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  • Agropak wins Big Pi grant to boost climate innovation

    Agropak wins Big Pi grant to boost climate innovation

    Agropak, a biotech startup building a natural fibre materials platform for bio-based packaging, has won the Big Pi Grant, India’s largest non-dilutive grant for early-stage climate startups, organisers The Sustainability Mafia (SusMafia) said.

    The Rs 31.4 lakh Big Pi Grant, presented at the third edition of SusCrunch 2026, is designed to boost climate startups through innovation support, commercial validation and market adoption without diluting founder equity, SusMafia said in a statement.

    Agropak’s win adds to a growing set of resources for the company, including mentorship, strategic guidance and access to incubators and government programmes through SusMafia’s investor, fellowship and grant network.

    The grant’s name draws on the mathematical constant pi (3.14), a nod meant to symbolise bold thinking and breakthrough innovation, according to the organisers.

    SusCrunch 2026 drew investors including Zerodha and 3one4 Capital, along with corporates such as Reliance, Biocon, Zomato and Apollo Hospitals, underscoring rising industry interest in climate-focused startups.

    The Big Pi Grant announcement comes as India’s climate-tech sector has drawn nearly USD 12.8 billion in funding across 1,583 startups between 2008 and June 2026, according to the Tracxn India Climate Tech 2026 Report.

    Global early-stage climate funding, however, has slipped to a five-year low, the State of Climate Tech 2025 report found, a trend organisers say makes non-dilutive grants like the Big Pi Grant increasingly critical to bridging the gap between research and commercial scale.

    Backed jointly by SusMafia and the BITS Pilani PIEDS Accelerator, the Big Pi Grant drew more than 50 applications from founders across BITS Pilani, IIT and the wider SusVentures network. Five startups spanning water and waste management, climate intelligence, sustainable materials and the built environment were shortlisted before Agropak was named the winner.

    Past recipients have used the grant as a springboard. BioCompute, the 2024 winner, has since built laboratory infrastructure, expanded into the Bay Area and raised more than Rs 5 crore from investors including WTF Fund, Grad Capital and 1517 Fund. Bisket Labs, the 2025 recipient, went on to secure Karnataka’s ELEVATE Grant.

    “Every founder needs access to business, capital and talent. No founder can build all three alone,” said Ganesh Shankar, co-founder of The Sustainability Mafia and founder of FluxGen.

    SusMafia, a founder-led climate community, says its network of 84 active climate founders and more than 700 “Climate Ninjas” has collectively raised over $350 million, employs more than 3,000 people and generates Rs 2,100 crore in annual revenue, while diverting over 363,000 tonnes of waste from landfills and mitigating roughly 1.56 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.

    At a separate “Climate Sitdown” session, Neeraj Jain, co-founder of Solar Square, a Series C rooftop solar company that has raised over USD 100 million, said the SusMafia community “feels like the start of a movement,” speaking alongside Ashish Goel, founder of Urban Ladder and an investor in more than 30 startups.

    Organisers say initiatives like the Big Pi Grant will remain central to India’s climate innovation push as the country works toward its net-zero goals, with early-stage grants, founder communities and industry partnerships seen as key complements to venture capital.

  • Coromandel achieves Responsible Care Certification from ICC

    Coromandel achieves Responsible Care Certification from ICC

    Coromandel International Limited, one of India’s leading agri-solutions providers, said it has received the Coromandel Responsible Care Certification from the Indian Chemical Council (ICC), placing it among a select group of companies globally to achieve the recognition.

    The certification, valid from April 2026 to March 2029, covers all 18 manufacturing facilities across the company’s Nutrients, Crop Protection Chemicals, Specialty Nutrients and Bio businesses, Coromandel said.

    Responsible Care is a globally recognized chemical industry initiative that promotes safety, health, environmental protection, product stewardship and security across the value chain.

