(Wed) March 23, 2022 | 1430-1900 Hrs IST

Concept Note:
A forum to inspire, empower and support Women Startups with their entrepreneurship journey and come forward to share their stories, ideas, aspirations, milestones and their struggles. This celebration is designed to recognize female founder's unique achievements and to extol the power of the new role that a woman plays as an entrepreneur and furthermore giving a platform to grandstand their success to inspire many more women striving to become entrepreneurs.

India is fast emerging as one of the world's favorite investment destinations for start-ups, for creating awareness on innovations, accelerating & empowering women for up skilling and global collaboration opportunities. We believe “There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.”

And nothing could be truer for the women entrepreneurs of today who are chartering unknown territories, unabashedly and fearlessly. Be it in ecommerce, education, investing, food & tech, travel, fashion, fitness and anything and everything under the sun, they are proceeding with gumption and unbridled enthusiasm to change the world around them, in turn making a difference with their ideas, seeking solutions that have never been sought, fighting the social norms, running successful ventures and giving rise to new sustainable ecosystems.
The event would have IOD leadership and eminent luminaries from the industry to share their views on “Women Startups - growth opportunities & challenges”.

Concept Note:
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues are of importance for businesses globally as the legal and regulatory landscape changes and ESG expectations of investors, customers, employees and other stakeholders grow. Now more than ever, investors are incorporating ESG criteria into their investment assessments and valuation decisions, and perceive companies with strong sustainability programs one of the indicators of sound and reliable performance going forward.

ESG and its reporting has come into its own as a discipline, with top companies now issuing BRSR reports. What’s the role of the board’s and executive team’s in ensuring that these activities are responsive to investor needs?

Many boards of directors are considering their approaches to environmental, societal and governance (ESG) topics and, more particularly, how ESG can contribute to the long-term success of their businesses. Such introspection is partly in reaction to demands from shareholders and other stakeholders.
Boards should consider taking responsibility for ESG, set up and follow an oversight protocol, influence behaviours through compensation, and report with caution.

To discuss about the current scenario in ESG, Institute of Directors, India will be holding a special 'Global Webinar' on Wednesday, 23rd February 2022 through the digital mode. The theme for the webinar will be ‘ESG Strategy for the Board: Turning Rhetoric into Reality in a VUCA World".

Concept Note:
Board Summit - A Confident Corporate India

Going by market indicators, sustained government stimulus and industry innovation, high growth and low volatility will characterise 2022. Start up investments, green infrastructure and market potential signal significant opportunities for India’s rich talent pool.
Indian corporates are poised to capitalise on rich mineral resources, strategic geographic location, skilled human capital and manufacturing prowess make it the preferred manufacturing destination of the world.

Climate and pandemic risks are reshaping the world. The young business community in India exudes optimism with dual growth engines of Startups and Scaleups ! This signals a ‘Confident Corporate India’, the theme of our Board Summit on 18th February 2022. The Indian GDP is poised to grow at +9% in 2022 given favourable macro and micro economic indicators.

Media headlines say it all, “Nifty 50 companies to post double digit revenue and profit growth for Q3” (ET 10th January 2021), “FY22 GDP growth put at 9.2% as agri, manufacturing shine” (HBL 8th January 2021) and “Banks report robust credit growth led by retail, SMEs” (HBL 6th January 2021). Metro and Urban Growth is driven by IT and Pharma, while Bharat is booming with minerals and farmland forest led growth with agro-economic growth. These twin engines of economic growth are powerful!

