79% of Executives Say Keep Up With Speed of Digital, Other Transformations Is Significant Risk Management Challenge

* 88% of business leaders are increasing their spending on technology and digital capabilities in the risk function workforce

* 70% of business leaders are increasing overall spending on risk management technology

* 67% are investing in risk culture and considering behavioural risk in 2022 and

* 64% of business executives report that their risk function is actively seeking external insights to assess and monitor risks

Nearly eight in ten business executives in India say that keeping up with the speed of digital and other transformations is a significant risk management challenge. This is according to PwC’s 2022 Global Risk Survey: India highlights. The report also reveals that six in ten executives feel the need to actively seek external insights to assess and monitor risks in the increasingly disruptive business environment.

The survey saw participation from 109 Indian respondents, with leading business executives making up 72% of the sample and the rest comprising risk management (13%), audit (10%) and compliance (6%) professionals.

Sivarama Krishnan, Partner and Risk Consulting Leader, PwC India said: “Organisational  risk management and broader resilience capabilities need to quickly adapt to support business agility and contribute proactive, robust and timely risk insights for decision making. In an environment where change is constant, risk management capabilities provide the greatest value to board members and business leaders when they are embedded within the organisation’s strategic planning and decision-making processes. Informed by a panoramic view of emerging risks, business leaders can make confident decisions in pursuit of their strategy.”

The changing work environment brought on by the pandemic continues to disrupt talent and labour markets. Supply shortages, sanctions and rising raw material costs are heightening risks within supply chains as organisations deal with upstream supply chain risks related to subcontractors and other fourth parties that further complicate risks. Customers, investors and other stakeholders are laser focused on ESG, including the physical and transition risks that a changing climate poses. Each of these risks can cause significant impacts, but because they are also highly interconnected, any one risk can initiate far-reaching implications across the enterprise and put brand and reputation at stake.

In this turbulent business environment, many executives find the need to revise and adapt their strategies and operating models at a rapid pace. In this context, PwC’s 2022 Global Risk Survey highlights five key actions that organisations should consider to drive their risk management capabilities forward:

engage early and get risk insights at the point of decision

take a panoramic view of risk

set and employ risk appetite to take advantage of the upside of risk

enable risk-based decision making through systems and processes

double down efforts on top risks.

“Any one person cannot manage risks. When it comes to business, risk management is the ultimate team sport. Teams across all the three lines of defence in risk management need to work together to build a risk resilient organisation and thrive in an environment which is turbulent and disruptive,” Krishnan added.

Investment in risk processes, frameworks and enabling systems is needed to help an organisation deploy a standardised and consistent approach to risk management. While 76% of organisations report that having technology systems that don’t work together is a significant risk management challenge, just 28% of those are addressing that challenge in a formal, enterprise-wide manner.

Risk appetite is a critical tool to help business leaders understand where they are able to take more risk in pursuit of new opportunities and growth. It denotes the guardrails within which the board asks executives to stay as they make decisions and execute on their strategies. Risk culture also plays a role in taking advantage of the upside of risk. A too strong compliance culture can stifle innovation, for example, while too weak of a compliance focus can impact brand and reputation.

The survey also finds that when organisations embrace risk management capabilities as a strategic organisational capability, they are five times more likely to be very confident in delivering stakeholder confidence, a growth-minded risk culture, increased resilience, and business outcomes. And they’re almost twice as likely to project revenue growth of 11% or more over the next 12 months. Strong risk management capabilities help protect the organisation from downside risks and enable the organisation to look forward and take risks in pursuit of growth. It’s a win-win situation. The top 10% of respondents – the ones that are realising the benefits from strategic risk management practices – expect faster revenue growth and better outcomes.

Aiwa Unveils Its New High-Performance Smart Television Range ‘Magnifiq’ In India

* The high-performance bezel-less TV series comes with features like Aiwa’s proprietary “Aiwa Authentic Signature Sound”, CRYSTA Tech Vision, Amphitheater View, Black Reflect, Dolby Vision & Atmos, and MEMC, powered by Android 11 - which are standard across the range

* Aiwa TVs start with a price tag of Rs 29,999 for a 32” (HDR) model and goes upto Rs 139,990 for 65” (4K UHD) model

* The 55” and 65” models of the range come with a built-in soundbar for an enhanced audio experience

* Aiwa India has partnered with Dixon Technologies to manufacture the Magnifiq range of TVs for the Indian market, a part of the Make In India initiative.

