US-based GASP, Indian start-up WUS join hands to enhance ‘GDP of low-income workers’

The US-based Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet (GASP) has joined hands with IIT Kanpur-incubated start-up WUS to create environmental and social impact with a special focus on enhancing the “GDP of the low-income workers”, a senior official of the Indian firm said on Sunday.




The collaboration between the two entities follows Worker Unions Support’s (WUS) selection for the ‘Milestone Makers cohorts 2021’ of Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center.

WUS was the only Indian start-up among total 13 entities that were selected for the ‘Milestone Makers cohorts 2021’. The Nasdaq programme provides mentorship and growth support to start-ups working on the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).

“GASP and WUS will work jointly to deliver transformative environmental and social impact with a special focus on enhancing the GDP of the low-income workers,” WUS founder and CEO Prasoon Sharma told PTI.

He added that GASP enables system-scale transformation by leveraging private finance for the public good.

“Through GASP, WUS can get access to mentors and finance to empower workers by reducing their carbon footprints. For example, we can provide green energy solutions, encouraging taxi drivers to turn to green fuels like electric vehicles, etc,” Sharma said.

The IIT-incubated start-up gained the mentorship of United Nations Environment Programme former executive director Erik Solheim and UN former assistant general secretary Satya S Tripathi by signing a memorandum of understanding with GASP.

WUS completed a three-month programme on Saturday, and Sharma was featured on Nasdaq Tower on Saturday where the US stock exchange displays major achievers.

WUS is building a digital worker community where workers can share their knowledge and grievances within their community to help each other.

“Through the milestone maker programme and mentors, WUS can approach international organisations like the International Labour Organization (ILO) to bring global resources and support for the Indian blue- and grey-collar workers,” Sharma said.

The start-up aims to onboard hundred of thousands of low income workers on its platform to provide them access to government welfare schemes and upgrade their livelihood.

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“WUS aims to improve the lives of 500 million workers in India in five years and 3.3 billion workers globally in seven years by building a unified-digital community for workers and unions,” Sharma said.

WUS will focus on providing grievance redressals, know your rights and privileges services, micro-financing, skill development courses, etc, to the low-income group.