IIM Shillong hosts Int’l Sustainability Conference

Shillong: The 11th edition of the International Sustainability Conference (SUSCON-XI), organised by IIM Shillong on the theme ‘Climate Positive World', marked another landmark in the Institute's flagship annual event. The conference, which concluded on Satirday, was supported by GAIL India Ltd and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd as industry sponsors, IIMS Journal of Management Science as publication partner and the Corporate Environmental Management (CEM) Research Group at Jyväslylä School of Business and Economics (JSBE), University of Jyväskylä, Finland as knowledge partner.IIM Shillong dean of research Prof Basav Roychoudhury welcomed the participants and dignitaries to the conference, setting the stage for a fruitful exchange of ideas and insights on sustainability."Over the course of the conference, participants from across India, Hungary, USA and Finland shared their research and prototypes, with an overwhelming response of 301 submissions. Of the total, 118 papers were selected after a rigorous review process. The high-quality research presented this year underscores the growing global interest and importance of sustainability across academia, industry and civil society," an IIM statement said."SUSCON has evolved into a global platform for dialogue over the past 15 years, uniting stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and civil society. Reflecting IIM Shillong's commitment to sustainability, the conference has featured prominent figures such as Bharat Ratna Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Padma Bhushan Dr Sundarlal Bahuguna and Jadav Payeng, the ‘Forest Man of India'," the IIM statement added.The chief guest, Shyam Sundar Paliwal (Padma Shri), delivered an address on the importance of self-reliance and sustainability among rural communities. Paliwal, who was awarded the Padma Shree for his work, shared the inspiring story of his initiatives in Piplantri, where 111 trees are planted for every girl born in the village, as a symbol of growth and empowerment.