Saurabh
Gupta
An internationally recognised sustainability leader with over 15 years of experience advising corporates, governments, and global institutions on climate action, ESG compliance, and sustainable development. He leads Earth5R, a pioneering environmental technology organisation headquartered in Mumbai with sustainability projects across 140+ countries.
At the intersection of community action, data technology, and ESG strategy, Saurabh brings a rare blend of on-ground insight and boardroom expertise. His core work focuses on designing scalable sustainability solutions for corporates, linking CSR impact with real-time ESG outcomes.
Through Earth5R's award-winning platform, he helps businesses operationalise environmental goals into measurable action across supply chains, workplaces, and communities. He has worked on high-impact sustainability engagements with global corporations, leading programmes such as river restoration, circular economy implementation, sustainable livelihood development, and green employee engagement.
His work has directly impacted over 2.5 million citizens and trained more than 100,000 students and professionals in sustainability practices.
Saurabh has been invited to speak at prestigious platforms including the Paris Peace Forum, and is a recipient of the Young Leaders India–France Award by President Emmanuel Macron for his leadership in global sustainability. Under his guidance, Earth5R also delivered India's first UN-funded River Cleanup Program in Mumbai, integrating local communities, policy stakeholders, and corporate partners for long-term ecological restoration.
Backed by an ecosystem of app-based sustainability tracking, grassroots mobilisation, and academic partnerships with institutions like MIT, Stanford, and Oxford, Saurabh delivers end-to-end ESG services — from diagnostics and data collection to strategy design and on-ground execution.
He built a platform.
Young Leaders India–France Award by President Macron
Saurabh Gupta was awarded the Young Leader India–France distinction by President Emmanuel Macron as part of the France–India Programme for the Future — one of only a handful of sustainability leaders selected from across the world for this honour.
The award recognised Earth5R's leadership in scaling environmental innovation across borders — connecting grassroots action with global governance. It opened a deep partnership corridor with the French government, including the Environmental Ministry of France, and collaborations with mayors of French cities on urban sustainability.
This recognition positioned Saurabh at the intersection of climate diplomacy and entrepreneurship, leading directly to Earth5R's selection for the Paris Peace Forum, where he presented to 70 heads of state on community-led environmental restoration.
50,000 Kilometres. One Purpose.
Saurabh Gupta left his corporate career at Café Coffee Day, got on a bicycle, and spent two years cycling 50,000 kilometres through Asia, Africa, and Europe — more than the circumference of the Earth.
What he witnessed was both inspiring and devastating: breathtaking natural beauty scarred by widespread environmental destruction and systemic apathy. Driven by a singular purpose, he returned to build Earth5R — not as an NGO, but as a technology platform designed to make sustainability commercially deployable at scale.
He has since delivered two TEDx talks — at the University of Paris and SVV College, Mumbai University — and trained students from institutions including NYU, Cambridge, Sciences Po, Princeton, IITs, and LSE.
Selected Among India's Top 15 AI Agents by Google
Earth5R AI Sustainability Agent
At a two-day advanced AI architecture workshop under the Google for Startups programme at Google Mumbai, Saurabh and Jahaan Gupta built and presented a Sustainability AI Agent live on the podium — an intelligence engine designed to convert grassroots environmental data into structured sustainability intelligence.
Google evaluated AI models from 200 startups across seven Indian cities. Earth5R's agent was selected among the Top 15 AI agents nationally — and was the only sustainability-focused model on the list. It was subsequently featured at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
The agent is trained not on internet-scraped data, but on 11 years of proprietary field data — geotagged waste data, river cleanup evidence, biodiversity tracking, plastic waste classification, and ESG field observations internationally. It now powers automated environmental research, predictive analytics, sustainability risk management, and ESG intelligence across Earth5R's ecosystem.
Areas of Strategic Focus
ESG Strategy Design & Corporate Reporting
Integrated sustainability frameworks aligned with GRI, SDG, and BRSR — covering carbon reduction, employee training, biodiversity improvement, and waste footprint minimisation embedded into core business operations.
