The Internet's Echo

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My Sustainable Encounter with Jangoo Dalal

by Albert Schiller

The Looming Tsunami

The quiet hum of the internet's early days offers a unique lens through which to view the burgeoning sustainability movement. Jangoo Dalal, with three decades spent at the cutting edge of tech giants like Cisco and Avaya, observes a striking parallel. The internet began as a specialist's domain, slowly gaining traction. Then, with sudden force, it became ubiquitous, a pervasive layer of modern existence. Dalal is convinced that sustainability is poised for a similar, explosive ascent. He states with "firm conviction" that it is not merely an emerging trend but is rapidly becoming an existential necessity for human and business survival. He sees it as a slow tide building into a looming tsunami.

Market Darwinism

To understand the necessity of this doctrine, one must first understand the character of the environment. India's renewable energy industry is not a predictable, market-driven landscape. It is, in Manglani's words, "regulatory driven". This means the fundamental rules of operation are not set by supply and demand but by political and policy decisions that can shift quickly. She describes a system where "the regulations are changing in a snap". In such an environment, traditional long-term strategic planning becomes futile. A single government notification can render a meticulously crafted and approved five-year roadmap obsolete. This creates a condition of perpetual change, an unstable habitat where the most valuable asset is not the quality of a well-derived, static plan but the capacity for a dynamic response. The system does not reward rigidity or long-term adherence to a fixed strategy. It rewards the ability to absorb shocks and pivot without hesitation.

The Reluctant Embrace

A further challenge Dalal identifies is that organizations frequently embark on the ESG journey without clearly defining their desired outcomes. He stresses that without "actually charting out what the outcome they want is," efforts can become misdirected. He emphasizes the importance of clearly defined goals from the outset. This ensures that data collection serves a strategic purpose beyond mere reporting. His approach involves strategically mapping the organization to actively engage more people. This focuses on generating enthusiasm for the sustainability journey. Securing "tone from the top" is crucial, as he states, for driving things forward. This comprehensive engagement establishes proper data flows, transforming raw data into actionable business intelligence.

Convergence Points

Despite the inherent resistance, specific forces are converging to accelerate the adoption. Dalal identifies three primary drivers. First, government regulatory mandates, such as India's BRSR framework, create a non-negotiable imperative. Second, a collective human awakening to undeniable climate impacts is gaining momentum. Dalal pointedly states, "You have to be a really non-thinking person not to understand that climate is going to affect you and your business". This is not merely a social concern. Third, perhaps most impactful, is the growing pressure from global supply chains and B2B buyers. Major international corporations now demand specific ESG metrics and decarbonization roadmaps from their Indian suppliers.

Raising the Bar

This supply chain pressure, Dalal argues, represents a net positive. Historically, larger enterprises could indirectly "outsource" less sustainable practices downstream. Now, accountability is being distributed across the entire value chain. With their inherent resources, larger companies drive workshops and set benchmarks for their suppliers. This trickle-down effect simplifies implementation for smaller entities that might otherwise lack the capacity or motivation to engage. He considers this "a good thing". It ensures that the "bar" for sustainable practices is raised universally. This systemic shift is transforming sustainability from a distant ideal into an immediate competitive necessity for all participants, compelling fundamental rethinking across the entire economic ecosystem.

So what can we take from his approach?

Questions for Audience

1. Given the parallel between the internet's growth and sustainability, what historical lessons from the dot-com boom and bust should sustainability startups heed to ensure long-term viability?

2. Jangoo Dalal notes, "you have to be a non-thinking person not to understand that climate is going to affect you and your business". For those still hesitant, what are the most compelling, non-academic arguments to make the urgency of sustainability undeniable in a business context?