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<ul><li>After the global pandemic, <keyword id="49089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> and health seem to have become important factors for consumers.</li><li>According to Capgemini’s recent report, consumers engage more readily with brands and retailers that they perceive to be sustainable and genuinely committed to green practices.</li><li>The report found that 48% of consumers share an emotional connection with products or organizations that demonstrate eco-friendly qualities.</li><li>As we move forward this year and health concerns and sustainability continue influencing consumer decisions, we speak to brands, research and design agencies about how brands can integrate sustainability into their core values and move beyond mere lip-service.</li></ul>It might be a new year but the world continues to grapple with familiar challenges and threats: we are on the verge of entering the third wave of COVID-19, the country’s capital, New Delhi is currently facing alarmingly high levels of indoor air pollution and Uttarakhand's forest fires emitted nearly 0.2 megatonnes of carbon in the past one month, a record since 2003 (CAMS report). So 2022 will clearly be a busy year for brands as consumers get more serious about climate change and expect brands to increase their focus on living sustainably in harmony with nature. While businesses exist to make money, Manish Chowdhary, Co-CEO, Body Cupid Pvt Limited says that there are two ways to do that. He explained, “One is sustainable, by keeping other living and non-living things in mind. The other one is inspired by greed. So no matter how small a brand’s effort may be, it has to be aligned with sustainability if the brand wants to continue in the long run. Brands exist for consumers and it is important that we listen to what they want.” From driving workforce diversity to taking a stand on climate change, there’s a definite change that has taken place in consumer expectations. In the last few years, sustainability has become one of the biggest decision-making factors for consumers, and more so after the pandemic. They have realised that mother earth has suffered enough. In this digital world, consumers are demanding more transparency and are quick to call out greenwashing. They are expecting to see concrete actions. And as Chowdhary said, it has become imperative for brands to listen to what consumers want because they exist to serve consumers. Today’s consumers are not only pivoting towards more sustainable products but are also willing to pay a premium for them. Gen Z and Millennials lead all other age groups in this respect. When shopping for groceries, 72% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennials say they are willing to pay more for organic foods and in fact, did so the last time they were grocery shopping, compared to 56% of Boomers, found Capgemini. Its recent report said that 80% of consumers want to contribute to the fight to save the planet for future generations. And it is not just a phase. 70% of consumers agreed that post-pandemic, they will be more careful in terms of maintaining and protecting their personal health. Covid has only reminded us that there is a long way to go on sustainability. On how the pandemic has altered consumer behaviour, Lulu Raghavan, Managing Director, Landor and Fitch said, “The pandemic has fundamentally shifted consumer behaviour. An IBM study shows that 93% of consumers have changed their views on sustainability after the pandemic. This is totally understandable. The horrid virus which came out of nowhere has ravaged lives, ruined livelihoods. The only silver lining is that it has woken us up to the paramount importance of our own health and wellbeing and that of our Mother Earth. Sustainability is now a definitive transformative force that will upend existing industries and create new ones. If digital transformation was the buzzword in corporate boardrooms, ECG will take centre stage in the coming decade.” But what exactly is a sustainable brand? Ashwini Deshpande, Co-Founder and Director, Elephant Design defines it as, “A brand that values ethical sourcing and supply chains, is inclusive, and follows environment-friendly processes and materials while staying viable for its stakeholders is qualified to be labelled as a sustainable brand.” Kartik Johari, VP, Marketing &amp; Commerce, Nobel Hygiene believes that in the coming months, people will start to question what is sustainable and what is not along with how we can continue to reduce our carbon footprint across all aspects of our lives. He said, “Consumers at the end of it are people and they expect what is good. The ‘brand promise’ is essential to them. Now, alongside they are also making space for the environment due to excellent work by activists and journalists around the world. You will remember, for example, that riveting photo of a straw stuck in a turtle's nose. How many millions of turtles have we lost to this? Yet it took just that one photo to break through the global psyche. Now straws are the Number One environmental enemy. But this does not mean the onus should be entirely on people to choose better! Companies have to improve their offering. And that is correct for consumers to expect. Moreover, important to note, there are some 50 or 60 companies in the world, which are responsible for majority of emissions. Strong regulations on them