Quick Answer
BRSR Core is not a new report. It is a defined, assurance-required subset of the existing BRSR framework, covering nine key ESG attributes that need independent reasonable assurance. For companies crossing into BRSR Core applicability, ESG data shifts from self-declared to externally verified, raising the bar on data collection and internal controls.
BRSR Core is a subset of the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report that SEBI requires listed companies to have independently assured. The shift matters because it changes the standard of proof. Self-declared ESG data becomes assured ESG data, and every reported number now faces external verification against source evidence.
For company secretaries and finance heads, this changes the work. You need auditable data trails, defined measurement methodologies, and internal controls for each assured attribute built before the assurance provider arrives, not during the engagement.
This guide covers what sits inside BRSR Core, which nine KPIs require assurance, the difference between reasonable and limited assurance, who can provide it, and how to prepare. Altacit Global’s ESG advisory practice guides listed companies through each of these steps.
The 9 NGRBC Principles Behind BRSR
Every BRSR disclosure maps to the nine principles of the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC). These principles are the foundation of the entire framework, so understanding them clarifies what BRSR Core assurance actually tests.
The nine NGRBC principles are:
- Ethics and transparency: businesses should conduct governance with integrity, ethics, and accountability.
- Product life-cycle sustainability: businesses should provide goods and services that are safe and sustainable across their life cycle.
- Employee wellbeing: businesses should respect and promote the wellbeing of all employees, including those in their value chain.
- Stakeholder engagement: businesses should respect the interests of and be responsive to all stakeholders.
- Human rights: businesses should respect and promote human rights.
- Environmental protection: businesses should protect and restore the environment.
- Responsible policy advocacy: businesses should engage in policy advocacy in a responsible and transparent manner.
- Inclusive growth: businesses should promote inclusive growth and equitable development.
- Consumer value: businesses should engage with and provide value to consumers responsibly.
For the full statutory context on how these principles fit into SEBI’s disclosure regime, see our ESG law in India guide.
BRSR Core: 9 ESG Attributes Requiring Assurance
BRSR Core narrows the full BRSR to nine ESG attributes that carry the highest materiality and, therefore, require independent assurance. These are the data points SEBI wants verified, not merely declared.
The nine assured KPIs under BRSR Core are:
# | BRSR Core attribute | What it covers |
1 | GHG footprint | Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions |
2 | Water footprint | Total water consumption and discharge |
3 | Energy footprint | Total energy consumed and the share from renewable sources |
4 | Circularity / waste | Waste generated, recycled, and reused; circular economy metrics |
5 | Employee wellbeing and safety | Occupational safety, health measures, and safety-related expenditure |
6 | Inclusive development / diversity | Gross wages, diversity metrics, and inclusive employment data |
7 | Fair treatment / grievance redressal | Grievance mechanisms and complaint resolution across the workforce |
8 | Openness of business / related party transactions | Concentration of purchases and sales, and related party transaction data |
9 | Value chain / supplier disclosure | ESG data for material value chain partners on a comply-or-explain basis |
Each attribute demands source records, a defined measurement method, and an internal control that ties the reported figure back to underlying evidence. If a number cannot be traced to a source, it will not pass assurance.
Reasonable Assurance vs Limited Assurance: What's Required
BRSR Core requires reasonable assurance. Limited assurance is not sufficient for the nine assured attributes.
The distinction is not cosmetic. It defines how much testing the assurance provider must perform and how strongly they can express their conclusion.
Feature | Reasonable assurance (required) | Limited assurance (not sufficient) |
Level of confidence | High | Moderate |
Form of conclusion | Positive “the data is fairly stated” | Negative “nothing came to our attention” |
Depth of testing | Extensive procedures, substantive verification of source data | Limited procedures, primarily inquiry and analytical review |
Evidence standard | Provider independently verifies underlying records | Provider reviews at a surface level |
BRSR Core status | Mandatory for the nine assured KPIs | Does not meet the requirement |
Reasonable assurance means the provider independently tests your source data and issues a positive conclusion on its accuracy. That standard is why auditable data trails matter. A gap between what you report and what your records prove becomes visible during the engagement. Altacit Global helps companies build documentation that withstands reasonable assurance testing.
Phased Applicability Timeline
SEBI is rolling out BRSR Core assurance in phases, expanding coverage by market capitalisation each year. The rollout has been adjusted since its introduction, so confirm the current schedule against the latest SEBI circular before you plan.
Phase | Companies covered | Effective from |
Phase 1 | Top 150 listed companies | FY 2023-24 |
Phase 2 | Top 250 listed companies | Subsequent year |
Phase 3 onward | Progressive expansion to more companies | Later years |
Two points matter for planning. First, applicability is driven by your market capitalisation ranking, so a rise in ranking can pull you into scope earlier than expected. Second, SEBI has extended and modified the timeline for value chain assurance in particular to treat any fixed year as provisional and check the operative circular. Do not build a compliance plan on a date that may have moved.
