VP Urges Industry to Champion Inclusion, Sustainability, and Youth Skilling at CII-ITC Awards
Shri Dhankhar began his remarks by emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusion in leadership roles across gender and caste lines.
- Country:
- India
In a clarion call to India’s corporate sector, Vice-President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, addressing the 19th edition of the CII-ITC Sustainability Awards at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, urged industry leaders to embrace their role not just as economic agents, but as architects of an inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready India. His address touched upon a sweeping range of themes—from gender diversity and equitable development to climate action and youth empowerment—positioning industry as a critical engine in India’s developmental transformation.
Inclusion Through Diversity: More Than Affirmative Action
Shri Dhankhar began his remarks by emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusion in leadership roles across gender and caste lines. Acknowledging the complexity of subtle and systemic discrimination, he stated,
“Gender and caste diversity must be appreciated in the right sense. Affirmative action is essential, but the real challenge lies in addressing subtle discrimination—the kind that is harder to name but deeply embedded in power dynamics.”
He called upon industry to go beyond token representation, cultivating environments where inclusivity becomes embedded in organizational culture, policies, and leadership pipelines.
Industry as Co-Architects of a Developed India
The Vice-President emphasized that Indian businesses are not mercenaries, but stakeholders in national progress. “We believe in the positive unleashing of our energy to realise our dreams for the benefit of society at large,” he declared.
Underscoring the need to dismantle elitism in opportunity, he stated,
“A truly developed nation is one where opportunity is not the privilege of the few but the right of all.”
He urged corporates to internalize sustainability, ethics, and equity as foundational to their business models rather than as mere compliance burdens.
Bharat's Sustainable Development Vision
Shri Dhankhar proudly described India—or “Bharat”—as the torchbearer of a unique development model that balances economic growth with ecological responsibility and ethical values. With one-sixth of humanity and as the fourth largest economy, India's role in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 is pivotal, he said.
“India has embraced this responsibility with clarity and conviction… Let us not treat sustainability as compliance, but as a source of competitive advantage.”
He emphasized investment in renewable energy, green hydrogen, circular economy models, and carbon markets, positioning them as future growth frontiers.
Expanding 'Brand India': Ideas, Standards, and Solutions
Shifting focus to India's global role, the Vice-President called on businesses to build Brand India on four key pillars:
-
Quality
-
Trust
-
Innovation
-
Ancient wisdom reimagined for modern relevance
He urged industrialists to invest in Greenfield projects and to channel Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds into backward regions, particularly in health and education, which have been over-commercialized.
“Health and education were once means to give back to society. Now, they’re becoming profit-driven. This needs introspection and correction,” he said, urging the CII to foster a business culture rooted in long-term social value.
Private Sector as the Driving Engine
Reiterating that the government’s role is that of an enabler, Shri Dhankhar metaphorically stated,
“Government alone cannot score the penalty goal… Industry must drive innovation, create livelihoods, and build the architecture of national development.”
He described corporate India as a reservoir of talent and emphasized the need for synergy between private and public sectors to yield “quantum and geometric outcomes.”
Whole-of-Society Development Model
India, he said, has moved beyond a “government-centric” approach to a whole-of-society framework, involving:
-
Sub-national and local governments
-
Civil society
-
Private sector and communities
“This engine of progress has to fire on all cylinders if we are to achieve tangible success,” he emphasized.
Demographic Dividend: Channeling Youth Potential
Shri Dhankhar drew special attention to India’s demographic advantage—nearly two-thirds of its population is under 35, with a median age of just 28. Calling it India’s greatest asset, he cautioned that it will yield returns only if harnessed wisely and urgently.
“The duty of corporates is to channel our youth in the right direction. Skilling and education are critical, and industry must collaborate with academia and training institutes to design future-ready curricula.”
He highlighted the Government’s efforts in youth skilling but stressed that the corporate sector must take the lead for impactful transformation.
Call for Research with Real-World Impact
Stressing the importance of indigenous research and development, Shri Dhankhar said,
“Research can’t be for the self, or for the shelf. It must change lives.”
He called for a greater convergence of research between industry, academia, and policy, and urged investment in design and innovation, not merely for competitive gain, but for societal transformation.
A Vision for Holistic, Equitable Progress
In concluding his powerful and wide-ranging address, the Vice-President offered a vision of national development anchored in inclusivity, sustainability, equity, and innovation. He issued a final call to action:
“Let Indian industry not just chase profits but become the torchbearer of transformation — turning sustainability into a strength, diversity into dynamism, and youth into our most empowered asset.”
The CII-ITC Sustainability Awards ceremony stood as a symbolic setting for this transformative message—reminding the nation's economic leaders that the true value of enterprise lies in its ability to uplift all, not just a few.
Google News