    The framework is administered worldwide by the International Council of Chemical Associations and implemented in more than 70 countries, helping companies strengthen manufacturing practices and meet stakeholder expectations, the company said.

    Coromandel said it earned the certification after a comprehensive assessment and verification process led by the ICC, having undertaken a structured improvement programme across its manufacturing operations, business functions and supplier ecosystem.

    The programme included interventions in process safety, employee wellbeing, environmental performance, product responsibility, distribution safety and community engagement.

    “This certification is a testament to Coromandel’s consistent focus on responsible manufacturing and high safety standards,” said S. Sankarasubramanian, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Coromandel International Limited.

    “We are making significant investments to strengthen our safety systems and environmental practices and remain committed to upholding the highest standards across all our operations.”

    Coromandel is India’s second-largest manufacturer and marketer of phosphatic fertiliser, and operates across fertilizers, crop protection, bio products, specialty nutrients and organic businesses.

    The company runs more than 1,200 rural retail outlets across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, offering agri inputs and farming services including crop advisory, soil testing and farm mechanisation to around 3 million farmers.

    The company operates eight R&D centres and 21 manufacturing facilities across India. Coromandel reported turnover of 31,827 crore rupees in fiscal year 2025-26. It has been recognised by the UNDP for its environmental efforts and was named among the ten greenest companies in India by TERI.

    Coromandel is part of the Murugappa Group, which posted turnover of 90,178 crore rupees in fiscal year 2024-25.

  • Maruti Suzuki Commissions 1 MWh BESS at Kharkhoda

    Maruti Suzuki Commissions 1 MWh BESS at Kharkhoda

    Maruti Suzuki India Limited has commissioned a 1 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at its Kharkhoda manufacturing facility, advancing its commitment to a robust green energy ecosystem.

    The company installed a 20 MWp solar power project at the facility in 2025. The innovative BESS stores surplus solar energy generated during holidays and low-demand periods for later use, while also enhancing grid stability. The pilot project is integrated into the plant’s internal electricity distribution network.

    “Maruti Suzuki is strongly aligned with India’s focus on building self-reliant energy ecosystems,” said Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited. “The introduction of this Battery Energy Storage System at our Kharkhoda facility is part of these continued efforts. With a lifecycle of about 15 years, BESS will help reduce nearly 54 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.”

    Takeuchi added that despite rising production volumes, the company remains committed to lowering absolute Scope 1 & 2 emissions in line with parent Suzuki Motor Corporation’s target of a 42% reduction by FY 2030-31 compared to FY 2022-23.

  • Gujarat emissions model goes global as Rio launches first South America market

    Gujarat emissions model goes global as Rio launches first South America market

    The state of Gujarat, an Earthshot Prize 2025 finalist, is taking its pioneering emissions trading model global through a new partnership with the City of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    The Emissions Market Accelerator (EMA) will help Rio explore South America’s first particulate matter emissions market, adapting proven lessons from India to cut pollution while supporting economic growth.

    The announcement was made at The Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly, co-hosted with Bloomberg Philanthropies during London Climate Action Week.

    “The Rio de Janeiro City Hall is taking a bold step forward in spearheading this innovative approach to reducing pollution,” said EMA Co-Chair Michael Greenstone, Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago.

    “We are thrilled to work with government leaders to ensure this market successfully reduces pollution while fostering continued economic growth.”

    Once launched, Rio’s emissions market would be the first of its kind in South America.

    Gujarat’s groundbreaking work on market-based pollution control spurred the launch of the Emissions Market Accelerator. The state has since launched a second market and is developing two more for sulfur dioxide and wastewater pollution. The EMA is also working with other Indian states and expanding globally.

    “This partnership with Rio marks an exciting step toward globalizing the success of market-based pollution control,” said Kaushik Deb, Executive Director of the EMA. “In Gujarat, we demonstrated that emissions trading can dramatically reduce pollution without compromising industrial productivity. Now we can take those lessons global.”

