“We are committed to deliver clean air to the people of Delhi.”
Sardar Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Hon’ble Minister of Industries, Environment, Forest & Wildlife, Government of NCT of Delhi
New Delhi, 10 April 2026: Sardar Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Hon’ble Minister of Industries, Environment, Forest & Wildlife, Government of NCT of Delhi felicitated the winners for achieving excellence in sustainable business practices at the 20th CII-ITC Sustainability Awards in New Delhi on 10 April 2026. Congratulating the winners, he stated, “it's a real pleasure to be here with you all and especially because you believe in sustainability, preserving Mother Earth, clean air and saving the environment”.
The Minister shared about clean mobility achievements in the last 14 months and highlighted that by 2027 Delhi will have the world’s biggest clean transportation network. Sharing his concerns about Delhi’s waste pollution, he said that it is one of the biggest challenges today. “The entire Europe along with Australia and New Zealand together doesn't produce as much waste as Delhi produces every day,” he remarked, informing the audience that the Delhi clears almost 50,000 metric tonne of waste on a daily basis.
Mr Sanjiv Puri, Immediate Past President, Confederation of Indian Industry, Chairman, CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development and Chairman & Managing Director, ITC Ltd welcomed the Minister and congratulated him for taking bold strides that he has undertaken in the areas of air pollution, clean mobility and biodiversity management.
Underscoring industry’s role, he said, “while businesses do have a social and economic purpose, the issues of sustainability have become key for survival and competitiveness.” While there are emerging issues related to regulations and stakeholder expectations, unless businesses address the issues of sustainability, they can get uncompetitive.”
Congratulating the winners as well as all the applicants, Mr C K Mishra, Former Union Secretary, Government of India, Jury Chair, CII-ITC Sustainability Awards said, “India needs torchbearers and you stood up as one. Being recognised for sustainability excellence is perhaps the best story you can tell people around you.”
Winners of the 20th CII-ITC Sustainability Awards include two companies for Outstanding Accomplishment, and two companies received Commendation for Significant Achievement in Corporate Excellence. Six companies were recognised for Excellence and ten companies received Commendation for Significant Achievement in Environment Management. One company received Excellence, and seven companies were awarded Commendation for Significant Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility.
For over two decades, the CII-ITC Sustainability Awards have established the definitive benchmark for honoring businesses in India that seamlessly integrate sustainability excellence into their strategic vision, governance frameworks, and operational ethos. Renowned for their rigor, credibility, and transformative impact, these awards have profoundly influenced how industry leaders conceptualize and operationalize sustainability.
For the 20th edition of the awards, 82 applicant companies underwent a rigorous evaluation process by a team of CII-certified sustainability assessors, who spent approximately 1,000 man-hours per application over a period of six months. Over the past two decades, more than 1400 businesses have applied and 500 have been recognized for their excellence in different aspects of business sustainability. Since 2006, CESD has built a talent pool of over 600 sustainability professionals in India especially trained to perform the assessments leading up to the awards.