Open Access Research Article
ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) FRAMEWORK IN INDIA: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK, DISCLOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY BY CORPORATIONS
Abstract
Abstract
In India, the adoption of the ESG
framework as part of the country's regulatory system has been a progressive
process, moving from being a voluntary corporate practice to being more
institutionalized. This paper seeks to assess the legal regime concerning ESG
in India, paying attention to key sources of law, namely, the Companies Act of
2013, SEBI's Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting framework,
and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs' National Guidelines on Responsible
Business Conduct. In particular, it is shown that disclosure requirements have
come to be considered integral to the governance process in companies,
necessitating internal systems for the collection of information, determination
of material issues, and oversight by company boards, with an increasing
emphasis on transparency and external assurances. The constitutional and
judicial underpinning of ESG is also assessed in the context of some landmark
cases in the area of environmental law in India, with specific mention made of
the concepts of sustainable development, precautionary principle, and the
polluter pays principle that were adopted in some court decisions. Finally,
major challenges to implementing ESG in India are identified, among them being
regulatory fragmentation, lack of coherence of compliance mechanisms, and
increased risks of greenwashing due to undefined terms and lack of mandatory
verification requirements. The concept of corporate liability in connection
with climate change is touched upon, especially the role of disclosure regimes
and public interest litigation in the development of new forms of corporate
accountability. Despite the gaps, particularly those in terms of enforcement
and causation, it is expected that ESG will play an ever-increasing role in
governance frameworks in India.
Published Paper
Author Details
Authors: SRIJA VELLANKI
Registration ID: 1013249 | Published Paper ID: IJLRA13249
Year: Oct-2026 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 7
Approved ISSN: 2582-6433 | Country: Delhi, India
Page No.: 58-68
Article Information
ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) FRAMEWORK IN INDIA: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK, DISCLOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY BY CORPORATIONS
Authors: SRIJA VELLANKI
- Journal IJLRA
- ISSN 2582-6433
- Volume 3
- Issue 7
About Journal
International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis
- AbbreviationIJLRA
- ISSN2582-6433
- AccessOpen Access
- LicenseCC 4.0
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