CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development

What CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development does

The CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD) is a not-for-profit Centre of Excellence established in 2006 under the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with ITC Ltd as founding partner, headquartered in New Delhi and operating with a 48-person team. It functions as India's primary industry-led sustainability platform, serving CII's nearly 10,000 member organizations and engaging 3,000+ organizations annually across large corporates, micro/small/medium enterprises, government regulators, and global institutions through an integrated portfolio of programs, alliances, and awards.

CESD's core product surface combines assessment/diagnostic tools (Eco Edge supplier-sustainability program covering 200+ suppliers in automotive and energy; the ESG Intelligence & Analytics SaaS-based ESG diagnostics platform; the CCAC MSME Toolkit deployed across 15 industry clusters), certification programs (Zero Waste to Landfill — 16 sites certified, 200+ under assessment; Single-use Plastic Free — 300+ sites certified), five multistakeholder alliances (CII Climate Action Charter, India Plastics Pact, India Business & Biodiversity Initiative, Cleaner Air–Better Life, SAARTH) with 600+ combined signatories, annual flagship conferences (Global Sustainability Summit in its 21st edition, Climate Action Summit, CII Circular Economy Conference), and award programs (CII-ITC Sustainability Awards evaluating 1,400+ applications and awarding ~500 organizations; CII Sustainable Plastic Packaging Awards).

Revenue is generated through CII membership and corporate partnership allocations, unit-priced training programs (₹8,000–9,000 + GST per participant for EHS and Waste Management training), certification and assessment fees, and conference sponsorships and registrations. The organization monetizes its policy-advocacy position through influence rather than direct billing, having shared 300+ policy recommendations with MoEFCC, CPCB, DPIIT, SEBI, BIS, and other regulators. It is governed by an Advisory Council chaired by Sanjiv Puri (CMD, ITC Ltd) and led by Executive Director Shikhar Jain.

Name

CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development

Legal name

CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development

Website

https://sustainabledevelopment.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CESD is a CII-anchored not-for-profit Centre of Excellence serving Indian industry with ESG diagnostics tools (Eco Edge, ESG Intelligence & Analytics), sustainability certifications, multistakeholder alliances, annual summits, and policy advocacy, reaching 3,000+ organizations annually across corporates, MSMEs, and government.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Sustainability Advisory and ESG Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Product Sustainability & LCA/EPD (Eco-design, PCF) (EUAHAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainability, Energy & Environmental (ESG/LEED) Certifications (EDAAANAO), Environmental, Health & Safety / Sustainability (EHS, Environmental Compliance CE) (EDAAALAO)

Keywords

• Sustainability advisory services
• ESG reporting and diagnostics
• Corporate sustainability certification
• Climate risk assessment platform
• Industry policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and Program Fees: CESD operates as a CII Centre of Excellence funded through membership fees from CII's nearly 10,000 member organizations, and program fees from training and certification activities. Training programs such as CII-Certified training on EHS Statutory Compliances (₹9,000 + GST) and Waste Management Rules (₹8,000 + GST) generate fee-based revenue.
2. Conference and Event Revenue: CESD organizes flagship events including the Global Sustainability Summit, Climate Action Summit, and Circular Economy Conference, generating revenue through registrations, sponsorships, and exhibitor fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

CESD is an industry sustainability platform that delivers ESG diagnostics tools (Eco Edge Program, ESG Intelligence & Analytics), site certification programs (Zero Waste to Landfill, Single-use Plastic Free), structured training programs (EHS Statutory Compliances, Waste Management Rules), annual awards and recognition platforms, and flagship convening forums (Global Sustainability Summit, Climate Action Summit, CII Circular Economy Conference). It combines these with multi-stakeholder policy advocacy, capacity-building, and research/advisory services targeted at CII's ~10,000 member companies, MSMEs across 15+ industrial clusters, and Indian regulators.

Product overview

CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CESD) is an industry development organization that offers a portfolio of programs, initiatives, awards, and conferences focused on sustainable development. The core offerings include ESG diagnostics and analytics tools (ESG Intelligence & Analytics, Eco Edge Program), certification programs (Zero Waste to Landfill, Single-use Plastic Free), multi-stakeholder initiatives (Climate Action Charter, India Plastics Pact, India Business & Biodiversity Initiative, Cleaner Air-Better Life, SAARTH), annual awards (CII-ITC Sustainability Awards, Sustainable Plastic Packaging Awards), and major conferences (Global Sustainability Summit, Climate Action Summit, Circular Economy Conference). These offerings work together to enable Indian businesses to assess, improve, and communicate their sustainability performance through capacity building, policy advocacy, and industry recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eco Edge: ESG assessment and certification program for suppliers and value chain partners in automotive and energy sectors.
• ESG Intelligence & Analytics
• CII Climate Action Charter (CCAC)
• India Plastics Pact (IPP)
• India Business & Biodiversity Initiative (IBBI)
• Cleaner Air – Better Life (CABL)
• SAARTH
• CII-ITC Sustainability Awards
• Global Sustainability Summit
• Climate Action Summit
• CII Circular Economy Conference
• CII Sustainable Plastic Packaging Awards

