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

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

COP28 Declaration and Painkillers

On the second day at Davos, I had a splitting headache while attending the World Economic Forum meetings. My colleague (friend) offered me Ibuprofen tablets. Within 20 minutes, I was relieved and speaking in a panel and discussing the COP 28 declaration and the road map to a sustainable future. After the panel discussion, out… Continue reading COP28 Declaration and Painkillers

The Onerous BRSR Core – Value Chain Reporting

The Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) reporting requirements were published by SEBI in May 2021 applicable to the top 1000 companies.  Since the notification was already one month into the financial year 2021-22, the filing of BRSR was made voluntary for that year and mandatory for financial year 2022-23. But when the amendments to… Continue reading The Onerous BRSR Core – Value Chain Reporting

Who is your CSO?

A popular aphorism goes like this: “Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are”. Working on the same principle, if one knows the profile and background of the person leading ESG/Sustainability in a company, one can understand much about the organization’s focus. It is also crucial to understand, at what hierarchical… Continue reading Who is your CSO?

Five pointers to avoid Greenwashing

The commitments made by companies around sustainability are not campaign promises politicians make, there is a much higher degree of accountability. Having said that, there is huge amount of discussion on greenwashing in recent times.  Greenwashing – the actions of an organization deviating from what it is stating on environmental consciousness.  Greenwashing can be easily… Continue reading Five pointers to avoid Greenwashing

Private Multilateralism

It was in 1911, The Devil’s Dictionary was published. The idea of a corporation or a company that is encapsulated in that dictionary has been around for over a century. But if Bierce was around and had to define the company again, there would likely be a shift. Indeed, the profits do remain, but there… Continue reading Private Multilateralism

Carbon Offset – Important Ingredient to a Net-Zero strategy

No company can reach a Net-Zero commitment without Carbon Offset. Zero is the hero when it comes to carbon offset. Every business will have to pay for the right to release GHG emissions in the coming future. If, as an organization, you are not working on your offset strategy, you will enter the game with a handicap, and there are no special privileges that you will get for the same.
This article is a guidance on how to evolve the organisations carbon offset strategy.