can solve what collectively 500 million people may have to do. But who’s going to bell the cat? As Mr Musk rightly has been saying that, give the solar industry the same amount of subsidies, for a year, that you give to oil and gas, and see the amount of transformative change it brings! The onus cannot be on that one little end consumer and their war to save their environment.” During the pandemic, brands like WOW Skin Science, Diageo and Dettol launched eco-friendly packaging to test the waters, indicating that more brands in India have started reevaluating their packaging strategy to put the environment first. Big FMCG companies such as Marico, HUL, Nestle India, Future Consumer, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-co, Parle Agro also announced in 2020 that they will move to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 helping towards a sustainable future. Joining the bandwagon, the Indian Government has also started its efforts towards reducing our country’s carbon footprint. Currently, India is the world’s third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after the US and China. According to an Assocham and PwC report, landfills are brimming with so much urban waste that by 2050, India is reportedly going to need a landfill that's the size of its capital, New Delhi. And consumers aren’t ignoring these horrifying numbers anymore. Elysha Young, Trends Manager, Mintel APAC said, "India’s Prime Minister has pledged it will reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, backed by aggressive 2030 targets. By laying the groundwork in the form of policies, India is signaling that it is open and willing to support innovation around sustainability, and indeed that carbon-emitting industries will no longer be tolerated. This presents an opportunity for global companies looking to tap into India's vast population but also issues a challenge to foreign and domestic companies to ensure they are cutting emissions throughout their value chain. It's in India's self-interest to stem global warming, with the nation of 1.3 billion people being one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The nature of the short-term targets means that action will need to be taken immediately, which will see a strong focus on renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, as well as the batteries needed to store such energy. Companies would do well to look at the emissions within their own value chains and determine where cuts can be made. Communicating these to consumers will help them to make choices that align with the national strategy; the opportunity exists to ensure consumers feel like they're also doing their bit." In 2022, brands that snooze will definitely lose More and more consumers are becoming aware of their choices and realising that whether it is a worn-out piece of mask they decide to throw or a sanitary napkin or even as simple as a plain t-shirt, never really goes ‘away.’ It all ends up in a landfill. Human activities are clearly harming the global environment and brands have no choice but to migrate to sustainable solutions and work towards building a circular economy. So, in 2022, if brands don’t switch, they lose consumers, investors, and all stakeholders. Chowdhary said, “At the industry level, there is nothing without sustainability. The consumers of today are conscious and aware. They know the choices they are making. So if companies &amp; brands do not opt for sustainable practices, eventually the smart consumers are going to make a switch. We can only expect the awareness to grow and actions to increase, especially with the challenges that our planet is facing today.” Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide sees sustainability as one of the big topics in 2022 – right from fashion, green products, green living to electric vehicles, every category will be touched by sustainability filter. She said, “If the brands have already not made sustainability part of their commitment in any form yet, it’s high time they join the eco-wakening movement. Consumers are already looking for some form of reassurance or the other from brands in terms of conscious behaviour, as consumers are at different stages of adoption – it is a mix of curious, concerned, and advocates. At the very least, they are looking to not feel guilty about consuming the brand. Conscious living, mindful living, Green living, purposeful living are all the buzz words in communications today. For brands it is inevitable to have sustainability as a larger goal.” It is not just the environment and consumers who benefit from eco-friendly practices, businesses with low carbon footprints are more likely to have a better brand image and can easily woo consumers. Deep Bajaj, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Sirona Hygiene said, “Companies are realizing that being conscious of their environmental impact can benefit them in every manner possible. Consumers desire sustainability owing to the ailing earth. Companies that work to become more environmentally responsible, not only contribute to a better future, but also establish a progressive brand image, happier employees, and a loyal client base. Consumers are real people who are affected by real environmental issues on a daily basis. They are aware that it is no longer limited to textbooks and that industrial activities have a direct impact on their daily lives. As a result, what goes into