Sustainable transformation is intelligent transformation: Climate Innovation Summit 2026
Two-day multi-stakeholder dialogue marks launch of ‘Business Responsibility and Sustainability in India’ report by IIM Bangalore’s Supply Chain Management Centre
28 May, 2026, Bengaluru: India’s net-zero transition is beginning to redefine the terms of industrial competitiveness, infrastructure readiness and capital investment by bringing sharper focus to questions of execution, scale and collaboration. Providing a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue on the theme ‘Accelerating India’s Pathways to Net-Zero for Viksit Bharat’, the Supply Chain Management Centre (SCMC) at IIM Bangalore, in partnership with Net Zero Think, hosted the Climate Innovation Summit 2026 on 28 and 29 May.
Conceived as a forum that convenes ideas, experiences, technologies and solutions to realize the immense potential that climate innovation brings us, the summit was inaugurated by Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIMB; Prof. Vasanthi Srinivasan, Dean, Alumni Relations & Development and faculty of the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area at IIMB; Prof. Rajeev R. Tripathi, Chairperson, Supply Chain Management Centre (SCMC) and faculty of the Production & Operations Management area at IIMB; Mr. Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE); Mr. Manu Srivastava, IAS, Joint Chief Secretary, Department of Energy, Madhya Pradesh; Mr. J Santosh Kumar, Former Rajya Sabha Member and Founder, Green India Challenge; Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Founder, Net Zero Think; and Dr. Aditya Gupta, COO, Supply Chain Management Centre, IIMB.
Launch of ‘Business Responsibility and Sustainability in India’ report
The summit also marked the launch of the Business Responsibility and Sustainability in India report developed by the Supply Chain Management Centre (SCMC) at IIM Bangalore. Introducing the report, Prof. Rajeev Tripathi reflected on a question that informed the exercise: “How do we know whether a business is responsible or not?”
He referred to the evolution of India’s ESG and responsible business framework through the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC) and SEBI’s mandated Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework for the country’s top 1000 listed companies.
The report was an attempt to derive actionable insights from this growing disclosure ecosystem, he noted, and added that the SCMC team had undertaken a detailed analysis of all 1000 BRSR filings to identify sectoral patterns, emerging practices, reporting gaps and broader sustainability trends.
The report presents a comprehensive analysis of BRSR disclosures for FY 2024–25 by offering sector-wise ESG insights while examining the opportunities and challenges shaping India’s sustainability reporting landscape.
Climate action cannot recede from global priorities
Welcoming policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and students to the summit, Prof. Rajeev R. Tripathi reflected on the shifting global climate discourse and the urgency of sustaining momentum around climate action. Referring to recent geopolitical and policy developments, including the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the declining priority accorded to climate concerns in certain global conversations by proponents of climate change themselves, he observed that such developments risk weakening collective commitment at a time when climate vulnerabilities continue to intensify globally.
He drew attention to the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, keeping climate justice at the centre of policy deliberations, and the far-reaching economic and systemic consequences of ecological disruption. “The war in West Asia is a big threat to global supply chains, yes, but climate change presents even bigger, exponential and accelerating challenges that can translate into huge financial losses”, he cautioned. Geopolitical conflicts may ultimately be addressed through diplomacy, he noted, but the monumental crisis emerging from environmental imbalance presents a far more enduring challenge, he reiterated.
Climate conversation must account for energy, biodiversity and AI
Delivering the opening remarks, Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIMB, expressed hope that the discussions emerging from the summit would inform future policy recommendations, action and change around climate transition.
On the interconnected challenges shaping global climate discourse, he drew attention to three issues that, in his view, require deeper engagement.
The first was the political nature of energy. “If you look at the last 50 years, almost 25–50% of global wars have resulted from energy”, he observed, with eminent influence to disrupt global stability and economic systems.
The second issue concerned biodiversity and ecological interdependence. Stressing that numerous species contribute fundamentally to environmental balance, he questioned the long-term implications of climate deterioration on biodiversity and the wider ecological system.
Prof. Kumar also drew attention to the energy footprint generated by artificial intelligence and digital technologies. On the rapid rise in AI adoption, he said that the environmental implications of large-scale AI usage remain poorly understood. “Every prompt costs about 0.33 KW of energy; equivalent to lighting a 9-watt bulb for about 20 minutes”, he said, while raising concerns about the high failure rates associated with AI projects and the need for greater awareness around the energy costs of technology-led consumption and experimentation.
“A history in the making”
During the launch of the ‘Business Responsibility and Sustainability in India’ report, Prof. Vasanthi Srinivasan made a case on the evolution of India’s responsible business and ESG disclosure landscape. She drew on her experience as a member of the working groups involved in drafting both the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC) in 2019 and the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework in 2020.
