Toyota Kirloskar Motor Receives ‘CII GreenCo Platinum Company’ Award For Environmental Excellence And Sustainable Leadership

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has demonstrated a strong pursuit of adopting best sustainable practices by achieving the ‘GreenCo Platinum Company’, conferred by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). This recognition reflects the companies’ remarkable environmental performance system, implemented across its entire value chain including its products, services, and processes. Today, TKM received the GreenCo Platinum Company Plaque & Certificate at CII’s flagship event of GreenCo Summit 2023 held in Pune. The award was received by Mr. B. Padmanabha, Associate Executive Vice President – Manufacturing of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, in the presence of Dr. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar, Former Director General of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and Mr. Jamshyd Naoroji Godrej - Managing Director & Chairman of Godrej & Boyce and Chairman of CII-Godrej GBC.

This esteemed achievement showcases TKM's adherence to environmental norms, thereby solidifying its position as a prominent and sustainable industry leader. Through the years, TKM has employed various assessment tools and systems to evaluate its performance and enhance sustainability across the organization. To elaborate, the GreenCo Rating system involves various parameters that covers - Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation, Renewable Energy, GHG Mitigation, Waste Management, Material Conservation/Recycling/Recyclability, Green Supply Chain, Product Stewardship, Lifecycle Assessment, Biodiversity and more. Using life-cycle approach, TKM’s all eco-activities are clearly aligned to these defined frameworks.

Furthermore, TKM's participation in this rigorous assessment unfolds its strict compliance to diverse national and international environmental standards, which also upholds the company’s preparedness for future regulatory requirements.  The GreenCo Platinum Company award, valid for three years, involves annual reviews and re-certification to identify any gaps and ensure timely application of required environmental actions.

TKM has previously been bestowed with the coveted awards namely CII Sustainability Award (2012-2015), CII Environment Domain Excellence Award (2018), CII CAP 2.0 (2019 & 2022), CII SR Award for Waste Management (2021), CII National EHS Award (2022), Certificate of Recognition for the submission of Energy Compact (EC) goals by Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2022 for ‘Excellence in Biodiversity’ and so forth.

Commenting on TKM’s achievement, The CII Panel said, "We congratulate Toyota Kirloskar Motor on achieving the ‘GreenCo Platinum Company’ Award. This remarkable achievement underscores their unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability. By incorporating the comprehensive framework of the GreenCo rating system, TKM has exhibited exemplary dedication to shaping a greener and more sustainable future. Their proactive approach in addressing the entire value chain, sets a shining example for the industry. This milestone serves as a testament to their visionary leadership and resolute efforts in fostering a harmonious coexistence between business and the environment."

Present at the CII GreenCo Summit 2023, Mr. B. Padmanabha, Associate Executive Vice President – Manufacturing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said "At TKM, we embrace our corporate responsibility to drive positive change and set new benchmarks in environmental sustainability. Through utilisation of diverse assessment tools and systems, we have pursued continuous improvement of our environmental performance. Achieving the prestigious ‘GreenCo Platinum Company’ award is a testament of our efforts towards realising a carbon neutral society. We are proud to be at the forefront of environmental friendliness, setting new standards and inspiring others including our suppliers, dealers, and society at large. With this, we reaffirm our promise to 'Live in Harmony with Nature' and develop further innovative solutions towards preserving our planet for future generations."

Regardless, in 2015, Toyota set itself the Global Environmental Challenge 2050 which constitutes six environment challenges that requires addressing its entire value-chain including manufacturing activities, promoting a recycling-based society, reduction in water consumption and helping to build a society that is in harmony with nature.

Some of the notable achievements includes TKM’s initiatives on achieving 100% Renewable energy in grid electricity, reducing freshwater dependency by 89%, promoting effective implementation of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle (3Rs) concept in manufacturing process by recycling 96% of the waste generated, initiation of circular economy thought process in the areas of steel, battery & aluminium, and promotion of Toyota’s sustainability vision across its value chain. In addition, plantation drive remains one of the key eco activities, leading to creation of a dense forest with more than 3,28,000 trees within TKM premises, by adopting unique ‘Miyawaki’ concept. Also, our focus has been to develop eco champions, especially amongst young minds, through our established unique eco-learning centre, the ‘Ecozone’, located in our Bidadi plant facility.