the making of a product and what goes inside it is extremely important to them. Other than environmental consciousness, they expect transparency from brands.” While brands in India have already started taking baby steps towards converting their business into a sustainable choice for consumers, we will get to witness more demonstrable actions in 2022. And those who fail to prioritise mother earth, will have to face consumers’ wrath. Deshpande said, “The emerging consumer base of millennials &amp; Gen Z is not a forgiving lot when it comes to ethics or ecology being compromised by a brand. But others are not quite as aware and may base their decision only on factors like price or convenience above sustainability. There is no choice. It is a survival mandate for a brand to become sustainable. Otherwise, we will see every resource being depleted in the next few decades.” Kantar BrandZ data shows that brands with weak purpose grow 70% but brands with strong purpose grow 175%. At the same time, India is still a price-sensitive country and consumers stick to the convenience of buying what you are used to. So, on how brands can move beyond mere lip-service and greenwashing this year, Raghvan suggested, “Use innovation to develop products developed against that purpose. Embrace design thinking across the board. Embed a new mindset deeply in the culture and transform from within. Communicate and evangelise with consumers." In 2022, experts are confident that brands will embrace sustainability that will benefit people, planet and profit.

Is 2022 the year when Indian brands will get more serious about sustainability?

United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is slated to arrive on a five-day visit to India beginning Tuesday, days after returning from China. During his visit Kerry will visit Chennai and Delhi, the US State Department said. In India, Kerry will attend the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministers (ECSM) Meeting in Chennai to be held on July 28, the US Department of State said in a statement. In Delhi, Kerry will meet with senior government officials to advance shared objectives on renewable and clean energy, and climate, the statement read. "Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will travel to New Delhi and Chennai, India, July 25-29, to advance shared objectives on climate and clean energy, including mutual efforts to build a platform for investments in renewable energy and storage solutions, support the deployment of zero-emission buses, and diversify clean energy supply chains," the US State Department said. The third Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting was also under India's G20 Presidency on May 21. The three-day meeting witnessed the participation of 141 delegates from G20 countries and 10 invitee countries. The representatives of 14 international and regional organisations also attended deliberations.. The three priories outlined for the ECSWG were arresting land degradation, promoting a circular economy and giving impetus to the blue economy. All meetings focused on a specific theme out of these three themes. The third ECSWG focussed on Blue Economy and was supported by two side events - Mega Beach Clean Up Event and the Ocean 20 Dialogue on Day 1 of the meeting. The primary agenda of the 3rd ECSWG meeting was the detailed discussions on the draft Ministerial Communique which entailed constructive discussions and deliberations on priority areas. The meeting ended in a discussion mode on the Communique, to be further deliberated upon and refined in the virtual meetings scheduled over the next few weeks, as a run-up to the 4th and final ECSWG meeting to be held in Chennai from July 26- 27. The fourth and final ECSWG meeting would be followed by the ECSM meeting on July 28, which John Kerry would attend. Previously, emphasising on India's climate commitments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country has shown leadership in climate action and achieved its non-fossil installed electric capacity target nine years in advance. In a video message to the G20 Energy Ministerial Meeting in Goa on Saturday, the Prime Minister said India now plans to achieve 50% non-fossil installed capacity by the year 2030. "No talk about the future, sustainability or growth and development can be complete without energy. It impacts development at all levels, from individuals to nations," the Prime Minister said at the meeting that brought together ministers from the countries in the G20 grouping. He pointed out that India is among the global leaders in solar and wind power and is making great efforts in green growth and energy transition. Earlier, US climate envoy John Kerry ended his four-day visit to China on July 19 without any new agreements. In fact, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, insisted in a speech that China would pursue its goals to phase out carbon dioxide pollution at its own pace and in its own way. Still, Kerry appeared buoyed that the world's two biggest polluters had restarted discussions, which had been frozen for a year because of strained relations over Taiwan, trade and other issues. He insisted he was not disappointed in the outcome, noting that just talking marked progress, according to the Washington Post. "We had very frank conversations but we came here to break new ground," Kerry said, adding, "It is clear that we are going to need a little more work."

