The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) and Partners in Change jointly organised a Pre-National Conference on Responsible Business Conduct webinar focusing on Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR), in New Delhi, yesterday. The conference delved into the analysis of publicly disclosed data by 928 companies, providing insights into the journey of non-financial disclosure in India.

With a central focus on key issues of diversity, materiality, and occupational health and safety (OHS), the webinar aimed at achieving the following objectives:

• Fostering a deeper understanding of the BRSR framework
• Tracing the evolution of disclosures from Business Responsibility Reports (BRR) to BRSR
• Analysing trends in disclosures to determine how data can enhance engagement with companies and stakeholders.

Compared to its predecessor, the Business Responsibility Report (BRR), BRSR introduces a more comprehensive set of questions encompassing both quantitative and qualitative disclosures. Positioned as an effective communication tool, BRSR facilitates the disclosure of an organisation's non-financial performance.

In adherence to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandate, the top 1,000 companies are poised to submit data on their non-financial performance. This submission not only showcases their commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices but also underscores their dedication to Responsible Business Conduct compliance.

The webinar, contextualised within this regulatory framework, set the stage for the upcoming National Conference organised by IICA scheduled from December 14-15, 2023. The National Conference will delve into various facets of the responsible business journey in India, offering guidance to businesses for enhanced and quality disclosure practices. The webinar witnessed analytical presentations by Ms. Ekta Verma, Mr. Pradeep Narayanan and Ms. Saesha Parekh, from Partners in Change, Mr. Dheeraj from Praxis with concluding remarks from Ms.Garima Dadhich, IICA.

About Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA)

Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) is an autonomous institution working under the aegis of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.

About Partners in Change

Partners in Change is a leading organisation dedicated to fostering sustainable development and responsible business practices. Together, they aim to drive positive change in the corporate landscape through initiatives like the National Conference on Responsible Business Conduct.

BRSR reporting requirement strengthens non financial disclosure obligations for large listed companies under SEBI's mandated ESG framework. The document describes the shift from the Business Responsibility Report to the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting framework, which mandates more comprehensive quantitative and qualitative non financial disclosures. It emphasises that large listed companies are required to submit non financial performance data under a regulatory reporting mandate, and that BRSR reporting is intended to evidence ESG commitment, improve stakeholder engagement, and elevate disclosure quality on themes such as diversity, materiality, and occupational health and safety.