    Eduardo Cavaliere, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, said: “Rio de Janeiro is proud to partner with the Emissions Market Accelerator (EMA) to bring market-based solutions to air pollution in South America for the first time. Gujarat’s emissions trading scheme, recognized by the Earthshot Prize, proves cities can harness innovative tools to protect people and the future.”

  • HCLTech awards $1 million climate grants in Americas

    HCLTech awards $1 million climate grants in Americas

    HCLTech awards USD 1 million under its HCLTech Climate Grant to three nonprofit organizations in the Americas for innovative climate resilience projects, with Guatemala’s CISP taking the top prize.

    CISP will receive USD 500,000 to enhance water security and sustainable land management in Guatemala’s dry corridor through rainwater harvesting benefiting 200 families, the company said in a statement.

    Runners-up Aves Argentinas (Argentina) and Lluvia para Todos (Mexico) will each get USD 250,000 for biodiversity conservation in the Atlantic Forest and community rainwater systems serving 2,300 people, respectively.

    The third edition of the HCLTech Climate Grant saw applications from 10 countries across the Americas, a 41 percent increase from previous years. A jury of HCLTech leaders and external experts selected the winners based on scalability and local relevance.

    “We are inspired by the ingenuity and commitment demonstrated by this year’s recipients,” said Nidhi Pundhir, Senior Vice President, Global CSR, HCLTech.

    Launched in 2023 with a USD 5 million commitment over five years, the program has so far supported ecological restoration, planted over 360,000 trees and mangroves, and empowered more than 1,400 young people in climate leadership.

  • IFAD launches transformative India rural development roadmap worth USD 4.2 billion

    IFAD launches transformative India rural development roadmap worth USD 4.2 billion

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of India have launched a transformative eight-year rural development strategy, committing to scale investment, strengthen climate resilience and accelerate inclusive agricultural growth across the country’s vast rural economies.

    The new Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP) 2026–2033 was unveiled at the IFAD–India Partnership for Rural Prosperity event held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on April 12, bringing together senior government representatives, IFAD leadership, development partners and private sector actors.

    The strategy sets two core objectives: enhancing the social, economic and climatic resilience of rural communities; and strengthening knowledge systems to scale proven models domestically and share them across the Global South.

    The announcement marks a pivotal expansion of one of IFAD’s largest country partnerships. Across 35 projects, USD 1.36 billion in IFAD financing has mobilised more than twice as much from partners, for a total investment of USD 4.2 billion.

    A senior IFAD delegation led by Associate Vice-President Donal Brown held talks with officials from India’s Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Ministry of Rural Development. Discussions covered smallholder support, digital agriculture, climate-resilient crops such as millets, and expanding farmer producer organisations.

    Brown said the partnership goes beyond individual projects and focuses on building systems that connect institutions, finance, infrastructure and markets for long-term rural development, IFAD said in a statement.

    The strategy places significant emphasis on strengthening grassroots institutions including self-help groups, farmer producer organisations and cooperatives, expected to play a key role in linking finance, technology, infrastructure and markets.

    On the financing front, IFAD signed a strategic partnership with NABARD on the sidelines of the event to expand rural finance and innovation. NABARD Chairman Shaji K V said the two institutions share a conviction that rural financial systems work best when built from the community up. International Fund for Agricultural Development

    The new strategy also positions India as a knowledge leader in rural development, with plans to share successful models in digital agriculture, inclusive rural finance and climate-resilient value chains with partner countries across Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

    The IFAD delegation also undertook field visits to Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district to review community-led initiatives under the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project, and held talks with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on future agricultural cooperation.

    India and IFAD have partnered for nearly 48 years, financing 35 rural development projects worth approximately USD 4.2 billion, with six ongoing projects focused on market linkages, climate-resilient agriculture and training programmes.

    “India is not only transforming its own rural economy — it is generating solutions that are relevant globally,” said Reehana Raza, IFAD Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.