After the success of its range of “Luxury Acoustics” speakers, Aiwa—The premium Japanese consumer electronics brand, has launched its most awaited range of TV series, MAGNIFIQ. The television series offers Category Leading features that give Magnificent Vision, Magnificent Sound, and a Magnificent Experience. 

With this latest addition, Aiwa is strengthening its commitment and global vision of providing ‘More for Less’ to its consumers by giving exceptional quality products at a  competitive price. Powered by Android 11 & AI Core 4 Processor, the series caters to a discerning audience that looks for new range-topping products. The range extends from the fully loaded 32” series to 43” (FHD & UHD), 50 (4K UHD), 55” (4K UHD) & 65” (4K UHD), and is priced (MRPs) from Rs.29,990 to Rs 139,990.

Also, the 55” and 65” models of the range come with a built-in soundbar for enhanced audio which gives users the best-in-class experience. The soundbar has been designed with Aiwa Authentic Signature Sound technology to give users the most optimal audio preference. The Televisions Sound Output is among the highest for products in the same segment.

The high-performance Magnifiq range of premium televisions is powered by Android 11 with built-in Google Assistant. With the certified Android TVs, the user’s favorite content is always front and center for quick and easy access. 

With the company’s proprietary CRYSTA Tech Vision in this Magnifiq series, Aiwa is introducing a new standard in picture quality with Vertical Array Display, AI Quad-Core Processor, 1.07 Billion Colours and 350 nits* of brightness. When the life-like picture quality is paired with Aiwa’s Amphitheater View technology, it delivers a truly spectacular audio-visual experience. 

Aiwa TVs also come with the protective film with BLACK REFLECT technology, which is designed especially to protect users from potentially harmful radiation. The anti-glare tech used, reduces reflections on the screen and helps to ease eye fatigue. Additionally, the company’s MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation) ensures that images remain crisp and sharp during fast motion frames.

Speaking about the launch and the Magnifiq TV series, Kure Shouichi ci, Managing Director of AIWA Electronics International Co.Ltd. and Global Business Director of AIWA Co., Ltd.(Tokyo Japan), said, “We are excited on the establishing of Aiwa India, as our Regional Headquarter, via which hope to assure Aiwa’s permanency to the Indian consumers. At the launch of our word-class televisions, we are sure the consumer will feel confident to see Aiwa’s legacy of excellence over the past 70 years coupled with the latest and most powerful Android 11 technology” 

Ajay Mehta, Managing Director, AIWA India, said, After we brought Aiwa’s range of luxury speakers to the Indian consumer, the Magnifiq series of TV’s, come with exceptional quality standards that Aiwa is known for over the past 70 years. Our TVs are best suited for consumers who research products pre-purchase in detail and will not compromise on quality, technology, and features at the best possible value. 

“We are committed to making exceptional products and bringing them to the Indian consumers. We are also proud to have contributed to the Make in India initiative through this project. TVs are poised to be the biggest category by value for Aiwa India and will be followed by the launch of many other product categories. This is a tangible and a big step towards our goal of a US$ 1 Billion top line for India" he added. 

For the best-in-class Magnifiq series, the company has partnered with Dixon Technologies as its manufacturing partner and looks forward to contributing to the government’s Make In India initiative. 

About AIWA India:

Founded in 1951, Japan-based Aiwa has established itself as a pioneer in the consumer electronics space and is considered one of the most recognizable brands in the Audio-Visual Segment (Personal audio segment & Television). Best known for its speakers, boomboxes, Television sets, and stereo systems, the company is also known as the creator of the iconic cassette tape recorder. The company has commanded stature as a leading manufacturer of audio-visual products, including headphone stereos, mini-component stereo systems, Television sets, portable stereo systems, minidisc players, CD, and cassette players, and car stereo systems throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The brand has returned in various key markets across the world, including India, with several devices using cutting-edge technology and innovative designs towards meeting the growing demand from consumers worldwide. The company has a deep commitment to designing, manufacturing cost-effective and high-quality consumer electronics accompanied by world-class after-sales service throughout the world.

