THE RISE AND RISE OF TECH

2021 has been a bonanza year for India's technology industry. Digital transformation has become a critical strategic priority for enterprises, cloud investments have been prioritised and companies across sectors have been embracing transformative technologies to develop relevant solutions. Sustainability has been another key trend as enterprises embed it into their business to address the climate crisis. Even the amazing march of the unicorns has been a exhilarating feature of the year with a variety of firms participating in the new valuation stories. Truly speaking, 2021 has been a watershed year for Indian tech and the pathways for the next decade have been truly illuminated, say the CEOs of some of the top tech firms

- SHAILENDER KUMAR

Vetting company strategies through a sustainability lens

In 2022, it could become mandatory for every enterprise to lay out and execute a comprehensive sustainability strategy–a tall order that will require more focused leadership, especially here in Asia Pacific, including in India

SUSTAINABILITY IS CRITICAL to 42% of company strategies in India, according to a recent Frost & Sullivan report. Indeed, beyond meeting compliance and regulatory goals, increasingly people of all ages-especially the young-are evaluating companies' sustainability track records and commitments through a sustainability lens before they commit their money. Additionally, enterprises, in both the public and the private sectors, are starting to do much of the same with their suppliers and partners, holding them and themselves accountable for reducing their carbon emissions.

No wonder that increasingly we see more and more environment friendly raw materials in use, greener manufacturing processes being employed and renewable energy being utilised, wherever possible. In situations where bio-degradable materials may not be suitable, recycled ones are taking their place. In India, we also clearly see the government pushing for sustainability in its Sustainable Development Goals. During the recently concluded COP 26 Summit, India's Prime Minister announced a target of zero emissions for the country by year 2070.