Xynteo celebrates five years of Vikaasa & planet-positive impact, reaffirms its commitment towards accelerating India's progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals

MUMBAI, India, May 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Xynteo, a purpose-driven advisory firm recently hosted an event on 'Pioneering Good Growth' to celebrate five years of Vikaasa, a coalition of forward-leaning organizations, collaborating to accelerate India's progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Launched in 2017, Vikaasa works with its coalition partners on designing, incubating, and piloting new growth models, to create material environmental and social impact. Coalition partners over the five years include Hindalco, an Aditya Birla Group company; Cyient; Hindustan Unilever; Shell; State Bank of India; Tata Trusts; Technip Energies; WPP and Baker Hughes. Since its inception, the coalition has developed over 40 projects across energy, waste management, sustainable livelihoods, and healthcare access, positively impacting over 1.5 million people.

Harry Brekelmans, Projects & Technology Director, Shell, recounting the genesis of Vikaasa said, "Six years ago, I realized that if there is any way we want to have an impact, we must find smarter and better ways to move quickly to scale. And for us to be able to do that and have a real impact, my sense was that businesses would need to partner and collaborate with people with whom they conventionally would not. Over the last five years, Xynteo, through their Vikaasa coalition, has been able to showcase the impact of this notion."

Xynteo's 'Pioneering Good Growth' event was a celebration of unconventional partnerships, innovative solutions, and inclusive new business models that have emerged from Vikaasa's work, along with the wins and learnings from the journey thus far. Leaders present all agreed that business as usual was no longer an option and collaboration is and will be the force multiplier of impact.

Dr. BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder Chairman and Board Member, Cyient, highlighted the crucial role of technology, both physical and digital, in accelerating human-centric growth. He emphasized that collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including businesses, is essential to addressing systemic challenges and driving sustainable growth. Speakers shared their views on the transformative power of collaboration to address India's systemic challenges and drive human-centric growth.

Sandeep Sethi, Division President-Asia Pacific, Work Dynamics, JLL believes India is leading the way in responsible growth, driven by sustainability and human-centric development. Investors, developers, occupiers, and the state are embracing these key drivers, positioning India as a global leader in green office spaces. With a surge in demand for eco-friendly workplaces, forward-looking organizations are willing to pay a premium for green office spaces, making India the second-highest green office stock in the world.

At the event, Xynteo announced that Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries, Aditya Birla Group, will be succeeding Sanjiv Mehta, CEO & Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever, as Chair of the Vikaasa Executive Committee. On the announcement, Vikaasa Chair Emeritus, Sanjiv Mehta, who has been instrumental in shaping Vikaasa since its inception shared, "Businesses with the right purpose and values are a force for good and can be a catalyst for India's development that is both sustainable and inclusive. It has been my great privilege to lead this extraordinary coalition and collaborate with some of the most brilliant minds across industries. Together, we have achieved remarkable feats and established the foundation for a sustainable future. As I pass the baton, I am positive that Vikaasa is poised to achieve even greater success in the years ahead."

Commenting on his transition, Mr. Satish Pai said: "I am honoured to be taking on this role at such a crucial time. Vikaasa's focus on human-centric good growth and unconventional partnerships gives us a unique advantage in addressing today's challenges. Together, I look forward to unlocking opportunities at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and business – to create impact at scale and shape Vikaasa's legacy as a catalyst for change."

Vipul Kumar, Senior Partner, Xynteo added that "There has been a significant shift in the way businesses are now viewing sustainability – it now forms the DNA of a company's way of operation. The member organizations of Vikaasa all embody this principle, and this allows for the development of business models that are sustainable, inclusive, and have a long-term impact in mind. As we embark on this new chapter, we at Vikaasa express our deep gratitude to Mr. Mehta for his unwavering commitment and dedication towards our shared vision. At the same time, we are thrilled to welcome Mr. Pai as our Chair, and look forward to continuing our journey of building India's growth story under his guidance and vision."

Rohit Jawa, who will take over as the CEO & MD of Hindustan Unilever effective 27 June 2023, will join the Vikaasa Executive Committee.

About Xynteo

Xynteo is a purpose-driven organization that helps businesses find new ways to grow by shaping their cultures so they think and act differently; creating innovative, regenerative business models to compete and thrive; and helping clients embrace radical cross-sector, cross-border collaboration so they can tackle systems. Our partnerships and communities include the Xynteo Exchange, Leadership Vanguard, Vikaasa, Europe Delivers, and The Performance Theatre.
https://xynteo.com
Contact email address: [email protected]

About Cyient

Cyient (Estd: 1991, NSE: CYIENT) is a global Engineering and Technology Solutions company. We enable our customers to apply technology imaginatively across their value chain to solve problems that matter. We are committed to designing tomorrow with our stakeholders and being a culturally inclusive, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable organization. For more information, please visit www.cyient.com 
Follow news about the company at @Cyient

About Hindalco

Hindalco Industries Limited is the metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a $26 billion metals powerhouse, Hindalco is the world's largest aluminium company by revenues, and a major player in copper.

Guided by its purpose of building a greener, stronger, smarter world, Hindalco provides innovative solutions for a sustainable planet. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Novelis Inc. is the world's largest producer of aluminium beverage can stock and the largest recycler of used beverage cans (UBCs).

Hindalco was named the world's most sustainable aluminium company in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Kosala Livelihood And Social Foundation is a Section 8 Company, incorporated by Hindalco as its subsidiary, to further the sustainable livelihood programme of Kosa silk artisans in the state of Chhattisgarh.

About Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is 'India's largest Fast-Moving Consumer Goods company, with its products touching the lives of nine out of ten households in the country. HUL works to create a better future every day.  More here: https://www.hul.co.in/ 

About Shell India

Shell is one of India's most diversified international energy companies, with over 10,000 employees and a presence across upstream, integrated gas, downstream, renewable energy, and deep capabilities in Research & Development, digitisation, and business operations. With over 350 retail stations across eight states, Shell India is expanding its fuel station network and launched Shell Recharge, its EV charging service, in September 2022, which is rapidly growing in the EV infrastructure space. Shell Lubricants serves over 50,000 consumers through a network of more than 200 B2C and B2B distributors and operates an end-to-end value chain that spans conceptualization and development, production at a world-class blending plant, and distribution through a network of four regional distribution centres and eight warehouses.  The company also fully owns and operates an LNG re-gasification terminal at Hazira, Surat. In addition, Shell India has also established an LNG truck-loading unit to supply natural gas to customers across the country. With a focus on digitisation and sustainable solutions, Shell is nurturing a vibrant ecosystem in India to accelerate energy innovation. Its initiatives include Shell E4 for startups, Shell Eco-marathon, investments in new energy companies like Husk Power, d.light, Orb Energy and Cleantech Solar, and the acquisition of renewables asset developers Solenergi Power Private Limited and the Sprng Energy group of companies. Shell also remains committed to positively contributing to the communities in which it operates through programmes like NXplorers, Access to Energy, Drive Safe, and Road Safety across India. 

Visit our website, www.shell.in, and follow us on @shell_India, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram to know how we are redefining the energy space.

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