Godrej Appliances Launches – Godrej InsuliCool, To Aid The Growing Population of Insulin Dependent Diabetics

 ~The advanced insulin cooling solution store insulin vials, pens, cartridges at the scientifically recommended temperature of 2°- 8°C to retain its effectiveness

~ Light weight, compact and portable -it aims to resolve the hassles of storing and carrying insulin for millions of diabetic patients around the world

Godrej Appliances, business unit of Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group, has been actively contributing towards building the nation’s healthcare infrastructure. Taking a step further in this direction, strengthening its medical refrigeration portfolio, Godrej Appliances has launched the new InsuliCool product range - Godrej InsuliCool and Godrej InsuliCool+, innovative cooling solutions especially designed for insulin storage, to address the challenge faced by diabetic patients with respect to insulin storage at recommended temperatures.

Data suggests that close to 74 million people suffer from diabetes in India. This is second highest in the world and predicted to rise over 10% by 2030. Of this, at least 10% of the diabetic population also require insulin therapy beyond oral administration. It is also a scientifically established fact that insulin must always be preserved between temperature range of 2°- 8°C to maintain its effectiveness. Any temperature breach below or above this range leads to drop in its efficacy.

A major challenge in India and in other countries too, is the storage practices adopted for maintaining temperatures within this range, for regular day-to-day storage of insulin, which only gets compounded further during any travel, thereby restricting mobility of insulin dependent diabetic patients. Commonly used solutions like ice packs are not meant for insulin storage at all. Refrigerators used at homes are not ideal either, because the frequent door openings lead to temperature fluctuations and insulin requires precise cooling.  Improper storage of insulin leading to lowering of its potency can lead to increasing dosage over time. Proper storage of insulin at the recommended temperature can go a significant way in managing diabetes, usually a long running condition in patients.

Using cutting-edge technology and innovation, Godrej InsuliCool product range is equipped with advanced solid state thermoelectric cooling technology and is designed to work even at ambient temperatures up to 43°C, maintaining the system’s internal temperature of 2°- 8°C always. The display indicator on the front of the unit shows that the insulin is being stored at the correct temperature. With storage capacity of 560ml, it can easily store 9 vials; alternatively, 2 pens and 5 cartridges can be stored by removing the vials holder.

Apart from ensuring precise cooling, the other key advantage is its portability. InsuliCool is light weight, compact, and comes with a shoulder belt making it easy to carry. In addition to the power adapter provided with the unit, one can also purchase additional accessories like an external power bank to provide a backup of 4 hrs on full charge or a car adapter kit for charging on the go, while travelling by vehicle. Its advanced variant InsuliCool+ comes with an external power bank included in the product kit. Thoughtfully designed, and a result of intense scientific endeavour, the product has soft external contours making it easy to carry. Its dedicated internal space comes with a vial holder which secures the vials in place while on the move and is easily removable to create space for cartridge storage. The secured door latch ensures proper gasket sealing so that no cooling is lost during transportation.

The product also has wider applications requiring storage of vital temperature sensitive vaccines, medicines, vials for drops, other medical samples and specimen at a precise temperature between 2°- 8°C to retain its potency.

Speaking about the brand’s innovations over the years, Nyrika Holkar, Executive Director, Godrej & Boyce said,” Healthcare infrastructure is today, amongst the key pillars of a nation's growth and we strongly believe that public-private partnerships coupled with innovative offerings can help address many of the challenges that our current healthcare system faces, going a long way in boosting public health and thereby national prosperity. We studied how the treatment of diabetes in our country is suffering from the absence of optimal cooling solutions for insulin. Our expertise in the medical cold chain enabled us to offer an innovative solution – the Godrej InsuliCool range, to tackle this issue and improve the quality of life for millions of insulin dependent diabetics.”

Sharing her thoughts on the problem of shortage of insulin storage facilities in India, Dr. Vaishali Deshmukh, renowned Endocrinologist, head of endocrinology Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital and Founder of SPHERE, Pune said, “Normally, people use refrigerators for storing insulin at home, but the fluctuating temperature in a domestic refrigerator due to multiple door openings, affects efficacy of the insulin and it tends to lose its potency. Further, most people are not using the right solutions for insulin storage when travelling. Insulin must always be stored at a temperature between 2°- 8°C or any deviation could lead to lower efficacy. When a patient administers insulin themselves through a measured dose, the results of blood sugar level maintenance could vary because of drop in efficacy of the insulin.”

