UNGA80 Lessons: Business, Climate and Why Delhi’s Air Might Just Judge You

Reading the insights shared on the UN Global Compact website from UNGA80, I was struck by
how universal lessons for business leaders translate directly to Indian boardrooms. The Global
Compact distilled five core messages every sustainability-minded leader should know

Here’s my take on how these insights speak to Indian businesses, shaped by the realities and
opportunities I have seen up close and why joining or engaging more proactively with
UNGC can help turn ambition into action.

1. Sustainable Businesses are Competitive Businesses

Globally, the verdict is clear: sustainability drives value. The UNGC–Accenture 2025 CEO Study
found 88% of CEOs say sustainability creates more value today than five years ago, and 99%
plan to maintain or expand environmental and social commitments. Nearly $300 billion of
SDG-aligned investments have flowed into green and social innovations in just five years.

In India, regulators are making it explicit. SEBI’s Business Responsibility & Sustainability
Reporting (BRSR) framework now requires the top 1,000 listed companies to disclose detailed
ESG metrics. Carbon efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and community impact aren’t just
“nice-to-have”, they live on the balance sheet. Companies ignoring this risk losing investor trust
and talent. Businesses that align strategy with India’s climate targets, launching green products,
reducing waste, or embedding sustainability in operations will seize the market.

UNGC membership offers guidance, frameworks, and tools to embed sustainability credibly
across strategy and operations. In 2025, profit and purpose are two sides of the same coin and
UNGC can help ensure your coin shines

2. Urgency and Credibility Will Set Businesses Apart

Globally, only 35% of SDG targets are on track, and trillions in financing are still needed.
Companies must act quickly, set time-bound targets, and report transparently—or risk being
overtaken.

In India, the urgency is palpable: record heatwaves and floods remind us climate risk is
business risk. Investors and customers are scrutinizing claims; greenwashing gets exposed by
data. Thankfully, frameworks like BRSR and the UNGC’s Communication on Progress (COP)
disclosure, already used by 13,800+ companies worldwide, help Indian firms build trust and
demonstrate real impact. Boards should ask: “Is our carbon target backed by investment? Do
we have a 2030 deadline for renewable energy?”

UNGC membership gives companies the guidance, peer-learning and reporting structures to
answer “yes” to both. Firms that act credibly gain an edge, those that delay lose trust.

The 2025 Climate Summit saw nearly 100 countries set ambitious new climate targets ahead of
COP30. The race to net-zero is no longer rhetoric delays mean falling behind.

India’s position: We’re ahead in some areas. Paris Agreement targets include a 45% cut in
emissions intensity by 2030, and 50% of power capacity is now non-fossil. Forest carbon sinks
are on track too. Businesses should align with these targets—invest in solar, wind, or
tree-planting initiatives.

Here’s the kicker: if global peers like China are cutting coal, Indian corporates need to step up
proactively.

UNGC offers frameworks, case studies and collaborative platforms to help businesses move
faster and smarter. It’s not just about compliance; it’s about seizing first-mover advantage.

4. Financing the Future Means Sustainable Investments

Globally, addressing climate, health, and social challenges could unlock $10 trillion in new
business by 2030. Sustainability is a growth sector, not a drag on profit.

India’s sustainable debt market has grown to $55.9 billion by end-2024, with sovereign green
bonds and corporate green projects gaining traction. Yet the gap is huge, India needs
$1.3 trillion by 2030 to meet climate and SDG goals.

UNGC membership helps companies connect with investors, align capital to SDGs and scale
blended finance solutions, turning sustainability into measurable business growth. With SEBI’s
BRSR Core and RBI’s green schemes, there’s a predictable environment for action and UNGC
provides the map

5. Collective Strength for Progress

No company or government can solve systemic challenges alone. UNGC reports 97% of CEOs
say cross-industry collaboration is essential, and 92% want stronger global governance.

India is already seeing this: CII’s Cleaner Air, Better Life campaign brings industry, government,
and civil society together to tackle Delhi’s smog. Public-private partnerships, joint R&D, and
cross-sector initiatives show that collaboration accelerates impact.

UNGC membership amplifies this: it’s a platform to share technology, best practices, and
financing strategies.

As the Smog Looms: A Call to Action

Back in India, the realities are urgent. Delhi is already gearing up for another winter of
hazardous air. (Recall how post-Diwali AQI readings topped 350, “hazardous” levels
the-independent.com.) The city’s air has long been unhealthy from October to December – a
toxic cocktail of vehicle and industry emissions trapped by cooler weather. This is no longer
background noise, it’s a billboard message.

So here’s my slightly provocative question to fellow executives: If the air around us is a toxic mix
of failure and indifference, do we keep holding our breaths or do we act? The coming smog
season will choke our people and our future unless we pivot.It’s time to sniff out new
approaches – invest in scrubbing your emissions, clean up your supply chains, and fund the
solutions you offer to consumers.

In short, sustainability can no longer be postponed until “after the winter.”

The UNGA insights are clear: acting now on climate and social issues is not charity, it’s good
business (unglobalcompact.org) As Delhi anticipates another season of haze, let it remind us
that indifference is the real pollutant. Our boardrooms must become catalysts for change
otherwise next winter we’ll only have ourselves to blame when the air is thick and profits start to
choke.

The future rewards those who lead the transition so join UNGC, put your metrics into
action and help clear the air, before it’s too late.

Seerat Tajamul
UN GCNI