BANGALORE, INDIA: Leading telecommunications service provider British Telecommunications Plc (BT) announced today the launch of its 'Sustainable Development Index – an assessment of business performance in India'. 

Through a survey of senior opinion leaders across India the index is a means to measure the performance of business in India in the progression towards sustainable development over time, said a press release.

The SD index has been developed in partnership with GlobeScan, an independent public opinion and stakeholder research company. 

The initiative was officially launched by Dr. R. K. Pachauri, director general, TERI and Allen Ma, president, BT Asia Pacific at a news conference in New Delhi.

The SD index report reveals that although Indian companies are taking positive steps towards sustainable development, the overall performance of the corporate sector is disappointing. 

46 per cent of India's opinion leaders surveyed blame a lack of awareness around sustainable development issues as the main cause of inaction. Some 40 per cent of opinion leaders also cited a lack of political will as a major obstacle to making significant progress in this area, the release said. 

According to the report, this lack of action means India lags behind China, Japan and the European Union when it comes to addressing key issues such as tackling climate change, corporate governance practices and water resource management.

"At BT, we absolutely view sustainability as an international issue and businesses cannot succeed in societies that fail," said Allen Ma.

"India is rapidly becoming a global centre for information and communications technology development, and boasts a high economic growth rate.  It is vital that this commercial success is matched by a commitment to, and leadership in, corporate responsibility," he said