In an era where sustainability has become both a business imperative and a social responsibility, WeWork India is redefining what it means to build for the future. Under the leadership of Mr. Karan Virwani, MD and CEO, the company has gone beyond creating flexible workspaces to championing measurable environmental and social impact across the real estate ecosystem.
Through initiatives like the WeWork India Sustainability Summit and the launch of WeWork India for Impact, the organisation is bridging the gap between business growth and climate action, transforming sustainability from a corporate commitment into tangible change. In this interview, Mr. Virwani shares how WeWork India is driving a low-carbon future, promoting inclusivity, and leading by example to inspire systemic transformation within India’s commercial real estate landscape.
Scroll down to read the full interview:
Q. What was the driving force behind conceptualizing the WeWork India Sustainability Summit, and how has it evolved since its first edition?
A. The WeWork India Sustainability Summit was envisioned as a platform to drive meaningful, long-term environmental and social change beyond dialogue. What began in 2023 as a forum to spark conversations around waste management and biodiversity conservation has evolved steadily into a dynamic movement that integrates measurable action with industry collaboration. The first edition in Bengaluru focused on sensitising communities and organisations towards sustainable practices, setting ambitious goals around waste diversion, renewable energy, and water conservation. Our second edition of the summit advanced the dialogue by spotlighting energy efficiency and innovation, achieving significant milestones such as carbon emission neutralisation, waste processing to ensure a net-zero event, and the introduction of a Zero-Waste Workplace Guide.
This year, we took a decisive leap from conversation to action with the launch of WeWork India for Impact, our flagship sustainability-focused movement uniting ecological restoration, wildlife conservation, access to education, and women’s economic empowerment. Through initiatives like reviving Tarahunise Lake, fostering human-leopard coexistence in Mumbai in association with Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and supporting women-led skill development in waste upcycling and sustainable tailoring, the program exemplifies how business, biodiversity, and communities can progress together.
From engaging thought leaders and policymakers to catalysing grassroots change, the Summit has evolved into a purpose-driven platform that redefines the role of real estate in India’s climate and social narrative, transforming sustainability from a commitment into measurable, inclusive impact.
Q. The theme this year was “Driving a Low Carbon Future.” What does a low-carbon future look like for the Indian commercial real estate sector, and where does WeWork fit into that vision?
A. A low-carbon real estate future for the Indian commercial sector is defined by a commitment to operational efficiency, aggressive renewable energy integration, water conservation, and responsible waste management. WeWork India is actively advancing this vision by setting clear, ambitious targets: diverting 90% of waste from landfill by 2027; sourcing 100% of energy from renewable sources by 2027; reducing and maintaining consumption of water to just 20 litres per person per day by 2027; and reducing our energy consumption by a whopping 20% from our 2019 baseline by 2026. Initiatives such as the restoration of Tarahunise Lake and our sustainable workspace solutions reinforce our role as a pioneer in ensuring real estate becomes a vital partner in achieving India's national climate goals.
Q. One of the sessions addressed the challenge of greenwashing. From your perspective as an industry leader, how can companies move from performative sustainability to measurable impact?
A. Combating greenwashing requires moving from intent to implementation, from aspirational commitments to measurable, verifiable outcomes. At WeWork India, we believe sustainability must be deeply rooted in daily operations rather than limited to long-term vision statements. It’s about integrating responsible design, renewable energy use, water and waste management, and biodiversity restoration into the very foundation of how businesses operate.
Through our WeWork India for Impact initiative, we have demonstrated that consistent on-ground action builds real credibility by planting over 289 saplings, installing 40+ floating wetlands, and organizing more than 760 clean-up drives that collected nearly 59,000 kg of waste with 97% segregation. Programs like Living with Leopards in Mumbai and community upskilling initiatives in sustainable livelihoods further show that sustainability can create tangible environmental and social outcomes. True impact, however, also depends on collaboration by working with landlords, members, and solution providers to scale low-carbon practices across the real estate ecosystem. By setting quantifiable goals, transparently reporting progress, and embedding accountability across teams, companies can evolve from performative sustainability to purpose-driven impact that delivers measurable, lasting change.
Q. What are some of the most promising innovations, whether in design, construction, or operations, that you believe can significantly cut carbon emissions in commercial spaces?
A. Several promising innovations can significantly reduce carbon emissions in commercial spaces. On the operations side, energy-efficient building management systems, occupancy-based airflow controls, and smart HVAC and cooling solutions are key to lowering energy demand. From a design and construction perspective, material innovations—such as recycled flooring and insulation—along with climate-appropriate construction choices, like using brick instead of excessive glass, enhance both sustainability and cost efficiency.
