EU India Business Collaborative Initiative on Sustainable Development, Climate Action and Inclusivity
Inauguration of the Centre for Sustainable Tourism for the NER
Date : 16 September 2025
Name of the Event : Inauguration of the Centre for Sustainable Tourism for the North Eastern Region
Location :Guwahati, Assam
Partner(s): Assam Don Bosco University, Novotel Guwahati
On 16th September 2025, the Centre for Sustainable Tourism for the North Eastern Region was
inaugurated at the Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) in collaboration with Accor-Novotel Guwahati, and Centre for Responsible Business (CRB). The Centre was inaugurated by Smt. Brenda Lee Pakyntein, Joint Secretary and Director of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, while the event was also graced with the presence of Smt. Moitreyee Das, Deputy Director Tourism, Government of Assam. The Centre has been conceived as a joint venture between CRB, ADBU and Accor-Novotel, to further the cause of sustainable tourism in the region by serving as a hub for research, training and capacity-building. Through this initiative, the tripartite collaboration aims to strengthen community business linkages and integrate biodiversity, culture and livelihoods into tourism development in the NER.
Brussels Roundtable 1
Date : 20 June 2025
Name of the Event : EU and India Business Collaboration on Sustainability and Sustainable Development: AN EXPERTS’ ROUNDTABLE
Location :Brussels
Partner(s):AMFORI
Report: Download Full Report
A select group of senior experts and practitioners from Private Sector, Government, NGOs and Think-tanks attended this roundtable and engaged in a two-way dialogue and sharing of experiences, knowledge and perspectives. The aim of the discussions was to specifically help:
- Creating awareness and visibility about the experiences of EU businesses in partnering with Indian stakeholders on climate, inclusivity and sustainability
- Initiating a discourse on EU-India business collaboration to complement the Government to Government aspirations on sustainability, climate and inclusivity
- Exploring alignment between national policies and regulations related to responsible business in India and in the European Union
- Understanding the role of stakeholders in Brussels in supporting the EU and India joint aspirations through collaborative ideas and action
Northeast Region Consultation
A Consultative Dialogue on Sustainable Business Collaboration: Fostering EU-India Partnerships in the Northeast Region
This consultation was specifically designed to discuss issues in three key sectors with significant potential in the north-eastern region:
- Sustainable Tourism
- Sustainable and Circular Textiles and Design
- Integrating Women’s Empowerment and Biodiversity in Agri-Value Chains
The event brought together over 40 stakeholders from 6 NER states to discuss challenges, opportunities, and practical collaboration mechanisms that could unlock the region’s sustainable development potential in these sectors.
Date : 20 March 2025
Time : 09:30 to 13:15 hrs
Location : Guwahati, Assam
Report: Download Full Report
Upcoming Events
1. Brussels Roundtable 2
Date: January 2026
Name of the event: Brussels Roundtable 2
Location: Brussels
The upcoming EU-India Industry Exchange Roundtable II (January 2026) will build directly on the insights from the Brussels Roundtable I. As an industry exchange, the roundtable primarily aims to facilitate B2B dialogue on Trade, Global Value Chains, and Sustainability, bringing EU business sustainability heads together with Indian enterprises, industry federations, and selected knowledge partners. The dialogue intends to curate a focused reflection on critical, practical challenges faced by the industry in driving the agenda for sustainability, by asking:
● What perspectives on the linkages between trade, global value chains and sustainability emerge from the evolving international landscape?
● How can EU-India B2B collaborations deliver positive sustainability outcomes on the ground?
● What factors support/ derail such collaborations? What research/ evidence is needed to further this agenda?
● What are the significant lessons to be learned from EU-India business collaborations on sustainability that can be applied to propel other bilateral agreements?
● What perspectives on the linkages between trade, global value chains and sustainability emerge from the evolving international landscape?
● How can EU-India B2B collaborations deliver positive sustainability outcomes on the ground?
● What factors support/ derail such collaborations? What research/ evidence is needed to further this agenda?
● What are the significant lessons to be learned from EU-India business collaborations on sustainability that can be applied to propel other bilateral agreements?
Click here to read more.
2. Inaugural Workshops @ Centre for Sustainable Tourism for the NER
Date: February 2026
Location: Centre for Sustainable Tourism for the North Eastern Region @ Assam Don Bosco University
Partner(s):ADBU, Novotel
The Centre for Sustainable Tourism (NER), in collaboration with Novotel, and Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) will conduct a series of hands-on workshops to upskill youth and community members from the villages consulted in September and October 2025. These workshops aim to strengthen local capacity for safe, culturally sensitive and sustainable tourism – by improving guiding and storytelling, basic first aid and visitor management, homestay and café operations (hygiene, guest service, simple accounting), product development and packaging for SHGs, and digital marketing/booking skills. Sessions will also cover sustainability fundamentals and practical linkages to local supply chains and markets. Intended beneficiaries include young aspiring guides, homestay hosts, women’s SHGs and café operators, village council representatives and ADBU students/trainees. This training will be delivered in mixed (in-person as well as virtual formats), with module translations available in vernacular languages.
