The world today is in a state of continuous change. It is vital to develop positive change for the people and planet and change the ‘purpose of doing business’ and make profits with a greater social and environmental responsibility than ever before.

Year 2023 is a pivotal year to drive sustainability through critical conversations and collective actions. As India holds the Presidency of the G20 Summit, there is a tremendous opportunity for stakeholders across the globe to play a role in securing better future by addressing the SDGs, navigating Net Zero emissions, mainstreaming ESGs and integrating sustainability into the value chain. Individuals, businesses, and governments are now recognising the
importance of deeper collaboration through cross-sectoral partnership and robust action in attaining a sustainable future.

CII is appointed as B20 India Secretariat by the Government of India to lead the business engagement. The 18 th Sustainability Summit, which is a flagship event of CII is organised as a B20 official event.

The Sustainability Summit will bring to fore ideas and thought leadership on synergistic action to navigate the transition towards sustainable development. It will build discussion on solutions and innovations to enable actions and reinforcing global commitments for a cleaner, greener, and inclusive future.

Tracks & Sub Themes

Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency

Partnerships to Action the G20 Agenda on RE and CE

Addressing the Plastics Crisis: Collaborative Action by Business and Government

Climate Action

Fast-Tracking Industry Towards an Economically Viable and Just Net-Zero Future

Scaling Climate Finance for Emerging Markets

Ensuring Renewable Energy Transition

Resilience through Nature Conservation

Emerging Technologies for Sustainability

Role of Biotechnology in India's Low Carbon Growth

Sustainable Living

Promoting a Sustainable Lifestyle

Food and Nutrition Security

India as the Global Innovation Hub for Clean Air Solutions

Water Secure Future: Building Pathways from Risk to Resilience

Active & Green Mobility for All

ESG & Value Chain

ESG Integration in Governance

Evolving Global Regulatory Landscape on Sustainability: Impact on Global Value Chains

Changemakers In Sustainability

Women-led Development

Corporates leading Sustainability

Inclusive Action

CSR: Holistic approach to balanced development

Human Rights & Global Regulations

Speaker Quotes

17th Sustainability Summit

Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey

Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change & Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India

“With industry support, by 2030, – India can achieve 500GW renewable energy capacity and domestically manufacture 5MT of green hydrogen”

H. E. Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri

Minister of Climate Change and Environment, UAE

“This Summit has the testaments to the interests of Indian industrial companies in adopting sustainable practices. And we are keen to exchange knowledge and experience with you in this domain so that together, we can fast track our respective journeys towards climate neutrality”

Shri Sudhanshu Pandey

Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India

“Climate change is no longer an academic issue, and all stakeholders need to work together to deal with an issue that threatens the existence of the planet”

H.E. Cecilia Ekholm

Ambassador for Sustainable Businesses, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden

“Business & Human Rights are integral to each other for us. Swedish companies & partners identify & manage risks to ensure application of UNGPs. In 2016, we were the first country to provide support to other countries on this. For 20 years, we have had an Ambassador for Sustainability in Sweden. We were the 6th country to adopt the UNGP framework”

H. E. Freddy Svane

Ambassador, Royal Danish Embassy

“Denmark is a small country with less global impact, but we are joining the dots. Our green strategic partnership with India combines the scale of India and capability to scale solutions with skills of Denmark to reach the last mile”

H.E. Ritva Koukku-Ronde

Ambassador, Embassy of Finland

“Finnish companies have worked hard over the decades to become sustainable. Finland will reach carbon neutrality by 2035. We are happy to collaborate with India to create a larger impact, and create a cleaner future with India”

Shri Dinesh Dayanand Jagdale

Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India

“Green hydrogen will play an important role to enable us to hasten decarbonization. The Green Hydrogen Mission that the Honourable PM has announced has a larger say in India’s renewable energy growth story”

Sustainability Summit Agenda

Time(IST) Session Venue

Technologies play a vital role in mitigating many sustainability challenges that society is facing today. New and emerging technologies can provide relevant contributions to reduce environmental issues, improve social conditions and fostering economic growth. It is a key to addressing environmental degradation, climate change, food scarcity, air pollution, waste management, and other pressing global challenges. Businesses today have taken into consideration their processes and relooked at the changes to be made in order to infuse sustainable practice.  This creates a huge demand for renewable energy, battery technology, green hydrogen, and carbon capture, among other areas. 

