ST Telemedia Global Data Centres Releases Inaugural ESG Report

* Report highlights the Group’s commitment and ongoing performance towards carbon-neutral data centre operations by 2030

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), a leading data centre service provider headquartered in Singapore, has published its inaugural Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, providing a comprehensive overview of the Group’s approach, programmes and performance across three key pillars. These include Decarbonisation, a Safe, Secure and Inclusive Workplace, and Ethical & Responsible Operations.

“As an enabler of digital infrastructure across our global operations, we know that climate change has only further underscored the need to optimise our energy efficiency, source our energy responsibly and minimise our resource usage,” said Bruno Lopez, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres. With our inaugural ESG report, we reaffirm our commitments to providing reliable, resilient and responsible digital infrastructure across all our existing data centre platforms, even as we expand to new geographies.”

STT GDC has also recently participated in the inaugural auction of a portfolio of high-quality carbon credits hosted by Climate Impact Exchange (CIX) in Singapore. Through the auction, it has successfully secured 25,000 tons of carbon credits that will offset approximately 15% of the company’s emissions in Singapore.

“Climate issues are a rising concern for many businesses and consumers. As Singapore pushes the envelope on sustainable development, it is imperative for the ecosystem to come together to make a collective impact and bring positive change. Sustainability has always been a core priority for our business and we have pledged to be carbon-neutral in our data centre operations by 2030. The CIX Alpha Auction represents an exciting opportunity for us to make a difference as part of our overall global ESG strategy and we are excited to join forces with other like-minded organisations to strengthen the marketplace and spearhead lasting change for future generations,” said Lopez.

2020 ESG Report Highlights:

Decarbonisation

* Pledged to transition its data centre operations to be net carbon-neutral by 2030

* Energy Efficiency: Over the year, STT GDC has achieved 43% carbon-free energy usage across its operations. In Singapore, it has installed a 2,000 m2 rooftop solar photovoltaic system at its latest data centre, STT Loyang. In addition, it has signed additional renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) to increase renewable energy penetration from 32% to 51% across its India business in the coming years. In the UK, the company has renewed and expanded contracts to procure 100% renewable energy.

* Green Buildings: Newly constructed buildings will be LEED Gold certified as a minimum. In Thailand, STT GDC built the first LEED Gold data centre whereas in Singapore, it achieved both LEED Gold and BCA-IMDA Green Mark Platinum certifications for the STT Loyang data centre.

* Water Stewardship: STT GDC regularly implements water usage efficiency programmes such as non-chemical treatment of the cooling tower at its STT Tai Seng data centre in Singapore, which allowed an estimated 7,300 m3 of environmentally friendly water to be discharged into the sewerage system without polluting the environment. In India, STT GDC had also pioneered a unique reverse osmosis (RO) plant in Chennai, allowing 40 kilolitres (kL) of blowdown water to be reused each day.

Fostering a Safe, Secure, Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

* Diversity and Inclusion: STT GDC boasts a diverse leadership with women making up a third of the management team (32%) in 2020. It plans to make further strategic plans regarding the critical topic of diversity in 2022.

* Labour Rights and Safety: As part of the Group’s drive towards world-class Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) performance, STT GDC has recorded 10.4 million hours worked in its construction program without serious incidents. STT GDC has also achieved zero work-related injuries within its operational data centres and zero high-consequence injuries throughout 2020.

* Building Industry Talent and Expertise: In India, the company launched the STT GDC India Centre of Excellence in 2021, providing career pathways for local students and upskilling industry talent.

Ethical and Responsible Operations

* Robust Governance: In addition to ensuring 100% of its employees formally acknowledge and commit to anti-corruption and ethics policies annually, STT GDC also ensures that 100% of its suppliers formally acknowledge the Group’s code of conduct.

