In his valedictory address, Dr. Ajay Bhushan Prasad Pandey, Director General & CEO, IICA emphasised the growing importance of ESG integration within Indian businesses as a key driver for achieving the country\u2019s vision of\u00a0Viksit Bharat<\/em>\u00a0by 2047. He highlighted that adopting ESG principles is not just a regulatory or compliance requirement, but a strategic imperative that aligns with the nation\u2019s broader goals of economic growth, social equity, and environmental stewardship.<\/p>\n \u201cESG is the cornerstone of responsible business conduct in the 21st century, the transition towards sustainable business practices will be pivotal in addressing the challenges of climate change, resource efficiency, and social inclusiveness,\u201d Dr. Pandey said.<\/p>\n \n The two-day conference featured in-depth discussions, high-level panel sessions, and networking opportunities, focusing on various aspects of ESG such as sustainable finance, ESG assurance, ratings, and the recognition of responsible business practices. It provided a valuable platform for sharing best practices, identifying challenges, and outlining the path forward for integrating ESG into India\u2019s business ecosystem.<\/p>\n The conference kicked off with the \u2018Leadership Dialogue on Sustainable Finance,\u2019 where Prof. Gourav Vallabh, Professor of Finance, introduced a new framework called ASP \u2014 Awareness and Understanding (A), Skill Development (S), and Promoting Informed Decision Making (P). He advocated for mandatory capital allocation for sustainable projects and stressed the need for a cultural shift in financial behavior. Prof. Vallabh also called for Sustainability Monetary Measurement Guidelines to meet ESG targets and KPIs.<\/p>\n The day continued with a high-level panel discussion on “ESG Reporting: Challenges & Opportunities,” featuring government and industry leaders. Mr. Vimal Bhattar from SEBI emphasized the importance of robust reporting frameworks to enhance transparency and investor confidence. Following this, a session on “ESG Assurance: Global & Indian Insights” explored the role of assurance in building trust in ESG reporting, with Mr. Antonis Diolas of ACCA providing an international perspective on standardized reporting mechanisms. The conference concluded with a panel on “ESG Ratings & Recognitions: Indian Perspective,” where insights from SEBI, CRISIL ESG Ratings & Analytics Ltd., ICRA, IiAS, and Infosys Ltd. highlighted the growing importance of ESG ratings in assessing company sustainability.<\/p>\n Prof. Garima Dadhich, Head of the School of Business Environment at IICA, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to Hon\u2019ble Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Shri Harsh Malhotra and Hon\u2019ble Justice Dipak Misra, the lead partners UNICEF, Partners in Change, ACCA, and session partners HCL Foundation, UNGC, ICCSPL, and Bvocal for their support. The conference served as a crucial platform for advancing ESG integration into Indian business strategies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The National Conference on Responsible Business Conduct, organised by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), Ministry of Corporate Affairs, was concluded yesterday in New Delhi. The conference was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Mission LiFE, and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises with the theme …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[12504,12503,12506,12505],"class_list":["post-16839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","","category-national","tag-corporate-social-responsibility-india","tag-iica-responsible-business-conduct","tag-new-delhi-business-conference","tag-responsible-business-practices-event"],"yoast_head":"\n![](\"https:\/\/static.pib.gov.in\/WriteReadData\/userfiles\/image\/image001RLU8.jpg\")
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