Meeting the sustainability challenge?

I was at the INSEAD global leadership Summit recently where I was invited to speak on a very relevant topic for today's times- 'Responsible Leadership and Sustainable Growth'. The discussion and the subsequent questions on the sidelines of the event set me thinking. Is developing sustainable technologies still a nice to have? Or are organizations today realizing the imperative nature of doing business that is environmentally sound? Are India and Indian business as aware as their counterparts in Europe and the US?

I believe corporate India today is just as committed as any developed economy to evolving a sustainable business model. This is because we have a greater need and an opportunity to do so. Indian businessmen are as global in their thinking as their counterparts around the world. Business leaders today are setting the tone for resolving issues pertaining to the environment, a topic that will be on the agenda tomorrow just like democracy was a century back. People were not born aspiring for democracy but once they learnt about it, they started asking for it. Democracy came about not because some leaders said that it was the right way to go, but because the people at grass roots could see the difference it was bringing in their lives. So will 'being green'. Businesses will go green because it's good for business and for society.

Question is- what will bring about that step change that is required to set the juggernaut rolling?