Sustainability reporting

Sustainability reporting gaining a huge traction due to the global push and investors demand, to keep up with these requirements SEBI also making required changes and mandating the disclosure requirements, in this regard new amendments introduces is explained here,

Now Entities may opt for the third-party assessment or assurance and this assessment must follow standards by the Industry Standards Forum (ISF). And now CA firms can provide these services provided they have a requisite expertise and no conflict of interest.

Day by day the requirements for disclosure with respect to ESG and undertaking the activities to curb environmental pollution and diligent usage of the resources is becoming mandatory for the entities.1. 

Given an option to undertake ‘assessment’ or ‘assurance’ for BRSR Core and ESG disclosures for value chain.

Green credits:

In Principle 6 of BRSR, an additional 8^th leadership indicator included for disclosures on green credits.

How many Green Credits have been generated or procured:

a. By the listed entity

b. By the top ten value chain partners (by value of purchases/sales)

Applicable for BRSR disclosures for FY 2024-25 and onwards.

 

Assessment & Assurance

New KPIs included which are as follows;

a.      Job creation in small towns

b.      Open-ness of business

c.       Gross wages paid to women

And for better global comparability intensity ratios based on revenue adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) have been included.

Listed entities shall mandatorily undertake assessment or assurance of the BRSR Core as per the following timelines:

Financial Year   Applicability of BRSR Core to top listed entities (by market capitalization)

2023 – 24 Top 150 listed entities

2024 – 25 Top 250 listed entities

2025 – 26 Top 500 listed entities

2026 – 27 Top 1000 listed entities

 

Note the following for assessment provider:

The listed entity shall ensure that there is no conflict of interest with the assessment or assurance provider appointed for assessing or assuring the BRSR Core. For instance, it shall be ensured that the assessment or assurance provider or any of its associates do not sell its products or provide any non-audit / non-assessment / non assurance related service including consulting services, to the listed entity or its group entities.”

Value chain disclosure and assessment or assurance is deferred by one year and to revise the threshold for values chain partners.

Value chain shall include individually comprising 2% or more of the listed entity's purchases and sales (by value) respectively. However, the listed entity may limit disclosure of value chain to cover 75% of its purchases and sales (by value) respectively.”

ESG disclosures for the value chain shall be applicable to the top 250 listed entities on a voluntary basis from FY 2025 26.

The assessment or assurance of the above shall be applicable on a voluntary basis from FY 2026-27

For the first year of reporting ESG disclosures for value chain, reporting of previous year numbers shall be voluntary.

How these requirements of disclosures and assessment will shape up the company's image in the public eyes is interesting in coming years.  

 

Vantara - Aim towards sustainable living

Vantara: A Vision for Sustainability and Wildlife Conservation

In a world where nature and wildlife face constant threats, Vantara stands as a beacon of hope and a testament to human commitment toward ecological harmony. Spearheaded by Anant Ambani, a director at Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation, Vantara is not just a wildlife rescue operation—it’s a revolution in sustainability and conservation.

A Sanctuary Like No Other

Vantara is the world’s largest and most advanced wildlife rescue center, providing a safe haven for over 25,000 rescued animals spanning more than 48 species. It is home to the world's largest Animal Wildlife Quarantine Centre, India’s only facility of its kind, ensuring rescued animals receive the best possible care before reintegration into suitable habitats.

Pioneering Wildlife Healthcare

Vantara is home to Asia’s first wildlife hospital equipped with cutting-edge medical technology, including CT scans and MRI facilities tailored specifically for animals. It also houses the world’s largest Leopard Rescue Centre, caring for over 300 leopards, and an Elephant Care Centre that provides specialized treatment for more than 250 elephants.

The centre also boasts Asia’s largest veterinary pharmacy and operates a fleet of over 75 animal ambulances, ensuring rapid emergency response and medical aid for wildlife in distress. With 22 hospitals, 17 clinics, and 103 dedicated veterinarians, Vantara has revolutionized veterinary care for rescued animals.

Holistic Healing Beyond Medicine

At Vantara, treatment goes beyond physical healing—it focuses on mental well-being too. Innovative therapies like music therapy, hydrotherapy, and even Jacuzzi pools aid in the rehabilitation of rescued animals. Ayurveda is also integrated into treatment plans, blending traditional wisdom with modern medicine to ensure holistic recovery.

A Global Force for Wildlife Rescue

Vantara’s impact extends beyond India, with over 250 international rescue operations successfully conducted. The centre has saved 50-60 endangered species from captivity, circuses, and starvation, offering them a second chance at life. It is also actively involved in breeding programs for seven critically endangered species, playing a crucial role in their survival.

