The Philanthropist - October 2020: Issue 02 by GDP Foundation

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

PUBLISHED BY GDP FOUNDATION (Reg No: PNJ-4-12-2019 dt. 18th July 2019)

ADVISORY BOARD Mr. Pramod Vatsa Mr. Balaji Jayaseelm Dr. Dyaneshwar Mulay

EDITORIAL TEAM Mr. Kishore Shah Mr. Ameya Salatry Mr. Prasad Deshpande

INDEX Editorial 03 Launch - Thinkers Lounge

Driving Purpose 07 Measure Your New Life

Being Robust In The New Normal?

R&D During COVID 19 Pandemic

Reengineering Philanthrophy 18 DESIGN TEAM Owlways Creative

WEBSITE www.gdpideaz.org

Corporate Governance - A Necessary Evil

Money Matters

Where Is Bob Williams

Meet Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Social Enterprises

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the GDP Foundation or its trustess or partners.

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

The term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;anthropauseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; refers to a global reduction in modern human activity, especially travel, and was coined by a team of researchers in June 2020 in an article discussing the possible impact of COVID-19 lockdown on wildlife 2

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

EDITORIAL

It is time to

PD: How do you think it has impacted entrepreneurs? KMS: There are different shades of entrepreneurs with respect to their shape, size, dependency on others. Those who were in service sector like Travel, Tourism, Hotels, Entertainment, Events etc. will have long time to get back on the track. Those who were in heavy industry sector will have a moderate struggle. However, those in Pharma, Hospital, IT sector will infact see a rise. Global supply chain will also face severe uncertainty.

What is Anthropause? Is is just a catchphrase or then a phenomenon that is going to create a big change in redefining our race? To analyze this and interpret the term in depth, we formed a Triad. Three individuals with different backgrounds looked at the term through three different lenses to help our readers understand the it better.

Having said that, critical competencies like Agility, Practical Intelligence, Business acumen and Ability to learn will decide who will sustain and excel.

UnPause

Kishore Shah

Ameya Salatry

Prasad Deshpande

Prasad Deshpande: How would you define Anthropause? Kishore M Shah: Anthro means “human”, pause means is “temporary stop in action/speech”. The word “Anthropause” was coined by the British scientists during the current pandemic and it was primarily to understand the impact on flora, fauna, all types of creatures etc. due to cessation of human activities due to pandemic. To me, it is unfolding new patterns thinking, feeling, acting and interacting (socio economic). We are forced or voluntarily choosing or then temporarily deviating from our conditioned ways of thinking, feeling, acting, interacting. So in way, Anthropause has offered us a window to actually see evolutionary trends in human behaviour and its impact on other creatures and species during the pandemic window and whether this will have lasting impact for years to come. Ameya Salatry: Anthropause is the Great Pause that is caused due to the Covid 19 lockdown bringing the globe to a halt.

Leaving financial parameters in abeyance , what worries me is the mental health challenges which will stare at us very soon which will stress the social fabric, induce major shifts in human values like compassion, kindness, empathy which is already so fragile due to pandemic. AS: It has affected an entrepreneur tremendously as the business activity has taken a negative spin. From lending, to credit to operations to logistical issues, business has been severely affected. This event has wiped off the existence of several businesses and possibly for the first time in history, resulted into a global meltdown in business activity.

PD: Is it a pit stop or pitfall? KMS: Prasad, this is a very good question. Let us understand it from the Behavioral economics point of view. Humans will have doubts and anxieties and they will chase dreams for expectation fulfilment on one hand and get trapped into herd mentality on the other hand; be it in real or virtual world. If I slice the social pyramid then those who are extremely well off will continuing to lead the normal life styles with few restrictions. The higher middle class who had enough fiscal reserve, net connectivity will move into a “stop gap” pit stop. But I have my own doubts on how many will be genuinely introspecting and reinventing themselves? Those who belong to the middle class and lower middle class, it’s a clear “Pitfall” as they will be struggling for survival on both lives and livelihood.

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

Industries have also expanded in obesity mode. With global supply chain badly strangulated, my gut feel is that they will go for complete overhaul and reinvention. Both business and community are hurt. So if they come together, it will be a “pit stop”. If they antagonise, then it will be for sure a pitfall for both. AS: There is a lot to learn from this incident. Primarily to factor in situations that are completely beyond the control of human beings. Not to plan and create too much inventory, debt, and to make one’s business watertight so that events such as these cannot result in a significant impact on the business. With a lot of dependence on government intervention, such an event can shut a business overnight. Hence to keep some room to survive with operation it is essential to do some positive planning of events that are negative in nature such as force majeure events.

PD: How should one look at this as to carve the new normal? KMS: Humans are always paranoid for certainty, control and predictive growth, this core has been shaken up this pandemic.

PD: After chatting with Mr. Kishore Shah and Ameya Salatry and after talking to the industry experts, one advertisement is playing in my mind. The legendary Apple ‘Think Different’ commercial Here’s to the Crazy Ones.

Click on the icon to watch the advertisement Cpurtesy: Apple Inc.

Too many half baked philosophies are dished out regularly on virtual world adding to the clutter in mind, Governments with their outdated bureaucracy are further sending shock waves.

So all misfits and square pegs in the round holes, get up and get going. Anthropause is our time. Because the onus to start things is on us. There is no normal. There are no templates. There are no more safe paths. There are not more conventions.

In my opinion, we need to not have carve anything new but rather route back to certain basics which somehow we have devalued and work on the following:

It is up to us to redefine and reshape. Time to get back to the drawing boards. Time to look inwards. It is time to grow a pair of... sturdy wings. It is time to take a plunge and fly high.

