ITC Reinforces Green Strategy with India’s First FMCG 'Nature Report'

Multi-business conglomerate ITC Limited has become one of the first Indian FMCG companies to release a comprehensive ‘Nature Report’. It aligns with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). The move underscores ITC’s leadership in integrating nature-based solutions into mainstream business strategy, the company said in an official statement.

TNFD is a coalition of organisations including the United Nations Development Programme, the UN Environment Programmer Finance Initiative, Global Canopy and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

In simple words, it is a market-led, science-based and government-backed global initiative that provides a framework for organisations to report on their nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities.

“Through our first Nature Report, we are reinforcing our strategy of Responsible Competitiveness—which embeds nature-positive actions into our business models while creating sustainable livelihoods and restoring ecosystems. Our large-scale and impactful efforts in afforestation, water stewardship, and biodiversity conservation have already made significant contributions towards safeguarding natural capital,” said S Sivakumar, Group Head – Agri and IT Businesses and Sustainability, ITC.

ITC has rolled out an ambitious Sustainability 2.0 strategy, redefining its approach to sustainability in light of urgent climate and livelihood challenges. This forward-looking agenda focuses on inclusive growth by promoting sustainable livelihoods, advancing the shift toward a net-zero future, ensuring water resilience, encouraging circular practices, and preserving biodiversity through nature-led solutions.

Central to this vision is ITC’s philosophy of ‘Responsible Competitiveness,’ which blends strong business performance with deep-rooted environmental and social commitment.

The Nature Report brings together ITC’s science-driven, industry-tailored sustainability strategies across its Agri, Foods, and Paperboards businesses—sectors that are deeply intertwined with natural ecosystems.

Highlighting the company’s on-ground impact, the report showcases initiatives such as ITC’s Climate Smart Agriculture programme, which now spans 2.79 million acres and supports over 1.05 million farmers across 19 states.

Key practices include zero-tillage wheat farming, Direct Seeding of rice, micro-irrigation in chilli cultivation, and the Broad Bed Furrow method for soya—techniques aimed at reducing emissions and conserving water.

ITC’s regenerative agriculture efforts are also driving the decarbonisation of farming by enhancing soil organic matter and reviving degraded soil biodiversity, aiding both carbon capture and improved water cycles. Additionally, its Agri Business Division has achieved organic certification for key crops like wheat, chilli, turmeric, and mango, while securing Rainforest Alliance (RFA) certification for coffee, chilli, and turmeric, further underscoring its commitment to sustainable sourcing.

The report also outlines ITC’s ambitious 2030 Sustainability goals pertaining to nature, which include covering 1 million acres under biodiversity conservation, bringing 4 million acres under Climate Smart Agriculture, creating 60 million kilolitres of water storage capacity, and maintaining plastic neutrality, among others.