CHARTING A SUSTAINABLE PATHWAY IN THE PURSUIT OF PROGRESS

"As we chart the course for the future, we must embrace a new paradigm of alignment - one that seeks to redefine the parameters of progress," writes SIDDHARTHA BUTALIA, Chief Marketing Officer of Air India Express, who oversees marketing, corporate communications, sustainability and ancillary revenue

The pursuit of progress is characterised by a relentless drive to overcome limitations. Our species is driven by a Promethean yearning to defy gravity and conquer the skies. In this ever so human pursuit, we have soared higher, explored new horizons and connected the world in ways previously unimaginable. Yet, as we reach out to touch the sun, propelled by an insatiable thirst for exploration and innovation, we must recognise that progress, as often defined today, comes at a cost. It demands a reckoning with our impact on our planet and its inhabitants. As we chart the course for the future, we must embrace a new paradigm of alignment – one that seeks to redefine the parameters of progress and ensures that our wings carry us towards a truly sustainable horizon.

In the world of industry and economy, this begins with the recognition that comparative advantage will no longer be derived by the ownership of economic or technological assets alone, but in the cultivation of what Aristotle would term “moral excellence.” Earning the trust of all stakeholders entails operating with responsibility and transparency. It requires a fundamental re-evaluation of our operational ethos, moving beyond purely economic short-term metrics to a broader spectrum of values encompassing environmental stewardship and social equity.