PADD Event

ICSTS 2023

The 3rd ICSTS is in continuation to the line of activities of India PSS platform that aims to bring together experts and practitioners to discuss innovative ideas, best practices, policies and underlying themes for highlighting the pivotal role played by sustainability standards as an enabler for sustainable development. This event will foster discussions on the drivers that will help in improving sustainability and effectively integrating Indian businesses in global value chains.

Event Schedule

Welcome to the dedicated to building remarkable Schedule!

Day 1

Thursday, 2 November 2023
Day 2

Friday, 3^rd November 2023

08:30 - 9:00

Registration

9:00 - 10.00

Opening Plenary:

Sustainability Standards as a tool for advancing global sustainability goals

Moderator:

Dr. Harsha Vardhana Singh, Chair, India PSS Platform; Former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization (WTO)

Speakers:

Dr. Ralf Peters, Head of Trade Analysis, Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD
Dr. Axel Marx, Deputy Director, Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies, University of Leuven, Belgium
Mr. Dinesh Chand Sharma, Director – Standardization, Policy and Regulation, (SESEI – Seconded European Standardization Expert in India)

10:00 - 10:30

Tea/Coffee break

10:30 - 11.30

Panel A:

Promoting sustainable trade in Global Value Chains for meeting the Due Diligence Regulations

Moderator:

Prof. Murali Kallummal, Professor at the Centre for WTO Studies (CRIT, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade)

Speakers:

Dr Archna Negi, Associate Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University UNCTAD
Mr. Joseph Wozniak, Director, Trade for Sustainable Development (T4SD) Programme, International Trade Centre (ITC)
Mr. Pranav Kumar, Vice-President, International Trade Policy and Compliance, Reliance Industries Ltd

11:30 - 12:30

Inaugural address

Lighting of the lamp

Welcome Address: Mr. Jaxay Shah, Chairman, QCI
Keynote Address: Dr. Harsha Vardhana Singh, Chair, India PSS Platform; Former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization (WTO)
Guest Address: Mr. Pedro Manuel Moreno, DSG, UNCTAD
Special Address: Shri Sunil Barthwal*, Commerce Secretary, MoCI India
Vote of Thanks: Mr. Rajesh Maheshwari, Secretary General, QCI

Ceremonies:

Launch of UNIDO White Paper: Sustainable Supply Chains: Solutions for step-by-step integration of industrializing countries into sustainable value chains. Dr. Virpi Stucki, Chief, Division of Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade, UNIDO
Benchmarking: Issuance of ‘Benchmarking Recognition letter from GLOBALG.A.P.’ - Dr.Ignacio Antequera, Director Sales & Stakeholder Relations, GLOBALG.A.P
International Cooperation: Declaration of Cooperation in Sustainability Standards Ecosystem with African Organisation for Standardisation Mr. Charles Gachahi, Eco Mark Africa, CACO and COCO Coordinator (ARSO)

12:30 - 12:45

Commemoration of 10 years of UNFSS and an ode to the next decade

Mr. Santiago Fernandez De Cordoba, Chief, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) VSS Program

12:45 - 13:45

Panel B: Mainstreaming quality to ensure sustainable development: ‘Leaving no one behind’ through Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS)

Moderator:

Dr. Virpi Stucki, Chief, Division of Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

Speakers:

Ms. Florencia Sarmiento, Policy Analyst, International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD)
Mr. Sudhanshu, Secretary, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), GoI
Mr. V. Manjunath, Regional Standards Manager – South Asia & Sub-Sharan Africa, UL Standards & Engagement

13:45 - 14:45

Networking Lunch

14:45 - 15:45

Fireside Chat 1: Strengthening global sustainability governance through Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) - Collaborative governance and financing mechanism
Moderator:

Dr. Axel Marx, KU Leuven

Speakers:

Ms. Natasha Majumdar, Network Representative, India, amfori

Mr. Rijit Sengupta, CEO, Centre for Responsible Business (CRB)

Dr Ramanand N Shukla, Senior Director, ZED, Quality Council of India (QCI)

Fireside Chat 2: Sustainability map and auditors training programs in light of CS3D
Moderator:

Mr. Joseph Wozniak, Director, Trade for Sustainable Development (T4SD) Programme, International Trade Centre (ITC)

Speakers:

Ms. Carole Hommey, ICS General Manager

Mr. Subburaj Palaniswamy, India, Srilanka & Malaysia Sustainability Manager, Compliance Department, Groupe Eram

Mr. Alagesan Senniappan, Sr.VP Quality Assurance, Eastman Exports

15:45 - 16:15

Tea/Coffee break

16:15 - 16:45

Panel C: Government industry partnership and role of technology to mainstream sustainability.
Moderator:

Mr. Anupam Kaul, Strategic Adviser (Quality and Standards)

Speakers:

Mr. Manoj Belgaonkar, Head Regulations, Standards and Quality Management, Siemens Ltd.