As technological innovation and sustainability are becoming more and more interconnected, investment in such technologies is essential to unlock different opportunities for the industries. Collective efforts from the government, industry, institutions, and individuals will help to create and implement next-gen technologies for building a sustainable and resilient ecosystem. The session will deliberate on innovative and emerging technologies as well as  how to accelerate and expand the uptake of such technologies that can drive sustainable growth.

It has been firmly established that the historical, fossil fuel-based models of carbon, energy and material cycling through the economy are incompatible with maintaining a hospitable environment. All scientific evidence shows us that we need all solutions on the table. Multiple approaches are required at almost every level of the economy. Biotechnology has the potential to be a transformative asset in this struggle. In the context of climate change, be it sustainable production, developing low carbon products, or enhancing carbon sequestration, solutions through biotechnology already exist and are making an impact across the globe. 

 

Biofuels is an important pillar in India’s clean energy transition which showcases the potential of biotechnology benefiting the entire value chain. India’s biobased economy has the potential to reach $300 bn by year 2030. Decarbonisation of industry through resource-efficient, sustainable, and more circular bio-based technologies, will play a major role in achieving this milestone. This session will bring together thought leaders who will deliberate on the urgent actions required to enable wider adoption of biotechnology, how India can become a biomanufacturing hub, build a robust bioeconomy and advance India’s Mission LiFE.  

The growing climate crisis requires major economies of the world to intensify their shift to renewable energy. Energy policies across nations are allocating larger shares for renewable energy to achieve the target of net zero. In India, renewable energy is growing at a faster rate than any other major nation as we have achieved the target of 40% contributions from non-fossil fuels in the installed electricity capacity 9 years before the target date. The renewable energy capacity has risen to about 170 gigawatts from 70 gigawatts, in which solar power increased by 20 times1. 

To strengthen its energy transition, the Indian Government has implemented several policies and schemes to encourage manufacturing and research in renewable energy. In guiding clean and renewable energy transitions by boosting energy security, affordability is of fundamental importance and a critical task for G20 countries. The 2023-24 Union Budget identified renewable energy and green energy as  the key priorities where INR 35,000 crore is allocated in funding energy security, renewable energy transition and net-zero objectives. As renewable energy presents a strong case for enhancing energy security, it is a huge opportunity for India to become a global leader. The session will focus on recognizing barriers and implementing actions and solutions to promote renewable energy in the country. The session will further highlight on the need of innovative partnerships with organisations and countries to transform our energy systems speed up the shift to renewable energy.

Sustainability has become increasingly critical for organisations to remain relevant and competitive in today’s world. It entails companies to rethink and make their activities less impactful on the surrounding environment. Introducing new and innovative ways with respect to sustainable practices in their businesses help corporates to operate on a long-term basis ensuring responsible growth. Besides helping the planet, corporates are trying to understand and embrace the challenges faced by communities and making it a part of their sustainability strategy. Such corporates define clear aspirations and goals for sustainability leading to stronger business performance. They actively engage with the wider business ecosystem for sustainable outcomes. 

The session will focus on how these changemakers are taking responsibility for their footprint in the world and making a difference by using inspirational models to overcome environmental and social challenges. It will highlight on their journey of innovation and sustainable growth and the positive impact on society. 