Ongoing Activities
1. Feasibility Assessments
Date: September-October 2025
Location: Assam, Meghalaya
Under the EU–India Sustainable Business Collaborative Initiative, the ongoing feasibility assessments have been designed in the North East Region (NER) to explore pathways for sustainable development through partnerships between European businesses and local stakeholders in the region. Anchored in the EU-India shared priorities of circularity, innovation, biodiversity and gender inclusion, these assessments will focus on sustainable tourism and sustainable textiles in the NER.
The EU–India Sustainable Business Collaborative Initiative applies a structured approach – feasibility analysis, stakeholder mapping, sustainability pathway modelling, and partner dialogues – to identify opportunities for collaboration between local communities and EU-origin businesses. Together, they aim to generate evidence and models that can inform demonstrative pilots, setting the stage for activation and replication beyond the project’s tenure.
The EU–India Sustainable Business Collaborative Initiative applies a structured approach – feasibility analysis, stakeholder mapping, sustainability pathway modelling, and partner dialogues – to identify opportunities for collaboration between local communities and EU-origin businesses. Together, they aim to generate evidence and models that can inform demonstrative pilots, setting the stage for activation and replication beyond the project’s tenure.
2. Community Consultations
Date: September-October 2025
Location: Assam, Meghalaya
Partner(s): NESFAS, Bosco Integrated Development Society
Through September and October 2025, CRB has been executing two parallel consultation tracks: village-level consultations across Assam and Meghalaya to appraise priorities, needs, and aspirations for community-led sustainable tourism – identifying strong natural, geological assets, active women-led enterprises, youth interest, and clear needs for practical training, basic infrastructure and tenure safeguards. Stakeholder consultations on circular, sustainable textiles in Kaziranga and Shillong are also being conducted, which explore design incubation, market linkages and value-chain support with regional experts in the sector. Findings from both tracks will inform separate pilot designs that prioritise community consent, local livelihoods and culturally respectful, low-impact sustainable development in the region.
Capacity Building Workshops
Date : 05 December 2024
Location : Bengaluru, Karnataka
Organisers: CRB in partnership with the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI)
Supporting Partners : Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), the MSME Business Forum India, and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Bengaluru
Topics Covered :
- Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
- Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
- Orientation of a ‘How-to-Guide’ to drive impactful business collaboration on sustainability between EU Businesses and Indian stakeholders
- Developing idea note on a pilot proposal between a European and an Indian organisation on one of the impact areas
Programme Agenda : Download Full Programme Agenda
Consolidated Workshop Report : Download Full Report
Date : 27 September 2024
Location : Pune, Maharashtra
Organisers: CRB in partnership with the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA)
Topics Covered :
- Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
- National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC) & Business Responsibility & Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) and their alignment with the European sustainability regulations
- Orientation of a ‘How-to-Guide’ to drive impactful business collaboration on sustainability between EU Businesses and Indian stakeholders
- Developing idea note on a pilot proposal between a European and an Indian organisation on one of the impact areas
Programme Agenda : Download Full Programme Agenda
Consolidated Workshop Report : Download Full Report
Date : 24 September 2024
Location : Kolkata
Organisers: CRB in partnership with the Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCC&I)
Topics Covered :
- Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
- National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC) & Business Responsibility & Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) and their alignment with the European sustainability regulations
- Orientation of a ‘How-to-Guide’ to drive impactful business collaboration on sustainability between EU Businesses and Indian stakeholders
- Developing idea note on a pilot proposal between a European and an Indian organisation on one of the impact areas
Programme Agenda : Download Full Programme Agenda
Consolidated Workshop Report : Download Full Report
Dialogues
Breakfast Briefing to EU Consuls in Bangalore
Centre for Responsible Business in partnership with Delegation of the European Union to India and Eske Bo Rosenberg, Consulate General Denmark in Bangalore, held a discussion with a group of EU Member State representatives in Bangalore, about a project to explore possible ways to strengthen collaboration between EU businesses and Indian stakeholders for achieving sustainability outcomes related to: Climate, Water, Biodiversity and Gender.
Bengaluru Roundtable - Advancing Sustainability through EU-India Business Stakeholder Collaboration
The first roundtable discussion of this project focussed on creating effective collaboration models across the sectors of climate, biodiversity, gender, and water, focusing on supply chain sustainability. The discussion also included a presentation of research findings by CRB.