  • KCG, Urbaser sign moU for waste management drive

    KCG, Urbaser sign moU for waste management drive

    KCG College of Technology, a unit of the Hindustan Group of Institutions, has signed a transformative Memorandum of Understanding with Sumeet Urban Services (Chennai) V Pvt Ltd, known as Urbaser Sumeet, to deepen industry-academia collaboration in waste management, sustainability and skill development.

    The partnership aims to build a long-term, industry-integrated sustainability model that directly engages students in solving real-world urban environmental challenges across Chennai.

    Under the agreement, students will participate in clean-up drives, waste management awareness campaigns, sustainability workshops, internships and innovation challenges. The collaboration will also cover hackathons, practical training and professional certification programmes focused on circular economy practices and environmental sustainability.

    A key initiative under the MoU is “Edubridge,” a programme designed to support the education and empowerment of children of frontline conservancy workers — a measure both institutions described as central to social inclusion and community impact.

    Urbaser Sumeet will also serve as the hygiene partner for major institutional events at KCG, demonstrating best practices in source segregation, solid waste management and urban cleanliness systems.

    “Engineering education today must go beyond laboratories and classrooms,” said Anand Jacob Varghese, Chairman, Hindustan Group of Institutions. “When our students walk alongside conservancy workers, manage waste drives and design recycling solutions for their own city, they are not just learning — they are becoming the kind of engineers and citizens Chennai needs.”

    Annie Jacob, Director of KCG College of Technology, said embedding Urbaser Sumeet’s operational expertise into campus programmes would give students direct exposure to one of Chennai’s most critical urban services. “From internships in waste vehicle operations to the Edubridge initiative, this collaboration is built around real impact — not just awareness,” she said.

    Albert Gleiser Ignacio, Managing Director of Urbaser Sumeet, said lasting change in urban waste management begins with how the next generation thinks about it. “Partnering with KCG gives us the opportunity to bring that ground reality into an academic setting and build a pipeline of professionals genuinely invested in sustainable urban systems,” he said.

    The partnership is expected to generate research-oriented projects in waste segregation, recycling systems, circular economy models and smart urban sustainability solutions. Both organisations said they intend to develop a scalable and replicable model for sustainable campus-community partnerships.

    The collaboration promotes the principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and seeks to foster environmentally conscious practices across the student community and beyond.

  • Standard Chartered launches breakthrough Rs 540 Cr SLTF

    Standard Chartered launches breakthrough Rs 540 Cr SLTF

    Standard Chartered Bank has extended a breakthrough Sustainability-Linked Trade Facility (SLTF) worth Rs 540 crore to Indorama India Private Limited, the bank announced on Wednesday, in a move that deepens its push to embed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into corporate financing across South Asia.

    The facility, structured as a sustainability-linked trade and working capital arrangement, ties its financing terms directly to Indorama India’s achievement of clearly defined Sustainability Performance Targets (SPTs) aligned with the company’s broader ESG framework. The structure is designed to financially incentivise measurable progress on sustainability, rather than treating ESG commitments as aspirational.

    “We are pleased to partner with Indorama India in supporting its sustainability journey through this tailored SLTF,” said Angel Sivan, Regional Head of Transaction Banking Corporate Sales, India and South Asia, Standard Chartered. “By integrating ESG-linked targets into the deal structure, we are enabling our clients to align their growth with more responsible business practices.”

    Manish Kumar Agarwal, Chief Financial Officer of Indorama India, called the deal a reflection of the company’s resolve to mainstream sustainability into its core financing activities. “This strengthens our liquidity position and reinforces our dedication to ESG principles,” he said, adding that the company intends to build on the momentum toward a broader sustainable finance agenda.

    The transaction adds to a growing pipeline of sustainability-linked financing deals in India, as corporates and lenders seek to operationalise ESG commitments through binding financial mechanisms rather than voluntary pledges.

