The bar on sustainability reporting for India, Inc. has steadily risen over the last few years. However, step change is just round the corner. In May 2021, the securities regulator in India introduced guidelines on Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) framework for listed entities in India. Starting FY’23, these guidelines make it mandatory for the top 1000 listed companies in India (by market capitalisation) to publish detailed sustainability information. Boards, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) need to therefore step up to the plate and establish relevant metrics and narratives to report firm sustainability performance in an objective, accurate and intuitive way.

Through this research study, we have baselined current sustainability reporting practices amongst the top 500 listed companies in India, benchmarked with globally accepted reporting practices, and developed a roadmap to align with best practices. Boards, CXOs and institutional shareholders can use this report to guide company disclosure strategies and facilitate informed engagement with relevant stakeholders.