• • • • • •

This is not the time to pause and be complacent. This is the time to become fluid. It is time to break the rhythm, compose your tune, and make the world sway to it.

Rebuild Large scale community purposefully. Structure IOT platform to harness human talent. Openness to integrate diversity of thoughts, feelings, views Collective, creative problem solving Building self sustained units at village/District level Simple, smarter, superior disaster management systems

AS: Think, plan, introspect and predict early. Push where necessary and mobilize where essential should be the mantra.

And if you think you are all alone in this, let the words of Shri. Rabindranath Tagore resonate in your mind. Jodi Tor Dak Shune Keu Na Ase Tobe Ekla Cholo Re. “If no one responds to your call, then go your own way alone.”

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lose it Just UnPause 5

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

NEW LAUNCH

Thinker’s Lounge

Thinker’s Lounge is a platform where one can read, refer and absorb new case studies, articles, and research papers. It is also the home to GDP Foundation’s official communique - The Philanthropist.

hinker’s Lounge is an idea conceived by the GDP

About Mr. Balaji:

Foundation and Goa Bylane to make literature and

Mr. Balaji has been managing the sustainability and social

thoughts available that are relevant to today’s changing

responsibility for leading global companies for the last 15 years.

times. A step towards Intellectual Atmanirbharta.

He has expertise in governance, planning, and implementation of Operafionak Strategies across a multifaceted portfolio of

Thinker’s Lounge is a platform for industry experts, academicians

consumer and professional brands.

and young thinkers to pen down their thoughts and publish them online for the world to read.

Mr. Balaji is experienced in managing teams globally with a focus on innovation, cost efficiencies, and

The platform was inaugurated by Mr. Balaji Jayaseelan, our

digital transformation.

esteemed Prativartan Executive Panel Member on 16th September 2020.

Extensive experience in the incubation and facilitation of startups in Cloud, edTech, and Energy/Sustainability services (gCurv, Echo

Digital Welcome Banner

Consultants, Kids STEAM Academy, Link cycle, Duplo cloud). Passion towards early STEM education for children, bringing experiential learning through a confluence of Arts, Buildingblocks and Robotics.

Click on the icon to listen to Mr. Balaji’s inauguration speech.

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

PEP VIEWS

Driving Purpose

How do companies pursue different trajectories to define their maximization of value? Our Parivartan Executive Panel member Mr. Balaji Jayaseelan presents his analysis. commitment to their customers and partners and maximizing their company value. Unilever:

Lipton tea drives Rainforest Alliance labels in their products with detailed traceability and third party auditing standards based on their sustainable living plan policy. The company operates

ompanies pursue different trajectories to define their maximization of value. It can be a myopic view of maximizing shareholders with a laser focus on quarterly

profits or long term value of aligning societal and employee needs. Instead of viewing these issues as trade-offs, we can consider them a collaborative effort to define the organization’s purpose. Profit maximization can be viewed through the lens to create long-term growth opportunities through employees’ growth and solving societal problems. A recent study from Alex Edmans, Professor at London Business School, states: “Companies with high employee satisfaction outperformed their peers by 2.3%-3.8% per year over 28 years. That’s 89%-184% compounded. Further tests suggest that it’s employee satisfaction that leads to good performance, rather than the reverse. Other studies find that customer satisfaction, environmental stewardship, and sustainability policies are also associated with higher stock returns”. Reference: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit (LBS Review) <Click to read> Few examples of companies demonstrating the purpose are:

a round table on seeking sustainable solutions for the palm oil sector with other companies and NGOs. From the viewpoint of short term shareholder, the purpose is to maximize his/her profit. It is the volume sold and earnings of the product in that particular quarter. A return of investment is on the premise of simple payback calculations. Suppose we preview the work through the lens of purpose. It is the long term view of understanding the supply chain impacts of palm oil – Deforestation, water quality, community livelihoods, and other environmental issues local to the region. How do we define and drive purpose?

Some of the ways for companies to deliver on the purpose 1. If companies are explicit with their values and goals, there is more likely that employees can galvanize behind them. It provides them ways to align their values to their purpose. 2. Create and align needs that can create long term benefits rather than focusing on on-trend topics. 3. Don’t fake it. It will look insincere and display as a PR stunt. 4. Create a feedback loop to analyze the activities and align with the strategy. 5. Collaborate

with

like-minded

companies,

non-profit

organizations, Government to create the shared value model. Creating a paradigm shift to purpose-driven might take time, but it is a worthy endeavor to build long-term value.

Tom’s Shoes

The shoes provide soft, breathable, and lightweight footwear; while also taking on the responsibility of making life more comfortable for children and impoverished regions. The purpose

Mr. Balaji Jayaseelan Sustainability & Innovation Advisor

is quite simple, for every $3 we make, they give $1 away. It is their 7

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

PEP VIEWS

Measure Your New Life

What is the recipe for measuring your life success? Mr. Pramod Vatsa expresses his thoughts on the same.

n 2020, everything is out of gear & it is time to recalibrate our

Experience count equally, not only the pursuit of money.

worldview and definition of success. Some of the paradigm

The smartest people have not been working only in the private

shifts for the Working People & Entrepreneurs are going to stay

sector. Public, Social and nonprofit sectors also have dedicated

forever:

people and you can find more meaning there.

The Vision of Success - Impact you can make on people’s quantity

Management could indeed be the noblest of professions, as it

and/or quality of life.

offers many ways to help others learn and grow, and to contribute to the success of a team. In order to measure our New Life let us

Main motivations should be:

ask some pertinent questions to ourselves:

1. To be with the family and people you care

1. How can I be happy in my career?

2. To do something meaningful and impactful

2. How can I be sure that my relationship with my family is an

3. To pursue a long-term career in entrepreneurship, where you

enduring source of happiness?

can innovate rapidly to change the way the world works.

