India’s ESG awakening: where reality meets rhetoric
Walk into any Indian boardroom today and ESG is likely to come up within the first ten minutes. What started as a grudging nod to international investors has become something more urgent: a factor that determines whether companies can export to Europe, attract capital, or even retain customers.
The numbers reflect this shift. Consumer surveys consistently show that environmental performance influences purchasing decisions, while asset managers screen investments through ESG criteria. For Indian businesses, this represents both an opening and a challenge they can’t sidestep.
Winners and strugglers
Some companies have embraced the change. Adani Green Energy now scores 74 out of 100 on NSE’s sustainability ratings—the highest in India’s power sector. The company’s rapid expansion in rene...