Dear Members,
Directors of your Company take great pleasure in presenting the 23rd
Annual Report on the business and operations of your
Company and the Audited Financial Statements for the financial year
ended March 31, 2024.
Financial results:
Pursuant to the notification dated February 16, 2015 issued by the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the Company has adopted the Indian Accounting Standards
("Ind AS") notified under the Companies (Indian Accounting Standards) Rules,
2015 w.e.f. April 01, 2016. The performance of the Company for the FY 2023-24 is
summarized herein below:
Particulars |
Consolidated |
Standalone |
|
FY 2023-24 |
FY 2022-23 |
FY 2023-24 |
FY 2022-23 |
Total Income |
63,730.89 |
61,531.68 |
16,377.31 |
14,094.44 |
Profit Before Interest and Depreciation |
9,932.84 |
9,573.55 |
4,892.71 |
4,148.34 |
Interest and Finance Charges |
1,033.85 |
789.70 |
173.35 |
149.41 |
Depreciation/ Amortization |
2,602.24 |
2,631.70 |
920.36 |
888.38 |
Profit Before Tax and exceptional items |
6,296.75 |
6,152.15 |
3,799.00 |
3,110.55 |
Profit from ordinary activities before tax and after share in
net profit of associate |
6,296.75 |
6,152.15 |
3,799.00 |
3,110.55 |
Provision for Taxation (including Deferred Tax Charge/
Credit) |
1,149.50 |
1,015.03 |
602.01 |
627.13 |
Net Profit After Tax |
5,147.25 |
5,137.12 |
3,196.99 |
2,483.42 |
Owners of the Company |
5,147.29 |
5,137.20 |
3,196.99 |
2,483.42 |
Non-controlling Interest |
(0.04) |
(0.08) |
- |
- |
Total |
5,147.25 |
5,137.12 |
3,196.99 |
2,483.42 |
Opening Balance in Profit & Loss Account |
17,425.98 |
15,524.68 |
15,241.85 |
15,210.92 |
Closing Balance in Profit & Loss Account |
20,009.92 |
17,425.98 |
15,875.49 |
15,241.85 |
Earning Per Share (I) Basic |
7.52 |
7.55 |
4.67 |
3.65 |
Earning Per Share (I) Diluted |
7.34 |
7.32 |
4.56 |
3.54 |
Result of operations:
The consolidated total income increased from 61,531.68 million to
63,730.89 million, an increase of 3.57% over the previous financial year. The consolidated
Net Profit Tax increased from 5,137.12 million to 5,147.25 million, an increase of 0.2%
over the previous financial year. The detailed analysis of the consolidated results
forming part of the Management Discussion and Analysis Report is provided separately in
the Annual Report.
The standalone total income increased from 14,094.44 million to
16,377.31 million, an increase of 16.2% over the previous financial year. The standalone
Profit After Tax increased from 2,483.42 million to 3,196.99 million, an increase of
28.73% over the previous financial year.
Global operation centers:
The Company, on a consolidated basis has 40 global operation centers as
on March 31, 2024. The centers are located across the US, the UK, India, the Philippines
and the Mexico. 12 of the Company's operation centers are located in India which
includes Chennai (3), Mumbai (3), Bangalore (2), and 1 each in Trichy, Pondicherry,
Hyderabad
& Vijayawada, 16 in the US, 8 in the UK, 3 in the Philippines and 1
in Mexico.
During the year, the Company incurred capital expenditure of 851.04
million mainly towards refurbishment and maintenance of operation centers, technology
upgrade and setting up of new operations centers.
Quality initiatives:
The Company follows global best practices for process excellence and
the quality framework is based on COPC principles. The Company uses innovative techniques
like Speech & Text Analytics, Robotic Process Automation and Intelligent Action Board
to drive improvements across. Also, as part of the Quality Management System, the Company
has embraced ISO 9001:2008. The Company continues to follow process improvement
methodologies like Six Sigma, Lean and Kaizen.
Awards and accolades:
The Company received the following awards and accolades during the year
under review.
Awards:
Healthcare Payer Operations PEAK MatrixR Assessment 2023 -
Leaders & Star performers.
Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Operations PEAK MatrixR
Assessment 2023 - Major Contenders.
Everest's: Banking Operations-Services PEAK Assessment 2023
- Major Contenders and Star Performers.
Brandon Hall 2023 HCM Awards: Gold for Excellence in Leadership
Development.
Brandon Hall 2023 HCM Awards: Bronze for Best Advancement in
crafting an exceptional Learning and Development strategy.
ISG Provider Lens (IPL) Quadrant study for Customer
Experience Services 2023': Leader' status within the Contact Center
Customer Experience Services Europe & U.K. 2023 category.
HYSEA ESG Conclave: Outstanding contributions to CSR,
Environmental, Social and Governance Practices.
GWFM: Most Creative International WFM Award.
GWFM: Best Practice & Best System Outstanding Performance
award 2023 Award FirstFlex.
Everest Group Healthcare Payer Operations PEAK MatrixR
Assessment 2023: Leader' and a Star Performer'.
India CSR Awards: Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Award
for Digital Transformation for Rural Women Artisans project.
North East Contact Centre Awards: Outsource Contact Centre of
the Year and Best Sales Team.
Customer Experience Awards, UK: Bronze for Best Learning and
Development Large Company.
Welsh Contact Centre Forum: Silver for Outsourcer of the Year.
Dow Jones Sustainability Index: Debuted ranking in top 96th
percentile and score of 62.
Global CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) submission: C'
Rating.
S&P Sustainability Yearbook 2024: Included as
Member'.
World HRD Congress: Dream Employer of the Year',
Dream Companies to Work For'.
iVolunteer Awards 2023: Leader in Employee
Volunteering'.
NelsonHall NEAT vendor assessment for CX Services Transformation
2024: Leader' and an Innovator'.
Consolidated financial statements:
In accordance with Section 129(3) of the Companies Act, 2013 and in
view of notification issued by the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs on Ind-AS, the Company has prepared consolidated
financial statements of the Company and all its subsidiaries as per Ind-AS, which forms
part of this Annual Report.
Dividend:
The Board approved and declared an interim dividend on February 07,
2024 at the rate of 35% i.e. I3.5 per share of I10/- each.
The interim dividend for FY 2023-24 aggregated to I2,223.04 million
(net of applicable TDS).