3. How can I live my life with integrity?

Entrepreneurs need to redefine the application of the management

To find cogent answers to these questions, we need to turn those

and innovation theories, to build stronger companies & to help

Management lessons & theories on ourselves. Management has

their people to lead better lives.

answers to all these questions; as an example, Frederick Herzberg’s theories give great insights into the first question —“how can we

Money is no more the number one priority. A lot of people now

be happy in our careers”? Frederick asserts that the powerful

think the amount meeting your requirements is good enough

motivator in our lives isn’t money; it’s the opportunity to learn,

but want to do something additionally, which ‘drives their life’.

grow in responsibilities, contribute to others, and be recognized

“Frederick asserts that

for achievements. My recipe for measuring your life success is through:

the powerful motivator in our lives isn’t money 8

”

Create a Strategy for Your Life How your strategy is defined and implemented will answer 2nd question – “How can I ensure that my relationship with my family proves to be an enduring source of happiness? A company’s strategy is determined by the types of initiatives that management

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

invests in. On personal front, we need to decide allocation of our

Avoid the “Marginal Costs” Mistake

time, talents, and energy, based on the purpose of our life. It’s

We’re taught in economics that in evaluating alternative

quite sad that a significant number of people give little thought

investments, we should ignore sunk and fixed costs, and base

to the purpose of their life. We need to remember that we apply

decisions on the marginal costs and marginal revenues from

the tools of engineering or economics only a few times a year, but

each alternative. This doctrine biases companies to leverage the

we can apply our knowledge of the purpose of life every day. The

strengths created to succeed in the past, instead of focusing to

choice of your profession could be one tool for achieving your life

create the capabilities for the future. Since the future would not

purpose.

be exactly the same as the past, it’s not the right thing to do.

Allocate Your Resources

This theory addresses the third question—how to live a life of

Your decisions about allocating your personal time, energy, and

integrity? Unconsciously, we often employ the marginal cost

talent ultimately shape your life’s strategy. You have a bunch

doctrine in our personal lives when we choose between right

of “pursuits”: rewarding relationship with your wife, raising

and wrong. The marginal cost of doing something wrong “just

responsible kids, contribution to your community, success in

once” always look quite low! Justification for dishonesty lies in

your career…., that compete for these resources. Since we have

the marginal cost economics of “just this once.” If you give in to

a limited amount of time, energy and talent, we need to decide

“just this once,” based on a marginal cost analysis, you may regret

how much do we devote to each of these pursuits? This challenge

where you end up.

is similar to the one we face in a Corporation. People who are overzealous about work have this propensity to underinvest in their families and overinvest in their careers. This tendency of allocating fewer and fewer resources to the priorities, which mattered most, would be akin to the failing businesses allocating resources from the areas demanding immediate

Remember the Importance of Humility:

attention to areas providing immediate gratification. This must be

One characteristic of humble people is their high level of self-

avoided since intimate and loving relationships with the families

esteem. Humility also defines the esteem with which you regard

are the enduring source of happiness.

others, thus guaranteeing good behavior. The vast majority of people you interact with on a day-to-day basis may not be

Create a Culture

smarter than you. But if your attitude is that only smarter people

As per Edgar Schein, Professor MIT Sloan School of Management,

have something to teach you then your learning opportunities

the only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and

will be very limited. But if you have a humble eagerness to learn

manage culture. If you do not manage culture, it manages you,

something from everyone then your learning opportunities will

and you may not even be aware of the extent to which this is

be unlimited. You can be humble only if you really feel good about

happening.” So if people follow organizational priorities and

yourself & you want to help those around you also to feel really

procedures then by instinct that they reinforce culture.

good about themselves.

The aggregate of people’s behaviors creates organizational

So finally you should assess the success of your life not by the

culture. If peoples’ ways of working together to complete tasks

money you have earned but the numbers of people whose

succeed over and over then it creates the mechanism by which a

lives you have touched. You should not worry about the level of

culture is built. And culture defines the priority given to different

prominence you have achieved but count the individuals you have

types of problems.

helped to become better people. Develop a metric to capture this and make a resolution to live every day for your life to be judged

In using this model to address the question, How can I be sure that

a success.

my family becomes an enduring source of happiness? Families can also have cultures, just as companies do. If you want your kids to have strong self-esteem and confidence, then you have to imbibe it in your family’s culture.

Mr. Pramod Vatsa SEKURIT Excellence Programs & WCM Director Saint-Gobain Sekurit International, France

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

PEP VIEWS

Being Robust In The New Normal? How has survival taken precedence over growth for all organizations. Mr. Prabu R sheds light on this new trend.

he Covid 19 pandemic has created many challenges for

•

Increase in digital sales channels paving way for e-market

entrepreneurs & businesses across the world. Survival has

•

Increase in local sourcing content in close proximity to

taken precedence overgrowth for all organizations. Saving

lives and livelihood has become a priority over anything. Many

operations to ensure continuity of supplies and gaining momentum of Make in India products

organizations have to relook and redraw the map to align their priorities to have a minimum negative impact on their financial health. Recovery seems to be still a work in progress considering the various aspects of business performance in different sectors. Key Significant changes to the operations and business environments are as below:

Work from home has become part of policy initiatives across all

•

A larger share of employees has to shift to working virtually

organizations and is here to stay. It will coexist with work from the

and remotely.

office even during the Post Covid situation. Many organizations

Acceleration of adoption of online technology platforms to

are also looking at giving up major office space to adapt to change

run day-to-day meetings including customer interactions

in the environment as one of the cost reduction measures that

•

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

is need of the hour. Demand for smaller commercial spaces will

entrepreneurs is to keep the below points in mind to become a

most likely increase in near future. Getting past the limitations of

successful venture.

traditional performance approaches oriented around headcount and cost will require fresh thinking about boosting productivity.