There have been significant impacts on food systems, over decades, due to changing climate, growing global population, rising food prices, and environmental stressors. This threatens food and nutritional security of billions of people in the world. Agriculture is experiencing the severity of climate crisis, and malnutrition is an emerging challenge in the context of rising uncertainty of food supplies. The 11 th Global Food Security Index (GFSI) shows a deterioration in the global food environment for the third year, threatening food security. 1 Hence, it is important to create strategic and scientific solutions by diversifying crop production and include more coarse cereals like millets among the farming and food options. Millets can build food supply, reduce GHG emissions, and enhance climate resilience without compromising on nutritive value. Millets not only has enormous potential for yielding higher economic returns in harsh conditions but also has the ability to eliminate micronutrient deficiency in developing countries and is a source of affordable staple food.

India’s strength is in building policies to ensure that its population has access to food, and that nutritional standards of food are high. Agriculture contributes about 18.8% to India’s gross value added (GVA) and is the largest employer of the workforce (2021-22) 2 . The country ranks 68 th out of 113 countries in the 2022 edition of the GFSI with prevalence of undernutrition of 16.3%. 3 With 2023 being designated as the ‘International Year of Millets’ by the FAO (via India’s intervention), there is a unique opportunity to increase production, ensure efficient processing and consumption, promote better utilization of crops, and boost productivity of millets in the country. Increasing the production of millets will ensure food and nutritional security. The session will thereby focus on the importance of improving food and nutritional security in India. It will further highlight the potential role of millets in promoting dietary diversification and ensure food and nutritional security in the country.

Time(IST) Session Track

Women are one of the vital pillars of society and are committed to advancing the ideas of sustainability. Across sectors, women’s expertise has transformed lives and livelihoods, and increased resilience and overall well-being of the environment. Voice of women is critical in the fight against global challenges and in driving bold actions on behalf of the people and planet. Thus, to achieve sustainable economic growth, social development and environmental sustainability, role of women is crucial.

The G20 EMPOWER 2023 under India & presidency is prioritizing the shift from women & development to women-led development. Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi & vision of & Women-Led Development & is to create a world of equality and equity, where every woman lives with dignity and gets the opportunity to thrive, transcend and transform their lives and those of others 1 . The session will bring together women changemakers and highlight on how women-led development and entrepreneurship will lead the pathway towards a sustainable future.

Water is a necessity of life, and a well-managed water cycle is critical to human society and integrity of the natural environment. India is one of the most water stressed countries in the world. Per capita annual freshwater availability (1,427 m3) is lower than the Falkenmark threshold for water stress and 66 percent of water resources are abstracted 2 . In India total water demand is projected to exceed renewable supply in almost every state by 2030.

Growing water stress will significantly impact all sectors including agriculture, industry, infrastructure, construction, and development and will lead to significant economic losses. Better water management practices and governance can improve availability and quality of water for households, agriculture, and industries. Access to data on water availability, rainfall patterns, and soil moisture can help farmers make better decisions about crop planning, irrigation, and fertilization. Industries can optimize their water use, reduce water waste, improve productivity, reduce costs, and increase competitiveness when they have access to information on better water management practices. The session will focus on the best practices on water management and conservation taken by businesses and governments and the role of collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector in achieving a water- secure future.

Over the past year, the global economy has weathered several adverse circumstances that led to a series of supply shocks. Pandemic related disruptions continued in several parts of the world, combined with increased uncertainty due to geopolitical developments, such as the Russia-Ukraine war. The world economy, which was on a path of recovery, is now faced with significant risks with respect to overall economic prospects, with volatile commodity and energy prices leading to inflationary pressures and further supply chain disruptions slowing down economic activity. 

While supply chains are precariously balanced, it is clear that collaborations are important to weather these changes. This is even more important for the G20 countries, as they are at the forefront of dealing with a number of global challenges, one of which is the climate change crisis. Circular economy and resource efficiency is an important pathway to solve this crisis. This panel will discuss how India’s recommendations to the G20 on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency can be met via partnerships. 