    Standard Chartered, which has maintained a continuous presence in India for over 165 years, operates across Corporate and Investment Banking and Wealth and Retail Banking segments through an extensive branch network covering major cities.
    Globally, the London- and Hong Kong-listed bank operates in 54 markets.

  • Hitachi Vantara cuts client energy use with sustainable data infrastructure

    Hitachi Vantara cuts client energy use with sustainable data infrastructure

    Hitachi Vantara, the data storage and hybrid cloud subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, published its FY2025 Sustainability Report on Thursday, outlining measurable energy and cost reductions achieved by clients using its latest sustainable data infrastructure platforms, as surging AI workloads reshape the economics of enterprise computing.

    The report arrives as the International Energy Agency warns that global data center electricity consumption could surpass 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026 — roughly equivalent to a major industrialized nation’s annual usage — driven in large part by artificial intelligence workloads that demand constant, high-performance storage and processing.

    “Sustainability is increasingly tied to operational performance and business outcomes. In FY2025, we focused on helping customers manage the growth of AI and data while improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact,” said Akinobu Shimada, CEO, Hitachi Vantara in a statement.

    Among the report’s most striking findings: Turkish retail bank DestekBank achieved a 25% reduction in data center energy consumption after deploying Hitachi Vantara’s VSP One Block platform, alongside a 35% jump in application performance and a 20% drop in total cost of ownership. Belgian water utility Aquiris, which processes more than 110 million cubic meters of wastewater annually, credited the same platform with lowering its carbon footprint while collecting over one million data points per day for process monitoring.

    Indian media company Malayala Manorama reported the sharpest operational gains, cutting data center rack space by 66% and achieving 70% savings in power and cooling costs after modernising its infrastructure to support round-the-clock print, broadcast and digital operations.

    On the product side, the company introduced the VSP One Block High End, engineered to reduce power and cooling requirements for enterprise and AI-driven workloads. Hitachi Vantara also expanded lifecycle assessments across its VSP One Block, File and Object portfolios and launched its Clear Sight dashboard, giving customers direct visibility into energy consumption and carbon usage. The firm reported that up to 50% recycled content now appears in key components, and that less than 0.3% of materials were sent to landfill.

    Governance improvements included strengthened emissions tracking across Scope 1, Scope 2 and key Scope 3 categories, aligned with science-based reduction targets and evolving ESG reporting standards.

  • HCLTech dominates Hurun India Sustainability Rankings 2026

    HCLTech dominates Hurun India Sustainability Rankings 2026

    HCLTech has secured the No. 2 overall position in the Perpetual Capital–Hurun India Impact 50 2026 report, reinforcing the technology major’s standing as a leader in corporate sustainability across global markets.

    The Hurun India Impact 50 report evaluates companies based on visible and measurable contributions toward the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    HCLTech’s dominant HCLTech sustainability rankings reflect top-tier placements across multiple categories, with the company claiming No. 1 in Gender Equality and Affordable & Clean Energy, and No. 2 in Sustainable Cities and Communities and Responsible Consumption and Production.

    “These recognitions from globally renowned forums validate our efforts to embed sustainability-led positive impact across our operations,” said Vipul Arora, Global Head of Sustainability at HCLTech. “HCLTech will continue to enable clients and communities to reap the benefits of new technologies responsibly and sustainably.”

    The recognition builds on a broader series of ESG milestones. For the fourth consecutive year, HCLTech has been included in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook, a benchmark index tracking companies with strong environmental, social, and governance performance.

    HCLTech also holds a Gold rating from EcoVadis, placing it among the top 4% of rated IT companies globally. TIME magazine further recognised the company among the top 15 firms in the Professional Services category in its World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2025 list.

    The results signal growing investor and institutional confidence in HCLTech’s long-term ESG strategy, as the company continues to align technology deployment with sustainable development imperatives across its global operations.