As the company advances with these good results, it continues to share their key learnings, experiences and best practices across its value chain including the dealers and suppliers for the larger benefit of the society. In parallel, more conscious efforts are underway and Toyota’s core guiding principles continue to steer us to go beyond in providing sustainable ’Mobility for All’ and ‘Leave No One Behind’, thereby producing ‘Mass Happiness for All’.

Ozonetel Integrates ChatGPT Into Contact Centers To Revolutionize Customer Experience

* Leverages Generative AI and builds a suite of intelligent solutions for enhanced contact center efficiency  

Ozonetel, a leading omnichannel customer experience platform provider is leveraging ChatGPT and Generative AI and has built a suite of intelligent solutions to revolutionize customer experience and enhance contact center efficiency.  

The benefits of ChatGPT-powered contact centers are manifold. Businesses will be able to harness the intelligence gathered from millions of customer interactions to transform agent efficiency, drive personalized customer experiences, and achieve higher client satisfaction.  

With this suite of solutions, contact centers will have a self-evolving knowledge repository that continuously learns from available resources such as documents, conversations, and FAQs, creating a comprehensive one-stop solution for customer support and agent training. Agent-facing AI will also help organizations resolve queries faster and personalize conversations more effectively. 

The current release includes Automated Quality Audits for Contact Centers, Agent-facing Conversational Intelligence, Intelligent Neural Search, and Voice and Chatbots. 

"For quite a few years now, we have been using AI in contact centers. But now it is time to completely transform the existing AI orchestration in contact centers by integrating Generative AI. We believe the integration of ChatGPT into contact centers will bring about a paradigm shift in their efficiency and revolutionize customer experience. Ozonetel has always been a pioneer in the cloud communication space, and we are proud to be front-runners with Generative AI too. Our readiness to integrate ChatGPT comes from our years of experience in designing and building a proprietary AI engine for contact centers,” says Chaitanya Chokkareddy, Chief Product Officer at Ozonetel. 

ChatGPT-enabled Automated Quality Audits will help eliminate random sampling and manual errors, allowing for 100% monitoring of calls in contact centers. It will enable real-time evaluation of agent performance with detailed insights into conversational intent and customer sentiment. Conversational Intelligence — gathered from millions of customer interactions — will provide agents with actionable advice, smart suggestions and real-time information on customer sentiment and intent, leading to more effective and satisfying conversations.  

Ozonetel's ChatGPT-enabled Neural Search will help contact centers build intelligent knowledge repositories surpassing traditional keyword search to equip agents with precise and contextual information rapidly and at scale, thereby minimizing escalations and improving First Contact Resolution (FCR) rates. Chat and voice bots enabled by ChatGPT will converse with customers in an accurate, contextual, and human-like manner. Repetitive tasks and common customer queries can be efficiently automated at scale. 

About Ozonetel 

Ozonetel is an industry leader within the Customer Experience (CX) space, offering businesses a robust, omnichannel platform to manage end-to-end communication flows. Its AI-powered, full-stack platform has enabled over 2,500+ businesses to simplify, manage, and analyze interactions at every step of their customer communication and engagement journey. The platform helps enterprises to engage with customers at every touchpoint across voice, chat, SMS, WhatsApp, and other digital channels. It fully integrates with CRM and other business applications and offers a truly omnichannel experience for customers.?For more information, visit www.ozonetel.com  

ELGi Introduces All-Women Production Lines At The ELGi Air Center

* Reiterates commitment to building a gender-diverse, inclusive workforce via women empowerment and skill development

Elgi Equipments (BSE: 522074 NSE: ELGIEQUIP), has introduced assembly lines with a 100% female workforce at the ELGi Air Center in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Twenty young women are managing operations at the airend assembly line, encapsulated airend assembly line, and the ELGi new generation compressor top block assembly line, delivering over 150 airends and top blocks daily. These young women have successfully graduated from the ELGi Vocational Training School (EVTS), completing a comprehensive three-year technical training program comprising modules on machining, welding, electrical work, basic engineering, and advanced production technologies.