The Dividend Distribution Policy of the Company was approved by the
Board at its meeting held on August 8, 2017 and is available on the Company's website
at https://www.
firstsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Dividend-Distribution-Policy-IN.pdf
Transfer to reserve:
The Board of Directors of the Company (hereinafter referred to as the
"Board") has not recommended transfer of any amount of profit to reserves during
the year under review. Hence, the remaining amount of profit for the financial year under
review has been carried forward to the Statement of Profit & Loss.
Human resources:
On a consolidated basis, the Company has 27,940 employees as of March
31, 2024.
Particulars of the employees and related disclosures:
Disclosures pertaining to remuneration and other details as required
under Section 197(12) of the Companies Act, 2013 ("Act") read with Rule 5(1) of
the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014 form part
of this Report and are annexed as Annexure I. The statement containing particulars of
employees as required under Section 197(12) of the Act read with Rules 5(2) and 5(3) of
the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, is
provided in a separate annexure forming part of this Report. Further, the
Report and the accounts are being sent to the members excluding the
aforesaid annexure. In terms of Section 136 of the Act, the said annexure is open for
inspection at the Registered Office of the Company. Any shareholder interested in
obtaining a copy of the same may write to the Company Secretary.
Public deposits:
During the year under review, your Company has not accepted any
deposits under Section 73 of the Act, and as such, no amount on account of principal or
interest on public deposits was outstanding as of March 31, 2024.
Particulars of loans, investments, guarantees and securities:
Particulars of loans given, investments made, guarantees given and
securities provided along with the purpose for which the loan or guarantee or security is
proposed to be utilized by the recipient are provided in the notes to the standalone
financial statements. (Please refer to Note No. 6 and 31 to the standalone financial
statements).
Credit Ratings:
During the year under review, the rating given by CARE and CRISIL are
mentioned herein below:
(i) CARE Rating:
Long/Short term Bank |
CARE A+; Stable/CARE A1+ |
Facilities |
(Single A plus; Outlook:Stable/A |
|
One plus) |
Commercial Paper |
CARE A1+ (A One plus) |
(ii) CRISIL Rating: |
|
Long/Short term Bank Facilities CRISIL A+/Stable |
|
Commercial Paper |
CRISIL A1 |
Corporate social responsibility initiatives:
The Company seeks to be a good corporate citizen in all aspects of its
operations and activities. The Company commits to operating in an economically, socially
and environmentally responsible manner whilst balancing the interests of diverse
stakeholders. Our CSR Policy is governed and guided by our Group's corporate vision
to enable inclusive growth and our aspiration to be India's leading business group
serving multiple market segments, for our customers, shareholders, employees and
community. The Company seeks to undertake programs in the areas of Healthcare, Education,
Environment, Arts & Culture, Promotion of Sports as well as support initiatives
towards Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women. The Board constituted a Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) Committee, pursuant to Section 135 of the Act, presently consisting
of Mr Shashwat Goenka (Chairman), Mr Vipul Khanna (ceased to be MD & CEO and Director
w.e.f. from the closing business hours of August 31, 2023), Mr Ritesh Idnani (inducted as
a Member w.e.f. September 01, 2023), Mr Subrata Talukdar, Mr Anjani K. Agrawal (his term
as a Director will expire from the closing hours of May 10, 2024 by efflux of time) and Dr
Rajiv Kumar (inducted as a w.e.f. May 11, 2024) as its members. The CSR Committee meets at
least once in a year. During the year under review, the Committee met once. The details of
CSR Committee and its meetings are given in Report on Corporate Governance forming part of
the Annual Report. The CSR Committee has framed and formulated a CSR Policy indicating the
activities to be undertaken by the Company, in accordance with Schedule VII of the Act and
the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 issued under the Act.
The same has also been approved by the Board. The CSR policy is available on the website
of the Company at the link: https://www.firstsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/
Firstsource-CSR-Policy-24-25.pdf The Annual Report on CSR Activities, as stipulated under
the Act and the SEBI (LODR) Regulations, 2015 forms an integral part of this Report and is
appended as Annexure II. The details of focus areas of engagement as mentioned in the CSR
Policy of the Company are mentioned in the said
Annual Report on CSR Activities.
The CSR activities, as per the provisions of the Act, may also be
undertaken by the Company through a registered trust. Accordingly, "RP - Sanjiv
Goenka Group CSR Trust" ("Group CSR Trust") was formed along with other
Group Companies to pursue CSR activities as mentioned in the CSR Policy of the Company.
The Company has been contributing a portion of amount of its CSR
obligation every year for the project to set up an International Baccalaureate School in
Kolkata taken up by the Group CSR Trust which is identified as an Ongoing Project
-1,' as defined in the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules,
2014. This Ongoing Project 1 achieved its completion during FY 2023-24.
During the year, the Company has spent an amount of
75.30 million towards CSR. Group CSR Trust had now undertaken launching
from Grade 6 to Grade 12 of the said school as ongoing project from FY 2023-24
("Ongoing Project 2"). The Company had transferred 64.30 million to Unspent CSR
Account for FY 2023-24.
The CSR at the Company is a platform for giving back to the communities
in which we live and work. The Company looks to engage employees in focus areas where
possible through programs such as employee volunteering, payroll giving, participating in
fundraising events, partnering with NGO's and response to disasters.
The Company is committed to advancing its CSR objectives through its
overarching vision to "create a nurturing and an empowering environment to deepen our
societal engagement with a goal of improving lives and livelihood of communities on a
sustainable basis.
The Company's goal is to be a purpose driven and socially
responsible company aligning with the Group's vision of empowering lives by providing
access to education, environment, healthcare, promoting sports, arts and culture,
supporting gender equality and women empowerment to improve the overall quality of life.
Key Highlights:
75.30 million spent on CSR obligations.
15,507 hours of CSR volunteering
48,370 lives impacted through various CSR
CSR Agenda & focus:
As a purpose-led organization, the Company is infusing sustainability
into the core of its transformation and creating a tangible impact in the lives of its
people, clients, shareholders, and the community alike. Overall we have had 17,245
participants enabling 690 unique events by contributing 15,507 hours to impact 48,370
lives and created 12,285 planet impact. Through CSR partners we also support impact
sourcing project in India. This year we have partnered with 16 organizations helping 1200
underrepresented and unemployed youth including Persons with disability to get career
guidance as well as opportunity to get screened for various job positions in Firstsource.