* Fostering Local Communities: Launched in 2018, STT GDC’s Lakhpati Initiative is a community-centric approach where the Group builds enabling infrastructure based on farmers’ feedback. The programme has since engaged with over 1,000 households in India, helping them to generate a sustainable income

STT GDC’s inaugural ESG Report is based on the Group’s financial year from 1 January to 31 December 2020, covering all operations (data centres and offices) under STT GDC’s control during the year (i.e. Singapore, India and the UK). Read more about the ESG initiatives or download the full report.  

About ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (India)

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (India) (STT GDC India), a majority-owned subsidiary of ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, is a market-leading data centre service provider with the largest data centre footprint in the country. STT GDC India has been managing the country's largest raised floor area and critical IT load of over 190 MW, with now 21 facilities* across nine major cities Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune and Noida serving over 1,000 customers, including many Fortune 500 companies. Its mission-critical solutions comprise best-in-class offerings delivering industry-leading uptime to its customers. STT GDC India now operates three of the country's largest data centre facilities in Pune, Chennai, and Bengaluru. 

Elgi Equipments Posted PAT Of Rs.51.6 Crores For The Sept 2021 Quarter

Elgi Equipments Ltd, manufacturer of air compressors, posted a PAT of Rs. 51.6 Crores for the September 2021 quarter compared to a PAT of Rs. 33.2 Crores in the same period in 2020-21, on a consolidated basis. The standalone PAT for the quarter was Rs. 56.9 Crores as compared to a PAT of Rs. 29.8 Crores in the same period in 2020-21.

Consolidated sales for the quarter was Rs. 652 Crores as against Rs. 480 Crores in the corresponding quarter in 2020-21. Standalone sales for the quarter was Rs. 416 Crores compared to Rs. 265 Crores for the same quarter in 2020-21.

But for Australia and South East Asia which faced a resurgence of COVID related disruptions, the Company’s performance has been good across markets.

Raw material commodity prices increased repeatedly and frequently during the first quarter. With commitments made to government related orders, for supplying compressors for oxygen generators as well as longer gestation for price corrections in the markets, margins shrunk significantly.  However, we expect that price correction and cost management would result in gradual recovery of the margins. 

Sales of the Company’s automotive business bounced back to pre-COVID stage and increased by 45% when compared to the corresponding period of 2020-21. 

Outlook for the third quarter - 2021-22

The performance in the second quarter is expected to continue in the third quarter as well. 

About ELGi: Elgi Equipments Limited is a global air compressor manufacturer with a broad line of innovative and technologically superior compressed air systems. ELGi has consistently worked towards ensuring that its customers achieve their productivity goals while keeping the cost of ownership low. ELGi offers a complete range of compressed air solutions from oil lubricated and oil free rotary screw compressors, oil lubricated and oil free reciprocating compressors and centrifugal compressors, to dryers, filters and downstream accessories. The company’s portfolio of over 400 products has found wide application across industries. For further information on the organisation and its products - visit http://www.elgi.com

Design N Develop & Milano Opens Its 1st Retail Store In Bangalore

Design N Develop by DANUBE HOME,the leading lifestyle brand inFurniture, Garden, Home Décor –Home Furnishings, Sanitary, Hardware, Electrical and Tiles brand. Also, complete Home Interior Solutions from Design N Develop by Danube Homefrom Middle East entered the Indian market with a bang with the launch of its 1st Retail Store in Bangalore in collaboration with Shah Global.

Present on the occasion were Honorable President for Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Mr. D.K. Shivkumar, Mr. Ismail Mohammed- Former Additional Secretary LAW GOK, Dr Shanawaz N Khan CEO SHAH GLOBAL along with other senior management of the group & team.

The retail store is located at HBR layout, Bangalore. Sophisticated in every detail, the well-designed store occupies an area of 12000 square-feet with stand-alone concept and looks quite bigger than its size because of its design and layout which exemplifies the quality design and class of Milano. The showroom exhibits wide range of Loose Furniture from different parts of the world, Italian designed Bath Fittings, Hardware, Electrical products, Home Interior Solutions, Home Theatre which offers a touch and feel experience to all its customers who are looking for some affordable luxury products. Also providing first of its Home Theater solutions where customers can experience and feel Live Home Theater.