“I believe that what SCMC at IIMB is on to is something very important”, she remarked. Recalling the early years of the BRSR framework, she observed, “If you had asked me in 2018–19, when I was on that committee and drafting, whether in 10 years I would see a time where I would be looking at the launch of a report which actually tracks how the SEBI 1000 listed companies have actually moved on that agenda – I wouldn’t have believed it”.
Describing the report as “history in the making”, she noted that while financial disclosures took more than a century to become institutionalized, India’s ESG disclosure ecosystem had undergone significant transformation within a relatively short period of six years.
Delegates, she urged, had to take more cognizance of the NGRBC framework, which she described as central to the broader vision of Viksit Bharat. Referring to the implications of evolving global trade frameworks, she stated, “No point in the top 1,000 companies being compliant. It’s only when the remaining 30000 companies comply that we actually see policy transformation”.
Climate action is rooted in collective action
Speaking on the theme of the conference, Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Founder, Net Zero Think, underlined a need to view development and sustainability as mutually reinforcing priorities.
Addressing an audience comprising sector specialists, innovation, collaboration and collective action were discussed as propellers on India’s roadmap to a timely climate transition.
“A truly developed India must also be a climate-resilient India”, he said, adding that the transition must extend beyond targets and metrics to the people and institutions working collectively toward shared climate goals. Reflecting on the journey of Net Zero Think over the past five years, he noted that the platform had facilitated knowledge exchange, climate-focused dialogue, institutional partnerships, clean technology discussions, entrepreneurship, youth participation, and capacity-building initiatives across sectors and geographies.
“We have helped create something powerful called hope”, he said, referring to the role climate innovation can play in generating livelihoods, strengthening local resilience and enabling environmentally responsible economic growth.
Acknowledging that climate action is often perceived as complex, uncertain and resource-intensive, he concluded stating that meaningful transformation becomes possible when governments, businesses, researchers, innovators and citizens move collectively toward a shared purpose.
Energy efficiency holds the key to India’s Net-Zero ambitions – Keynote address
Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), emphasized the need for stronger convergence between policy, industry, finance, and innovation to accelerate India’s climate transition. “This forum reflects exactly what India requires at this moment,” he remarked, referring to the importance of aligning institutional and market efforts to accelerate our “native advantages”.
Describing climate change as one of the most pressing global challenges, he noted that India’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2070 and reducing energy intensity by 47% by 2035 was “not ambitious, but achievable” through the right combination of policy instruments, market mechanisms, technological transformation and innovation. “When we speak of innovation, in particular, we often forget the fundamentals – performance and collaboration”, he added.
Speaking of energy efficiency as one of the most cost-effective pathways to decarbonization, he spoke about India’s move toward an integrated Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), under which entities exceeding emissions targets would receive carbon credit certificates. He also flagged the importance of supporting MSMEs through technical assistance and financial incentives that would be aimed at accelerating the adoption of energy-efficient technologies across sectors.
In addition, he highlighted several ongoing initiatives led by the Bureau, including the Standards & Labelling (S&L) programme for energy-efficient appliances, the Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code (ECSBC), and Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms for passenger vehicles.
Concluding his address, he observed that the path to Net Zero would require substantial investment, policy reform and infrastructure development, adding that overcoming these challenges would depend on coordinated action between governments and industry, along with national and international partners.
Renewable energy no longer shouldered by the climate argument – Keynote address
Delivering the second keynote address at the summit, Mr. Manu Srivastava, IAS, Joint Chief Secretary, Department of Energy, MP, argued that renewable energy has now moved beyond the realm of climate justice into one of clear commercial viability. “There are a lot of climate skeptics out there, including some who are heading important countries”, he remarked, “but renewable energy today is commercially viable by itself. One need not depend only on the argument of climate change to push for it”.
Illustrating this shift through Madhya Pradesh’s energy procurement experience, he pointed to a widening cost differential between conventional and renewable energy. While bids for thermal power plants were received at approximately six rupees per unit with floating cost, solar energy bids, he noted, were secured at a fixed rate of around ₹2.55 per unit for 25 years. “So that’s the point of difference”, he said, emphasizing that economic competitiveness alone now provides sufficient mileage for accelerating clean energy adoption.
“Clean energy has now become an unclean word in some parts of the world”, he said, adding that change in nomenclature does little to alter the underlying economics of the sector.
He noted that in India, regulatory reforms, private-sector participation, lender confidence and project restructuring have collectively resolved many of the earlier concerns around commercial viability. The next challenge lies in ensuring reliable energy supply beyond solar hours through storage and grid-balancing solutions.
