Srivastava likens the question to a zero-sum game between key stakeholders. “Which stakeholder is more important: customers or investors? How will the company answer this question? Both together will drive your business growth, right? So for us, the focus is how do you continue to balance both of these in a way that [lets] you keep moving forward with the right balance.”
As chief sustainability officer (CSO) of CapitaLand Investment (CLI), one would think Vinamra Srivastava would readily pick the planet over profit. After all, CLI aims to cut absolute Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 46% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. To see this to fruition, would CLI be willing to sacrifice shareholder returns to achieve its net-zero targets?
The reality is much more nuanced, says Srivastava after a long pause. “To love your son more or your daughter more? For me, it’s like that. CLI is at a stage where we are very clear that sustainability leadership and business feasibility must go hand-in-hand. It is not an either-or question for us.”
