Every day at work, we use our calendars to chalk out essential meetings, tasks and deadlines. Alongside this, our calendars also feature days marked out to celebrate causes and noteworthy individuals. One such occasion is Use Your Common Sense Day, celebrated on 4 November — but perhaps, we ought to celebrate it each day!

Common sense can seem like an obvious thing, a skill that we use so often that it feels futile to even term it a skill. But at workplaces, as discussions become more complex and nuanced, and we keep up with the latest research and technical jargon, we sometimes forget to apply common sense.

Employees who make common sense a part of their mental toolbox become the brightest minds in their teams. They can work independently, as they don’t need the constant guidance of their superiors. They are able to follow the company’s best practices while exercising their own judgment. They can identify gaps in processes, and focus on the bigger picture with clarity.

They are able to complete tasks faster, as they don’t lose time over unnecessary steps, and they have a higher rate of success, as they make fewer errors. Indeed, those who think by using common sense are able to identify potential risks in the future by relying on their own experiences and those of others.

At AM International, our People Philosophy is based on caring and collaboration. This fosters a spirit of teamwork where colleagues can learn from each other by sharing information.

Common sense should not be taken for granted. It is at the foundation of critical thinking — a process by which we use rationality to analyze information, connect the dots and predict outcomes. Problem solving at the workplace is made easier by using our common sense and critical thinking skills, as this allows us to set aside our biases and think objectively. The best thinkers simplify problems at every single step and then arrive at clean solutions, instead of complicating their thought process.

Common sense is an important soft skill to possess too, as it allows us to manage our own emotions better and helps us to interact more effectively with our colleagues. Common sense thinkers tend to be good listeners, who are keen to understand the inputs and suggestions of their team members. They have fair expectations of their co-workers and are more considerate towards them. They ask the right questions and use the knowledge gained from them to become smarter workers.

Common sense isn’t a natural talent but rather like a muscle that anyone can train. We can teach ourselves to apply this way of thinking by being more observant at the workplace: learn from our own past mistakes, make note of how our team members successfully solved problems, and remember how we ourselves navigated stressful situations. Ultimately, we will find the right balance between relying on research and analysis and using our own sense of intuition.

Individuals are incentivized to use their common sense and critical thinking skills at workplaces which are stimulating, where the tasks challenge them to think creatively. Such workplaces are also home to managers and team leaders who provide feedback to their colleagues, so that the entire team can grow.

AM International recognises that opportunities motivate people, and that careers must be built together, as a collective effort. We strive to nurture workplaces where all employees can think in an entrepreneurial way, where their decisions are encouraged rather than questioned.

This Use Your Common Sense Day, let us promise to think simply, act objectively and learn from our experiences.

The last few years have been witness to an ever-evolving work culture, as workplaces become more dynamic and employees constantly upskill themselves. In order to thrive at an organization, we must hone and expand our capabilities. In the past, hard work and commitment were coveted traits, while in present times, productivity and creativity are given credence.

Another key skill is critical thinking, whereby rationality is used to solve problems and build solutions. You’re a critical thinker if you can

• Connect the dots,
• Weigh the pros and cons of different situations, and
• Reflect on your work as well as others.

We live in a time when there is unlimited access to information and data. Thus, those who can focus on the relevant details and predict outcomes emerge as the assets of their teams.

Critical thinking isn’t just for those in managerial or leadership positions, it should be a part of each employee’s tool box — across departments and years of experience.

At AM International, our colleagues are critical stakeholders and contributors to our success. We strive to create a space where entrepreneurial thinking is encouraged, so our team members are empowered to innovate and make decisions.

The ABCs of problem solving

Identifying problems and coming up with solutions are tasks that many of us have to perform every single day. Critical thinking can help to simplify the process: We must begin by evaluating the information correctly, and ask all the necessary questions. Once we have formed well-rounded opinions backed by facts and research, we
should consider the consequences of the decision we are about to take. Lastly, we should ensure that we always have our eyes on the final goal.