Concluding his address, he remarked that historically, what was good was considered difficult. “But we are now in a beautiful moment in history, where what is good is easy, is beneficial – what is good for your heart is good for your pocket. And this alignment would allow us to really scale up our ambitions”, he said.
The mountains beckon
At the conclusion of day one of the Climate Innovation Summit featured a special address by adventurer, author, documentary filmmaker, serial entrepreneur, and IIM Bangalore alumnus Hemant Soreng, Co-founder of Rustik Travel Ventures, a sustainable experiential travel company.
Drawing from his journeys and expeditions, including his successful ascent of Mount Everest in May 2024, Hemant shared personal reflections on resilience, uncertainty and the human relationship with nature. Tracing back to experiences and influences right from his childhood to some of the most demanding moments of his mountaineering journey, he spoke about the physical and emotional realities of navigating extreme weather, unpredictable terrain and injury sustained during the expedition.
While reflecting on the experience, he also noted that the journey had thoroughly reinforced his belief in the importance of sustainability, environmental conservation and the responsible stewardship of natural resources.
Day 1 of Climate Innovation Summit 2026
Designed as a solutions-oriented forum, the second edition of the Climate Innovation Summit featured a host of industry pioneers across four panel discussions, who offered up practical insights, trends and perspectives on climate strategy, innovation and implementation.
Across day one and two, the summit features 70+ speakers deliberating across ten high-impact thematic tracks: Power Sector Transformation; Rethinking Climate Federalism; Decarbonizing Buildings and Infrastructure; Metals and Mining Transition; Innovation in Clean Energy Technologies; Sustainable Transportation for Net Zero World; Nature-Based Solutions; Climate Finance and Carbon Markets; Storage for C&I Consumers and ESG Implementation Journey of Enterprises.
Leaders from organizations including TERI, NITI Aayog, BEE, ISRO, DRDO, Tata Steel, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Inox Clean Energy, Jindal Steel, Brigade Group, Avaada Energy, and IRENA, alongside luminaries from climate finance, industrial decarbonization, ESG, carbon markets, sustainable mobility, and green technology domains, are set to deliberate on sector-by-sector pathways for power, industry, transport and critical minerals over the course of the two-day conference.
Click here for the photo gallery – Day 1
Sustainable transformation is intelligent transformation: Climate Innovation Summit 2026
Two-day multi-stakeholder dialogue marks launch of ‘Business Responsibility and Sustainability in India’ report by IIM Bangalore’s Supply Chain Management Centre
28 May, 2026, Bengaluru: India’s net-zero transition is beginning to redefine the terms of industrial competitiveness, infrastructure readiness and capital investment by bringing sharper focus to questions of execution, scale and collaboration. Providing a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue on the theme ‘Accelerating India’s Pathways to Net-Zero for Viksit Bharat’, the Supply Chain Management Centre (SCMC) at IIM Bangalore, in partnership with Net Zero Think, hosted the Climate Innovation Summit 2026 on 28 and 29 May.
Conceived as a forum that convenes ideas, experiences, technologies and solutions to realize the immense potential that climate innovation brings us, the summit was inaugurated by Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIMB; Prof. Vasanthi Srinivasan, Dean, Alumni Relations & Development and faculty of the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area at IIMB; Prof. Rajeev R. Tripathi, Chairperson, Supply Chain Management Centre (SCMC) and faculty of the Production & Operations Management area at IIMB; Mr. Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE); Mr. Manu Srivastava, IAS, Joint Chief Secretary, Department of Energy, Madhya Pradesh; Mr. J Santosh Kumar, Former Rajya Sabha Member and Founder, Green India Challenge; Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Founder, Net Zero Think; and Dr. Aditya Gupta, COO, Supply Chain Management Centre, IIMB.
Launch of ‘Business Responsibility and Sustainability in India’ report
The summit also marked the launch of the Business Responsibility and Sustainability in India report developed by the Supply Chain Management Centre (SCMC) at IIM Bangalore. Introducing the report, Prof. Rajeev Tripathi reflected on a question that informed the exercise: “How do we know whether a business is responsible or not?”
He referred to the evolution of India’s ESG and responsible business framework through the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC) and SEBI’s mandated Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework for the country’s top 1000 listed companies.
The report was an attempt to derive actionable insights from this growing disclosure ecosystem, he noted, and added that the SCMC team had undertaken a detailed analysis of all 1000 BRSR filings to identify sectoral patterns, emerging practices, reporting gaps and broader sustainability trends.
