New Delhi, Aug. 7 -- With the "low-hanging fruit" of decarbonization largely exhausted, companies will need to embed sustainability deeper into supply chains, product design and business strategy if net zero is to deliver lasting competitive advantage, industry experts said at the Mint Sustainability Summit 2026.

The discussion, titled The ROI of Net Zero: From Cost Centre to Competitive Edge, focused on how sustainability has evolved beyond compliance to become a strategic business priority. Panellists argued that the next phase of value creation will come from circularity, partnerships, customer trust and long-term resilience rather than quick operational fixes.

Circularity refers to designing products and materials so they can be reu...