In a significant step towards strengthening India’s ESG ecosystem and fostering responsible business practices, the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), under the aegis of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India, inaugurated Batch IV of the IICA Certified ESG Professional – Impact Leader Programme today in a virtual ceremony. This flagship initiative serves as a vital platform for building ESG leadership and regulatory expertise, equipping professionals with the skills necessary to integrate and imbibe the spirit of responsible business conduct and investment strategies into the DNA of businesses.

In her welcome address, Prof. Garima Dadhich, Programme Director & Head, School of Business Environment, IICA, acknowledged the visionary leadership of Dr. Ajay Bhushan Prasad Pandey, DG & CEO, IICA, and expressed gratitude for his unwavering support in advancing ESG excellence and shaping the institute’s initiatives. She also underscored the growing financial significance of ESG, noting that India requires an estimated $2.5 trillion by 2030 to meet its climate and sustainability targets. She emphasized that sustainable finance, green bonds, and impact investing will be key enablers in bridging this investment gap and called for greater corporate participation in ESG-led economic transitions.

Delivering the inaugural address, Shri Inderdeep Singh Dhariwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate affairs, emphasized that ESG is no longer an option but a necessity for businesses to remain competitive in an evolving global landscape. Reflecting on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, He urged businesses to align with the principle of ‘Pro Planet People’, reinforcing India's leadership in sustainable development, green finance, and responsible business transformation. He talked about the Ramayana and Bhagvat Gita, India's timeless epics, which offer profound wisdom that aligns with modern ESG principles and sustainability.

Shri Pramod Rao, Executive Director, SEBI, provided insights into SEBI’s ongoing efforts to enhance ESG disclosures, sustainability-linked investments, and the credibility of ESG ratings, ensuring greater accountability in corporate sustainability reporting.

Shri Bo Beiskjaer, Chief of Resource Mobilization and Partnerships, UNICEF India, highlighted the social dimension of ESG, urging businesses to integrate diversity, equity, and social responsibility into their ESG strategies to drive inclusive and sustainable development.

Shri Sanjay Dubey, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh, emphasized the critical role of the Programme in equipping professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to drive sustainable transformation across industries. He highlighted the National Association of Impact Leaders (NAIL) as a key feature of the programme, serving as a dynamic platform that fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and thought leadership among ESG professionals.

Providing an overview of the programme, Prof. Garima Dadhich, Head, School of Business Environment, IICA, highlighted the diverse cohort of 100+ senior professionals from key industries, with 35% female participation and representation from 23 states, reflecting India’s expanding ESG landscape. The Inaugural programme was successfully moderated by Programme co-ordinator and Senior Research Associate, Ms. Shivangi Vashishta.

This programme fosters ESG leadership and industry-academia collaboration empowering ESG leaders with the expertise to drive climate resilience, inclusive growth, and responsible business practices, aligning with India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and SDGs. Successfully certified candidates join the National Association of Impact Leaders (NAIL), an online platform and dynamic community of 350+ ESG professionals, fostering ongoing learning, networking, collaboration, leadership, and policy advocacy to drive India’s ESG transformation.

This flagship programme of IICA, fosters ESG leadership and industry-academia collaboration empowering ESG leaders with the expertise to drive climate resilience, inclusive growth, and responsible business practices, aligning with India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and SDGs. Successfully certified candidates join the National Association of Impact Leaders (NAIL), an online platform and dynamic community of 350+ ESG professionals, fostering ongoing learning, networking, collaboration, leadership, and policy advocacy to drive India’s ESG transformation.

The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), is an autonomous institution under the aegis of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. School of Business Environment (SBE) is a specialised vertical within IICA promoting the responsible business conduct focusing on the forward-looking areas of Environmental-Social-Governance (ESG), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Sustainable Finance, Business & Biodiversity Conservation, Business and Human Rights, Responsible Trade, ESG Audit & Assurance and other aligned areas. Few of the important contribution of the School includes developing the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC), Zero Draft of National Action Plan (NAP) on Business & Human Rights, and technical inputs to the High Level Committees on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Centre for Responsible Business Advisory (CRBA) Services is nested within the School of Business Environment (SoBE), IICA to facilitate the adoption of responsible business conduct and ESG Framework to the public and private entities.

For further details, please visit: https://iica.nic.in/, sobe@iica.in or 0124-2640044.

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