Overview
The Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) is the ESG disclosure that SEBI requires, under Regulation 34(2)(f) of the SEBI (LODR) Regulations, from the top 1,000 listed entities by market capitalisation, as part of their annual report. It is organised around the nine principles of the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC). A subset of key indicators, called BRSR Core, is subject to reasonable assurance or assessment on a phased basis.
What BRSR Covers
- Section A: General disclosures. The entity’s details, products and services, operations, employees, CSR and transparency.
- Section B: Management and process disclosures. Policies, governance and oversight for each NGRBC principle.
- Section C: Principle-wise performance disclosures. Essential indicators (mandatory) and leadership indicators (voluntary) across the nine principles.
- BRSR Core: Key indicators such as greenhouse gas emissions, water, energy, waste, gender diversity, employee well-being, inclusive development and openness of business, which are subject to assurance or assessment.
Applicability and Phasing
- Mandatory BRSR: Required for the top 1,000 listed entities by market capitalisation.
- Assurance or assessment of BRSR Core, and value-chain disclosures: Applied on a glide path set by SEBI circulars, which have been revised more than once.
- Other companies: Unlisted companies and smaller listed companies may report voluntarily. Lenders and large customers increasingly ask for ESG data.
What Reporting Support Involves
Support covers mapping the BRSR requirements to data owners, designing data collection templates, reviewing policies under the NGRBC principles, drafting the BRSR narrative and tables, co-ordinating with the assurance or assessment provider, and making sure the BRSR is consistent with the annual report and the secretarial records. Assurance or assessment of BRSR Core is carried out by providers who meet SEBI’s criteria, and is separate from the preparation support.
Who Needs This Service?
Listed entities in the top 1,000, companies approaching that threshold, and suppliers to listed companies that are asked for value-chain ESG data.
ESG and BRSR in Chennai / Tamil Nadu
BRSR is a national SEBI requirement. Tamil Nadu-based manufacturers often hold environmental data under their Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board consents, which can serve as source data for the environmental indicators.
BRSR and BRSR Core Compared
BRSR Core is a focused subset.
| Aspect | BRSR | BRSR Core |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Full set of disclosures | Key performance indicators |
| Assurance | Not generally required | Assurance required for covered companies |
| Purpose | Broad disclosure | Verified comparable data |
The Nine Principles Behind BRSR
BRSR is organised around nine principles.
| Principle | Theme |
|---|---|
| P1 | Ethics, transparency and accountability |
| P2 | Sustainable and safe goods and services |
| P3 | Employee wellbeing |
| P4 | Stakeholder engagement |
| P5 | Human rights |
| P6 | Environment |
| P7 | Responsible policy advocacy |
| P8 | Inclusive growth |
| P9 | Consumer value |
Documents and Data Required
Energy, water, emissions and waste data; the workforce and diversity figures; health and safety records; policies and board approvals; CSR details; customer complaints data; and supply-chain information.
How KVA Handles ESG and BRSR Reporting Support
Karthick Vijayakumar & Associates, Company Secretaries, supports you through each stage with a single point of contact and a clear record of what has been done.
| Step | Stage | What KVA does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Requirement review | We understand your entity, objective and timeline, and confirm what ESG and BRSR Reporting Support involves for your specific facts. |
| 2 | Document checklist | You receive a clear list of documents, particulars and approvals needed, with gaps flagged early. |
| 3 | Preparation and filing | Our team prepares, reviews and files the required forms and records, and tracks each acknowledgement. |
| 4 | Completion and follow-up | We hand over final records and explain the compliance that follows, so nothing is missed afterwards. |
Why Karthick Vijayakumar & Associates
Work is handled by company secretaries who deal with statutory filings and governance every day.
Timelines for ESG and BRSR Reporting Support are tracked so that approvals and filings do not slip.
Plain-language updates at each stage, with no guesswork about what is pending.
Organised, decision-ready documentation that supports audits, banks and future filings.
Frequently Asked Questions
The top 1,000 listed entities by market capitalisation, as part of their annual report.
They cover ethics and transparency, sustainable products, employee well-being, stakeholder responsiveness, human rights, the environment, responsible policy advocacy, inclusive growth and customer value.
A set of key performance indicators within BRSR that are subject to reasonable assurance or assessment on a phased basis.
It is mandatory for BRSR Core, for the classes of listed entities covered by SEBI’s current phasing. SEBI has revised the phasing and permitted “assessment” as an alternative.
ESG disclosures about the listed entity’s significant upstream and downstream partners. They are being phased in according to SEBI’s circulars.
Yes, voluntarily. It is increasingly used to respond to lenders’ and customers’ ESG questionnaires.
BRSR follows a format mandated by SEBI with specific indicators. Sustainability reports may follow global frameworks such as GRI, and many companies cross-reference the two.
As part of the annual report. For most companies, this is ahead of the AGM held within six months of the financial year end.
BRSR includes CSR disclosures under Principle 8 (inclusive growth), but it covers far more than CSR.
The board is responsible. A director responsible for business responsibility policies must be identified in Section B.
It has general disclosures, management and process disclosures, and principle-wise performance indicators aligned with the nine NGRBC principles.
Currently the top 1,000 listed entities by market capitalisation, with phased applicability for assurance on core indicators and value chain disclosures.
It is a part of the annual report, and listed entities also file it with the stock exchanges in the prescribed format.
Essential indicators are mandatory disclosures, while leadership indicators are voluntary but encouraged for entities wanting to demonstrate leading practice.
GRI standards, the IFRS Sustainability Standards and others are used for broader reporting, with the BRSR as the Indian regulatory format.
Preparing a first BRSR typically takes a few months, depending on data availability, internal ownership and the need for assurance.
Management and the board are responsible, with a named director responsible for the business responsibility report, as the format indicates.
They test the reported data and processes for core indicators and provide an independent assurance statement, enhancing credibility with stakeholders.
It depends on its own listing status and the thresholds. The parent’s report may require data from subsidiaries and the value chain.
We help identify data owners, structure data collection, review disclosures against SEBI’s format and coordinate with assurance providers.
Preparing Your BRSR or ESG Disclosures?
Contact Karthick Vijayakumar & Associates to discuss the data and governance processes your BRSR requires.
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