Xavier School of Sustainability (XSoS), Xavier University Bhubaneswar (XUB) conducted XUB Sustainability Summit 2019 on 22nd and 23rd November 2019, in association with GRI and Wipro with the theme being “Development to Sustainable Development: How SDGs are enabling the transition?” which is aimed at providing the pathway for the future through sustainable development by offering a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship, and strengthen governance.
Day 1 began with the inaugural address by Dr. Sutapa Pati (Dean, XSoS) who spoke about how fortunate we are to have representation from Japan and emphasized the spirit of collaboration. It was followed by the address of Dr. Fr. Antony R Uvari, S.J. (Vice-Chancellor, XUB) who stated about the importance Xavier University places on working towards peace and the bold step of establishing Xavier School of Sustainability (XSoS), advancing and mainstreaming in business. Dr. S. Peppin (Dean, XSRM) stated the need for empowerment and social engagement one has to place in the current scenario and the steps we need to take for the abolishing of nuclear weapons. Prof. Fr. E.A. Augustine, S.J. (Registrar, XUB) thanked everyone who attended the summit by making it a memorable occasion with the presence of dignitaries from Japan and other parts of India. Hiromasa Ikeda (Vice President, Soka Gakkai International (SGI)) praised the University efforts in spreading the “Spirit of Magis” and spoke about the harsh realities which are concerning the planet. He stressed on the need to create a humane society and transformation of education to humanity and contribute towards development.
The first panel was moderated by Dr. Aditi Haldar (Director, GRI South Asia) and the panelists were Mr. Prabodha Acharya (Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW), Mr. Saunak Saha (Associate Partner, Ernst & Young), Mr. Srinath Komarina (Senior President, Yes Bank), Mr. Betsy Vincent (Lead Sustainability and CSR, Future Group) and, Mr. Anand Acharya (Senior Sustainability Manager, GAIL). Dr. Aditi Haldar started the discussion about the topic “Accelerating Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals- Critical Entry Points of Indian Businesses” by stating her views on how to achieve these goals and the role of sustainability reporting in advancement to SDGs. Panellists spoke about their views on the need to invest in the SDGs and cited examples about how their experience helped them in gaining knowledge about sustainability. They stressed the four key areas as an organization we need to focus on which include resource efficiency, supply chain, products, and strong engagement with the customers.
The second panel started with the keynote address from Mr. Sujeet Kumar (Advisor, SDC, Government of Odisha) who spoke about the Odisha governments role in working towards sustainability and development for all. It was moderated by Ms. Richa Chowdhary (Health, Safety, and Environment, TCS) and the panelists were Mr. Manjunath Lakshminathan (Regional Manager- Eastern India, ITC), Ms. Gitika Goswami (Senior Programme Director- Policy and Planning, Development Alternatives Group), Dr. Aneesh A. Lotliker (Scientist ‘E’ & Scientist-in-Charge, Estuaries, Observations and Remote Sensing, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)), and Mr. Christudas K V (Director Projects, ESAF Microfinance). The topic for the discussion was “Localizing the sustainable development goals- Corporate and State Government examples”. Panellists spoke about the local initiatives to achieve the global goals and the importance of scaling up the innovations that can help to develop strategies and programs to achieve the SDGs. They also emphasized on how to strengthen implementation and monitoring efficiency in various programs on SDGs.
Day 2 began with the keynote address from Ms. Neena Singh (Managing Partner, ERM) who spoke about the importance of sustainability to be present in each and every aspect in today’s fast-paced world. The panel discussion on the topic “New frontiers in research and innovation for sustainable development” moderated by Mr. Christudas K V (Director Projects, ESAF Microfinance) and the panelists were Dr. Santanu Satapathy (Environment Lead, CLP), Dr. S.B. Choudhary (Senior Scientist, ISRO), Mr. Amit Nanda (Director, Satattva), Mr. Prasanta Biswal (Head, StartUp Odisha), Dr. Channa Ghosh (CEO, HSSERisk), and Ms. Beth Fascitelli (PhD Candidate, University of Massachusetts). The key takeaways from the discussion included how we can accelerate the pace of innovation to achieve the global SDG targets and the impact of research and innovation as a driver of SDGs.
The summit had a Q&A session after each panel discussion with students asking pertinent questions to the panel which made the session interactive and insightful. The winners for the Poster Presentation competition, Prarthana Chand and Arushee Ghai, were awarded for the poster on “Sustainable Assessment of Sanitary Napkins”. Then there was a product prototype display by Synergy which showcased Sustainable additive manufacturing & 3D printing and scientific development of solar-assisted Mansukh Bhai’s Mitti- Cool Refrigeration System. This was followed by the felicitation of the panellists as a token of gratitude on behalf of the University. Finally, the summit ended with a vote of thanks by Prof. Devendraraj Mandangopal (Professor, XSoS) to the speakers, faculty members, and everyone who contributed to make it a grand success.
ABOUT XUB
Xavier University, Bhubaneswar (XUB) was established in accordance with the Xavier University Act, 2013 and was inaugurated on July 07, 2014. XUB is a self-financing institution and is India’s first digital university for imparting professional and technical education. XUB has 13 Schools that offer world-class education in different fields. The post-graduation programs are offered by Xavier Institute of Management (XIMB), Xavier School of Human Resource Management (XAHR), erstwhile XIMB-HRM, Xavier School of Rural Management (XSRM), erstwhile XIMB-RM, Xavier School of Commerce (XSC), Xavier School of Sustainability (XSOS), and Xavier School of Human Settlements (XAHS). XUB also offers undergraduate programs under various schools including The Xavier Emlyon Business School, Xavier School of Communications (XCOMM), Xavier School of Economics (XSE), Xavier School of Computer Science and Engineering (XCOMP), Xavier Law School (XLS), Xavier Centre for Humanities and Compassion Studies, and School of Government and Public Affairs (SGPA).
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