Community Projects:
Firstsource CSR team spent 100% of the allocated 11 Million (I) in 14
different projects across various places in India. From the overall funds, 44% of the
funds was utilized for Empowerment and Gender equality' projects. Education
projects allocation was 28% followed by healthcare and environment where allocation was
20% and 8% respectively. Through these projects, 11,712 lives were impacted and 7,000
trees were maintained. This was done through various Non Profit partners. This effort
excludes the CSR projects done through RPSG Group Trust.
Employee Volunteering & Giving:
5,467 Employees were part of Community Outreach program last year
giving 15,507 Hours and contributing K30 Lakhs. Leadership participation: Through
"Every Leader a Volunteer" campaign, our community outreach programs saw an
increase in leadership participation across globe. This year around 144 D+ leaders
contributed to Community
Outreach programs through their participation contributing
737 Hours and this comprises 25% of overall leadership headcount.
Firstsource Leaders empowered young minds through mentorship sessions, virtual classroom
teaching, career guidance, women empowerment sessions, livelihood support projects, along
with sharing their deep expertise by providing pro-bono support in the areas of Tech &
Consulting. They have also been a major support for the launch and milestones of
Firstsource CSR Projects. Purpose led employee volunteering projects: The Company
employees across the globe continued to share their time and knowledge through various
events anchored by CSR/ HR team across all countries. Overall, we had 3,991 unique
volunteers across globe who contributed 15,507 hours of volunteering and impacting 48,370
lives.
High impact structured volunteering programs like eVidyaloka virtual
classroom teaching, FFE and FEA Mentorship continued to see traction among the
employees where our employee volunteers are committed to providing long-term support
spanning 3-6 months, teaching or mentoring students.
In the UK, US and Philippines, volunteers participated in virtual
expert sessions on environment awareness, pride month celebrations, food packing &
distribution and various other activities to support our communities.
In India, volunteers participated in various environmental activities
such as clean-ups, plantation, farming, microgreen growing, and eco-friendly bag making,
and supported medical camps, conducted insightful sessions in children home & Govt.
schools, supported marathon, pro bono work for NGOs, and livelihood support for community
wellbeing.
Purpose-led employee giving projects:
The Company employees across the globe continued to show their love and
affection for communities by contributing regularly to charity through various fundr
aising and employee giving programs. Overall we had 1,639 unique donors who have
contributed an amount of I30,30,731. In the UK, employees donated to regular employee
giving programs and participated in various fundraising events. In the Philippines, Manila
and Cebu volunteers enabled Christmas basket initiative by giving packed foods to the
needy from the employee contribution funds.
In the US, employees supported causes such as Candy
Drive for patients in children hospital and Angel Tree initiative along
with Salvation Army.
In India, employee giving program positively impacted over 3,448
students through initiatives such as Gift a Smile, Book a Smile, Exam kit distribution,
STEM lab and Pad to pad. Across globe, through various in-kind donation employees donated
stationeries, toys, clothes and books for the needy.
Risk management:
The Company has implemented a comprehensive and fully integrated
Enterprise Risk Management' framework in order to anticipate, identify,
measure, manage, mitigate, monitor and report the principal risks and uncertainties that
can impact its ability to achieve its strategic business objectives. The Enterprise Risk
Management drives a common integrated view of risks and optimal risk mitigation responses.
This integration is enabled by alignment of Risk Management and Internal Audit
methodologies and processes in order to maximize enterprise value of the Company and
ensure high value creation for our stakeholders over a time. The details of the
Enterprise Risk Management' framework with details of the principal risks and
the plans to mitigate the same are given in the Risk Management Report' section
of the Management Discussion and Analysis Report' which forms part of this
Annual Report.
Further in view of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure
Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ("Listing Regulations"), effective April 01,
2019, the Board constituted a Risk Management Committee on February 04, 2019 to monitor
& mitigate the Risk.
Internal financial controls:
The Company has in place adequate internal financial controls with
reference to financial statements. Such internal financial controls over financial
reporting are operating effectively and the Statutory Auditor has also expressed their
opinion on the same in the Annexures to the Auditors Report.
Whistle blower policy:
The Company has a Whistle Blower Policy (the "WB Policy")
with a view to provide vigil mechanism to Directors,
Employees and other Stakeholders to disclose instances of wrongdoing in
the workplace and report instances of unethical behavior, actual or suspected fraud or
violation of the Company's code of conduct or ethics policy. The WB Policy also
states that this mechanism provides for adequate safeguards against victimization of
Director(s)/ Employees who avail of the mechanism and also provides for direct access to
the Chairperson of the Audit Committee in exceptional cases. The WB Policy has been posted
on the website of the Company and the details of the same are provided in the Report
on Corporate Governance' forming part of this Annual Report.
The WB Policy is available on the website of the Company at
https://www.firstsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ WHISTLE-BLOWER-POLICY-6.2.pdf
Prevention of sexual harrassment policy:
The Company has a Prevention of Sexual Harassment Policy' in
force in compliance with the requirements of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The objective of this Policy is to
ensure a safe, secure and congenial work environment where employees deliver their best
without any inhibition, threat or fear. The Company has Zero Tolerance to any form of
harassment especially if it is sexual in nature. The complaints filed under the Policy are
reported to the Audit Committee at its quarterly meetings with details of action taken
thereon.
It is confirmed that during the year under review, the Company has
complied with applicable provisions in relation to sexual harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, including the provisions relating to
the constitution of Internal Complaints Committee under the said act.
Board of directors:
The following are the changes in the Board of Directors during the year
under review and other proposed changes, subject to the approval of the Members:
Mr Subrata Talukdar (DIN 01794978) retires by rotation and being
eligible, has offered himself for re-appointment at the ensuing Annual General Meeting
("AGM").
Appointment of Mr Ritesh Idnani (DIN 06403188) as a Director and
MD & CEO of the Company w.e.f. September
01, 2023 for a period of five (5) consecutive years, not liable to
retire by rotation. His appointment was approved by members through Postal Ballot on
October 27, 2023.
Mr Vipul Khanna (DIN 00889710) ceased to be the MD & CEO, on
account of his resignation as a Director and MD & CEO of the Company from the closing
of business hours on August 31, 2023. The Board places on record its appreciation for the
valuable contribution made by him during his tenure as a MD & CEO of the Company.
