In India’s major cities, smog has become a part of daily life and is now redefining boardroom conversations. The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) reports that every person in the country lives in areas exceeding the World Health Organisation’s safe limit for PM₂.₅. In the northern plains alone, more than 540 million people inhale unsafe air each day.
The State of Global Air 2025 report links nearly 2 million premature deaths in India to air pollution in 2023. The World Bank estimates the economic loss at about 1.36 percent of GDP, or close to US $36.8 billion, driven by healthcare costs and reduced productivity.
This impact is also visible within organisations across all domains. Employees feel more fatigued, sick leaves increase, health insurance claims rise, and attrition begins to show over time.