Q. Can you share specific sustainability initiatives that WeWork India has implemented across its workspaces, and the impact they have had so far?
A. Sustainability is a central pillar of WeWork India’s design and operations philosophy, guiding every aspect of our workspaces from the selection of base materials and finishes to our choice of vendors who align with our environmental goals. By maintaining high standards through a rigorous vendor scorecard, we are able to meet ISO-aligned certifications, including ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, reinforcing our commitment to quality, health, safety, and environmental responsibility.
Our initiatives focus on eliminating toxic materials, adopting chemical-free cleaning systems, reducing water use and plastics, improving indoor air quality, and deploying energy-efficient systems such as motion sensors, smart water meters, and aerators. We actively manage waste through segregation, landfill diversion, and partnerships with e-waste recyclers while continuously monitoring air quality to maintain particulate levels at 2.5 across all Centres. In addition, our Sustainability Summits provide a platform to address pressing environmental challenges such as energy efficiency, solid waste management, and biodiversity conservation, empowering both members and employees to make conscious, sustainable choices.
Q. How important is collaboration with policymakers and regulators in accelerating the decarbonisation of India’s real estate sector?
A. Collaboration with policymakers and regulators is absolutely crucial for accelerating the decarbonisation of India’s real estate sector. This partnership is necessary for creating the robust regulatory frameworks and incentive structures that will consistently guide developers towards decarbonisation goals. Our Sustainability Summit has become a hub for dialogue with policymakers, fostering the discussion of best practices, advancements in climate finance, and anti-greenwashing measures. Ultimately, stronger planning norms and enforced environmental codes are needed to avoid systemic issues such as flood and heatwave vulnerability.
Q. The summit also touched on climate finance. What do you think are the biggest barriers to financing green real estate in India, and how can they be addressed?
A. The biggest barriers to financing green real estate in India currently include a lack of clear green finance routes, insufficient developer incentives, and transparency gaps in reporting outcomes. These issues create hesitancy among investors. To address them, we need targeted policy reforms, incentive programs, and standardized measurement frameworks that will stimulate investment and build confidence in sustainable real estate.
Q. How can companies like WeWork encourage tenants, employees, and communities within their spaces to participate in sustainability practices actively?
A. At WeWork India, we believe sustainability is most impactful when it becomes a shared responsibility rather than a top-down directive. Our approach integrates sustainability across all facets of our workspaces, right from energy-efficient design and renewable energy adoption to water-saving fixtures and a strict zero single-use plastic policy that extends to all member-hosted events. These visible systems empower our tenants, employees, and communities to make conscious, environmentally responsible choices every day.
Beyond operations, our WeWork India for Impact initiative creates opportunities for collective participation through clean-up drives, biodiversity restoration projects, and community programs such as lake rejuvenation and wildlife conservation. These initiatives allow members and employees alike to witness firsthand how small, consistent actions contribute to large-scale environmental change. We also collaborate with landlords, developers, and sustainable vendors to ensure responsible practices are embedded across our ecosystem. Ultimately, our goal is to create spaces where every individual feels inspired and enabled to contribute to a low-carbon, purpose-driven future.
Q. How do you balance business growth with long-term sustainability goals, especially in a price-sensitive and fast-evolving market like India?
A. We balance business growth with long-term sustainability by adopting a strategy that links utility reduction and operational efficiency directly to cost savings, ensuring that sustainability strengthens both our profitability and growth. Our ability to scale is maintained through the use of measurable, transparent targets and strategic technology partnerships, which keep growth and sustainability working in harmony.
Q. What are the next steps for WeWork India in shaping a greener, more sustainable future for workspaces and the wider real estate ecosystem?
A. We are focused on scaling our sustainability efforts and driving systemic change across the commercial real estate ecosystem. Priority areas include expanding restoration and biodiversity projects, innovating in sustainable workspace design, and strengthening collaborations with industry stakeholders and policymakers to raise environmental standards. Expansion of community-driven programs under WeWork India for Impact will continue to create measurable social and ecological outcomes.
Guided by our long-term sustainability policy introduced in 2023, WeWork India aims to embed environmental responsibility into every layer of its operations. While operational targets such as diverting 90% of waste from landfills and sourcing 100% renewable energy remain central, our broader vision aligns with India’s net-zero economy goal by 2070, demonstrating leadership in sustainable growth. By integrating renewable energy, advanced water and waste management, and community-focused initiatives, WeWork India seeks to redefine commercial real estate as a regenerative force, driving low-carbon, resilient, and inclusive development while inspiring the sector to adopt scalable sustainability practices.
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