BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], October 16: The 12th Edition of the India CSR & ESG Summit 2025, powered by CSRBOX, concluded after three days of transformation, purpose, and collaboration, reaffirming its position as Asia's largest and most influential forum for CSR and sustainability.
This year's summit brought together the custodians of India's annual CSR spend, representing the country's most influential corporates, implementing agencies, and policy architects who drive India's development and sustainability agenda. The gathering underscored how collective action, cross-sectoral partnerships, and innovative financing can accelerate India's progress toward achieving its SDG and net-zero goals and was a perfect confluence of policymakers, changemakers, and corporate leaders, each representing a vital pillar of India's development ecosystem. The summit served as a dynamic platform where government intent, corporate strategy, and social innovation converged, advancing the nation's journey toward sustainability and inclusive growth.
The summit was graced by an eminent gathering of visionary leaders and policymakers, including Shri Vijay Sharma, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Chhattisgarh; Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Chairman - Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines & Steel, and Former Cabinet Minister, Government of India; and Dr. L. Murugan, Hon'ble Union Minister of State, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India.
In his inaugural address, Shri Vijay Sharma highlighted the importance of local empowerment: "True development is when every village stands on its own feet, using its water, forest, and land with pride, skill, and unity."
Adding a note of rooted wisdom, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur emphasised the Summit's growing importance in advancing corporate responsibility, stating: "A strong and self-reliant Bharat will emerge when both corporates and citizens work together, guided by dharma, driven by responsibility, and united in purpose."
The summit also featured distinguished bureaucrats, Smt. Vimala Ramesh (IAS), Resident Commissioner & Secretary, Government of Maharashtra; Shri Nitin Khade (IAS), Joint Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India; Dr. Hari Om (IAS), Principal Secretary, Vocational Education, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Naveen Kumar (IAS), Secretary, Irrigation & Water Resources Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh; Vijay Kiran Anand (IAS), Secretary, Infrastructure & Industrial Development Department cum CEO Invest UP, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Shri M. Nagarajan (IAS), Resident Commissioner & Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and Shri Gaurav Agrawal (IAS), District Magistrate & Collector, Jodhpur District, Government of Rajasthan. Their presence and perspectives added profound policy depth, administrative insight, and institutional credibility to the deliberations on India's evolving CSR and ESG landscape.
The summit also hosted eminent keynote speakers, including Mr. Abhijit Bhattacharya, Former Captain of the Indian Senior Volleyball Team and Founder of the Brahmaputra Volleyball League, and Mr. Jason Morrison, President of the CEO Water Mandate, whose thought-provoking addresses inspired conversations on leadership, resilience, and sustainable water stewardship.
Over 35 insightful panel discussions, 10+ expert-led masterclasses, and exclusive corporate roundtables created immersive dialogues around themes such as climate action, ESG reporting, tech-for-good, gender equity, water stewardship, and social innovation. The summit also featured over 50 exhibitors showcasing breakthrough models in sustainability, renewable energy, the circular economy, and grassroots innovations.
One of the key highlights was the unveiling of the 11th Edition of the India CSR Outlook Report (ICOR) 2025, an in-depth analytical study covering CSR trends across 301 of India's leading companies. The report mapped sector-wise investments, emerging priorities, and compliance patterns, providing a data-driven compass for companies, policymakers, and non-profits to align strategy with impact.
As part of its forward-looking agenda, the Summit hosted the official pre-event of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, in association with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, spotlighting the transformative intersection of Artificial Intelligence, education, and employability in shaping an inclusive future for Bharat. The exclusive roundtable, "The FutureTech for Bharat: Unlocking Multiple Pathways to Employability - A Cradle to Career Approach Using AI in Education," convened policymakers, CSR leaders, and innovators to explore how AI can redefine India's learning continuum from foundational literacy to workforce readiness.
Speaking at the opening plenary, Mr Bhomik Shah, Founder and CEO, CSRBOX, shared: "The India CSR & ESG Summit has become a catalyst for collective action, where ideas meet intent and partnerships turn into impact. As India stands at the cusp of global sustainability leadership, this platform continues to bridge corporates, government, and civil society to co-create solutions that drive measurable change on the ground."
The evenings came alive with cultural performances, from Rahgir's soulful activism through music to Manzil Mystics' powerful storytelling through songs, symbolising how art and empathy intertwine with impact and change.
The summit culminated with the prestigious Doing Good for Bharat Awards 2025, honouring trailblazing organisations and individuals who are redefining social and environmental impact through creativity, compassion, and commitment.
As the 12th Edition of the India CSR & ESG Summit 2025 drew to a close, it left behind a powerful reminder that India's path to sustainable and inclusive growth lies in collaboration, not competition. From boardrooms to grassroots, from policymakers to changemakers, every voice echoed a shared vision for a better Bharat. The summit reaffirmed that when purpose unites corporates, government, and civil society, transformation is not just possible, it's inevitable.
In the spirit of collective progress and enduring partnership, the India CSR & ESG Summit 2025 stands as a testament to one resounding belief - The Way Forward, Together.
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