Manufacturing a greener future: Embedding sustainability from design to supply chain

India’s industrial economy stands at an inflection point. As the country races towards its $5 trillion ambition, manufacturers face a challenge far greater than balancing costs and competitiveness. Industry is responsible for more than 30% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, and unless the sector rethinks its methods, growth could quickly be undermined by its environmental toll.

In the latest episode of the India Leadership Talk series, Prabodh Acharya, Group Chief Sustainability Officer at JSW, and Tanuj Mittal, Senior Sales Director at Dassault Systèmes India, discussed how sustainability is no longer a compliance checklist. It is fast becoming a marker of competitiveness, resilience and business continuity.

Also watch: India has pledged to achieve net zero by 2070, but JSW has set a sharper target. “At JSW, we are targeting to achieve net zero by 2050, two decades ahead of the national goal. By 2030, our emission intensity will be reduced by 42% compared with the 2005 baseline,” Acharya saidThe company has rolled out SPERA, a cloud-based platform that monitors emissions from every source across its plants. This focus on measurement, he argued, is foundational. “If you do not monitor, you cannot control. Accurate data allows us to intervene at the right time and stay on course,” he added.But Acharya was quick to point out that technology alone cannot drive change. For JSW, sustainability begins with a shift in philosophy. “We consider nothing as waste. Slag that once formed mountains outside steel plants is today used in cement. Gases from coke plants generate electricity. Dust collected from chimneys is recycled into sinter plants. What was waste is now value and revenue,” he explained.From the technology perspective, Mittal underlined how Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform helps embed sustainability into manufacturing at the design stage. By creating a “virtual twin” of assets and processes, companies can baseline emissions, simulate alternatives, and optimise for both performance and carbon footprint.“If you get the design right with the guidance of a virtual twin, you can cut up to 80% of emissions. Even in brownfield projects, a 20–30% reduction is achievable. The real impact comes when sustainability is built in, not added on later,” Mittal saidHe emphasised that affordability is no longer the barrier it once was. “Our cloud-based and modular solutions mean companies don’t need expensive IT infrastructure. Smaller suppliers can start small and scale up as their business grows,” he added.For Acharya, the conversation around sustainability must extend beyond emissions. “A business is sustainable if it continues when others stop. Climate change, inequality and nature loss are external shocks that will directly affect business continuity. The true purpose of business is to solve societal problems — and while doing so, we must manage the problems we ourselves create,” he saidThis framing links sustainability to resilience. By managing both external risks and internal impacts, companies can remain viable even as conditions shift. Acharya’s message was clear: sustainability is not charity, it is strategy.Another priority is supply chain sustainability. Acharya acknowledged that JSW’s emissions are primarily Scope 1, with Scope 3 currently in single digits. Yet, he argued that long-term success depends on supplier resilience. “Business success depends on the resilience of your supply chain. Without working with suppliers, you don’t exist,” he said.To this end, JSW has introduced a Supplier Code of Conduct and a digital sustainability platform now covering 250 large suppliers. The platform provides visibility into their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which indirectly maps JSW’s Scope 3 footprint.Mittal agreed that supply chains are where the next big sustainability battles will be fought. “From Scope 1 to Scope 3, the level of control decreases. Technology exists to connect the ecosystem, but cultural adoption and shared commitment are what make it work,” he said.Both speakers drew attention to the circular economy, not as a new concept but as a rediscovery of India’s traditional practices. Acharya recalled his childhood, when milk from Amul arrived in reusable tin cans that later stored rice and spices. “India has always lived by circularity. It is in our blood. The challenge is to bring that mindset back into industry at scale,” he noted.Mittal added that the global trend is shifting in the same direction. “The one big move we are seeing is enterprises reframing by-products as resources. Technology, combined with awareness and skilled manpower, will ensure that this shift scales across industries,” he saidThe discussion closed with a reminder that while digital tools are powerful, their impact depends on leadership and mindset. Acharya described the role of sustainability leaders as catalysts: “We do not do things; we make things happen. The key is to speak the language of those who hold the levers and show them how it aligns with their objectives,” he said.Mittal echoed the sentiment, stressing the importance of early wins. “Any digital initiative is also a cultural change. Show early success, create motivation, and scale gradually. That’s how organisations move towards their sustainability goals,” he concluded.

As India navigates its path to net zero, the conversation between Acharya and Mittal underlined that sustainability is neither a cost centre nor a peripheral agenda. It is central to competitiveness. With the right combination of mindset, technology and circular practices, Indian manufacturing can chart a greener, more resilient future.