Client type (industry, region)
- Wine producer based in India, with operations spanning vineyards, production, and distribution.
Challenge, solution, outcomes (brief)
- The company wanted to move from ad‑hoc initiatives to a structured sustainability strategy. As Chief Sustainability Officer, TreeLynk co‑founder Inesh Singh built the sustainability program from the ground up, including organisational structure, governance, and company‑wide targets, and led the publication of the first sustainability report, which was recognised at the India Sustainability Summit.
Problem
- The wine producer operated in a resource‑intensive sector facing growing scrutiny on environmental impacts, social license to operate, and responsible consumption. Sustainability activities existed in pockets (for example, efficiency projects or community initiatives), but there was no unified strategy, clear ownership, or consistent measurement.
Key constraints included
- No dedicated sustainability team or defined governance structure.
- Limited visibility of environmental and social performance across vineyards, production, and supply chain.
- No formal sustainability targets, frameworks, or external reporting, making it difficult to communicate progress to investors, regulators, and customers.
- The company needed a coherent programme that connected business strategy with sustainability objectives and created accountability across functions.
Solution
- This work was led by TreeLynk co‑founder Inesh Singh while serving as Chief Sustainability Officer of the wine producer, prior to founding TreeLynk.
- The approach covered three main pillars:
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- Program design and organisational setup
- Defined a sustainability vision aligned with the company’s growth ambitions and brand positioning.
- Designed an organisational structure for sustainability, including a central sustainability function, cross‑functional working groups, and clear roles for operations, HR, finance, and marketing.
- Established governance mechanisms such as steering committees and regular reporting to senior leadership and the board.
- Strategy, targets, and governance
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- Conducted a baseline review of environmental and social impacts across the value chain (vineyards, production facilities, logistics, and communities).
- Developed an initial set of focus areas (for example, climate and energy, water and waste, packaging, community and livelihoods, responsible consumption).
- Set company‑wide sustainability targets and supporting metrics, with ownership embedded into functional plans and budgets.
- Put in place policies and procedures to integrate sustainability into decision‑making and risk management.
- First sustainability report and external recognition
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- Led the development of the company’s first sustainability report, including data collection, narrative, and alignment with recognised disclosure practices.
- Coordinated contributions from functions across the business, ensuring consistency between operational data and reported performance.
- The report went on to be recognised and awarded at the India Sustainability Summit, providing external validation of the company’s new sustainability programme.
Results
- Established the company’s first formal sustainability strategy, organisational structure, and governance framework.
- Defined and embedded company‑wide sustainability targets, clarifying expectations for functions and leadership.
- Improved visibility of environmental and social performance across operations, creating a basis for future improvements.
- Published the organisation’s first sustainability report, which received recognition at the India Sustainability Summit, enhancing stakeholder confidence and brand positioning.