Concept Note:
1. Be First to hear about Tamil Nadu CM's vision on achieving economic goal of $1 Trillion by 2035
2. Tamil Nadu Finance & Industries ministries speech on view on the economic development Plan.
3. Renowned Guest Speakers from Government, PSU and Business Sectors
4. Various industry expert's sessions about sectors and industrial impact on the economy
5. Discussion and insights about Marketing strategy, Technology, Efficiency in manufacturing, Risk Management, corporate governance etc.
6. Networking with global leaders and local business professionals to discuss ideas to enhance your business and expand your business opportunities and many more

Concept Note:
The demand for transparency on sustainable and socially responsible practices is increasing. Companies are accountable to their various stakeholders like investors, customers, employees, suppliers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) who want to evaluate a company’s impact on the world. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) analysis and reporting can provide valuable insights and help create long-term value for stakeholders. It can significantly impact the financial metrics of a company and enable investment decisions. IOD Bengaluru is organizing a webinar on ESG with the theme “The New Frontier of Governance”.

Concept Note:
The world is in a climate emergency - “a code red for humanity” according to the UN Secretary-General. The concentration of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere is wreaking havoc across the world and threatening lives, economies, health and food.

A healthy environment plays a key role in meeting many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. With a little over 10 years left to meet the target date of 2030, the world will need to pick up the pace and put greater efforts in finding better solutions to pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in order to truly transform societies and economies.

To discuss current Environmental Challenges, Institute of Directors, India is organizing a special Virtual Global Webinar on 'Environment Management & Climate Change 2021", on (Wednesday), 8th December 2021 at 1045 hrs (IST) on a digital platform.

The theme of the Webinar is "Key Takeaways from COP26 and Steering the Board towards Effective Climate Governance".

The deliberations will be in the context of the statement by our Hon’ble Prime Minister at the COP26: “India targets net zero emissions by 2070. India, the country contained 17 per cent of the world’s population but was responsible for only 5 per cent of global emissions”.

“India to increase the share of renewable in its energy mix from about 38 per cent last year to 50 per cent by 2030”.

On this occasion, the famed ‘Golden Peacock Awards’ for ‘Environment Management, OHS, Energy Efficiency & Eco-Innovation-2021 will also be conferred. Amongst the declared winners are some of the leading industry & business groups from India & abroad.

Concept Note:
The National Convention of IOD, India, is it’s annual flagship event i.e. the ‘Annual Directors’ Conclave’. The Conclave is addressed by eminent speakers, including Govt. Secretaries, CEOs and global thought Leaders from different spheres of life, who share their views on current corporate leadership problems, with directors and participants, through interactive sessions.

IOD will be holding its 'Annual Directors' Conclave 2021' from October 06 - 07, 2021 through the digital mode. The theme for the Conclave is ‘Creating a Future-Ready Board for Investment and Inclusive Growth’, and it will focus on current challenges & ways to empower the Boards of Directors.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has led to spawning norms in all quarters, including the corporate boardrooms. A new paradigm of global business has emerged in the rapidly changing global landscape. The transformation required in boards is unprecedented in its intensity, to overcome the current challenges in the operational scene and in the global markets and supply chains.

The Conclave plans to bring together a large number of Business & Industry Leaders, Policymakers, Board Members, Domain Leaders, Corporate Governance Professionals, Senior Executives and also IOD member, on a single global (currently virtual) platform, from across geographies and industries.

Concept Note:
Business Transformation using new technology has accelerated, particularly since the beginning of the pandemic. These new business models have significant reliance on the availability of Data for insight that is used by corporates to make critical business decisions. Organizations have been capturing various types of data as part of normal business transactions, however the importance of the data was not realized until recent times. Data in the New Economy is synonymous with Oil for the Old Economy. The robust Data Governance and Management approaches are going to be the key for the Organizations’ survival in future. Many countries see Data as one important lever for competitive edge and building guidelines and protocols for sharing and usage of customer data. Data, if managed properly, could be a big competitive advantage, else could introduce significant business risks.