Products and services

• Eco Edge Program A supplier sustainability assessment program for corporates and their value chain partners, evaluating ESG and climate parameters primarily in the automotive and energy sectors. Designed for large Indian corporates seeking to assess and uplift sustainability practices in their supplier base.
• ESG Intelligence & Analytics A SaaS-based ESG diagnostics tool enabling businesses to assess and track ESG performance, identify gaps, and build roadmaps for sustainable development. Targeted at Indian enterprises and their value chain partners.
• Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWL) Certification Site-level certification program that recognizes industrial and commercial sites achieving Zero Waste to Landfill status. Aimed at Indian corporates seeking third-party validation of waste circularity performance.
• Single-use Plastic Free Certification Site-level certification program that recognizes sites having eliminated single-use plastics in their operations. Targeted at Indian corporate and institutional sites meeting the program's elimination criteria.
• CII-ITC Sustainability Awards Annual awards program recognizing Indian businesses demonstrating excellence in sustainability practices across categories. Open for application by Indian corporates; winners are evaluated against a published framework.
• CII Sustainable Plastic Packaging Awards Annual awards program recognizing organizations for excellence in sustainable plastic packaging. Open for application by Indian corporates; first edition winners felicitated at the 2nd CII Circular Economy Conference in November 2025.
• CII-Certified Training Programme on EHS Statutory Compliances CII-certified training program covering Environment, Health and Safety statutory compliances; designed for industry professionals responsible for EHS compliance in Indian corporates. Priced at ₹9,000 + GST for a two-day program.
• CII-Certified Training Programme on Waste Management Rules CII-certified training program covering Waste Management Rules; designed for industry professionals responsible for waste and circularity compliance in Indian corporates. Priced at ₹8,000 + GST for a two-day program.
• Global Sustainability Summit Annual flagship summit convening industry leaders, policymakers, and global experts on sustainability topics. Open to delegates via registration and to sponsors/exhibitors; serves as India's premier industry sustainability conference.
• Climate Action Summit Annual summit focused on advancing climate action initiatives and policies, with high-level government and industry participation. Open to delegates via registration.
• CII Circular Economy Conference Annual conference dedicated to promoting circular economy practices in India, with featured launches of the India Plastics Pact Annual Report and Circular Economy Practice in India report. Open to delegates via registration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ policy recommendations shared with MoEFCC, CPCB, DPIIT, MoCA, MoP, SEBI and BIS
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• India Plastics Pact (IPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndia Plastics Pact is a CII-led multistakeholder initiative transforming India's linear plastics system into a circular plastics economy. 53 signatories have committed to IPP targets. CESD publishes the annual IPP Annual Report and organizes circular economy programs. Active collaboration with UK Plastics Pact and WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) for knowledge exchange.
• CII Climate Action Charter (CCAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCII Climate Action Charter provides a framework for collective action by Indian businesses to drive just, equitable, and resilient climate transition. 400+ signatories measure GHG emissions using the CCAC MSME Toolkit and assess climate risks. 15 industry clusters assessed on climate vulnerability parameters.
• Cleaner Air – Better Life (CABL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational initiative of CII for supporting India's transition to clean air by bringing civil society, policymakers, and business leaders together. 100+ signatories to India CEO Forum for Clean Air. Air quality management saved 63 million kg of air pollution (PM10 & secondary aerosols). Unique public-private partnership approach in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad urban areas to pilot and scale clean air solutions.
• India Business & Biodiversity Initiative (IBBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCII initiative promoting sharing and learning to mainstream sustainable management of biological diversity. 63 signatories. Organized the CII-IBCA Conference on Action for Biodiversity Conservation on 3 March 2025 in Mumbai. Focuses on biodiversity business plans, biodiversity action plans, and nature-based solutions.
• SAARTH (Sustainable Action Alliance for Resilient Tomorrow)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCII alliance to build India's climate resilience by bringing together stakeholders for collective action. Organized under the CII Climate Action Charter ecosystem. Aims to create a unified approach to climate adaptation and resilience building across Indian industry.
• World Economic Forum (WEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCII partnered with WEF and IORA Ecological Solutions on a study of Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) in India. WEF's India SDG Index is used by businesses and industry for decision-making. Nandini Kumar, Principal Consultant at CESD, participated in WEF discussions on building evidence-based sustainability strategies.
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Pisupati Balakrishna, Head, UNEP India, participated in the CII 20th Global Sustainability Summit in September 2025. CESD works with UNEP on biodiversity and nature-positive initiatives and aligns with global environmental frameworks.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBCSD President Peter Bakker participated in the CII 20th Global Sustainability Summit. CESD aligns with WBCSD frameworks including the CEO Guide to ESG and LCA methodologies. Joe Phelan, Executive Director, WBCSD Asia Pacific, participated in the Circular Economy Pathway session.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCII collaborated with ISA and MNRE at COP28 for a Round Table on Decentralized Renewable Energy for SDG7. ISA was launched by India and is co-led by India to mobilize solar energy investments across developing countries.
• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESD is an institutional partner engaging with SEBI on BRSR and BRSR Core implementation. CII formed a Core Group as part of SEBI's Industry Standards Forum. CII's recommendations influenced SEBI's Consultation Paper on BRSR value chain definitions and compliance thresholds.
• NITI AayogcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmit Verma, Director, Circular Economy Cell, NITI Aayog, participated in CII sessions on circular economy. NITI Aayog produces the India SDG Index which CESD and its member companies use for sustainability benchmarking and decision-making.
• Committee for Augmented Urban Air Quality Monitoring (CAQM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCII and CAQM signed an MoU to collaborate on air quality management. CII Northern Region Chairman Madhav Singhania (JK Cement) and CAQM Chairperson Rajesh Verma participated in the signing ceremony in New Delhi. Focuses on coordinating industry action with urban air quality governance.
• Industrial Transitions Accelerator (ITA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESD collaborated with COP28 UAE Presidency on the Industrial Transitions Accelerator initiative. 25 prominent Indian enterprises committed to join ITA under Project Nirmaan — focused on unlocking India's clean industrialization opportunity. Launched at CII 20th Global Sustainability Summit.
• B20 India (Business 20)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCII served as B20 secretariat for India's G20 Presidency. CESD contributed to the B20 Task Force on Energy, Climate Change & Resource Efficiency and the Action Council on ESG in Business. Recommendations from B20 influenced G20 New Delhi Declaration. Sajjan Jindal (JSW Group) chaired the ECRE Task Force; N. Chandrasekaran (Tata Sons) chaired B20.
• UN Global CompactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative with over 12,000 companies across 160 countries. CESD aligns with UNGC principles and promotes adoption among CII member companies.
• European Union Delegation to IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBartosz Przywara, Counsellor Energy, Climate Action, Environment, Delegation of the European Union to India, participated in the 'Unlocking India's Clean Industrialisation Opportunity' session at CII 20th Global Sustainability Summit. EU supports climate action partnerships with Indian industry.
• National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIUA Director Debolina Kundu participated in the 'Resilient Urban Infrastructure' session at the CII 20th Global Sustainability Summit. CESD and NIUA collaborate on urban sustainability, clean air solutions, and climate-resilient infrastructure for Indian cities.
• IFRS Foundation / ISSBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESD engages with the IFRS Foundation and ISSB for interoperability of global ESG standards with India's BRSR framework. CII conducted roundtables with ISSB at WEF Davos and with IFRS Foundation Chair Erkki Liikanen in June 2024 to resolve ESG disclosure challenges.
• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDRI, a multilateral initiative led by India, helps countries build disaster-resilient infrastructure. CESD promotes CDRI's work among Indian industry and participates in climate resilience dialogues aligned with CDRI's mission.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Centre for Science and Environment (CSE): India-based environmental policy advocacy and research organization. Comparable for environmental policy work, industry engagement on sustainability, and convening stakeholders on clean air, waste, and circular economy.
• TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute): India's leading sustainability research and policy think tank. Comparable to CESD as an Indian non-profit/think-tank conducting climate research, ESG advisory, training, and convening industry-government dialogues on sustainable development.
• ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India): Another major Indian industry chamber operating sustainability councils and events. Competes with CESD/CII for ESG advisory mandates from Indian corporates and policy-input positioning with government.
• World Resources Institute (WRI) India: Global sustainability research organization with strong India operations covering climate, energy, water, and ESG topics. Comparable as a research-driven sustainability convener working across Indian industry, government, and civil society.
• FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry): Parallel Indian industry chamber with its own sustainability, ESG, and climate committees that compete with CII-CESD for industry thought-leadership positioning, policy advocacy mandates, and member sustainability engagement.

Broad incumbents

• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): Global CEO-led organization for sustainable business. Operates in a broader global footprint with overlapping ESG frameworks (CEO Guide to ESG, LCA methodologies) and partnerships with CESD; competes for thought-leadership primacy on global ESG standards.
• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Global environmental disclosure platform for climate, water, and forests. Comparable for driving corporate ESG transparency and disclosure frameworks that increasingly intersect with India's BRSR regime.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management) India: Global sustainability consulting firm with substantial India operations. Competes with CESD on commercial ESG advisory, sustainability strategy, climate risk, and net-zero consulting for Indian corporates.

Others

• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - parent context: CII itself is CESD's parent organization and provides the platform, member network, and brand that CESD operates within. Listed as a reference point for the institutional context in which CESD functions.

Emerging players

• Bureau Veritas India: Global testing, inspection, and certification company with strong India presence. Competes with CESD's ZWL and Single-use Plastic Free certification programs in the site-certification market and offers adjacent ESG verification services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ciicesd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ciicesd/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ciicesd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development