Infosys wins UN Global Climate Action Award in 'Climate Neutral Now' group

IT services major Infosys Ltd said on Wednesday it was presented with the United Nations Global Climate Action Award in the 'Climate Neutral Now' category at the UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain.

The Bengaluru-headquartered company said it is the first Indian corporate to receive the award, a press release said.

Every year, the United Nations honours outstanding achievements in combating climate change through the Climate Action Awards.

Infosys said it won the award for its carbon neutral programme, which delivers scalable, innovative and practical climate actions that address climate change and help drive progress on many other sustainable development goals, such as gender equality, health and well-being and economic opportunity, the release said.

Manager of the UN Climate Change Global Climate Action Programme Niclas Svenningsen was quoted as saying in an Infosys statement: "Infosys journey to carbon neutrality is truly inspiring."

As one of the first companies of its kind to commit to carbon neutrality, Infosys has provided a practical model for climate action while setting a benchmark for integrating sustainable development and climate action, Svenningsen said.

Chief operating officer of Infosys Pravin Rao said the company has over the years made significant endeavour to integrate carbon neutrality with sustainable development.

Software major Infosys has been projected as a top employer in Australia, Japan and Singapore across the Asia-Pacific region in 2020, by the Top Employer Institute in recognition of its excellence in hiring practices.

"Organizations certified as top employers provide best working environment for employees through 'people-first' HR practices, as they are subjected to a rigorous selection process by the Dutch Institute," the city-based IT behemoth said in a statement.

Encompassing 100 queries, covering 600 people development practices, the assessor has evaluated talent strategy, workforce planning, talent acquisition, on-boarding, learning and development and performance management.

Leadership development, career and succession management, compensation and benefits and culture also were part of the evaluated topics in certifying the $11 billion IT company.

"We are committed to enhancing our human resource practices and building collaborative workplaces - as we believe this benefits not only our people, but also our clients, and the community at large," said Infosys chief operating officer U.B. Pravin Rao in the statement.

Rao said the honour demonstrates Infosys' focus on localisation and approach to help clients navigate their digital transformation journey.

Top Employer Institute has certified and recognised more than 1,500 employers in 118 countries.

Established 28 years ago, Top Employer Institute recognises excellence in people practices.