Driving Change for a Sustainability Conscious World

The 19th Sustainability Summit will deliberate on tangible actions in driving sustainable change

For societies and ecosystems to survive and thrive, combined efforts are required to build the regenerative capacity of Earth. A holistic systems approach is critical for implementing sustainability strategies tackling complex challenges and improving the world. Discussions on platforms in India and outside have featured commitments by stakeholders to implement sustainable transitions. Efforts are already aligned for investing & implementing sustainability strategies tackling complex challenges and improving the world. The growing role of sustainability leaders and visionaries in driving positive change at a global scale cannot be overemphasized.

The CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD) is the ecosystem creator for sustainable development in India. As an 18-year-old industry-led institution within CII, the Centre drives sustainable, environmental, inclusive and climate friendly transformation among stakeholders through research, data-driven digital tools, frameworks, collaborative initiatives and capacity development.

The Centre’s flagship stakeholder engagement dialogue platform – Sustainability Summit, is now in its 19th edition. To be held on September 17 and 18, 2024, this edition will see the presence of some of the leading figures from Industry, Government, research organizations and civil society, deliberating on critical expedients that can drive effective and positive behavioural change; lead to tangible actions; highlight best practices and exemplify the power of innovation, development & cooperation in shaping a prosperous & sustainable future for all.

The Summit will see special address by Mr C Achalender Reddy, IFS (Retd), Chairperson, National Biodiversity Authority; Mr Amit Prothi, Director General, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure; Mr Ravi Singh, Secretary-General and CEO, WWF India and Dr Lalit R Gabhane, Director General, National Safety Council of India.

It will host representatives from multilateral agencies and renowned institutions such as the International Finance Corporation; Energy Policy Institute – University of Chicago; Development Alternatives, among others.

Prominent figures from industry as panel members and speakers include Mr Sanjiv Puri, President, CII and Chairman & MD, ITC Ltd; Mr Shishir Joshipura, Co-Chair, CII Bio-Energy Committee and CEO & MD, Praj Industries and Mr Sameer Gupta, Chairman, CII MSME Council and Chairman & MD, Jackson Group, Ms Mansi Madan Tripathy, Co-Chairperson, CII National Committee on Hydrocarbons, Chairman, Shell Group of Companies in India & VP, Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific, Shell, Mr. S. Sivakumar, Chair, CII Agriculture Council and Group Head – Agri & IT Businesses, ITC Limited and Mr Ravichandran Purushothaman, President, Danfoss India, to name a few.

ITC Ltd, Grundfos, NABARD, Novenesis, Tata Power, Tata Capital, Shell, Wipro, Zomato, Carrier, Fincham, Elematic, Hutamaki and Lindstrom are some of the organisations the Centre is partnering with to lead the discussions and help shape the agenda for the annual engagement.

Each edition of the Summit is unique in the kind of sectoral agenda it co-creates. This year too, the Summit will focus on some of the most urgent issues in the domains of Climate, Responsible & Nature Positive Action; ESG and Technology & Innovation. For the first time, the Summit will include a Sustainability Solutions Expo by select Start-ups. Another initiative the Centre is excited to bring to you is Anthology @ CESD Engage. Anthology features contributory research articles and case studies by national & international experts, industry practitioners and research scholars on the latest in the field of sustainability.