Concept Note:
The importance of Risk Management has come to the fore in the recent past and the pandemic has made Boards look at risk with renewed interest. Earlier risk management was mostly restricted to operational risk and consultants had a standard template for that. The facets of risk now include, as it is popularly said, both the known unknowns and unknown unknowns. Thus, Boards are now looking at Statutory Risks, Technology Risks, Competition Risks, Political Risks, ESG, Social Media Risks, Public Reaction Risk and many more. This Webinar hopes to bring about ways and means to mitigate such risks through appropriate Board interventions. A look into what the Risk Committees of the past has delivered and what needs to be done to make it deliver in the future. And who to get on the Corporate Risk bus to make it happen.

Concept Note:
Buffeted by shifting economic landscape, technological disruptions, the global pandemic, its consumption wracked aftermath, climate change, political uncertainties, and global competition, organisations and boards are prioritising risk oversight like never before. Board-level monitoring of risk factors through its board committees has intensified, while re-visiting risk management policies, and integrating them into the organisation’s strategy and culture for effective mitigation. For this to be effective, Boards must ensure appropriate risk management protocols & systems, tailored as per the organisation’s relevant risks are in place. These also need to be supported by resources for successful implementation and consistently have a dialogue with the C-suite, basis their pivotal role in risk management. Considering the above, the Institute of Directors, India is hosting a special ‘Global Virtual Session on BOARD LEADERSHIP & RISK MANAGEMENT’ 2021, to discuss and deliberate the Board’s role in corporate risk oversight. The event is being held on August 17, 2021 (Tuesday) between 1130 - 1815 hrs (IST), along with the Golden Peacock Awards presentation ceremony for the categories of Risk Management, Innovation Management, Business Excellence, Innovative Product/ Service, Quality & Training.

Concept Note:
The Companies Act 2013 mandates the appointment of independent directors to bring transparency and accountability in corporate governance. They are required to ensure balancing of conflicting interests of all stake-holders and bring in an objective view in evaluation of management and board performance. Of late, lots of issues and challenges are faced by Independent Directors. SEBI is strengthening independent directors that the appointment, reappointment, and removal of IDs can be done through a special resolution only - which requires 75 percent votes in favour - instead of the current requirement of an ordinary resolution that can be passed with a simple majority. SEBI approves stricter independent director norms, measures to attract more investors into market. Seeking to strengthen the corporate governance practices as well as attract more investors, new enactments are implemented by markets watchdog SEBI. Considering the above, IOD - TN Region is organizing a webinar on “Latest Rules - SEBI on Independent Directors” Saturday on 7th August 2021 between 4:00 PM & 6:15 PM (IST), to discuss and deliberate the SEBI’s role in new enactments for Independent Directors.

Concept Note:
The Institute of Directors, India is organising the Virtual Global Session on "Strategic Foresight for Board's: Shaping the Future", on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at 1500 - 1845 hrs (IST).

Strategic foresighting tools are useful when uncertainty is high and prediction is impossible. As businesses prepare for a post COVID-19 world, incorporating strategic foresighting methods into their innovation and strategic planning cycles can help identify emerging opportunities and threats.

When the future is uncertain, how can organizations design and innovate boldly but responsibly? Futures thinking is an approach to strategic design that considers what is likely to change and what is likely to stay the same in the future, as a means to be more reflective in strategic planning. Considered by some to be more of an art, and by others to be a science, futures thinking gives us a framework to talk about our current world, and how the world may look in the future.

In this webinar, you’ll learn that futures thinking is not an effort to predict the future, but rather a means to illuminate unexpected implications of present-day issues that empower individuals and organizations to actively design desirable futures. The emphasis isn’t on what will happen, but on what could happen, given various observed drivers.

It’s a way of gaining new perspectives and context for present-day decisions, as well as for navigating the dilemma at the heart of all strategic thinking: the future can’t be predicted, yet we have to make choices based on what is to come.

Concept Note:
In recent years, organisations across the globe have taken considerable steps to embed CSR strategy into their corporate vision and values, strategy and governance arrangements; and ensuring these are aligned with corporate culture, conduct and activities. This has been possible due to the impetus for change triggered by the CSR mandates passed by Governments across various countries inducing India | USA | UK | European Commission | Denmark | France | South Africa and China.

