Xavier Business School’s maiden int’l meet a big success

From carbon emission, green technology adoption in Indian MSMEs, green finance and digital innovation to the rise of hybrid intelligence and leveraging AI in business growth, nearly 88 research papers were presented at the mega two-day international conference organised by Xavier Business School (XBS) at St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) recently. Today, sustainability considerations and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance are no longer optional in the business landscape. It is mandatory. Sustainability helps a business to grow and be innovative while addressing the environmental, social and economic challenges. And this two-day Xavier international conference on business environment, XICBE 2025, around the theme ‘Transforming Business, Economy, and Society through Innovation and Sustainable Practices’ couldn’t have come at a better time. The conference brought scholars, business geniuses, teachers and youngsters on the same platform where the influence of ESG practices on businesses was discussed in detail. Millennium Post is the official print media partner of the prestigious meet.

Day 1 saw the inauguration of the event in the presence of Rev Dr John Felix Raj, SJ, Vice-Chancellor, SXUK, Rakesh Ranjan, Additional Secretary, Damodar Valley Corporation, and Dr Uma Shankar, IAS and MD of the West Bengal State Beverages Corporation. The day also featured a range of activities, including a tree plantation drive, keynote addresses, panel discussions and paper presentations. Dr Shankar urged young minds to think with compassion and responsibility. For the Vice-Chancellor, the conference has taken on global significance with the participation of two prestigious institutions, the University of Sussex, UK, and Singapore Management University. “Sustainable business must be inclusive… it must reach the poor. I am glad that Xavier Business School has chosen such a timely theme. The discussions will also be compiled into a book, which I believe will be a treasure trove for students and academicians,” said Rev Felix Raj.

The conference achieved significant international visibility, attracting a huge array of delegates from across the globe and high rate of quality paper submissions. Backed by a rigorous peer review process, the presentations ignited a fire of new inspiration towards further research in the concerned areas of delivery in the various sessions and academic tracks. Participants included academicians, researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and doctoral scholars. The specially designed and well-knitted keynote addresses, the spirited thematic panel discussions, and the stimulating parallel technical tracks explored a rainbow of intellectual insights in the tune of sustainable business models, digital transformation, AI and the future of work, ESG frameworks, green finance, social entrepreneurship, and supply chain resilience, to name a few. Sessions were chaired by senior faculty members and academic administrators from XBS and partner institutions, ensuring theoretical and speculative depth and beneficial and constructive feedback.

Prof (Dr) Sitangshu Khatua, Dean, XBS, informed how academicians and students from the UK, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh and from across India have participated at the event. He also said that the international conference will now become a regular feature in the annual academic calendar.

“Whether in classrooms or in industry, our focus cannot be short-term. We must prepare for the forces that will shape the business ecosystem of tomorrow. The landscape is undergoing a revolutionary shift, and we have to be ready to adapt. So, this conference on sustainability in business is the need of the hour,” said Dr Manodip Ray Chaudhuri, Professor of Management (HR & OB) and former Dean, Xavier Business School. Dr Chaudhuri was part of two sessions, one on redefining success and another on navigating climate risk in business.

The conference facilitated and initiated new research collaborations, discussions on further research publications, and preliminary plans for faculty and student exchanges with partner universities. “There is a pressing need to rethink the traditional business models and policy frameworks. So, this conference addressed that need by fostering discussions on sustainable innovation, responsible governance and inclusive economic development.