World Environment Day 2023, a significant global event that reminds us of our collective responsibility to protect and preserve our planet. This year, as we come together to celebrate this day, we are faced with the urgent need to address environmental challenges and create a sustainable future for generations to come.
World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5th, serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable practices. It is a day to reflect on the impact of human activities on the Earth and to take action towards restoring and safeguarding our natural resources.
The theme for World Environment Day 2023 revolves around “Sustainability and Resilience: Promoting a Greener Future.” This theme highlights the pressing need to adopt sustainable practices, mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity, and build resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
As we mark this day, let us all pledge to make a positive difference in our daily lives and contribute to a greener future. Whether it is reducing our carbon footprint, conserving water, promoting renewable energy, or advocating for environmentally friendly policies, each of our actions can have a significant impact.
World Environment Day 2023 serves as a call to action, urging individuals, communities, businesses, and governments to come together and work towards sustainable development. Together, we can create a world where nature thrives, ecosystems are protected, and future generations can enjoy a clean and healthy environment.
So, let us embrace the spirit of World Environment Day and join hands in making a positive impact on the planet. Together, we can build a greener, more sustainable future for all.
Sandeep Chandna, Chief Sustainability Officer, Tech Mahindra, said, “Today, Sustainability is top-of-the-mind topic for business, political, and economic leaders. Undoubtedly, it has become the need of the hour in all business practices. The threats posed by climate change are massive and call for an immediate and collective push from all stakeholders to incorporate sustainability strategies into business models and promote them as part of the organizational blueprint. We need more far-sighted, innovative and creative solutions to address the environmental challenges to ensure a cleaner and greener future for the future generations. Be it governments or businesses, we all have to look beyond short-term goals of profitability and focus more on broader goals of purpose in order to assess climate risks and enhance governance to achieve long-term sustainable impact. To achieve this, we need to approach the environment, climate, economy and society as inseparable parts of the same entity.
As a purpose-led company, for us, at Tech Mahindra, sustainability is at the core of all our business activities. We have established a decarbonization roadmap to ensure that we are Net Zero by 2035. We have also implemented a carbon price to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and invested in various sustainability projects to increase renewable energy mix, improve energy-efficiency, and implemented Environment Management Systems. In addition to this, we are assisting and enabling our customers and partners to achieve their sustainability goals by offering our end-to-end ESG solutions & services. Further, we are also investing in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and Green Building Certifications. We are the only Indian organization to be awarded the Terra Carta Seal in 2021 for our commitment to a more sustainable future.
On the occasion of World Environment Day, we pledge to continue to embrace our environmental responsibilities and strengthen our commitment to the conservation of environment.“
Rajiv Bhalla, Managing Director India & Vice President Large Video Wall Experience (APAC) at Barco said, ” It’s time to gear up and move forward towards a more sustainable future, the #BeatPlasticPollution campaign for World Environment Day 2023 emphasizes the urgency of taking collective, transformative action to mitigate the impact of pollutants like plastic, in an effort to protect and restore our planet. In light of recent global environmental crises like climate change and natural disasters, the focus on sustainable practices has become paramount. It is essential for society to unite and revitalize the Earth, while doing away with harmful pollutants. Barco approaches sustainability from three main pillars that includes the planet, people and communities. Being an early advocate of sustainability, consistently taking steps to reduce our ecological impact. Our solutions are dedicated to minimizing carbon footprint and pollutants, and our Barco eco-scoring system evaluates the sustainability of each product. We strongly believe in the power of collective action and a shared commitment to sustainability as we work towards a future where plastic pollution is significantly reduced, enabling the restoration and preservation of our precious planet.“
Anirban Ghosh, Head Centre for Sustainability at Mahindra University said, “Some CEOs insist that sustainability is integral to their business. To make this situation universal, sustainability must be an integral part of the training and thinking of every student. Mahindra University is leveraging the experiences of the Group to embed sustainability in every stream of education, curate specialised courses and encourage research even as it walks the talk by building a net zero campus.”
Sandeep Trehan, President, Marketing & Business Development, THINK Gas said, “Natural gas is playing a vital role in the transition towards cleaner fuel and its use is expected to grow in the coming years. Our network covers 7 geographical areas, across 5 states touching the lives and bringing about a change in the quality of lives of 18 million people. We look at sustainability as a key aspect of our mission and are weaving it into our corporate strategy to ensure business resilience. THINK Gas prioritizes environmental, social, and governance initiatives, and focuses on customer satisfaction while promoting the adoption of clean fuels. We are not only working towards renewable industry and sustainability, but we have also deployed innovative technological solutions to build infrastructure, monitor activities efficiently and ensure gas is available at the grassroot level.”
Mr. Arun Awasthy, Vice President & Managing Director, Johnson Controls India “We live in an era where sustainability and sustainable solutions have become the need of the hour, and we stand at the precipice of change – squarely confronted by some of the biggest climate challenges of our time. One of these challenges include building and construction emissions, which generates nearly 40% of emissions together with other processes including cooling and heating. The most critical thing when it comes to sustainable transformation today is to recognise whether it is scalable or not. At Johnson Controls, we believe that the technology and data led solutions for decarbonisation of buildings is ready to be scaled up. The immediate implementation of this can achieve huge gains in favour of the nation’s NetZero goals!
