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APO 60th Anniversary event in India: Conference on Productivity and Green Growth: New Interlocking Paradigms
APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra (L) delivering the Opening Remarks.
As part of the series of events commemorating the APO’s Diamond Jubilee, the Conference on Productivity and Green Growth: New Interlocking Paradigms was organized 14–16 June in Chennai, India. The conference was attended by around 100 participants from 16 APO members.
The Opening Remarks by APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata emphasized the need for inclusive, sustainable productivity growth, which rewards the workforce and nature alike. He highlighted approaches to make productivity enhancement sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-based through investment in the right kinds of infrastructure, fostering innovation and technological change, effective implementation of policies, and mobilizing adequate financing and resources.
The Special Remarks by APO Alternate Director for India and Director General, National Productivity Council, Sundeep Kumar Nayak explained the NPC’s efforts to promote productivity enhancement through green growth at national level. He also gave the keynote presentation, elaborating on the need to prioritize green finance in decoupling industrial growth from environmental degradation and citing practical approaches to achieve this.
2022 APO National Award recipient, Productivity Technical Experts category, Prof. Pradip Kumar Ray (L), APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra, and APO Alternate Director for India Sundeep Kumar Nayak.
The 2022 APO National Award recipients were also announced at the conference. G M Rao, Group Chairman of GMR Group, received the APO National Award in the Productivity Advocates category for his exemplary work in championing productivity. Professor Pradip Kumar Ray, Emeritus Professor, IIT Kharagpur, was conferred the APO National Award in the Productivity Technical Experts category. He was recognized for grassroots work encompassing productivity modeling, ergonomics, safety engineering, and lean engineering operations management.
A special collector’s edition of the APO Productivity Outlook on sustainable development was released during the opening session of the conference. It focuses on green growth and Green Productivity in the transition to the circular economy, which is particularly significant in the context of India as it assumes global leadership in pursuing low-carbon growth. Case studies and examples from various countries make the publication useful in multiple economies.
International resource persons Dr. Hung Suck Park from the ROK, Nicholas Gandolfo from Singapore, and Dr. Kaushik Deb from the USA, along with local resource persons Dr. Nagesh Kumar, Dr. M.V. Rao, and Dr. Ganesan Kannabiran, presented different interlocking paradigms of green growth, such as leveraging ESG, enhancement of energy productivity, green finance, green reskilling, institutional strategies, and net-zero emission targets. A site visit to the Danfoss facility in Chennai was organized on day 3 (16 June), where participants observed innovations in the clean energy transition, environmental protection, social responsibility initiatives, workforce health and safety, and best operating and manufacturing practices.
This conference was in line with the theme of India’s G20 presidency, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or “One Earth · One Family · One Future,” affirming the value of all life and its interconnections. The presentations, discussions, and deliberations focused on striving for just, equitable growth while navigating through the current turbulent times in a sustainable, holistic, responsible, inclusive manner.
Overseas conference attendees, with APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra (1st row, 6th L).
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