• If you are known to arrive at solutions with objectivity rather than your feelings and biases, you’re making effective use of your critical thinking faculties.
• Such thinkers are also curious, open-minded listeners and observant people.
• Over time, someone who can ably solve problems and make informed judgements will also become a more confident employee who can work independently.

At an organizational level, this critical skill allows us to prevent losses, cut costs and ensure better rates of success. This approach can be used in everyday workflows as well as big picture decision-making, like the allocation of budgets and predicting how a certain product will perform in a certain demographic. It strengthens the relationships between employees, as leaders become more assured about their team members’ abilities.

Such an approach echoes AM International’s own emphasis on consistency and responsibility, where risk-taking is coupled with professional diligence.

Growth for the individual and the organization

Critical thinking applies as much to the tasks assigned to us, as it does to our work and careers. Those who possess this skill are also able to reflect on their own work ethic, to amplify their strengths and work on their weaknesses.

In 2022, the World Economic Forum recognised critical thinking as being a core skill, adding that it is not an innate trait but rather something that all of us can nurture.

Upskilling is both an individual effort and organizational goal. At AM International, we recognise how opportunities can motivate our colleagues. After all, a career can become a platform for lifelong learning only if a business invests in the talent and growth of its workforce.

Human capital – the total knowledge, skills, experience, health and other characteristics of the workforce is a critical building block for an organisation. The organisation’s performance depends on its human resources.

Improving the performance of employees in an organisations is a vital goal. It requires a significant effort and focus on performance management to enable a positive change to the way people work.

Here are some ways to ensure peak performance levels on an ongoing basis –

1. Build agility and resilience

Agility and resilience are fundamental to enhancing existing skills and developing new ones to adapt to the evolving world of work.

Agility – Ability to work swiftly and seamlessly while facing challenges and adapting to changes

An organisation can build agility by:

• Focusing on employees’ needs
• Fostering employees’ hard skills and soft skills for the future of work
• Managing employee expectations
• Designing a workforce structure that enables quicker decisions, empowers employees and reduces risk

Resilience – The ability to respond to pressure, deal with adversity and overcome challenges

Develop a resilient workforce by:

• Creating a positive and safe work environment where employees can take calculated risks and treat failure as an opportunity for collective learning.
• Prioritising employee wellbeing. In a study of 31,000 people from 31 countries published by Microsoft in 2022, 53% of survey respondents stated that they were more likely to prioritise their health and wellbeing over work than before the pandemic. And, when the organisation focuses on the overall wellbeing of an employee, it builds agility and resilience in them.
• Use recognition and rewards to boost employee morale.

2. Invest in learning – reskilling and upskilling

An organisation can invest in skilling, reskilling and upskilling by:

• Ensuring all employees receive training applicable to their current role and is future-focused.
• Knowing people’s professional goals and charting career paths for them. Build capabilities, so they can achieve their goals.
• Having a formalised approach to improving capabilities by:
  • Implementing a knowledge management system that supports continuous learning.
  • Integrating skilling with HR processes like performance management.
  • Ensuring that business units and HR functions co-own the learning and development program.

3. Leverage technology

Companies across industries have to transform into “tech-first” entities to survive and thrive in the future of work. A key success factor here is empowering employees with technology. There are various ways to do it –

• Automate processes to increase productivity, improve the quality of output and resolve unexpected problems. It will help people to focus on their core work, innovation and improvements.
• Create an ecosystem of communication and collaboration tools that allows workers to interact seamlessly and streamline workflows.
• Implement modern methods such as gamification and employee rewards and recognition platforms to increase employee engagement and, thereby performance.

4. Integrate purpose alongside work

As per research done by BCG, 67% of millennials expect employers to have purpose and their jobs to have a societal impact.

