New Delhi, July 2 — The third edition of the National Conference on Responsible Business Conduct (NCRBC) 2025 opened with a strong call for trust-based corporate governance, as Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Shri Harsh Malhotra inaugurated the event at the Taj Palace, New Delhi. The flagship conference, organized by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), is themed “Integrating ESG for Viksit Bharat.”
Addressing over 300 senior corporate leaders, ESG professionals, policymakers, and international delegates, Shri Malhotra emphasized that India is now shifting from a compliance-driven regime to one anchored in trust and conscience. “India is no longer catching up; India is ready to lead,” he affirmed, underscoring that responsible business conduct must become central to business strategy.
He highlighted the Ministry’s key reforms such as the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC), Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR), the MCA21 digital governance platform, and the decriminalisation of over 180 statutory provisions via the Jan Vishwas Act. The Minister praised IICA for its work in strengthening ethical governance and board capacity-building across startups, MSMEs, and listed companies alike.
Shri Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, offered a historical perspective, cautioning against importing ESG frameworks that disregard India’s socio-economic context. Referring to Kautilya’s Arthashastra, he asserted that India has long embraced principles of ethical governance, calling for localized and development-aligned ESG metrics.
UNICEF Representative to India, Ms. Cynthia McCaffrey, stressed the importance of child welfare in ESG policies, stating, “ESG is incomplete without healthy children and families.” She urged corporations to integrate child rights, nutrition, education, and community well-being into their strategies.
Prof. Garima Dadhich of IICA noted the conference’s evolution from “awareness to action,” and reaffirmed IICA’s role as a hub for ESG knowledge and collaboration. Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, DG and CEO of IICA, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing indigenous ESG frameworks and evidence-based transformation suited to India’s unique ecosystem.
Day 1 featured four thematic panels:
- The Rise of ESG in the Boardroom – led by Smt. Ravneet Kaur and senior leaders from Mahindra, ONGC, and ICAI.
- Sustainable Finance – explored green bonds and impact investing with inputs from SEBI, NABARD, and India INX.
- EU CSDDD and India – addressed export-oriented ESG compliance and market access.
- Workforce of the Future – focused on ESG integration in workforce planning and skilling for green jobs.
Day 2 promises further deep-dives into ESG adoption across industries, resilient supply chains, and global cooperation. International partners including UNICEF India, ICAI, ILO, GAIN, and the Responsible Business Alliance are supporting this initiative to align India’s business ethos with its developmental vision for 2047.
Source: Press Information Bureau