Shubhojit Mahalanobis, Director Danube Home& Danube Hospitality Solutions said “We have a robust expansion for our experience centre, and we are hoping to have a great response from this store for Design & Develop &Milano in the country in Bengaluru. We shall ensure our global commitment of exemplary service standards is carried forward in the Indian sub-continent”.

He further added: “Since, this is a business consisting of products, which are mostly sold once touched and felt by customers. This store is just the beginning of the entire vision and we are optimistic that our targeted customers, builders and the consultant of the city shall appreciate our collection and act as our catapult for our business.”

Dr Shanawaz N Khan CEO SHAH GLOBAL said: “We are excited with the partnership and confident to carry forward the legacy of Danube Groups product and its customer service excellence. We will continue to build on our momentum in this important area of business., People are becoming creative, it lets people be productive, I’m excited with one more extension of our company. We are honoured and positive for good business growth. The team looked optimistic and confident as they posed with the elegant Italian products of their brand.”

Mrs. Anupam Nag Business Head-DnD Division (Karnataka) said: We are very excited with our one more Branch and its extension. The wide range of products displayed by us will enhance customer forbest choice with quality product and affordable pricing.

From Kitchen sinks, to luxury faucets, to rain showers, to accessories for special assistance, to sanitary ware and electric products, the brands is a one stop shop for all home, kitchen and bathroom fittings.

The brand has entered the market in collaboration with their local South India master distributer M/S Shah Global Impex.

About Milano:

Milano brand is wholly owned by Danube Group, which is originated in Italy and registered worldwide since 2006 and exhibits a range of sanitary ware, electrical products, tiles, water purifier and hardware. The brand is distributed in Africa, Europe, Asia, India and Sri Lanka, and has around 50 showrooms in the Middle East, more than 5000 distributors across the world.

About Danube Group:

Danube Group traces its origin through Danube Building Materials. Established in 1993, the company provides more than 50,000 products in stock and in-house value-added services in all of its multiple set of showrooms across the Middle East region and India. The company operates from its head offices in JAFZA with logistics facilities across the region which amounts to 5.5 million square feet. The group takes pride in not just designing and building but also nurturing a long-lasting relationship with their clients.

From a small trading firm, Danube has grown into one of the largest building materials companies in the region, with its diversified branches worldwide including UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and India, in addition to procurement offices in China and Canada. Danube has a team of 3,300 plus people working in strategic locations across the GCC and India.  And now slowly and steadily moving its footprints towards Property Development and home improvement.

26th Edition Of The European Union Film Festival To Feature Austrian Movie Little Joe And Belgium’s Lola

* 60 films in 37 languages from across Europe and India to be screened at the 26th European Union Film Festival; EUFF to pay homage to Indian cinema legend Satyajit Ray 

* Little Joe is a winner at 2019 Cannes Film Festival for Winner: Best Actress – Emily Beecham. 

* Lola has been awarded Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival 2021 Audience Award Best Feature 

* The festival began from 1 November. Audiences can register through the Festival Scope and the EUFF website  

The 26th edition of the European Union Film Festival is available in its virtual avatar till November 30th – featuring outstanding, award-winning European cinema that bring forth inspiring stories, all from the comfort and safety of our homes. It celebrates the diversity and depth of European cinema and culture. The festival’s main attraction would Austria’s English movie Little Joe and Belgique movie Lola. 

Little Joe follows Alice (Emily Beecham), a single mother and dedicated senior plant breeder at a corporation engaged in developing new species. She has engineered a special crimson flower, remarkable not only for its beauty but also for its therapeutic value; if kept at the ideal temperature, fed properly, and spoken to regularly, this plant makes its owner happy. Against the company policy, Alice takes one home as a gift for her teenage son, Joe. They christen it ‘Little Joe.’ But as their plant grows, so too does Alice’s suspicion that her new creation may not be as harmless as its nickname suggests. 

