BRSR Reporting stands for Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting. It is a framework introduced by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to promote sustainable business practices and enhance corporate transparency. BRSR replaces the earlier Business Responsibility Report (BRR) and aligns with global ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards, ensuring that businesses operate responsibly while considering their impact on society and the environment.
The full form of BRSR is Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting. It is a ESG reporting framework in India. Currently it is mandated for 1000 listed companies (by market capitalisation) in India. Rest of the listed and unlisted companies in India can also do the ESG reporting in the form of BRSR on voluntary basis for the added investor advantages.
Applicability of BRSR Reporting in India
As per SEBI guidelines, BRSR reporting is mandatory for the top 1,000 listed companies on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) based on market capitalization. However, other companies, including unlisted entities, are encouraged to voluntarily adopt BRSR to enhance sustainability and stakeholder trust.
Compliance Timeline for BRSR Core
In its circular issued dated July 12, 2023 (SEBI/HO/CFD/CFD-SEC-2/P/CIR/2023/122), the following timeline was provided by SEBI where the BRSR Core compliance will become mandatory for listed entities.
| Year | Applicability of BRSR Core to top listed entities (by market capitalization |
|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Mandatory for top 150 listed companies |
| 2024-25 | Mandatory for top 250 listed companies |
| 2025-26 | Mandatory for top 500 listed companies |
| 2026-27 | Mandatory for top 1000 listed companies |
BRSR Reporting Format : Structure and format of BRSR
The principal purpose of this reporting framework is to serve as an internal tool for businesses intending to align themselves with the NGRBC. The reporting structure is divided into three sections:
BRSR - Section A- General Disclosure
The objective of this section is to obtain basic information and details of the listed entity, which includes their products and services, operations, employees, transparency and disclosure requirements and compliances, subsidiary companies, holdings, and joint ventures, etc. (26 parameters).
BRSR - Section B: Management and Process Disclosures
In this section, the company is required to disclose information on policies and processes relating to the NGRBC principles concerning leadership, governance, and stakeholder engagement. Wherever relevant, companies have been asked to provide links to their websites where these policies are available. The information required in this section mainly involves questions related to oversight, governance, leadership issues and management processes. (12 parameters).
BRSR - Section C- Principle-Wise Performance Disclosures
This section is aimed at helping businesses demonstrate their performance in integrating the Principles and Core Elements with key processes and decisions. The information sought is categorized as “Essential” and “Leadership”. While the essential level is expected from every business that has adopted these Guidelines, the leadership level is expected of businesses which aspire to progress to a higher level in their quest to be socially, environmentally and ethically responsible. Further, companies are required to report on two parameters for each principle, which are:
• Essential indicators (mandatory): These are the indicators which the company mandatorily needs to report, which include environmental data such as energy, emissions, water, and waste; trainings conducted; community initiatives undertaken by the company and social impact created by the company. (9 principles and 68 Indicators)
• Leadership indicators (voluntary): These indicators are not mandatory to be reported by the company yet. However, there is a broader expectation that companies would be compliant with these indicators for improved transparency and greater accountability. This might include reporting on scope 3 emissions and breakdown of energy consumption, health, and safety assessment of value chain partners. The leadership indicators focus on providing a broader picture of the company’s operations in terms of sustainability. (9 principles and 39 Indicators)
9 Principles of BRSR Reporting in India
Section C of BRSR Reporting provides for disclosures on 9 Principles. Following are the 9 Principles of BRSR Reporting in India.
