Who we are
SAGE Sustainability is a platform for possibility – a space to reimagine how humanity can thrive in balance with the planet. We exist to help businesses, institutions, and communities unlock their highest potential through sustainability that is systems-based, inclusive, and future-facing. Inspired by the wisdom of E.F. Schumacher and the foresight of John Elkington, radical ideas of Anita Roddick and freshness of Kate Raworth we believe that solving this century’s challenges demands fresh thinking, ethical leadership, and a return to what truly matters – planetary boundaries, human dignity, and long-term value.
We specialise in:
Strategic ESG advisory and net-zero planning
We guide companies in creating comprehensive ESG strategies and detailed net-zero roadmaps. Our expertise helps you integrate sustainability into your core business model, driving long-term value and competitive advantage while ensuring alignment with global climate goals.
Sustainability reporting (GRI, BRSR, CDP, IR)
We specialize in translating complex data into transparent, compelling sustainability reports. Our services cover a range of global standards, including GRI, BRSR, and CDP ensuring your disclosures meet stakeholder expectations and regulatory requirements while telling a powerful story.
Carbon and circularity diagnostics
We help you pinpoint opportunities to reduce emissions and waste. Through detailed diagnostics, we assess your carbon footprint and evaluate circularity potential across your value chain, providing clear, actionable insights for a more efficient and resilient business model.
Capacity-building, training, and B Corp certification
We empower your team with the knowledge and skills needed to drive sustainability from within. From bespoke training programs to comprehensive B Corp certification support, we build your internal capacity, fostering a culture of positive impact and purpose-driven growth.
To see sustainability at the centre of every business
Our understanding is that many organizations see sustainability as a peripheral activity, not linked to their core business functions, and it is our mission to help them see the advantages of putting Sustainability at the centre of the business.
Enabling businesses to move towards sustainability through strategy, implementation hand holding, capacity building and training.
INTEGRITY
Towards our client’s requirement and towards our goal to mainstream sustainability. Conducting our own business with integrity is a basic requirement for our team.
EMPATHY
Empathy for all. We believe that this value helps us in relating with people from various walks of life and understanding their viewpoint, challenges and approach.
PROFESSIONALISM
This is at the core of our dealing with our clients. We are a professional organization and believe in complete professional conduct throughout our engagement with our clients.
Here's How We Got Started
How it all began
SAGE Sustainability began in 2016 from a place of reflection and purpose. After years of working in sustainability across different sectors, I had taken time away to focus on family. When I decided to return, I realised the pathway back into professional life was not straightforward, particularly for women who had taken a career break.
Rather than viewing this as a setback, it became the seed of an idea. If the system made it difficult for experienced professionals to re-enter, perhaps there was space to create something different, an organisation that enabled meaningful work in sustainability while also offering opportunities to women rebuilding their careers. What started as a quiet step forward gradually grew into a clear mission: to support businesses on their sustainability journey and to build a workplace where talent, purpose, and inclusivity could thrive together.
The early days
In 2016, sustainability in India was still seen largely through the lens of compliance. Few companies were ready to embed it into strategy. We chose to begin with micro, small, and medium enterprises, who were underserved but open to conversations in language that resonated with them.
Our first office was a shared space in Whitefield, Bengaluru, alongside a friend, who was starting her counselling practice. With the support of Dolly at Evoma Business Solutions, we were able to create our first base.
We ran workshops, engaged directly with MSMEs, and began hiring through referrals and platforms such as “Jobs for Her.” Interns from IIM Lucknow brought energy and visibility to our early work. LinkedIn became a channel to share our ideas, and slowly, referrals and client trust began to build.
Becoming a Certified B Corp
From the beginning, professionalism, integrity, empathy and inclusivity were at the heart of SAGE. As soon as our first employee joined, we took the B Impact Assessment. The idea was not to chase a certificate but to use the framework as a way of holding ourselves accountable and aligning daily decisions with our mission.
With the encouragement of advisors such as Julian Crawford, the process reinforced that we were already close to B Corp principles. Certification followed within three months, giving us not just recognition but a compass to stay grounded in why SAGE exists.
A Project that shaped our mission
One of our earliest assignments was with a leather manufacturing company preparing its first sustainability report. While reporting was new to them, their practices reflected a deep commitment to women’s empowerment, health and safety, and environmental management.
What struck us was not just the outcomes but the way they worked with respect, care, and responsibility. That project became a turning point. It showed us that sustainability already exists in practice before it appears in a report, and that our role was not to prescribe answers but to co-create, listen, and build ownership within organisations.
Expanding beyond MSMEs
Initially, SAGE was envisioned as a sustainability consulting firm led by women and focused on MSMEs. We believed micro, small, and medium enterprises were underserved by the consulting ecosystem, and they deserved thoughtful, grounded support.
Then came 2020, and with it, an unexpected shift. We received an enquiry from Hero MotoCorp, India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer. At first, we hesitated. We weren’t sure if working with a large corporation aligned with our original vision.
