CSR must shift from compliance to impact, say sustainability leaders

Corporate social responsibility in India must move from mere compliance to measurable impact, speakers said at the Hindu Sustainability Summit in Chennai on September 23, 2026. Rohit Kumar Agrawala, finance director of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, argued that the ESG framework is now a core part of industrial growth rather than a checkbox. He warned that refinery operations cannot be treated in isolation because production cost, competitiveness and CSR are linked. Agrawala said CPCL’s sustainability targets focus on implementation and that peer collaboration is needed to scale solutions. He urged companies to stop measuring CSR by money spent and instead track real outcomes. Geetha Ramamoorthi, founder of Herizon Advisory, noted that health and education dominate CSR projects under the Sustainable Development Goals, but called for more work on sustainable industries and communities. She proposed a green innovation fund for startups and cross‑skilling programmes to help micro, small and medium enterprises transition to greener practices. Ramamoorthi also urged schools to use project‑based learning to raise sustainability awareness among future workers. Akshay Kurian, head of consulting at Treeni Sustainability Solutions, said most ESG data stays in reporting but is crucial for setting baselines and monitoring progress. He cited attrition tracking as a way to gauge workforce trends. Kurian highlighted that MSMEs can adapt faster than larger firms, but a mindset shift is essential to build their green capacity. The session was moderated by senior reporter Geetha Srimathi of The Hindu.