In a groundbreaking initiative, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and XLRI Jamshedpur have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance corporate India’s understanding of integrating nature and biodiversity into business strategies.  

The MoU was signed at XLRI's Delhi-NCR campus in the presence of the Board of Governors and key dignitaries, including T.V. Narendran, Chairman of XLRI's Board and CEO & MD of Tata Steel Ltd., alongside eminent business leaders such as Madhav B Kalyan (JP Morgan), Jaspal Bindra (Centrum Group), Ajay Kaul (Everstone Capital), and Jose Parayanken (Mozambique Holdings).  

Objectives of the Collaboration: The partnership aims to build capacity among corporate executives working in sustainability, environmental management, and CSR domains. Training programs will focus on: Integrating nature and biodiversity concerns into business decision-making processes. Demonstrating business responsibility towards nature. Measuring, monitoring, and reporting biodiversity interactions under global frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).  

IUCN and XLRI will establish a knowledge repository featuring good practices and case studies to guide businesses in adopting sustainable approaches. Additionally, XLRI students will benefit from summer internship opportunities with IUCN, enhancing their expertise in business-biodiversity leadership.  

Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar, IUCN India Country Representative, emphasized, "This collaboration is a significant step towards equipping businesses with tools to prioritize biodiversity while achieving their goals."  

Dr. Tata L. Raghu Ram, Chairperson of FACES-XLRI, added, "Through this partnership, we aim to foster a generation of corporate leaders who balance profitability with ecological responsibility."  

XLRI’s Director, Fr. S. George, and other dignitaries applauded the initiative, calling it a crucial step towards sustainable corporate governance in India.  

This collaboration underscores the urgency of aligning business strategies with global best practices to address biodiversity loss and environmental challenges, setting a new benchmark for sustainable corporate leadership in India.