1. Solving customer’s pain points, understanding customer & other stakeholder expectations, challenging the existing

A buzzword that is gaining momentum across the business world

business model, will help to commercialize your venture

is “RESILIENCE”. How does an organization plan to navigate

successfully.

this crisis successfully & come back to normal? Businesses are

2. Most important is to create the right mix of skills such

rethinking and re-evaluating various options to reorganize for

as Prudence in Business decision making shall be key for

increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations

sustainability in near future. Risk-based thinking will have to

by moving people and resources around and by deploying them

be imbibed and be part of every organization culture going

in different ways. Decisions are taken at lightning speed to gear

forward.

up for opportunities for the future. Businesses will likely to have a clear view of which critical processes should be digitized to

Certain traits around reducing cost and increasing revenue within

drive near-term value and which initiatives (such as creating new

the organization will always remain important in the following

offerings or investing to extend customer reach) are critical to

areas:

remaining competitive.

1. Which product mix to focus on greater profits and increase

“

A new mindset incorporating allimportant elements with prudence will drive new results.

cash flows? 2. Which Market/Customer/order to focus on sustaining profits? Finally, it is all about addressing the immediate challenges and creating a detailed plan to return to scale businesses quickly, thereby keeping a check on how the market environment has changed. Businesses have to think and act on above by embracing

”

the agile approach to save themselves from the effects of the

between Digital haves and Digital have-nots. The digital haves

It is important to be aware of which zone each business or

will connect better with loyal customers; provide a frictionless,

individual finds themselves in to decide if they will survive this

private customer experience; serve them at a lower cost during

crash. Fear zone – state of panic or easily get annoyed, Learning

these vulnerable times.

Zone – Recognizing that we are all trying to do our best to face a

Digital transformation is the new trend and normal to be seen

pandemic. A new mindset incorporating all-important elements with prudence will drive new results.

across all organizations. There will be success differentiated

complicated situation & finally Growing zone – where we think The startup ecosystem in India has gained a lot of importance

about others and how to help them, finding a purpose and living

and is seeing drastic progress in unimaginable ways. This is bound

the present.

to increase the innovation culture and many new startups and young entrepreneurs will blossom soon and stand to benefit

Let us all stay together and realise benefits of being in a Growing

post covid. Invention and commercialization will be the key to

zone to emerge as strong magnets for attracting the opportunities

success. Incubators, Accelerators and Venture capitalists will

of tomorrow. Tough times never last but tough people do.

emerge as strong support elements for Startups. Challenges faced by Startups such as scaling up, lack of financing and lack of knowledge of diversity will be addressed by support elements, which is an advantage already. Many businesses will have these Startup support elements as part of their organization to drive Product, Process and Business Model innovation for their future growth. One of the key important messages for budding start-up 12

Mr. Prabu Rajagopalan Regional Sales Head - South Zone TDK India Private Limited

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

PEP VIEWS

R&D During COVID 19 Pandemic In this article Mr. Subramanian Neelakantan highlights key initiatives and brings out the research directions & opportunities in the ICT domain.

The present pandemic situation has a deep impact on our life, impacting relations between human to human and human to the environment. While this is a challenging period, the inherent inner strength within us motivates us to move forward finding new avenues, possibilities and opportunities. This article highlights key initiatives and brings out the research directions & opportunities in the ICT domain to address specific challenges. Global Studies & Data Collection

There has been a drastic and widespread reduction of mobility both on land and sea across the globe. There is huge traction amongst scientists to analyze the impact at the global and local level. During June 2020, Christian Rutz et. al [1] coined ĂĄnthropause to this period of unusually reduced human mobility and analyze the possible effects on wildlife and propose methods towards data collection and research. They outline and highlight how the 14

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see huge

opportunities to contribute to global studies as well as formulate frameworks for local specific research and analysis

â&#x20AC;?

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

research community gains unprecedented mechanistic insight into how human activity affects wildlife. Their article brings out details of animal-tracking (bio-logging) studies and the research potential of the recently launched COVID-19 Bio-Logging Initiative. Data collection and sharing framework covering places like local parks, national parks, public beaches, marinas, plazas etc. have been factored. Indian Context and Scenario

Reflecting on the situation here, we see huge opportunities to contribute to global studies as well as formulate frameworks for local specific research and analysis. Study and analysis of the migration of members across the states can bring out more insights towards the creation of newer opportunities and plan for resources. Sahana Ghosh et. al [2] brings out the work of researchers and students during the lockdown, despite uncertainties on fieldwork on various aspects such as disrupted food supplies for animals and biosecurity. Towards the

e-Learning technologies and tools have propelled connecting children and teachers effectively

study of air-quality during COVID19, Snehal Lokhandwala and Pratibha Gautam [3] bring out the findings of their study based

shall result in long-term outcome and shaping of the research

on an attempt to visualize the improvement in the air quality

directions in such key areas.

based on satellite images and onsite real-time monitoring at specific locations. Report [4] by MoEFCC presents various action

Research in Technology Space

items including the creation of a comprehensive Environmental

Tele-Medicine: GoI has been quick in bringing in policy measures

Information System (ENVIS) comprising a network.

to extend the technological solutions for the benefit of citizens. One of the key measures is towards enabling the Online medical

