Value meets Sustainability !

Mrs. Meera Sanyal captured the essence of the conclave best when she said, "Sustainability is sustainable if we direct our efforts at reducing Man-Nature conflict." Indeed, that is the big question today- How do we improve human development indicators without destroying nature? The leaders at the conclave sought to answer some of these questions of ours as they shared their views in a panel discussion moderated by Prof. Rajeev Gowda from IIM Bangalore.

                             

Mrs. Meera Sanyal shared some heart touching experiences from remote parts of India like the Chilka Lake(Orissa) and the Sunderbans (West Bengal) while talking of the projects she has been involved with. She talked of the change in the existing paradigm of business in these areas effected through eco-tourism that intends to 'turn the Poachers into Protectors' of the rich bio-diversity in these areas.

Mr. Rohan Parikh talked of the efforts being taken at Infosys to improve sustainability and reduce carbon footprint. Infosys gives the ecological footprint of every employee in their monthly payslips in order to increase awareness at an employee level as well. His mention of the savings in expenses at Infosys  through sustainable practices was cheered with a huge applause.

Mr. Chetan Maini re-emphasized the role to be played by technology in adding value to sustainability when he mentioned about Reva travelling across the country by using a minimal 350kW of energy worth a mere Rs. 1000. Mr. Ravi Singh brought to fore the efforts being taken by WWF-India to optimize sustainability index and living planet index in various corporate settings.

The moon-lit Open Air Theatre, the pleasant breeze, the green grass to sit on and nariyal paani  being served to the dignitaries made for a perfect ambience to the occasion. There was an active interaction between the panel and the audience. The event was just opportune for the launch of IIM Bangalore's first-ever sustainability report. Truly, Sustainability Conclave 2010 was an eye-opener in every sense of the word !!