The theme of the 2019, the sixth edition of CRB’s Flagship Annual Conference is ‘Market Dynamics & Social Dilemmas of Promoting Sustainable Business’. Integrating sustainability into global and local value chains is becoming increasingly common, not only for creating equitable and inclusive growth, but also for shared value creation. While many recognize these new developments, there is a need for a shift in mindsets on what we perceive as growth and development.

Since its adoption in 2015 the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the United Nations and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the expectations and actions toward meeting the agenda’s goals have gained momentum. The focus has also expanded from the government to the private sector as a driver of sustainability/SDGs. Many segments of the private sector, supported by various national and international organizations provide frameworks and guidance on how to integrate sustainable policies and business practices in order to achieve long-term prosperity for businesses and societies, while carefully managing or restoring environmental resources.

In the sixth edition of CRB’s conference (India and Sustainability Standards), our endeavor, is to convene a diverse set of stakeholders to understand and deliberate on the opportunities and challenges of promoting sustainable business in an emerging economy like India. Balancing the aspirations of a demographically young and expanding economy on one hand and meeting the needs of the underserved on the other hand is a complex challenge. Through our discussions, we aim to address these challenges, particularly now, as India, an emerging economy sets a course for the next five years in an integrated global economy.