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Data-Driven Reporting, Digital Monitoring & Skill Building Essential for India’s Sustainable Transition, Says New Study

A new study by Eversource Capital, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) has highlighted major gaps and opportunities in India’s corporate emissions disclosure ecosystem. The report finds that 998 of India’s top 1,000 companies filed sustainability reports for FY24, signaling strong compliance among leading corporates.

According to the study, 781 companies now report their Scope 1 and 2 emissions, but fewer than 30% (268 companies) disclose value chain (Scope 3) emissions. The publication, titled “Advancing Corporate Climate Action through Emissions Disclosures in India,” is the first comprehensive benchmark comparing India’s disclosure standards with global leaders such as the EU, UK, South Korea, and California.

The report notes that India’s top 1,000 listed firms account for 43% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions—about 1.3 billion tonnes. While these companies are already covered under mandatory reporting frameworks, expanding the rules to smaller listed entities would increase coverage only marginally. Instead, the report recommends bringing large unlisted companies and financial institutions under the reporting umbrella to improve national emissions transparency.

However, the quality of emissions data submitted varies significantly across companies. To address this, the study recommends adopting a unified, assurance-backed disclosure framework by expanding the existing BRSR Core, replacing India’s multiple overlapping reporting templates.

A key concern raised by the report is the lack of digital monitoring capabilities in India’s upcoming Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). The study proposes building a single interoperable digital platform that combines carbon market operations with ESG reporting to strengthen transparency, verification, and data reliability.

The report also highlights the increasing pressure on mid-sized enterprises from global supply chains that require credible emissions disclosures. It recommends launching a national capacity-building programme—similar to the EU’s EFRAG model—to prepare India’s MSMEs for BRSR Lite compliance and future climate reporting requirements.

Dhanpal Jhaveri, CEO of Eversource Capital, emphasized the importance of strong emissions data in India’s green transition. He stated that credible disclosures strengthen climate accountability and attract global capital to India’s sustainability-driven industries.

Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, Founder and CEO of CEEW and UN Special Envoy for COP30 (South Asia), noted that accurate and transparent reporting can curb greenwashing and open new pathways for sustainable financing. While India performs well on Scope 1 and 2 disclosures, he said there is substantial room to improve overall reporting quality and consistency.

Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, DG-CEO of IICA, observed that India’s corporate reporting landscape is shifting from compliance-driven filings to credibility and verification. He stressed that building a digital, interoperable, evidence-based disclosure system is essential for enhancing investor trust and accelerating India’s climate ambition.

By aligning India’s emissions reporting systems with international standards and embedding digital monitoring frameworks, the study envisions a high-integrity, transparent, and globally credible corporate disclosure ecosystem—one capable of supporting national net-zero goals while boosting investor confidence.