The Curious Case of Internal Combustion

Imagine it is 2026. For over a century, we have driven electric cars. We plug them in at home. They hum softly. They have few moving parts. They rarely break down. Cities are calmer. Mobility is seamless, predictable, almost boring in its reliability. And then a startup announces a breakthrough. “Ladies and gentlemen,” the founder… Continue reading The Curious Case of Internal Combustion

The Face of Gender Equity

She is everywhere. Her photograph appears in annual reports. She is quoted on panels and in internal newsletters. LinkedIn celebrates her journey. She has become the face of gender equity in the organization. She did not volunteer for this role. It emerged around her. Her story is often told as a success story: talent, perseverance,… Continue reading The Face of Gender Equity

Sustainability Reporting: The New Bottleneck to Ease of Doing Business

The world over there is a seeming shift in the corporate echelons. With trade barriers being raised, and recessionary forces looming on the horizon. They are trying to discard any obstacles that might encumber the work. And, sustainability reporting is being perceived as one of those — a primary challenge to ease of doing business. … Continue reading Sustainability Reporting: The New Bottleneck to Ease of Doing Business

Return to Classroom

After years and decades of working in the corporate sphere, interacting with 1000’s of corporate stakeholders, millions of miles on business travel, I decided to replace my desk-drawer cabin with a desk-no-drawer classroom. So, as the ‘old replaced the new’ in 2025, I started anew and afresh — being a student all over again. Indeed,… Continue reading Return to Classroom

Virtue – Key to Sustainability

We were in Philosophy class, talking about the critical theory, namely how societal structures of powers have evolved and how they often lead to broader inequities. During this interaction, the core centre of the discussion was based on the wider idea of values — primarily ideals and goals that shape our actions. But more than… Continue reading Virtue – Key to Sustainability

The “NET” obstacle

Net-Zero, Net-Positive, Net impact, Net……. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) recently faced internal controversy after announcing plans to include environmental attribute certificates (EACs) like emissions reduction credits in their updated corporate net-zero standards. Concerned staff publicly opposed the move, with some even calling for the CEO and board to resign. Subsequently, the SBTi CEO… Continue reading The “NET” obstacle

CSO’s – Don’t be beguiled by compliance

I do not think there is any disagreement that sustainability as a corporate term has gained immense traction over the past few years. For me, the indicator has been the World Economic Forum at Davos. Over the past few years, sustainability has taken center stage at this global gathering. One positive is that I see… Continue reading CSO’s – Don’t be beguiled by compliance

Who needs to read sustainability disclosures?

The question is who, according to you, should be reading your sustainability disclosures rather than who is reading them.  Is your sustainability communication reaching the right audience? I once asked a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), the question – ‘who needs to read the sustainability disclosures’ that he and his team were so fastidiously compiling. He… Continue reading Who needs to read sustainability disclosures?

There is a problem in approaching sustainability as an opportunity

Sustainability is about being on the right side of history rather than being approached as an opportunity. To get eyeballs to sustainability, sometime back, sustainability as opportunity line of communication started. Over the years, it has gained wide popularity as a financial and economic intervention rather than a responsibility purview. Take the term ‘sustainability management’;… Continue reading There is a problem in approaching sustainability as an opportunity