Lola is about an 18-year-old transgender, learns that she can finally have surgery, her mother, who is her only financial support, passes away. Abiding by her mother’s last wishes, Lola and her father, who are permanently in conflict and have not seen each other for two years, undertake a journey all the way to the Belgian coast. They realize the outcome of the journey may not be the one they were both expecting! 

Through November 2021, viewers and movie buffs can enjoy 60 outstanding movies in 37 languages across 8 genres that explore unique stories, experiences, and histories with artistic storytelling from across 27 Member States and associate countries, celebrating the most recent cinematic triumphs at Cannes, Locarno, San Sebastian, Karlovy Vary, and Venice, amongst others.  

The festival will also pay homage to legendary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray, on his 100th birth anniversary, with the projection of the seminal Pather Panchali. A special contemporary Indian section, curated by the Dharamshala International Film Festival, includes six films in four Indian official languages namely Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam and Bengali. 

Access to the Film Festival  

Tickets for the Film Festival and related side events will be free for audiences. Audiences can register through the Delegation’s website and social media channels.  The Film Festival will run till 30th November. Once registered, viewers can log in at their convenience. Register here:  https://www.festivalscope.com/page/euff-india-a-window-to-europe/ 

Renault Delivers Over 3000 Cars During Dhanteras And Diwali Festivals

 

* Strong demand further increases the waiting period on certain variants across the range 

* The AMT & CVT variants are the most preferred choice amongst customers 

Renault, which is in its 10th year of operations in India announced the delivery of over 3000 cars during “Dhanteras and Diwali”. This has been enabled by Renault’s strong product-offensive strategy, that has ensured that Renault is progressing despite the challenging macro-economic environment in India.  

The delivery line-up included the latest offering from the Company the Renault KIGER that boasts of the best in segment fuel efficiency, Renault TRIBER that was recently awarded with Global NCAP 4-Star Safety Rating along with the Attractive, Innovative and Affordable game-changer Renault KWID. 

“With the start of the festive season we are witnessing positive customer sentiment. It is very motivating to see an overwhelming response to our products, especially the AMT and the CVT variants that are becoming a popular choice across segments. Together with the metro cities, Renault also has a robust strategy to enhance its presence in rural markets, which offers significant growth potential. We expect to continue the momentum in the remaining year as well and look forward to welcoming more customers into the Renault family,” said Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director, Renault India Operations. 

Renault KIGER is the latest in the line of revolutionary products launched by Renault in India. A brand-new compact SUV designed and developed for India before making its international debut, Renault KIGER has established itself as a Stunning, Smart and Sporty B-SUV. Powered by a world-class turbocharged 1.0L petrol engine KIGER not only offers more performance and a sporty drive, but also boasts best in segment fuel efficiency of 20.5 KM/L. 

Renault is celebrating its 10th Anniversary in India, with a series of activities. It recently launched the new RXT (O) variant of Renault KIGER and the KWID MY21. The launches are part of Renault’s plans to innovate and disrupt the Indian car market with feature-rich, Made-in-India products. 

Together with its product portfolio expansion strategy to drive volumes in India, Renault is substantially increasing its network reach in the country and introducing several unique and pioneering initiatives to ensure that customers’ have an unparalleled association with the Renault brand. Currently, Renault India has more than 500 sales and 530 service touchpoints in India, which include 250+ Workshop On Wheels locations across the country. 

ABOUT RENAULT  

Renault India Pvt. Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Renault S.A.S. France. Renault India cars are manufactured in the manufacturing facility located in Oragadam, Chennai, with a capacity of 480,000 units per annum. Renault India also has a widespread presence of more than 500 sales and 530 service touchpoints, which include 250+ Workshop On Wheels locations across the country, with benchmark sales and service quality. 

Renault India’s product line up and services have seen strong recognition among customers and industry experts alike, winning more than 60 titles, making Renault India one of the most awarded automotive brands in a single year in India. 