But as we began interacting with the Hero team, we realized that impact isn’t defined by company size, it’s defined by intent. Their seriousness, openness, and commitment to sustainability won us over. That project became a turning point, teaching us that we could support the smallest and largest companies while maintaining our approach of meeting clients where they are and co-creating pathways that are both practical and transformative.
Our approach: Guided and Independent Traverse
Over time, our philosophy evolved into what we call guided traverse and independent traverse, drawing inspiration from my early training at the Geological Survey of India.
We begin with a guided traverse: close support, co-creation, and capacity building. Gradually, we move into an independent traverse, where the client takes ownership and leads, while we remain in the background for support when needed.
This approach has proven transformative. For example, an IT solutions client moved from needing full support at the start to confidently leading its own disclosure cycle and engaging suppliers directly on climate and diversity. The transition from dependence to ownership was intentional, and for us, it reflects where true impact lies: not just in delivery, but in enabling organisations to sustain the journey long after our work is complete.
We are always learning, co-creating and focussed on impact.
Guiding your journey to a sustainable future
Sustainability is a philosophy. Every step taken with purpose, guided by insight, and driven by a commitment to lasting change, creates meaningful impact. At SAGE Sustainability, we partner with businesses to serve society and protect our planet.
We provide expert guidance that combines technical expertise with strategic vision, helping you transform sustainability challenges into competitive advantages while making meaningful contributions to global sustainability goals.
The most valuable sustainability reports don’t just share data, they tell your unique sustainability story in ways that resonate with stakeholders while driving internal improvement. We help you create reports that inform, inspire, and influence.
We transform complex sustainability knowledge into compelling narratives that inform decisions and inspire action. Our insights translate technical expertise into accessible communication, helping you tell authentic sustainability stories that build stakeholder trust while advancing your strategic objectives in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
We empower organizations and individuals with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets to advance sustainability. Our training blends theory with practical application, enabling your team to confidently implement initiatives and strategically navigate complex environmental and social challenges.
How we do it?
Because sustainability isn’t just about surviving, it’s about thriving.
At SAGE Sustainability, we believe real impact happens when businesses grow without compromising the planet or people. That’s why we base everything we do, from advisory to reporting, from strategy to training, on the powerful Doughnut Economy model.
So what is the Doughnut?
Imagine a space that protects both people’s basic needs and the planet’s ecological boundaries. Inside this ring – the “doughnut” – is the safe and just space for humanity.
• Too far inside? People face shortfalls in food, water, education, equality, and justice.
• Too far outside? We overshoot limits like climate stability, clean air, oceans, and biodiversity.
• In the middle? That’s where resilience, innovation, and sustainable value live.
And that’s exactly where we work – helping you build strategies, systems, and stories that keep you in that sweet spot.
| Category | Subcategory | Element | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe and Just Space | - | Safe and Just Space | The balanced area between ecological ceiling and social foundation where humanity can thrive. |
| Key Concept | Shortfall | Occurs when basic human needs are not met - inside the inner circle. | |
| Overshoot | Occurs when we exceed Earth’s ecological limits - outside the outer circle. | ||
| Boundary | Ecological Ceiling | The outer boundary that defines the planet's environmental limits. | |
| Social Foundation | The inner boundary that represents minimum standards for human well-being. | ||
| Core Visual | Doughnut | The green ring between both boundaries - the safe and just space for humanity. | |
| Social Foundation | Human Needs | Water | Access to clean and safe drinking water and sanitation. |
| Food | Sufficient, nutritious, and affordable food for all. | ||
| Health | Healthcare, sanitation, and clean environment access. | ||
| Education | Inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning. | ||
| Income & Work | Fair wages, decent work, and livelihood security. | ||
| Peace & Justice | Access to justice, security, and legal protections. | ||
| Political Voice | Right to participate in governance and decision-making. | ||
| Social Equity | Fair access to opportunities and resources. | ||
| Gender Equality | Equal rights and opportunities regardless of gender. | ||
| Housing | Access to safe, secure, and affordable shelter. | ||
| Networks | Access to digital and social connectivity for full participation. | ||
| Energy | Reliable and clean energy for domestic and economic use. | ||
| Ecological Ceiling | Planetary Boundaries | Climate Change | Limiting GHG emissions to prevent global warming. |
| Ocean Acidification | Reducing CO₂ to protect marine ecosystems. | ||
| Chemical Pollution | Preventing synthetic pollutants in air, water, and soil. | ||
| Nitrogen & Phosphorus Loading | Controlling fertilizer use to avoid ecosystem damage. | ||
| Freshwater Withdrawals | Sustainable use of rivers, lakes, and groundwater. | ||
| Land Conversion | Preserving natural land from overuse and destruction. | ||
| Biodiversity Loss | Protecting ecosystems and preventing species extinction. | ||
| Air Pollution | Reducing harmful emissions affecting health and ecosystems. | ||
| Ozone Layer Depletion | Avoiding emissions that deplete the ozone layer. |
