CARGOCONNECT-APRIL2026 - Flipbook - Page 83
Panel 4
Women at the Heart of Green Transition
“So far, much of the discussion
around supply chain has focused
on operational roles, technical risks
and the sustainability aspects linked to
areas such as compliance and supply
chain strategy. However, an equally
important question for organisations
is what these developments mean
from a broader business perspective.
It is essential to consider whether
sustainability and diversity initiatives
represent a cost to the organisation or whether they create measurable value.
Increasingly, organisations are recognising them as long-term value drivers
that strengthen decision-making, operational e昀케ciency and resilience.
When we examine global workforce participation trends within supply
chains, representation levels highlight the need for continued improvement,
particularly across leadership roles. While participation at the overall workforce
level has increased over time, representation at frontline operational levels
and within C-suite leadership remains comparatively lower. These global
indicators underline the importance of strengthening inclusion across all
organisational layers, including strategic decision-making positions.”
NISHTHA GUPTA, Group Head– Sustainability & ESG, Suzlon Group
(MODERATOR)
“Sustainability in the cold chain sector
must be viewed from a long-term
strategic perspective rather than
only through the lens of immediate
cost considerations. For example,
adopting renewable energy solutions
such as solar power may involve
higher upfront investment, but
reducing long-term dependence on
conventional grid-based electricity
can significantly lower operating
costs and improve energy e昀케ciency in the future. It is therefore important
for organisations to clearly articulate their long-term sustainability goals at
the leadership level and integrate these objectives into operational planning.
Over time, such initiatives not only support cost optimisation but also
enhance organisational value creation for both service providers and their
customers across the supply chain ecosystem. Additionally, sustainability
performance is increasingly becoming an important evaluation parameter
for multinational companies and large corporates when selecting logistics
and supply chain partners. Organisations that demonstrate strong ESG
alignment and adopt greener operational practices are often better positioned
to build long-term partnerships and di昀昀erentiate themselves in the market.”
DEBJANI NANDY, CEO, Siddhi Cold Chain
“E昀昀ective sustainability in fashion
supply chains depends heavily on
visibility across inventory networks
and coordination among stakeholders. Even in situations where sudden
demand spikes occur in speci昀椀c locations, it is important to respond in a
way that minimises environmental
impact. For instance, instead of relying
on urgent air shipments, organisations
can review inventory availability
across stores and warehouses and prioritise store-to-store transfers or
consolidated shipments wherever possible. Such data-driven decisions enable
companies to meet market demand while maintaining a more sustainable
logistics approach. Beyond planning and distribution, innovation in
manufacturing processes is also contributing signi昀椀cantly to sustainability
improvements. In denim production, for example, traditional stone-washing
techniques consume large volumes of water. Many factories across India are
now adopting laser-enabled 昀椀nishing technologies that signi昀椀cantly reduce
water usage while achieving similar visual e昀昀ects. These kinds of targeted
process innovations demonstrate how incremental improvements across the
value chain can collectively contribute to meaningful environmental impact.”
AKRITI SHARMA, Sr Manager– Distribution (Supply Chain), Benetton India
CARGOCONNECT APRIL 2026 | 83