Mr. Vaibhav Goel, Vice President, ONDC

Hall Session 1: An Overview of UNIDO White Paper - – ‘Sustainable Supply Chains: Solutions for step-by-step integration of industrializing countries into sustainable value chains’

Dr. Virpi Stucki, Chief, Division of Fair Production, Sustainability Standards and Trade, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

Ms. Elena Cooke, Strategic Communications and Multimedia Expert, UNIDO

Dr. Manish Pande, Director & Head, PADD, QCI Q & A Session

16:45 - 17:00

Closing of first day: Dr. Ralf Peters, Head of Trade Analysis, Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD

19:00 onwards

Cultural evening followed by dinner

8:30 - 9:15

Registration

9:15 - 10:00

Panel D: Role of UNFSS and National platforms in fostering sustainable development

Moderator:

Ms. Rupal Verma, Consultant, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Speakers from Country platforms/ initiatives:

Brazil – Mr. Rogerio O Correa, INMETRO
Africa – Mr. Charles Gachahi, Eco Mark Africa, CACO and COCO Coordinator (ARSO)
India - Dr. Manish Pande, Director & Head, PADD, QCI

10:00 - 11:00

Panel E: Emerging scenario in trade with respect to forestry sector

Moderator:

Dr. Axel Marx, Deputy Director Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies, University of Leuven

Speakers:

Mr. A. M. Singh, Director General, Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests
Shri Rajesh Rawat, Additional Executive Director, The Indian Handicraft Story, EPCH
Dr. Aparna Dhawan, Senior Counsellor Quality, Metrology & Standards, CII

11:00 - 11:30

Tea/Coffee break

11:30 - 12:30

Panel F: Ecolabelling and Sustainable Public Procurement

Moderator:

Ms. Divya Datt, Programme Manager, India Office, UN Environment Programme

Speakers:

Ms. Manisha Choudhary, Program Officer, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
Mr. K S Venkatagiri, Executive Director of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Chair, GreenPro India, board member of the Global Ecolabeling Network (GEN)
Ms. Nidhi Gupta, Associate Director, Environmental Design Solutions Pvt. Ltd (EDS).
Mr. Ganesh Kasekar, Representative in South Asia, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

12:30 - 13:30

Panel G: Creating measurable impact of climate finance initiatives – Monitoring and evaluation tools in practice.

Moderator:

Ms Nirnita Talukdar, Regional Coordinator, Asia Pacific, UNEP Finance Initiative

Speakers:

Ms. Neha Kumar, Head, South Asia Programme · Climate Bonds Initiative
Ms. Suranjali Tandon, Associate Professor, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, NIPFP New Delhi
Dr. Sekhar Babu Geddam, IFS., V.C. & Managing Director APSSDC Ltd
Mr. Jayakar Sodagiri, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Management Studies

13:30 - 14:30

Networking Lunch

14:30 - 15:30

Panel H: Industry Roundtable to transform ideas to actions: Embedding Quality and Scale

Moderator:

Mr. Shikhar Jain, Principal Counsellor, CII-ITC

Speakers:

Mr. Rajan Sudesh Ratna, Deputy Head and Senior Economic Affairs Officer United Nations ESCAP
Ms Rinika Grover, Head Sustainability & CSR, Apollo tyres
Dr Muthukrishnan M, Airport Sector Head of Environment, Health, and Safety and Sustainability GMR Group
Mr. Pranav Kumar, Vice-President, International Trade Policy and Compliance, Reliance Industries Ltd.

15:30 - 16:00

Tea/Coffee break

16:00 - 16:20

Convention Briefing and Closing of ICSTS

Closing reflections - Dr. Harsha Vardhana Singh, Former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization (WTO) Chair, India PSS Platform
Way forward - Dr. Ralf Peters, Head of Trade Analysis, Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD

16:00 - 17:00

Closing Plenary

Valedictory Speech

Shri S. C. L Das*, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
Shri Ajit B. Chavan, Additional CEO, GeM

Vote of thanks

Dr. Manish Pande, Director & Head, PADD, QCI

*Confirmation Awaited

09:00 Am - 10.30 Am

Digital World Event Introduction

By Joanna Smith , Design Apple

Meh synth Schlitz, tempor duis single-origin coffee ea next level ethnic fingerstache fanny pack nostrud. Photo booth anim 8-bit hella, PBR 3 wolf moon beard Helvetica. Salvia esse flexitarian Truffaut synth art party deep v chillwave.