The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) and Partners in Change, in collaboration, organized a significant Pre-National Conference on Responsible Business Conduct webinar focusing on Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR). The event, held on November 17, 2023, 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 such as 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
- Analyzing 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 organization’s non-financial performance.
In adherence to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandate, the top 1000 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, contextualized within this regulatory framework, set the stage for the upcoming National Conference organised by IICA scheduled from December 14-15, 2023. This larger event will further 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 Ekta Verma, Pradeep Narayanan and Saesha Parekh, from Partners in Change, Dheeraj from Praxis and concluding remarks from Garima Dadhich, IICA.