The Ambitious Genome Project

One of Vantara’s most groundbreaking initiatives is its Genome Project, an ambitious effort to safeguard biodiversity at the genetic level. This pioneering program positions India at the forefront of global biodiversity conservation, ensuring the preservation of species for generations to come.

Sustainability and Community Development

Vantara is not just about wildlife—it also nurtures the environment and uplifts local communities. Its sprawling campus is home to over 25 million trees, creating a thriving ecosystem for both animals and nature. The facility sources food for the animals from local farmers, promoting organic farming and sustainable agriculture. In return, organic manure from Vantara supports local farmers in growing crops, creating a self-sustaining cycle.

Additionally, Vantara has provided employment to over 3,500 people, including 3,000 to 4,000 animal caretakers, empowering local veterinary professionals and fostering economic growth.

A Call to Action

Vantara is more than just a conservation center—it’s a movement that reminds us that Earth belongs not only to humans but to all living beings. By saving wildlife, protecting the environment, and fostering ecological balance, Vantara sets an example for the world.

Save the environment. Protect wildlife. Preserve our ecology. 

New REIT listing

Blackstone is coming up with the Indias first retail mall REIT IPO,

This is the third REIT listing, and it will be called as Nexus Select Trust,

It include assets of premium mall Select City Walk from Delhi and Bangalore's developer Prestige Group.

Where Nexus mall is the largest mall operator in India has acquired 17 malls in 13 cities.

Retail sales in Indian malls are set to grow at a CAGR of 29% in FY22-28 to touch $39 billion by FY28 and footfalls is increasing and people are increasing their purchases from malls.

Already listed Embassy REIT is planning to invest 2200 cr to develop new office buildings in next 3-4 years.

Recently Blackstone sold 7.7 cr shares of Embassy REIT amounting to Rs 2650.

Blackstone is the most agressive institutional investor which is the largest office space owner in India with an office portfolio of around 100 million sq ft across 38 assets in 7 cities. Of this, around 13 million sq ft offices are under construction and 16 million sq ft for future development. 

It's AUM is estimated to be odd 60 billion of which Real estate is major one.

India's real estate sector is witnessing a growth post COVID.

and Blackstone being in the main lead in this sector acting quick.

RIL's new Acquisition in Renewable energy space

 

New day new Acquisition…

RIL to acquire a 79.4% stake in SenseHawk, a company that digitizes and helps solar equipment and sites.

Acquiring at $32 million including research, Development of products, and future growth.

SenseHawk helps in process automation, defect identification, yield improvements, cost reduction, and data management throughout the solar lifecycle.

Acquiring this will help to bring down the cost which is required to manage solar assets and sites with more efficiently and at a minimal cost.

Surely this shows that Mukesh Ambani is building an eco-system that will integrate the entire renewable energy front.

Now RIL’s almost 60% revenue comes from Petroleum and petrochemicals, in future which will be replaced by Renewable energy in a big way as now RIL imports crude oil but renewable energy will be an in-house generation with its solar plants so it will be a future cash-cow for RIL.

This company already assisted over 140 customers in different countries and 600 solar plants.

If we look into the recent RIL acquisition in renewable energy space shows why this will be a front-face of RIL in coming years.

•  Acquired NexWafe GmbH for 25 million euros.
•  Acquired Norway’s REC solar holdings for $771 million.  
•  RIL acquired a 40% stake in Sterling and Wilson solar.
•  In April RIL agreed to purchase 8 high-efficiency production lines for heterojunction cells (HJT), with each 600 MW capacity, to produce 4.8 GW of HJT cells annually.

RIL is on its way to create a Renewable Energy giant with its new plans to build 4 new giga factories  next to its refinery in Gujarat.

Amazon into Healthcare

 

Soon, you can open the Amazon app to find a solution to your health problems!

Amazon recently announced that it has entered into a $ 3.9 billion deal to purchase One Medical, one of the primary care clinics networks.

Amazon will acquire at $18 per share in an all-cash transaction, including One Medical's net debt. Completion of the transaction is subject to closing conditions, including approval by One Medical's shareholders and regulatory approval. Upon completion, Amir Dan Rubin will remain CEO of One Medical.

After a failed IPO, the company's value fell below the IPO price, making the acquisition by Amazon more attractive.

One Medical is a US-based, human-centered, technology-powered primary care organization with a mission to make quality healthcare more affordable, accessible, and enjoyable through a perfect combination of in-person care services, digital and virtual.

