IOD SPECIAL TALKS - Embracing Interculturalism in India

Hon'ble Chief Justice of Mumbai High Court, Justice Upadhyaya, President of IOD, Lt. Gen. Surinder Nath, eminent speakers on the stage, dignitaries present here, and friends-Namaskar. It is great to be here in Amchi, Mumbai, to attend the 18th IOD International Conference on CSR.

This year's theme is ‘CSR and Exploring the Evolution of Environmental, Social, and Governance in the New World Economy’. It is a topic close to the organisation I represent, the Global Schools Foundation. The Foundation came into existence 22 years ago in Singapore. Its co-founders, which included yours truly, initiated the Global Schools Group and the cultural centres that are working with communities from South Korea to Japan to India to Saudi Arabia to the UK in the education space. The Global Schools Group, which runs 64 international schools in 11 countries and where over 45,000 students of 70 nationalities study, says that our education ecosystem is large, vibrant, multidimensional, & multicultural. In Mumbai, the reputed Witty International School has become part of the Global Schools Group, which offers international education for students based in Mumbai across Goregaon, Malad, and Borivali suburbs. More than 7,000 students are studying here, many of them born after 2010, who we know today as Generation Alpha.

India is well on its way to becoming the world's third-largest economy in the next decade. This generation, which will play a major role in India's transition to the 3rd largest economy, can be described in today's parlance as one of the most “exciting” generations of our lifetime. They have a very clear view of right and wrong when it comes to environmental, social, and governance aspects. So it just makes perfect sense to teach them about ESG right from kindergarten levels to primary and high schools.

Alumni of Global Schools are working across the world, with fantastic placements in multinational corporations and businesses, and are already taking concrete steps towards ESG, sustainable development, and reducing carbon footprints. With companies increasingly recognizing that sustainable practices contribute to environmental and social well-being, it is imperative that we shape the outlook of the new generation to deal with the realities of the new economy. Global Schools has been active for the past many years, giving students experiential learning in ESG. We know that investors, regulators, consumers, and other stakeholders also emphasize incorporating ESG principles into their strategic decision-making processes, which is now an important aspect for fostering innovation, enhancing long-term profitability, and mitigating risks.

Three elements are driving ESG in India. First is India's commitment to net zero emissions by 2070; the Second is SEBI's mandate to sustainable reporting and business practices; and the Third is the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which are becoming a barometer in analyzing an entity's capability and attractiveness to attract consumers and capital. But as trade and technology through globalisation make the world more connected and interdependent, it is also making many places more inwardlooking.

What will play a pivotal role in determining the future of effective CSR and ESG is what I would term 'sustainable interculturalism'.

Think about it.

Globalisation brought the world together, erased geographical boundaries, opened up possibilities, and converged people into shared spaces irrespective of their religion, nationality and ethnicity. India will become 3rd largest economy only when the marketplace is aware of and accepts the various world communities, and national cultural sensitivities.

Clean growth - sustainable, ethical, and economical - will only come when we understand and accept that we live in a multicultural society where interculturalism is respected.

So what is Sustainable Interculturalism?

Before I answer that, let me put some context. How can the people of other countries develop a mind-set of accepting India as the 3rd largest economy? A natural way to do this would be for India to become a mini world—assimilation and celebration of world cultures. In short, we need to build at least 20 Singapore's in India, which will see foreigners co-exist with citizens and who would also contribute to this goal. People of different countries should feel that India and its people are our friends and share values, and respect our culture and traditions, just equally so as Indians would like to showcase our own Indian culture to the world. And that boosts the trade and bring governments closer and strengthens the links. Japan and India already share an excellent bond. Here is an example of how interculturalism plays a role in strengthening the bonds between Japan and India. At the peak of Covid, I arrived at Tokyo's Narita Airport and guess what, as expected, I saw was an empty airport. No surprises so far. But here was the surprise. As I got near COVID counters, I noticed about two dozen Indian-looking young people manning the COVID testing counters. When I enquired, I found these were young Indians who spoke fluent Japanese and had been brought to Japan recently by authorities. In Japan, Indian food, movies, fine arts, music and dances, and languages are well appreciated. In fact, the His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Japan, Prince Akishino, personally visited our schools to experience the bonds between Japan and India. Reciprocally, in India people must celebrate Japanese languages, culture, and traditions, not just in Delhi but across the country. When the people of Japan see Japan and its culture being experienced in India, they are well positioned to increase their trade ties with India.

Another example of Intercultural communication lies in our traditional Saree. As we know a Saree marathon was organised in Mumbai. Here is an opportunity to see what a simple “Saree” could could emerge a powerful Intercultural celebration. Compared to all other intercultural impacts of food, music, etc., the saree soft power has the potential for a much broader acceptance among foreign countries and its people. We have seen in South East Asia in countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia that sarees are culturally accepted, with even leaders and ministers who are not of Indian origin, and they wear the sarees in public places and enjoy these traditions and even show their appreciation on social media.

Recently, you have also seen some of the spouses of G20 leaders sport sarees at the official dinners. The Mumbai Saree Marathon has great potential to be taken to other countries in Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. Foreigners love to put their saree photos with vibrant colours on their social media. They look great. Perhaps the embassies in these countries should give this initiative a head start with social organisations.

In India, we have often seen the Ambassadors of the US and many other countries enjoying traditional street food such as wada pav and pani-puri, thereby using inter-culturalism to showcase their appreciation of Indian culture and food. As corporate India plays a significant role in getting India to the 3rd largest economy, it is imperative for every organisation to participate in at least one act of interculturalism of any one foreign country from the top 10 trading partners, be it in food, culture or ethnic wear, music, etc. This way, the people of the world need to see that Indians love their culture, language, traditions, values, and community in a sustainable way.

The visuals of Diwali being celebrated at the White House or 10 Downing Street symbolise interculturalism that will create stronger bonds between people, businesses, and countries. Additionally, over the last five decades, foreign countries have already witnessed the crucial contributions of the Indian diaspora in their nation's development, and every foreign country now realises the power of being a friend of India and a reliable and consistent partner. Thus, we need to spread interculturalism among organisations and youngsters at the school or college level on a large scale.

At our Witty schools in Mumbai, our students have begun to engage with interculturalism and interact through events and initiatives with students from other countries, including from different cultures. This interculturalism will gradually extend to business and trade ties and strengthen relations between India and those countries. This interculturalism can easily complement the excellent work already being done by our government, under the leadership of PM Modi, to make India and its 5000-year-old culture a global destination for trade and tourism. My point is that clean growth—sustainable, ethical, and economical—will only come when we understand and accept that we live in a multicultural society where interculturalism is respected.

This is where the Institute of Directors and Global Schools Group have to step in and bring some of these initiatives down to 16-year-olds. The evolution towards a more sustainable and socially responsible business landscape heralds a future in which success is measured not only by financial performance but also by the company's positive impact on the world.

In this context, embracing CSR, Sustainable initiatives, and ESG principles is not just a choice but an essential pathway to enduring success in the 21st century.

Thank you.

*Excerpts from the ‘Keynote Address' delivered by Mr. Atul Temurnikar, Chairman & Co-Founder, Global Schools Foundation, Singapore at the 'Inaugural th Session' of the 18^th International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility, held on December 21, 2023 in Hotel Taj Lands End.