1M1B and IBM SkillsBuild Launch Sustainability Experience Center in Bengaluru to Cultivate Young Climate Leaders
Bengaluru, February 25: In a significant stride toward integrating environmental education with cutting-edge technology, non-profit organization 1M1B (One Million for One Billion) has partnered with IBM SkillsBuild to establish a pioneering Sustainability Experience Center at Delhi Public School Bengaluru North. The initiative aims to equip students with climate literacy, sustainability awareness, and future-ready skills necessary to address pressing environmental challenges.
The Center, inaugurated by Ms. Priti Kadam, Program Manager at IBM’s Chief Sustainability Office, and Ms. Manju Balasubramanyam, Principal of DPS Bangalore North, represents a departure from conventional classroom instruction. It offers students an immersive, hands-on learning environment where they can engage with real-world ecological issues through interactive exhibits and data-driven activities.
Experiential Learning Meets Climate Action
The facility features several innovative installations designed to make abstract environmental concepts tangible. A Carbon Footprint Activity Board helps students visualize emissions linked to daily lifestyle choices, while the Wall of Disintegration dramatically illustrates the longevity of common materials—from plastic bottles to aluminum cans—in natural ecosystems.
Another interactive module, “Track Your Watts,” enables students to analyze household electricity consumption patterns and measure the impact of behavioral changes on energy efficiency. The Center also dedicates space for solution creation, where students can develop and prototype real-world sustainability projects.
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Building a Pipeline of Young Changemakers
The launch event drew distinguished attendees including Ms. Mamatha Venkatesh, Sr. Solution Architect at IBM’s Ecosystem Engineering Lab; Mr. Premjit Balasundaram, Project Executive for Aerospace & Defense at IBM; Mr. Bhaskar Nadig, Program Lead for IBM SkillsBuild; Ms. Sneha Laxman, Program Manager at IBM India CSR; and Mr. Saffin Mathew, Vice President of Programs & Strategic Partnerships at 1M1B.
Speaking at the inauguration, Ms. Manju Balasubramanyam, Principal of DPS Bangalore North, emphasized the Center’s transformative potential for students. “The Sustainability Experience Center is a powerful addition to our school’s learning ecosystem. This space will help students move beyond textbook learning and develop critical thinking, responsibility, and problem-solving skills around sustainability and climate action. We are proud to partner with IBM and 1M1B to create an environment where students are empowered to become thoughtful, action-oriented global citizens.”
From Awareness to Action
The Center represents a strategic evolution in sustainability education—moving beyond theoretical knowledge to practical engagement. Manav Subodh, Founder and Chief Mentor of 1M1B, articulated this vision: “This Center represents a shift from awareness to action. By combining sustainability, AI, and experiential learning, we are enabling students to not only understand global challenges like climate change, but also see themselves as active contributors to solutions.”
Beyond serving DPS Bangalore North students, the facility will function as a regional hub, hosting workshops, volunteer-led sessions by IBM professionals, and community engagement initiatives. Organizers anticipate the Center will nurture multiple student-led sustainability projects annually, creating a steady pipeline of young innovators equipped with green skills and problem-solving capabilities.
Aligning with Global and National Sustainability Goals
The initiative leverages IBM SkillsBuild, one of the world’s most accessible technology learning ecosystems with over 16 million learners worldwide. The platform offers more than 1,000 courses spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum computing, cloud technologies, data science, sustainability, and workplace readiness—making it available to learners, educators, and institutions seeking to build future-ready competencies.
Through this collaboration, 1M1B and IBM aim to develop scalable, replicable models of sustainability education that align with global climate objectives, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and India’s national vision for a sustainable and inclusive future.
1M1B (One Million for One Billion): 1M1B is a United Nations-accredited non-profit organization founded by Manav Subodh. For over a decade, it has focused on mobilizing and skilling young people to drive large-scale social and environmental impact across India and beyond.
KEY QUOTES
Manav Subodh, Founder & Chief Mentor, 1M1B:
“This Center is a launchpad for eco-preneurs. We’re shifting young minds from being passive observers to active architects of a sustainable future by merging AI with climate action.”
“Awareness alone isn’t enough. By pairing sustainability with future technologies like AI, we’re giving students the tools to build solutions, not just understand problems.”
Ms. Manju Balasubramanyam, Principal, DPS Bangalore North:
“This Center transforms abstract concepts into personal experience. When students visualize their own carbon footprint, a textbook lesson becomes a lifelong commitment to the planet.”
“We are shaping global citizens. This partnership brings the future of learning into our school, fostering responsibility for the world our students will inherit.”
Priti Kadam, Program Manager, Chief Sustainability Office, IBM:
“Technology is the greatest catalyst for climate action. Through IBM SkillsBuild, we’re ensuring Bengaluru’s next generation can harness AI and data to build a truly sustainable world.”
“This Center is a living blueprint for how public-private partnerships can drive meaningful environmental education.”
Mr. Saffin Mathew, Vice President, Programs & Strategic Partnerships, 1M1B:
“We designed this Center to be felt, not just seen. Our goal is for these experiences to travel home with students, creating a ripple effect of sustainable behavior throughout the community.”