All assembly lines at the ELGi Air Center have been automated to ensure an inclusive working environment; this will enable the achievement of torque without fatigue and significantly enhanced material handling capabilities, enabling young girls and women to excel in their roles and make invaluable contributions on the shop floor. In line with ELGi’s focus on fostering a safe and healthy work environment, every woman working on the shop floor has received comprehensive first-aid training. Moreover, a dedicated occupational health center ensures immediate support whenever needed to prioritize their well-being, further promoting a safe and comfortable working environment.

For over 60 years, ELGi’s pioneering products and compressed air solutions have served various applications across industries ranging from manufacturing, food & beverage, construction, pharmaceuticals, and textiles in over 120+ countries. Powering a 400+ product-strong portfolio, ELGi’s state-of-the-art global manufacturing facilities, spanning three continents, are committed to carbon neutrality, water conservation, and circular waste management.

Experts Emphasize Role of Nutrition In Disease Prevention And Health Management At ‘The Edge of Nutrition – 2023: Fixing It With Food’

* The summit offered insights from doctors, health, and fitness coaches to improve health outcomes by busting nutrition myths and sharing up-to-date research on nutrigenomics

Health and wellness knowledge platform, Happiest Health is hosting ‘The Edge of Nutrition 2023, a two-day summit at St John’s Auditorium, where over 600 health-conscious individuals gathered to hear doctors and nutrition experts discuss the critical role of nutrition in disease prevention and health management. With a focus on personalized nutrition and debunking nutritional myths, the event aimed to educate, inspire and foster collaboration in the field.

The nutrition summit opened with the keynote address by Dr. Anura Kurpad, Professor of Physiology, St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, speaking on metabolic obesity, busted myths around superfoods, and more. He highlighted the importance of dietary choices and their impact on overall health and well-being and cautioned people against following "fad diets". He maintained that they were better off reducing the calorie intake, while improving the quality of food. He also stated that there was no "super food" and advised people to avoid "ultra-processed food" that gets easily absorbed by the body and has high energy density.

"So my message would be to eat less carbohydrates, eat home-cooked food, eat sustainably.... everything in moderation. And finally, keep targets simple," he said and added that the right diet can help reduce the rate of aging.

Dr. Nandan Joshi, Head of Medical Affairs - Nutrition, India and Emerging Markets at Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, enlightened us on healthy aging is a continuous process of maintaining and improving physical and mental health and quality of life throughout the life course. Emphasising on the significance of a balanced protein intake in promoting healthy aging processes, he said healthy muscles translated into healthy aging. He stressed on the importance of resistance training to maintain the muscle mass and tone. "Given that Indians have lower muscle mass, the right amount of protein is a must to maintain muscles, which are important for not just mobility, but also for metabolic function," he said and recommended starting a food diary to keep track of protein intake to begin with.

Dr. Sridevi, CFTRI Director delved on the million-dollar question in nutrition, “What is the best source of natural and healthy proteins, is it plant-based or animal proteins?” Batting for menu diversity, she said that animal protein is easier to digest, as the animal has already digested the plant protein, and also contains the required proportion of essential amino acid. However, plant protein has fibre, healthier fat profile, required phytonutrients and is environmentally friendly, and this makes it more attractive than animal protein.

Ryan Fernando, Expert Sports Nutritionist and Food Educator, spoke on how Nutrigenomics determine individual nutritional needs and identifies how individuals respond variably to the same nutrient. “If you can learn the language of your genes and control the messages and instructions they give your body and your metabolism, you can radically alter how food interacts with your body,” he said and added that genetic testing was akin to crystal ball gazing and key to understanding the body better.

