Elina Vaananen, BSc in Environmental Policy
In participating in the Tata International Social Entrepreneurship Scheme (Tata ISES), I worked at Tata Quality Management Services in Pune and Mumbai in a project on ‘The Necessity and Preparedness of Tata Companies to Adapt to Climate Change’. My project focused on three Tata Companies; Tata Chemicals, Tata Motors and Tata Power. After an initial literature review on international good adaptation practices, I conducted interviews with relevant stakeholders, including chief sustainability officers, enterprise risk management people as well as people working with product design and innovation. Essentially, I assessed the extent that existing risk management processes were capturing climate risk. In addition, I reviewed what business opportunities arising from climate change were being harnessed by the three companies.
I felt that my previous experience in research and interviewing was very helpful in the initial stages of project design. The project was very much my own; I had a lot of freedom in planning and conducting it and thus being comfortable with independent work was essential. Having studied a BSc in Environmental Policy, I was already familiar with the broad institutional frameworks underlying climate change as well as with the basics of the adaptation discourse. This familiarity helped in assimilating the relevant information quickly. The private sector perspective into adaptation was new to me: it was very interesting to approach the issue from a business point of view as opposed to the public or community viewpoint. The Indian context added its own flavour to adaptation. It was fascinating to gain an understanding of the strict regulatory oversight that the energy and fertilizer industries are subject to.
The Tata ISES experience was a hugely rewarding one. The internship reaffirmed my interest in environmental risk and supported my decision to undertake postgraduate studies in environmental law and economics at the University of Cambridge this autumn. Having learned so much and met the most wonderful people, I will certainly return to India, where so many innovative, environment-related initiatives are currently taking place.