Technology

MSMEs Show Growing Sustainability Awareness Amidst Persistent Challenges: SIDBI – D&B SPeX

Published

9 hours ago

December 19, 2024

MUMBAI, India, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, along with SIDBI, released SPeX (also known as the ‘Green Pulse Indicator’) for July-September 2024, which evaluates the perception of sustainability among MSMEs across three key dimensions: willingness, awareness, and implementation. The index revealed a 30% jump in willingness during July – September 2024 followed by awareness, which saw a 4% increase to 62; while implementation dropped 15% to 41 compared to the previous quarter. Both the willingness and awareness dimension increased, and implementation fell from the last year quarter.

The SPeX index value ranges from 0 to 100, with an increase in index value indicating enhanced perception of MSMEs towards sustainability. The overall SPeX value reflects changes within these dimensions, providing insights into how MSMEs understand, are willing to engage, and implement sustainability measures. An increase in SPeX suggests a positive shift in MSMEs’ perception and practices towards sustainability measures. A decrease may indicate challenges or a decline in willingness or implementation.

Dr. Arun Singh, Global Chief Economist, Dun & Bradstreet, said, “MSMEs are increasingly committed to sustainability, but financial and technological barriers still hinder real progress. In Q3, the SPeX index surged across all business sizes, signaling rising awareness and a shift toward change, particularly among younger firms. However, translating sustainability ambitions into concrete actions remains a significant challenge. From overhauling production processes to adapting to new regulations, MSMEs face critical obstacles. To unlock their potential, targeted support is essential empowering these businesses to turn their green ambitions into impactful realities and drive the transition to a sustainable economy.”

Dr. R.K Singh, CGM, SIDBI, stated, “SPeX endeavours to be a tracker of MSMEs’ intent and preparedness to go for green investments. This also helps us to customise our solutions aimed at inducing MSMEs to align to value chain expectations on responsiveness. SIDBI – D&B Sustainability Perception Index Survey, July – September 2024 indicates upward movement in the SPeX score, indicates growing orientation to emerge responsive. This would require augmenting the capacity building, orientation and awareness on enterprise side to realise this dream. The level of implementation needs a fillip across all sizes of enterprises. SIDBI has prioritized the Greening of Enterprise Ecosystem. SIDBI’s Panchtatva missions viz. Energy Efficiency, E-Mobility, Renewable Energy, Circular Economy and Adaptation Finance (Nature based Solutions) through panchtools viz. Development, Financing, Risk Mitigant Models, Thought Leadership and Synergy 4 Energy (Global good practices) are oriented to enhance the acceptability amongst MSMEs to “Go Green” and adopting Environmental & Social (E&S) practices for holistic improvement in the enterprise thereby making more resilient, competitive, sustainable operations / practices / products / services.”

Highlights of the SPeX Report:

In Q3 2024, firms showed increased familiarity with environmental and governance (ESG) practices, with smaller firms generally aligning to this trend.Profitability and stakeholder appeal were widely recognized as key benefits of sustainability, with small and medium-sized firms particularly noting its positive impact on attracting employees, investors, and customers. Younger firms (less than 10 years) focused more on profitability and stakeholder appeal, while older firms (over 10 years) emphasized brand image in addition to stakeholder relations.MSMEs, particularly small and medium-sized firms, increasingly see ESG as a potential competitive advantage in Q3 2024.Throughout 2024, MSMEs prioritized environmental initiatives and employee welfare. Smaller firms, however, focused less on compliance and social welfare. Younger firms (under 5 years) placed more emphasis on employee training, while firms over 5 years old balanced environmental measures with employee welfare.Cost reduction or efficiency gains remain the main drivers for adopting sustainability measures, consistently highlighted as the top motivator throughout 2024 and 2023. Regulations also play a key role, and younger firms place more importance on stakeholder willingness to consider sustainability initiatives.While over 50% of MSMEs are building expertise in key sustainability areas, the percentage of firms with expertise or plans to build such expertise declined in Q3 compared to Q2, with micro firms showing the largest decline. Younger firms focused more on business strategy, sustainable policies, and waste management.The proportion of MSMEs likely to implement new sustainability measures in the next two quarters dropped from 79% in Q2 to 49% in Q3, with 31% undecided and 19% unlikely to act.In Q3, MSMEs prioritized energy-efficient equipment and recycling initiatives, with medium and small firms making the most progress. Older firms focused on compliance, ethical sourcing, and energy efficiency.