Tata Motors Joins Hands With Equitas SFB To Bring Attractive Financial Solutions For Its Small Commercial Vehicle Customers

Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Equitas SFB, one of the country’s largest small finance banks, to bring a set of attractive financial solutions to its customers. With benefits applicable across the Tata Motors small commercial vehicle (SCV) range, this tie-up will aim to facilitate seamless availability of financing for aspiring buyers. Tata Motors will leverage Equitas SFB’s strong network across the country, spanning 861 branches and 550+ CV customer touchpoints, to make these solutions accessible for customers.

Tata Motors SCV range has nurtured self-employment in both urban and rural areas by providing a respectable means of livelihood to nearly 30 lakh Indians. Tata Motors pioneered in the SCV segment, with India’s first four-wheel mini-truck, the Ace, in 2005, and has exponentially evolved with vehicles engineered to cater to varied applications. Addressing the rapid growth in the e-commerce industry, the Tata Ace and Tata Intra are the preferred vehicles for last-mile transportation.

Commenting on this partnership, Mr. Rohit Gangadhar Phadke, Senior President & Head – Retail Assets, Equitas Small Finance Bank said “We are happy to be associated with Tata Motors Limited at such an early stage of the Bank’s journey. Through this partnership, Equitas would reach a large set of financially excluded segments to help them buy their first commercial vehicle from Tata Motors Limited. Equitas Small Finance Bank has always believed in uplifting the underserved and unserved segment of the society to drive financial inclusion.”

Commenting on the association, Mr. Rajesh Kaul, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “We are delighted to partner with Equitas SFB, one of India’s leading small finance banks, to make our extensive range of vehicles available to a larger set of customers, with easy financing and flexible repayment options. With an extensive 3 million customer database and sustained years of expertise in the sector, Equitas SFB will help us extend beneficial offerings to CV customers across the nation. Tata Motors has consistently placed customer welfare at the centre of its endeavours, striving to bring to them profitable value propositions. The Ace and the Intra range have redefined the last-mile transportation, with their comfort, reliability and low cost of ownership. With this partnership, we will join forces with Equitas SFB to continue our dedicated efforts to serve our customers.”

As a market leader in the commercial vehicle space, Tata Motors constantly engages with its customers to assess their needs and requirements on the product and services front, as well as from a finance support perspective. Tata Motors continues to invest in customer-oriented endeavours and initiatives to ensure a smooth and a seamless financing experience to its current and potential customers.

About Tata Motors

Part of the USD 109 billion Tata group, Tata Motors Limited (NYSE: TTM; BSE: 500570 and 570001; NSE: TATAMOTORS and TATAMTRDVR), a USD 34 billion organization, is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses, offering extensive range of integrated, smart and e-mobility solutions. With ‘Connecting Aspirations’ at the core of its brand promise, Tata Motors is India’s market leader in commercial vehicles and amongst the top three in the passenger vehicles market.

Tata Motors strives to bring new products that fire the imagination of GenNext customers, fueled by state of the art design and R&D centers located in India, UK, US, Italy and South Korea. With a focus on engineering and tech enabled automotive solutions catering to the future of mobility, the company’s innovation efforts are focused to develop pioneering technologies that are sustainable as well as suited to evolving aspirations of the market and the customers. The company is pioneering India's Electric Vehicle (EV) transition and driving the shift towards sustainable mobility solutions by preparing a tailor-made product strategy, leveraging the synergy between the Group companies and playing an active role liasoning with the Government in developing the policy framework

With operations in India, the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa, and Indonesia, supported by a strong global network of 103 subsidiaries, 9 associate companies, 4 joint ventures and 2 joint operations as on March 31, 2021, Tata Motors’ commercial and passenger vehicles are marketed in countries, spread across Africa, Middle East, South & South East Asia, Australia, South America, Russia and other CIS countries.

IBM’s New Client Innovation Centre In Mysuru Launched To Specializes In Design, Software Engineering And Analytics

* Spoke-shore strategy of Beyond Bengaluru initiative of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) making a growth story for companies

The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), as part of its Spoke-shore Strategy’ to attract companies to set up operations in cities ‘Beyond Bengaluru’, fuelled the launch of IBM’s Client Innovation Centre (CIC) in Mysuru today. The CIC initiative aims at supporting the rapid, high-tech driven economic growth in tier 2 and 3 regions while providing comprehensive hybrid cloud and AI technology consulting capabilities. The CIC specializes in design, software engineering and analytics.