| BRSR Reporting Principle | BRSR Principle Description |
BRSR Reporting Principle 1 – Reporting of Good Governance. | Businesses should conduct and govern themselves with integrity, being ethical, transparent, and accountable. |
BRSR Reporting Principle 2 – Reporting of Environmentally Sustainable Business | Businesses should provide goods and services in a sustainable and safe manner throughout the product lifecycle. |
BRSR Reporting Principle 3 – Reporting of Well-being of Human resource | Businesses should promote the well-being, safety, and development of all employees, including those in the value chain. |
BRSR Reporting Principle 4 – Reporting on Interest of Stakeholders | Businesses should respect the interests of and be responsive to all its stakeholders |
BRSR Reporting Principle 5 – Reporting of Human Rights | Businesses should respect and promote human rights as per constitutional and international standards. |
BRSR Reporting Principle 6 – Reporting of Efforts for Environment protection and restoration | Businesses should respect and make efforts to protect and restore the environment. |
BRSR Reporting Principle 7 – Reporting of Good Presence of Business in society | Businesses, when engaging in influencing public and regulatory policy, should do so in a responsible and transparent manner. |
BRSR Reporting Principle 8 – Reporting of Equitable Development | Businesses should promote inclusive growth and equitable development, focusing on disadvantaged, vulnerable, and marginalized communities. |
BRSR Reporting Principle 9 – Reporting of Service to Customers | Businesses should engage with and provide value to their consumers in a responsible manner |
BRSR Core in BRSR Reporting
The BRSR Core is a sub-set of the BRSR, consisting of a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) / metrics under 9 ESG attributes. Keeping in view the relevance to the Indian / Emerging market context, few new KPIs have been identified for assurance such as job creation in small towns, open-ness of business, gross wages paid to women etc
Example of KPIs under BRSR Core and cross-reference to the BRSR.
| S. No | ESG Attribute | Parameter | Cross-reference to the BRSR |
| 1 | Green-house gas (GHG) footprint |
Total Scope 1 emissions (Break-up of the GHG into CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, SF6, NF3, if available) | Principle 6, Question 7 of Essential Indicators |
| Total Scope 2 emissions (Break-up of the GHG (CO2e) into CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, SF6, NF3, if available) | Principle 6, Question 7 of Essential Indicators | ||
| GHG Emission Intensity (Scope 1 +2) | Principle 6, Question 7 of Essential Indicators | ||
| 2 | Water footprint |
Total water consumption | Principle 6, Question 3 of Essential Indicators |
| Water consumption intensity | Principle 6, Question 3 of Essential Indicators | ||
| Water discharge by destination and levels of treatment | Principle 6, Question 4 of Essential Indicators | ||
| 3 | Energy footprint |
Total energy consumed | Principle 6, Question 1 of Essential Indicators |
| % of energy consumed from renewable sources | Principle 6, Question 1 of Essential Indicators | ||
| Energy intensity | Principle 6, Question 1 of Essential Indicators | ||
| 4 | Embracing circularity – waste management |
Specified types of waste – plastic, e-waste, bio-medical, construction and demolition, battery, radioactive, other hazardous waste generated | Principle 6, Question 9 of Essential Indicators |
| Total waste generated | Principle 6, Question 9 of Essential Indicators | ||
| Waste intensity | Principle 6, Question 9 of Essential Indicators | ||
| Each category of waste generated, total waste recovered through recycling, reusing or other recovery operations | Principle 6, Question 9 of Essential Indicators | ||
| Each category of waste generated, total waste disposed by nature of disposal method | Principle 6, Question 9 of Essential Indicators | ||
| 5 | Enhancing Employee Wellbeing and Safety |
Spending on measures towards wellbeing of employees and workers – cost incurred as a % of total revenue | Principle 3, Question 1(c) of Essential Indicators |
| Details of safety-related incidents for employees and workers (including contract workforce) | Principle 3, Question 11 of Essential Indicators | ||
| 6 | Enabling Gender Diversity in Business |
Complaints on POSH (sexual harassment) | Principle 5, Question 7 of Essential Indicators |
| Gross wages paid to females as % of wages paid | Principle 5, Question 3(b) of Essential Indicators | ||
| 7 | Enabling Inclusive Development |
Input material sourced from MSMEs/small producers and from within India as % of total purchases | Principle 8, Question 4 of Essential Indicators |
| Job creation in smaller towns – wages paid to persons employed in smaller towns (permanent/non-permanent/contract) as % of total wage cost | Principle 8, Question 5 of Essential Indicators | ||
| 8 | Fairness in Engaging with Customers and Suppliers |
Instances involving loss/breach of customer data as a percentage of total data breaches or cybersecurity events | Principle 9, Question 7 of Essential Indicators |
| Number of days of accounts payable | Principle 1, Question 8 of Essential Indicators | ||
| 9 | Open-ness of business |
Concentration of purchases & sales done with trading houses, dealers, and related parties | Principle 1, Question 9 of Essential Indicators |
| Loans and advances & investments with related parties | Principle 1, Question 9 of Essential Indicators |
BRSR Guidelines by SEBI
SEBI has issued specific guidelines for BRSR compliance:
Disclosure of ESG practices in annual reports.
