Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-Founder and Chairperson – Sustainability at ReNew Private Limited, has been elected as the President of the United Nations Global Compact Network India (UNGCNI) for the 2025–2027 term. Her election marks a historic milestone as she becomes the first private sector leader in over two decades to head the Indian arm of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.
This elevation comes as part of a newly formed 12-member Governing Council, which will steer the UNGCNI’s strategic direction for the upcoming term. Sinha’s appointment signals a strong shift toward greater private sector involvement in driving sustainable development goals (SDGs) across India.
VISION FOR TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE
Under her leadership, the UNGCNI is set to amplify its focus on critical global and national sustainability priorities. A key agenda item is to accelerate the adoption of the “Forward Faster” initiative, a global UNGC campaign aimed at fast-tracking action on five crucial SDG targets — gender equality, climate action, living wage, water resilience, and finance & investment aligned with sustainability.
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS
Sinha’s presidency aims to deepen engagement across business sectors, civil society, and policy institutions. The Governing Council, under her guidance, will work on:
- Strengthening gender equality through inclusive workplace policies and leadership representation
- Expanding climate action programs aligned with India’s net-zero goals and global carbon neutrality targets
- Boosting water resilience, particularly in drought-prone regions, through collaborative models
- Promoting circular economy principles to reduce resource consumption and encourage sustainable business practices
BRIDGING BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Vaishali Nigam Sinha brings with her extensive experience in energy transition, ESG frameworks, and stakeholder advocacy. Through her leadership at ReNew, she has been a champion of sustainability, and her role at UNGCNI is expected to bridge the gap between business ambitions and sustainability commitments.
Her presidency is being seen as a turning point for India’s corporate sustainability landscape, symbolizing the growing influence of private sector leadership in shaping the national SDG narrative. With Sinha at the helm, UNGCNI is poised to play a more proactive role in aligning India’s development trajectory with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda.
