Bengaluru: Short-term profit must be balanced by long term impact, speakers urge at sustainability conclave

Bengaluru: Experts and activists at the Fourth Sustainability Conclave, organised by Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG), stressed the need to move from concern to action in addressing environmental challenges.

The conclave was held on Wednesday at the JN Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), with the theme — From Convenience to Consciousness: Building a Culture of Sustainability in Bengaluru.

In his inaugural address, Vishesh Gupta, Chairperson of Bharat Soka Gakkai, said, "Unbridled desire leads to an individual disconnected from community and nature. Instead, we need robust individuals who have concern for the things around them and care about nature.”

During the panel discussion, Shama Karkal, Chair, Steering Committee–Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health, urged participants to reflect upon privilege in the sustainability conversation. “With great privilege comes great responsibility. As Gandhi said, we have enough for everyone's need, not for everyone's greed,” she remarked.

She also stressed the importance of forging collaborative partnerships with the communities one wishes to impact, rather than running campaigns that may not align with their actual needs.

Benedict Paramanand, Editor of SustainabilityNext and Founder of the Green Literature Festival, highlighted innovations in circular economy practices. He spoke about companies turning waste into resources and emphasised the need to work across perceived boundaries.

Vipul Arora, Global Head of Sustainability at HCLTech, stressed on the impact of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks in promoting responsible business practices and sustainable growth.

"ESG frameworks encourage companies to be responsible and balance short-term profits with long-term impacts. This approach aligns with India's deep-rooted traditions of sustainable living that predate colonialism, allowing these principles to be integrated into the modern corporate context," Arora added.

Arora also noted that while ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) frameworks are often associated with the West, India had long-standing traditions of sustainable living before colonialism.

Odette Katrak, Founder of Beautiful Bharat, shared anecdotes about simple, everyday sustainability practices — from reusing watermelon rinds to make dosa batter to consciously avoiding overconsumption.