After China, US climate envoy John Kerry on 5-day India visit to advance shared objectives on climate and clean energy

<cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="summary" comment="summary" text="As the onset of the new year beckons us towards new beginnings, Business Insider India invites you to experience our innovations — a showcase of new editorial initiatives, products and brand partnerships from 2022 which have helped leading global companies engage with our select audience. These activities have established the foundation for our unique editorial mission around sustainability, personal finance, and enterprise tech which delivered sharp, incisive and compelling content to our readers. This year, we look forward to collaborating with you on your brand journey and help you emulate the same success that our longstanding partners have achieved.">As the onset of the new year beckons us towards new beginnings, Business Insider India invites you to experience our innovations — a showcase of new editorial initiatives, products and brand partnerships from 2022 which have helped leading global companies engage with our select audience. These activities have established the foundation for our unique editorial mission around sustainability, personal finance, and enterprise tech which delivered sharp, incisive and compelling content to our readers. This year, we look forward to collaborating with you on your brand journey and help you emulate the same success that our longstanding partners have achieved.</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="summary" comment="summary" text="Dive in to discover our success stories and drop us a line to harness the very best of Business Insider India’s creative approaches.">Dive in to discover our success stories and drop us a line to harness the very best of Business Insider India’s creative approaches.</cmsannotation> <bulletContentEmbed name="Sustainability Insider" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="Sustainability Insider_head"> <div type="image" title="Sustainability Insider" msid="97128329" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sustainability Insider&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div></columnHeadThumb><keyword id="14107500" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sustainability-Insider" source="Orion">Sustainability Insider</keyword></columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="Sustainability Insider_body"><bulletContentRow name="Sustainability Insider_1673794911834810"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">2023 and beyond… Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) will take the centre stage. Our ESG focussed programming segment - Sustainability Insider sharpens the focus on people, companies and ideas which are making this world a better place. Sustainability Insider’s marquee event, the <keyword id="9906589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-EV-Day" source="Orion">World EV Day</keyword> webinar in September showcased industry veterans and thought leaders through and engaged large audiences across the website and social channels. Read more <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability">here</a></bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody><payload><![CDATA[right]]></payload></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="left_image" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="left_image_head"> <div type="image" title="EV_IG (1)" msid="96686566" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>SUPERCHARGING WORLD EV DAY</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="left_image_body"><bulletContentRow name="left_image_8476256729899678"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Business Insider India September 2022 curated a special episode on the World EV Day. The Virtual panel, shifting Gears; Evaluating the Road to Sustainability featured Dr. Raji Mathi, Director, Automative Research Association of India (ARAI); Anmol Jaggi, CEO, BluSmart Mobility; Suhas Rajkumar, Founder and CEO, Simple Energy; and Anshul Khandelwal, Chief Marketing &amp; Revenue Officer, Ola Group. The group highlighted the challenges and opportunities of fast-tracking EV adoption in India. Watch the feature <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/article/sustainability-forum-shifting-gears-evaluating-the-road-to-sustainable-mobility/articleshow/94248881.cms">here</a></bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody><payload><![CDATA[left]]></payload></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="left_image" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="left_image_head"><div type="image" title="Quiz Image" msid="96687183" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>PRODUCT INNOVATION INTERACTIVE QUIZ</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="left_image_body"><bulletContentRow name="left_image_2671779128491774"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Interactivity came to the fore as Business as Business Insider India launched the interactive quiz, drawing audiences to engage with the platform and test their acumen on all things sustainability. you can also participate in the quiz and see how you stack up when it comes to sustainability. Click <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/lok-sabha-approves-energy-conservation-bill-to-accelerate-climate-action-opens-multi-billion-dollar-carbon-market/articleshow/93479684.cms">here</a> to take the quiz</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody><payload><![CDATA[left]]></payload></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="right_image" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="right_image_head"> <div type="image" title="saasscions_roundup" msid="96702847" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>MARQUEE BRAND INNOVATION VIA INSIDER STODIOS-</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="right_image_body"><bulletContentRow name="right_image_6519875174873057"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">SAAS SCIONS FOR AWS</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Business Insider India partnered with AWS to custom create SaaS Scions, a content IP six-part series featuring visionaries in the SaaS space who have catalysed the SaaS domain globally. The series features the country's best known SaaS founders in conversation with AWS' leaders and shines a spotlight on India's growth story while capturing the thinking and vision of India's SaaS scions. Featured guests include Girish Mathrubootham, Jay Vijayan, Sandeep Gupta and Beerud Sheth.