Research Directions & Opportunities

consultation through solutions like Tele-Medicine connecting not only doctors to doctors but also doctors to patients. During the

Innovation through Hackathons

pandemic situation, this has been a great boon for the elderly and

Numerous high-impact National level Hackathons have been

comorbid patients for their consultations. C-DACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eSanjeevani

carried out during this period, motivating students and startups to

OPD is one of the successful such solutions deployed across 20+

devise novel and innovative solutions pertinent to the pandemic

states. Further research can take this stream of research towards

situation. C-DAC conducted a national hackathon called SAMHAR

the application of Augmented reality and virtual reality solutions

COVID19 to address challenges related to drug-discovery and

for effective treatments and medical teaching purposes.

application of AI/ML. MHRD along with AICTE, CSIR and C-DAC are presently engaged in the Drug Discovery Hackathon 2020

E-Learning: Government initiatives on research is laudable in this

bringing in researchers across the country to work with students

challenging scenario enabling the field of ICTE for its contributions

and industry for devising solutions for COVID19.

through advancements and innovation across sectors. For example, e-Learning technologies and tools have propelled

India was very quick in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak and

connecting children and teachers effectively. Though this area

immediately initiated various activities related to drug discovery

of research has been there for quite some time, the present

to accelerate the development of diagnostics, vaccines and

situation has kept one on the toes towards faster adoption and

repurposing of drugs for this novel coronavirus.

effective course correction by putting on to use many tools and techniques. While this addresses the challenges to a certain

Researchers across CSIR, IISERs, IITs, TIFR, C-DAC have quickly

extent enough needs to be done towards education to reach all

initiated R&D towards the same and these are the efforts which

strata of the populace. Hence, these are open areas of research 15

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

and key challenges that require out-of-the-box thinking for the

globe sharing and caring. Usage of financial instruments, online

effective use of technologies across social strata.

shopping, entertainment are seeing newer opportunities. ICT research to encompass end-to-end engagement, user

WFH Solutions: Looking at the impact of lifestyle changes due

personalization and privacy-preserving analytics are areas to be

to WFH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Work From Home mechanism is another interesting

explored further.

aspect of research and study. IT and enabled sectors have greatly been not affected by sooner adopting the alternate methods and

Community Participation & Platforms

putting in systems/networks in place for secure Work From Home scenario. Here again, though WFH tools were widely available it

One of the key aspects of this situation is to have strong community

still requires refinement and revisions to suit the pandemic that

participation in a range of aspects such as contribution towards

cripples one to move for many weeks and months. Research

data collection, observations & recordings, sharing of resources,

towards devising Highly usable but ensuring Security & Privacy is

and interventions at the local level and play a key role in finer-

a key area of research for these technologies to inherently ensure

level feedback/assessment in research studies. This also opens

the same for members who are highly conversant as well as to

up opportunities for the elderly community, women and children

members who are not so conversant in the use of technologies.

to participate in such research. What is required is a well-crafted approach & strategy to involve and leverage the community using ICT tools and techniques in such research efforts. Hence there is this excellent opportunity to develop platforms extending social media with aided tools for such research efforts. To conclude, we see this pandemic situation shall lead research based on the lessons learned to evolve a comprehensive framework including regulatory, technology, human lifestyle, the environment in a connected fashion for future societies to make a switch over with less impact on such pandemic situations.

Click on the Icon to watch a film produced by The Economist descibing how the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift towards remote working. (Courtesy: The Economist / YouTube)

Key References:

Rutz, C., Loretto, M., Bates, A.E. et al. COVID-19 lockdown allows researchers to quantify the effects of human activity on wildlife.

Role of Women Researchers: Women have been effectively

Nat Ecol Evol 4, 1156â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1159 (2020).

contributing to research in various domains in the country. Further with enablement through remote access to scientific instruments,

Sahana Ghosh, Conservation biologists navigate the new normal,

international collaborations, there are more opportunities for

Mongambay

women to play a crucial role in shaping the research direction of the country.

Snehal Lokhandwala and Pratibha Gautam, Indirect impact of COVID-19 on environment: A brief study in Indian context,

Accessibility Solutions: It is important to recognize the challenges

Environ Res. 2020 Sep; 188: 109807. Published online 2020 Jun

of differently-abled in such extraordinary situations and specific

18. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109807

research towards devising technological solutions for enabling a seamless way of life is very important. Hence research in

Implementation of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Biodiversity Action Plan An

accessibility should factor in the entire ecosystem and offer

Overview 2019, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate

solutions comprehensively.

Change, Government of India.

Heritage and New Society: Based on widespread usage of online mode of engagement we see the impact on heritage, culture and new ways of renewal of traditional practices across communities. Distances vanish and we see new society connected across the 16

Mr. Subramanian Neelakantan

Senior Director(R&D), C-DAC

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

Reengineering Philanthropy

The Pandemic is here to stay for some more time impacting the lives and livelihood and hence to avoid any further slide this is the time to “Reengineer – Philanthropy” 18

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

TRUSTEES SPEAK

Mr. Kishore Shah looks at Anthropause from a different perspective and pens his thpughts on how we can reengineer “Philanthropy” and rebuild the world together without burning outdomain. A Lot many companies present their vision, mission statements,

world”, neither bureaucracy is oriented nor trained to manage

values, equate their employees to “Asset”, passionately talk about

uncertain situations of a Pandemic magnitude spread over a long

their loyalty and priority towards stakeholders, which is all about

time horizon successfully as we do not have a legacy to fall back

canvassing the intent of their best practices but in a certain world

and for a country of our size and complexities it will much more

there are very few occasions, opportunities to demonstrate such

complicated.

practices, so such slogans and statements go unnoticed, untested. During the pandemic several individuals, associations came However the Covid pandemic has exposed and explored industries

forward and extended helping hand but without robust

by throwing multi-fold opportunities to practice what they have

administrative machinery (which a bureaucracy generally has) to

genuinely or rhetorically preached, it is an acid test for them.

support sustain, these initiatives got exhausted and faded out.

