Building value is of utmost importance because it is the only way to sustain the business in the long term and more importantly because it is the right thing to do, writes AMIT GOSSAIN. Take a pause and now imagine a world where businesses don’t benefit society and its stakeholders, or they don’t help solve problems existing in the community. Imagine a world where an organisation exists without catering to the community and its values. It is quite unimaginable, isn’t it? Businesses have always existed for society and insociety. Leading change and building solutions is what businesses are responsible to do. For companies anywhere in the world, building value is of utmost importance because it is the only way to sustain the business in the long term and more importantly because it is the right thing to do. Growing together KONE India strongly believes in building value. For us, building value is ensuring sustainable success with our customers, developing solutions that give the best possible people flow experience that are also environment-friendly, enabling our employees shine in their brightest light, and anything and everything else that fosters development in the community and helps all of us grow together. That said, we constantly strive to be better, smarter, more sustainable through all our channels of operations to give our customers, employees, investors, suppliers, all other stakeholders an experience that is seamless and enjoyable. To do so with utmost efficiency, in January 2021, KONE entered the next phase of its strategy – Sustainable success with customers. During the four-year strategy period, we are focusing on increasing the value we create for customers with new intelligent solutions and embed sustainability even deeper across all of our operations. So, with our drive for innovation and for creating value for all our stakeholders alike, we have developed an array of smart, sustainable solutions. A few of them also stem from the fact that with the growing human resource, commercial sector and advancement in the corporate culture, customer behaviour has also changed a lot. People need ease today. As a result of which, elevators and escalators are long gone as a luxury, they are now a necessity. But as urbanisation increases, Indian cities have been witnessing the challenges. Additionally, as a result of the pandemic, there is an urgent need to find better ways to develop and urbanise. The way people interact with everyday surroundings is set to change. KONE through its inventions is adapting, to meet future needs and create a better experience for the users of buildings, with its ground-breaking inventions. With our products, we are making buildings and cities safer and healthier places to live, work and commute. Our latest launch-KONE DX Class Elevator is an integral and integrated platform that offers intuitive, flexible and connected experiences that extend from the lobby throughout the building. As buildings evolve, the elevators can also evolve in ways we have not seen before. We have built safe and touchless solutions like escalator handrail sanitizer, elevator call, etc, to ensure safety along with the most efficient urban flow. Solutions for tomorrow As we build today cities of tomorrow, KONE India is also meeting the challenges of existing buildings. We offer solutions for existing buildings that help in improving safety, reliability, accessibility and appearance while also reducing energy costs substantially. KONE is building and evolving technology, equipment, infrastructure and practices that are in tune with India’s development and needs. With digital connectivity as a standard, elevators will now evolve with use, throughout the life of a building. So, we not only have developed break-through technology for KONE customers, to adapt and upgrade the elevator experience according to needs now, and in the future, but we are continuously working towards increasing the value we create for customers. We take our responsibility to operate sustainably and hence build value for all the entire society seriously. Therefore, our efforts have once again earned us a place on CDP’s prestigious 2020 ‘A List’. Our leadership score of A or A- for eight consecutive years underlines our actions. KONE was also awarded the EcoVadis platinum medal for our sustainability performance, placing us among the top 1 per cent of all assessed companies. KONE India also offered its 24/7 Connected Services, during the first wave of Covid, for free to our current customers who operate medical facilities. For patients, their families, and medical staff, this means less waiting time and disruption, a smoother journey to where they need to go, and quicker access to the supplies they need. The 24/7 Connected Services improves people’s safety, transparency and peace of mind by better preventing, maintaining, and taking action before breakage, thereby ensuring less equipment downtime and fewer faults. The fact that this service can help in maintaining smooth flow gives us immense satisfaction and motivation to continue our efforts in making small differences that can in turn create a big impact. A recurring process… Another thing that is important for us is diversity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion are embedded in the KONE culture and values. We believe that when people are valued as their authentic selves, innovation can flourish, and work communities will thrive. Giving an environment to our employees where they can grow, and break glass ceilings is something that we truly believe in and we continue to take huge strides to the growth of our women employees and help them become future leaders. For us, building value does not stop with our immediate stakeholders. Over the years, we have fostered a company culture and community that lifts people. One helping hand can make a difference in the lives of several people and through our Single Teacher Schools initiative with KONE Centennial Foundation (KCF) and collaboration with the Rotary Nagar community in Chennai, we are trying to help support education and build stronger societies. Through working closely with our teams, our customers, and partners, I have realised that building value is not a destination, but it is a recurring process that enhances when everyone works together. There are always things that we can make better for the stakeholders and as a business, we aim to continue to do that in the best possible ways. So, as we continue to move forward, we emphasise building value through empathy and innovation. There isn’t one without the other if we want to make a change that synergises the effect of our efforts and creates an impact that stays and only gets better with time. Also, innovation is not one of the things that we should cut down on, when trouble is around the horizon. It is one of those things that should flourish during difficult times. With great appreciation for the KONE India team, gratefulness for our customers and partners, and excitement for all that the future holds, we for one always strive to discover more ways in which we can add value. About the author: Amit Gossain, Managing Director, KONE Elevator India, is an Industrial and Production Engineer with Masters in Management and Systems from IIT-Delhi. He is also the Chairman of the Urban Development and Smart Cities Committee for CII and also represents IEEMA as Chairman for the Elevators & Escalators Division.