About Dun & Bradstreet:

Dun & Bradstreet, a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, enables companies around the world to improve their business performance. Dun & Bradstreet’s Data Cloud fuels solutions and delivers insights that empower customers to accelerate revenue, lower cost, mitigate risk and transform their businesses. Since 1841, companies of every size have relied on Dun & Bradstreet to help them manage risk and reveal opportunity. For more information on Dun & Bradstreet, please visit www.dnb.com.

Dun & Bradstreet Information Services India Private Limited is headquartered in Mumbai and provides clients with data-driven products and technology-driven platforms to help them take faster and more accurate decisions in domains of finance, risk, compliance, information technology and marketing. Working towards Government of India’s vision of creating an Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) by supporting the Make in India initiative, Dun & Bradstreet India has a special focus on helping entrepreneurs enhance their visibility, increase their credibility, expand access to global markets, and identify potential customers & suppliers, while managing risk and opportunity.

India is also the home to Dun & Bradstreet Technology & Corporate Services LLP, which is the Global Capabilities Center (GCC) of Dun & Bradstreet supporting global technology delivery using cutting-edge technology. Located at Hyderabad, the GCC has a highly skilled workforce of over 500 employees, and focuses on enhanced productivity, economies of scale, consistent delivery processes and lower operating expenses.

Visit www.dnb.co.in for more information.

Click here for all Dun & Bradstreet India press releases.

About SIDBI:

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) in its role as the Principal Development Finance Institution for MSME sector has played a significant role in developing the financial services for MSME sector through various interventions including Refinance to Banks, Credit Guarantee programs, Development of the MFI sector, Contribution to Venture capital/AIF funds, MSME ratings, promoting digital lending ecosystem, etc. The Bank has proactively been working toward Energy Efficiency (EE) in MSMEs since 2005-06 as part of Direct Finance business using support of multilaterals like World Bank, ADB, GiZ, FCDO, JICA, AFD, KfW etc. for energy efficient projects. SIDBI has taken steps to promote Energy Efficiency and Cleaner production in the MSME sector and propose to accelerate its efforts for MSME sector for their survival, growth and competitiveness in long run during prevailing climate related challenges.

Looking to importance of ESG aspects and the need for a simplified, Customised ESG risk rating framework, SIDBI has already started integration of ESG framework into its operations. Subsequent to setting up of Green Climate Finance Vertical for prioritised focus, a Board level Committee has been constituted for guidance, oversight and monitoring on ESG, Green Strategy of the bank, including relevant SDGs etc. To lead with the example, SIDBI has set a target to become Carbon Neutral by 2024 and Net Neutral organization in subsequent years.

Through Green Financing products and other developmental activities, SIDBI enables the manufacturers and service providers in MSME sector to adopt green energy efficient technologies helping in lesser waste leading to positive impact on environment and sustainability.

Visit www.sidbi.in for more information.

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Technology

Personify Health Elevates Employee Experiences Heading into 2025

Published

23 minutes ago

December 19, 2024

Refreshed Journeys, Challenges, and video content drives member engagement, motivation, and outcomes

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The millions of members who track health habits every day with Personify Health are getting an upgrade for 2025. Today, the company unveiled a series of impactful content and experience enhancements to its personalized health platform. The Personify platform is the single destination for everything from daily support to more complex health needs, including access to explanations of benefits, care navigation, expert clinical guidance, and more.

