Climate Workforce Summit by Ashoka University and EDF Sparks Cross-Sector Collaboration to Accelerate India’s Green Transition

From left to right:
Harshit Godha, Head, AshokaX, Ashoka University, Amit Chandra, Managing Director, Bain Capital India, Rajiv Anand, MD & CEO, IndusInd Bank, Matilda Lobo, EVP and CSR Head, IndusInd Bank), Priyank Narayan, Director, InfoEdge Centre for Entrepreneurship, Ashoka University, Reeva Paul, Director - Development, Ashoka University, Hisham Mundol, Chief Advisor - India, Environmental Defense Fund

(Mumbai - 1st November 2025) Ashoka University and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today convened the Climate Workforce Summit at the Mumbai Cricket Association Recreation Centre, marking the fifth anniversary of the Climate Corps Fellowship in India. Themed "Enabling Climate Workforce Transition in India," the event brought together over 150 leaders and stakeholders including senior representatives from Skill Council for Green Jobs, the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), Mahindra Group, JSW Group, IndusInd Bank, L&T, ICICI, Aditya Birla Group, Eternal, and Godrej.

The day-long event witnessed dynamic conversations and collaborations on shaping India's green talent ecosystem, driving the national dialogue on building a future-ready workforce for India's green economy. The event featured panel discussions, roundtables, #OpenDoorClimate LIVE mentoring session and a Climate Corps alumni showcase. Among the first events dedicated to shaping a workforce for climate action, the summit underscored that while technology and finance are vital to India's green transition, the human element remains the decisive enabler.

The discussions further highlighted the need for cross-sector collaboration to scale green skills not only in white collar jobs but also in blue-collar, embedding climate action into every business function and skill domain - from manufacturing to management. The speakers emphasized that this integrated approach will be key to ensuring India's economic and environmental resilience. The discussions also called for integrating sustainability in HR systems to expand workforce opportunities in climate action and develop a shared framework guiding India's green jobs strategy.

Over the past five years in India, a crucial piece of India's climate solution: a skilled, future-ready workforce is being empowered through the Climate Corps Fellowship. In India, the fellowship has placed over 100 fellows across 30+ leading organisations, including Amazon, Mahindra, ITC, the Assam Government, and the Tamil Nadu Government, to lead sustainability and climate action projects catering to hard-to-abate sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, finance, and freight and logistics.

Launched by EDF in 2008, the Climate Corps Fellowship is now active in the United States, China, and India. Climate Corps fellowship trains talented postgraduate students and pairs them with companies and public institutions committed to meeting climate and sustainability goals. The program addresses a crucial human capital gap in the wide-ranging efforts to fight climate change, delivering bold, practical solutions that benefit the planet and people's health. With a global alumni network of over 4,000 professionals - 80% of whom are directly working in sustainability roles - fellows have worked with over 850 organisations, including 40% of Fortune 100 companies, on more than 1800 projects. Their collective efforts have delivered energy savings worth approximately $ 1.6 billion and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2.2 million metric tons.

In 2024, AshokaX, the online education arm of Ashoka University, partnered with EDF to execute the fellowship in India. Over the past year, this collaboration has strengthened organisational capacity to achieve climate goals, while nurturing the next generation of sustainability leaders.

"The Climate Workforce Summit reflects the urgency and opportunity of building India's green workforce at scale. We are seeing industry, government, and academia come together to drive systemic change in how organizations think about talent for a low-carbon future," said Hisham Mundol, Chief Advisor - India, Environmental Defense Fund. "This collaboration has been at the heart of Climate Corps India's journey over the past five years - and today's conversations mark an important milestone in that continuing effort."

"India's economic competitiveness and climate leadership will hinge on our ability to build a skilled green workforce," said Amit Chandra, MD, Bain Capital, India and Founder, Ashoka University. "This summit exemplifies how collective action can shape leaders and a workforce ready for India's climate and economic priorities. We remain committed to deepening this impact and contributing meaningfully to the nation's climate preparedness, " he further added.

The day concluded with a closed-door roundtable on embedding sustainability into workforce strategy, alongside curated networking sessions connecting sustainability professionals with emerging climate talent.

About Ashoka University

Ashoka University is a premier interdisciplinary higher education and research-focused institution, offering world-class opportunities in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Established in 2014 by leaders, thinkers, academics, and philanthropists from diverse fields, it operates on a unique model of collective philanthropy, blending the finest governance practices with cutting-edge pedagogy and an internationally reputed faculty.

A non-profit university established under the Haryana Private Universities Act (2006), the University has a community of 3000+ students, and operates 20+ dedicated Centers of Excellence, producing research and interventions for impact in areas such as public health and disease control, energy transition, digitisation of society, and women empowerment, among other areas of public policy. The University stands for principles of inclusivity and diversity, having more than 57% women, 4% international scholars, 100+ specially abled students, and over 47% students on financial aid.

For further information, visit www.ashoka.edu.in

AshokaX is a unique and pioneering learning initiative by Ashoka University, designed to extend its world-renowned faculty and dynamic learning experiences to a broader audience. This platform embodies Ashoka University's dedication to inclusivity, diversity, equity, and innovation, providing accessible education to a wide range of learners. By offering targeted programs for working professionals and lifelong learners, AshokaX seeks to modernize traditional education models and make high-quality learning more accessible. Backed by Ashoka University's esteemed faculty and strong reputation in Indian higher education, AshokaX leverages extensive academic resources to deliver exceptional learning experiences.

About Environmental Defense Fund

A global nonprofit, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF, www.edf.org) collaborates with governments, NGOs, research and academic institutions, corporates and others to support and advance India's vision of shared, sustainable prosperity. EDF combines scientific and economic foundations, a broad network of partnerships, and a pragmatic approach in support of India's ambitions. Connect with EDF on X @EnvDefFundIndia and EDF.org/India