New Delhi, Nov 1 (NationPress) The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced on Saturday that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA). This partnership aims to develop a thorough framework aligned with sustainable development goals (SDGs), incorporating national, state, and corporate sustainability frameworks.

The primary goal of this collaboration is to ensure that corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives undertaken by businesses synchronize effectively with the SDG objectives at both the state and Union Territory levels.

The IICA, operating as an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, envisions the creation of a Comprehensive SDG Alignment Framework. This framework will incorporate National, State, ESG, and CSR indicators to fulfill the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The National Indicator Framework (NIF), which is crucial for tracking India’s progress toward the SDGs, will serve as the foundation for this collaborative project.

Building on the NIF, the initiative will establish a framework that aligns state indicators with national priorities while also integrating ESG and CSR aspects.

The synergy between the NIF and State Indicator Framework (SIF) will bolster evidence-based policymaking, encourage sustainable corporate engagement, and support the government’s vision of Viksit Bharat through cohesive and inclusive SDG monitoring and execution.

This collaboration has been conceptualized under the dynamic leadership of Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Director General & CEO of IICA, who has played a pivotal role in directing IICA's strategic initiatives in ESG, CSR, and Responsible Business Conduct, aligning these efforts with India’s national development agenda.

The signing ceremony was attended by notable officials, including Kishor Baburao Surwade, Additional Director General of MoSPI; Dr. Garima Dadhich, Associate Professor and Head of the School of Business Environment at IICA; Ruchika Gupta, Deputy Director General of MoSPI's Social Statistics Division; Shivnath Singh Jadawat, Director of the Training Unit at MoSPI; Dr. Ziaul Haque, Director of the Social Statistics Division at MoSPI; and other officials from MoSPI and IICA.