The purpose of an organisation is the underlying reason why the organisation exists. It explains how the organisation makes a positive difference in others’ lives. When employees are aligned with the purpose, they connect personally with the business. This can result in many favourable outcomes –

• With uncertainty becoming the norm and change being the only constant, the more employees connect with purpose, the higher the employee engagement is.
• People who feel like they are part of something big and meaningful will have an elevated sense of loyalty and be more productive than people who don’t.
• When an employee finds his work creating value not just for stakeholders but also for society and the environment, they find their work more fulfilling. They are more likely to take initiative and innovate. This will help the company pursue its purpose and also outperform its competitors.

An organisation can achieve lasting success when it empowers its employees to reach their full potential. This means giving them the right environment to remain motivated and perform at their peak continuously.

“Engineers turn dreams into reality.”
– Hayao Miyazaki

Engineering is behind everything. It is the systematic application of science to utilize resources and produce value.

Be it the movable-type printing press, steam engine, harnessing of electricity, development of computer technology or exploring frontiers of space, engineers have brought innovative ideas to life. It would not be an exaggeration to say that humankind has survived and thrived because of engineering. There are many ways engineers have impacted the world –

• The technological advances that we use every day right from manufacturing daily needs like writing tools, cooking apparatus, optical glasses, printed books, bicycles, mobile phones, etc. have allowed us to live easier and enriched lives. We can understand the world we live in and shape our lives better daily, because of technologies and equipment that engineers have created.
• Healthcare has improved dramatically. Engineers have provided advances in medical technology that have helped the healthcare fraternity to mitigate illnesses, find cures and heal people. It has resulted in increased longevity for people and better well-being.
• We can communicate with people at any time of the day in any part of the world and even beyond. With advances in telecommunication, there is great improvement in the way we do business, interact with loved ones and the wider community alike.
• Before the Suez Canal opened, a journey from England to India would take 6 months. It was reduced to a little over 3 months via the Suez Canal, an amazing feat of engineering. Today we can travel to London from Mumbai or Delhi in under 10 hours, thanks to the engineering marvels in transportation.

“Manufacturing is not about a quick ‘exit.’ It is centered on long-term value creation.”
– Hamdi Ulukaya, Turkish billionaire and philanthropist.

We started in 1954 and engineers have been critical to our growth. Today the operative businesses span diverse sectors including fertilizers, petrochemicals, infrastructure services, medtech and green energy. Our aim is to generate long-term value for our stakeholders. One of our core values is innovation, and our engineers play an important role in fulfilling this value –

• They bring ingenuity in our processes, products, and systems. For instance, Spictra offers high-end life support solutions using state-of-the-art medical technology for cardiac surgery, airway management, neurology, and transfusion.
• They implement innovative ideas & technologies to deliver customer focused solutions.
• Our engineering team collaborates with other teams on projects that shape the world we live in.

Engineering is critical for addressing India’s basic needs of food, health, housing, infrastructure, water, and energy management. Skilled and resourceful engineers are key to our country’s economic and technological advancement.

India observes Engineer’s Day on September 15 as a mark of remembrance and tribute to Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, the father of Indian Engineering. He is considered as one of the foremost nation-builders because of his groundbreaking work in modern irrigation techniques, flood control and mitigation, education, and manufacturing. On this day dedicated to engineers, we appreciate the efforts of engineers and how the profession tackles hard problems, while creating products and services for a brighter future.

India’s technical education infrastructure includes 2,500 engineering colleges and 1,400 polytechnics, and according to industry estimates, 15,00,000 engineers graduate in India every year. They play a crucial role in nation-building –

• India is already well-positioned in different sectors like Information technology, space exploration, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and many more on the world platform. To cement our position among leading manufacturing countries, our engineers must adapt to the rapid transformation happening in these industries due to advances in technology.
• Engineers need to be at the forefront of developing indigenous technologies to contribute to India’s socio-economic growth and unlock opportunities for the future.
• Our incredible talent pool with the right opportunities and skill development can realize the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat put forward by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“No country is ever successful in the long term… without a really strong and vibrant manufacturing base.”
—Alan Mulally, former President and CEO of the Ford Motor Company.