Re-appointment of Mr Sunil Mitra (DIN 00113473) as an
Independent Director on the Board of the Company for a term of three (3) consecutive years
w.e.f. April 01, 2024. His appointment was approved by members through Postal Ballot on
October 27, 2023.
The Board appointed Mr T. C. Suseel Kumar (DIN 06453310) as an
Additional Director (Non-Executive, Independent) on the Board of the Company for a term of
five (5) consecutive years w.e.f. September 01, 2023. His appointment was approved by
members through Postal Ballot on October 27, 2023. The Company has received the
declaration from Mr T. C. Suseel Kumar confirming that he meets the criteria of
independence as prescribed under Section 149(6) of the Act.
The Board appointed Ms Rekha Sethi (DIN 06809515) as an
Additional Director (Non-Executive, Independent) on the Board of the Company for a term of
five (5) consecutive years w.e.f. September 01, 2023. Her appointment was approved by
members through Postal Ballot on October 27, 2023. The Company has received the
declaration from Ms Rekha Sethi confirming that she meets the criteria of independence as
prescribed under
Section 149(6) of the Act.
Mr Pratip Chaudhuri ceased to be an Independent
Director with effect from the closing of business hours on March 31,
2024 by afflux of time. The Board places on record its appreciation for the valuable
contribution made by him during his tenure as a Director of the Company.
Continuation of appointment of Dr Sanjiv Goenka (DIN: 00074796)
as Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director of the Company, not liable to retire by
rotation, pursuant to
Regulation 17(1D) of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure
Requirements) Regulations, 2015 subject to the approval of the members at the ensuing AGM
of the Company.
The Board appointed Dr Rajiv Kumar (DIN 02385076) as an
Additional Director (Non-Executive, Independent) on the Board of the Company w.e.f. May
03, 2024. He holds office up to this Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Board recommends
the appointment of Mr Rajiv Kumar as an Independent Director for a term of three (3)
consecutive years, effective from May 03, 2024 for approval of members of the Company at
this AGM. The Company has received the declaration from Mr Rajiv Kumar confirming that he
meets the criteria of independence as prescribed under Section 149(6) of the Act.
Mr Anjani K. Agrawal will cease to be an Independent Director
with effect from the closing of business hours on May 10, 2024 by afflux of time. The
Board places record its appreciation for the valuable contribution made by him during his
tenure as a Director of the Company.
All the Independent Directors of the Company have given declarations
that they meet the criteria of independence as laid down under Section 149(6) of the Act.
Board and Audit Committee Meetings:
During the FY 2023-24, the following five (5) Board Meetings were held
on: 1. May 04, 2023 2. August 02, 2023 3. September 01, 2023 4. November 08, 2023 5.
February 07, 2024 During the FY 2023-24, the following four (4) Audit Committee Meetings
were held on: 1. May 04, 2023 2. August 01, 2023 3. November 08, 2023 4. February 07, 2024
Time gap between any two meetings was not more than one hundred twenty (120) days.
The full details of the said meetings are given in the Report on
Corporate Governance' forming part of this Annual Report.
The Familiarization Programs for Independent Directors:
The Company has put in place a system to familiarise its Independent
Directors with the Company, their roles, rights & responsibilities in the Company,
nature of the industry in which the Company operates, business model of the Company, etc.
The details of such familiarization programs are put up on the website of the Company at
the link: https://www.firstsource.com/wp
content/uploads/2024/02/Policy-on-Familiarization-of-Independent-Directors-IN.pdf
Board evaluation:
(i) Performance Evaluation of the Independent Directors and Other
Individual Directors:
The Company has framed a policy for Appointment of Directors and Senior
Management and Evaluation of Directors' Performance ("Board Evaluation
Policy"). The said policy sets out criteria for performance evaluation of Independent
Directors, other Non-Executive Directors and the Executive Director.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Act and the Securities and Exchange
Board of India (Listing Obligations and on Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015
("Listing Regulations"), the Board carries out the performance evaluation of all
the Directors (including Independent
Directors) on the basis of recommendation of the Nomination and
Remuneration Committee and the criteria mentioned in the Board Evaluation Policy. The
Board decided that the performance evaluation of Directors should be done by the entire
Board of Directors excluding the Director being evaluated and unanimously agreed on the
following assessment criteria for evaluation of Directors' performance:
Attendance and active participation in the Meetings;
Bringing one's own experience to bear on the items for
discussion;
Governance covering Awareness and Observance; and
Value addition to the business aspects of the Company.
(ii) Performance Evaluation of Executive Director:
The performance of the MD & CEO is evaluated on the basis of
achievement of performance targets/criteria given to him by the Board from time to time.
(iii) Performance Evaluation by the Board of its own performance and
its Committees:
The performance of the Board is evaluated by the Board in the overall
context of understanding by the Board of the Company's principle and values,
philosophy and mission statement, strategic and business plans and demonstrating this
through its action on important matters, the effectiveness of the Board and the respective
Committees in providing guidance to the Management of the Company and keeping them
informed, open communication, the constructive participation of members and prompt
decision making, level of attendance in the Board meetings, constructive participation in
the discussion on the Agenda items,
- monitoring cash flow, profitability, income & expenses,
productivity & other financial indicators, so as to ensure that the Company achieves
its planned results, effective discharge of the functions and roles of the Board, etc. The
performance of the Committees is evaluated by the members of the respective Committees on
the basis of the Committee effectively performing the responsibility as outlined in its
Charter, Committee meetings held at appropriate frequency, length of the meetings being
appropriate, open communication & constructive participation of members and prompt
decision-making, etc.
Policy on directors' appointment and remuneration:
The criteria for Directors' appointment and for determining
qualification, positive attributes and independence of a Director as mentioned in the
Policy for Appointment of Directors and Senior Management and Evaluation of
Directors' Performance' in terms of Section 178(3) of the Act is mentioned
below:
Appointment criteria and qualifications:
The Nomination and Remuneration Committee shall identify and
ascertain the integrity, qualifications, expertise and experience of the person for
appointment as Director, Key Managerial Personnel ("KMP") or at
Senior Management level and recommend the same to the Board for
appointment, if found suitable;
A person should possess adequate qualifications, expertise and
experience for the position he/she is considered for appointment. The Committee has
discretion to decide whether qualifications, expertise and experience possessed by a
person are sufficient/ satisfactory for the concerned position; and
The Company shall not appoint or continue the employment of any
person as Managing Director/Whole-Time Director who has attained the age of seventy years,
provided that the term of the person holding this position may be extended beyond the age
of seventy years with the approval of shareholders by passing a special resolution based
on the statement pursuant to the provisions of Section 102 of the Act annexed to the
notice or such motion indicating the justification for extension of appointment beyond
seventy years.
