The second edition of the SUTRA 2.0: Sustainable Trade Summit 2024 was held on October 17-18, 2024, at The Oberoi, Gurugram. Organized by IDH, this year, the summit was themed around “Accelerating Responsible Sourcing in Indian Markets.” It brought together about 400 industry leaders, policymakers, and sustainability experts.
It dealt with the promotion of responsible sourcing and building sustainable supply chains. Some of the major sponsors include BharatRohan, Everest, and Jayanti Herbs & Spice. Sattva Consulting played the role of Knowledge Partner. Furthering its inaugural edition, SUTRA 2.0 shed light on ethical and sustainable practices regarding agriculture, textiles, spices, and palm oil among other sectors.
The sessions were held on regenerative agriculture, innovative financing, gender-inclusive business models, and technology transformation in industries. Some of the key speakers included H.E. Marisa Gerards, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India; Daan Wensing, Global CEO, IDH. And Jagjeet Singh Kandal, Country Director – India, IDH. Other speakers included Sanjeev Asthana, CEO of Patanjali Foods; Sonali Shahpurwala, MD and Head – Inclusive Banking, HSBC India. Anukool Joshi, Director Agro, PepsiCo India.
Daan Wensing, Global CEO, IDH said, “India is not only a major producer. But also one of the fast-growing consumer markets. As India advances towards development and climate goals, changes in agriculture must be sustainable and inclusive.”
The summit also emphasized discussions on sustainable farming, resilient supply chains, and public-private partnerships through technology. Participants identified pre-competitive collaboration as a factor that would drive trade in sustainable products. Breakout sessions also looked into value chains: spices, palm oil, coffee, and textiles of their barriers and solutions.
As Jagjeet Singh Kandal, Country Director – India, IDH explained, “We have to also look at three pillars: environmental stewardship, economic viability, and social equity for a sustainable future.”
The summit also witnessed the launch of various initiatives, including the India Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto. This manifesto binds private sector players, the government, and civil society into sourcing palm oil in a sustainable manner.
As the summit came to a close, participants also committed to translating the discussion into action. IDH pledged to further expand the SUTRA 2.0 platform as part of its efforts to mainstream responsible sourcing across industries.
ANI