In an era when corporate purpose is increasingly measured not by glossy reports but by measurable action, the quiet switch-on of a 2.2-megawatt solar installation at Mondelez Pakistan’s factory complex in Hub is worth pausing over. Built in partnership with local renewable developer, Shams Power, the plant is a representative of a far larger shift indicating that companies are treating on-site clean power as part of the operational fabric of modern manufacturing. This is a practical expression of environmental stewardship that also strengthens business resilience. I have used the example to build the case in point, which is the need for the corporate to lead the sustainability drive in Pakistan.
The debate hovers around various dynamics but the business case is plain. For manufacturers that run 24/7, energy is not only a cost line but a risk lever. When grid supply fluctuates or fossil fuel prices spike, production schedules, employee shifts and supplier commitments all feel the shock. On-site solar does what a policy paper cannot, in that it reduces exposure to volatile energy markets, lowers operating cost over time, and signals a willingness to assume long-term stewardship of the local environment.
This is not an isolated or merely symbolic move. Across food and consumer goods, leading companies have been expanding their direct investments in renewable energy as part of a strategic pivot from solely meeting headline climate targets to embedding renewables in the supply chain. Nestlé’s investment in a large solar-plus-storage project in Texas and similar offtake and investment models show how corporations are buying certainty by securing long-term renewable attributes and stabilizing energy costs for their global operations. These arrangements harness scale economics and translate corporate ambition into tangible generation capacity.
Similarly, manufacturers at the multinational level have paired renewables with operational decarbonization plans, from renewable thermal energy at processing plants to long-term power purchase agreements that bring predictable pricing and direct emissions reductions. These are not abstract sustainability gestures; they change the calculus for plant-level managers who must meet production KPIs while answering investor questions about transition risk. Corporates that treat renewables more than ESG checklist items and invest in operational infrastructure, gain agility and credibility in equal measures.
For Pakistan, the calculus carries additional dimensions. The country’s energy mix, transmission losses, and periodic shortfalls make localized generation especially valuable. Small and medium-sized renewable installations like rooftop arrays, factory yards converted into PV fields, captive plants and others can collectively shave peak demand and reduce pressure on fragile grids. When a multinational like Mondelez opts for a 2.2 MW installation, the signal goes beyond a single factory. It models a pathway for domestic firms and suppliers to partner with developers and financiers to scale similar investments. Local partnerships also help build an indigenous services ecosystem for design, financing and operations bring about a multiplier effect that matters for jobs and capability building.
Too often, conversations about corporate climate leadership focus on distant net-zero targets. That important horizon can obscure the immediate operational choices companies make today that affect workers, local economies and regional carbon profiles. The strategic value of on-site renewables is not merely carbon accounting. It is about supply-chain integrity and reputational risk management coupled with a social license to operate.
A factory that demonstrates lower emissions and a stable energy plan is more likely to enjoy community trust, attract talent, and secure long-term contracts with buyers prioritizing sustainability in procurement. Recent moves by global consumer goods firms to power factories and manufacturing footprints with renewables illustrate this practical orientation: these are investments in continuity as much as in climate mitigation.
However, there are trade-offs and real constraints. Not every site has space for panels; not every balance sheet can absorb upfront capital costs; and in markets where grid renewables are cheaper to procure through aggregated PPAs, on-site generation may be less attractive. That is why a mix of strategies including direct investment in captive plants, aggregated PPAs with regional developers, renewable energy credits where markets require them, and operational measures to increase energy efficiency, generally produces the most resilient outcome. Importantly, local regulation and incentives matter. Where governments offer clarity and streamlined interconnection, private investment follows more readily. In Pakistan, regulatory clarity and better coordination between distribution companies and corporate buyers would accelerate adoption and attract the type of long-term capital that large corporates can bring.
Finally, the human story deserves emphasis. Sustainability investments read differently when framed through the lived experience of workers and communities: reliable on-site power means fewer unplanned stoppages, steadier incomes and less smoke from backup diesel generators. It also creates technical jobs for engineers, electricians, operations staff and maintenance crews, that broaden local skillsets. The optics of solar arrays beside a factory conveyor are practical, not performative and are infrastructure for the 21st-century factory.
The solar plant in this case is not a headline-only victory; it is a practical demonstration of how corporations can reduce their carbon-footprint. Increasing climate resilience is fulfilling commitment to the communities and consumers they serve. If more firms treat renewable generation as operational necessity rather than optional signage, the combined effect could be significant for Pakistan’s energy transition creating a mosaic of distributed generation that lowers emissions and creates enduring value.
Suffice to say, that the future of climate action can be well steered if corporate commitments continue to translate into panels installed, new jobs created and the daily reliability they delivered.
By- Nahyan Mirza