CSR Planning Linked to Measurable Impact
Action plans that connect corporate social responsibility with verifiable environmental outcomes across facility management, packaging, distribution, and community engagement.
Circular Economy Implementation
End-to-end circular economy programmes across urban and industrial sectors — from waste recovery and micro-recycling hubs to closed-loop systems integrating housing societies, kabadiwalas, and municipal networks.
Carbon Credit Project Development
Scientifically validated carbon credit projects with baseline assessment, additionality validation, community verification, and registry documentation — audit-ready and eligible for international carbon trading.
Extended Producer Responsibility Services
Networked model for companies to fulfil EPR obligations across states — integrating plastic collection, recycling verification, digital traceability through geotagging, and AI-based waste flow analysis.
Sustainability Tech & AI Analytics
App-based monitoring, AI-driven analytics, and real-time dashboards that make ESG management seamless — from campaign planning and community partner assignment to auto-generated impact reports.
Climate Risk Mitigation
Risk mitigation strategies for urban infrastructure and real estate — including nature-based solutions, rainwater harvesting integration, solar readiness, and green certification alignment.
ESG Training & Employee Engagement
Customised training modules for HR teams, manufacturing units, admin staff, and C-suite leaders — with tracking tools, interactive app-based engagement, and micro-certifications integrated into daily workflow.
Recognised by Heads of State, the UN, and Global Institutions
Young Leaders Award — President Macron
Honoured as a Young Leader (India–France) for cross-cultural leadership and environmental innovation — one of the few sustainability experts selected from India.
Paris Peace Forum Speaker
Presented Earth5R's environmental solutions at this global summit attended by 70 heads of state, ministers, policy experts, and business leaders.
UN Global Entreps Award
Selected for the 5th Global Entreps Award — the "Oscars of Sustainability" — by the United Nations.
Google for Startups Recognition
Earth5R app recognised by Google for innovative use of technology to drive climate action, volunteering, and impact tracking.
UN Technology Innovation Labs
Plastic recovery and ocean-bound recycling ecosystem in Mumbai — in partnership with UN Global Pulse. Received $0.7M USD funding.
Appreciation from The Dalai Lama
Received personal appreciation from His Holiness The Dalai Lama for youth community work on Project "Ganga to Nile".
UNESCO Green Citizens Project
Earth5R's education and community training model selected for UNESCO's Green Citizens portfolio — showcasing scalable community climate action.
UN Secretary-General Appreciation
Received appreciation from Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations and Portugal's former Prime Minister.
President of Costa Rica
Appreciated by Carlos Alvarado, President of Costa Rica and UN Champion of the Earth, for climate action leadership.
From Dharavi to the Paris Stage
Two TEDx Stages. One Global Podcast.
From Individualism to Collectivism
TEDx Panthéon-Assas, University of Paris — Saurabh shares how cycling 50,000 km through Asia, Africa, and Europe led to founding Earth5R and a new model for enterprise-scale sustainability.
The Accidental Environmentalist
TEDx SVV College, Mumbai University — from the streets of Mumbai to audiences internationally, presenting Earth5R's model for turning verified environmental data into a commercially deployable sustainability platform.
Transformative Climate Action
Earth5R Podcast — MIT's Director of Sustainability, Dr. Julie Newman, PhD, examines with Saurabh how MIT and Yale operationalise sustainability and how structured data systems are redefining climate action architecture.
From Television Panels to Riverbanks
Beyond the TEDx stage, Saurabh Gupta's work shows up in conversation with global institutions, on national television, and on the ground with communities and schools.
