A major highlight of the conference was the international keynote address by Professor John C. Warner, globally recognized as the Co-Founder of Green Chemistry and President, Beyond Benign, USA. Addressing the distinguished audience, Professor Warner emphasized that Green Chemistry is fundamentally about designing safer chemical products and processes that eliminate hazardous substances at the source rather than managing pollution after it occurs. He underscored that innovation, education and cross-sector collaboration are indispensable for creating sustainable industrial systems that deliver both environmental protection and economic prosperity.

Welcoming the gathering, Shri Abhay Kumar Srivastava, Chair, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Committee and Senior President – Operations, Mankind Pharma, emphasized that Green Chemistry has evolved from an environmental aspiration into an industrial necessity. He highlighted that sustainable manufacturing enhances competitiveness, improves resource efficiency and strengthens India’s position as a global manufacturing hub while stressing the importance of collaboration among industry, government and academia.

Dr. Shailaja Donempudi, Scientist & Head–BDG, CSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, underscored the need to accelerate Green Chemistry adoption through stronger industry–academia partnerships, technology commercialization and enabling policy support. She emphasized that financial incentives, standardized certification systems and scaling of innovative green technologies are essential to building a globally competitive and sustainable chemical manufacturing ecosystem.

Dr. Suman Mazumdar, Scientist ‘D’, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, highlighted the Government of India’s initiatives to promote Green Chemistry through research funding, technology commercialization and collaborative innovation. He elaborated on flagship programmes such as PACE, PRISM and CRTDH, while showcasing successful innovations from CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR–NCL) and IIT Patna in continuous flow manufacturing, sustainable oil spill remediation and PET plastic recycling.

The programme was further enriched by the presence of Prof. Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Former Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, and Director, Green Chemistry Network Centre, who highlighted India’s immense potential to emerge as a global leader in sustainable chemical sciences through innovation, interdisciplinary research and responsible industrial practices.

The inaugural session was moderated by Dr. Nasir Jamal, Director, PHDCCI, who emphasized the growing importance of Green Chemistry in driving sustainable industrial transformation and called for stronger collaboration among government, industry and academia to accelerate the adoption of environmentally responsible technologies.

The conference featured two technical sessions focused on technology and policy. The first session, “Green Chemistry Technologies for Sustainable Manufacturing,” moderated by Dr. Mymoona Akhter, Professor (Medicinal Chemistry), Jamia Hamdard, featured Dr. Rohit Chakravarty (Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.), who showcased continuous flow chemistry for greener pharmaceutical manufacturing; Dr. G. S. Kapur (Former Executive Director–R&D, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. and Advisor–R&D, GAIL India Limited), who highlighted India’s potential to become a global hub for sustainable bioplastics; Dr. Mohan Prasad (Walter Bushnell), who discussed biocatalysis and advanced process technologies for environmentally responsible manufacturing; and Shri Prabodh Swain (Q-Line Biotech Ltd.), who emphasized enzyme engineering and synthetic biology as key drivers of sustainable bio-based manufacturing.

The second technical session, “Enabling Green Chemistry Adoption: Policy, Standards and Market Drivers,” moderated by Shri Namit Joshi, Chairman, Pharmexcil, featured Dr. Shilpi Gupta (BIRAC), who highlighted BIRAC’s support for startups, MSMEs and researchers through funding mechanisms and the BioE3 Policy, and Dr. Neeraj Kumar (Mankind Pharma), who emphasized integrating Green Chemistry and ESG principles into pharmaceutical process design through solvent recycling, waste valorization and innovation in complex molecules.

The Roundtable concluded with a collective commitment from government, industry, academia and research institutions to accelerate Green Chemistry adoption, promote sustainable innovation and strengthen India’s leadership in environmentally responsible chemical manufacturing. Participants expressed confidence that the deliberations and recommendations emerging from the conference would contribute to future policy development and support India’s transition towards a globally competitive, sustainable chemical industry.

The Great Place to Work® certification is grounded in one of the most rigorous organisational assessment methodologies available. Certification is determined solely by the responses of current employees to the Trust Index survey, which evaluates five core dimensions: credibility of leadership, respect in the workplace, fairness across demographics, pride in one’s work and organisation, and camaraderie among colleagues. AGI Glaspac’s fifth consecutive certification reflects consistent, measurable strength across each of these dimensions.

Over the past year, AGI Glaspac has continued to advance its people agenda through a broad range of structured interventions. The company has deepened its commitment to workforce inclusion through the establishment of a POSH committee, regular POSH awareness sessions, and progressive HR policies across its Telangana operations. To support new employees, the Kit and Buddy Program provides structured onboarding through detailed SOPs, ensuring a smooth and supported transition into the organisation.

Alongside these efforts, AGI Glaspac has strengthened internal communication frameworks to promote greater transparency between management and employees, expanded learning and development programmes aligned to individual career trajectories and organisational capability requirements and invested in leadership capability building and talent development at scale. These initiatives reflect a deliberate, long-cycle approach to culture, one that prioritises systemic change over episodic engagement.