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody><payload><![CDATA[right]]></payload></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="Money Insider | Season 2 | COMING SOON on Business Insider" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="Money Insider | Season 2 | COMING SOON on Business Insider_head"> <div type="image" title="Money Insider" msid="97127935" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;Money Insider&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div></columnHeadThumb>Money Insider | Season 2 | COMING SOON on Business Insider</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="Money Insider | Season 2 | COMING SOON on Business Insider_body"><bulletContentRow name="Money Insider | Season 2 | COMING SOON on Business Insider_8003104820832338"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The best of financial insights from the country’s most creative voices! Business Insider India’s Money Insider brings together the country’s leading ‘Fin-fluencers’ who are heralding a new beginning in the world of financial literacy. Catch insights, bust myths, share a chuckle as you learn more about investing, insurance, home-buying, credit cards, planning taxes and all things personal finance.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody><payload><![CDATA[left]]></payload></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="Decoding Season 1’s performance success" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="Decoding Season 1’s performance success_head"> <div type="image" title="Decoding Season 1’s performance success" msid="97128114" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Decoding Season 1&amp;#8217;s performance success&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div></columnHeadThumb>Decoding Season 1’s performance success</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="Decoding Season 1’s performance success_body"><bulletContentRow name="Decoding Season 1’s performance success_0072309969741672"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Money Insider tapped right into the current trend of financial literacy among Millennials and GenZ. It approached influencers such as Mandeep Gill, Raj Shamani, Ashna Tolkar, Neha Nagar, Shashank Udapa and Abhiraj &amp; Niyati to curate concise, crisp and educational content to fit in perfectly with Instagram's current demand for extensive information quickly. With a mix of these strategies, Money Insider hit over 2+ million views on Instagram and will be back soon to help you take control of your personal finances and make smart money decisions.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody><payload><![CDATA[right]]></payload></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="Partner with Us" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="Partner with Us_head"> <div type="image" title="Partner with Us" msid="97128159" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Partner with Us&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div></columnHeadThumb>Partner with Us</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="Partner with Us_body"><bulletContentRow name="Partner with Us_3017289699399519"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Thank you for joining us on this overview of Business Insider India innovations. We are proud of our content teams and their diverse expertise of the Insider Studios’ creative leads in building bespoke content for our partners. And this new year, we welcome you to explore our range of offerings to help you grow your business. You can reach us at: <a href="mailto:advertise@businessinsider.in">advertise@businessinsider.in</a>. We wish you the very best as you step into 2023.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody><payload><![CDATA[right]]></payload></bulletContentEmbed>

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<keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword> laid off thousands of employees in 2023 and many found their lives turned upside down with just an email notification. After all, when you have given your heart and soul to an organisation, it is never easy accepting the fact that you are being asked to leave at a moment’s notice. The situation becomes even more complicated when you have been with the company for more than a decade. Something similar happened with <keyword id="23300967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nicholas-Whitaker" source="keywords">Nicholas Whitaker</keyword>, who had been working with the company since 2010 and found out about his <keyword id="20118388" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="layoff" source="keywords">layoff</keyword> abruptly. <h2>The 3 am email bringing bad news</h2>“My layoff experience was traumatic. I got an email at 3 am to my personal email, that I only found because a colleague pinged me on Linkedin in the DMs to ask if I was ‘Ok’ and if I was ‘safe’,” Whitaker told <keyword id="21390875" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Business Insider India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Business Insider India">Business Insider India</keyword> in a conversation. He added that when his colleague enquired about his safety, he thought it was a “shooting or some natural disaster.” In other words, he didn’t even imagine that he was being