Role of the leadership to drive sustainability is critical: Jayakumar Krishnaswamy

Sustainability has become focal point of any major discussions in the boardroom as the companies are realising the importance of adopting environmentally-benign manufacturing processes. Sustainability needs to be core of everything that a manufacturing company does, believes Jayakumar Krishnaswamy who assumed charge as the managing director of AkzoNobel India, the maker of Dulux paints, last year.
 
In this interview, Krishnaswamy explains the importance of radically doing more while using less and steps taken by the company towards this objective.
 
Why sustainability is important for companies today?
It would not be long before the world’s population reaches nine billion. How will we cope? Can the planet handle so many people? Yes it can, but we have to do things differently.
 
We have to use our ambition and imagination and deal more efficiently with the world’s limited resources. This is why AkzoNobel has adopted a Planet Possible approach to sustainability. Companies need to act on the fact that our future hinges on our ability to do radically more while using less. That’s why AkzoNobel is working with customers and suppliers to open up infinite possibilities in a finite world. Sustainability has therefore become an important agenda for companies across the globe.
 
Government aims to boost manufacturing with "zero defect zero effect" slogan. Can development be achieved without having adverse effect on environment?
The understanding of the relevance of sustainability for doing business (and especially manufacturing) needs to be wide spread in India. Initiatives such as ‘zero defect zero effect’ will support the ongoing efforts made by companies and government to highlight the urgent need for the manufacturing sector to be more sustainable and environmentally sensitive.
 
Development is inevitable. However, how it happens can make all the difference. Any kind of development cannot be sustainable unless the development activities do not take care of environmental protection.
 
How can one company make a difference in the face of global challenges pertaining to the environment? By taking action on long term issues right now. By making sustainability central to our business and our success. By seeing the possible and acting on it.
 
We at AkzoNobel are proud of Planet Possible – of what we have achieved and where we are going. We focus on three aspects:
Sustainable business: involves creating business value through products and solutions that provide both functionality, as well as cost saving from operational efficiencies
Resource efficiency: focussed on accelerating material and energy efficiency across the value chain
Capable engaged people: Engaging our people and partnering with our suppliers and customers to deliver significant change
 
Do you have any sustainability goals for your company?
At AkzoNobel our sustainability agenda incorporates economic, environmental and social aspects across the value chain. The importance of sustainability to running our business is firmly integrated into the AkzoNobel strategy. As well as being a strategic focus area, it is one of the three core principles (safety, integrity and sustainability) that provide the foundation for our company values.
 
Moreover, our recently launched Human Cities initiative highlights our commitment to improving, energising and regenerating urban communities across the world. We think cities across the world should be focusing on a number of key issues in order to create more ‘human’ urban environments, including colour, heritage, transport, sport and education, and sustainability.
 
Through Planet Possible we are doing things differently. We are seizing the opportunities to develop exciting new products, enhance our business and minimise risk.
 
How important is the role of top management in driving the sustainability initiative of the company?
Sustainability needs to be core of everything that a manufacturing company does. This means that the approach needs to flow from the very strategy of doing business. Hence the role of the leadership to drive sustainability is critical in any company.
 
Can you share your views on this year's theme of World Environment Day - 'Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care'.
This theme is very much in line with our company’s approach of doing more with less. Almost all resources can be re-used and recycled.
 
By bringing more value to our customers, investors, employees and society in general, we can better position ourselves for growth and achieve our strategic vision of leading market positions delivering leading performance. So as well as actively working to reduce our carbon footprint across the value chain – to improve our resource efficiency and reduce our environmental footprint – we are also creating social value by developing our employees and being active in the communities where we operate. And by continuing to innovate in order to supply more sustainable products and solutions for our customers, we create economic, environmental and social value.