Infosys wins UN Global Climate Action Award for 'carbon neutral now' category

Digital services and consulting major Infosys has won the United Nations Global Climate Action Award in 'carbon neutral now' category, becoming the only Indian corporate to earn the recognition for its efforts to combat climate change.

The announcement of winners came shortly after the UN Climate Summit in New York was convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier this week. The award will be presented to Infosys at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) at Santiago in Chile during December.

"This year, we had over 670 incredible applications for the UN Global Climate Action Award. It is our pleasure to award Infosys," said Niclas Svenningsen, Manager of the UN Climate Change Global Climate Action Programme.

"Their pledge to become carbon neutral serves as a beacon, guiding us towards a more sustainable future for all. Infosys is helping the world transition to a low-carbon future -- providing a shining example of a scalable and replicable climate solution," he said in a statement.

Infosys began its action to combat climate change in 2008 with an assessment of its carbon footprint. In 2011, it made a voluntary commitment to the United Nations to become carbon neutral. The company has been on an accelerated plan focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and offsetting emissions.

The UN Global Climate Action Awards are organised by the Momentum for Change initiative of the UN Climate Change Secretariat. The award winning projects are recognised for their innovative solutions that address climate change, and help drive progress on many other sustainable development goals like poverty alleviation, gender equality and economic opportunity.