The Most Influential Women in Sustainability Today

Sustainability is an international movement powered by visionary women leading meaningful change across industries. The women are setting the pace for environmental conservation, social justice, and business sustainability, building a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world. From ground-level activism to corporate boardrooms, they are not just advocating for policy change but also blazing the trail of innovative solutions tackling the globe's most challenging problems. Here are a few of the most impactful women leading the way in sustainability:

Global Sustainability Champions

Dr. Vandana Shiva (India)
A conservationist and Navdanya founder, she advocates for organic cultivation, preservation of biodiversity, and seed freedom and opposes corporate control over agriculture.

Greta Thunberg (Sweden)
Creator of "Fridays for Future," she rallied millions across the globe for climate action, demanding that world leaders respond to carbon emissions and green policies.

Christiana Figueres (Costa Rica)
A principal architect of the Paris Agreement, she remains a champion of worldwide carbon reduction, net-zero ambitions, and green economic models.

Naomi Klein (Canada)
A writer and journalist, she condemns the role of capitalism in climate change and demands system-wide environmental and economic change.

Isatou Ceesay (The Gambia)
The "Queen of Recycling," she empowers women by converting plastic trash into economic prospects, fighting pollution and poverty.

Leah Thomas (USA)
Founder of the Intersectional Environmentalist platform, she brings together social justice and climate action and advocates for inclusive sustainability efforts.

Kate Raworth (UK)
Developer of "Doughnut Economics," she recasts economic growth in terms of meeting social needs alongside ecological sustainability.

Wanjira Mathai (Kenya)
Climate activist heading Africa's Green Belt Movement, she advocates for afforestation, land restoration, and climate justice.

Marina Silva (Brazil)
A long-time Amazon conservationist and ex-environment minister, she battles deforestation, illegal mining, and environmental destruction.

Ellen MacArthur (UK)
Ellen MacArthur Foundation founder, she promotes the circular economy with emphasis on waste reduction and sustainable business models.

Corporate Sustainability and ESG Leaders in India

Deeksha Vats
CSO, Aditya Birla Group. Champions ESG integration, carbon reduction, and sustainable supply chains for sustainable business growth.

Sussane Pulverer
CEO & CSO, IKEA India. Promotes circular economy strategies, renewable energy integration, and ethical sourcing in retail sustainability.

Madhulika Sharma
CSO, ITC Limited. Emphasizes regenerative agriculture, carbon neutrality, and sustainable packaging for green business growth.

Vaishali Surawar
CSO, Hindalco. Manages sustainable mining, resource efficiency, and carbon reduction for net-zero aspirations.

Chetna Sharma Baranwal
VP & Head, Indus Towers. Initiates green energy adoption and telecom sector sustainability.

Tejashree Joshi
Sustainability Head, Godrej & Boyce. Works on green manufacturing, decarbonization, and ESG-driven innovation.

Ruhana Zariwala
Global Head - Sustainability, Cipla. Promotes pharma operations on sustainable lines and carbon-neutral supply chains.

Rinika Grover
Global Head, Apollo Tyres. Adopt circular economy methods and reduce carbon footprint.

Astrid Dias
Head - Corporate Sustainability, Voltas. Sponsors green cooling technology and energy conservation.

Smitha Gopalkrishnan
Asia Sustainability Leader, 3M India. Promotes integration of ESG and minimizes waste.

Shilpa Deodhar
Head of CSR & Sustainability, Bosch. Promotes sustainable tech and conserving energy.

Juhi Gupta
Sustainability Director, Tetra Pak. Emphasizes sustainable packaging and recycling policies.

Neelam Gupta
VP, Capgemini India. Spearheads ESG integration and low-carbon solutions for IT services.

Anjalli Ravi Kumar
CSO, Zomato. Spearheads food waste reduction and carbon footprint minimization.

Kiran Sarkar
Sustainability Head, Mahindra & Mahindra. Emphasizes electric mobility and green supply chains.

Priyadarshini K S
Sustainable Finance Lead, HSBC. Advocates ESG-based financial solutions and green investing.

Leena Pillai
ESG & CSR Head, ICICI Bank. Oversees sustainable finance and social impact initiatives.

Chandni Khosla
ESG Advisor, Colgate-Palmolive. Encourages ethical packaging and good business practices.

Shilpashree Muniswamappa
Director, ESG & Sustainability. Oversees ESG communications and corporate sustainability initiatives.

Chitra Byregowda
Head - ESG, Persistent Systems. Works on sustainable IT, energy efficiency, and ethical AI.