Brands
L’Oréal India gets EDGE Move certification for gender equality at the workplace
MUMBAI: L’Oréal India has been awarded the prestigious EDGE (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality) Certification for the third time. It is also the only FMCG Company and one of the five organisations in India to be accredited with the advanced MOVE level of certification.
The EDGE assessment is the leading business certification for gender equality in the workplace that is universally applicable across industries and countries. EDGE MOVE is the second level certification awarded to the company that has already implemented a framework for change, achieved significant milestones and further commits to sharpen its action plan on gender equality policies and practices.
This certification recognizes L’Oréal India’s leadership and commitment to create, benchmark, and support gender equity throughout the workplace and in particular its policies for ‘equal pay for equal work’, building a flexible work culture and parity in recruitment, promotions and leadership trainings. The company maintains a high gender equality standard, passing regularly through audit certifications and gender pay gap assessments.
L’Oréal India was awarded the EDGE Certification after a rigorous audit by EDGE, which included a comprehensive review of the company’s gender policies and practices, detailed analysis of company statistics from the entire workforce, and evaluation of the employee experience in terms of career development opportunities at the company.
L’Oréal India director – human resources Roshni Wadhwa said, “L’Oréal India has a long-standing commitment to gender equality and this reaffirms our position as an equal opportunity employer in India. Our partnership with EDGE has helped us measure our progress regularly as well as offer an attractive work environment to our employees. L’Oréal India will continue its efforts to retain a strong gender balance at all levels and drive new benchmarks for gender equality in the workplace.”
EDGE Certification co-founder Aniela Unguresan said, “Through its re-certification at the EDGE Move level, L’Oréal India is accelerating its journey towards gender balance. In addition to improving the effectiveness of its policies and practices to ensure equitable career flows for men and women, the company has significantly strengthened its proactive management of gender pay equity. L’Oréal India is also showing a percentage of women in management position that is almost 3 times higher than the national median of companies operating in India. We warmly congratulate L’Oréal India on these significant achievements.”
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