Time will tell us how many sacrificed the temptations of short term ROI, monetary goals for their values, vision and mission. This

Industries by their very nature are more resilient and responsive

may sound difficult but it is not.

as they are constantly facing uncertainties of the market but instead of the required integrated efforts each industry seemed

Let me share the logic, the top management, middle management

to work in silos or limited themselves to give suggestions or

are not going to be hit because they have always drawn hefty

donate money to the relief fund which in itself dampened the

pay packets, perks, their insurances are in place, so is their asset

collective response time and the local community was left high

management. When put all together they can remain afloat for the

and dry which also included their very own employees.

next few years. Investors and venture capitalists may experience a downward spiral in profits but they will not go bankrupt instantly even in the worst-case scenario as when there are restraining forces, there are also driving forces evolving. The real challenge of life and livelihood is for the laid-off workers, contract labours, small businesses, vendors, supply chain value

“Bureaucracy is a giant machine driven by dwarfs

”

adders. To me they are like a small boat without a sail, ruddar,

The Pandemic is here to stay for some more time impacting the

oar or anchor. All are left in raging seas to fend for themselves.

lives and livelihood and hence to avoid any further slide this is the

They are struggling for the next meal to feed themselves and their

time to “Reengineer – Philanthropy” such it will help all of us to

families.

contribute in rebuilding the entire world and such an initiative will be remembered for decades.

I recollect Honore de Balzac’s quote “Bureaucracy is a giant machine driven by dwarfs” and such a metaphor suggests that

The corporate history has several cases were huge loss shock

machines do not have empathy, neither they can run on their

was internally absorbed for the priority to avoid even a single

own nor respond. So to expect something well-planned result-

starvation/death due to its product/service malfunctioning, there

oriented from Government will be an over expectation as

are several cases of product recalls, free replacements which

Bureaucracy runs on defined rules, regulations, laws for a “certain

were in several millions and billions. We share such stories vividly 19

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

and also students continue to analyse these cases in Management

3. Industries can alternatively provide collateral security and

institutes. It is quite understandable that Business leaders face

facilitate Bank loans for their micro vendors, contractors,

stressful pressure from investors and bankers to ensure the

laid-off employees who have dedicatedly worked for years.

bottom line at any cost but investors, merchant bankers will not face immediate survival neither their coffers will go empty so fast

4. Industries are huge markets for Insurance industries so using

Even those who have seen their savings getting dry can expect

this clout industries can and should negotiate to provide

to see the stock market bounce back as long as they hold their

health coverage for their workers, local community and

shares. Writing off costs is not new to industries the reasons could

marginalised.

be restructuring, product failures, or acquisitions that have gone haywire. So what makes it so difficult to write off losses due to the coronavirus pandemic?

5. Industries should resist the age-old habit of demanding credit, delaying payments. Theu should rather give advance payments to their small suppliers as they desperately need

Here is how we can Reengineer Philanthropy to support those

cash in hand to restart. It is like a Thanksgiving or a gift

who are at the bottom of the pyramid employees, micro vendors,

voucher which makes the customer return back to your shop

health care providers and communities because they are the link

again to redeem.

pin to kickstart the economy. 6. Hot spots & Cold spots –The pandemic wave is at different 1. Companies can even pay less this may not qualify as CSR or

stages in different countries hence the need/demand for

Philanthropy but it will help all to float and swim back when

masks, sanitisers, PPE, ventilators, oxygen cylinders etc.

the economy bounces back.

will vary from one area/country to another, hence instead of duplication there can be a grid/hedging where healthy

2. Companies can also reincarnate a part of it as Internal Bank and provide soft loans which will facilitate fast disbursal and also

exchanges can take place so that the inventories are purposefully utilised thus saving time, effort and money.

prevent their employees, micro vendors to get trapped into the web of treacherous money lenders who would fleece them.

7. Large-scale Community integration: Every community has all the required actors, ingredients, resources to combat such calamities but what is missing is sustainable integration platform which is swifter, simpler and smarter. Creating such integrated platforms will be the game-changer. Industrial/ management associations should take the lead to build an IOT platform and integrate communities which in turn could run Covid facilities, canteens, clinics, providing employment, in short addressing the here and now “felt” needs of the communities where they themselves are embedded. In times of calamity what matters is your ability to collectively brainstorm to find sustainable solutions, your resourcefulness and sense of urgency, so that immediate assistance reaches the vulnerable. It does not need herculean effort but with simple ,swift, superior collective thinking, feeling and action we can reengineer “Philanthropy” and rebuild the world together without burning out.

Mr. Kishore Shah

Managing Trustee GDP Foundation It is time for indistries to come to the rescue of the Society 20

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

DEMERG SYSTEMS

Time to start Anew

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

TRUSTEES SPEAK

Corporate Governance A Necessary Evil In this article Mr. Ameya Salatry explains the necessity of Corporate Governance no matter how cumbersome it may seem. potential risks and prioritizes the tolerance for risk based on the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business objectives, and manages and mitigates risks throughout the organization. India has grown exponentially over the years, and with it the businesses have had the requirement to relook at their governance strategy from legal and compliance standpoints. The in house teams of well trained lawyers and compliance specialists are formed to mitigate issues and manage compliances. However, even with the aid of technology, much has not changed with archaic compliances and fulfilment that the companies and businesses need to carry out from regulatory and statutory standpoint. The structure of statutory mandate has still been very traditional and the companies/businesses are made to follow principles that burn energy, time and money that can be easily Corporate Legal Governance is a complex set of rules, and

augmented with crispness and banking on technology.

compliances used by legal departments of the Corporates to adopt, implement and monitor an integrated approach to

The primary focus has been governance, however effective

business problems.

governance is key to stand tall in line with many nations where the legal and compliances are made very simple and effective.