Mr. Rajesh Khosla, CEO, AGI Glaspac, expressed his gratitude for the recognition, stating: “We have received this certification for the fifth year now. This is a direct reflection of the trust that our employees place in the organisation and our mission. At AGI Glaspac, investing in people is a core operating principle and this recognition is testament to our unceasing efforts. We remain committed to continuously raising the bar on employee experience, inclusion, and growth.”

Beyond its people agenda, AGI Glaspac continues to lead on sustainability and environmental responsibility. The company is actively working towards achieving zero energy, zero emissions, zero water waste, and zero solid waste across its operations, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable growth. AGI Glaspac also conducts an annual carbon footprint study, positioning itself as a pioneer in responsible manufacturing within the glass packaging industry.

With this latest recognition, AGI Glaspac reaffirms its commitment to fostering an exceptional workplace culture while driving positive change within the industry and community at large.

The conference commenced with opening remarks by Mr. Sunil Mangla, Chair, Manufacturing Committee, PHDCCI, who highlighted that manufacturing remains one of the most important pillars of India’s economic transformation and contributes nearly 25 percent to the country’s GDP aspirations under the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He stated that India today possesses strong capital availability, world-class infrastructure, and a young skilled workforce, placing the country in an ideal position to emerge as a leading global manufacturing destination. Emphasizing the importance of quality manufacturing, he noted that the world today is not only seeking low-cost products but low-cost quality products, making globally accepted testing and certification systems increasingly critical for Indian industries. He further highlighted the need for manufacturing hubs, integrated supply chains, and collaborative industrial ecosystems to improve productivity, quality control, and competitiveness.

The Chief Guest, Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, while addressing the gathering said that India is entering a defining phase in its manufacturing journey and that building globally trusted manufacturing capabilities rooted in quality, innovation, safety, and sustainability will be crucial for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. She emphasized that the future of Indian manufacturing lies not only in increasing production but also in integrating advanced technologies, smart manufacturing systems, and product lifecycle management to enhance global competitiveness. Stressing the importance of Quality Control Orders (QCOs) and robust standards, she noted that regulations should act as catalysts for manufacturing excellence, consumer trust, and fair trade practices. She also urged industry stakeholders to actively participate in standards formulation to ensure they align with India’s unique industrial and climatic conditions. Highlighting ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s quality ecosystem, she shared that India is modernizing its testing infrastructure through faster methodologies, expanded laboratory networks, adoption of AI and robotics, and development of testing corridors to improve efficiency, scalability, and ease of access for industries. Citing sectors such as toys and footwear, she stated that quality-driven regulations have significantly boosted domestic manufacturing, exports, and the global acceptance of Indian products.

Mr. Anshuman Singhania, Co-Chair, Manufacturing Committee, PHDCCI, stated that quality and innovation will play a defining role in positioning India as a globally competitive manufacturing hub. He highlighted that customer-centricity, technological innovation, and sustainability have become essential pillars of modern manufacturing. Referring to advancements such as smart manufacturing systems and sensor-enabled technologies, he emphasized that Indian industry must adopt digital transformation, sustainability practices, and collaborative innovation to remain globally competitive. He further stressed that stronger partnerships between government, industry, academia, and technology institutions would be critical for accelerating manufacturing productivity and efficiency.

Speaking on the role of emerging technologies in reshaping industrial growth, Mr. Kunal Singhal, Co-Chair, Manufacturing Committee, PHDCCI, emphasized that AI is no longer a future concept but a present-day necessity capable of fundamentally transforming manufacturing efficiency, supply chains, and business competitiveness. Referring to ongoing global uncertainties and disruptions in supply chains, he highlighted the urgent need for India to technologically strengthen its manufacturing ecosystem and transition from serving domestic demand to becoming a major global supplier. He further stressed that India’s economic growth would accelerate through exports, innovation-led manufacturing, and the creation of entirely new industrial markets.

The conference also witnessed the launch of the knowledge report titled “India Manufacturing Imperative 2026-2035: Manufacturing Excellence – Building World-Class Manufacturing Capabilities for Tomorrow.” The report, prepared under the leadership of Ms. Satish Dev Jain, Chair of the Haryana Chapter, PHDCCI highlights India’s manufacturing aspirations, sustainability goals, industrial transformation priorities, policy recommendations, and strategic roadmap for strengthening global manufacturing competitiveness.

The inaugural session was further followed by technical sessions on Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Value Engineering and Digital Transformation in Manufacturing, which focused on discussions around evolving manufacturing practices, technology adoption, efficiency enhancement, and innovation in the sector.

The conference concluded with a strong call for deeper collaboration between government, industry, academia, and technology leaders to create a globally competitive, sustainable, innovation-driven, and quality-focused manufacturing ecosystem aligned with India’s vision of becoming a developed economy by 2047.