Kolkata, Dec 12 (PTI) The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Friday urged companies to scale up environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices to close the gap between existing climate commitments
and emission cuts required by 2035, the organisation said in a statement.
Although most global emissions now fall under updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the collective ambition remains inadequate to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius, co-chairman of CII Eastern Region ESG Subcommittee and partner – KPMG (Lead – Climate Change), Apurba Mitra, said.
She said current pledges fall well short of the mitigation needed by 2035, stressing the need for rapid innovation, deeper ESG integration and converting compliance into value-creating opportunities.
Two whitepapers — Comparative Analysis of Indian and Global ESG Rating Mechanisms and ESG Compliance Framework: Regulatory, Stakeholder and Market Evolution in India — were released at the event, the statement added.
Arijit Basu, Managing Director, Veedol Corporation Limited, said ESG must be treated as a core organisational asset as climate change continues to reshape industrial realities.
"ESG delivers value when designed to solve real challenges. Industries that fail to embed it in core operations risk long-term viability and workforce security," Basu said.
Biswanath Chattopadhyay, CEO of IVL Dhunseri Petrochem Industries, stressed on translating sustainability into daily practice, citing product redesign and responsible consumption as critical in high-use categories like plastics.
"Even if consumption volumes don't drop immediately, making products more sustainable and promoting mindful use is a foundational step toward decarbonisation," he said.
CII said urgent, industry-wide ESG adoption is essential for India to stay aligned with global climate trajectories and remain competitive in a sustainability-driven economy. PTI BSM MNB