Meeting of Independent Directors:
There should be atleast one meeting of Independent Directors in a year,
without the attendance of non-independent Directors and members of the Management. One (1)
meeting of the Independent Directors of the Company was held on February 06, 2024.
Agendas of the Independent Directors' Meeting are:
To review the performance of non-independent Directors including
MD & CEO and the Board as a whole;
To review the performance of the Chairperson of the Company,
taking into account the views of Executive Directors and Non-Executive Directors; and
To assess the quality, quantity and timeliness of the flow of
information between the Company's Management and the Board that is necessary for the
Board to effectively and reasonably perform its duties.
Remuneration policy:
The Board, on the recommendation of the Nomination and
Remuneration Committee framed a Remuneration Policy for
Non-Executive Directors (including Independent Directors) and a
Remuneration Policy for Key Managerial Personnel and other Employees of the Company. The
details of Remuneration Policy for Non-Executive Directors and Independent Directors are
provided as Annexure IIIA and details of Remuneration Policy for Key Managerial Personnel
and Other employees of the Company are provided as Annexure IIIB to this Report.
Committees of the Board:
A detailed note on the Board and its Committees is provided in the
Report on Corporate Governance' forming part of this Annual Report. The
composition of the major Committee/(s) is as follows:
Audit Committee:
As on March 31, 2024, the Audit Committee comprised of three (3)
Independent Directors viz. Mr Utsav Parekh (Chairman), Mr Anjani Agrawal (will cease to be
a Member from the closing of business hours on May 10, 2024 by efflux of time), Mr T. C.
Suseel Kumar (inducted as a Member w.e.f. May 11, 2024), Mr Sunil Mitra and one (1)
Non-Independent Director, Mr Subrata Talukdar.
Nomination and Remuneration Committee:
As on March 31, 2024, the Nomination and Remuneration Committee
comprised of two (2) Independent Directors viz. Mr T. C. Suseel Kumar (inducted as a
member w.e.f. April 01, 2024 and Chairman w.e.f. May 11, 2024), Mr Utsav Parekh (inducted
as a Member w.e.f. April 01, 2024), Mr Anjani Agrawal (Chairman) {will cease to be a
Chairman and Member from the closing of business hours on May 10, 2024 by efflux of time}
and Mr Pratip Chaudhuri (ceased to be a Member from the closing of business hours on March
31, 2024 by efflux of time), and one (1) Non-Independent Director, Mr
Subrata Talukdar.
Corporate Social Responsibility Committee:
As on March 31, 2024, Corporate Social Responsibility Committee
comprised of four (4) members viz Mr Shashwat Goenka (Chairman), Mr Vipul Khanna, MD &
CEO (ceased to a Member from the closing of business hours on August
31, 2023 on account of his resignation), Mr Ritesh Idnani, MD &
CEO, (inducted as a Member w.e.f. September 01, 2023), Mr Anjani Agrawal (will
cease to be a Member from the closing of business hours on May 10, 2024 by efflux of
time), Dr Rajiv Kumar (inducted as a Member w.e.f. May 11, 2024), and one (1)
Non-Independent Director, Mr Subrata Talukdar.
Stakeholders Relationship Committee:
As on March 31, 2024, Stakeholders Relationship Committee comprised of
three (3) members viz. Mr Subrata Talukdar (Chairman), Mr Vipul Khanna, MD & CEO
(ceased to a Member from the closing of business hours on August 31, 2023 on account of
his resignation), Mr Ritesh Idnani, MD & CEO, (inducted as a Member w.e.f. September
01, 2023) and one (1) Independent Director, Mr Anjani Agrawal (will cease to be a Member
from the closing of business hours on May
10, 2024 by efflux of time), Ms Rekha Sethi (inducted as a Member
w.e.f. May 11, 2024).
Investment Committee:
As on March 31, 2024, Investment Committee comprised of three (3)
members viz. Mr Shashwat Goenka (Chairman), Mr Vipul Khanna, MD & CEO (ceased
to a Member from the closing of business hours on August 31, 2023 on account of his
resignation), Mr Ritesh Idnani, MD & CEO, (inducted as a Member w.e.f. September 01,
2023) and one (1) Non-Independent Director, Mr Subrata Talukdar.
Strategy Committee:
As on March 31, 2024, Strategy Committee comprised of three (3) members
viz. Mr Shashwat Goenka (Chairman), Mr Vipul Khanna, MD & CEO (ceased to a
Member from the closing of business hours on August 31, 2023 on account of his
resignation), Mr Ritesh Idnani, MD & CEO, (inducted as a Member w.e.f. September 01,
2023) and one (1) Non-Independent Director, Mr Subrata Talukdar.
Risk Management Committee:
As on March 31, 2024, Risk Management Committee comprised of four (4)
members viz. Mr Shashwat Goenka (Chairman), Mr Vipul Khanna, MD & CEO (ceased to a
Member on the closing of business hours on August 31, 2023 on account of his resignation),
Mr Ritesh Idnani, MD & CEO, (appointed as a Member w.e.f. September 01, 2023) one (1)
Independent Director, Ms Vanita Uppal, Mr Dinesh Jain and Mr Arun Tyagi, Officials of the
Company (Mr Arun Tyagi ceased to be member from the closing of business hours on January
18, 2024 on account of his resignation).
Related party transactions:
All the contracts/arrangements/transactions that were entered into by
the Company during the financial year with related parties were on an arm's length
basis and in the ordinary course of business and none of such related party transactions
required the approval of the Board of Directors or the Shareholders as per the Act or LODR
Regulations. Further, there were no materially significant related party transactions that
may have potential conflict of interests of the Company at large. Prior omnibus approval
is obtained for related party transactions which are of repetitive nature and entered in
the ordinary course of business and at arm's length. All Related Party Transactions
are placed before the Audit Committee for approval.
The policy on Related Party Transactions as approved by the Board is
available on the website of the Company at the link:
https://www.firstsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/
Related-Party-Transaction-Policy-IN.pdf The details of the related party transactions as
required under the Act and the Rules are attached in Form AOC-2 as Annexure IV.
