Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, an autonomous institution under the aegis of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India has launched today a programme to create Impact Leaders in the areas of Environmental-Social-Governance (ESG).

Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India Ms Leena Nandan was the Chief Guest at the launch. Shri Sudhir Kumar, Advisor (Industries), NITI Aayog, Govt. of India; Shri Praveen Kumar, Director General and CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA); Dr. Mukun Rajan, ESG Expert; Ms Geetanjali Prasad, Partnership Specialist, Unicef; and Dr. Garima Dadhich, Head, School of Business Environment, IICA also addressed the participants at the launch.

Addressing the gathering, Ms Nandan, emphasised the need for creating a cadre of ESG Professionals in India. She said that trained manpower is need of the hour and IICA under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has taken timely initiatives to cater the needs of transformation in industries through building capacities of the corporate functionaries. She mentioned the clarion call by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to create a Cadre Pro-Planet-People. IICA’s initiatives are towards achieving these targets. She also emphasised need for mainstreaming not only climate agenda but social and gender aspects into core business philosophies and policies.

Shri Praveen Kumar, DG&CEO, IICA said that IICA has also formed a ‘National Association of Impact Leaders’ which is a membership-based association only for ESG professionals. The association will provide a platform for further professional advancement and engagement to its members. In future this association may also act as a regulatory body to strengthen the ESG Profession in India. He said that ‘Purpose before profit’ is a new vision given to the businesses. Businesses should see that their policies, practices, inputs and outputs are beneficial to all the stakeholders. The impact leaders of the IICA certified ESG professional programme will have this responsibility to balance the purpose, people, planet and profit.

Shri Sudhir Kumar, Advisor, NITI Aayog emphasised that Increasing demands from business stakeholders, international treaties, and national regulations has forced businesses to follow a way which is sustainable to both profits and planet. Circular economy is one of the important drivers for achieving these goals. NITI Aayog has taken various initiatives to bring transformation from a linear economy to circular economy.

Dr. Garima Dadhich, Head School of Business Environment, IICAsaid that to future proof business against uncertainty, ESG risk evaluation is important. Top business risks have now shifted from economic focus to environmental and societal focus. She expressed that ‘IICA Certified ESG Professional: Impact Leader Programme’ is first of its kind in India designed specifically for creating most needed ESG professionals.

Ms Geetanjali Master from Unicef said that human aspects are imbibed in the trio of Environment, Social and Governance. Unicef’s commitment to protect child rights is the key vision for sustainability.  

Dr. Mukund Rajan delivered an expert talk on ESG, he mainly emphasized on evolving mantra of ESG and embracing an ESG Agenda. 

The event was attended by 50 budding ESG Professionals who are senior corporate officials enrolled in the programme across the globe. Dr. Ravi Raj Atrey, Shri Abhinav Gupta, Shri Abhijit Chakrabarty were also present in the event. Vote of thanks was delivered by Ms Sudha Rajgopalan, Course Coordinator, IICA.

ESG professionalisation leads IICA to launch an Impact Leader programme to train certified ESG professionals and create a national association. Launch of a certified 'Impact Leader Programme' by IICA to develop ESG professionals, together with a membership-based National Association of Impact Leaders intended to support professional advancement and potentially act as a regulatory body; the initiative focuses on integrating environmental, social and governance considerations, ESG risk evaluation, circular economy transition, and mainstreaming social and gender dimensions into corporate practice.