“The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family.” – Lee Iacocca

For most of us, family comes first. A family nurtures us and supports us. Employees seek organisations that provide work-life balance, recognize the importance of family ties and support their commitments to their families. Therefore, it is important that an organisation creates a culture that is family-friendly.

A workplace that recognises the support structure that the employees’ family provides them, reaps many benefits –

• When employees see the company investing in their family, they believe that the company values their contribution, and this creates an atmosphere of trust and belongingness.
• Employees interacting outside of work in a wholesome environment builds camaraderie among employees as well as with the senior leadership. This reflects in the performance with every team member putting their best foot forward and taking up more ownership.
• Family events give an opportunity for employees and their families to connect with each other while doing something fun and engaging. This helps employees create stronger bonds and the organisation evolves to be a harmonious and open workplace.
• Social interactions between employees in the form of coffee meetings, off-site events, and family day celebrations create a culture that engages and motivates employees. This fosters a collaborative environment and leads to a higher employee retention rate.

In a global culture survey conducted by PwC, 81% of the respondents thought culture is a vital source of competitive advantage. Organisations that enable the right workplace culture can lay the foundation for continued business success. AM International recognises the value of events facilitating a workplace culture where employees can thrive. Our businesses make the wellbeing of employees a top priority by conducting various employee engagement initiatives.

For example, Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Limited (SPIC) celebrated its Family Day recently. It was a memorable event, as it was celebrated after a hiatus of two years, owing to the pandemic. Our Founder Chairman, Ashwin Muthiah and his family, joined in the celebrations. They inaugurated three health camps for communities around our plant in Tuticorin. These included a blood donation drive, a full body check-up camp and a golden heart camp.

The Founder Chairman and his family also met the employees and families of Tuticorin Alkali Fertilizers. This was followed by an interactive site visit to the new projects implemented in the premises of SPIC and Greenstar Fertilizers.

At the SPIC Nagar Higher Secondary School (SNHSS), Mr. Muthiah gave out the achiever awards and interacted with employees and newly inducted trainees. Meanwhile, Madam Chairman interacted with the Lady’s Wing and the township’s residents.

The event concluded with a vibrant cultural event that included performances from the SNHSS students and the newly recruited trainees.

Mr. Muthiah shared, “I recently interacted with my SPIC colleagues for the company’s Family Day. It’s an annual event I look forward to and this time it was physical interaction.”

Family-friendly practices go a long way in strengthening interpersonal relations between team members and creating a happier workforce with a high morale. It leads to a positive work environment, higher job satisfaction and improved productivity which are critical for the success of every organisation.

When environmental excellence is integrated with business strategy, both business and the environment benefit. Overall, companies that take the lead on environmental, social and governance (ESG) outperform financially, generating up to 2.6 times more value for stakeholders than their peers (Accenture research based on companies reporting more than $1billion in revenue across 6 countries).

Delivering on sustainability goals is impossible without green technologies. It is important for businesses to identify technologies that help achieve sustainability goals.

With global production sectors responsible for one-fifth of carbon emissions – consuming 54% of the world’s energy sources – there is an urgent need for manufacturing companies to address the challenges of decarbonization (Source: World Economic Forum).

Green technologies encompass evolving methodologies, materials and techniques pertaining to clean energy, waste recycling and more to prevent climate change. By adopting these, the manufacturing sector can drive lean production, reduce emissions, and contribute to climate action.

Here are some exciting green technologies that can help the manufacturing sector contribute to a sustainable planet:

1. Renewable energy and storage

Manufacturers need large amounts of energy on a continuous basis to run operations. To go green, manufacturers can explore adopting renewable energy such as solar power, wind energy and energy from biomass.

Consider the example of Greenam Energy, an AM International group company with a focus on new-age green and sustainable technology and SPIC, a pioneer in the fertilizer industry. Greenam Energy’s floating solar power plant is located within SPIC’s premises. It helps generate green power in a captive manner. SPIC uses the energy to run plant operations and also sells excess power to the state grid, thereby increasing the usage of renewable power.

