New Delhi/Mumbai, February 27, 2025 – Taking a bold step towards redefining corporate sustainability, Vedanta Group, a global leader in natural resources, today announced the launch of VEDAS (Vedanta Academy for Sustainability) in collaboration with AXA Climate, a pioneer in climate risk and resilience services. This visionary initiative is set to equip over 100,000 employees and business partners with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to drive Vedanta’s ambitious net-zero journey and ESG commitments.

Through VEDAS, Vedanta is integrating sustainability into the DNA of its operations, ensuring that every business decision and action contributes meaningfully to climate leadership, community transformation, and responsible resource management. The program is an industry-first effort to build a sustainability-first workforce, making Vedanta not just a participant but a leader in shaping the future of responsible business.

Built on Vedanta’s three-pillar sustainability framework—Transforming Communities, Transforming the Planet, and Transforming the Workplace—VEDAS will deliver high-impact learning through targeted e-learning modules, hands-on workshops, and leadership-driven engagements. This structured approach will embed ESG excellence at every level of the organization, creating a new generation of sustainability champions.

Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc and Non-Executive Director of Vedanta Ltd, emphasizing Vedanta’s commitment, said “The launch of VEDAS marks a new chapter in Vedanta’s sustainability journey. This is more than a learning initiative—it’s a movement to empower, educate, and embed sustainability into everything we do. Through VEDAS, we are building a future-ready workforce that will drive real impact, ensuring that every function, every decision, and every action takes us closer to our net-zero goals. Sustainability isn’t just an agenda for Vedanta—it’s our way forward.”

Antoine Poincare, Vice President, AXA Climate, added, “Sustainable transition is the bedrock upon which resilient and prosperous futures must be built. Through VEDAS, we are proud to partner with Vedanta to provide the knowledge, tools, and expertise needed to advance climate and community resilience. Our joint efforts will not only enhance awareness, upskilling and innovation within the group, but also foster lasting changes in the industries pivotal to the global sustainability agenda.”

VEDAS will offer cutting-edge training modules focused on building a Future-Ready Workforce:

•  Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation – Enabling employees to drive Vedanta’s net-zero transition, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, scaling renewable energy adoption (targeting 2.5 GW of Round-The-Clock Renewable Energy by 2030), and integrating climate risk management strategies.
•  Resource Efficiency & Circular Economy – Advancing responsible resource management through net water positivity by 2030, waste reduction, biodiversity protection, and circular economy principles to minimize environmental impact while maximizing value creation.
•  Community Development & Stakeholder Engagement – Strengthening Vedanta’s social impact by embedding responsible community engagement, skill development, women and child empowerment, and inclusive growth into business practices.
•  ESG Governance & Best Practices – Raising the bar for corporate governance, diversity, workplace safety, and ethical business practices, ensuring that sustainability becomes a core driver of business excellence.

Vedanta: A Sustainability Trailblazer

Vedanta’s sustainability roadmap is one of the most ambitious in the industry, with a focus on driving measurable impact across the planet, communities, and the workplace:

•  Ranked 4th among global Metal & Mining peers in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024
•  Net Water Positive by 2030, with five businesses already achieving this milestone
•  2.5 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030, with 1.8 GW of Power Delivery Agreements (PDAs) secured
•  80+ start-ups engaged under ‘Sthe park’ initiative to drive sustainable business transformation
•  Recognized as a ‘Kincentric Best Employer’ for two consecutive years
•  40% leadership diversity target by 2030

The launch of VEDAS is a milestone in Vedanta’s sustainability journey, reinforcing its position as a global ESG leader committed to building a greener, more responsible future.

New Delhi, 27th February 2025 – Antarctica Equipment is set to make noise at AAHAR 2025, taking yet another step in bringing the world’s finest food display solutions to the industry. This year’s showcase promises groundbreaking innovations from IFI (Italy), FPG New Zealand, and Valmar Global, alongside customized refrigeration solutions from Antarctica Equipment tailored for diverse business needs.

Revolutionizing Gelato Displays with IFI

Antarctica Equipment proudly presents the latest gelato display solutions from IFI, Italy. The spotlight will be on:

• The all-new Tonda – Now features advanced touch sensor controls for seamless operation.
•  Esedra – A revolutionary new entrant redefining gelato presentation.
•  Sam80 & Milia – Elegance meets performance in these high-quality displays.

