Cognizant has advised employees to adopt BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) wherever possible as the company reviews potential supply disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis. The advisory follows a similar step taken earlier by Infosys.
The move comes as rising geopolitical tensions begin to affect global energy markets, particularly shipments of oil, LNG and LPG passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Cognizant said it is preparing for possible disruptions caused by price volatility, supply prioritisation, and pressure on vendors.
As part of its contingency planning, the company has identified alternate food vendors that do not depend on commercial LPG. These include vendors using induction-based or solar-powered cooking systems. Cognizant is also exploring partnerships with cloud kitchens powered by electric or solar energy to ensure meal availability if conventional fuel supplies face disruptions.
According to an internal impact assessment reviewed by a media report, the company said the current situation does not indicate an immediate disruption but could lead to prolonged operational pressure.
“The risk is not a sudden outage scenario, but a prolonged stress environment,” the document noted, referring to factors such as commercial fuel pricing, LPG availability for commercial use, and vendor resilience.
Cafeteria services face higher risk
The assessment identified cafeteria and food services as the most vulnerable areas. Cognizant said there is a “high likelihood of intermittent disruption to cafeteria and food services where there is heavy dependence on commercial LPG.”
The document also highlighted that many company locations have limited electric or induction-based kitchen infrastructure, which increases reliance on LPG supply.
Transport operations under watch
Employee transport services are another area being closely monitored. The internal note indicated a “moderate risk of service strain” in commute operations due to rising fuel costs affecting cab and shuttle vendors.
It also warned of a potential reduction in fleet availability if vendors reduce operations to manage costs. However, Cognizant clarified that no immediate service suspension is expected, though vendor resilience may vary by city and contract model.
To manage possible disruptions, the company is considering the use of electric vehicles for employee transport, rationalising shuttle routes, and avoiding low-occupancy buses to reduce fuel consumption.
The document also suggested enabling work-from-home or hybrid arrangements for non-critical roles to reduce commute pressure.
Technology operations remain stable
Cognizant said the current risk to its technology delivery and IT operations remains low.
“Low operational risk at present,” the internal assessment stated, though it noted that prolonged energy volatility could increase reliance on work-from-home systems, VPN access, and internet redundancy infrastructure.
The company is also maintaining diesel reserves for generator operations and monitoring early warning indicators such as LPG refill restrictions, diesel price fluctuations, and logistics advisories.
Responding to queries, a Cognizant spokesperson said: “At this point in time, it is business as usual. In line with standard business continuity practices, Cognizant regularly engages in scenario planning. By anticipating and preparing for potential challenges, the company remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted service for all stakeholders.”
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