laid off from Google. He then revealed that when he checked his work email, he discovered that he was locked out of his laptop and phone. He then checked his personal email and there it was, the “short and impersonal email” that told him that his role at Google was being eliminated. <h2>The layoff process was uncomfortable</h2>When Google announced large-scale layoffs last year, the company made a lot of headlines for handling them in an unprofessional manner. In March 2023, several Google employees had even written an open letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, asking him to deal with layoffs in a better manner. Whitaker, narrating his own experience, shared with Business Insider India that after receiving the dreadful layoff email at 3 am, he spent the next few months completing formalities to get his payments that were due. He said, “It took all of the next several months for me to mail back my laptop, badge and any gear that I had that was Google property. (I also had to) navigate unemployment, health insurance and get all of the documentation I had to submit to "self Offboard" and to receive payments that I was supposed to get.” “Along the way there were multiple errors and miscommunications from the team that made it all even more uncomfortable,” he said. Whitaker also noted a complete lack of communication and empathy from his old team at Google. “I got a single text message from my prior manager asking how I was doing a few days after I was laid off, but otherwise no one reached out to check on me or offer assistance from my old team. Overall I found the process to be brutally impersonal and inhumane,” he said. <h2>Experience at Google</h2>But was Google always “inhumane” in his experience? Not really. There were some amazing days too and Google, according to Whitaker, was a different company when he had joined. “My initial experience working at Google was like it was a completely different company. I started as a temp, contractor and then a vendor for Google back in 2010, and at the time I think it was something like 40,000 employees. It had a real startup feel to it. Teams were agile and collaborative, and there was a lot of room for growth. It may have been specific to my team and org, but it felt like you had a lot more room for experimentation and autonomy to make decisions, and failure wasn't seen as a bad thing, but a necessary part of innovation,” he said. Whitaker also said that a “class system” was there at Google, especially since he was a TVC (Temporary, Vendor and Contractor). “As a TVC you wouldn't be included in many of the activities and learning opportunities that full time employees had, and didn't get invited to extracurricular activities. There was a real bias towards culture at the time, and words like Don't be Evil, and be Googly were often used.” However, in general, he added that the atmosphere was positive and full of possibilities. “Colleagues generally were very supportive, collaborative and encouraging to work with. I was excited as this was my first time working in big tech, or Corporate America and I saw that period of time as a real coming of age for me. I learned how to be a professional at Google and appreciated all of the early guidance and support that I got from colleagues and leaders.” <h2>Helping others</h2>It has now been over a year since Whitaker was laid off. He now has his own venture and helps other people navigate their careers. Talking about what motivated him to kick-start his own venture, he said, “After 13 years in big tech, the last few years in particular being particularly difficult due to toxic teams and leaders, I didn't want to jump right back into that kind of experience again. A year before getting laid off, I had experienced a bad <keyword id="19956983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="keywords">mental health</keyword> crisis that was the result of workplace bullying, gaslighting and toxic leadership. "I wanted to help others avoid and recover from similar situations and create a community where people can find mutual support and coaching on how to best navigate their careers in a conscious way. My severance after working so long at Google allowed me to fund the launch of my coaching business, and eventually ‘changingwork.org’." <keyword id="23300968" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Changing-Work" source="keywords">Changing Work</keyword>, Whitaker explained, is his way of addressing a deep need in corporate life — helping people rediscover their sense of purpose and alignment in their careers and finding ways to build more conscious leaders and businesses. He added, “What makes this so transformative for me personally is that it allowed me to step into a role where I could integrate all the lessons from my own career—especially the parts that were hardest for me. During my time at Google, I saw firsthand how high-pressure environments can lead to burnout, anxiety, and a disconnect from our true selves.” The recent tragic death of a young CA at Ernst &amp; Young (EY) employee in India has turned the spotlight on toxic work cultures prevalent in many high-pressure industries. Broader debates on burnout, mental health struggles, and unrealistic expectations in corporate environments in the workplace have occupied social media platforms. This incident serves as a painful reminder that companies must prioritize <keyword id="21050364" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employee-well-being" source="keywords">employee well-being</keyword> and mental health to foster sustainable, humane workplaces. And makes the work that people like Whitaker are doing all the more important. “I’ve spoken publicly about how mindfulness practice, coaching and therapy literally saved my life during some of my darkest times at Google. Changing Work is the culmination of that journey. It’s not just about helping others find balance and fulfillment—it’s about creating a space where I can live those values every day,” he concludes.