Factories can use renewable energy more effectively if there are reliable storage and distribution methods. Energy storage systems can be game-changing as they can store energy for later use and enhance grid resilience by balancing the demand and supply of electricity.

Some of the latest innovations include –

• Flow batteries that follow a liquid design. The electrolyte, the medium for the electric charge to flow, and the electrode are liquids. This results in super-fast charging and the potential to develop huge batteries making large-scale energy storage possible.
• Molten salt storage – This technology ensures that sunshine is concentrated onto a tower by a field of mirrors and heats tonnes of salt inside the tower at very high temperatures until it melts. This molten salt can then be used to generate steam or run a generator.

2. Waste to energy solutions

Manufacturing companies can tackle industrial waste by generating energy and other useful products from effluents. For example, Manali Petrochemicals Limited has a Vapor Absorption Machine that produces chilled water from heat sources as well as waste and uses it in operations.

Some of the ground-breaking technologies in this space include –

• Plasma gasification, which is a process that heats waste to extremely high temperatures and breaks it down into hydrogen and carbon products. It prevents toxic waste emissions and generates hydrogen, which can be used to generate electricity. The other by-products can be used in production processes.
• Generation of electricity from wastewater is another alternative. Researchers have used microbial fuel cells and reverse electrodialysis to produce electricity and treat the water to make it usable. When scaled up, this technology can match the demands of a manufacturing facility.

3. AI for tracking carbon footprint

Manufacturing companies can leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to track emissions, understand their effect, derive insights and create solutions to become environmentally friendly.

Today, manufacturing operations can have digital twins integrating Internet of Things (IoT) making data collection simple. The data can be used to set science-based targets for emissions. This can help throw light on emission hotspots, and manufacturing companies can make intelligent decisions on how and where to reduce emissions. The data can also help in the following:

• Adjust lighting levels according to the production schedule
• Identify energy wasting leaks that the production managers can plug
• Gain insights on yield losses like reduced speed & planned stoppages and rectify them by implementing data-driven maintenance methods.

4. Green architecture

Green architecture is building infrastructure that is sustainable. This entails improving the energy efficiency of a building, reducing pollution in construction and renovation and limiting disruption to the water cycle. The concept is increasingly gaining traction. Here are a few examples:

• Building infrastructure that is self-fuelling such as availability of natural light and air circulation and recycling grey water (water released from air conditioning systems or manufacturing equipment) to use for non-potable purposes like irrigation and sanitation.
• Using fabric structures for construction. These are alternatives to brick and mortar. They can be air supported structures or pre-engineered frame structures. They are energy- and cost-efficient.

At the end, balancing the bottom line with sustainability is imperative for every organization. With the emergence of innovative green technologies, the manufacturing sector can make its products, services and operations environmentally friendly and achieve this balance.

Business enterprises are one of the main touchpoints of human engagement. They connect billions of people to economic activity, food, and livelihood. Any economic activity that we may have engaged with has a direct relation with Earth’s nature.

Today, Governments and businesses around the world are working towards conserving nature. The larger the organisation, the bigger is its role. World Nature Conservation Day, which is celebrated on July 28 every year, is an important reminder to rethink what business organisations can do to contribute towards a greener planet.

Economic Dividend of Conserving Nature

The world over, citizens – individuals, corporates and governments are acting towards protecting biodiversity and nature. This has brought back the blue whale, mountain gorilla and European bison from the brink of extinction, while tiger population has increased incrementally in India and neighbouring countries.
Over 100 countries have committed to protect 30% of land and marine areas and to end deforestation completely by 2030. Funding into environmental conservation has increased with nine organisations committing to invest US$5 billion by 2030. Corporations globally are finding ways and means to save the planet and its nature.

Initiatives to protect biodiversity and nature have brought back the blue whale, mountain gorilla and European bison from the brink of extinction, while tiger population has increased incrementally in India and neighbouring countries.