1Life Healthcare, Inc. is an administrative and management services company. 1Life and the One Medical entities operate under the "One Medical" brand.

One Medical is a subscription-based primary care practice with nearly 200 locations nationwide that also offers virtual services. The company had approximately 7.67,000 patients in May.

One Medical isn't the first healthcare company Amazon has acquired. In 2018, it acquired PillPack, an online pharmacy for $ 753 million in 2018, and launched Amazon Pharmacy in 2020 as a prescription and delivery service.

Amazon is investing heavily in healthcare and wants to become a major healthcare company, however, the problem is how it integrates healthcare with its other businesses and starts cross-selling. This will raise issues related to health data and privacy legislation.

 

Medplus trying Subscription model

MedPlus trying Subscription modle for diagnostics and consultation services.

Diagnostics tests at a 75% discount and a 50% discount on consultation.

Medplus rolled out an annual subscription model for people where this includes, Diagnostics tests and In-house consultations,

This Annual subscription plan starts at Rs.999 for an individual when you add family members it could go up to Rs.1799. This will cover the entire year of whatever tests subscribers want.

Plans are Rs. 1799 for a family with 2 children, Rs. 999 for a single adult, and Rs. 1499 for the Adult couple and add-ons with marginal amounts.

Under this, the subscribers will get free diagnostic tests at MRP, worth the membership subscription plan fee. And Beyond that any tests (like radiology, preventive health check-ups etc.) you will get 75% discounts.

Flat 50% off on all online and offline consults with in-house doctors and moving forward it’s planning to make it free for all.

These all services subscribers will get under one roof only and if subscribers don’t want then they can go to various outlets across Hyderabad and other cities to get it done under this plan. These private outlets have a tie-up with Medplus.

For now, it is a pilot program across Hyderabad, Vijaywada, Chennai, Nagpur, and Bengaluru, and if it gets the kind of responses it’s expecting it will be launched across India.

The diagnostics market is highly competitive and prices are also very high. And this could be adopted by many people if this plan works as intended.

At present, Medplus offers 20% discounts for the purchase of above Rs.1000 in every Medplus outlet.

In India, healthcare services and insurance penetration is less and these kinds of plans will enhance the health cover and makes people get tested themselves as it comes with multiple offers at just 1799.

This is a win-win proposition for both the company and the consumers.

Through this Medplus will get huge data in terms of people’s health patterns which is helpful for it to offer new products and understand the major issues people are facing and it could also help to bring more healthcare policies in India if data is used by policymakers (which is a long time horizon).

Netflix getting hurt

Why is Netflix losing its subscribers?

The company is predicted to lose 2 million subscribers By June. However, it lost 970,000 subscribers.

Its stock price also went down by 71%.

 Currently Netflix has 220.6 million subscribers worldwide, 74 million for HBO Max, and 87.6 million for Disney+ these later two streamers are in less parts of the world.

 

Until now, Netflix has made content by incurring huge costs and making content more creative, but now they are cautious and moving strategically.

To mention such films include The Irishman, Red notice, and the recent one The Grey Man (released on Friday) which made by incurring a whopping $200 Million.

The other notable new content is “Stranger” which is being made by incurring $25 million per episode.

Netflix lost Manifest and Lucifer shows as they went to free streamers.

 

• One reason could be that most of the content on Netflix is made by itself, to do this kind of project it needs huge resources such as a production team, technicians, and a lot of shooting equipment which are a huge costs for the company and they can only be used by Netflix.
  
• Whereas other streaming sites are associated with production franchises but Netflix is not, It’s driving the subscribers to other streaming sites.
• In India, people would love to watch regional content. Still, Netflix has less to offer the regional content and they are not associated with any Indian production house on large scale.
• In India, there are lots of streaming sites that are offering more regional content at a very minimal price or even free like MX Player, Jio cinema, Alt Balaji, etc.

Initiatives :

• Netflix is planning to introduce the Adds streaming and planning to charge for password sharing.
• It is also planning to enter into the digital gaming market which has huge potential.

Changes that could be made to attract new subscribers?

•  Netflix has to normalize the content making which they are planning to do now.
• Netflix has to outsource the content making projects to production houses which will save huge costs for the company.
• Introduce the a few free content on Netflix to attract new people to its platform and monetize eventually by offering custom made content packages based on their content consuming behaviors (As its known for making content images based on viewers likes).
• Introduce more and more regional content.
• To attract Indian subscribers Netflix has to make changes with respect to both Price and content.

Have to wait and watch how Netflix makes its turnaround.