Title: Understanding the Importance of ESG for Indian Businesses : Report
Publishing Year: 2024
“Understanding the Importance of ESG for Indian Businesses” is a collaborative initiative by the Swiss Learning Exchange (SLX) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The objective of this report is to assess the depth of ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) awareness and integration within Indian businesses. Â
With BRSR’s mandate making ESG reporting compulsory for the top 1000 listed companies in India, ESG implementation is now a critical part for businesses of all sizes. Beyond this regulatory compliance, the growing expectations from stakeholders such as investors, consumers, and employees further illustrate the importance of adopting ESG. Â
To gain insights into the current state of ESG practices among Indian businesses, SLX’s Research Team conducted a targeted survey focusing on three key themes: ESG Understanding, ESG Importance & Motivation, and ESG Implementation. Â
- ESG Understanding: Unveiling the awareness levels, knowledge depth, and learning trajectories of Indian businesses with respect to ESG. Â
- ESG Importance and Motivation: Articulating the significance of ESG for Indian businesses, this section explores how companies prioritize ESG, and the motivations propelling their commitment to its implementation. Â
- ESG Implementation: Offering practical insights, this section outlines how businesses with ESG experience integrate these principles within their organizational framework, the benefits accrued, and the challenges encountered. Â
The survey targeted top executives of many Indian businesses to provide insights on these thematic areas. Based on a comprehensive analysis of responses, this report provides a nuanced understanding of how much ESG knowledge Indian businesses have, how they prioritize ESG criteria, what is motivating them to implement ESG, how they are implementing and benefiting from ESG and the challenges they face while reporting ESG.Â