Social Equity: Building Inclusive And Sustainable Communities
Sustainability is the commitment to preserving our planet's resources and ensuring a harmonious coexistence between humanity and the environment. It is a global responsibility that calls for collective action and a shift towards more mindful and environmentally friendly choices in every facet of our lives.
In the fourth edition of the Sustainable World Conclave 2023, a powerful panel discussion on “Social Equity: Building Inclusive and Sustainable Communities” took place in Bengaluru.
The session was opened by Wilma Rodrigues, Founder and CEO, Saahas Zero Waste stating, “We work with waste, all of us generate waste from the day we were born right up to the day we die. It’s a big issue the country is dealing with and thus this is also an opportunity for us to bring about a change. To enable a circular economy, we must move forward collaboratively. When we look at the systems in waste management today, they are far from inclusive. Today’s waste management system in the context of a circular economy needs professionals. We need to be mindful of the fact that a large number of people working in the waste management domain are at the bottom of the pyramid.”
She emphasised that 60 per cent of Saahas Zero Waste’s revenue comes from service fees with major customers being apartments and corporate campuses. The company currently has 300 people employed in the waste management industry.
On the consumption of water and water management, Paneesh Rao, Chief Sustainability Officer, LTIMindtree commented, “We do everything to ensure we use renewable energy as much as we can, and new investments are being made concerning the environment. We measure the consumption of water per person, how much water is being wasted, and how much is being recycled and then reused. Additionally, we make sure we build ponds and rejuvenate rivers and wells. In terms of waste management, we ensure no waste gets into the air, water or land. Being an IT company, we produce a lot of electronic waste and ensure proper disposal of such waste. Whatever we do, we make sure that we go with a comprehensive solution”. Rao stressed that LTIMindtree impacts approximately half a million people to cater for sustainability.
Talking about social inequality, Tania Chatterjee, Director-Head of Sustainability, NatWest Digital Service, India said, “IMF clearly mentions that India’s GDP will increase by 27 per cent if there is an equal participation of women in the workforce. The status of the women labour workforce participation right now is 29.4 per cent. Back in 2000, it was 30 per cent. This is a 0.6 per cent fall in the last two decades.” She further highlighted, “India has been notoriously known for stagnating women’s labour workforce. The second marginalised community is the LGBTQ+ community and their economic potential is largely untapped. World Bank mentions that India is losing on GDP worth almost 32 billion USD because of transphobia and homophobia. The third marginalised community is persons with disabilities. In India, about 2.1 per cent of the population has a disability. This accounts for 3 crore people out of which only 54 per cent are educated whereas only eight per cent have a graduate degree. If we don’t tackle social inequality issues, we’ll find it very difficult to have India as an economically and socially progressive country.”
Stressing social security for workers in the waste management sector, P S Narayan, Global Head, ESG and Managing Trustee, Wipro Foundation underlined the extended support Wipro provides for social security for workers in the waste segment.
He said, “When it comes to inclusion, we know that beyond metrics and beyond frameworks, it’s about mindsets. Your mindset manifests in what you do.” “When companies work on disability issues, they need to put in not only money but long-term attention. The second is, the long arc of social change requires you to have your systems reworked. Maternal care to vulnerable communities, for example, will become even more effective if the woman is educated because that has a multigenerational cascading impact”, said Narayan.
Education is the first step towards following the path of sustainability. The awareness of the current scenario and the much-required need for sustainability plays a pivotal role for companies.
Tammy Ben-Haim, Consul General, Consulate General of Israel to South India, Bangalore spoke in the discussion stating, “Education is key for the issue of sustainability. In Israel, we do programs about conserving nature, and water and using seatbelts in the education system. Most of our schools are government-run so they start from kindergarten. We found that education is key for bringing in peripheral communities and women. We start these programs at quite an early age.”
Concluding the panel, session chair Sudhir Mishra, Founder & Managing Partner, Trust Legal, Noted Environmental Lawyer said, “There is a particular village in Haryana which has started planting 100 trees by the Panchayat upon the birth of a girl child.”
