Climate change poses increasingly serious risks to business operations and requires urgent, collaborative efforts to minimize these risks and strengthen resilience. The urgency of the government's response to the climate change issue can be confirmed by the fact that emissions intensity has decreased by 33% from 2005 to 2019 (as per India's 3rd National Report to UNFCCC in 2023). Industry continues to support governments in these efforts through CSR, compliance with various regulatory requirements, provision of mandatory disclosures, and participation in government-led collaborative initiatives.
However, for India to meet its climate goals, it is important that industries assess their climate change efforts and environmental sustainability given the size of their industrial output. Its scale and environmental impact.
of CII-ITC Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD)raises awareness about sustainable practices in the value chain and among MSMEs through its unique product and service proposition. ESG core requirements. Sustainability-related disclosures. Climate change countermeasures and air quality management.
CESD currently collaborates with over 400 MSMEs and value chain partners in 10 clusters across the country. The center has a mission to promote sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally friendly behavior using digital tools, assessments, and feedback reports.
CII Climate Action Charter
of CII Climate Action Charter (CCAC)helps MSMEs assess their vulnerability to climate-related risks and estimate their GHG emissions, along with a specialized toolkit customized for MSMEs. It is an innovative product that supports organizations in greenhouse gas inventory, emissions baselines and raises awareness of climate change and the urgency of climate action among value chain partners and MSMEs.
Based on the TCFD approach, CCAC seeks to assess the climate change appetite, actions, and status among MSMEs. The tool captures registered organizations' emissions footprints (Scope 1 and Scope 2) with a three-year commitment and, based on their performance, a comprehensive report including risks and opportunities is shared with signatories.
Currently, CCAC has partnered with over 300 MSMEs across industrial clusters in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Partnerships with 1,000 more MSMEs from industrial clusters in Uttarakhand, Punjab, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are underway for the financial year 2024-25.
Introducing responsible and sustainable practices in industrial clusters
of the center eco edge The program improves the value of organizations across all sectors by assessing the sustainability performance of both procurement companies and their selected vendors in four areas: human rights, circularity, health and safety, and decarbonization. Integrate sustainability into your chain. The program helps MSMEs manage their Scope 3 emissions, establish a network of sustainable vendors, and prepare for the evolving global regulatory landscape. Other services available include:
- Capacity Development Program: Comprehensive/customized sessions will be conducted for member vendors to increase awareness and skills on value chain sustainability. In addition, specialized sessions will be held for procurement and his ESG teams to help them deepen their understanding and incorporate sustainability considerations into their sourcing decisions.
- Baseline assessment: Assists with baseline assessments on environmental and social parameters to analyze vendors' current sustainability performance, identify vendors with high risk profiles, and perform best on certain key performance indicators (KPIs). Highlight high-performing vendors and use the overall analysis to target and plan your actions accordingly.
- Maturity-based certification: Organizations and vendors that meet predetermined thresholds during a baseline assessment are awarded a maturity level certification.
Focusing on MSME clusters that cause air pollution: Working towards clean air practices
To address the pressing issue of air pollution within the MSME cluster, CESD has initiated interventions based on national regulations. A better life with clean air Initiative. Through this program, PSE can enable MSMEs to effectively manage emissions, comply with regulations and adopt good management practices for clean air.
Through air quality management workshops tailored specifically for MSMEs, CII can help disseminate critical information for PSEs to understand air pollution sources, pollution prevention techniques, and monitoring/reporting practices. The Clean Air Action Toolkit for Business supports PSEs and MSMEs in assessing air quality risks, identifying cost-effective solutions, conducting feasibility analyzes and implementing selected strategies in pollution clusters. is planned. This facilitates seamless implementation of sustainable practices while ensuring regulatory compliance. In the first phase, CII has identified three clusters in Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Meghalaya..
