India Water & Rivers Forum 2025 Anchored in Sectoral Leadership for Collective Action; Advancing the UNGC CEO Water Mandate's Vision for Corporate Water Stewardship

New Delhi, Delhi, India – Business Wire India

• The inaugural India Water & Rivers Forum 2025, organised by CSRBOX and The Godavari Initiative, set a new benchmark in corporate water leadership anchoring India’s stewardship ambitions within the framework of the UNGC CEO Water Mandate.

• The Forum also witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between CSRBOX and the Pacific Institute to advance basin resilience across India.

India Water & Rivers Forum, organised by CSRBOX and The Godavari Initiative, and convened in official partnership with the UNGC CEO Water Mandate, Water Resilience Coalition, Alliance for Water Stewardship, and WRI India; mobilised sectoral champions across government, industry, and civil society to catalyse collective action for basin-level impact, positioning India as a rising exemplar in strategic, measurable water governance.

The forum witnessed participation from key policymakers, including Shri Nitin Khade, IAS - Joint Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, Shri Naveen Kumar G.S. IAS - Secretary, Irrigation & Water Resources Department, Government Of Uttar Pradesh, Shri M. Nagarajan IAS - Vice Chairman & Managing Director, GSRTC Mission Director – Swachh Bharata Mission – Urban, Gujarat, Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC), Smt. Manisha Khatri, IAS - Commissioner & Administrator, Nashik Municipal Corporation, Dr Debolina Kundu - Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Shri Thakur Brahmanand Singh - Member (South), Central Ground Water Board and Shri BP Pandey – Chairman, Godavari River Management Board & Chairman, Krishna River Management Authority. Their presence reinforced the government’s commitment to strengthening collaborative action for water security and sustainable resource management at both national and local levels.

The forum also brought together transformative leadership voices, including Mr. Praveen Someshwar - MD & CEO, Diageo India (USL), Punit Lalbhai - Vice Chairman, Arvind Ltd. and Jason Morrison - President, Pacific Institute & Head, CEO Water Mandate who led an insightful dialogue on the evolving role of industry, innovation, and collective responsibility in advancing India’s water security.

The forum also marked the launch of the India ESG Outlook Report 2025, which presents a comprehensive analysis of India’s evolving ESG landscape, highlighting key trends, existing gaps, and emerging opportunities shaping the nation’s transition towards responsible and sustainable business practices.

A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CSRBOX and the Pacific Institute, marking a significant step toward advancing water stewardship and strengthening basin resilience frameworks across India. Speaking on the occasion, Jason Morrison, President of the Pacific Institute, emphasized that, “India’s corporates, NGOs, and institutions are coming together to lead a new era of water stewardship for long-term basin resilience.”

As the conversations unfolded through leadership dialogues, thematic roundtables, solution showcases, and an exclusive session exploring opportunities for a sustainable Nashik Simhastha Kumbh 2027, the India Water & Rivers Forum 2025 evolved beyond a convening but became a shared effort towards collective stewardship. From corporate commitments to community collaborations, the forum set a precedent for how India can lead the world in integrated, basin-scale water action.

Bhomik Shah, Founder & CEO of CSRBOX, remarked, “Water is not just a resource it is the foundation of resilience and shared prosperity. Through India Water & Rivers Forum, we aim to build a coalition of changemakers who see water as a unifying force for sustainable growth.”

The forum highlighted India’s progress and emerging trends in corporate sustainability and responsible business practices.With its first edition, the India Water & Rivers Forum has successfully laid the groundwork for a future where industry, government, and civil society come together to secure India’s most vital lifeline, its rivers. The event concluded with a shared commitment to transform ideas into action, echoing the spirit of collaboration that will define the country’s water leadership journey in the years ahead.

About India Water & Rivers Forum

The India Water & Rivers Forum is a catalytic leadership convening that marks India’s most consequential dialogue on water stewardship, ESG risk, and collective basin-level action.

This forum elevates India’s water narrative from fragmented interventions to system-level collaboration — building pathways for net positive water impact across the nation’s critical river basins.

Learn more: https://csrbox.org/india-water-and-rivers-forum/

About CSRBOX

For over a decade, CSRBOX has been at the forefront of India’s social impact ecosystem, bridging the gap between businesses and social development. Through its integrated approach across Impact Advisory, Platform, and Programs, CSRBOX has empowered over 350 companies to design, implement, and measure high-impact CSR and sustainability initiatives. Its mission is to accelerate India’s development goals through collaboration, innovation, and impact-driven solutions.

Learn more: www.csrbox.org

About The Godavari Initiative (TGI)

The Godavari Initiative (TGI) is a collaborative platform designed to promote sustainable river basin management. We unite corporates, government bodies, NGOs, and local communities to restore and preserve the river through innovative water conservation practices, ecological restoration, and community-driven actions.

Learn more: https://thegodavariinitiative.in/

About CEO Water Mandate

The CEO Water Mandate is a partnership initiative of the UN Global Compact and the Pacific Institute, launched in 2007 to mobilize business leaders in advancing water stewardship and sanitation by addressing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-6)

Learn more: https://ceowatermandate.org/

To View the Image, Click on the Link Below:

CSRBOX launches 2nd edition of India ESG Outlook Report 2025

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)