Date : 27 June 2024
Time : 1700 hrs to 2000 hrs
Location : Renaissance Hotel, Race Course Road, Bengaluru
Event Agenda: Click here to read the Event Agenda
Pune Roundtable - Advancing Sustainability through EU-India Business Stakeholder Collaboration
The second roundtable discussion at the MCCIA Trade Tower addressed the challenges of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), skill development, supply chain sustainability, and global sustainability standards. CRB also presented their research findings to spark discussions on investment trends among EU Businesses operating in India across the four impact areas of Climate, Biodiversity, Water, Gender and good practices of effective models of collaboration.
Date : 2 July 2024
Time : 1700 hrs to 2000 hrs
Location : Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture , Pune
Event Agenda: Click here to read the Event Agenda
CRB Research
This was presented at both roundtables highlighting the project’s aim to foster effective collaboration between EU businesses and Indian industry stakeholders. Following these discussions and deliberations at the roundtables and capacity building workshops, the research report was formally released at CRB’s annual India and Sustainability Standards Summit in November 2024. Download the full report here.
Presented at both roundtables highlighting the project’s aim to foster effective collaboration between EU businesses and Indian industry stakeholders. To view the PPT click here.
Upcoming Events
Bangalore Consultation
From Global Goals to Local Action: Advancing Sustainability through EU-India Business Stakeholder Collaboration – A Roundtable Conversation
Time : 1700 hrs to 2000 hrs
Location : Bangalore
Date : 27 June 2024
Register link : Click Here
Time : 1700 hrs to 2000 hrs
Location : Bangalore
Date : 27 June 2024
Register link : Click Here
- Pilot Projects exploring collaborative models for sustainable business partnerships between European Businesses and Indian Stakeholders
A Consultative Dialogue on Sustainable Business Collaboration: Fostering EU-India Partnerships in the Northeast Region
Pilot Projects exploring collaborative models for sustainable business partnerships between European Businesses and Indian Stakeholders
Overview
- Alarm raised by UN in July 2023 report on SDGs imploring the international community to push for bold actions
- The report underscored the need for ‘business as usual’ approaches toward sustainability to stop
- Mandatory interventions would be required to salvage the future of millions living in poverty and hunger; women and girls fighting for equal opportunities; communities facing climate disaster or fleeing conflicts
- The ‘G20 Leaders Delhi Declaration’ highlighted these concerns as well by emphasising on solutions, synchronised by national and international policies
- Enhanced collaborative efforts emerged as a cohesive solution to drive innovations in finance, technology and community needs
- Cohesive collaboration between CRB and the EU Delegation to India has been initiated through their joint initiative – the ‘EU India Business Collaborative Initiative on Sustainable Development, Climate Action and Inclusivity’
- This will enable effective collaborations on sustainability/SDGs involving EU businesses and supply/value chain stakeholders
- It will see collaborative initiatives of EU and Indian stakeholders on specific sustainability targets of Climate, Biodiversity, Gender & Water
- Contribute to self-sustaining, industry-led EU-India collaborative initiatives on sustainable business in India, applying digitalisation, circular economy and innovation
- Contribute to policy dialogue to put sustainable trade and investment at the heart of inclusive growth and development between EU and India
- The collaborative initiative will include academia, the scientific community and CSOs to deliberate on specific sustainability challenges
Objectives
- The intent of this collaborative initiative is to reinforce EU-India cooperation on:
- sustainable modernisation
- clean energy
- climate action
- trade and investment in line with mutually agreed priorities
- embracing digitalisation
- circular economy and innovation
- Forge bolder and ambitious initiatives toward specific sustainability SDGs by taking forward already existing good practices on collaboration between businesses, Government and other actors on SDGs in India
- The EU and India’s recent discussions on bi-lateral trade initiatives, underscore a commitment to enhancing trade and sustainable development
- India is an important trading partner of the EU, necessitating a strategic approach to aligning EU businesses with emerging Indian policies & regulations on CSR and sustainable business
- This joint initiative will address a notable skew observed from previous studies by CRB & the EU on the locations of CSR investments by EU businesses which do not include the Eastern and North Eastern regions
- The estimated annual CSR investment of EURO 250-300 million will afford an opportunity to
- perceptibly improve the skew observed
- channel these funds effectively to address India’s climate goals & specific SDGs
Reports
Knowledge
Related EU Engagement
Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) in partnership with the European Union (EU) Delegation to India commenced a pilot study on the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure patterns of EU Companies operating in India and their contributions toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country. Read more here.
EU Policy and Outreach Partnership in India
Centre for Responsible Businesses (CRB) along with EU Delegation in India are working together to explore deepening collaboration between CSOs, businesses and other key stakeholders in India on sustainability and SDGs, by conducting conversations across four cities of India. By bringing together these groups, the partners hope to pave the way for increased collaboration and cooperation towards sustainable development in India. Read more here.
