MAM
Zee climbs into global top tier for ESG performance
MUMBAI: Zee has found its green groove, and the scorecard is striking all the right notes. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd has registered a major leap in its environmental, social and governance performance, scoring 51 out of 100 in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2025. The result places the company in the top 5 percent of media, movies and entertainment players across the world.
The improvement comes after a year of focused work across key ESG pillars. Zee strengthened corporate governance, climate governance, supply chain management and human capital practices, alongside initiatives in stakeholder engagement, double materiality assessment, privacy protection, information security, energy management and occupational health and safety.
The company’s efforts earned it a position in the 96th percentile overall, with transparency reporting achieving a perfect 100th percentile. Zee also crossed the 95th percentile in areas such as risk management, supply chain governance, tax strategy, water stewardship, human rights, human capital management and customer relations. The industry’s average score stood at 22, placing Zee far ahead of the pack.
Chief executive officer Punit Goenka said the performance underscored Zee’s commitment to responsible growth. “Our progress in ESG reflects our resolve to bring meaningful change on and off the screen. Over the last year, we have strengthened governance, improved disclosures and deepened engagement with stakeholders. Ranking amongst the top 5 percent globally further inspires us to elevate our benchmarks and lead by example,” he said.
The S&P Global CSA evaluates companies on how effectively they manage ESG risks, opportunities and impact in comparison with industry peers. Zee’s score reflects advances in data privacy and cybersecurity, consolidation of carbon accounting, improved energy conservation and stronger waste reduction and recycling measures.
As the company continues to balance strategic growth with societal responsibility, its ESG trajectory signals a sharpened focus on long-term resilience and trust-building across its value chain.
Brands
Jubilant Foodworks to end Dunkin’ franchise in India
Pizza chain operator will not renew agreement when it expires at end of 2026.
MUMBAI: When the doughnuts stop turning and the coffee goes cold, even a global giant like Dunkin’ can find the Indian market a tough brew to crack. Jubilant Foodworks has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with Dunkin’ when the pact expires on 31 December 2026, according to a Reuters report. The operator, best known for running Domino’s outlets in India, said it would evaluate options for its existing Dunkin’ stores, including a potential sale or transfer of franchise rights, in consultation with the US-based brand.
The decision follows years of underperformance in a market where local tastes and intense competition have made it difficult for international coffee-and-doughnut formats to gain traction. Jubilant, which has increasingly focused on its core pizza business and newer bets like Popeyes, indicated that the exit would not materially affect its financial or operational position.
Dunkin’ accounted for just 0.61 per cent of Jubilant’s revenue in the fiscal year ending 2025 and recorded a loss of approximately Rs 191 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company operated 27 outlets as of December 2025, having shuttered seven stores over the preceding year.
The retreat comes even as Jubilant’s broader business shows signs of momentum. The company reported a 65 per cent rise in quarterly profit for the October to December period, reaching Rs 70.9 crore, up from Rs 42.91 crore a year earlier.
For Jubilant, the exit reflects a sharpening strategic focus. For Dunkin’, it marks another setback in a market that has proven resistant to imported café concepts without significant localisation.
In the cut-throat world of Indian quick-service restaurants, sometimes the sweetest deals are the ones you quietly walk away from leaving more room for the brands that truly rise to the occasion.