While discourse has moved from embedding CSR into corporate strategy, to the rise of a Corporate Citizenship, building a “better normal” by repairing and reshaping the world community is the need of the hour. This will require transformational leaders to take careful stock of their corporate purpose, moving beyond its WHY to define the HOW, to actually move the needle and create value.

Companies will have to consider their social strategy, and determine how it engages with key stakeholders-from investors and customers to employees and communities to ensure organisational success.

The Institute of Directors, India is organising the 15th Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility and Golden Peacock Awards Ceremony (virtual) for ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (National & Global) & ‘HR Excellence’ on (Thursday) June 10, 2021 | 1200 - 1815 hrs (IST). We will also deliberate on the strategies of leaders for redefining their corporate purpose for sustained value creation in the long term, and also engage with all stakeholders on the matter effectively.

Concept Note:
The Covid-19 pandemic began as a health crisis and quickly developed into a financial one, as all economic activity came to a sudden halt for a few months. It has been a wakeup call for all us to take proactive steps to remain financially protected and secure in the face of unforeseen exigencies. The Hon’ble Union Cabinet Minister for Finance, Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman announced an increase in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in insurance from 49% to 74%. She also proposed to amend the Insurance Act, 1938 and launch a new ‘Investor Charter’ for investor protection in her Union Budget (2020-2021) speech on February 01, 2021. This move is poised to increase capital flow into the sector significantly, and positively impact the Indian economy as a whole. Date: Wednesday | March 10, 2021

2021-Golden Peacock Awards Ceremony (Virtual)

Today, Boards are also expected especially to focus on improving their effectiveness - not just mere compliance, but also Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance for long term sustainability and making it investor friendly. Boards require frameworks for optimizing board engagement and performance to also enhance contribution of individual board members to meet greater transparency and sever accountability. Over the years, the idea of independent corporate boards has taken strong roots in Corporate Governance despite the misgivings and controversies surrounding the concept. Corporate Governance has now become more central and Sustainability has redefined itself in the Covid-19 era.

Thus, Corporate Governance and Sustainability are most inevitable topics of discussion in corporate boardrooms worldwide and only, well governed & sustainable organisations will be poised to thrive Post-pandemic. Skilling, Re-skilling and Up-skilling will be vital for the future.

When India sets an another momentum, we are set to host yet another star-studded virtual Awards Ceremony on Wed, Feb 10, 2021, to felicitate the GLOBAL & NATIONAL WINNERS of Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance and Sustainability for the year 2020.

Date: Wednesday | February 10, 2021

2021-Director's Dialogue Series - 2nd Edition | Focus: Power and New & Renewable Energy Sector

The Indian Government’s low carbon & climate-resilient development practices are helping the country to not just meet Paris Agreement targets, but even exceed them.

On December 03, 2020, a concept note was unveiled by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy stating the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s desire to have one city in each State to be developed as a green city that will meet all its energy requirements from renewable sources of energy. This comes as the Government’s major thrust for the adoption of renewable energy in all spheres of life and for all of mankind’s needs.

At the global level, India is leading and pushing for its ambitious global electricity grid plans - “One Sun, One World, One Grid" (OSOWOG). The global pandemic has firmly underscored the fundamental role of access to reliable electricity in protecting the wellbeing of mankind, and in supporting essential public services, key supply chains, livelihoods and the global economy.

Considering the above, the Institute of Directors (IOD), India organizing the Directors’ Dialogue Series (2nd Edition), a special webinar to deliberate “Directors' Direction for Sustainability amid Pandemic”, on Thursday, Jan 21, 2021, 1500 hrs onwards to discuss and deliberate the opportunity for businesses, as well as the challenges before the renewable energy sector today.

Date: Thursday | January 21, 2021

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