The world is increasingly facing serious and frequent threats such as global warming, loss of biodiversity, and desertification. This year, multiple extreme heat records were set across the globe, highlighting the scale and urgency of the climate challenge. In such a scenario, the need for actionable, transformative change has never been more pressing.
Given this context, the Tata Sustainability Conclave 2024 brought together over 350 sustainability professionals to discuss and deliberate on critical topics such as nature and biodiversity, water stewardship, the challenges of achieving net zero, and the non-negotiable issue of just transition on our journey to net zero. These conversations sparked thought-provoking ideas and suggestions to tackle some of the critical issues facing humanity.
The Conclave was hosted by the Tata Sustainability Group on December 12 at the Taj Lands End, Mumbai. The event brought together industry leaders, sustainability experts, from within and outside the Tata Group to deliberate on these crucial imperatives.
Nature-based Solutions: A Promised Pill for Many Ailments
Discussing nature-based solutions for Tata companies at the Tata Sustainability Conclave 2024, L- R: Mangesh Sathe from TSMG, P.A Mandanna from Tata Coffee, SJR Kutty from Tata Motors, and Dr. Ritesh Kumar from Wetlands International
The first session, moderated by Mr. Mangesh Sathe, CEO of Tata Strategic Management Group (TSMG), explored the role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in addressing the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. The panellists of the session were Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Director & Head of Wetlands International, South Asia; Mr. P.A Mandanna, MD of Tata Coffee; and Mr. SJR Kutty, VP & Chief Sustainability Officer at Tata Motors Limited.
The discussions highlighted advancements in NbS, business perspectives on NbS, opportunities for collaboration and synergy among group companies, strategies for selecting and designing NbS projects, and the major challenges companies face in this field, including impact measurement and overcoming these challenges. The discussion emphasized need for patience when working with nature to achieve results and outcomes, applying a science-based approach in selecting and designing NbS projects and aligning them with broader organizational strategic goals to achieve greater planetary and societal benefits.
Water: A Charged Approach to Positivity
L-R: Sunil D'Souza from Tata Consumer Products, Vinayak Pai from Tata Projects, Puneet Chhatwal from The Indian Hotels Company Limited, Amit Sharma from Tata Consulting Engineers and Greg Koch from ERM
The second session, moderated by Mr. Sunil D’Souza, MD & CEO Tata Consumer Products, explored the theme of water stewardship and brought out perspectives from various Tata companies represented on the panel. Speakers in this session included Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, MD & CEO, The Indian Hotels Company Limited, Mr. Vinayak Pai, MD & CEO, Tata Projects, Mr. Amit Sharma, MD & CEO, Tata Consulting Engineers, and Mr. Greg Koch, Technical Director, ERM.
The session explored sectoral nuances around freshwater dependency, risks and opportunities across various industries. The panellists shared insights on how their organizations are approaching the Aalingana goal on freshwater replenishment and highlighted key initiatives in this direction. The discussion underlined the need for companies to adopt a systemic approach that addresses long-term water security for the business while creating positive value for ecosystems and communities, rather than looking at ‘water positivity’ from merely an accounting perspective.
Keynote Speaker – Dr. Ajay Mathur
Dr. Ajay Mathur serves as the Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), a unique multilateral organization established to accelerate global solar growth. Before joining ISA, Dr. Mathur was the Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and a member of the Prime Minister of India’s Council on Climate Change.
Dr. Mathur outlined the 2030 vision to triple renewable energy, double efficiency, and boost recycling. He highlighted the past decade's progress in decarbonization, driven by solar and wind growth, and stressed that strategic investments in green technologies, like green steel, could transform India's steel and auto industries.