Commenting on the product launch Kamal Nandi, Business Head and Executive Vice President of Godrej Appliances said, “At Godrej Appliances, we work relentlessly to address the unique challenges faced by consumers. On observing one of the most pertinent issues faced by diabetes patients which is lack of proper insulin storage at optimal temperatures, leading to a decline in its potency, we have introduced a specially designed InsuliCool product range to provide insulin storage at the recommended 2°- 8°C. It addresses the challenges of insulin storage at precise temperature and has been designed to use at home or office or during travel. We feel this will positively impact diabetes management in India and go a long way to improve the quality of life of diabetic consumers.”

The product range will be available pan-India, through the brand’s e-store and through popular e-commerce platforms like Amazon, as well as in chemist shops at MRP starting from Rs. 5999, accessories priced separately.

About Godrej Appliances

Godrej Appliances, a business unit of Godrej & Boyce, is one of the leading Home Appliances players in India. Godrej & Boyce was the first Indian Company in 1958 to manufacture Refrigerators and since then Godrej Appliances has expanded its portfolio across many other categories like Washing Machines, Air Conditioners, Microwave Ovens, futuristic Thermo-electric cooling solutions, Air Coolers, Deep Freezers, highly specialized Medical Refrigerators and more recently, UVC Technology-Based Disinfecting devices and Dishwashers, all powered by the driving philosophy of 'Things Made Thoughtfully’.

This thought extends from human-centric design to planet centric design. Environment is a core value at Godrej. Both manufacturing units of Godrej Appliances became the first in the country to win the coveted Platinum Plus Green Co certification for their pioneering green manufacturing practices. The brand takes pride in not just its carefully designed products and environment-friendly technologies, but also best in class after-sales service delivered through over 680 service centers and more than 4500 SmartBuddy service experts spread all over the country.

To learn more visit : https://www.godrej.com/godrej-appliances

CSR Leaders Roundtable Meeting To Discuss New Strategies For Women Entrepreneurship

The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India [EDII], headquartered at Ahmedabad, organized a round table meeting of CSR Leaders, on 12th July 2022, in Bengaluru, to discuss strategies and solutions for promoting cost effective and easily scalable, high impact, innovative ideas by women entrepreneurs. 22 leaders from Accenture, Bayer, BEML, Bhoruka, BIAL, Brillio, Capgemini, Continental Automotive, Embassy group, HAL, HP, SVR Group, 247.ai. attended the Meet.

EDII, a Centre of Excellence, as recognised by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India is a key player in the domain of women entrepreneurship development. This National Resource Institute promotes income generation and sustainable livelihood options for women through training, skill building and hand holding support.

The round table meeting on 12th July 2022 at hotel Royal Orchid Central, Bengaluru was organized with the goal of exchanging concepts, ideas and most effective and affordable models of eco-friendly as well as technology enabled income generation initiatives for women.

Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General of EDII apprised all about the contribution of EDII in accentuating women entrepreneurship by its involvement in the CSR initiatives of noted corporates. Dr. Shukla emphasized how there is immense potential among women and how they need to be oriented towards sustainable livelihood options. Director General talked about some of the progressive schemes of the Government and how women could benefit from these. In this process, Dr. Shukla, committed to training women in line with the needs and requirements, thus assigning them financial independence.

Dr Raman Gujral, EDII’s Southern Regional Director moderated the session on Emerging Trends in Eco - friendly Income Generation Opportunities and Trends. Dr. Gujral showcased how EDII, through its involvement with corporates had been training women to harness local resources, aligning their skills with identified opportunities and equipping them to float sustainable, eco-friendly small and micro enterprises.

Faculty – EDII, Mr Shibin Mohammed anchored the discussion on low-cost technology in micro and rural enterprises for women.

The participating CSR leaders shared ideas on improving women entrepreneurship and expressed their willingness to contribute to undertake joint initiatives that ensure a higher incidence of New Enterprise Creation by women. They committed themselves to collectively work for the cause of increased women empowerment in line with new and emerging trends and opportunities.