Many businesses engage in multinational dealings resulting in a global value chain with SMEs as crucial suppliers. However, businesses are facing increasing pressure from stakeholders such as consumers, regulators, and investors to ramp up their sustainability efforts, leading to a rise in voluntary ESG disclosure frameworks and mandatory regulations like EU-CSRD and Germany’s Value chain Due Diligence Act. Domestically, the top 1,000 listed companies are required to furnish a Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report as part of their annual report by SEBI. Many of these disclosures require businesses to disclose information on their operations including value chains. Addressing their value-chain emissions can significantly improve a business & ESG performance and help in achieving a net-zero value chain with minimal costs.
During this session, the evolving global regulatory landscape of sustainability reporting will be discussed in detail and the way forward examined. The discourse shall also consider impacts of these considerations on businesses and their value chains and steps taken by them to prepare themselves for the same. The session would provide the SMEs an opportunity to share the benefits and challenges encountered while implementing sustainability in their businesses and value chains.

Plastic packaging is essential part of many goods and services. Its unabated use has led to its prevalence in the natural environment; its impact on climate change is also unquestionable. Over the years the government has put a number of regulations in place to curb plastic pollution and create a circular plastics economy, the latest in the form of the Extended Producer Responsibility for plastic packaging.  

However, for a systemic shift and to implement holistic solutions, action is needed by all stakeholders, locally, nationally, and internationally. Voluntary business commitments such as the India Plastics Pact, launched in 2021, which unite stakeholders from across the plastics value chain to four ambitious time-bound targets can go a long way in supporting legislation. Action is needed at all parts of the value chain, from how plastics are designed, used, and disposed. Internationally, UN Member States have endorsed a resolution to forge an internationally binding treaty to end plastics pollution. Together, these initiatives are working towards a common goal, i.e., help to create a circular economy for plastics. This panel will discuss how stakeholders at different levels (national and international) across the value chain can work collaboratively to address the plastics crisis. 

The planet’s resources are being consumed at an unsustainable rate leading to climate impacts, water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, poor air quality, poverty, health issues and many more. Promoting sustainable lifestyle through sustainable consumption and production are important aspects in achieving sustainable development. As societies are becoming aware of the impacts of human activities on environment, businesses are committing to sustainability in their operations and products. 

Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India envisions a global mass movement that will nudge individual and collective action to protect and preserve the environment. As consumers are key to driving responsible consumption through sustainable lifestyle choices, businesses are inspired to create sustainable products and services that minimise impact on the environment. This session will explore how sustainable consumption and production patterns can create opportunities that lead to propagating Lifestyle for Environment. It will highlight on the systems transformation needed to promote and accelerate sustainable lifestyle at scale

The transition to a just and sustainable future requires increased climate finance, particularly in developing economies and the Global South. While there is growing interest in sustainable finance from institutional investors, challenges still exist in accessing capital. Innovative financial instruments and risk-sharing mechanisms can incentivize private investment, and governments and multilateral development banks can provide technical assistance. Standardized frameworks for reporting on the impact of investments will also help increase transparency.
The session aims to explore solutions to overcome barriers to accessing sustainable finance, ensuring that financing a just transition remains a key priority, with a focus on social and climate justice. The session will also offer an opportunity to delve into the present status of climate finance flows to emerging markets and the Global South, along with the challenges related to accessing capital that pose hindrances to the advancement of sustainable development. Moreover, the aim is to scrutinize the escalating funding being provided to the Global South and how it can be utilized to support critical initiatives such as climate adaptation and access to low-carbon-technology.

