Imagine being thrown into a river—your chances of survival are higher if you know how to swim. Something similar happened to me when, within BMJ Group, I was tasked with driving our SDG goals. Luckily, my experience volunteering with the HCL Foundation’s My Clean City initiative meant that the lessons I gained from hands-on sustainability efforts proved invaluable when taking on my new corporate responsibilities. This journey reinforced a fundamental truth: sustainability leadership isn’t just about strategy—it’s about personal engagement, adaptability, and collective action.
A Chance Encounter with Purpose
My involvement in sustainability began unexpectedly when my son’s school encouraged students to join a local cleanliness drive. Accompanying him to an interview, I was asked if I’d like to volunteer as well. What started as curiosity soon became a transformative experience. Over two years, I engaged in waste collection, community clean-ups, and awareness campaigns, learning firsthand about solid waste management, e-waste recycling, and the impact of behavioral change.
This experience reshaped my perspective—not just on sustainability but on leadership. At BMJ India, sustainability had been an area of focus, particularly after BMJ Publishing Group, our headquarters in London, became a signatory to the UN SDG Publishers Compact. This required all international offices, including India, to prioritize sustainability efforts. Prior to this, there were sporadic initiatives, such as having potted plants in the office and minimizing the printing of documents. However, these efforts were largely ad hoc. The formal commitment to SDGs changed this, requiring structured action.
From Grassroots to Boardroom: Formalizing Our Approach
Inspired by my volunteer work, I saw an opportunity to introduce a structured framework to drive meaningful action at BMJ India. While there was an overarching corporate commitment, what was missing was a clear, strategic approach—one that contextualized global sustainability goals within the realities of our work environment in India. This led to the creation of the BMJ India Sustainability Champions Group, designed to integrate corporate commitments with hands-on engagement.
To make sustainability a measurable and structured endeavor, I introduced a BMJ India Sustainability Champions Group Charter, aligning our actions with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement (2021-2030). Each of the four SDGs we focused on—SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-being), SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth), and SDG 13 (Climate Action)—was conceptualized with clear goals, specific measurable objectives, and alignment with national commitments.
With this foundation in place, our initiatives evolved from informal efforts to structured, strategic interventions. Simple but effective strategies emerged—reducing paper waste, optimizing energy use, encouraging public transport use, and partnering with the HCL Foundation for knowledge-sharing sessions on responsible e-waste disposal. These efforts cultivated a culture of ownership and action, proving that sustainability isn’t just a policy but a mindset shift.
The Power of Personal Engagement
One key leadership lesson I took away: Co-create the journey with your team, even if you’ve been in the driver’s seat, and allow them to be the unsung heroes of the initiative. Recognizing and empowering them strengthens ownership and engagement.
A practical example of this came when I facilitated a series of internal sustainability workshops, encouraging employees to contribute their ideas. One colleague suggested a structured e-waste collection initiative at the office, and rather than overseeing every detail myself, I encouraged them to take charge. Over time, they built a system where employees could drop off old electronics, which were then responsibly recycled. Seeing their enthusiasm and, more importantly, the fact that the initiative continued without needing constant oversight reaffirmed that real engagement comes from shared ownership rather than directives from the top.
Bridging the Gap Between Corporate Goals and Grassroots Action
What I learned is that top-down sustainability strategies often fall short without grassroots understanding. Many organizations announce ambitious sustainability commitments, but unless employees at all levels connect with these initiatives, they rarely translate into sustained action.
I saw this firsthand during the early days of our corporate sustainability efforts. Initially, discussions on SDGs were largely confined to high-level meetings, with little clarity on how employees could contribute. When I engaged colleagues in structured dialogues—allowing them to articulate what sustainability meant in their daily work—the impact was immediate. Employees felt a sense of agency, leading to higher participation rates in green initiatives and a more engaged workforce.
This realization shaped our strategy: instead of dictating sustainability measures, we worked to embed them organically into workplace culture. For example, our e-waste initiative didn’t just involve collection bins—it included knowledge-sharing sessions where employees learned about the lifecycle of electronic waste and its environmental impact. The result? Greater enthusiasm and long-term behaviour change.
The Ripple Effect of Leading by Example
Leadership isn’t about mandates; it’s about setting an example that inspires others to act.
A clear instance of this came from our e-waste awareness sessions. After I personally demonstrated responsible disposal practices, a colleague mentioned in a team meeting:
“I never thought about where my old electronics ended up. I used to just dump them. Now, I make sure they go to the right recycling channels, and I’ve even convinced my family to do the same.” This moment signalled a real behavioural shift, proving that visible leadership fosters deeper engagement.
Soon after, more employees started bringing their e-waste for responsible disposal, and sustainability discussions became more frequent in our internal forums. Small actions—like ensuring chargers and laptops were responsibly discarded—inspired bigger commitments. By leading through action rather than just policy, we saw higher participation, deeper conversations, and a greater sense of responsibility among employees.
A Call to Corporate Leaders
Many initiatives start with a bang but lose momentum along the way. As leaders, it is essential to ensure sustained engagement—our efforts must not stall but instead grow bigger and better because the challenge is becoming more urgent with every passing day.
To sustain impact, organizations must embed sustainability into their business DNA, not just as a compliance requirement but as a core principle that guides decision-making. True sustainability leadership extends beyond boardroom discussions—it thrives in real-world participation. By immersing ourselves in the challenges we seek to address, we not only enrich our organizations but contribute meaningfully to society.
The future demands action, and it starts with us.
Author
Dr. Prashant Mishra MD-India & South Asia
Declaration of interests
I have read and understood the BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and declare the following interests: none.