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MRSI’s new code cracks the ethics code as India’s insights industry evolves
MUMBAI: The Market Research Society of India (MRSI) has formally adopted the ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics 2025: a global gold standard shaping how research is conducted across more than 50 countries.
The updated code, refreshed for an era dominated by AI tools, synthetic data, automation and sprawling digital ecosystems, aims to bring sharper guardrails to a fast-changing insights industry. Developed jointly by Esomar and the International Chamber of Commerce since 1977, the Code is recognised by over 60 industry associations worldwide.
As India’s leading industry body for research and insights since 1988, MRSI said the adoption reinforces its commitment to ethical, transparent and globally benchmarked practices. Its Professional Standards Committee (PSC), established in 2020, will continue to enforce compliance and take disciplinary action when members fall short. The committee is chaired by Sathyamurthy Namakkal (Co-founder, DataPOEM), supported by Abhinav Goel (Nestlé India), Anjana Pillai (Quantum Consumer Solutions), Jyoti Malladi (Ipsos India) and Priyamvada Sharma (Godrej Consumer Products).
What’s new in the 2025 Code?
The revamped guidelines sharpen expectations across five key areas:
● Duty of care: Stronger safeguards for children, young people and vulnerable groups.
● Data minimisation: Collect only what’s necessary, protect it stringently, and anonymise it once used.
● AI & emerging tech: Clear rules for responsible AI deployment, transparency and privacy as technologies reshape research.
● Fit-for-purpose research: Ensuring that studies truly represent the populations being measured — including when using self-service platforms.
● Transparency & accountability: Mandatory disclosures on methods, data sources and limitations so clients can assess research integrity.
MRSI and chief growth & partnerships officer president Nitin Kamat at TAM Media Research, said the move “reiterates our commitment to ethical excellence and responsible data practices… signalling that member companies are stronger partners to deliver research clients can trust with complete confidence.”
Esomar president Anne-Sophie Damelincourt called MRSI’s adoption “a milestone that reflects India’s leadership in ethical research,” adding that it strengthens global collaboration and reinforces industry-wide trust.
The Code will come into effect in India from April 1, 2026, giving the industry time to align operations with the refreshed norms.
With this update, MRSI isn’t just keeping pace with global standards, it’s ensuring that in the race for insight, ethics don’t fall behind.
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Delhivery chairman Deepak Kapoor, independent director Saugata Gupta quit board
Gurugram: Delhivery’s boardroom is being reset. Deepak Kapoor, chairman and independent director, has resigned with effect from April 1 as part of a planned board reconstitution, the logistics company said in an exchange filing. Saugata Gupta, managing director and chief executive of FMCG major Marico and an independent director on Delhivery’s board, has also stepped down.
Kapoor exits after an eight-year stint that included steering the company through its 2022 stock-market debut, a period that saw Delhivery transform from a venture-backed upstart into one of India’s most visible logistics platforms. Gupta, who joined the board in 2021, departs alongside him, marking a simultaneous clearing of two senior independent seats.
“Deepak and Saugata have been instrumental in our process of recognising the need for and enabling the reconstitution of the board of directors in line with our ambitious next phase of growth,” said Sahil Barua, managing director and chief executive, Delhivery. The statement frames the exits less as departures and more as deliberate succession, a boardroom shuffle timed to the company’s evolving scale and strategy.
The resignations arrive amid broader governance recalibration. In 2025, Delhivery appointed Emcure Pharmaceuticals whole-time director Namita Thapar, PB Fintech founder and chairman Yashish Dahiya, and IIM Bangalore faculty member Padmini Srinivasan as independent directors, signalling a tilt towards consumer, fintech and academic expertise at the board level.
Kapoor’s tenure spanned Delhivery’s most defining years, rapid network expansion, public listing and the push towards profitability in a bruising logistics market. Gupta’s presence brought FMCG and brand-scale perspective during a period when ecommerce volumes and last-mile delivery economics were being rewritten.
The twin exits, effective from the new financial year, underscore a familiar corporate rhythm: founders consolidate, veterans rotate out, and fresh voices are ushered in to script the next chapter. In India’s hyper-competitive logistics race, even the boardroom does not stand still.
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Brnd.me enters Europe as haircare brands power global expansion
Bengaluru: Brnd.me, the global consumer brands company formerly known as Mensa Brands, has entered the European market following strong momentum across the Middle East, the United States and Canada.
The company has launched across the UK, Germany, France and Spain, with plans to expand into Italy, the Netherlands and Poland over the next year. The push is being led by its haircare and aromatherapy brands, Botanic Hearth and Majestic Pure, marking Brnd.me’s first structured expansion into Europe.
The European beauty market represents a total addressable opportunity of over $4 billion across haircare and aromatherapy, supported by high digital adoption and demand for accessible, performance-led products.
Brnd.me’s hair care and aromatherapy business currently operates at an annual run rate of around $6 million, with Botanic Hearth and Majestic Pure delivering roughly 10 per cent month-on-month growth, driven by expansion and rising repeat demand.
To support regional growth, the company has appointed a general manager based in Germany and is evaluating investments in warehousing and local team expansion.
Early traction has been strong. Within weeks of launch, Botanic Hearth’s rosemary hair oil ranked among the top five hair oils in Germany, signalling strong consumer pull in a competitive market.
Brnd.me founder and chief executive officer Ananth Narayanan, said Europe represents the next phase of the company’s international strategy. He added that the European business is expected to scale to a $10 million annual run rate by the end of 2026, with long-term ambitions to reach $60 million over the next six years.
The company’s Europe strategy centres on digital-first distribution, repeat demand and TikTok-led discovery, alongside direct-to-consumer expansion to strengthen brand equity and margins.
The move also aligns with growing EU–India trade engagement, supporting long-term sourcing and cross-border supply chains.
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TechnoSport taps quick commerce with launch on Slikk’s 60-minute platform
NATIONAL: TechnoSport has launched on Slikk, the ultra-fast fashion app offering 60-minute delivery, as the activewear brand accelerates its push into quick commerce to capture Gen Z and young millennial shoppers.
The debut brings more than 150 high-performance styles to Slikk’s platform, with an average selling price of Rs 450, expanding TechnoSport’s reach across over 80 pin codes.
The partnership follows strong momentum for TechnoSport across Q-commerce channels, where the brand has recorded around 60 per cent volume growth over the past six months. The company expects quick commerce to contribute nearly 20 per cent of its revenue in the coming years as hyperlocal delivery gains scale.
Slikk, which recently raised $3.2 million in seed funding led by Lightspeed, has rapidly gained popularity among youth consumers seeking speed, trend relevance and impulse-led shopping experiences.
Activewear remains one of Slikk’s fastest-growing categories, driven by shoppers increasingly treating fitness-led fashion as an everyday essential. The platform has reported a 30-fold year-on-year increase in items sold, reflecting rising demand for performance wear that blends comfort with style.
TechnoSport chief executive officer Puspen Maity, said the collaboration would help the brand engage more closely with young consumers whose fashion choices are shaped by instant needs and lifestyle aspirations. He added that rapid delivery bridges the gap between intent and purchase, allowing shoppers to access activewear exactly when they want it.
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