Key Speakers

For 18th Sustainability Summit

Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey

Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change & Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India

Shri Sudhanshu Pandey

Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

Mr Sanjiv Puri

Vice President, Confederation of Indian Industry, and Chairman, Advisory Council, CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development and Chairman & Managing Director, ITC Limited

H.E. Cecilia Ekholm

Ambassador for Sustainable Business, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden

Mr Jamshyd Godrej

Past President, CII and Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd

Mr Amarjeet Singh

Executive Director, SEBI

Ms Shoko Noda

UN Resident Representative, UNDP

Ms Rekha M. Menon

Chairperson and Senior Managing Director, Accenture India

Mr Vipin Sondhi

Chairman, CII National Committee on Future Mobility and Battery Storage

Mr Nitin Prasad

Chairman, CII-Cleaner Air Better Life Initiative, Chairman, Shell India

Mr Tejpreet Chopra

Co-Chair, CII-Cleaner Air Better Life Initiative & CEO, BLP Group

Mr Kavinder Singh

Chairman, CII-India Business & Biodiversity Initiative & MD & CEO, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited

Prof. Stuart L. Hart

President, Enterprise for Sustainable World

Mr Sanjiv Paul

VP-Sustainability, Health & Safety, Tata Steel

Mr Koushik Chatterjee

Executive Director & Chief Financial Officer, Member of the Board, Tata Steel Limited

Mr Srivatsan Iyer

Global CEO, HFE

Mr Daniel Schmid

Chief Sustainability Officer, SAP SE

Mr Thomas Steenbech Bomhoff

Regional President APAC-MEA & Vice President, Consumer Biosolutions APAC-MEA, Novozymes

Ms Priya Subbaraman

Chief Regulatory Officer, National Stock Exchange of India Limited

Dr Michael Bucki

Counsellor & Head of Section, European Union Delegation to India

Mr George Rajkumar

Country President, Grundfos India

Ms Rumjhum Chatterjee

Co-founder and Managing Trustee of The Infravision Foundation and Chairperson, Feedback Foundation Charitable Trust

Ms Nyrika Holkar

Executive Director, Godrej & Boyce

Ms Susanne Pulverer

CEO & CSO (Chief Sustainability Officer), IKEA India

Mr Nilesh Shah

Group President & Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company

Mr Kamran M. Khan

Managing Director, Head of ESG, Asia Pacific, Deutsche Bank

Mr Sundeep Singh

Managing Director, Accenture

Dr Lovneesh Chanana

Vice President (Government Affairs), Asia Pacific and Japan, SAP

Mr Dibirath Sen

Managing Director & Head of Global Banking, North India, India Lead, Sustainable Finance, HSBC India

Ms Susanna Hasenoehrl

Senior Vice President and Head of Sustainability SAP Asia Pacific and Japan

Mr Krishna Mohan Puvvada

Regional President, India, Novozymes

Mr P.S. Narayan

Global Head - Sustainability and Social Initiatives, Wipro Ltd

Ms Juhi Gupta

Head Sustainability, PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd.

Dr. Rohini Srivathsa

National Technology Officer, Microsoft India

Ms Camilla Roman

Policy specialist, Green Jobs & Just Transition to Sustainability ILO

Prof Surya Deva

Professor and Director, Centre for Environmental Law Macquarie University, Australia

Partnership Matrix

Benefits Platinum
15 Lacs
Diamond
12 Lacs
Gold
10 Lacs
Silver
7 Lacs
Bronze
4 Lacs
Exclusive session*
Co-create a session
Avail speaker slot
Branding
Exclusive Branding
Social media promotion
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Screening of partner video
Complimentary passes to the Summit
Access to the Outcome Report and recordings after conclusion of the Summit

* Limited sessions available

** Summit details & website link will be available at B20 website

Benefits 10 Lacs 8 Lacs 6 Lacs 3 Lacs & below
Exclusive session*
Co-create a session
Avail speaker slot
Branding
Exclusive Branding
Social media promotion
Advertisement
Screening of partner video
Complimentary passes to the Summit
Access to the Outcome Report and recordings after conclusion of the Summit

BECOME A PARTNER

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Partners

Participation

Why Attend?

