There is no Planet B. So, what should we do?

“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” - Marshall McLuhan

Now, more than ever, there’s a need for organisations, individuals, communities, and businesses to play a key role in fostering sustainable development, defined by the 1987 Brundtland Commission Report as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Ankit and Atul Tripathi, for example, decided to prevent the creation of future landfills. The duo started Uneako and upcycled waste products to create new ones. Along the way, the startup also helped people with disabilities and from marginalised communities to earn a living.

Several other startups are helping India achieve its mission of becoming more sustainable. From ReNew Power to ZunRoof, here are five startups working on renewable sources of energy, creating environment-friendly alternatives to fossil fuels.

Sustainable development, as we know, rests on four pillars: the environment, society, culture, and the economy, and as such, the communication and messaging around it will be central to ensuring real impact and change on driving the sustainability agenda. 

With this in mind, at YourStory, we want to spotlight individuals, communities, organisations, and businesses that are driving change by delivering on the sustainability agenda for a better tomorrow.

Read all about how the Indian startup ecosystem is battling the second wave of COVID-19 here.

Here are some useful tools to help you find the nearest vaccine centres in real-time.

You can also share a tribute to COVID-19 warriors, saviours, and survivors here.

The Interview

For most people, financial planning equates to managing savings and maximising investments. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance’s CIO Manish Kumar explains why financial planning should extend beyond saving and capture all aspects of financial security, including adequate life and health insurance. 

In this exclusive interview with YourStory, Manish highlights how investing in the right financial instruments will help in safeguarding one’s financial wellness. 

Editor’s Pick:  Prime Venture podcast

Gupshup CEO Beerud Sheth believes that constant innovation and patience in a slowly growing industry propelled Gupshup to become what it is today. The conversational messaging platform entered the coveted unicorn club in April 2021. 

It took Beerud’s team 15-long years to reach this milestone, but the serial entrepreneur is not new to building successful companies over an extended span. Read more.

Startup Spotlight

This startup uses home remedies to make chemical-free products

Akshit Goel and Shivangi Goel had just graduated when they decided to brainstorm career ideas. Both were aspiring entrepreneurs, with a shared inkling towards all things natural and rooted in India. Taking this as a foundational idea, the duo decided to launch TNW - The Natural Wash in September 2019 to introduce consumers to products that are cost-effective, chemical-free, and handy. Read more.

News & Updates

• The Indian government on Saturday issued a notice to Twitter giving it one last chance to "immediately" comply with the new IT rules, warning that failure to adhere to the norms will lead to the platform losing exemption from liability under the IT Act.

• Zomato announced its commitment towards 100 percent adoption of electric vehicles by 2030. In a blog post, Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said, “We are joining the Climate Group’s global electric mobility initiative, EV100.” 

• On the occasion of World Environment Day, Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, emphasised the efforts towards providing clean water, nutritious food, and making health a top priority for everybody in the country.

Before you go, stay inspired with… 

“Sustainable practices create value and profitability for organisations and their stakeholders by maximising efficiency, enhancing product competitiveness, and increasing brand value.” 

— Nivruti Rai, Country Head, Intel India

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