FPG: Performance & Business Continuity

FPG is known for display solutions that last a lifetime and can be relied on for performance and business continuity with their Inline Series &Visair Range.

For businesses prioritizing uninterrupted performance, Antarctica Equipment brings its proven Inline Series and the Visair Range—designed to ensure business continuity with guaranteed performance. This year, a brand-new addition to this category will be unveiled—an industry first and a must-see at AAHAR 2025.

A Treat for Gelato Chefs – Valmar’s Game-Changing Solutions

Redefining artisan gelato-making, Antarctica Equipment introduces Valmar’s Multipurpose Combined Machines engineered for precision and versatility:

•  Valmix 20 – A high-performance emulsifier designed to blend, mix, and emulsify gelato, ice cream, sorbet, toppings, sauces, and high-viscosity preparations. It finely disperses and stably binds dry ingredients, flavoring pastes, fresh and frozen fruit, nuts, and more.
•  Dosy3 – Ensuring perfect portioning and consistency for high-quality gelato.

Customized Solutions from Antarctica Equipment

Off-the-shelf solutions not quite your cup of tea? Well, Antarctica Equipment offers customized world-class refrigeration solutions that align to your unique business requirements, ensuring optimal performance, aesthetics, and efficiency.

New Delhi, 27th February 2025: Visva-Bharati University recently hosted a national seminar titled ‘Challenges for Women in India’s Informal Sector’ on February 11-12, 2025, bringing together leading academics and industry experts to address barriers to economic inclusion, gender wage disparity, and the need for stronger policy interventions.

A key focus was the role of traditional handicrafts—particularly Kantha embroidery in West Bengal—in empowering rural women. A seminar paper, ‘Kantha Work: A Pathway to Women’s Empowerment in Rural Bengal’, highlighted how skill-based training in artisanal crafts fosters financial independence and sustainable livelihoods. Experts emphasized the need for structured support, market linkages, and policy-driven initiatives to uplift women in the informal workforce.

Matix Fertilisers, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, champions women’s empowerment through its flagship program, ‘Project Shakti’. This initiative has trained rural women near its Panagarh plant in crafts such as applique and Kantha stitching, enabling them to become micro-entrepreneurs. By fostering financial independence and self-reliance, Project Shakti has transformed lives and strengthened local communities.

The seminar also explored broader issues, including informal labor rights, entrepreneurial opportunities for women artisans, and policy measures to enhance financial inclusion. The insights generated will contribute to ongoing efforts to create a more equitable economic landscape for women in India.

Speaking about the partnership, Nishant Kanodia, Chairman of Matix Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited, shared, “At Matix, empowerment means more than opportunity—it’s about confidence and expanding possibilities. Our collaboration with Visva Bharati University reaffirms our commitment to grassroots impact. As Principal Partner, we are proud to support a platform that amplifies the voices of Kantha stitch artisans and addresses broader challenges faced by women in the informal sector. Project Shakti reflects our core values, and witnessing its impact has been truly humbling. This seminar was a powerful testament to collective action in driving meaningful change.”

Dr. Paramita Roy, Head – Department of Social Work, Visva-Bharati states, “Women in India’s informal sector face persistent challenges, from wage disparity to limited market access. The seminar served as an essential platform to address these critical issues and explore sustainable solutions. Matix Fertilisers’ unwavering support has been instrumental in fostering dialogue and action. Their commitment through ‘Project Shakti’ is a testament to how corporate initiatives can empower rural women, particularly Kantha artisans, by providing skill development and economic opportunities. We deeply appreciate Matix’s partnership in driving meaningful change and strengthening the bridge between academia and industry for social impact.”

Zomato

Quick commerce is a bigger opportunity than modern retail or e-commerce, as it is disrupting general trade. Like other digital businesses, the existing 2-3 leaders should dominate after an initial period of intense competition. Blinkit has an additional moat due to the complexity of the quick commerce fulfillment model.

The low and declining profitability is not a cause for worry. This is an inherent feature of internet businesses – high losses in the initial land-grab phase followed by OpLev-led profitability as the business matures. Blinkit’s topline growth and market share are the important metrics, at this stage. Losses could continue for a few more quarters. An upside surprise could be profit-positive interventions by Zepto ahead of its IPO, when it happens.