Speaking at the summit, Anindya Chowdhury, CEO and President, Happiest Health, gave the inaugural note, “This summit is a testament to our commitment to bring together exceptional minds in the field of nutrition. We have curated an exceptional lineup of leading experts, researchers and visionaries who are at the forefront of groundbreaking advancements in nutrition. They are sharing their invaluable insights and expertise with all of you.

We have meticulously curated a diverse range of captivating topics for this extraordinary event. From uncovering the power of personalized nutrition through nutrigenomics to understanding the importance of proteins in healthy ageing, to nurturing our children's health through proper nutrition—each session is designed to empower you with knowledge and insights that will transform your approach to nutrition.”

India is facing an upcoming epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which cause 63% of all deaths in India. Conditions such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular issues are on the rise, primarily due to lifestyle-related causes such as inactivity and unhealthy diet. ‘The Edge of Nutrition’ is an event designed to tackle this alarming issue by raising awareness about the role of personalised nutrition in disease prevention and health management. We live with many ill-advised cultural notions of what is healthy nutrition, and it is time for the healthcare industry to take up the responsibility of educating people about the latest research and development so that we achieve a healthier nation.

Participants also had the chance to embark on a culinary adventure with the food extravaganza: Eatopia – 2023. They got to explore a range of delicious and nutritious food offerings across the many experiential food zones.

Day 1 of the summit successfully raised awareness about the importance of personalized nutrition and the role of nutrigenomics in achieving it, while providing a unique platform for networking and collaboration among stakeholders in the nutrition and health industries to exchange knowledge and envision a healthier future.

In line with the intent to become the leading forum that empowers citizens with up-to-date nutrition and health information to take charge of their own personal health and well-being, ‘The Edge of Nutrition’ will be an annual event.

About Happiest Health

Happiest Health is a global health & wellness knowledge enterprise promoted by Ashok Soota. Happiest Health provides credible and trustworthy health and wellness knowledge with views from globally renowned experts and doctors. The primary knowledge platforms are the daily newsletter, knowledge website, and monthly print magazine.

Happiest Health embraces scientific knowledge with a keen focus on medical breakthroughs providing kinder, gentler therapies including cell-based treatments. It also has deep coverage of integrated medicine including ayurveda, homoeopathy and naturopathy. Happiest Health’s focus on wellness is holistic and energizing. They live by their Mission Statement: “Better Knowledge. Better Health.” and convey its benefits to all.

For more information visit: The Edge Of Nutrition – 2023

Johnson Controls Launches Its OpenBlue Innovation Centre In Bengaluru, Showcasing Breakthrough Tech To Drive Net Zero Future

* Business and public leaders can see how AI-driven energy and emissions reductions are fundamental to achieving India’s net zero climate goals 

* Johnson Controls unveils the first-of-its-kind virtual reality building experience, where visitors can explore an immersive, end-to-end net zero building program * bHome to Johnson Controls’ advanced global research and development on AI, net zero buildings, and advancements in health, safety, and comfort for people in buildings

Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, today announced the official opening of its biggest state-of-the-art OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The new centre offers hands-on demos of net zero building technology and showcases Johnson Controls OpenBlue with cloud, edge, and AI in a fully operable, live environment.

“The answer to one of the most urgent challenges of our time, climate change, lies in systemic digitalization in buildings, using cloud, edge, and AI to unite, automate and optimize systems,” said Vijay Sankaran, chief technology officer at Johnson Controls. “OpenBlue represents a new frontier of digitalization that is helping buildings reach net zero emissions, and even become net energy positive. India is at the heart of technological innovations, and we are excited to expand our OpenBlue network here. Together with the thriving tech ecosystem here, we look forward to uncovering new possibilities in advancing net zero solutions for the building sector.”

