Pooran Chandra Pandey

Alumnus of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London and contributor to the global encyclopedia (Springer Europe) on sustainability, Pooran C. Pandey is widely known for his policy work on Africa Stabilization Programme and Labour Mobility Pact between India and Taiwan. He is also  the author of numerous articles, policy papers and books published in and from Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States, among others. He also commission-edited two books namely – Climate Change, Society and Sustainable Development: Agenda for Action, Times Group Books (2010) and Leaving No One Behind: Sustainable Development Goals and South-South Cooperation (2019), published by Niti Aayog. Some of the leading publications and institutions he has published with and for include Springer Europe, Sage, Bloomsbury, Lynne Rienner, Palgrave, Monday Morning, KPMG, Accenture, DNV GL, Netherlands, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Moscow, among others.  

He has also done major historical and theoretical work on the interplay between economic development, climate change and sustainability authoring UNGC-Accenture Global Survey on Sustainability (2011-2016), world’s largest CEO survey on sustainability to date,  Industrial Water Benchmark (2015-17) with Accenture, Point of View Document on Sustainable Development Goals (2015) with Accenture, Sustainable Mobility (2015) for Rapid Metro, and recently authored a policy paper for FCDO commissioned policy primer on ‘Net-zero in Emerging Economies (2023)’.

Pooran C. Pandey is also Director of Research, Nkafu Policy Institute, Central Africa, Advisor, UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab, Paris besides holding visiting, non-resident and board positions internationally. He previously also chaired committees of Planning Commission (now Niti Aayog), Ministry of Programme Implementation and Sataistsics, and MOEF, among others, leading to national policy on voluntary sector and national satellite accounting to measure contribution of civil society to the national GDP.  He also served on the board of World Food Programme Trust (2016-2022) and chaired the social auidit committees of ACC Limited (2016-2019) and Gujarat Ambuja Cements (2019-2020), among others.  

Education

2011: Master’s in Public Policy, the London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom  

1992-1994: M.Phil in International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

1988-1990: M.A in Mathematical Logic, University of Allahabad, Allahabad

1985-1988: B.A (Economics, History and Philosophy), University of Allahabad, Allahabad

Fellowships and international recognition

2021: UK Study Alumni Awards in Science and Sustainability by FCDO, Government of UK

2020 – : International Visiting Fellow, MOFA, Taiwan (R.O.C)

2019: UNEP-Tongji Fellowship on Environment for Sustainable Development, Shanghai, China

2016: United Nations Senior Leaders’ Fellowship at United Nations, New York, USA awarded by the United Nations’ Secretary General

2015: Climate Realty Leadership Fellowship, US by Al Gore, former vice president, US and Nobel Laureate

2011: Chevening Gurukul Fellowship, FCO (now FCDO) at the London School of Economics & Political Science, London awarded by Government of UK, London

2010: International Sustainability and Public Policy Fellowship at Swedish Institute, Stockholm awarded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Swedish Government

2003: Mid-career Fellowship at Fiji Productivity Board awarded by the Asian Productivity Organisation, Tokyo, Japan

Positions held

2020 – : Non-resident Fellow and Director of Research, Nkafu Policy Institute, Cameroon, Central Africa

2020 – : International Visiting Fellow, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan (R.O.C)

2016-2020 : Global Chief Executive Officer, Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute, Berlin, Germany

2011-2016 : Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact India

2007-2011 : Director, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd (Times of India Group)

2004-2007 : Chief Executive Officer, Voluntary Action Network India

2000-2004 : Assistant Secretary General, FHRAI, New Delhi

1998-2000 : Assistant Director, AIMA, New Delhi

1994-1998 : Chief of Staff to the Vice Chairman, Nippon Denro Ispat, London

International academic positions and board roles

2022 – : Fellow, Center for Media, Data and Society (CMDS), Central European University, Budapest/ Brussels

2021 – : Associate, Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability, Monash University, Australia

2021 – : Author, Middle East Institute, Washington DC

2020 – ; Chair, O Trust

2019 – : Author, Climate Scorecard, Milton, USA

2020 – : Associate, Global Techno Politics Forum, LA, US

2019 : Member, Sustainability Committee, Nayara Energy Limited, Mumbai

2018 – : Chair, Foundation for Development Initiatives

2016-2022: Member of the Board of Trustees, World Food Programme Trust of India

2012-2019: Chair, Social Audit Committee, ACC Limited, Lafarge Holcim Group  

2018-2019: Chair, Social Audit Committee, Gujarat Ambuja Cement, Lafarge Holcim Group

2016-2020: Chair, Management Board, Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute, Berlin, Germany

2014-2016: Member, Business and Human Rights, Human Rights Commissioner’s Office, Geneva

2013-2015: Member, UN Secretary General’s High Level Political Forum, Asia Oceana

2011: Visiting professor, UTS Sydney, Australia