Need for Collective Action

Businesses around the world need to take collective action to conserve the environment. The most immediate and effective way for organisations to contribute in conserving nature is to drive on to the green business pathway.

The following are some of the action points that an organisation can do to turn its business truly green:

Switch to clean energy. Every business has energy needs, and much of it has to do with fossil fuels or electricity. To minimize environmental degradation, organisations need to leverage cleaner energy alternatives, which include solar, natural gas, and wind. Switching to cleaner energy will be a major step to reduce carbon footprint.

For example, last year, Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Ltd (SPIC), moved from high-cost naphtha-based production into natural gas-based operations. Furthermore, Greenam Energy launched a captive floating solar power plant at SPIC premises. The state-of-the-art 22 MW solar power plant is among the country’s largest floating renewable energy initiatives to optimise energy production in industrial plants. Organisations have begun investing into the adoption of clean energy in a big way.

Leveraging digital technologies of Industry 4.0. Every company should leverage advanced digital technologies and automation to build efficiency in almost every level of its business across the value chain. Smart factories, based on industry 4.0, would help any organisation in a number of ways.

It will help to maximize resource utilization, minimize wastage, optimize output, and enhance value of human capital as well as products and services. However, most importantly, it will help any organization reduce its carbon footprint and conserve nature by containing emissions and dependency on natural resources.

Transition to circular business model. Organisations need to reimagine their operations and business models. They need to transition from a linear to circular business model. Circular economy essentially includes recycling and waste management, extracting resources, and reusing them for manufacturing. Adopting a circular business model will further reduce the overt dependency on new natural resources and minimize environmental pollution.

Support afforestation and ecological conservation projects. Any organisation would need tremendous knowledge and practical experience to implement an ecological conservation project. This may not be convenient for many. However, they can definitely fund such projects. Also, they can take on preservation of natural bodies and initiate afforestation/plantation drives at the local level.

For instance, in one such initiative, AM Foundation partnered with Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to implement Chennai’s first a Miyawaki-technique tree plantation project to increase the city’s forest cover. The Miyawaki method is an ingenious model for increasing forest cover. Pioneered by Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist and plant expert, it involves planting various native species for more diversity instead of one type of plantation. Such projects, when activated at the local level, can help businesses take the lead in conserving the environment.

In the 21st century, sustainability and nature’s conservation are collective responsibilities of businesses. There needs to be affirmative action on a war-footing, and the jump to a greener life should begin from the home itself. If we just ensure this, a massive feat will be achieved at a national and global scale. We can conserve nature, but it can only be done, if we do it together.

At the foundation of thriving, prosperous communities are three things — education, healthcare and hygiene. These factors are especially crucial for the progress of women and adolescent girl children.

Some girls — especially those from low-income families — are held back because of the lack of access to good quality menstrual products, as well as the absence of a supportive, well-informed social environment. The AM Foundation’s Happy Periods programme tackles this social issue; under this initiative, essentials like pads and towels are provided to school going girls from marginalized backgrounds in Tamil Nadu.

By raising awareness and conducting training sessions, we aim to instill a sense of dignity, self-esteem and confidence in the programme’s beneficiaries.

Through our initiatives, we were able to touch the lives of 1.3 lakh people directly. One of the most heartening results of this programme is that fewer girls are dropping out of school, owing to a positive change in societal attitudes and access to healthcare. Investing in the development of these girls today is a vital step in ensuring women’s participation in the workforce in the future.

First steps: Providing essentials and raising awareness

The AM Foundation’s work in public health has manifested in the setting up of school sanitation blocks as well as primary healthcare centers (PHCs). Under the Happy Periods programme, antimicrobial Safepads and towels, that can clean without soap and water, are provided as part of the kit.

While students in higher secondary school received sustainable hygiene kits, those in primary and middle school were given dental kits, with a view to encourage personal hygiene early on in their lives.

Creating a culture of shared knowledge

Through this initiative, we wanted to nurture an environment where communities could educate themselves. At PHCs supported by the AM Foundation, training sessions about periods were conducted for workers, who’d cascade this knowledge to the larger community. In ‘Train the Trainer’ sessions, requisite training was imparted to female and male teachers to ensure the programme’s impact could be far-reaching.