This third, biggest, and most advanced OpenBlue Innovation Centre in India highlights Johnson Controls’ growing presence in India and its commitment to supporting India’s G20 leadership priorities of sustainability and digitalization, as well as its long-term climate commitments. With a focus on breakthrough AI and innovations in sustainable, energy-efficient building technology, the new centre is driving innovation to accelerate India’s net zero progress.

The Bengaluru centre also will feature the first experience centre in India, offering business and public leaders hands-on demos of building technology in action. It will showcase Johnson Controls OpenBlue, a suite of connected solutions using cloud, edge, and AI technology, in a fully operable, live environment. Customers will be able to experience the digital twin – a digital replica of assets, processes, places, systems, and devices in a smart building. Other demos include access control technologies, computer vision with video analytics, and fire safety solutions with 3D-printed models.

Visitors also can immerse themselves in the Johnson Controls virtual reality experience, exploring the creation and operational nuances of smart, energy-efficient, net zero emission buildings. The experience aims to support customers in outlining their own net zero goals. 

The inauguration of the Johnson Controls OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Bengaluru was presided over by Sankaran, Bhaskar Ghosh, chief strategy officer at Accenture, Sivakumar Selva Ganapathy, vice president of OpenBlue India software engineering and Asia-Pacific solutions at Johnson Controls India, and Divya Jha, director of human resources at Johnson Controls India.

“Decarbonisation of buildings is a key imperative to achieving the national net zero goals, as buildings contribute nearly 40% of global emissions, and traditionally waste a lot of energy,” said Ganapathy. “We believe that digitalisation of buildings is the biggest, quickest way to address and realise net zero buildings in India, and this must happen concurrently across every industry. Johnson Controls’ expansion of its OpenBlue Innovation Centre network marks a milestone on that path. It is sure to play a pivotal role in deepening our comprehensive net zero building offering, and to accelerate our country’s path to an emission-free future.”

With 30 years in India, Johnson Controls has established three manufacturing and five engineering centres, and employs more than 8,000 people, including 3,000 engineers. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Bengaluru launches operations with more than 300 engineers. Plans include the creation of additional roles over the next two years, including R&D, digital twin, and edge engineers, AI and computer vision scientists, cyber security specialists, and site reliability engineers. Opening this new centre in one of India’s biggest destinations for IT and engineering talent, Johnson Controls aims to make India a strategic hub to drive its smart building innovation.

Located in Brookfield Properties/RMZ Centennial - Campus C in Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, the new OpenBlue Innovation Centre is 10th in the global network of Johnson Controls’ OpenBlue Innovation Centres. 

R1 RCM Declared Top 50 Best Companies To Work For In India Making It The Best In Healthcare Industry By Great Place to Work® Institute

R1 RCM India (NASDAQ: RCM), a leading provider of technology-driven solutions that transform the patient experience and financial performance of healthcare providers, recently announced that it has been recognized amongst Top 50 of India's Best Companies to Work For™ 2023 by Great Place To Work® Institute. This prestigious accolade comes as a remarkable achievement and R1 RCM India was the only Healthcare organization in the Top 50 category.

India’s Best Companies to Work For™ 2023 is a prestigious recognition by Great Place to Work® Institute that includes companies that excel in providing exceptional employee experiences and outstanding people practices, as determined through a comprehensive assessment process. With about 2500+ organizations from across 28+ sectors which participated in the assessment, it is widely recognized as the definitive standard of what it means to be a great workplace. Following the evaluation conducted by the esteemed Great Place to Work® Institute, R1 has garnered exceptional scores across various attributes, including High-Trust, High-Performance Culture - encompassing Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Pride, and Camaraderie.

R1 RCM's achievement as the best company in the healthcare category reflects its unwavering commitment to nurturing its talented workforce with high impact, engaging employee experience. Through its robust employee-centric initiatives, R1 RCM has successfully fostered a supportive and inclusive work environment where employees feel valued, inspired, and motivated to contribute their best.

