Against the backdrop of a world racing to achieve climate and development goals, the UN Global Compact Network India’s 20th National Convention hosted in collaboration with Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd., brought together some of India’s brightest minds to answer one critical question: how finance can catalyse climate action and inclusive growth.

Held at The Westin Kolkata, the Convention explored this question under the theme ‘Financing a Sustainable Future: Aligning Capital with Climate, Equity, and Growth’. The Convention which spotlighted the transformative role of capital, technology and responsible business practices in accelerating India’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), saw academics, business leaders, policymakers, innovators and development experts, rethink the architecture of sustainable finance in India.

The inaugural session featured prominent leaders including Ms. Vaishali Nigam Sinha, President, UN GCNI & Co-Founder, ReNew; Mr. Adhip Nath Palchaudhuri, Convenor – 20th NC and C&MD, Balmer Lawrie; Mr. Ratnesh, Executive Director, UN GCNI; Mr. Ambarish Dasgupta, Senior Partner & Founder, Intueri Consulting; Ms. Arundhati Bhattacharya, President & CEO, Salesforce South Asia (virtual); Dr. Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner to East & Northeast India; Mr. Ganesh Reddy, Secretary, UN GCNI; Mr. Abhishek Ranjan, Joint Secretary, UN GCNI and Mr. D. Sothi Selvam, Director General, Indian Chemical Council.

Key highlights included:

• Solution Exchange Sessions on renewable energy, low-carbon infrastructure, ESG-linked finance and tech enablers such as AI, blockchain and IoT.
• A Fireside Chat on Climate Finance & Just Transition with leaders from IFC, L&T Financial Services and the British Deputy High Commission.
• An Oxford-Style Debate on whether finance can drive a low-carbon, inclusive future.

As the day concluded with the Valedictory Session, the focus shifted from dialogue to action. The UN Global Compact’s Forward Faster agenda resonated strongly as leaders emphasised accelerated commitments, deeper collaboration and scaling of inclusive finance models.

The Convention not only marked a milestone in UN GCNI’s journey but also reaffirmed the collective resolve to build a climate-resilient, equitable and sustainable India.

About the Convention

The National Convention is UN GCNI’s premier annual platform for advancing India’s sustainability ecosystem. The 20th edition underscored the pivotal role of finance, innovation and cross-sectoral partnerships in shaping a climate-resilient, equitable and prosperous India. The deliberations and insights from this year’s gathering will feed into UN GCNI’s ongoing initiatives to support businesses in advancing the SDGs and the Forward Faster objectives.