India Inc rushes to counter freak weather impact
As harsh-weather events like deadly heatwaves and shock downpours grow in frequency and intensity, companies across industries are working on contingency plans, including re-arranging travel and handling labour-related issues.
For instance, the Dubai downpour—its heaviest in 75 years—and floods earlier this week saw a Mumbai-based business house rework flights of its global team who were on their way to the emirate. After enduring multiple flight cancellations, some are now taking connecting long-haul flights while many are yet to even get flight tickets.
In India, thousands of delivery executives and gig workers across e-commerce platforms work for longer hours during summers when students are at home or tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL) are on. The ongoing heatwave in parts of the country, and prediction of above-normal monsoon this year have seen top e-commerce and food
companies like Flipkart, Amazon and Zomato taking steps to protect their delivery force.
“During the current summer season, a few additional inclusions in the daily routine of... delivery workforce include the distribution of glucose beverages, provision of additional fans and coolers across facilities, and facilitating summer safety management briefings to ensure heatwave advisories are adhered to,” said Prajakta Kanaglekar, vice president and HR leader at Flipkart. The e-commerce firm is offering flexible afternoon delivery schedules for workers.
Rival Amazon has increased air conditioning in its buildings, and offers oral rehydration solutions to its associates.
“With several parts of the country witnessing significant heat due to high temperatures along with humidity, a ‘heat stress prevention’ programme has been developed for associates in our buildings and out on the road making customer deliveries,” the company spokesperson said.
When Iran’s missiles whizzed towards Israel on Sunday April 14th, oil markets were closed. When they opened 24 hours later, their reaction was a loud “meh”. Brent crude, the global benchmark, dipped below $90 a barrel. It has since hovered around that level (see chart).
Traders had expected an attack of precisely this variety: big enough to cause concern; obvious enough to be foiled. They are now betting that Israel will avoid anything too rash in response. Yet even if oil