Employees stock option scheme:
The Company grants share-based benefits to eligible employees with a
view to attracting and retaining the best talent, encouraging employees to align
individual performances with the Company objectives, and promoting increased participation
by them. With a view to provide an opportunity to the employees of the Company, to share
the growth of the Company and to create long term wealth, the
Company has an Employee Stock Option Scheme (ESOS), viz., the
Firstsource Solutions Employee Stock Option Scheme, 2003 (ESOS 2003). The Scheme is
applicable to all eligible employees and Directors of the Company and its Subsidiary
Companies. The Scheme is in compliance with Securities and Exchange Board of India (Share
Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021 (SBEB&SE), as amended from
time to time.
Firstsource solutions limited employee stock option plan 2019
("esop 2019 plan"):
The Company has established the ESOP 2019 Plan, pursuant to approval of
shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on August 02, 2019, to allow our employees to
acquire greater proprietary stake in our success and growth, and to encourage our
employees to continue their association with us. The ESOP 2019 Plan is in compliance with
SEBI (SBEB&SE) Regulations 2021, as amended from time to time. As per the ESOP 2019
Plan, the Nomination and Remuneration Committee will issue stock options to the identified
eligible employees/Director(s) of the Company and its Subsidiaries at an exercise price
which will be the face value of the Shares or any higher price which may be decided by the
Nomination and Remuneration Committee considering the prevailing market conditions and the
norms as prescribed by SEBI and other relevant regulatory authorities. Further, the stock
options under the said plan would vest & be exercisable in tranches as determined by
the Nomination and Remuneration Committee basis the power given to the Nomination and
Remuneration Committee in line with the ESOP 2019 Plan.
Long term incentive structure grants under ESOP 2019 plan:
In continuation of the Company's philosophy of aligning employee
interests with shareholder value creation and in line with global practices, the
Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Board of Directors has approved the Long Term
Incentive Structure ("LTI") in the form of ESOP grants which will be granted to
identified eligible employees as per ESOP 2019 Plan. This unique plan is a combination of
tenure and performance based ESOPs aligned to shareholder value creation which will deepen
employee ownership in the Company.
A) Tenure based Structure (ESOP Structure):
Options in this structure will be granted to identified eligible
employees, basis the below criteria:
1. Drives ownership of employees in Company's fortunes for better
engagement and retention;
2. Seen as part of the total compensation package, in line with
competition/ market practice;
3. Quantum of grants is based on the performance and potential of the
individual employee.
Vesting Schedule in the given structure is:
Period within which options will vest unto the participant |
% of options that will vest |
End of 12 months from the date of grant of options |
25% |
At the end of every quarter after year 1, till end of year 4
from date of grant |
6.25% |
B) Performance based Structure (PSU Structure):
1. Attainment of options can range between 0% and 150% of tranche
eligible for vesting for the respective performance measurement period. Each tranche is
separate. Performance and vesting in one performance period has no bearing on performance
and vesting in another performance period;
2. Subject to terms and conditions of the scheme, the performance-based
component of the grant is measured basis the Performance targets as agreed annually by the
Management.
Vesting Schedule in the given structure is: (The vesting schedule is
effective from May 3, 2024.)
Period within which options will vest
unto the participant |
% of options that will vest |
End of 12 months from the date of grant of options |
15% |
End of 24 months from the date of grant of options |
20% |
End of 36 months from the date of grant of options |
25% |
End of 48 months from the date of grant of options |
40% |
Under both the above structures, grants will be issued at face value of
the shares or any higher price which may be decided by the Nomination and Remuneration
Committee and will have an exercise period up to three (3) years as per
the ESOP 2019 Plan and as determined by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee.
Under the ESOP 2019 Plan, as on March 31, 2024, the Nomination and
Remuneration Committee has approved grant of 1,209,000 options which are a mix of tenure
based and performance-based structure options to its senior leadership team and employees.
Firstsource Employee Benefit Trust under ESOP 2019 plan:
The ESOP 2019 Plan shall be implemented through the Trust which will be
administered under the guidance, advice and direction of the Nomination and Remuneration
Committee in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI
(SBEB&SE) Regulations, 2021.
The Board of Directors has facilitated setting up of Employee welfare
trust, viz "Firstsource Employee Benefit Trust" ("ESOP Trust") to
implement the ESOP 2019 Plan which has been formed by the Company. The Company shall
provide financial assistance to the ESOP Trust for secondary acquisition of equity shares
of the Company for the purpose of implementation of ESOP 2019 Plan. The terms and
conditions for the financial assistance provided shall be in compliance with the Companies
Act, 2013 read with Companies (Share Capital and Debenture) Rules, 2014 and SEBI
(SBEB&SE) Regulations 2021.
As on March 31, 2024, the ESOP Trust holds 9,376,900 equity shares
purchased through secondary market.
Subsidiary companies:
As on March 31, 2024, your Company has 23 subsidiaries and 1 Associate
Company:
Domestic Subsidiary: (1)
1. Firstsource Process Management Services Limited [Wholly Owned
Subsidiary ("WOS") of the Company]
International Subsidiaries: (22)
2. Firstsource Solutions UK Limited, UK (WOS of the
Company)
3. Firstsource Solutions S.A., Argentina (Subsidiary of Firstsource
Solutions UK Limited)
4. Firstsource BPO Ireland Limited (WOS of Firstsource Solutions UK
Limited)
5. Firstsource Group USA, Inc., USA (Subsidiary of the Company)
6. Firstsource Business Process Services, LLC, USA (WOS of Firstsource
Group USA, Inc)
7. Firstsource Advantage, LLC, USA (WOS of Firstsource Business Process
Services, LLC)
8. One Advantage, LLC, USA (WOS of Firstsource Business Process
Services, LLC)
9. MedAssist Holding, LLC, USA (WOS of Firstsource Group USA, Inc)
10. Firstsource Solutions USA, LLC, USA (WOS of MedAssist Holding, LLC)
11. Firstsource Health Plans and Healthcare Services, LLC, USA (WOS of
Firstsource Solutions USA, LLC)
12. Sourcepoint, Inc. (WOS of Firstsource Group USA, Inc.)
13. Sourcepoint Fulfillment Services, Inc. (WOS of Sourcepoint, Inc.)
14. Firstsource Dialog Solutions (Private) Limited
(Subsidiary of the Company)
15. PatientMatters LLC (WOS of Firstsource Solutions USA, LLC)
16. Kramer Technologies, LLC (WOS of PatientMatters LLC)
17. Medical Advocacy Services For Healthcare, Inc. (WOS of
PatientMatters LLC)
18. The StoneHill Group, Inc (WOS of Sourcepoint, Inc.)
19. American Recovery Services, Inc. (WOS of Firstsource Business
Process Services, LLC, USA)
20. Firstsource Solutions Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V (Subsidiary Company
of Firstsource Group USA, Inc.)
