ESG Reporting in India: An Overview
India's ESG reporting landscape has undergone a significant transformation since SEBI introduced the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework in 2021. What began as voluntary disclosure has evolved into a rigorous, assurance-backed mandatory regime for the country's largest listed companies.
MindEarth Consultancy is one of India's leading ESG advisory firms, helping companies navigate BRSR compliance, GHG inventory development, and stakeholder reporting aligned with global standards like GRI, TCFD, ISSB, and CDP.
The BRSR Framework: Key Milestones
2021
SEBI introduces BRSR
SEBI notifies the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting framework, replacing the earlier Business Responsibility Report (BRR). Voluntary for FY2021-22.
FY2022-23
BRSR becomes mandatory
Mandatory ESG reporting for the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalisation. Covers 9 principles across Environment, Social, and Governance.
FY2023-24
BRSR Core introduced
SEBI introduces BRSR Core — a subset of high-impact KPIs requiring reasonable assurance from accredited third parties for the top 150 listed companies.
FY2024-25 onwards
BRSR Core expands
BRSR Core assurance extends to the top 250, then top 500, and eventually all top 1,000 companies by FY2026-27.
What BRSR Requires: The 9 Principles
BRSR is structured around the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC) — nine principles covering ethics, environmental stewardship, employee wellbeing, stakeholder engagement, and more.
GHG Emissions Disclosure Under BRSR
Principle 6 of BRSR covers environmental disclosures, including mandatory GHG emissions reporting. Companies must disclose:
- Total Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions (in metric tonnes CO₂e) for the current and previous year
- GHG emission intensity metrics (per rupee of turnover and per unit of product)
- Total energy consumed — renewable and non-renewable sources
- Water withdrawal and consumption by source
- Waste generated, recovered, and disposed of
- Scope 3 emissions for BRSR Core companies (encouraged)
MindEarth Consultancy helps companies build GHG inventories that satisfy these BRSR requirements while also meeting international frameworks. Read our GHG Emissions Calculation Guide for the full methodology, or our Scope 1, 2 & 3 explainer for a detailed breakdown.
ESG Consulting in India: Key Challenges
Despite the regulatory mandate, many Indian companies face significant challenges in ESG reporting:
Data infrastructure gaps
Most Indian companies lack automated systems to collect energy, water, and emissions data across distributed operations and subsidiaries.
Supply chain visibility
Scope 3 reporting requires supplier engagement, which remains nascent in India's largely informal supply chains.
Assurance readiness
BRSR Core requires third-party assurance — many companies are not yet prepared for the rigour this demands on data quality and documentation.
Materiality assessment
Identifying the most material ESG topics requires structured stakeholder engagement and industry benchmarking, which few internal teams are equipped to conduct.
Board and leadership buy-in
ESG reporting is often siloed in sustainability teams without adequate C-suite integration or governance framework.
How MindEarth Consultancy Supports ESG Reporting in India
MindEarth Consultancy offers a full-suite ESG reporting and advisory service designed specifically for the Indian regulatory context, while aligning with global investor expectations:
BRSR Compliance
End-to-end preparation of BRSR and BRSR Core disclosures, including data collection, gap analysis, and board presentation.
Learn more →GHG Inventory
Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions calculation using GHG Protocol methodology, with CEA grid factors for Indian operations.
Learn more →ESG Strategy
Materiality assessment, ESG roadmap development, and KPI target-setting aligned with SEBI, GRI, and ISSB frameworks.
Learn more →ESG Research Reports
300+ published ESG market research reports covering Indian sectors — from renewable energy to carbon markets and green finance.
Learn more →ESG Consulting India: Why Choose MindEarth Consultancy
With over 400 ESG studies completed and a research team spanning Pune, London, and Singapore, MindEarth Consultancy brings institutional-grade rigour to every engagement. Our proprietary methodology triangulates data from government, regulatory, and private sources to produce disclosures that withstand third-party assurance and investor scrutiny.
- Deep expertise in SEBI BRSR, GRI Standards, TCFD, ISSB, and CDP frameworks
- India-specific knowledge of CEA grid factors, CPCB norms, and MoEFCC regulations
- 850+ enterprise clients including NSE/BSE-listed companies, MNCs, and PSUs
- Proven track record of BRSR Core assurance readiness for top-listed companies
- Sector-specific ESG benchmarking across 25+ industries
Start Your BRSR Compliance Journey
Talk to a MindEarth Consultancy ESG expert about your BRSR obligations and how we can help you achieve compliance with confidence.