News
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17 November 2011 |
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Industry leaders devise path to sustainable growth at TÜV SÜD Safe Future Now
Mumbai, 17th November 2011: Today's inaugural TÜV SÜD Safe Future Now India conference saw business leaders across sectors explore new initiatives towards a more sustainable India, including the role of energy efficiency and sustainability measures as a tool for economic development beyond major metros. Dr.-Ing Axel Stepken, Chairman of the Board of Management, TÜV SÜD AG and Mr. A.N. Srivastava, Director, National Solar Mission, opened the conference with a call to action for more sustainable development, effected by an increasingly sustainable industry that has the potential to further India's economic growth. This was followed by a dynamic discussion among eminent industry experts who argued that while long-term sustainability needs to be self-supporting, the immediate need for innovation out of India will not be met without strong support from the government and regulators. The panellists acknowledged the need to renew the ecosystem to generate demand for sustainable practices. Mr. Prasad Chandran, CMD, BASF added that “sustainability is not a cliché but a licence for corporate India to operate." The discussion further highlighted pragmatic ways of implementing best sustainable practices. Dr.Ing Axel Stepken (TÜV SÜD) stated that “Today, around the globe, nations are increasingly turning towards greener and energy efficient practises as they are coming to terms with the depletion of resources. A sustainable company is a profitable company – businesses today increasingly find the need to adopt sustainable practices to drive profitability and contribute effectively to India's growth story and that's what the Safe Future Now series is all about." Leaders present on the panel quantified that beyond adapting global technologies, India has the ability to become a global hub for innovation, if the existing and upcoming talent pool in this sector is incentivised and retained. The panel discussion on building a sustainable India, moderated by Cuckoo Paul, Associate Editor, Forbes India, featured Mr. R.K Singh (BPCL), Mr. Prasad Chandran (BASF), Mr. Armin Bruck, (Siemens), Mr. Sumant Sinha (ReNew Wind Power) and Dr.-Ing Axel Stepken (TÜV SÜD) concluded that the huge asset that India boasts is the will and aspiration of the young Indians who are key on developing these smart solutions and products. Mr. Niranjan Nadkarni, CEO, TÜV SÜD South Asia stated that “The national target of 15% power generation through renewable sources by 2020 presents a great opportunity, however, to achieve it we need to overcome reluctance among investors to invest in renewables. TÜV SÜD provides an array of services ranging from carrying out due diligence audits to certifying renewable energy projects thereby playing a pivotal role in obtaining investor confidence." The panel discussion was followed by in-depth workshops moderated by Mr. B. Steinruecke (IGCC) in which panellists Mr. Ishan Palit and Mr. Bratin Roy (both TÜV SÜD), Mr. Laurent Bruyere (Otis) and Mr. B.K. Singh (Dalmia Cement), Mr. Somasundaram Senthil Kumar (Asahi) presented viable steps towards sustainable infrastructure and manufacturing towards an overall reduction of corporate India's carbon footprint. Dr.-Ing Axel Stepken (TÜV SÜD) commented, “Given India's future growth outlook, it is inspiring to see that India's industry leaders have a strong intent to grow sustainably, for a better, greener future. Today's discussions revealed several innovative initiatives that can make a real difference in building a sustainable India, and we at TÜV SÜD are delighted to be a part of the game change." |
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