The report presents a comprehensive analysis of BRSR disclosures for FY 2024–25 by offering sector-wise ESG insights while examining the opportunities and challenges shaping India’s sustainability reporting landscape.
Climate action cannot recede from global priorities
Welcoming policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and students to the summit, Prof. Rajeev R. Tripathi reflected on the shifting global climate discourse and the urgency of sustaining momentum around climate action. Referring to recent geopolitical and policy developments, including the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the declining priority accorded to climate concerns in certain global conversations by proponents of climate change themselves, he observed that such developments risk weakening collective commitment at a time when climate vulnerabilities continue to intensify globally.
He drew attention to the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, keeping climate justice at the centre of policy deliberations, and the far-reaching economic and systemic consequences of ecological disruption. “The war in West Asia is a big threat to global supply chains, yes, but climate change presents even bigger, exponential and accelerating challenges that can translate into huge financial losses”, he cautioned. Geopolitical conflicts may ultimately be addressed through diplomacy, he noted, but the monumental crisis emerging from environmental imbalance presents a far more enduring challenge, he reiterated.
Climate conversation must account for energy, biodiversity and AI
Delivering the opening remarks, Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIMB, expressed hope that the discussions emerging from the summit would inform future policy recommendations, action and change around climate transition.
On the interconnected challenges shaping global climate discourse, he drew attention to three issues that, in his view, require deeper engagement.
The first was the political nature of energy. “If you look at the last 50 years, almost 25–50% of global wars have resulted from energy”, he observed, with eminent influence to disrupt global stability and economic systems.
The second issue concerned biodiversity and ecological interdependence. Stressing that numerous species contribute fundamentally to environmental balance, he questioned the long-term implications of climate deterioration on biodiversity and the wider ecological system.
Prof. Kumar also drew attention to the energy footprint generated by artificial intelligence and digital technologies. On the rapid rise in AI adoption, he said that the environmental implications of large-scale AI usage remain poorly understood. “Every prompt costs about 0.33 KW of energy; equivalent to lighting a 9-watt bulb for about 20 minutes”, he said, while raising concerns about the high failure rates associated with AI projects and the need for greater awareness around the energy costs of technology-led consumption and experimentation.
“A history in the making”
During the launch of the ‘Business Responsibility and Sustainability in India’ report, Prof. Vasanthi Srinivasan made a case on the evolution of India’s responsible business and ESG disclosure landscape. She drew on her experience as a member of the working groups involved in drafting both the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC) in 2019 and the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework in 2020.
“I believe that what SCMC at IIMB is on to is something very important”, she remarked. Recalling the early years of the BRSR framework, she observed, “If you had asked me in 2018–19, when I was on that committee and drafting, whether in 10 years I would see a time where I would be looking at the launch of a report which actually tracks how the SEBI 1000 listed companies have actually moved on that agenda – I wouldn’t have believed it”.
Describing the report as “history in the making”, she noted that while financial disclosures took more than a century to become institutionalized, India’s ESG disclosure ecosystem had undergone significant transformation within a relatively short period of six years.
Delegates, she urged, had to take more cognizance of the NGRBC framework, which she described as central to the broader vision of Viksit Bharat. Referring to the implications of evolving global trade frameworks, she stated, “No point in the top 1,000 companies being compliant. It’s only when the remaining 30000 companies comply that we actually see policy transformation”.
Climate action is rooted in collective action
Speaking on the theme of the conference, Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Founder, Net Zero Think, underlined a need to view development and sustainability as mutually reinforcing priorities.
Addressing an audience comprising sector specialists, innovation, collaboration and collective action were discussed as propellers on India’s roadmap to a timely climate transition.
“A truly developed India must also be a climate-resilient India”, he said, adding that the transition must extend beyond targets and metrics to the people and institutions working collectively toward shared climate goals. Reflecting on the journey of Net Zero Think over the past five years, he noted that the platform had facilitated knowledge exchange, climate-focused dialogue, institutional partnerships, clean technology discussions, entrepreneurship, youth participation, and capacity-building initiatives across sectors and geographies.
“We have helped create something powerful called hope”, he said, referring to the role climate innovation can play in generating livelihoods, strengthening local resilience and enabling environmentally responsible economic growth.
Acknowledging that climate action is often perceived as complex, uncertain and resource-intensive, he concluded stating that meaningful transformation becomes possible when governments, businesses, researchers, innovators and citizens move collectively toward a shared purpose.
Energy efficiency holds the key to India’s Net-Zero ambitions – Keynote address
Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), emphasized the need for stronger convergence between policy, industry, finance, and innovation to accelerate India’s climate transition. “This forum reflects exactly what India requires at this moment,” he remarked, referring to the importance of aligning institutional and market efforts to accelerate our “native advantages”.