Dr. Ajay Mathur delivering the keynote speech at the Tata Sustainability Conclave 2024
Scoping out the Net Zero Transition
The session, moderated by Mr. T V Narendran of Tata Steel, delved into the multifaceted challenges of achieving net zero emissions and the strategies companies are employing on this journey. The panel featured distinguished industry leaders: Mr. Girish Wagh from Tata Motors, Shibashish Roy from Infiniti Retail, Mr. P Venkatesalu from Trent and Dr. Dhruba Purkayastha from CEEW. The discussion centered on addressing double accounting for emissions within the value chain, exploring diverse energy transition options, and highlighting innovative emission reduction initiatives by companies. Panelists emphasized the pivotal role of government in facilitating this transition and supporting net zero ambitions. Additionally, the session explored the benefits of sustainable design interventions for product longevity and the necessity of establishing robust mechanisms to trace scope three emissions, particularly for SMEs. The session was rich in practical strategies and highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts to achieve the Aalingana goals.
The discussion on ‘Scoping out Net Zero’ featured, L to R: T.V. Narendran from Tata Steel, Girish Wagh from Tata Motors, Shibashish Roy from Infiniti Retail, P. Venkatesalu from Trent Limited, and Dr. Dhruba Purkayastha from CEEW
Navigating a ‘Just Transition to Net-Zero’
The session on ‘Navigating a Just Transition to Net Zero’ included presentations by, L to R: Rajiv Mangal from Tata Steel, Professor P.D. Jose from IIM Bangalore, and was moderated by Himal Tewari from Tata Power.
The session, chaired by Mr. Himal Tewari, Chief Human Resource Officer at Tata Power, seamlessly integrated two diverse presentations, enhancing the discussion and ensuring a smooth and engaging experience. The first presentation by Prof. P D Jose from IIM Bangalore was incredibly engaging and thought-provoking. He addressed critical questions that are essential for navigating a just transition, which were very well received by the Tata leaders in attendance, and his unique approach to key issues sparked meaningful discussions. The final question of his presentation, “What would JRD Tata's vision for a just transition look like in today's context?” left a lasting impact, triggering deep reflection.
Mr. Rajiv Mangal, Vice President of Safety, Health & Sustainability at Tata Steel, provided insights into the journey of Tata Steel in the UK, Netherlands, and India. His talk extended beyond the supply chain workforce to include an understanding of the community aspects of just transition. This presentation was a testament to the legacy of the Tata Group and Tata Steel, highlighting their commitment to doing things simply because they are 'the right thing to do.'
Leaders Speak: Driving Excellence in Volunteering
The session on ‘Leaders Speak: Driving Excellence in Volunteering’ featured, L to R: R. Mukundan from Tata Chemicals, C. K. Venkataraman from Titan Company, Girish Wagh from Tata Motors, K. R. S. Jamwal from Tata Industries
The Tata Group Volunteering Conference (VolCon) 2024, hosted by Tata Sustainability Group brought together Tata leaders, volunteering SPOCs and champions, to celebrate the Tata Group legacy of giving back through volunteering. The evening was also a celebration of the Tata group’s historic milestone in volunteering, where 56 Tata group companies collectively reported 8.02 million volunteering hours and 7.97 Per Capita Volunteering Hours in FY 2024. Consequently, the Tata group successfully surpassed the TGSC volunteering aspiration of achieving 4 Per Capita Volunteering Hours, a year in advance of its target of 2025.
Mr. R. Mukundan, MD & CEO, Tata Chemicals chaired a panel discussion on ‘Driving excellence in volunteering’ where he and three leaders Mr. CK Venkatraman, MD, Titan Company, Mr. Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors and Mr. KRS Jamwal, Executive Director, Tata Industries shared their leadership perspectives on the subject and also outlined focus areas for the future.
The ‘Tata Engage Award’ ceremony witnessed the felicitation of 11 group companies, four colleagues for their tireless efforts to evangelise volunteering and 13 colleagues for their exemplary volunteering efforts and unmatched commitment to social causes. The awards were handed over by Mr. Saurabh Agrawal, Executive Director and Group Chief Financial Officer, Tata Sons, Mr. KRS Jamwal, Executive Director, Tata Industries, Ms. Nupur Mallick, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Tata Sons and Chacko Thomas, Group Chief Sustainability Officer, Tata Sons.
To know more, visit
tataengage.com
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