Zomato’s 17% YoY GOV growth in food delivery for 3QFY25 was underwhelming, but appears to be a one-off from the excess seasonal pressures and the general slowdown in consumer spending. Our macro view is that discretionary consumption will recover in FY26, so this should be a passing phase.

Zomato trades at 7x EV/sales (FY26) and is undervalued compared with peers. We give it credit for its track record of innovation and execution – the management spotted the q-commerce opportunity when few others did. It also fits into two macro themes: the expected rebound in discretionary consumption in 2HCY25, and the greater value capture by digital disruptors in consumer businesses (detailed investment argument on Page 2).

Market update

The brutal correction in the market continues, with renewed FPI selling. This kind of price damage creates its own negativity but there are positive signs. The RBI’s move to reduce risk weights for NBFCs and micro-borrowers is a big positive. This should enable banks and NBFCs to lend more aggressively in retail segments, which would in turn aid the recovery in consumption. Also, the correction has de-frothed valuations, and the Nifty is attractively valued at below 22.5k (19.2x 1YF P/E). Financials is the best trade on the RBI easing, but we see this as an opportunity to lighten positions as valuations are still out of sync with medium-term growth. Our preferred sectors are Consumer Discretionary, Healthcare, and Telecom.

Read of the week – Taylor Swift!

This HBR analysis of Taylor Swift by Kevin Evers struck a chord at many levels. Evers’s framework of her success can be extended to businesses too. The last two behaviors, in my opinion, also reflect scenarios where most businesses falter and end up conceding leadership: maintaining productive paranoia and adapting to platform shifts. We see this in the two sectors we are structurally UW on – ie banking and staples. Companies shifted focus to productivity and profitability, neglecting innovation and creativity, and are now struggling to adapt to a new post-digital world with more democratized access to consumers.

Midweek Masala – New avatar

Our relaunched weekly has a new format. We will cycle through four themes every week – Idea of the Month (this week), Market HealthCheck, Stock Screeners, and Macrometer. We return to each theme every four weeks. We shall also be highlighting interesting reads and a market update, when necessary. We also have a section on the week’s movers and shakers on the inside pages. We will be publishing every Wednesday, and the data will capture the Wed-Tue cycle.

SEOUL, Feb. 27, 2025 — LG Electronics (LG) has added to its rich legacy of design excellence with an impressive presence at the iF Design Award 2025. LG’s tally of 36 awards, which includes a Gold Award, underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to innovative product design and the delivery of superior customer experiences.

The iF Design Award, held annually in Germany, is considered one of the world’s top industrial design competitions, alongside the Red Dot Award and the International Design Excellence Award (IDEA). The iF Design Award recognizes significant achievements in design across nine categories: Product, Communication, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Packaging, Interior Architecture, Professional Concept, Architecture, and Service Design.

This year, the groundbreaking LG SIGNATURE OLED T, the world’s first transparent and true wireless* 4K OLED TV, was honored with the Gold Award in the Product category. OLED T can transform from transparent to opaque screen; a unique ability that provides the OLED viewing experience while offering greater freedom in living space. When set to a Black screen, LG’s one-of-a-kind TV is ideal for content viewing and gaming; its 77-inch 4K-resolution OLED screen provides deep blacks, vibrant colors, sharp detail, and an ultra-fast response time. In Transparent Screen mode, the TV helps to create a remarkable sense of openness in the living environment and can also captivate users by displaying ethereal digital images that appear to float magically in the air.

In addition to the Gold Award, an additional 27 LG innovations were recognized in the Product Design category. These award-winning products include the LG AI Home smart home hub; LG Smart Home AI Agent, a mobile smart home hub capable of interacting with customers; LG QNED, featuring a sleek and sophisticated design with a slim profile; LG StanbyME 2, a unique display that offers exceptional flexibility with its detachable stand; and the LG SIGNATURE refrigerator with Smart InstaView, which uses transparent OLED technology to allow users to see inside without having to open the door.

Furthermore, the company also received awards in the Communication, UX, UI, and Packaging categories, earning recognition for its innovative technologies designed to provide customers with intuitive access to features and services. Notable winners include the LG ThinQ 3D Home View, which allows users to view their living space in 3D within the LG ThinQ smart home platform; LG ThinQ Character, which can communicate with customers in a friendly, human-like manner within the ThinQ app; and LG Iconography, which makes it quick and easy for users to see all the features and services offered by their connected LG products.

