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Title India’s New Green Business Rules: What Most SEBI Lawyers Observe
Category Internet --> Commercial Services
Meta Keywords SEBI expert lawyer
Owner Rashi
Description

In a move that has caught the attention of every SEBI lawyer in India, the country’s market regulator has rolled out new rules for how companies should report their environmental and social responsibilities. These updates, announced in October 2024, are reshaping how SEBI lawyers advise their corporate clients on sustainability reporting.

Vaneesa Agrawal, an expert SEBI lawyer specializing in corporate governance, via her Thinking Legal article, explains “These ESG regulations are no longer just about profits — it’s about responsible business practices.”

For SEBI lawyers across the country, the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) updated Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework presents both challenges and opportunities. Leading law firms with SEBI expert lawyers are already working to help their clients navigate these new requirements.

Simplified Reporting: A SEBI Lawyer’s Perspective

The most significant change that SEBI expert lawyers are highlighting to their clients is the simplified reporting process. Companies, as of the 2024 updates in the regulations, only need to report on business partners who make up 2% or more of their total sales or purchases. This is a major shift that SEBI lawyers say will make compliance easier for their corporate clients.

“The regulations make ESG reporting more manageable while maintaining its effectiveness.”, Vaneesa Agrawal notes.

SEBI lawyers specializing in corporate compliance are particularly interested in SEBI’s new Green Credit Program. Under this initiative, companies can earn credits for environmental activities like tree planting. As many SEBI lawyers point out, this creates new opportunities for companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.

Understanding SEBI’s New Assessment Framework

SEBI lawyers highlight that the regulatory body’s transition from “Assurance” to “Assessment” has significant implications for corporate reporting.

Vaneesa Agrawal, an expert SEBI lawyer explains, “This change gives companies more room to tell their sustainability story. It’s about meaningful reporting rather than just checking boxes.”

The new framework introduces important considerations for listed companies. According to SEBI lawyers, the updated assessment approach focuses on qualitative aspects of sustainability reporting rather than purely quantitative metrics.

Some of the top considerations as highlighted by SEBI lawyers are,

  • The BRSR code framework mandates disclosures on 9 KPIs related to ESG attributes. SEBI lawyers note that these include greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, energy consumption and employee well-being.
  • SEBI lawyers state that as per these updates, companies must disclose ESG-related information about their value chain partners on a comply-or-explain basis.
  • The new regulation, as noted by SEBI lawyers, also encourages companies to engage in environmentally sustainable practices through the reporting of Green Credits.
  • SEBI lawyers point out that this approach is on a timeline basis. The assurance requirements will gradually expand from the top 250 to the top 1000 listed entities by FY 2026–27.

“The considerations in the new ESG regulations reflect SEBI’s commitment and business’ transparency and accountability in sustainability reporting.”

- Vaneesa Agrawal, an expert SEBI lawyer

Research conducted by leading SEBI lawyers indicates that companies implementing these changes see a benefit by focusing on corporate compliance, and transparency over procedural formalities.

It is also to be noted that many law firms with expert SEBI lawyers are now expanding their ESG advisory services to help clients adapt to these changes. The focus, according to SEBI expert lawyers, should be on transparency and meaningful reporting rather than mere compliance.

Another point that SEBI lawyers are particularly interested in is the implementation timeline consideration. Let’s dig a bit deeper on that point.