Standardized reporting to enable investors to compare ESG performance.
Mandatory BRSR filing for listed companies in the prescribed format.
Integration with global frameworks like GRI, SASB, and TCFD.
Benefits of BRSR Reporting
| Benefit | Description |
| Enhanced Corporate Reputation | Builds trust with investors and regulators. |
| Attracts ESG Investments | Facilitates green financing opportunities. |
| Regulatory Compliance | Reduces legal risks and ensures SEBI adherence. |
| Competitive Advantage | Differentiates businesses in ESG-focused markets. |
| Operational Efficiency | Helps in identifying and mitigating risks. |
BRSR Reporting is a significant step towards integrating sustainability, governance, and social responsibility in corporate India in line with the increasing global need for sustainability reporting. As SEBI pushes for greater ESG compliance, businesses must adopt BRSR frameworks to stay competitive, attract investments, and ensure long-term sustainability.
For companies looking to implement BRSR reporting effectively, consulting with ESG experts and adopting ESG data management solutions can streamline compliance and reporting processes.
FAQs on BRSR Reporting
What is the full form of BRSR ?
BRSR stands for Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting.
Is BRSR mandatory for all companies ?
No, BRSR is mandatory only for the top 1,000 listed companies but voluntary for others.
How does BRSR differ from BRR ?
BRSR is an advanced version of the BRR, aligning with global ESG standards and providing more structured sustainability disclosures.
What are the key ESG factors covered in BRSR?
BRSR covers Environmental (E), Social (S), and Governance (G) factors, including climate impact, social responsibility, and ethical governance.
What are the benefits of BRSR reporting?
BRSR enhances corporate transparency, attracts ESG investments, ensures regulatory compliance, and strengthens business reputation.
How can companies implement BRSR reporting ?
Companies can implement BRSR by establishing ESG policies, tracking sustainability metrics, and adopting ESG data management tools.
By adopting BRSR reporting, Indian companies can enhance sustainability, build investor trust, and contribute to responsible business practices. Start your BRSR journey today and stay ahead in the ESG era!
Related Resources
- National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC)
The Shift from BRR to BRSR: Transforming ESG Reporting in India
Our team of CA in Jaipur, will be happy help with any queries related to BRSR Reporting in India. Feel free to write or connect for any query.
About the Author
CA Bhuvnesh Kumar Goyal
Fellow Chartered Accountant, LLB, B.com, Forensic Accountant and Fraud Detection Professional
CA Bhunvesh Kumar Goyal is a seasoned Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of experience in taxation, auditing, and business advisory. He specializes in Income Tax, GST, MSME advisory, startups, statutory audits, internal audits, and income tax audits. He also provides expert guidance on company registration, business registration, and helping entrepreneurs choose the right form of business.
Beyond traditional accounting, he has expertise in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), BRSR (Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting), and the Companies Act. His deep knowledge and practical approach help businesses stay compliant while optimizing their financial and operational efficiency.
With a passion for guiding businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs, CA Bhunvesh Kumar Goyal is committed to delivering expert financial solutions with clarity and precision.