Schwing Stetter India Kick Starts A New Training Program With Government Polytechnic College, Cheyyar

* Schwing’s training program aims to bridge the gap between education and the application of knowledge in the CE industry.

Schwing Stetter India, one of the country’s leading concreting equipment manufacturers, has joined hands with the Government Polytechnic College, Cheyyar. The idea of this collaboration is to train 125 students in the application of their course knowledge in the Construction Equipment industry. The students who belong to different branches of study, which include mechanical, electrical, and electronic communications engineering, will receive 25 days of training at Schwing Stetter India’s world-class Global Manufacturing Hub at Cheyyar. The training program, which began on July 1st, is funded by the State Government.

This program directly aims to enable the trainees to apply their course knowledge in the CE industry, and to make them more employable by training them to understand the process of running a factory, and the basics of maintaining and manufacturing the cutting-edge machinery from Schwing Stetter India.

Schwing Stetter India has taken up this training initiative directly with the college administration, who welcomed the opportunity to help their students gain vital experience with the prescribed theory & practical sessions. Keeping the safety and wellness of these trainees in mind, the company also issued safety shoes to all the participants in regard to the safety regulation of the shop floor.

Speaking about the importance of such initiatives, Mr.V.G. Sakthikumar, Managing Director, Schwing Stetter India, said, “We, at Schwing Stetter India, will continue to work toward building and providing more such platforms that help the student community learn more about the CE industry, and understand the kinds of roles we do. By providing such training, we hope more students across industries will get encouraged to join the CE industry!”

The principal of the institution Mrs. P. Shanbagavalli, who spoke on the inauguration of the training program said “The college administration was overwhelmed by this opportunity, and the training facility of Schwing Stetter India at Cheyyar is top-notch. As we realize the potential of this collaboration, we would be happy to collaborate with Schwing Stetter India again in the near future to support our students in becoming a part of the workforce in the CE industry.”

In this inaugural ceremony, Schwing Stetter India and the Government Polytechnic College, Cheyyar has signed an MOU which is set to include more programs like Industrial visits, machine-based training, and staff training for the administration. 

About Schwing Stetter India Private Limited:

Incorporated in June 1998, and commencing its manufacturing operations in 1999, Schwing Stetter India is a 100% subsidiary of Schwing GmbH, a 1.30 billion USD German concreting machinery manufacturer and a part of the XCMG group. Schwing Stetter is a pioneer in manufacturing equipment for concrete preparation, placement, transportation, and recycling. Schwing Stetter (India) Private Limited manufactures concrete batching plants, concrete placing booms, concrete pumps, concrete truck mixers for transporting readymade concrete to construction sites, concrete truck mixers with concrete pumps, and concrete recycling plants, plastering pumps, self-loading mixers, and sludge pumps.

Schwing Stetter (India) sells and services equipment like concrete pavers, aerial working platforms, all-terrain cranes, cold milling machines, crawler cranes, excavators, horizontal directional drilling, motor grader, rotary drilling rig, tower crane, truck cranes, and wheel loader are our various newer range of equipment that has been launched recently from GOMACO and XCMG. We cater to the requirement of infrastructure developers and act as an OEM supplier to various cement companies that offer ready-mix concrete. Schwing Stetter has its manufacturing units in 12 countries including Germany, Austria, USA, Brazil, Russia, Ostrava, UK, and India supported by sales and service centers in India.

Attentive Raises $5M From Sequoia India’s Surge & InfoEdge Ventures

Attentive Inc, an AI based SaaS startup has raised US $5M from Sequoia India’s Surge Fund and InfoEdge Ventures. Attentive has built the first of its kind SaaS-based sales automation platform for the $200B+ outdoor service industry that includes landscaping, snow removal, paving, and pest control businesses. They are the only AI-based solution in the market and the platform is already used by major commercial landscaping companies in the US. The funds will be used to further build the platform and add more modules to automate the remaining landscaping workflows.

