Fresh fruit importer IG International has appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers Services LLP (PwC) to help implement its environmental, social and governance (ESG) programmes.

This involves facilitation of sustainable serviceability, pervasive environmentalism, and overarching governance, besides bolstering assistive cooperation, an IG International statement said. PwC will map and monitor the relevant global ESG frameworks in accordance with standard industry practices, it added.

The effort is to position IG International as an environmentally responsible company through the mapping of industry sustainability compliance parameters such as SASB, GHG Emission, and Carbon Footprint Analysis.

As part of its assignment, PwC has evaluated IG International’s operational model to bifurcate the issues that need remedy and the positives that can be adapted as solutions. Some key indicators have been used to highlight the material requirements of customers and employees, ranking their priority as high, medium, or low. 

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Further, PwC’s report familiarises IG International with the proposed sustainable solutions for the issues identified through internal stakeholder participation.

PwC’s ESG vision report would direct the fruit importer to map, align, and implement a parameter-based solution stack to establish itself as a sustainable and environmentally conscious company.

Cutting energy offtake

On the environmental front, IG International is looking to make a 70 per cent transition to renewable energy by 2027 with 25 per cent reduction in energy consumption by 2025.

Farming efficiency will also rise by 25 per cent by 2025, to reduce 30 per cent water consumption.

In the social sector, IG International will implement a 25 per cent increase in employee training hours by 2025, based on the UN guiding principles of business and human rights..

On the governance front, IG International will ensure 100 per cent sustainably grown product volume by 2025 and include 5 per cent micro, small and medium entrepreneurs by 2023. 

Tarun Arora, Director of Finance and Operations, IG International, said, “With PwC being leaders in research technology, this association to capacitate and invigorate our ESG programme further reiterates our relentless commitment towards sustainable obligations, environmental modality, and practising omni-corporeal governance.”

Sambitosh Mohapatra, Leader - ESG/ Energy Utilities and Resources, PwC, said, “There is a need for more companies in the agri-business domain to take ESG initiative seriously and be part of the ESG journey, which can help them find the right solutions on the path towards sustainability.”