More than 1,200 companies have published the BRSR framework: SEBI 

India Inc. has risen to the challenge of business responsibility and sustainability reporting (BRSR) framework, Pramod Rao, ED- Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), said at the Business Today India’s Most Sustainable Companies Summit and Awards at New Delhi on June 6. 

In a discussion titled “SEBI’s Vision For ESG,” Rao said that more than 1,200 companies in India are currently publishing the BRSR framework.

“Our requirement is that only 1,000 companies publish BRSR. But we are actually cruising at more than 1,200 companies that are doing the BRSR framework. Some companies are publishing the BRSR framework voluntarily,” Rao noted. 

In terms of extending the BRSR framework beyond the required 1,000 companies to smaller-sized companies, Rao said that the regulatory authority would prefer the voluntary publishing of the BRSR framework.

“It’s voluntary for those beyond the 1000 companies, and we would want to stay on course. But I think the linkage to value change, especially small companies linked to large companies, and the top 50, for instance, are required to publish the BRSR core. I think there is an opportunity for small enterprises to join in,” said Rao. 

According to Rao, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has been encouraging BRSR core for unlisted large corporates through voluntary standards. “But if they (large unlisted companies) have a sense of responsibility, they should measure up to SEBI’s standards or the MCA standards,” Rao added.