“We will continue to push the boundaries of design innovation, leaning into our deep understanding of customers to deliver human-centered innovations in products, solutions, and customer experiences,” said Chung Wook-jun, head of the Corporate Design Center at LG Electronics.

A highlight of the Gulfood 2025 trade show was when Chef Vikas Khanna stopped by the Organic Tattva Stall to celebrate the company’s dedication to sustainable, healthy, and organic cuisine. Chef Khanna, a brand ambassador for pulses and flour at Organic Tattva & a fervent supporter of wholesome ingredients, participated in conversations regarding the role of organic food while promoting the use of organic staples to ensure good health & well-being.

Chef Khanna visited the Stall of Organic Tattva and praised Organic Tattva’s commitment to sustainability, purity, and openness in sourcing, stressing the value of using organic ingredients to make healthful dishes. His visit to the Stall was one of the highlights of Gulfood 2025, drawing together foodies, business executives, and media people.

To mark this special occasion, Chef Vikas Khanna also hosted an exclusive dinner for Organic Tattva. The intimate gathering brought together key stakeholders, culinary experts, and guests who experienced firsthand the essence of organic fine dining.

“Organic food is not just a trend; it is a way of life. I deeply admire Organic Tattva’s commitment to purity and quality, as they continue spreading awareness about choosing a healthy lifestyle,” said Chef Vikas Khanna.

Mr Rohit Mehrotra, Co-Founder, Organic Tattva, added, “It is a proud moment for us to have a world-renowned chef like Vikas Khanna appreciate and showcase our products in such a remarkable way. This partnership has been quite unique, and his love of organic food is a wonderful fit with our mission.”

In the organic food sector, Organic Tattva is still setting new standards, and its involvement in Gulfood 2025 has strengthened its standing as a reliable company dedicated to providing pure, premium organic products all over the world.

Gurugram, 27th February 2025: To enhance cancer awareness and provide accessible healthcare services, Paras Health Gurugram has launched the ‘Umeed Ke Sitaare’ campaign. As part of this initiative, an awareness event themed ‘Healing, Hope, and Awareness’ was organized at Paras Cancer Center on Sunday, drawing participation from around 120 people, including senior citizens Resident Welfare Association (RWA) Presidents, caregivers, and cancer survivors. The event featured insightful health talks by leading oncologists, free doctor consultations, and exclusive discounts on cancer diagnostic tests. On the occasion, 10 cancer survivors were also facilitated.

The event began with a welcome address by Dr. Sandeep Kumar Mohan, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Paras Health, Gurugram. This was followed by a Health Talk led by senior doctors, focusing on key aspects of cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. Dr. Rahul Naithani, Director & Head, of Hematology & Bone Marrow Transplant, provided insights into blood disorders and their link to various forms of cancer. Dr. Priyanka, Senior Consultant in Radiation Oncology, emphasized the significance of early detection and timely intervention in breast cancer treatment, while Dr. Ananya Deori, Consultant of Surgical Oncology, discussed the broader aspects of cancer awareness and preventive strategies. Attendees also participated in a sound healing session, followed by a quiz game and giveaways.

As part of the ‘Umeed Ke Sitaare’ initiative, Paras Health Gurugram extended free doctor consultations to all attendees, ensuring that individuals received expert medical guidance on cancer-related concerns. Additionally, the hospital provided significant discounts on key diagnostic tests to encourage early screening and timely intervention, including a 50% discount on PET CT scans, a 25% discount on mammography, and a 15% discount on lab tests.

In addition to providing medical support, the hospital also honored cancer survivors, celebrating their strength and resilience. Their inspiring stories served as a beacon of hope for those undergoing treatment, reinforcing the importance of perseverance and timely medical care. Paras Health Gurugram remains committed to its mission of spreading awareness, promoting preventive healthcare, and ensuring advanced treatment for all.

The campaign aims to continue spreading awareness and providing medical assistance through various activities. On February 23, the hospital organized a yoga session that was attended by 70-80 people including patients. Three senior doctors also delivered health talks on cancer prevention on the same day.