21. Firstource Solutions Jamaica Limited (WOS of Firstsource Group USA,
Inc.)
22. Firstsource BPO South Africa (Pty) Ltd. (WOS of Firstsource
Solutions UK Limited) 23. Firstsource Solutions Australia Pty Limited (WOS of Firstsource
Solutions Limited)
Associate Company: (1)
1. Nanobi Data and Analytics Private Limited
Note:
(a) Firstsource BPO South Africa (Pty) Ltd. was incorporated as a
Wholly Owned Subsidiary Company of Firstsource Solutions UK Limited, (WOS of the Company),
on September 27, 2023. On account of this, Firstsource BPO South Africa (Pty) Ltd. became
a step down subsidiary of the Company.
(b) Firstsource Solutions Australia Pty Limited was incorporated as a
Wholly Owned Subsidiary Company of Firstsource Solutions Limited, on February 13, 2024.
On account of this, Firstsource Solutions Australia
Pty Limited became a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company.
The Company has no other joint venture Company. No company has ceased
to be a joint venture or associate during the FY 2023-24.
Report on the Performance and Financial Position of Subsidiaries:
A report on the performance and financial position of of the
subsidiaries as per the Act, in the prescribed format
AOC - 1 is annexed to the consolidated financial and hence not repeated
here for the sake of brevity. The Company has a policy on material subsidiaries pursuant
to Regulation 16(1)(c) of the Listing Regulations. The same is available on the website of
the Company viz: https://www.
firstsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Material-Subsidiary-Policy-IN.pdf
Management Discussion and Analysis Report:
Management Discussion and Analysis Report for the year as stipulated
under Regulation 34(3) of the Listing Regulations is separately given and forms part of
this Annual Report.
Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report:
With effect from the FY 2022-23, the requirement of submitting Business
Responsibility Report is discontinued and replaced with Business Responsibility and
Sustainability Report (BRSR) for the top one thousand listed entities based on market
capitalization. Since your company is falling under this category, the Company has adopted
the BRSR as stipulated under Regulation 34(2(f) of the Listing Regulations and forms part
of this Annual Report.
Report on Corporate Governance:
The adherence to the corporate governance practices by the Company not
only justifies the legal obedience of the laws but dwells deeper conforming to the ethical
leadership and stability. It is the sense of good governance that our leaders portray,
which trickles down to the wider Management and is further maintained across the entire
functioning of the Company.
The Company is committed to maintain the highest standards of corporate
governance and adheres to the corporate governance requirements set out by SEBI.
The report on Corporate Governance as stipulated under provisions of
Chapter IV & Schedule V of the Listing Regulations is separately given and forms part
of this Annual Report. The requisite certificate from a Practicing Company Secretary
confirming compliance of the conditions of corporate governance is attached to the Report
on Corporate Governance.
Pursuant to amendment of Rule 12 of Companies (Management and
Administration) Rules, 2014 by MCA, wherein, instead of attaching an extract of annual
return (to be prepared in Form MGT - 9) to the Directors' Report, the Company can
host a copy of annual return on the website of the Company and a web link of the same to
be given in the Directors' Report.
Accordingly, a copy of Annual Return is available on the each website
of the Company at the below link: https://www.
firstsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Annual-statement Return-FY-2023-24-1.pdf
Statutory discloures of particulars:
A) Conservation of Energy:
The Company continues to make progress towards energy conservation
across all its operation centres by adopting efficient Air-conditioning management system,
usage of Energy efficient LED and efficient power up system. The Company is continuously
monitoring earlier initiatives of reducing energy consumption within data centre/(s) and
across its' operation centres. The Company, similar to its previous year's
initiatives of Green IT, continued to replace the normal Desktops and old Thin clients
with Mini Desktops/ Zero thin-clients in US Geography as the power consumption of mini
desktop & Zero thin-clients was 2.5 times less than the power consumed by normal
desktops and nearly 5 times less during standby mode. Scripts have been deployed where
possible to shut down the Desktops/ Thin clients which are not being used for more than 1
hour which helps conserve energy.
B) Absorption of Technology:
SmartRow Solution: As a part of the ESG and Green IT
Initiative, the Company have implemented a SmartRow solution in April 2024, a best in
class solution that enables better resource management and energy efficiency, contributes
to a reduced environmental/CO2 footprint and aligns with the Company's sustainability
goals. The solution optimizes energy usage by adjusting cooling based on actual server
load leading to energy savings and reduced real estate requirements. The Mumbai Data
Centre which spanned over 3100 sq. ft. is now reduced to 380 sq. ft.
Cloud-First Initiatives: As part of Company's
Cloud-First and Digital-First-Digital-Now (DFDN) journey, the Company continues to migrate
a significant part of its Operations and Deliveries, across the geographies and business
units, to cloud. Over the past few years, the Company has adopted multiple
state-of-the-art technologies by partnering with Global Cloud Services Platforms. Be it
for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) where the Company partner with leading global CSPs
such as Microsoft Azure, AWS and Google or adopting SaaS solutions such as SalesForce, SAP
SuccessFactors or Office365 or companies like Zscaler which provide cloud based Zero Trust
Security solutions. Most of Company's client facing applications are deployed on
Multi-Cloud environment to make them more Scalable, Resilient and Fault-tolerant;
Digital Enabled Contact center (DECC): As part of our
DECC implementation, the Company has implemented multiple Next Generation Contact Centres
(NGCC) across the global and business units. The DECC and Omni Channel Platform is further
enhanced with Digital Capabilities, such as AI, Social Integration, Chat-Bot, Analytics
etc. These state-of-art technologies are implemented to enhance and automate call handling
capabilities by Digital/ AI interference, thus enhancing the
- Customer Experience (CX);
NextGen Cybersecurity:
Firstsource has also deployed various technical controls at the
perimeter,
Endpoints, Data center and end user computing;
Threat and Vulnerability
Threat and Vulnerability Management: Early Detection of
vulnerability on Core Infra structure and proactive mitigation
Comprehensive Technical Compliance check through 3rd
party covering the following:
Vulnerability Assessment
Penetration testing (Red Teaming Exercise)
Web Application Security Assessment
ASV Scans for PCI DSS Desktop Scans for PCI
DSS
Source Code Review
Segmentation
Penetration Testing
Firewall Rule and configuration reviews
Cloud Infrastructure review
Network Config review
Security Operations Center & Digital Footprint Monitoring
-Continuous Monitoring.
