750 Leaders Across India Gather to Discuss Net Zero and ESG at SRK's Sustainability Conclave
Last week, the Global Network for Zero participated as a knowledge partner to deliver SRK Export’s first ever Sustainability Conclave.
One of the largest diamond crafting companies in the world and GNFZ’s inaugural partner, SRK is truly a leader in net zero, both in India and across the world. The company is not only making ESG commitments, but actively pursuing and fulfilling them. They have also aligned themselves with 14 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and through SRK Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF), their philanthropic arm, are carrying out humanitarian efforts to advance the goals’ fulfillment in their local communities.
Our organization is proud to stand with such an innovative, groundbreaking company bringing sustainability knowledge to the forefront. As a knowledge partner, GFNZ was not only able to connect all the way from SRK’s first generation of leadership to their fourth to ensure sustainability and net zero is a tops down effort of the organization, but to convene other C-Suite executives across sectors in India to discuss how India can accelerate its net zero goals earlier than 2070 and business’ role in leading this charge.
The SRK Sustainability Conclave convened more than 750 leaders who shared the best practices their companies are implementing in advancing their ESG strategies and taking effective climate action. The event created greater dialogue and action around the conclave theme “Rethinking Corporate Climate Action.” Key areas of discussion included: tackling Scope 1, 2 and 3 Emissions, ESG, effective net zero planning, the role of data in reporting, decarbonizing existing buildings, the role of disruptive technology in climate action, business’ role in advancing the UN SDGs and more. But SRK's latest example of corporate sustainability leadership encompassed so much more than aspirational discussion; business leaders convened for this conclave were afforded the opportunity to connect and share best practices, forge new partnerships, and establish actionable foundations for their respective pursuits of zero emissions.
The Conclave also previewed the first installment of SRK’s new annual report series. “PURE IMPACT” which will be published in the coming weeks will detail both SRK and SRKKF’s corporate social responsibility achievements to date and forward-looking net zero commitments. Shri Govind Dholakia, Founder and Chairman of SRK, starts the remarkable report off with this impactful quote, summarizing the mission and values of the company: “I believe the world is like a diamond – a tough place to live in, but also inherently beautiful. In order to uncover its beauty, we need to work slowly, consistently, with responsibility and goodwill.”
In partnership with GNFZ and leveraging our platform, SRK is pursuing its commitment to achieving net zero at its two diamond facilities by 2024, a full six years ahead of the 2030 UN SDG timeline to which SRK initially committed.
Our President and CEO Mahesh Ramanujam described this monumental partnership in his speech saying:
“As our friends at SRK alluded to, they have partnered with us at the Global Network for Zero to demonstrate to India and the world how to set effective decarbonization targets and follow through, as they’ve made a commitment to achieve net zero at SRK House and SRK Empire and are on track to achieve this by 2024 – that’s six years earlier than their original commitment of 2030, two decades ahead of 2050, and four decades ahead of 2070”
We look forward to our continued partnership and work with SRK and are excited to collaborate to advance our shared vision: a zero emissions world. As Ramanujam puts it, “We have the pieces to not just get us to zero but to realize what a world could be like where we maintain that for good.”
Founder and Chairman of SRK Govind Dholakia expanded on the need for meaningful collaboration and partnership in his speech by sharing that while India's national goal for net zero is 2070, he is “confident that we can accelerate this target by my 100th birthday” and that with help from knowledgeable partners such as Global Network for Zero, a net zero India by 2050 is possible. In fact, Dholakia said what he wants to see is “in 2049 — my 100th year — would be to wake up in the winter of my life, in an India that is well on its way to becoming a regenerative leader of nations, to becoming a country that serves our children in perpetuity.”