Why did you decide to pen down on this subject? What was the idea behind it?
I write regularly but mostly on LinkedIn. The idea was to put all my thoughts together in a consolidated way and present them to everybody. There is much that is happening all around us. And perhaps we need to look at the net zero transition as an opportunity, rather than a challenge alone.
What kind of research did you do? And how much time did you take before writing this book?
For the past nine years, every year, we’ve taken out a study on how top Indian companies are performing in terms of environment, social and governance (ESG). Parts of this research are really what has resulted in this book. But what is also been a learning for us is how we can look at the changes that companies are making within policies and governance, and also what’s happening in the external world that will impact corporate decision-making. This is a book for strategists, CEOs, and for anybody who wants to understand how corporate life, companies and businesses are likely to change because of energy and net zero transition.
What would be the steps that companies need to take immediately to move towards net zero?
If you shift to renewable sources of energy, you will get some benefits. But really, the only thing that you need to do is to look at how you can transform your products and services and look at what you will provide to customers that are better for the environment and will benefit society at large.
As a writer, what subjects interest you and what would be the topic of your next book?
I’m a boring person and my next book will again be on the same subject. This subject itself is so fascinating and is changing so dramatically. Specifically, now that India has announced decarbonisation targets, India will be a net zero country by 2070, which is in continuation of the Paris agreement. The world over countries and companies are part of this transition.
How do you take out time from your schedule to write books?
I genuinely don’t think of myself as a writer but as a person who has a point of view on something and I express it. These are just notes that are taken at various points in time and eventually stitched together.
What is the key takeaway for the readers from the book?
That is a time of significant change. And to navigate the future you need to understand it first. That’s what Shift actually does.