MAM
Saraf Furniture to hire 250 professionals from the LGBTQ+ community
New Delhi: In a bold move, which is perhaps a first for Corporate India, furniture brand Saraf Furniture is actually walking the talk when it comes to championing LGBTQ+ rights at the workplace. The solid wood furniture player announced that it will hire about 200-250 professionals from the LGBTQ+ community in the financial year 2021-22 to ensure ‘Equality in the Workplace’.
The company said it is carving out a detailed plan to constitute an expert committee for the smooth execution of the entire process. Professionals from the LGBTQ+ community will be able to explore careers at the company in a diverse range of job profiles – interior designers, after-sales support, HR, chat support individuals, website developers, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), AutoCAD experts, digital marketing, supply chain managers, to name a few.
The company has also been running awareness and training-related programs on lifestyle diversity for their existing employees as well. A list of new policies including major ones like Gender Affirmation and Sexual Harassment Prevention Policies are all set to be implemented. Furthermore, Saraf Furniture will also be constructing unisex washrooms.
“There is a famous idiom – Practice what you preach. And, I firmly believe in this. We can’t afford to speak LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace if we fail to implement this in our workplace. Saraf Furniture has taken a firm decision to come forward and set an example for others to be followed by living up to its firm commitment towards the LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace in the true sense”, says Saraf Furniture founder & CEO Raghunandan Saraf, on the policy decisions pertaining to LGBTQ+ equality at his organisation.
With the month of June globally recognised as Pride month, many brands today flaunt the community’s rainbow colours on their logos via their social media handles. However, on-ground measures are yet to keep pace with the number of brands championing the cause on Instagram. Hence brands like Saraf Furniture need to be lauded so that more corporates can also take a step forward in accomplishing increased inclusivity, diversity and equality in the workplace.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
