Interview with Sandesh Chitnis, CEO of Core Integra Consulting Services Pvt Ltd

An exclusive interview with Sandesh Chitnis, CEO of Core Integra Consulting Services Pvt Ltd, SaaS-based Compliance platform

Welcome to an exclusive interview with a visionary leader at the helm of innovation in the realm of compliance solutions. Today, we have the privilege of delving into the insights and experiences of Sandesh Chitnis, the CEO of Core Integra Consulting Services Pvt Ltd, a pioneering force in the world of SaaS-based compliance platforms.

In this candid interview, we will explore the journey that led Sandesh Chitnis to this remarkable position, the challenges he has overcome, the insights he has gained, and the future he envisions for Core Integra Consulting Services and the compliance landscape as a whole.

Join us as we unravel the story behind the success, the philosophy that drives innovation, and the profound impact of SaaS-based solutions in navigating the intricate labyrinth of compliance.

Can you provide us with an overview of Core Integra and its journey as India’s leading SaaS-based Compliance platform? How did it all start, and what were the key milestones along the way?

Sandesh Chitnis: Core Integra was established in the year 2009 and is one of India’s leading Labour Law Compliance organization. Ctrlf, Core Integra’s flagship product came into existence in the year 2014 with an intent of providing a completely automated and robust platform for managing the gamut of labour law compliances in India.

Modules such as Shop and Establishments Compliances, Factory Compliance, CLRA compliance, Payroll Compliances and Vendor audits were developed over the years making it now the most comprehensive product covering the labyrinth of labour laws across the country.

This product is now used by over 500 customers across 30 industries under both Services and SaaS model. This is a web-based application hosted on AWS with all the security aspects well taken care of.

CtrlF continues to evolve and will in future have elements of Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Process automation to further make the processes automated with minimal manual intervention.

Compliance is a critical aspect for businesses. How does Core Integra help organizations ensure compliance with regulations and streamline their processes effectively?

Sandesh Chitnis: Core Integra has been providing service under labour law to multiple clients since 2012. We have a team of subject matter experts having thorough knowledge about all the acts and laws related to the same. Understanding of the prospects current processes and identifying the gaps is the first thing that is undertaken.

Basis the gap analysis a comprehensive scope documents  is created and shared with them for validation. Post this the journey starts of resolving legacy issues, if any and create streamlined processes for future.

In the highly competitive SaaS industry, what unique features or strategies have contributed to Core Integra’s success and differentiation from other compliance platforms?

Sandesh Chitnis: User friendly, non-complex functionalities and comprehensive features are key to a success of any SaaS based platform. CtrlF platform is equipped and can be integrated with any application for its input avoiding manual interventions and making it efficient and error free.

High level for security including encryption has been taken into consideration. Additionally it is a role based application which further provides the flexibility and controls of restricting the accesses to only valid users.

India’s regulatory landscape can be complex and ever-changing. How does Core Integra stay ahead of these changes and ensure its platform remains up-to-date and adaptable to new compliance requirements?

Sandesh Chitnis: We have a team of subject matter experts well connected with all the government agencies and forums to gather required information. Information is feed into our business analyst team working on application development.

Post validation of the information a detailed business requirement documents is prepared and handed over to development team of CtrlF.

All of these is done keeping in mind the regulatory requirement and dates of implementation. Post development there is a stringent mechanism to do testing and only post the user acceptance testing the code moves into production environment.

Security and data privacy are major concerns when dealing with compliance-related data. How does Core Integra ensure the utmost security and privacy for its clients’ sensitive information?

Sandesh Chitnis: Core Integra is a ISO 9001 and 27001 certified organization. Core Integra uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) which supports a block symmetric length of 128 bits for encryption & decryption. All Data stored is within Indian Geographical Location, as per Cert-in Standards.

Under user control, the application has the ability to restrict logins through specific I.Ps / Static I.Ps, SSL encryption. CtrlF application undergoes VAPT and WAPT certification twice a year under the Cert-in standards.

CtrlF is hosted on AWS with security standards and compliance certifications: PCI-DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, FedRAMP, GDPR, FIPS 140-2, and NIST 800-171, SOC1,2,3. We also have a disaster recovery site on which the data replicates on a real time basis to avoid any data loss.

SaaS platforms often face challenges related to scalability and performance. How has Core Integra addressed these challenges to accommodate the needs of its growing customer base?

Sandesh Chitnis: CtrlF is equipped to manage 5X data of its current size at any given point of time and has an automated alerts set accordingly which are directly managed and under control of our CIO. There also is a robust mechanism of data archival and retrieval which continues to evolve with the use of newer technologies.

The future of SaaS and compliance technology is constantly evolving. What exciting developments or new features can we expect from Core Integra in the coming months or years?

Sandesh Chitnis: Future of technology is rapidly changing and we will have to match the pace, with that, adopting to new technology stack, Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning and Robotic Process Automation will be key in future for the growth and need of a client.

Our technology team continues to spend a considerable time in researching and adopting to these changes.

With the ongoing digital transformation in various industries, how does Core Integra envision its role in supporting businesses in this journey towards a more digitized and automated compliance landscape?

Sandesh Chitnis: I am sure practically all industries/organizations are going through a digital transformation, which is the need today. Our journey towards digitization is not only for a transformation but also to match the pace and adopt to changes that are happening in the Labour Law Landscape.

As a labour law domain organization, expectation of any client from us is to have a seamless adoption to any new changes enforced by the acts and the regulations. Our domain expertise and CtrlF plays a vital role in providing that experience.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs and SaaS professionals who aim to make a positive impact in the compliance and technology domains?

Sandesh Chitnis: Service industry which transforms to a tech based solutions always remains to be a challenge. One needs to be well connected with the domain and also the latest technology stack. You need to have the right set of people with subject knowledge and appropriate tech team to convert that knowledge into a tech solution. Correct blend of these two components can create a stable product.

What is your success tips for young and aspiring entrepreneurs

Sandesh Chitnis: Should have a focused approach and a long term vision. Changes are eminent and one needs to be prepared for that. While one could be good at sales or marketing, you need to also spend considerable time on other divisions of the organization. One weak link can destroy the success.

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