Who Can Provide BRSR Core Assurance
BRSR Core assurance must come from an independent assurance provider that meets SEBI’s eligibility conditions. The core requirement is independence; the provider cannot have a conflict of interest with the company or its group.
The eligibility criteria centre on three tests:
- Competence. The provider must hold the expertise and qualifications to assure sustainability data, including the relevant environmental and social metrics.
- Independence. The provider and its associates cannot sell any prohibited non-audit or advisory service to the company or its group entities. Selling such services to the same client creates a conflict that disqualifies the provider.
- Board and audit committee approval. The company’s board and audit committee must confirm that the appointed provider has no conflict of interest before the engagement begins.
The independence test is where companies most often trip. If your statutory auditor or a group advisor already provides restricted services, that firm may be barred from acting as your BRSR Core assurance provider. Confirm eligibility before you appoint. Our corporate governance guide explains how board and audit committee approvals should be documented.
Preparing for BRSR Core Assurance: Practical Steps
Preparation is a data and controls exercise, not a reporting exercise. Companies that treat BRSR Core as a year-end filing struggle at assurance. Companies that build systems pass. Follow this six-step sequence:
- Confirm your applicability. Check your market capitalisation ranking against the current SEBI phase schedule to determine whether BRSR Core assurance applies to you this year or next.
- Map each assured KPI to a data owner. Assign a named internal owner for every one of the nine attributes, so accountability for source data is clear.
- Define measurement methodologies. Document exactly how you calculate each metric GHG Scope 1 and 2, water, energy, waste using recognised measurement standards. The method must be consistent and repeatable.
- Build auditable source records. Retain the underlying records meter readings, invoices, HR data, safety logs that support every reported figure. Reasonable assurance verifies these records, so they must exist and reconcile.
- Extend to your value chain. Identify material suppliers and customers, embed ESG data requests into contracts, and prepare comply-or-explain documentation where a partner cannot supply data.
- Appoint an eligible provider and secure board approval. Confirm the provider meets SEBI’s independence criteria, then obtain board and audit committee sign-off before the engagement starts.
Run a dry-run internal check against these six steps before the assurance provider arrives. Altacit Global’s ESG advisory practice helps companies build the data trails, measurement methods, and control frameworks that survive reasonable assurance review.
Build for Assurance, Not Just Filing
BRSR Core changes ESG reporting from a declaration into a verifiable claim. Reasonable assurance is mandatory on all nine attributes, the applicability timeline is expanding by market capitalisation, and the value chain schedule has been adjusted: so plan against the current SEBI circular, not a fixed year. Companies that build auditable data trails, defined measurement methods, and eligible provider appointments now will pass assurance and reduce disclosure risk year on year. Altacit Global’s ESG advisory practice: with offices in Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad helps listed companies prepare for BRSR Core reasonable assurance. To discuss your assurance readiness, contact us at info@altacit.com.
Frequently Asked Questions: BRSR Core Assurance India
Q1: What is BRSR Core assurance?
BRSR Core assurance is the independent reasonable assurance SEBI requires on nine key ESG attributes within the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report. It applies to listed companies by market capitalisation on a phased basis and verifies that reported ESG data matches underlying source evidence.
Q2: What are the 9 BRSR Core assured KPIs?
The nine assured KPIs are: GHG footprint (Scope 1 and 2), water footprint, energy footprint, circularity and waste, employee wellbeing and safety, inclusive development and diversity, fair treatment and grievance redressal, openness of business and related party transactions, and value chain supplier disclosure.
Q3: Is limited assurance enough for BRSR Core?
No. BRSR Core requires reasonable assurance, which is a high level of confidence with substantive testing of source data. Limited assurance provides only moderate confidence through inquiry and analytical review, and does not meet the BRSR Core requirement.
Q4: Who can provide BRSR Core assurance in India?
An independent assurance provider that meets SEBI’s eligibility conditions. The provider must be competent to assure sustainability data, must have no conflict of interest, and cannot sell prohibited non-audit or advisory services to the company or its group. The board and audit committee must confirm independence before appointment.
Q5: When does BRSR Core assurance apply to my company?
Applicability is phased by market capitalisation, starting with the top 150 listed companies from FY 2023-24 and expanding to the top 250 and beyond in subsequent years. SEBI has adjusted the timeline, particularly for value chain assurance, so confirm the current schedule against the latest SEBI circular.
Q6: What is the difference between BRSR and BRSR Core?
BRSR is the full sustainability disclosure filed by the top 1,000 listed companies. BRSR Core is a subset of nine key ESG attributes that require independent reasonable assurance. BRSR Core is phased in by market capitalisation and carries a higher evidentiary standard because the data is externally verified.