24/7 continuous monitoring and helps increase Firstsource
organization security posture while preventing, detecting, analysing, and responding to
cybersecurity incidents.
Digital Footprint monitoring is done through Security Scorecard
that rates cybersecurity postures of corporate entities through completing scored analysis
of cyber threat intelligence.
The end users are required to go through Zero trust network (
Zscaler ) Cisco AnyConnect - VPN, High Secure Network Access, Cisco Duo - Two Factor
Authentication and the end user computing are protected with Cisco AMP - EDR for Endpoints
and Servers and the end user *internet and DNS are Cisco Umbrella - DNS Layer Security,
Internet gateways using Cisco WSA - Blocking risky sites and al emails are protected by
Cisco Mail Security.
C) Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo Activities relating to exports,
initiatives taken to increase exports, development of new export markets for services and
export plans:
The Company's income is diversified across a range of geographies
and industries. During the year, 99.44% of the Company's standalone total revenues
were derived from exports. The Company provides BPO services mostly to clients in North
America, UK and Asia Pacific region. The Company has established direct marketing network
around the world to boost its exports.
Foreign exchange earned and used:
The Company's Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo during the year
were as under: (Standalone figures in I million)
Particulars |
FY 2023-24 |
FY 2022-23 |
Foreign Exchange Earnings |
15,921.48 |
12,671.78 |
Foreign Exchange Outgo |
59.14 |
61.52 |
(including capital goods and imports) |
|
|
Secretarial audit:
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 204 of the Act read with the
Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, the Company
obtained Secretarial Audit Report from MMJB & Associates LLP (CP No. 8968), Company
Secretaries for the FY 2023-24. The Secretarial Audit Report is annexed to this Report as
Annexure V.
Annual secretarial compliance report:
SEBI vide its Circular No. CIR/CFD/CMD1/27/2019 dated February 08, 2019
read with Regulation 24(A) of the Listing Regulations, directed listed entities to conduct
Annual Secretarial Compliance Audit from a Practicing
Company Secretary of all applicable SEBI Regulations and
circulars/guidelines issued thereunder. The said Secretarial
Compliance report is in addition to the Secretarial Audit Report issued
by Practicing Company Secretaries under
Form MR - 3 and is required to be submitted to Stock Exchanges within
60 days of the end of the financial year. The Company has engaged the services of MMJB
& Associates LLP (CP No. 8968), Company Secretaries for providing this certification.
Statutory auditors and auditors' report:
M/s. Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP, Chartered Accountants, bearing
Registration Number: 117366W/W-100018, were re-appointed as the Statutory Auditors of the
Company by the members at their 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM) for a second term of
consecutive five (5) years i.e. till the conclusion of 26th AGM.
The Notes on financial statements referred to in the Auditors'
Report are self-explanatory and do not call for any further comments. The Auditors'
Report does not contain any qualification, reservation or adverse remark.
During the year under review, there were no material or serious
instances of fraud falling within the purview of Section 143 (12) of the Companies Act,
2013 and rules made thereunder, by officers or employees reported by the
Statutory Auditors of the Company during the course of the audit
conducted and therefore no details are required to be disclosed under Section 134 (3)(ca)
of the Act.
General:
Your Directors state that no disclosure or reporting is required in
respect of the following matters as there were no transactions on these matters during the
FY 2023-24:
Issue of equity shares with differential rights as to dividend,
voting or otherwise;
Issue of shares to employees of the Company under any scheme
save and except Employees Stock Option
Schemes as referred to in this Report;
No significant or material orders were passed by the Regulators
or Courts or Tribunals which impact the going concern status and the Company's
operations in future.
Further, your Directors would like to mention that the MD & CEO
received I112.74 million as remuneration during the year from Firstsource Group USA Inc.
subsidiary of the Company.
The disclosure pursuant to Securities and Exchange Board of India
(Share Based Employee Benefits) Regulations, 2014 read with Circular No. CIB/
CFD/Policy/CELL/2, 2015 dated June 16, 2015, will be placed on the website of the Company.
Directors' responsibility statement:
Pursuant to the requirement under Section 134(3) (c) and 134(5) of the
Companies Act, 2013, Directors of your Company state and confirm that:
1. In the preparation of the annual accounts for the FY 2023-24, the
applicable Ind-AS accounting standards have been followed and there are no material
departures from the same;
2. The Directors had selected such accounting policies and applied them
consistently and made judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent so as to
give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company as at March 31, 2024 and
of the profit of the
Company for year ended on that date;
3. The Directors had taken proper and sufficient care for the
maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Act
for safe-guarding the assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting fraud and
other irregularities;
4. The Directors had prepared the annual accounts on a going concern
basis;
5. The Directors had laid down internal financial controls to be
followed by the Company and that such internal financial controls are adequate and were
operating effectively; and
6. The Directors had devised proper systems to ensure compliance with
the provisions of all applicable laws and that such systems were adequate and operating
effectively.
Application/proceeding pending under IBC:
None of the application has been made or any proceeding is pending
under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (31 of 2016) during the year.
Acknowledgments:
The Board wishes to place on record its sincere appreciation for the
support and co-operation extended by all the customers, vendors, bankers and business
associates. The Board also expresses its gratitude to the Department of
Telecommunications, Collector of Customs and Excise, Director of Special Economic Zone,
Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Software Technology Parks of India, and
various Governmental departments and organizations for their help and cooperation.
Further, the Board places on record its appreciation to all the
employees for their dedicated service. The Board appreciates and values the contributions
made by every member across the world and is confident that with their continued support,
the Company will achieve its objectives and emerge stronger in the coming years.
|
For and on behalf of the Board of
Directors |
Mumbai |
Dr Sanjiv Goenka |
May 03, 2024 |
Chairman |
|
(DIN: 00074796) |