Fired from Google after 13 years of service, he used his severance to build a business around helping others with their careers

<ul><li>Based on ‘Deep Listening’ methodology, <keyword id="3671421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tonic-worldwide" source="Orion">Tonic Worldwide</keyword>’s insights division GIPSI, has arrived at unique and actionable insights.</li><li>The pandemic has led to the creator economy phenomenon, with an increase in conversations around product as well as store reviews by a massive 1447%.</li></ul>We're always consuming, wish-listing and adding items to multiple carts, across multiple E-commerce portals, consciously or unconsciously, especially due to pandemic induced behaviour. GIPSI, Tonic Worldwide's HI+AI (Human Intelligence + Artificial Intelligence) division applied its ‘Deep Listening’ methodology, triangulated with a survey (100 respondents) and 20 SME interviews to arrive at unique insights. The data sources are multiple for ‘Deep Listening’ Method – it goes beyond digital conversations and maps the data with interests and searches, coupled with unique HI perspectives giving actionable insights. All data compare January 2021 to July 2021, as well as to 2020 Data wherever applicable. Key Findings of the GIPSI Report: The Pandemic Effect is the key trigger for increased E-commerce adoption, with the majority of respondents shopping online tried at least 2 new E-commerce shopping sites/ apps in the past year. <ul><li>Rise in the Types of E-commerce: Social commerce, Conversation Commerce, Homegrown Small Commerce, Delivery commerce, Video commerce, Sustainable commerce, Thrift commerce, Gift commerce, Creator commerce....the list is endless! Implication: The digital audience of India today is approximately 620+ million which consists of Fans, Friends, Followers, subscribers, passive surfers, who are all likely to be consumers!</li></ul><ul><li>The Rise of ‘Apps’ in E-commerce: Currently, there are 1103 most used E-Commerce apps in India and shopping apps have today captured the mobile home screens and they have made it to the Top 4 categories in the list of Most Used Mobile Apps in India, in 2021. Implication: Fight for the home screens has begun. Are you ready?</li><li>Rise of surfing in E-commerce: Every month approximately 620K searches take place for Social commerce, increasing month-on-month. With the average Indian today spending about 2.25 hours on social media everyday, commerce has become content now! Implication: Only presence is not enough! Your E-commerce content needs to be thumb-stopping.</li></ul><ul><li>Rise of "Search" in E-commerce: About 54% of product searches takes place on Amazon, with respondents attributing to the same, rather than using a search engine. Implication: How discoverable is your brand? Use Search behaviour to decode consumers’ intent and interest.</li></ul><ul><li>Rise of “Experience” in E-commerce: Today, From chatbots, Live videos, conversation commerce to AR features, the options are plenty. Inclination towards conversational commerce is on the rise, with 79% increase in industry-led conversations on decoding conversational commerce, and the technologies involved. Further, top conversational AI platforms see steady growth. Implication: "Experience" can be your post-pandemic advantage. Invest in experiences now.</li></ul><ul><li>Rise of “Entertainment” in E-commerce: E-commerce destinations are now competing with Social Media networks and OTTs, with customers spending more and more time on these shopping destinations. Soon, this experience will replicate malls - with the option to watch movies, shop and order food, all in an 'E-comm mall'! Implication: E-commerce is not just a medium. It’s now a Destination for Entertainment.</li></ul><ul><li>The Rise of shopping on ‘Visual and Video platforms’ in E-commerce”: Visual platforms are seeing a whopping surge across all the platforms. Preference for ‘Instagram shopping’ rules the roost, followed by Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest. There’s also a strong inclination towards Pinterest shopping, with 799% growth. Implication: Make visual platforms your shop’s new address.