Glimpses from the ‘Happy Periods’ programme feature the smiling faces of young students, who made for eager learners. Mothers and senior members of the community, too, listened with rapt attention to the trainers.

By adopting an inclusive approach, the programme made space not just for young girls, but also boys and older male community members — thus fostering a culture of care and empathy.

Long-lasting change through a commitment to the community

AM Foundation’s programmes Happy Periods & Health and Hygiene were rolled out to over 420 schools across Chennai and Cuddalore, resulting in 1.34 lakh beneficiaries.

The biodegradable nature of these kits make them sustainable, and their reusability ensures that they are affordable and accessible.

The reduction in dropouts has meant that the education of adolescent girl children was not neglected, allowing them to achieve their full potential in their adult lives.

The impact of the programme was palpable in the feedback from educationists. “The session was informative and drew the attention of the students to the importance of hygiene for their growth and development,” said V. Manjula, Headmistress at PUPS, Old Napalayam. In Manali New Town, teacher N. Prathipa remarked that information was delivered in a clear and interactive manner.

In Chennai and Tuticorin, the programme grew and shaped the lives of communities over 18 months. The effect of this intervention, we hope, will last much longer.

At AM Foundation, we believe everyone should have access to life’s essentials. In the words of our Founder and Chairman Ashwin Muthiah, “CSR is not just our duty. It is an opportunity given to us to serve our people, society and the planet unconditionally to the best of our ability.”

Phishing is the most common type of attack by cybercriminals. It is a fake message crafted to mislead the receiver into revealing sensitive information, transferring funds, or clicking on a malicious link. It is typically sent via email, direct messages on social media or other forms of text-based communication. Due to its effectiveness, phishing incidents have been consistently rising over the years. Meanwhile, phishing methods keep getting more sophisticated.

There are many types of phishing, but a large organization like ours is most vulnerable to phishing by impersonation or whaling. In this type of attack, the cybercriminal pretends to be a company’s senior executive to target the employees. Deceptively identical email addresses and display names and strategically drafted messages are used to misguide the receiver. It’s a particularly effective method since an email from a professional acquaintance or senior management is usually assumed to be genuine and doesn’t raise suspicion.

As a responsible organization, while we maintain the highest cyber security standards, there’s always a possibility for a phishing email to sneak into your inbox. That’s why awareness is often the best defence against phishing attacks. So, watch out for these five tell-tale signs to identify a phishing, scam, or inauthentic email:

1. Unexpected or unsolicited correspondence

Your first sign that it may be a scam email is when it’s an unexpected correspondence. Consider whether there has been an in-person or offline discussion on the said matter. If you receive an email from a senior leader, customer, or vendor out of the blue without any prior context, it is a red flag that it may be fake communication.

2. Check the display name and email address

Always double-check the sender’s display name and email address. It may appear genuine at a passing glance, but on closer inspection, you may find that an ‘O’ has been replaced with a ‘0’ or an ‘i’ with a ‘!’. You must also habitually check the domains of the emails you receive. Communication within the organization will always be from the official company domain and rarely from a free email service. It’s the same for external communication received from other companies and businesses. Sometimes the domain may look authentic or be similar to the company’s email, but if you hover over it, you will see the fraudulent domain.

3. Prompting urgency

Phishing emails usually have an urgent tone. Their goal is to get the victim to act without thinking or verifying the email’s source or content. So, a senior executive unexpectedly asking you to transfer funds or reveal information over email urgently should make you suspicious. Always verify such requests by other means. For instance, personally contact the sender via call to validate the communication.

4. Unusual ask

Consider what the email is asking of you. Phishing emails have some typical calls to action. They ask you to share personal information or sensitive company data that should ideally not be exchanged over email in a first-time or unexpected exchange. It could also ask you to click a link to enter this information. It could mislead you to believe a senior executive has sent you a work-related document in the email attachment. It may even ask you to transfer funds — personal or the company’s if you have the authority.

