Mumbai: Amid the fast-moving, sweeping devastation caused by COVID-19, lies a slow-moving one— a crisis that could be more disastrous to humanity with far-reaching consequences for all living beings. The increasing greenhouse gas emissions, exploitation of limited reserves, and piling of industrial waste are leading to rising sea levels, rapid ice loss, extreme weather patterns, and polluted water resources, all of which are stressing our ecosystem beyond imagination. The world is hurtling towards extreme climate change – we are on track to see an average temperature rise of 3 degrees Celsius, as per a report by the United Nations Environment Programme. If emissions are not rapidly reduced, the planet will not be able to sustain human life.
The need to tackle these challenges and restore our natural ecosystem has never been more urgent. But a change cannot be achieved in isolation. A crisis of this scale requires collective, and most importantly, sustained action to build back a better, more resilient, and sustainable world.
To spark conversations, unearth actionable insights and deliver meaningful solutions, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) and Network18 have come together to launch Sustainability 100+ -Shaping a Better World, a comprehensive, thought-provoking collaboration that aims to unite companies, government stakeholders, public intellectuals, artists and other change-makers on one platform, in our shared pursuit to build a cleaner and brighter planet that is liveable for the next 100+ years and beyond.
The United Nations has charted out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030 that has been adopted by 193-member states. Given that 2030 is not that far away, this first-of-its-kind initiative becomes even more significant as an impetus to find ways to accelerate India’s progress towards these SDGs, seek new-age solutions that will address the most pressing challenges that we face, and make sustainability a reality for everybody.
AB InBev shares this commitment towards building a better world. As the world’s leading brewer, the company has been at the forefront of many programs and initiatives in sustainability. From seed to sip, the company is brewing beer and building brands that aim to bring people together for the next 100 years and beyond and is making important progress towards its ambitious 2025 sustainability goals across smart agriculture, water stewardship, circular packaging, and climate action. The company is empowering thousands of farmers both big and small, with the latest technology and tools, ensuring water access and quality in high-stress communities, partnered with suppliers to increase recycling content, and added renewable electricity capacity to its brewing operations.
“We are excited to embark on this one-of-a-kind journey with Network18 and bring our commitment towards sustainability to life. Our purpose as a company is to bring people together for a better world and this relies on thriving communities and a healthy environment. Our planet is under threat right now, we need to act now and take collective action to halt the destruction of our ecosystem,” reflects Kartikeya Sharma, President – South Asia, AB InBev, adding, “With Sustainability 100+, we have an incredible opportunity to not just reinforce our commitment towards sustainability but ignite a much-needed conversation about our environment. We are confident that this platform, acting as a unifying force, will enable us to catalyze change and uncover outcomes that will help our leaders, organizations, and individuals tackle the environmental challenges that humanity faces.”
As one of the leading media conglomerates, Network18 took the responsibility of driving the difference and address the greatest environmental challenges by organising the Sustainability 100+platform, where leaders can congregate and agree to a common end-point.
Speaking about the partnership, Puneet Singhvi, President Digital and Corporate Strategy, Network18, said, “In the time of unprecedented climate change, it was important to make long-term sustainability a top priority. We felt the urgency to initiate this conversation and support the journey of every stakeholder, individual and business towards attaining sustainable development goals. To consolidate our commitment and efforts for a liveable planet, we have partnered with AB InBev to establish a dialogue that is full of new ideas with greater importance to environmental issues. We are confident that the partnership will motivate people to make sustainability their agenda and persuade them to take actions for a greener future.”
The Sustainability 100+platform will conduct panel discussions, host engaging online content, and drive conversations for the next six months with important state-level stakeholders in the focus states of Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana. Watch this space for updates from this initiative and learn how you can join the conversation.
Covid-19 has demonstrated our inextricable relationship with nature and its biodiversity. As we pick up the threads unravelled by the pandemic and build back better, environmental concerns and sustainability need to be top of mind. It is imperative for leaders, organizations and individuals, to work together and unlock significant long-term value for the environment, society and businesses. The actions we take today and the next few years, will decide the fate of the planet for the next 100+ years and beyond. There is no Planet B!