Describing climate change as one of the most pressing global challenges, he noted that India’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2070 and reducing energy intensity by 47% by 2035 was “not ambitious, but achievable” through the right combination of policy instruments, market mechanisms, technological transformation and innovation. “When we speak of innovation, in particular, we often forget the fundamentals – performance and collaboration”, he added.
Speaking of energy efficiency as one of the most cost-effective pathways to decarbonization, he spoke about India’s move toward an integrated Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), under which entities exceeding emissions targets would receive carbon credit certificates. He also flagged the importance of supporting MSMEs through technical assistance and financial incentives that would be aimed at accelerating the adoption of energy-efficient technologies across sectors.
In addition, he highlighted several ongoing initiatives led by the Bureau, including the Standards & Labelling (S&L) programme for energy-efficient appliances, the Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code (ECSBC), and Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms for passenger vehicles.
Concluding his address, he observed that the path to Net Zero would require substantial investment, policy reform and infrastructure development, adding that overcoming these challenges would depend on coordinated action between governments and industry, along with national and international partners.
Renewable energy no longer shouldered by the climate argument – Keynote address
Delivering the second keynote address at the summit, Mr. Manu Srivastava, IAS, Joint Chief Secretary, Department of Energy, MP, argued that renewable energy has now moved beyond the realm of climate justice into one of clear commercial viability. “There are a lot of climate skeptics out there, including some who are heading important countries”, he remarked, “but renewable energy today is commercially viable by itself. One need not depend only on the argument of climate change to push for it”.
Illustrating this shift through Madhya Pradesh’s energy procurement experience, he pointed to a widening cost differential between conventional and renewable energy. While bids for thermal power plants were received at approximately six rupees per unit with floating cost, solar energy bids, he noted, were secured at a fixed rate of around ₹2.55 per unit for 25 years. “So that’s the point of difference”, he said, emphasizing that economic competitiveness alone now provides sufficient mileage for accelerating clean energy adoption.
“Clean energy has now become an unclean word in some parts of the world”, he said, adding that change in nomenclature does little to alter the underlying economics of the sector.
He noted that in India, regulatory reforms, private-sector participation, lender confidence and project restructuring have collectively resolved many of the earlier concerns around commercial viability. The next challenge lies in ensuring reliable energy supply beyond solar hours through storage and grid-balancing solutions.
Concluding his address, he remarked that historically, what was good was considered difficult. “But we are now in a beautiful moment in history, where what is good is easy, is beneficial – what is good for your heart is good for your pocket. And this alignment would allow us to really scale up our ambitions”, he said.
The mountains beckon
At the conclusion of day one of the Climate Innovation Summit featured a special address by adventurer, author, documentary filmmaker, serial entrepreneur, and IIM Bangalore alumnus Hemant Soreng, Co-founder of Rustik Travel Ventures, a sustainable experiential travel company.
Drawing from his journeys and expeditions, including his successful ascent of Mount Everest in May 2024, Hemant shared personal reflections on resilience, uncertainty and the human relationship with nature. Tracing back to experiences and influences right from his childhood to some of the most demanding moments of his mountaineering journey, he spoke about the physical and emotional realities of navigating extreme weather, unpredictable terrain and injury sustained during the expedition.
While reflecting on the experience, he also noted that the journey had thoroughly reinforced his belief in the importance of sustainability, environmental conservation and the responsible stewardship of natural resources.
Day 1 of Climate Innovation Summit 2026
Designed as a solutions-oriented forum, the second edition of the Climate Innovation Summit featured a host of industry pioneers across four panel discussions, who offered up practical insights, trends and perspectives on climate strategy, innovation and implementation.
Across day one and two, the summit features 70+ speakers deliberating across ten high-impact thematic tracks: Power Sector Transformation; Rethinking Climate Federalism; Decarbonizing Buildings and Infrastructure; Metals and Mining Transition; Innovation in Clean Energy Technologies; Sustainable Transportation for Net Zero World; Nature-Based Solutions; Climate Finance and Carbon Markets; Storage for C&I Consumers and ESG Implementation Journey of Enterprises.
Leaders from organizations including TERI, NITI Aayog, BEE, ISRO, DRDO, Tata Steel, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Inox Clean Energy, Jindal Steel, Brigade Group, Avaada Energy, and IRENA, alongside luminaries from climate finance, industrial decarbonization, ESG, carbon markets, sustainable mobility, and green technology domains, are set to deliberate on sector-by-sector pathways for power, industry, transport and critical minerals over the course of the two-day conference.
Click here for the photo gallery – Day 1