Be a part of an official B20 event

Get insights from national & international speakers on latest developments in the field of sustainability through - plenaries, panel discussions, CEOs session and in-conversation with

Connect with the best industry leaders and think tanks

Participate in solutions-based deliberations and enhance learning experience

Exchange ideas and establish partnerships with various stakeholders

Who can attend?

Business
Academia
Not-for-profits
Consulting firms
Central/state governments
Bi-lateral and multilateral agencies

Registration fees

*Fee amount for single participant (in INR)

CII Members

3500

Others

5000

NGOs/ Educational Institutions

2500

Bi-lateral & Multi-lateral organisations

2500

Participants of CESD's Trainings in 2022

2500

Members of B20 Task Force on ECRE B20 Action Council on ESG in Business

2500

Fee Amount for foreign delegates (in USD)

60

Fee amount for single participant (INR)
Applicable taxes extra

Discounts:

  • 30% Early bird discount (valid on all categories till 30 June 2023)
  • 25% Group discount (group of 3 and above) on select categories (not valid on early-bird discount)

Mode of payment

Details for NEFT / RTGS

Name

Confederation of Indian Industry

Account number

52205035775

Bank name

Standard Chartered Bank

Address

23, Barakhamba Road, Narain Manzil, New Delhi - 110001

IFSC code

SCBL0036020

MICR

110036002

Details for Cheque payment

Please draw cheque / demand draft in favour of “Confederation of Indian Industry" payable at New Delhi. Please send the cheque to:

Pawan Kumar
CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development
3rd Floor, Andhra Association
24-25, Lodhi Institutional Area, New Delhi – 110003
Tel: +91 11- 4002 8861 (D)

Please note:

  • Full payment is to be made during the process of registration
  • Fee once paid is transferable but not refundable
  • Registration will only be considered complete on realisation of fee

Register Now and join More than 8,300 of your peers who have participated in the previous editions of the Sustainability Summit

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Speaker Quotes

Contribution of agriculture to Indian economy is important. The present agricultural policies are striving to increase farmer incomes & reduce the impact of climate change

Shri Narendra Singh Tomar

Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India

The one-of-its-kind Green Strategic Partnership b/w India & Denmark will bring green growth and ensure job creation. Denmark is committed to work with India to make future green and resilient

Ms. Lea Wermelin

Minister of Environment, Government of Denmark

Building Resilience through Technology is important, but each technology should pass at least one ethical collective test, that addresses environmental and sustainability issues

Shri Suresh Prabhu

Six Times Member of Parliament

As we reset the economy to bring back jobs and growth post Covid, we need to put the economy on a sustainable & circular growth path

H.E. Mr Ugo Astuto

Ambassador, European Union to India

Collaborative efforts by both public and private sectors are required for achieving ambitious NDCs by nations. 4000 businesses have already committed to race to zero, making up for about 70% of the world

Mr. Nigel Topping

High Level Champion for Climate Action, COP26

Plastics problem is a global one & we have to deal with it together. Through joint efforts by CII, WWF India, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), UK Research and Innovation, and members of the India Plastics Pact, this first of its kind initiative in Asia will complement India’s other bold initiatives in the renewables sector and efforts to limit single-use plastics

H.E. Mr. Alexander Ellis

High Commissioner to India, British High Commission

Outcome Report of 17th Sustainability Summit

Past Summit Videos

17th Sustainability Summit

16th Sustainability Summit

15th Sustainability Summit

14th Sustainability Summit

13th Sustainability Summit

Media

What's Happening on Twitter

Get in Touch

Contact Person

Banajyotsna Baruah

banajyotsna.baruah@cii.in

9818976497

Sonia Dhamija

sonia.dhamija@cii.in

9311222665

Reach Us Here

sustainability.summit@cii.in

www.sustainabledevelopment.in

+91 11 4002 8854 / 8876

CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development 3rd Floor, Andhra Association, 24/25 Institutional Area Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003

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