Catalysing positive change: How Xynteo is driving collaboration for sustainable growth

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, sustainability is no longer just a corporate buzzword or a box to tick. It has become imperative for companies to embrace truly sustainable practices that drive positive impact on people, planet, and profit. However, tackling labyrinthine environmental and social challenges requires a paradigm shift—one that moves beyond siloed efforts and embraces the power of collaboration.

Why we do what we do

At its core, the best approach should centre around catalysing collaborative action to unlock solutions that balance commercial success with a positive impact on people and the planet. Solutions will require new models of growth—ways of doing business that benefit people and the planet alike. At Xynteo, we define “good growth” as growth that meets the needs of people, the planet and the future. As a purpose-driven advisory firm, Xynteo has a unique approach—we help global organisations and leaders uncover collaborative pathways to tackle challenges that are too big, too expensive, and too complex to solve alone.

Our role is two-fold: that of a “convener”, bringing together diverse voices across industries and interest groups, and a “problem solver”, finding solutions for our clients that result in commercial pathways, but that also positively impact people and the planet. Our mission is to empower businesses to grow forward as a force for good—by thinking long-term, working with, not against nature, and using their influence and resources for the many, not the few—seamlessly integrating commercial viability, social equity, and ecological regeneration, nurturing an ecosystem of cross-sector relationships and ideas to accelerate innovation for a more just, resilient and regenerative India.

Collaboration, our secret sauce

As is evident, collaborative action sits at the heart of Xynteo’s approach. We make use of the power of “with” to overcome complex problems and combine vision with action, and analytics with imagination to challenge the way we think and do. This includes connecting businesses across the value chain, from raw material producers to manufacturers to consumers and retailers. It also means engaging policymakers, financiers, entrepreneurs, activists, academics, and local communities. By bridging silos and aligning interests, we help facilitate collaborative solutions that balance commercial viability, social equity, and ecological regeneration.

We believe that contrary to the common perception, sustainability and profitability are not mutually exclusive. In fact, by embracing sustainable practices and fostering cross-industry collaborations, companies can unlock new frontiers of growth and competitive advantage.

Coalitions that accelerate solution-building

Xynteo’s flagship coalitions in India—Vikaasa and Build Ahead—harness collective intelligence across corporations, entrepreneurial networks, investment firms, start-ups, think tanks and civil society, to incubate scalable solutions with amplified results. While Build Ahead is an industry-first coalition committed to scaling decarbonisation efforts across the construction value chain, Vikaasa enables leading corporates across four impact areas—energy, sustainable mining, healthcare, and circularity—to expand profitable business models that create jobs, upskill workforces, reduce environmental footprints and improve community health outcomes.

Hindalco's Managing Director Satish Pai serves as Vikaasa's Chair, underscoring the company’s commitment to integrating sustainability across its operations. Hindalco has partnered with Xynteo in several path-breaking initiatives, such as developing the Sustainable Mining Charter and setting up Kosala Foundation, which fosters sustainable artisanal livelihoods.

Tackling India’s most pressing challenges

Xynteo’s cross-industry coalitions accelerate innovation and systemic change by de-risking investments, and pooling technical skills, market presence and supply chain networks to amplify positive impact.

A standout example is Xynteo’s work to assess the technical feasibility, fuel savings and emission reduction potential of a low-carbon refrigeration technology using Phase Change Materials (PCM). In India, around 60% of food loss and waste takes place between the field and the end-consumer due to significant fragmentation in the cold chain. To help address this, Xynteo piloted PCM technology in short-haul (8-14-feet-long trucks) cold reefers that run about 200-300km in a day. The six-month pilot with five trucks demonstrated up to 24% net savings and 16% CO2 reduction by replacing fossil fuels with PCMs. With positive results on cost and sustainability metrics, the pilot enabled wider adoption of PCM refrigeration by transport operators and downstream sectors like FMCG, pharmaceutical, dairy, bakery and meat sectors, and quick service restaurants.

Another example is Project TEJ: in resource-constrained settings, innovative health technologies can optimise outcomes, but start-ups often face complex, time-consuming, and financially draining obstacles to getting these technologies validated and into the market. To help address this, Project TEJ, a partnership with the Telangana government, Cyient and Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH), built a pipeline of start-ups and supporting technology validation studies through ecosystem partners to develop a credible network of testbeds that enable adoption of late-stage health innovations. The six-month pilot created India's largest healthcare testbed network with 13 sites across the country. Project TEJ enabled partner institutions to more easily access market-ready solutions, supported start-ups with clinical validation at scale and fostering collaborations, supported over five innovations with market access, funding of around $1.7 million, and industry networks, demonstrating positive impact metrics.

By fostering alliances, creating a forward-leaning mindset, and bridging divides that often inhibit progress, Xynteo embodies the spirit of collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship required to drive systems transformation.

The pages slugged ‘Brand Connect’ are equivalent to advertisements and are not written and produced by Forbes India journalists.