As an organization, we have proper channels and processes for all our operations. If the request doesn’t abide by these, it’s cause for suspicion and reason to verify.

5. Poor grammar

Finally, an effective warning sign of a phishing email is poor grammar, spelling and sentence structure. A genuine professional email would always make the effort to articulate a clear message. Scam emails are usually written shabbily — either to bypass spam filters or because they have been drafted using translation tools.

What to do when you receive a bogus email?

If you suspect you have received a phishing email, the first thing to do is to do nothing.

That is — do not reply and never click on any links within the email or download any attachments. Next, if you’re doubtful of the communication’s authenticity, always verify it with the sender by alternate means — either via call, text, or in-person. Always report phishing emails to the IT team. Timely alerts can help us initiate immediate action and prevent damage.

So, always be aware of the emails you receive in your inbox. Be particularly careful when it’s an email or sender you weren’t expecting — even if they’re from within the organization.

Dr Mobile is an effort that will contribute towards India meeting its Sustainable Development Goals by ensuring public-private partnerships in primary healthcare

The foundation of any nation’s healthcare system is its primary healthcare. In a country like India where more than 65 percent of the population lives in rural districts, the condition of rural health infrastructure needs significant improvement.

As part of the Sustainable Development Goals, India aims to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. UHC basically means that all people have access to quality health services, including prevention, promotion, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliation – without incurring financial hardship. To understand UHC, we must remember that the following three elements are crucial:

• Access
• Quality
• Financial protection

It goes without saying that one can’t do without the other two. Access is not enough without quality and even quality is not enough if one has no financial protection.

Primary healthcare centres were started by the Government of India under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, as one of the steps toward achieving UHC. AM Foundation, the CSR arm of AM International group, Singapore is aligned to provide primary healthcare as a key impact measure. To further bridge the gap in the healthcare system, AM Foundation recently launched Dr Mobile, an innovative mobile medical van to treat patients residing in and around Manali in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The van will travel to rural areas in the area of Andarkuppam, Kadapakkam, Kanniyamman Pettai, Theeyampakkam and Kosapur. Overall, the service will cater to around 10,000 beneficiaries.

Ashwin Muthiah, Chairman AM Foundation & Founder Chairman, AM International group, Singapore, recently said,” India’s goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2030 is possible only through sustained public-private partnership efforts. At AM Foundation, providing primary healthcare services to the needy is at the heart of our impact investment strategy. We are proud to contribute to the government’s efforts in this critical mission. Dr Mobile will ensure deeper coverage over a larger geographical area with optimal use of resources, thus making quality healthcare available at the doorstep of the people who need it the most.”

Apart from providing healthcare services as envisioned under UHC, the mobile van clinic will also provide these additional services:

• Camps

Dr Mobile clinic will conduct health camps for the ophthalmology, dental, ENT and disease such as cancer, arthritis and diabetes in association with leading hospitals.

• Awareness

Door to door demonstrations and camps will help educate economically weak households in the importance of nutrition, immunisation and environmental factors in preventive healthcare.

• Immediate care

The diagnostic facilities will help patients with any immediate care needed. Additionally, a tie up with government agencies will help provide access to tertiary and secondary healthcare.

Moreover, patients will be able to track the location Dr Mobile by simply using a mobile application, which is multilingual. This application will also help stakeholders in accessing real time data.

The benefits of mobile health model have been seen and accepted the world over, especially when it comes to reducing cost and flexibility of deployment. It is clear that a mobile health clinic can provide a range of services from investigation, pharmacy to operating theatres, critical care beds and satellite communications.

Healthcare is a fundamental human right and at AM Foundation, we believe in taking a lead to help bridge the barriers in accessing basic healthcare. The hope is that Dr Mobile can be that bridge to provide adequate medical infrastructure in rural and remote areas and also strengthen the nation’s resolve in achieving UHC.