Speaking on the recognition, said Abhijeet Pawar, EVP Global Operations & India Country General Manager at R1 RCM said, “We are thrilled to be acknowledged amongst Top 50 of India's Best Companies to Work for in 2023. This is truly a testament of the employee centric culture we have built together, where everyone feels valued and respected, while working with dedication and passion every day. With our forward-thinking people first policies and practices, we are wholeheartedly committed to establishing an environment where our employees can flourish holistically, achieving personal and professional fulfilment,” he added.

Swati Khandelwal, SVP Human Resources, R1RCM said “At R1 India, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We firmly believe in prioritizing the well-being and growth of our employees as the foundation for our mutual accomplishments. As an industry leader in the healthcare space, we recognize that true excellence stems from investing in our people and cultivating a workplace that upholds principles of fairness, integrity, transparency, and visionary leadership. There is a continuous focus on providing a best-in-class employee experience. We empower our employees to perform at their best, and we engage and celebrate their personal and professional milestones with them,” she added.

By being recognized as the Best Place to Work in the healthcare category, R1 RCM reaffirms its position as an employer of choice within the industry and sets a benchmark for excellence in fostering an outstanding work environment.

About R1 RCM

R1 is a leading provider of technology-driven solutions that transform the patient experience and financial performance of healthcare providers. R1’s proven and scalable operating models seamlessly complement a healthcare organization’s infrastructure, quickly driving sustainable improvements to net patient revenue and cash flows while reducing operating costs and enhancing the patient experience. To learn more, visit: r1rcm.com.

Diya Maeve Unveils Her Debut EP For The Lovers At A Memorable Launch Event

Diya Maeve, a talented singer-songwriter hailing from Mumbai, India, took a significant step in her musical journey with the release of her debut EP titled 'For the Lovers'. 

Trained in Indian Classical Music, Diya Maeve discovered her passion for songwriting, leading her to embark on her musical expedition. She initially gained recognition by uploading acoustic covers on YouTube, where she showcased her enchanting vocals alongside her guitar or piano. Her debut single, 'Real', captivated listeners when it was released on August 13, 2021. This marked the beginning of her remarkable musical journey, followed by the release of two more standalone singles.

Building on her success, Diya Maeve's subsequent singles, 'Me, You, & the Stars' and 'Jupiter's Moon', were included in her much-anticipated Debut EP, 'For the Lovers', which hit the airwaves on June 23, 2023. The EP comprises a collection of five tracks, boasting a total runtime of approximately 19 minutes. Each song in the EP acts as a chapter, interweaving a captivating storyline that aims to resonate with listeners on a personal level.

Diya Maeve's musical evolution through a captivating display of recordings, performance clips, and covers. The videos highlighted her journey, starting with her rendition of Indian Classical and Bollywood music and transitioning to her foray into English songwriting after being inspired by notable artists such as Taylor Swift, Coldplay, and Ed Sheeran.

The latter part of the program featured Diya Maeve's enthralling live performance, where she flawlessly performed each track from 'For the Lovers', accompanied by anecdotes about the inspiration and story behind each song. With heartfelt transparency, Diya shared her songwriting process and discussed how the songs seamlessly came together to form the EP. During her performance, she expressed, "I've always wanted to make a record that had a storyline, in which every song acted like a chapter. And this is exactly what I did with this EP. So, I hope you find a little story of your own within the one I'm telling on this record."

Diya Maeve's talents as a songwriter shine through in the EP, with all tracks penned by the artist herself. The launch event garnered significant attention, with Diya Maeve recently being interviewed by prestigious publications such as Rolling Stone India and Midday India. She spoke of her plans to delve into new musical territories, exploring different genres and sounds while maintaining a strong connection with her audience through the art of songwriting.

'For the Lovers' marks the beginning of an exciting musical journey for Diya Maeve. The EP serves as a testament to her immense talent and creativity, leaving listeners eager for what she has in store for the future. As she continues to develop her craft, Diya Maeve is poised to release more singles, each with unique concepts that stay true to her roots and resonate deeply with music lovers worldwide.

For updates on new releases and Live Performances check out. www.diyamaeve.com