Shiva Dhawan, co-founder & CEO of Attentive, comments on the funds raised, “With rising inflation and labor rates, landscapers are looking to automate archaic manual workflows and gain efficiencies. We are the only ones with the technology infrastructure to truly automate traditional workflows and save time on manual tasks like measuring each and every site feature to bid on a new property. ”

“Raising funds in today’s market is strong validation of our business fundamentals. The funds will allow us to hire and retain the best talent across product, technology, and sales and expand our operations across the US and Canada” adds Sarthak Vijay, co-founder of Attentive.

In his comments, Amit Behl, Partner at InfoEdge Ventures said “Shiva and Attentive team have been very impressive in molding their expertise in geospatial AI into an AI-led product that holds its own in front of global competition. It's rare to see a product company from India get the kind of acceptance, appreciation, and customer love that Attentive is getting from its early client base in the US. With this round,  the company is well capitalized on its journey of being responsive and diligent as it builds out an AI-led vertical SaaS product for the $200B large but fragmented landscaping and outdoor services industry in the US.”

About Attentive: Founded by ex-IIT Delhi graduates Shiva Dhawan and Sarthak Vijay, Attentive’s vision is to create software that solves the most pressing concerns of 600K+ landscaping and outdoor service businesses by changing the way they perform sales and operations. The biggest names in the industry already use Attentive including the likes of Juniper, US Lawns, Beary Landscaping, Greenscape, Nanak, Perficut, United Land Services, Merit, Continuum Services, and East Coast Facilities.  

Website:http://attentive.ai/

Pepperfry Launch New Studio In Bangalore To Transform Furniture Retail Landscape In India

Pepperfry, the ecommerce furniture and home goods company, announced the launch of its New Studio in Bangalore, Karnataka. The offline expansion is in line with the company’s aim to penetrate into niche markets and strengthen its omnichannel consumer engagement in home and living space in India. Pepperfry’s studio footprint currently spans across 90+ cities with 174+ studios in the country.

Pepperfry Studios have transformed the furniture retail landscape in India. The company’s omnichannel strategy is driven by expansion of FOFO studios across the country and it currently works with 90 plus unique partners. The new studio launched in partnership with DREAM HOME FURNITURE, is situated at a prime location at Kannamangala- Seegehalli, in Bangalore, spanning across a carpet area of 1226 sq. ft. It offers customers a first-hand experience of an infinite catalogue of furniture and home products. Customers will get specialized design advice from the company’s interior design consultants. The studio at Bangalore aims at providing a personalized shopping experience tailored to the unique needs of home and living customers in Karnataka.

Speaking of the launch Amruta Gupta, Business Head - Franchising and Alliances, Pepperfry said, “We are delighted to launch our new Studio in Bangalore in partnership with Dream Home Furniture. Owning a Pepperfry franchise is an entrepreneurial success, and we aim to reach consumers beyond the larger catchment areas of metropolitan and tier 1 cities. Our franchise partners include a mix of successful businesses, women entrepreneurs, ex-army officials and first-time entrepreneurs. Today a large part of our Pepperfry customer interactions leverage AR and virtual product interactions. With our mission to spark a feeling called home across the world, we endeavor to consistently deliver great customer service.”

Juli Agarwal, Owner of Pepperfry Seegehalli, said, “We are extremely happy to partner with Pepperfry, India’s leading home and furniture marketplace. Pepperfry has pioneered a truly differentiated omnichannel business and we are proud to be a part of their journey in creating the largest omnichannel home and furniture business.”

Launched in 2017, Pepperfry franchise business model offers order fulfillment and after sales service by Pepperfry, support on studio design, launch & set up, operational guidance, marketing, and promotions. Pepperfry partners with local entrepreneurs who are aware of the hyperlocal demand cycles and trends. Pepperfry launches about 8-9 franchisees every month.

Pepperfry Accelerator Program was crafted in the year 2021 to expand Pepperfry’s offline footprint. The big differentiator of this program is the Capex required by franchise partners which starts with INR 15 lakhs. This model is based on 100% price parity and does not require the partner to hold product inventory, making it a mutually beneficial business association.

About Pepperfry.com

Pepperfry is an ecommerce furniture and home goods company offering customers a portfolio of home and living products and a great shopping experience. We believe that the Pepperfry managed marketplace helps thousands of entrepreneurs and merchants to sell to millions of discerning customers across India.