Asian Paints wins ET Conscious Corporate Award for sustainability leadership

Going beyond its corporate mandate to make an impact on the community and society has earned Asian Paints The Economic Times Conscious Corporate Award this year.

The country's largest paints maker spent 3% of its annual profit on corporate social responsibility (CSR).

India mandates that companies must spend at least 2% of their average net profit from the preceding three years on CSR activities, with a focus on areas such as education, health and rural development. Several companies fall short of this mark.


"We are truly honoured to be recognised as the Conscious Corporate of the Year," CEO Amit Syngle told ET. "This distinction reflects Asian Paints' enduring commitment to responsible business practices and sustainability, which have always been at the heart of our journey."

The company's consistent efforts and investments in sustainability were noted by the jury members, especially considering that the sector is operationally intensive, with such gains difficult to achieve.

"For us, sustainability is not just a goal-it is a guiding principle that shapes every decision and drives our pursuit of excellence," Syngle said.

The ET Conscious Corporate Award seeks to recognise the achievements of a large company that has made noteworthy progress on environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges-the three pillars that largely define corporate citizenship.

Asian Paints is among the top 10 paint-makers globally and all its architectural coatings are lead and heavy metals-free. The company's CSR initiatives focus on vocational skill development, water stewardship and health & hygiene. It spent ₹109.3 crore on CSR activities in FY25.

Some of its key activities in this regard included replenishing 4.78 times its freshwater consumption in FY25, surpassing its five-times target. The company also rejuvenated 149 water bodies, supporting 12,017 farmers through watershed and irrigation projects.

Renewable electricity accounted for 57.6% of the company's total power consumption in FY25, and it intends to transition entirely to renewables by 2030. Compared with its FY14 baseline, the company reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by 33% and specific electricity consumption by 28.3% in FY25.

The company also incorporated 20,150 tonnes of recycled plastic into packaging, or 29.9%, in FY25. By 2030, it aims to achieve 30% renewable raw materials in products and a 25% reduction in carcinogenic and mutagenic materials.

The company earned an AA ESG rating from MSCI and ranked second in India in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2025. It reported zero fines or settlements during FY25.

Asian Paints upholds strong governance, with half of its board comprising independent directors and five of six committees chaired by them. The board includes three women among 13 members. Women employees represented 9.3% of the total workforce (1,032 employees) in FY25, up from 7% in FY22.

"This recognition inspires us to further our efforts to set new benchmarks for corporate responsibility," Syngle said. "And remain steadfast in our pursuit of a future where business growth and societal progress advance together-with passion and purpose."