In Conversation and in the Media
Future of Cities: Urban Transformation, Community and Creativity
With Simone Sandholz of United Nations University, on community-led urban transformation, out-of-the-box solutions, and what the next generation of city-makers needs to learn. (Earth5R)
Watch on YouTube ↗
CNBC Awaaz: World Environment Day Panel
Saurabh Gupta joins a national television panel on water, citizens and the environment, in Hindi. The video opens at his contribution, 10:20 in. (CNBC Awaaz, via Earth5R)
Watch on YouTube ↗
#SaveTheBeach, #BeatPlasticPollution
The Mumbai environmentalist's case for tackling beach plastic at its source, made alongside citizens and volunteers at the shoreline. (Earth5R)
Watch on YouTube ↗On the Ground
Sustainable Schools Project, Mumbai
Inside Earth5R's schools programme: waste segregation, composting, and hands-on sustainability learning built into everyday school life. (Earth5R)
Watch on YouTube ↗
River Cleanup and Awareness at Pune
Earth5R's Mula-Mutha river cleanup and awareness training, where corporate professionals and citizens work the riverbank together. (Earth5R)
Watch on YouTube ↗Built to Scale — Not Just to Advise
TERRA: Sustainability as a Service – eXchange
An all-in-one platform for companies to plan, execute, and monitor sustainability actions — bringing carbon, waste, water, and community impact into one unified data layer for transparent ESG disclosures.
ESG-Linked River Cleanup Framework
Turns river rejuvenation into a measurable ESG deliverable — water quality baselines, community training, circular economy linkages, and impact reporting tied to SDG goals.
Volunteer Impact Engine (VIE)
Transforms employee volunteering into high-impact, low-friction engagement — with geotagging, visual documentation, and pre-curated formats across sustainability themes.
App-Based Sustainability Tracker
Mobile platform for organisations to plan CSR campaigns, assign community partners, track real-time progress, and auto-generate reports — making ESG management seamless.
Results-Focused Execution
Solving for Tomorrow's Complexity
Scope 3 Emissions & Supply Chain Interventions
Integrating vendors, packaging units, logistics teams, and post-use waste handlers into a traceable chain for indirect emissions control.
Biodiversity & Land Stewardship
Nature-positive projects — green buffers in industrial zones, pollinator corridors for farmland companies — addressing ESG investor pressure.
Sustainable Cities & Infrastructure
Nature-based solutions, RWH integration, solar readiness, and green certification alignment for real estate and urban developers.
ESG Disclosure for Mid-size Businesses
Modular consulting for SMEs and mid-size corporates to prepare for BRSR, SDG alignment, and ESG fund eligibility.
Decarbonisation Roadmaps
Tailored strategies combining behaviour change, technology upgrades, and carbon offset linkages for industrial clients over 5–10 years.
How Saurabh Works with Corporate Clients
Baseline & Diagnostics
Baseline assessments, stakeholder interviews, and customised sustainability strategy aligned with business operations.
Implementation
End-to-end execution with on-ground teams and technology integration for tracking and reporting.
Documentation & Review
Documentation for regulatory, ESG, and CSR reporting. Quarterly reviews, updates, and course corrections.
Workshops & Training Programs
Dive into sustainable design thinking with Saurabh Gupta. These immersive sessions blend thought leadership, problem-solving, and team collaboration — from half-day intensives to two-day programmes. Participants engage in deep exercises, group projects, and simulation exercises that mimic real-world sustainability challenges, culminating in the presentation of actionable solutions.
Each programme is designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking — delivering tangible, granular results that empower individuals and teams to contribute to sustainable development.
Work with Saurabh Gupta
Saurabh Gupta advises boards, sustainability heads, CSR teams, and investors who need environmental commitments turned into measurable, auditable outcomes. Engagements run from a single advisory seat to full programme design and on-ground delivery.
Independent Director, Board Advisor, ESG Committee
An independent voice on climate risk, ESG disclosure, and sustainability strategy for boards and leadership teams, drawing on 15+ years advising corporates, governments, and UN institutions.
ESG, BRSR, CSR and Circular Economy Mandates
ESG strategy and reporting aligned to GRI, SDG and BRSR; CSR plans tied to verifiable outcomes; circular economy, EPR, and carbon credit programmes designed and delivered end to end.
Climate-Tech and Impact Advisory
Advising founders, investors, and development organisations on impact models, measurement frameworks, and market entry, with field data from projects internationally.
Keynotes, Panels and Executive Workshops
A two-time TEDx speaker and Paris Peace Forum presenter, available for conferences, leadership offsites, and executive workshops on sustainability, climate action, and AI for ESG.
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