Eighty-four percent of Indian CXOs feel ESG initiatives are essential in driving human resource strategies, found a joint report by FICCI and BCG.

Titled ‘India’s HR Revolution: Building Workplaces of the Future,’ the report was released at the FICCI Innovation Summit in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The study revealed that 55 percent of CXOs believe their organizational culture fully aligns with stated values and mission.

Further, 66 percent of CXOs strongly agree that environmental responsibility has become more critical to the organization over the last two years.

“The business landscape is evolving with unprecedented speed, driven by technological advancements, shifting workforce dynamics, and the imperative for sustainability, making the role of human resources more critical than ever,” said FICCI Director-General Jyoti Vij.

She added: “By embracing these emerging trends and embedding DE and ESG principles into their core strategies, organizations can build resilient, innovative, and purpose-driven workplaces that are well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future.”

According to the report, Indian companies are embedding purpose-led cultures that align deeply with ESG principles, transforming these initiatives from compliance to strategic imperatives.

They find ESG integration essential, with firms tackling challenges in measurement and regulation through advanced reporting and analytics.’

Environmental responsibility has also been increasingly prioritized, with adherence to global standards like GRI and CBAM becoming the norm. Companies are gearing up to adhere to the commitments of the 2021 UN climate change conference in Glasgow, the report added.

The FICCI CXO HR Survey was conducted in August 2024 to gather insights from senior executives across various industries in India.

A total of 67 respondents participated in the survey, including chief human resources officers, CEOs, and other senior leaders from sectors such as banking and financial services, energy and utilities, information technology and healthcare.

The survey aimed to capture the evolving priorities, strategies and challenges in the HR landscape.