“Entering year three of our journey with Personify Health, it’s important that the platform continues to feel fresh and relevant to our employees,” said Peggy Sczepanski, global wellbeing program manager for Dow. “We are seeing sustained engagement rates of over 70% because employees feel supported across all aspects of their lives – from caregiving to reversing health risks like diabetes.”

As the leader in employee engagement, Personify Health continues to invest in the content and experiences that impact health outcomes and keep members coming back an average of six times a day. The Personify platform maintains a focus on whole person health, addressing mental, physical, financial, and social needs, and condition management. Enhancements include:

Two new languages – Romanian and Turkish – have been added to the personalized health platform. With these additions, Personify is available in 23 languages, making meaningful content available to 20 million users worldwide in their native or preferred language.Dozens of new Journeys will be available in both written and video formats, ensuring members can always find one that’s relevant for them. Journeys break down complex behaviors and goals into manageable, bite-sized steps, to enhance members’ health literacy and cultivate positive habits effortlessly. Most popular topics include sleep, stress reduction, eating healthy, and getting active, with approximately 1.5-2 million+ members joining a Journey in these categories in 2024.New self-guided Journeys programs will be seen across eight new topic areas, including men’s and women’s health, parenting, purpose and belonging, and managing illness, injury and pain. Personify also recently launched a caregiving series with the nonprofit CaringBridge. “Real Stories from Dementia Caregivers” is a 10-part Journey that provides tips, stories, and suggestions from family caregivers.Refreshed Challenges are another way members can be proactive in improving their holistic wellbeing – and do so with a dash of healthy competition. New choices include the Step Away Challenge to encourage members to detach from devices, and the recently launched Holistic Wellbeing Challenge. This team-based experience, which promotes culture and nurtures a sense of belonging, inclusivity, and collaboration, saw an average 88% challenge days completed per member. Doubling the size of the Media Library ensures there is relevant content for everyone with even more expert advice and tips, such as fan favorite healthy snack how-tos. With 96% of members saying Personify videos are interesting and engaging, these are a proven method for supporting health literacy. Monthly video releases cover a range of topics, including both educational and hands-on demos.On-demand webinars are now called Conversations, adapting to the way people consume information. Clients with enabled media will now have access to these 15-minute expert-led podcast-style videos, which cover a range of topics aligned with the monthly Healthy Habit Challenge and will be available year-round to educate, inspire, and engage. Members will hear from experts on the science and stories behind the hottest trends in wellbeing.

“At Personify, we are dedicated to offering members highly personalized experiences that make a healthy lifestyle easy and accessible,” said Jeff Yoshimura, chief product officer at Personify Health, the first and only platform company to bring together holistic wellbeing, care navigation, and flexible health plan administration. “We are continuously evolving our platform capabilities and content as the needs of our members and our clients evolve, striving to deliver better outcomes and help people achieve their healthiest life possible.”

All Personify Health content is aligned with the company’s coaching methodology, focused on creating behavior changes and improving population health with a roadmap driven by trending topics and member/client requests. Clients can learn about content options and updates in Personify’s new Content Corner, a hub for all the latest content releases on the Personify platform.

About Personify Health
Virgin Pulse and HealthComp have merged to become Personify Health, the company driven to engage and empower people to live healthier lives. By bringing industry-leading health plan administration, holistic wellbeing, and navigation solutions together, all in one place, we have created the industry’s first and only personalized health platform. With decades of experience and global operations, we empower diverse and unique businesses – and diverse and unique people – to engage more deeply in health at a lower cost. Through our proprietary combination of data-driven personalization, science-backed methodology, and concierge-level clinical expertise, our end-to-end platform makes it easier to proactively address people’s needs across their lives. With a personalized, holistic, and powerfully simple experience, we are redefining industry expectations and what it means to manage health. Learn more at www.personifyhealth.com.

