Tag: 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

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

Sustainable Future @ the Speed of Trust

As the world leaders converge to Davos for the World Economic Forum annual event, the underlying theme that will cut across the discussions will be “Rebuilding Trust.” This builds from the most ubiquitous buzzword from last year’s WEF gathering – “poly-crisis”. The term polycrisis is defined as a cluster of related risks with compounding impacts… Continue reading Sustainable Future @ the Speed of Trust

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?

The nexus of food security, water and climate change

One of the most repeated sentences throughout the UN Water Conference was, “Around 70% of the freshwater goes into agriculture”. But coming from a monsoon-heavy place like Kerala in India, I sense a half-truth in this statement. Hearing that most freshwater is used for agriculture, the picture before your eyes will be canals and pumps… Continue reading The nexus of food security, water and climate change

Value Paradox of Water

Last weekend, during my morning walk alongside the backwaters of Kerala, I took this picture. What struck me was the number of life forms that are dependent on water for their survival. The thought extended to my next week travel to the UN Water Conference in New York. The Mar del Plata United Nations Conference… Continue reading Value Paradox of Water