We are in the ‘decade of action’ and as a people, ought to look at every possible measure we can take collectively and individually to make a difference to the planet. The only way change will be seen and felt at a steady pace is if micro-interventions – like waste management, water conservation, reduction of plastic consumption – are emphasised and implemented alongside macro-interventions like renewable energy, alternate sources of energy, energy efficiency in vehicles, buildings, appliances, etc.”
Kunal Nagarkatti, CEO, Clover Infotech “The world has realized the importance of moving to renewable sources of energy. Across all aspects of life from travel to power consumption to industrial usage and smart cities, there is a very strong thrust on adopting ‘green’ technologies. Our government has introduced many favourable policies to ensure that green technologies are embraced by all. At Clover Infotech, we have been using our resources judiciously and have been designing processes to optimize the consumption of electricity, water, paper, etc. We have moved our own financial systems to the cloud in our endeavour to reduce the per-user carbon footprint. We have been accredited with the relevant ISO certifications for our ESG practices. As a responsible corporate, we have been publishing our ESG report to our customers as well. I believe every organization and individual must leverage the power of new-age digital technologies to accelerate India’s mission of attaining carbon neutrality and creating a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future for all.”
Rajesh Kabra, Managing Director, RR Parkon “World Environment Day serves as a powerful reminder of the need to safeguard our planet from pollution and the devastating effects of climate change. As pioneers in the automated car parking industry, we recognise our responsibility to contribute to global efforts to preserve the environment. Our smart parking systems have a profound and positive impact on reducing carbon emissions and mitigating environmental degradation. By revolutionising how we approach parking, we address the pressing challenges of urbanisation, resource depletion, and air pollution. Our solutions not only provide efficient and secure parking spaces but also prioritise eco-friendly practices. By optimising parking space utilisation and reducing idle driving time, our smart parking systems help minimize traffic congestion and its associated environmental harm. Let us seize this opportunity to inspire change and make a lasting difference. Through embracing innovative solutions, we can pave the way for a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future. Together, let us make every day an ‘environment day’ and preserve our planet for generations to come.“
“On this World Environment Day, let us unite against the grave consequences of plastic pollution. It is an environmental crisis that devastates ecosystems, imperils marine life, and threatens human health. Urgent action is paramount, and technology companies play a pivotal role in combating this peril. Through eco-friendly technologies and responsible consumption, we can reduce our reliance on single-use plastics and champion the principles of a circular economy. Collaboration among industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and governments is vital for lasting change. As a frontrunner in technology, Acer embraces its duty to minimize plastic waste across our operations. We actively seek sustainable alternatives, integrating them into our products and processes to pave the way for a more sustainable future. Acer’s Earthion initiative leads the charge in developing eco-friendly technologies and forging alliances with like-minded organizations. Together, we can spark innovation, raise awareness, and build a plastic-free future. Our collective actions today will carve an indelible legacy of sustainability for generations to come.” – Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head of Marketing, Acer India.
Prasad Rajappan, Founder & CEO, of ZingHR “At ZingHR, we’re committed to making a positive impact on our planet and helping organizations adopt sustainable practices. This World Environment Day, we take pride in the activities that shape our culture, such as Gemba Walks that identify non-sustainable practices, promoting green commuting, waste segregation, and eliminating single-use plastic. Our ESG Framework for Employee Adoption, coupled with tools like OKR and Reward and Recognition, seamlessly enables companies to implement their ESG goals.
In order to drive sustainable practices forward, it is crucial for organizations to foster a culture that acknowledges and rewards ESG achievements. By equipping employees with the requisite knowledge, skills, and mind-set to embrace sustainable practices, they can become catalysts for change within their roles. We firmly believe in the power of ESG-led performance management, providing robust tools for organizations to set measurable goals, track progress, and align performance with sustainability objectives. At ZingHR, our mission is to facilitate the seamless integration of ESG practices within organizations, empowering them to successfully achieve their sustainability objectives. We understand that building a sustainable future requires collective effort, and we’re dedicated to supporting companies every step of the way.”
Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation “At HCLTech and HCL Foundation, we are committed to creating value for all our stakeholders across the value chain while keeping true to our mission of transforming lives and spreading smiles. Our various flagship programs and special initiatives contribute towards national and international development goals, bringing about lasting positive impacts on people and the planet through long-term sustainable initiatives with a focus on education, health & sanitation, skill development & livelihoods, environment, and disaster risk reduction & response.
In line with the 2023 World Environment Day Campaign #BeatPlasticPollution, HCL Foundation has been working with various stakeholders in combating the menace of plastic pollution. It is time to accelerate this action and transition to a circular economy. Our goal is to empower communities, foster clean and green environments, and contribute to global initiatives like the recent UN 2023 Water Conference. Together, let us shape a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for all.”