</li></ul><ul><li>The Rise of ‘Reviews’ in E-commerce: Led by the “creator economy” phenomenon, E-commerce reviews are also determined by Social Media Creators’ reviews and recommendations which can make or break brands on digital. There has been a 1447 % increase in conversations, with a 3X positive sentiment and further 25K conversations specifically on reviews and recommendations on E-commerce destinations. Implication: Brands, what’s your Review Quotient (RQ)?</li></ul><ul><li>The Rise of "Small Commerce" &gt;&gt; "Delivery Commerce" : The boom of Small commerce has seen an immense growth with creators, home businesses and local stores which have moreover taken their consumer experience completely online, with 155%+ increase in adopting Whatsapp catalogues and 46%+ increase in Shopify app downloads.. This thriving space has seen over 1.5 million searches on topics related to build/ set up E-commerce websites, free tools and related queries. Further, there has been a growth of 73%+ in monthly active users of popular hyperlocal delivery players from the beginning of 2021 - to now. Implication: Brands, time to re-check who your competition is. Don't forget to include the new-shops-in-town</li></ul><ul><li>The Rise of ‘<keyword id="1479775" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="eco-activism" source="Orion">Eco-activism</keyword>’ in E-commerce: Witnessing a 50%+ surge in conversations around the topic and specifically 833K conversations on eco-friendly and <keyword id="6660763" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainable-packaging" source="Orion">sustainable packaging</keyword>, this <keyword id="12201157" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="conscious-shopping" source="Orion">conscious shopping</keyword> behaviour is now on the rise. Implication: Products, persona and packaging with an eco-filter is a must</li></ul>Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide said, “Who knew that the biggest barrier ‘contactless shopping’ will become the biggest trigger for the rise and rise of E-commerce! With abundant data, there is no looking back on the reasons to adopt commerce on digital. Trends are available to all but brands which identify undercurrents will have an advantage. Our GIPSI report is for anyone who is riding, considering or fearing the rise and rise of E-commerce”. Commenting on the report, <keyword id="5909082" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="unmisha-bhatt" source="Orion">Unmisha Bhatt</keyword>, Chief Strategy Officer and Director – India &amp; MENA region Tonic Worldwide, said "At Tonic Worldwide, we enable our clients to meet their business objectives with better insights. That is why we exist! In the last year and a half, E-commerce and digitization has been a game changer for multiple companies of all sizes. In an effort to accelerate their business, GIPSI's ecommerce insights report focuses on ways and means to see higher growth by adopting best practices. By making this report accessible to other brands and businesses beyond tonic, we look forward to contributing to the larger growth story for marketers" GIPSI was launched in 2018 and is being headed and driven by Unmisha Bhatt, Chief Strategy Officer, Tonic Worldwide and Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide.

Conscious shopping behaviour is now on the rise as eco-activismwitnesses a 50%+ surge in conversations; 833K conversations happenaround sustainable packaging: Gipsi report

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Conscious shopping behaviour is now on the rise as eco-activismwitnesses a 50%+ surge in conversations; 833K conversations happenaround sustainable packaging: Gipsi report

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