Within the realm of governance, risk management and

To bring this into reality, what very much forms the essence of

compliance, the legal and compliance departments need to

this change is custodian mode of governance, which is largely to

effectively and positively overlap with departments such as

benefit the interest of the stakeholders and not just promoters.

finance, HR and Information Technology. The legislative think tank must adopt this change quickly so that Legal risk management refers to the process of evaluating

businesses grow with greater accountability and compliance

alternative regulatory and non-regulatory responses to risk and

management that is achieved swiftly. Too much time is consumed

selecting among them. Even with the legal realm, this process

in meeting the compliances thereby shifting focus and energy of

requires knowledge of the legal, economic and social factors, as

the businesses from their core aim of doing business.

well as knowledge of the business world in which legal teams operate. In an organizational setting, risk management refers to the process by which an organization sets the risk tolerance, identifies 22

Mr. Ameya Salatry

Trustee GDP Foundation

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

TRUSTEES SPEAK

Money Matters In this article Mr. Sandesh Prabhukhanolkar explains how the pandemic has affected consumer’s buying patterns. The clock struck twelve on 31st Dec, the firecrackers sound echoed at every part of the world and we all welcomed the New Year with open arms. The New Year that reflects a new beginning. We were expecting the year to be much better than the year before, as we always do, wishing health and prosperity for all. We had better and fruitful plans for the coming year. May it be the growth in business or to travel the world, may it be the marriage plans or to switch the job for better prospects. All our plans shattered when most of the countries announced a lockdown due to the life-threatening virus. Something suddenly happened which none of us thought of, something which nature had planned and something which was beyond our control. An obvious choice between life and living had made us stay at home doing nothing. The running world seemed to have been paused suddenly, with the markets empty, theatres closed down, roads with no traffic and the empty homes instantly filled with every house member. The stay at home prolonged for months thereby breaking every human being slowly. Although we are into the unlock phase today, things have changed to a greater extent and we are uncertain about things coming to normal in the near future. The effect of this pandemic is huge, probably because it has affected the money making capacity of the countless people around. The crowded mall today seem to be all empty, the amusement parks have lost the business for the summer season, the huge hotels have opened now with no people in it, the garment shops have failed to attract customers inspite of the ‘n’ number of offers, the

Click on the icon to watch a film on Money Matters for Kids (Courtesy: Leslie Geissler Munger - American politician and business executive

vicinity rather than the big malls. E-commerce has experienced a huge hike. Right from big electronic items to vegetables every bit and piece is available on the innumerable sites on our smartphone. Today our want is just one click away. ‘Work from Home’ the new normal has enabled the numerous employees to tap the jabs at various cities not worrying about the geographical borders. People now can showcase their talent through various YouTube channels, Instagram, Facebook etc. It is well quotes “when one door is closed the other opens but it is upto us to stop seeing the closed door and run towards the door opened”. Although this pandemic has hit us hard, we need to grab the numerous opportunities which have come our way.

labourers have lost their jobs and the manifold employees have faced salary cuts. However looking at the other side of the coin, small businesses like grocery shops & vegetable vendors are flourishing. Social

Mr. Sandesh Prabhukhanolkar

Trustee GDP Foundation

distancing today has made people visit the grocery shops in the 23

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

Goa means different to different people. What does it mean to bloggers and writers in Goa? Follow us on Facebook to know it all. Because Goaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own digital magazine is analysing the best of the best blogs that portay Goa in a new light. So join us on this exciting journey. On a screen near you.

www.goabylane.com 24

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

THINKING PARTNERS

Missing Bob Williams In this article, Mr. Prasad Deshpande attempts to explore consumer’s changing psychographic profiles due to onslaught of the Pandemic.

Click on the icon to watch the advertisement Courtesy: Hershey’s Who is Bob Williams?

Bob is 93 years old and he is proving one simple thing - You are

The American beer brand, Coors, decided to stop its upcoming

never too old to change the world with one Hershey’s at a time.

campaign that positioned Coors Light as the ‘Official Beer of

For more than 10 years, this World War II veteran from Long

Working Remotely.’ That’s because with some companies asking

Grove, Iowa has been melting hearts by giving out nearly 6,000

employees from to work from home, the communication would

chocolate bars to his neighbors, friends and total strangers.

have been rather insensitive or misinterpreted in the given

Inspired by this example, Hershey’s spotlighted him in their new

current situation.

marketing campaign. Apparently, Hersey’s decided to pull this ad in a campaign.

Soothing the aching hearts

Consumers are responding to the crisis in different ways. Some Why? Because it showed people shaking hands and hugging Bob

are anxious. Some are worried. Some have started hoarding non-

Willams. (The commercial is still there on YouTube, but pulled out

perishable food items and hygiene products. And then we have

from all other platforms)

people at the other side of the spectrum, who remain indifferent to the pandemic and are continuing their business as usual,

When Hands and Hugs become touchy

despite recommendations from the government and health

As the Pandemic continues to unfold, how we live has come under

professionals. With uncertainty (financial uncertainty more

a scanner. Hygiene and social distancing have taken priority over

than anything else) looming over their head, your consumer has

everything else in life. Hand-shakes have become a thing of the

changed. It is time to observe your consumer once again and re-

past. And so has hugging. This is compelling brands to adjust their

map his mind. Remember, this is the new-age of customized and

marketing game plan and realign their communication strategy if

personalized marketing strategies. Sorry to say, but the pandemic

it has anything to do with ‘improper’ use of hands or characters

has killed one-size-fits-all marketing.

not maintaining social distancing. Meaning no more showing people in a crowded bar, in buses and trains, people hugging and

So what is your customer scanning?

kissing and feeding each other.

