BRSR and BRSR Core: a guide for Indian listed companies
Who must file SEBI’s Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report, what BRSR Core adds, how assurance is phased in, and what to look for in BRSR software and advisers.
The Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) is SEBI’s sustainability disclosure for listed companies in India. It sits in the annual report and covers environmental, social and governance performance against the nine principles of the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct.
Who has to file
The top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalisation must file a BRSR each year. Other listed companies can file voluntarily, and many do because investors and large customers ask for it.
What BRSR covers
The report has three sections:
- General disclosures: company details, products, operations, employees and value chain.
- Management and process disclosures: policies, governance and oversight for each of the nine principles.
- Principle-wise performance: indicators for each principle, split into essential (required) and leadership (voluntary) indicators. These include energy, emissions, water, waste, employee well-being, diversity, human rights, customer responsibility and community development.
What BRSR Core adds
BRSR Core is a smaller set of key indicators within BRSR that must be independently checked. It focuses on measurable data, including greenhouse gas emissions, water, energy, waste, employee well-being and gender diversity, with defined calculation methods so figures are comparable between companies.
| Area | What changes with BRSR Core |
|---|---|
| Indicators | A defined subset of BRSR indicators with set methods |
| Assurance | Reasonable assurance or assessment by a qualified independent provider |
| Phasing | Introduced for the largest companies first, reaching all of the top 1,000 from FY 2026–27 |
| Value chain | Disclosures for key value-chain partners are being phased in, starting with the largest companies |
Getting BRSR Core ready for assurance
- Lock down methods. Use the methods set out for each Core indicator, document them and apply them the same way every year.
- Keep evidence with the data. Meter readings, invoices, HR records and waste manifests should be linked to the figures they support.
- Start with emissions and energy. These usually take longest to make audit-ready, especially across many plants.
- Talk to your value chain early. Suppliers and customers in scope of value-chain disclosures need time to start collecting data.
How BRSR relates to global standards
BRSR draws on GRI and other frameworks, so companies already reporting under GRI have a head start. Groups with European operations may also fall under CSRD, and Indian subsidiaries of global groups are often asked for data in ISSB or ESRS format. Collecting data once, at the most detailed level you need, avoids repeating the work. See ESRS vs ISSB vs GRI.
Software and advisers that support BRSR
TNFD
Taskforce that publishes recommendations and guidance for organisations to report nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities.
StepChange
Climate and ESG software platform covering Scope 1-3 and portfolio emissions, vendor ESG management and climate and nature risk.
Newtral
ESG and carbon management platform with BRSR reporting.
Stakeholders Empowerment Services
Mumbai proxy advisory and ESG research firm that scores listed Indian companies and offers a BRSR guide and tool.
Benchmark Gensuite
EHS and ESG software suite with reporting tools including BRSR and BRSR Core.
EcoActive ESG
ESG reporting software for BRSR and other frameworks.
Ordered by verified reviews and relevance. Listings are never ranked by payment. See all 14 providers
What to look for in BRSR software
- Built-in BRSR and BRSR Core templates that follow the latest SEBI format.
- Plant-level data collection with approvals and evidence attached.
- Emissions calculations with traceable Indian and international emission factors.
- Output in the format required for filing, including XBRL where needed.
- Support for an assurance provider to review data directly in the tool.
Official sources
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules change; check the official sources and talk to an adviser before you rely on it.
Related guides
How to prepare your first BRSR report (India)
A practical walkthrough for finance, sustainability and company secretarial teams preparing a first Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report under SEBI's rules.
How-to guideBRSR Core: the nine attributes, KPIs and the evidence to keep
The nine BRSR Core attributes and their KPIs, the calculation conventions in the Industry Standards Note, and the records to keep so your figures can be assessed or assured.