scheme inputs on Innovation Voucher Programme scheme, New Entrepreneur cum Enterprise Development Scheme, undertaken rapid profiling of migrant labors options for entrepreneurship in PMU States etc.

SCDF has been setup with support of RBI to support the hard infrastructure facilities in clusters pan India. The fund is envisaged to support setting up, upgrading and renovation of MSME infrastructure in areas other than agriculture.  The major sectors include industrial and agri-allied sectors in the MSME eco-space, social sector projects in and around MSME clusters and connectivity to MSME Clusters.

Tata Motors Honors Olympians Who Narrowly Missed The Podium Finish But Inspired Billions

* Presents them with the Altroz, #TheGoldStandard of hatchbacks

Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive brand today handed over the keys of Altroz - the gold standard of hatchbacks to the Indian athletes who narrowly missed the bronze medal in the recently held Tokyo Olympics. They may not have won a medal but have won hearts of millions and inspired billions through their commendable performances. To recognize and congratulate them, Tata Motors honored 24 Olympians across categories such as Hockey, Wrestling, Golf, Boxing and Discuss throw. An Altroz will be handed over to each athlete, in the High Street Gold colour to mark his or her gold standard efforts.

According to Mr. Shailesh Chandra, President, Passenger Vehicle Business, Tata Motors, “We are extremely proud of our athletes for the sheer commitment and the indomitable spirit they showed at the recently held Tokyo Olympics and it is my honour to share the same platform with them today. Resonating their spirit and acknowledging their hard work, we are ecstatic to present to them the Tata Altroz, the gold standard in premium hatchbacks. As they continue to inspire each one of us, we wish them all the very best for their future and are confident that in years to come, they will bring to our country success galore.

ALTROZ has been receiving a lot of love and appreciation from the audience and is reaching new heights of success. Altroz comes with a futuristic design, 5 Star Global NCAP safety and a host of premium features such as touchscreen infotainment, leatherette seats, iRA connected car technology, Automatic headlamps, Rear AC vents and many more.

De Beers Forevermark Presents Its 10th Annual India Forum

De Beers, the world’s leading diamond company has made several exciting and significant announcements at its 10th annual forum held over the last three days. The announcements include – the De Beers Forevermark rebrand, the launch of the Forevermark Avaanti collection, the new Code of Origin programme and new partnership with National Geographic. Hosting a hybrid virtual and in person event, the diamond brand reached out to over 8 lakhs partners, diamantaires, manufacturers and patrons.

This year’s theme,‘Make Life Brilliant’ reflects De Beers’ purpose and belief that its diamonds have the power to Make Life Brilliant for its customers, communities and the planet, from its commitment to Building Forever and its bold and ambitious 2030 sustainability goals to its timeless jewellery designs.

During the event, De Beers announced that Forevermark™ will be renamed De Beers Forevermark. The name change, is part of De Beers’ wider brand transformation, focused on connecting consumers to the significant social, environmental and responsible sourcing benefits the company creates for the people and places where it discovers diamonds, will create a closer connection between Forevermark and the iconic De Beers brand, De Beers Group’s Building Forever sustainability commitments, and the company’s more than 130 years of diamond expertise. The name change will also deliver important benefits for retail partners, enabling greater storytelling about the positive impact De Beers Forevermark diamonds support throughout the value chain. The name change will apply across all the Forevermark channels, with guests having the opportunity to experience the new De Beers Forevermark brand environment. Additionally, the jewellery house has released its new De Beers Forevermark Diamond Jewellery Verification Report that will authenticate the entire product and not just the diamond a consumer purchases.

Nancy Liu, CEO, De Beers Forevermark said, “We are delighted to welcome our partners to our 10th De Beers Forevermark forum. Over the past decade, we have seen the evolution and development of the diamond industry, along with shifting consumer behaviours. Consumers are increasingly demanding that the brands they purchase reflect their values and inspire trust. A Forevermark diamond has always stood for the highest standards of beauty and responsible sourcing and by aligning Forevermark more closely with the De Beers name, we can directly connect the Forevermark promise with the values and expertise signified by De Beers.”

Adding to its portfolio of designs De Beers Forevermark launched its latest fine jewellery collection, Forevermark Avaanti. Embodying the spirit of possibility, inspiring the wearer to realise their power and make a lasting statement every day - thirty-six stand-out pieces sweep around like a ripple, symbolising the start of something new. Featuring a rare De Beers Forevermark diamond set in 18k yellow, white, or rose gold, the clean, circular designs are also available with the added brilliance of pavé diamonds.

Displaying the latest technologies in retail to its partners, the jewellery house also presented its new virtual store, which will provide consumers with an exclusive first look at the Forevermark Avaanti collection ahead of its launch in India on 10th September. Immersing themselves in the 3D experience, consumers will have the opportunity to explore the collection to find their favourite products alongside the collection's campaign. They will also be able to sign-up for email and WhatsApp updates, allowing them to be the first to shop the collection as soon as it is available.

Attendees at the forum were introduced to De Beers’ new trusted source program, Code of Origin. In India, the Code of Origin program will cover a range of diamonds from 0.08 carats and below. Each piece of jewellery that is accompanied by a Code of Origin certificate provides the consumer with the assurance that the diamonds contained within it are natural and conflict free, and were discovered by De Beers in Botswana, Canada, Namibia, or South Africa. Moreover, it lets the consumer know that the Code of Origin diamonds in their jewellery have had a positive impact on the people and places where they were found, helping to provide jobs, education, healthcare and wildlife conservation. The Code of Origin programme is currently running with a limited number of development partners ahead of it being scaled up in 2022.

Also announced during the event was the launch of Okavango Eternal, a strategic partnership between De Beers and National Geographic to address one of the most critical conservation challenges in Africa: protecting the source waters of the Okavango Delta and the lives and livelihoods they support. The five-year commitment, which will help protect Africa’s endangered species, ensure water and food security for more than one million people and develop livelihood opportunities for 10,000 people, represents a critical inward investment to underpin the resilience and long-term recovery of the region in the years ahead. The partnership is focused on working hand in hand with communities throughout the Okavango to deliver shared ecological solutions that lead to shared economic opportunity.

“We’ve aptly themed this year’s forum ‘Make Life Brilliant’. Today more than ever, we are aware of our ability to connect to an even wider range of consumers with our social purpose and to make life brilliant not just for this generation, but for future generations. This year’s forum is a momentous occasion for us where we adapted both virtually and physically to the new normal. It is an opportunity for us to bring our partners together, to interact and transact over three days, and we have made several new and exciting announcements including, our De Beers Forevermark rebrand, the launch of the Forevermark Avaanti collection, and our new Code of Origin programme as well as our motivating new partnership with National Geographic,” said Sachin Jain, Managing Director, De Beers India.

The De Beers Forevermark Forum was marked a success both on-ground and virtually. The brand now gears up for the upcoming season.