MAM
IAA to host summit on ‘Gender Sensitisation In Media: Voice Of Change’
Mumbai: International Advertising Association (IAA), India chapter is hosting a summit on Gender Sensitisation In Media on the 29 July at ITC Maratha, Andheri, Mumbai.
The theme is Gender Portrayal across the creative spectrum from a 30 seconds TVC to a three Hour film. Prominent voices of the industry will be speaking on why it is of paramount importance to ‘break the bias’ that surrounds the industry when it comes to gender depiction.
The summit shall witness prominent industry bodies and partners such as like ASCI, UNICEF, Tata Institute Of Social Sciences, Unstereotype Alliance and Akshara Centre along with Chief Guest Poonam Mahajan and prominent voices like Vidya Balan, Deepika Warrier, Monika Shergill, Anupama Chopra, Santosh Desai, Nandita Das, Ranveer Brar, Tista Sen, Anuradha Sengupta and many more.
The Voice Of Change was started as a behaviour change communication initiative which was aimed at addressing the skewed portrayal of gender in the field of advertising and communication with the launch of the ‘Geena Davis’ study with Unicef, in September 2021, the IAA – India took the first step towards effective change. The facts presented in the study, based on the evaluation of more than thousand plus ads, showed a disturbing trend of widespread gender stereotyping and prejudice. Sore truths were discovered about how women and other genders are seen, their abject objectification and pigeon holing.
On the backdrop of such ground-breaking research being done, the IAA has stepped up to bring all this knowledge and more out in the public eye under an umbrella banner through this summit. The aim is to ensure that the discourse reaches the right people and sensitises all creative minds and industry forces to drive palpable change.
IAA aims to sanction change through influential and evocative dialogue to enable effective change.
Speaking about the summit, IAA India president Megha Tata said, “IAA has always brought forward initiatives that are meaningful and gender sensitive, on and off screen and has also been the one who has always taken the lead on this issue in the industry. We felt that it is time for all of us to come together and be the voice of change. We want to address the dialogue of gender discrimination across the media spectrum and hope we will collectively bring much needed change in the system.”
“Over the last decade, women have broken stereotypes in this industry both behind the scenes and on the screen. It’s time we tell more of those stories and break biases. Through this change summit, the IAA brings prominent industry voices to communicate, converge and be the Voices Of Change that we need to empower the narrative,” said IAA Women Empowerment Committee chairperson and Viacom 18 Hindi and Kids TV Network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria.
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