Congratulating KDEM and IBM on the launch of their Client Innovation Centre, Dr. Ashwath Narayana, Minister for Higher Education; IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood said, “I applaud KDEM for making the Spoke-shore strategy a reality in India and wholeheartedly welcome IBM’s CIC to Mysuru. It is encouraging to see that the industry is recognising places such as Mysuru, thereby echoing our vision of Beyond Bengaluru. We are confident that this partnership will propel Karnataka to become a frontrunner for digital services and technologies world over. 

Commenting on the inauguration of the CIC, Sri. B.V. Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission said, “The launch of the Client Innovation Centre at Mysuru resonates with KDEM’s Spoke-shore initiative of attracting at least 100 GCCs by 2025. The augmented pace at which centres like Mysuru are transforming digitally, we believe that such concerted efforts as IBM’s CIC is key to amplifying Karnataka’s IT-ecosystem, especially in centres beyond Bengaluru.”

Amit Sharma, Managing Partner, Worldwide Global Delivery, IBM said, “The IBM CIC will play a key role in the digital transformation of the IT-ecosystem throughout the city and create new employment opportunities to foster the next wave of technology innovation. IBM CIC is looking to hire over 10,000 staff this quarter globally. This builds on double-digit hiring growth in its Global Delivery Centers already this year. This continued investment in talent will expand the company's skillsets in areas such as AI, intelligent workflows, application modernization and management, and hybrid cloud.”

As an entrepreneurial start-up within IBM Consulting, the CIC will specialise in design, software engineering and analytics while supporting clients in the transformation of their business by utilizing delivery capabilities throughout the entire system development life cycle, from design to architecture to creation. New skills will serve to open-up new business streams and strengthen the IT industry ecosystem in the region through close collaboration with clients and partners including cloud solution and service providers.  

Speaking at the launch of the CIC in Mysuru, Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary- Department of Electronics, IT-BT & S&T said, “KDEM has paved way for a new wave of digital transformation in Karnataka, especially in tier 2 and 3 centres. Initiatives such as CIC prove that a Government-Industry synergy can build a robust digital infrastructure, thereby significantly contributing to the nation’s economy and progress.”  

Given that 30% of India’s GDP is driven by the digital economy, KDEM’s Spoke-shore will converge on setting aspirational goals for GCCs and creating employment opportunities for 10,00,000 (direct and indirect) candidates by 2026. The Beyond Bengaluru initiative aims to attract and host 5000 IT companies and start-ups by 2026 in the Mysuru, Hubbali and Mangaluru clusters.

Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, MD & CEO, Lahari said, “Spoke-shore strategy has alleviated several GCC companies to create offshore hubs in Bengaluru. The question is what next from here, spoke-shore is next. We are extremely happy that IBM’s CIC is one such milestone towards taking the Spoke-shore strategy a reality and building a formidable ecosystem that goes beyond the realms of Bengaluru and focuses on a well-rounded development of Karnataka, especially its promising Tier 2 and 3 markets.”

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)

With an objective to increase the share of Digital economy in the state, the Government of Karnataka set up the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), a Section-8 organization, which acts as a knowledge bridge between the industry and the government. To meet the objectives, KDEM has been working towards the five focus areas, viz. IT Products & Services, BPM & GCC promotion; Innovations & Start-ups; ESDM; Beyond Bengaluru; and Talent Accelerator.

The Beyond Bengaluru Program

The Beyond Bengaluru program of KDEM, in particular, is spearheading the objective of proliferating the growth of digital economy in clusters beyond Bangalore. This is done for select identified clusters in the state by developing and facilitating a product-based ecosystem. Building a community of key industry players, entrepreneurs, start-up owners, academia, accelerators, and student community, the Beyond Bengaluru program of KDEM is steering towards getting investments and generating employment in the state.