New Delhi – The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, hosted the inaugural National Association of Impact Leaders (NAIL) Meet 2025 in Goa, bringing together over 100 ESG professionals, policymakers, and corporate leaders. The event focused on emerging trends in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices, regulatory developments, and corporate sustainability under the leadership of Shri Ajay Bhushan Prasad Pandey, Director General & CEO of IICA and Chairman of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA).
The meet opened with a session led by Prof. Garima Dadhich, Head of the School of Business Environment at IICA, who emphasized the need for corporate strategies to align with global ESG frameworks. She highlighted the growing importance of sustainability-driven business models in ensuring long-term resilience and compliance. Aruna C. Newton, Vice President at Infosys Limited, spoke on the role of governance frameworks in accelerating the adoption of green technology, stressing the need for businesses to integrate sustainability into their operations. A representative from UNICEF’s Private Sector Engagement division provided insights into Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) Core, focusing on its social impact dimensions and how organizations can enhance ESG transparency.
The event featured a panel discussion moderated by Prof. Garima Dadhich, which included NAIL members J P Dash, Ashok Sethi, Sridhar L, Shalini Verma, and Paritosh Chauhan. The discussion explored recent regulatory changes, including SEBI’s evolving ESG rating framework, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the implications of the dissolution of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Officials from SEBI addressed concerns surrounding compliance, offering guidance on emerging benchmarks and investor expectations in sustainability reporting.
Technological advancements in ESG reporting were also a key focus of the meet. Experts from KPMG India discussed the role of AI-driven ESG analytics in improving corporate sustainability disclosures, while representatives from WRI India and CEEW-CEF examined developments in greenhouse gas accounting, carbon markets, and the transition towards net-zero emissions.
The event concluded with a networking session and the announcement of the third edition of IICA’s flagship ESG annual conference, the National Conference on Responsible Business Conduct (NCRBC), scheduled for July 2-3, 2025. Registrations for the conference will open in March 2025.
With NAIL emerging as a premier platform for ESG professionals and impact leaders, the initiative is set to drive corporate sustainability efforts and strengthen India’s leadership in global ESG governance.