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SOURCE Personify Health

Technology

Temu Signs Canadian Product Safety Pledge to Enhance Consumer Protection

Published

23 minutes ago

December 19, 2024

OTTAWA, Dec. 19, 2024 /CNW/ — Temu has signed the Canadian Product Safety Pledge, a voluntary initiative led by Health Canada to enhance product safety in online marketplaces.

Launched in September 2023, the Canadian Product Safety Pledge seeks to improve online product safety through preventive and corrective measures. The pledge outlines 14 commitments designed to improve product safety, focusing on:

Detecting and preventing the sale of unsafe productsCooperating with Health CanadaRaising product safety awareness among sellersEmpowering consumers on product safety issues

Signatories are required to submit annual reports detailing their efforts to meet these commitments.

“Temu’s mission is to provide consumers with safe and affordable choices for the products they need,” said a Temu spokesperson. “Signing this pledge reinforces our commitment to protecting consumers and ensuring safe, high-quality products are accessible to everyone.”

Consumer safety is a top priority at Temu. The platform has implemented robust systems and processes to ensure third-party sellers comply with local requirements. Key elements of Temu’s approach include:

Pre-Listing Documentation Checks: Sellers must submit required documents before listing products.Ongoing Quality Monitoring: Automated systems and manual reviews continually monitor product safety.Swift Non-Compliance Actions: Non-compliant listings are promptly removed, with repeat offenders facing strict penalties.

Global Commitment to Consumer Protection

Temu entered the Canadian market in February 2023—its second market after launching in the U.S.—and has quickly become a popular platform for shoppers seeking affordable, high-quality products.

Earlier this year, Temu signed a similar pledge in South Korea, demonstrating its commitment to aligning with local regulations and prioritizing consumer trust worldwide.

About Temu

Launched in September 2022, Temu is a global e-commerce marketplace offering a wide range of affordable, high-quality products across more than 200 categories, including electronics, home goods, and furniture. By connecting consumers directly with manufacturers, Temu seeks to provide exceptional value and democratize consumer access to the global supply chain.

SOURCE Temu

Technology

Sanctuary AI New Tactile Sensors Enable Richer Sense of Touch

Published

23 minutes ago

December 19, 2024

New tactile sensor technology enables speed and improved success rate for general purpose robotsIntegrated haptics enables higher volumes and richer data for higher performing embodied AI Models

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 19, 2024 /CNW/ – Sanctuary AI, a company on a mission to create the world’s first human-like intelligence in general purpose robots, unveils a new generation of tactile sensor technology optimized to improve dexterous manipulation.

Sanctuary is focused on achieving human-level dexterity for general purpose robots to perform high value tasks in the workplace. This requires a delicate—but durable—sense of touch to efficiently complete tasks with precision. Our team of industry-leading experts in tactile sensing have identified and met the requirements needed to build compliant, sensitive, and durable sensors at low manufacturing costs.

“We know a sense of touch to be critical for dexterity,” said Dr. Jeremy Fishel, Principal Researcher at Sanctuary AI. “The challenge is in developing tactile sensing technology with the right blend of features and durability to unlock dexterous manipulation and high-performance training data. This new design of compliant, sensitive, and scalable tactile sensors that will cover all grasping surfaces in the near future is a major step forward.”

“The team continues to innovate and patent in crucial areas that we know are going to be critical for the future embodied AI ecosystem. In combination with the touch sensors, we are using haptic servoing techniques to maximize dexterous capabilities for general purpose robots,” said James Wells, CEO at Sanctuary AI. “We are committed to achieving human-level dexterity with our unique and differentiated hydraulic hand actuation technology and highly sensorized approach to grasping.”

About Sanctuary AI

Founded in 2018, Sanctuary AI is a multi-award-winning company based in Vancouver, Canada. Sanctuary AI is on a mission to create the world’s first human-like intelligence in general purpose robots that will help us work more safely, efficiently, and sustainably, helping to address the labor challenges facing many organizations today. Sanctuary AI’s growing list of customers and investors represents a wide variety of industries across Canada, the US, and other countries around the world.

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SOURCE Sanctuary AI