CII- Deloitte Report on “Innovating for Impact: The sustainability imperative for pharma & life sciences”

CII-Deloitte Report Charts Biopositive Future for Sector at 7th Pharma & Lifesciences Summit

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Deloitte unveiled a comprehensive report titled "Innovating for Impact: The Sustainability Imperative for Pharma & Life Sciences" at the 7th CII Pharma & Lifesciences Summit in Delhi on December 12, 2025. Themed "Progress, Promise and the Planet: Unlocking Sustainable Growth in Indian Pharma & Life Sciences," the summit convened Industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to chart a biopositive future for India's pharmaceutical ecosystem.

India's pharmaceutical and life-sciences sector stands at a critical inflection point, balancing the imperative to scale global access to quality medicines while embedding sustainability across the entire value chain. The CII-Deloitte report demonstrates how Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices are emerging as key drivers of competitiveness, capital access, and stakeholder trust—transforming sustainability from a compliance obligation into a strategic business advantage.

Decarbonisation has emerged as a fundamental business imperative for pharmaceutical enterprises. The report identifies cleanrooms and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems as dominant energy consumers, while Scope 3 emissions—spanning purchased goods, packaging, transport, and product use—represent the largest share of the sector's carbon footprint.

The report outlines a practical, actionable decarbonisation roadmap that combines green chemistry in Research & Development (R&D), HVAC optimisation with heat recovery, renewable energy adoption (both on-site and through Power Purchase Agreements), solvent recovery initiatives, circular packaging solutions, logistics optimisation, and structured supplier engagement. These strategies are anchored by robust governance frameworks and data systems, with internal carbon pricing mechanisms aligning investment decisions with long-term climate objectives.

The report highlights the growing importance of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) guidelines, International Financial Reporting Standards–Sustainability Disclosure Standards (IFRS S1–S2), the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and India's Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework. Understanding and implementing these disclosure standards is critical for companies seeking to access global capital markets and maintain investor confidence.

The report identifies material ESG topics specific to pharmaceuticals, including climate strategy, product stewardship, human capital development, supply chain sustainability, clinical trial governance, human rights protection, and water and waste management. Companies that strategically address these areas will strengthen their competitive positioning and enhance their social license to operate.

Case studies of Indian pharmaceutical enterprises with Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation illustrate credible pathways for managing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. These examples demonstrate how process efficiency improvements, renewable energy integration, comprehensive supplier engagement programs, and transparent monitoring systems create measurable impact while enhancing operational performance and financial returns.

As India advances toward long-term climate milestones and capital markets increasingly reward sustainable practices, pharmaceutical enterprises that prioritise operational efficiency, renewable energy integration, and value-chain collaboration—underpinned by robust governance frameworks—will unlock significant competitive advantages. These include access to sustainable finance mechanisms, expansion into new markets with stringent ESG requirements, and strengthened social license with regulators, healthcare providers, and consumers.

The sector's ability to integrate ESG excellence with its core mission—advancing human health while safeguarding planetary well-being—positions Indian pharma and life sciences as a leader in responsible, sustainable innovation on the global stage.

The CII-Deloitte report calls for a coordinated approach involving pharmaceutical enterprises, Government agencies, financial institutions, and Industry associations to embed sustainability across the value chain. By fostering innovation in green chemistry and manufacturing, enhancing governance frameworks, and prioritising value-chain collaboration, India's pharmaceutical and life-sciences sector is well-positioned to emerge as a global leader in biopositive, sustainable healthcare solutions.