The Mahindra Rise Awards, an annual event, promote and celebrate Rise which drives everything the Group stands for. Every year at the annual Rise awards, employees of the Mahindra Group are recognised and rewarded who embody the Rise philosophy. In keeping with the raging pandemic, employees came together virtually to celebrate their achievements at the Mahindra Rise Awards 2020.

Anand Mahindra, Executive Chairman, Mahindra Group, said, “This year, I am particularly reminded of the words of Charlie Chaplin from ‘Great Dictator’. In that film, Chaplin plays a humble Jewish tailor who bears an accidental resemblance to Hitler and gets mistaken for him. But he tries to use his unexpected mix up to replace evil with good. At the end of the film, he gets a chance to broadcast a message to the concentration camp where the girl he loves, Hannah, was held, prisoner. He made a speech stressing his belief that human beings are basically good. And the dawn will inevitably come. That’s exactly how I feel at this Rise Awards function. Of course, there is darkness around us. But the people we are honouring today are people who are flying us into the light of hope. They are people who refuse to be constrained by circumstances; they are people who tackle the darkness with alternative thinking and who put others above themselves. You have all chosen to light a candle rather than curse the darkness, and a glow from that candle has lit our hearts and given us new hope that come what may, we will Rise and look up.”

Innovation, Sustainability, ESPOS and Veerta Awards were the four categories bound together by the common thread of Rise. “In a way, it is more than an awards ceremony. It is a recognition of the spirit of Rise that dwells in all of us, that drives and motivates us,” said Dr Anish Shah – Managing Director & CEO, Mahindra Group.

This year also marks the ten years of Rise, and therefore the 10th edition of the Rise Awards has been special. “We continue to strive to be one of the envied companies in the world by living this purpose, delighting our customers, empowering our associates, transforming our businesses and rewarding our investors,” says Dr Shah.

Here’s looking at the award categories this year.

Innovation

Mahindra Innovation Awards were instituted in 2003 to recognise and channel pathbreaking work done by Mahindraites and harness their potential for greater business. The Awards were divided into three categories – process, offering and crisis innovation.

Sustainability

The awards recognised best practices in the sustainability space – Group Sustainability Performance Award, Mahindra Group Most Impactful Sustainability Project Award and the Mahindra Group Most Impactful Sustainability Champion Award. Anirban Ghosh – Chief Sustainability Officer, said: “The COVID-19 disruption has intensified the sustainability conversation. It is a matter of deep satisfaction that our businesses have despite all difficulties and kept the sustainability flag flying high.”

ESOPS

ESOPS was coined as a term for programmes that would enable employees to participate in giving back to society. The award categories were – Factory Location, Non-Factory Location and Star Performer – Factory and Non-Factory Location.

Veerta

The award recognises and honours the bravehearts who put the lives of others ahead of their own. “We are proud that you are a part of the Mahindra Group family, and I am sure that Mohan Redkar (a young Mahindra trainee engineer in Mumbai, who jumped into the sea to save four people from drowning), wherever he is, must be equally proud to see you following the path that he first showed us,” said Anand Mahindra.

Check this space for Rise stories in our forthcoming issues.

Watch the film to know how the employees of Mahindra are driving positive change and rising for good.

Click here to open the list of winners