In today’s uncertain situation, there is nothing like a normal

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

routine. The Anthropause has compelled consumers to adopt

EY’s Index further explains that the four segments could morph

new habits that many experts anticipate are here to stay for long.

into five very different ones as the crisis abates. Over a period of time, most consumers in the “Save and stockpile” segment will

Covid 19 has given rise to three long-term buying trends:

migrate to two new segments: “Remain frugal” and “Cautiously

1) Focus on health:

extravagant.” These new consumer segments, detailed in the

Many brands have taken heed of this trend and have started

Index, could emerge post-COVID-19 and be summarized as: “Keep

realigning their product line. For instance, Raymond just launched

cutting”, “Stay frugal”, “Get to normal”, “Cautiously extravagant”

Virasafe, a USFDA-approved technology that uses a silver-based

and “Back with a bang”.

chemical coating infused into the fabric to destroy bacteria and viruses. It does sound a little gimmicky, but one can see the

How to cater to this changing psychography?

companies are addressing health as a core promise. Brands like

COVID-19 is a health and economic crisis. Consumer attitude,

Allen Solly launched facemask as apparel and made wearing

behavior and purchasing buying habits have changed. The

healthy look trendy. The point here is, companies should support

Companies need to adopt an R-Cube Strategy to position

healthy living and need to have a health strategy as a strategic

themselves stronger for the future.

differentiator. 1. Respond - Reshape your marketing plan around new demand 2) Rising conscious consumption:

and brand purpose

Consumers have started keeping a check on what they are buying.

2. Reset - Redefine relationships with consumers, employees,

Introspection is gaining prominence. Impulse buying is getting

suppliers and redefine relationships with the ecosystem

curbed. Reducing wastage, and shopping cost costs consciously.

partners

and Opting for sustainable and eco-friendly options - brands need

3. Renew - Reconsider your product and service portfolio and scout the market for collaboration opportunities to

to make a note of these consumer preferences.

collaborate 3) Love for local Instead of ordering food from restaurants, consumers are

Let us bring back Bob Willams

preferring opting for food made by home-chefs. Everything, right

Yes, the times are tough. The future looks a little uncertain. But

from homemade masalas to homemade mithai is in high demand.

let these mounting pressure pressures not get the best of your

Brands need to explore this angle and must look at ways to

brand. Let the warmth with which you created your brand not get

connect locally. They need to awaken the philanthropist in them

destroyed in all the recalculations and realignments.

and imbibe ‘doing good for the society’ in their brand DNA. There is a Bob Willams in each one of us and in every brand DNA. The changing psychographic landscape

It is time to bring him back.

The first edition of EY Future Consumer Index has defined four distinct consumer behavior segments. 1. Cut deep - Not so concerned about the pandemic - worried

Ref: •

www.hersheys.com

•

https://www.brandinginasia.com/advertising-in-the-time-of-coronavirushands-hugs-working-remotely-deemed-too-touchy/

about their families - pessimistic about the long-term effects 2. Stay calm, Carry on - Hit hardest by the pandemic - most pessimistic about the future - spending less across all categories 3. Save & Stockpile - not changing their spending habits - not

•

https://www.ey.com/en_us/consumer-products-retail/how-covid-19-couldchange-consumer-behavior

•

https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/consumer-goods-services/ coronavirus-consumer-behavior-research

directly impacted by the pandemic - worried that others are stockpiling 4. Hibernate & spend - most concerned about the pandemic - best positioned to deal with it - optimistic for the future -

Mr. Prasad Deshpande Co-Founder, Goa Bylane Founder, Owlways Creative

spending more across the board 27

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist

MENTORING TALENTS

Meet Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Social Enterprises Here is a brief introduction of the two Social Startups that GDP Foundation is grooming as a part of Hi-Potential Advisory Service.

OPTISMART ECO SOLUTIONS PVT LTD.

FITNESS CONNECT

This startup has started with a bang by introducing a smart toilet.

Fitness Connect is a SaaS-based product to help gyms and fitness

They call it EZZY-LOO. The USP of the product is an eco-friendly

centers connected with their clientele. It is an attempt to help

toilet that is easy to install and saves water, as much as 70% water

gyms and fitness centers streamline its operations and maintain

per flush. EZZY-LOO is prefabricated and modular. It is a toilet that

constant communication with its members.

involves less plumbing. And they are as easy to install and then detach as a washing machine.

Despite COVID 19, Fitness Konnect is very optimistic about its expansion plan. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because Covid-19 has made people

These toilets areas the perfect hygiene solution that can make life

realise how important their health is. More and more people are

easy in many ways. Take construction sites for that matter. Now

understanding this but they have no guidance. Fitness Konnect is

no more constructing a temporary toilet for the workforce. All

now aiming to provide this. The plan next for the B2B vendors is

you need to do is install EZZY-LOO at the site and detach it once

improving the marketing and operating competency through the

the work is done. It is also a perfect solution for outdoor events,

software and the website.

weddings and festivals.

Should you be interested in knowing more about these startups or then wish to fund them for their idea, write to us at speed@gdpideaz.org 28

Oct 2020 | The Philanthropist