India’s sustainability discourse evolves as consumers demand proof over promises: Report

Burson, the global communications agency, today released a new report highlighting the sustainability conversations consumers are actively seeking across Australia, India and Singapore.

Powered by Know Your Opportunity (KYO) – a proprietary solution within the agency’s AI-first innovation portfolio – and Decipher, Burson’s cognitive artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed to assess believability and virality, the report uncovers communication gaps and emerging opportunities, predicting sustainability narratives that enhance trust and engagement.

Key findings:

• India’s sustainability discourse is uniquely shaped by its deep-rooted agrarian identity. Public attention is focused on crops and food security, reflecting the country’s economic structure and climate resilience concerns.
• There’s growing scrutiny of consumer goods, especially fashion and personal care, driven by urban audiences and stricter regulations.
• Energy emerges as a high-trust, high-urgency sector, with strong public support for renewables, aligning with India’s climate leadership goals.
• Sustainability conversations are largely apolitical and compliance-oriented. Optimism and national progress resonate well with Indian audiences.

Vandana Sandhir, Chief Client Strategy Officer, Burson Group India, commented, “Audiences today are increasingly calling for tangible progress toward stated goals... By embracing data-driven, value-led storytelling aligned with India’s national priorities, we can help brands shape and manage reputations effectively.”

Adrian Warr, CEO, Burson South Asia-Pacific, added:“By blending AI-first intelligence with our reputation-building craft, we’re helping clients communicate with greater agility, precision and credibility.”

Cross-market Themes (Australia, India, Singapore)

• Defining sustainability remains challenging – While people associate it with the UN SDGs, there’s ambiguity about what it means in practice.
• Buzzword fatigue – Audiences are disengaged from generic terms like “progress”, “growth”, and “technology”. They prefer specific, data-backed communication.
• High-interest sectors under scrutiny – Consumer goods, food & agriculture, and energy attract intense public and media attention.
• Limited activism – Outside of climate, sustainability narratives lack activist voices – a missed opportunity for purpose-driven brand leadership.

Michael Rhydderch, APAC Head of Sustainability and Social Impact, Burson, said, “Sustainability is no longer just a reporting requirement – it’s a reputational imperative. Organizations must shift from vague promises to clear, relatable communication.”

Timon Kohli, SVP, Global Innovation Product Manager, Burson, added, KYO’s algorithms analyze online behavior and media narratives to uncover timely, data-driven opportunities for brand relevance.”