ESG advisory: strategy, materiality, risk and assurance readiness

ESG is no longer a section at the back of the annual report. Lenders consider it, customers include it in supplier questionnaires and investors compare it across companies. Doing it well starts with knowing which environmental, social and governance issues matter most to your business and its stakeholders, and then managing them with the same discipline as any other business risk.

VPA India helps companies build that foundation: a clear ESG strategy, the policies and data to support it, and disclosures that can be assessed or assured. Our work is founder-led by a former DOE/VVB lead auditor (SGS SA), so we design with verification in mind from the start.

What we do

ESG strategy and materiality. We run a materiality assessment that looks both at your impacts on people and the environment and at the sustainability matters that affect your financial position (double materiality). The results become priorities, targets and an action plan.
ESG governance and policies. We help set board oversight, management responsibilities and the policies your stakeholders expect, and connect them to day-to-day decisions.
Social topics. We help set the policies and data for human rights, labour practices, health and safety, and community engagement, aligned with the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct that underpin the BRSR.
ESG data and KPIs. We define the indicators you need, map where each data point comes from, and set up collection, review and control steps so that every number can be traced back to its source, ready for your BRSR, GRI or IFRS S1/S2 report.
Climate and nature risk. We assess climate-related risks and opportunities in line with the TCFD recommendations, which are now fully incorporated into the ISSB Standards, and nature-related dependencies and impacts using the TNFD recommendations. This covers physical risks such as heat, water stress and flooding at your sites, and transition risks such as carbon pricing and changing customer demand.
Green and sustainability-linked finance. We support green, blue and sustainability-linked bond and loan frameworks, from eligible projects and KPIs to allocation and impact reporting.
Ratings and questionnaires. We prepare responses to ESG questionnaires from customers and rating agencies, and support the CII's GreenCo and GreenPro programmes.
Assurance readiness. We prepare your ESG data and processes for external assessment or assurance, including ISSA 5000, the IAASB's sustainability assurance standard, which applies to reporting periods beginning on or after 15 December 2026.

Where to start

If you are new to ESG, start with a materiality assessment and a data review: together they show what matters, what you already measure and where the gaps are. Most companies can then set a first-year plan that is realistic for their size.

How we work

Diagnose. Review your current policies, data and disclosures against what your stakeholders and regulators expect.
Prioritise. Agree material topics, gaps and early actions with your management team.
Build. Put the strategy, policies, KPIs and data processes in place.
Report and assure. Support disclosure and then assessment or assurance, and update the plan each year. Each cycle builds on the last, so the programme matures year by year.

What you receive

A materiality assessment with a short list of priority topics
An ESG strategy and action plan with owners and timelines
A KPI set with data definitions and controls
A register of climate- and nature-related risks and opportunities
An assurance-readiness review listing the gaps to close

Who we work with

Listed companies preparing for BRSR Core assessment or assurance; unlisted companies and MSMEs answering customer questionnaires; companies raising green or sustainability-linked finance; and subsidiaries aligning with their group's ESG policies.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ESG and sustainability reporting?

ESG describes how a company manages environmental, social and governance issues; sustainability reporting is how it discloses that performance. A sound ESG programme makes reporting easier and more credible. Our reporting services are on the ESG (GRI, IFRS S1/S2, BRSR) page.

What is double materiality?

It means looking at sustainability matters from two directions: how your business affects people and the environment, and how sustainability issues affect the business's financial position and prospects. The GRI Standards focus on the first and IFRS S1 and S2 on the second; many companies now consider both.

We are not a listed company. Do we still need an ESG programme?

Often, yes. Large customers ask their suppliers for ESG and emissions data, and lenders may ask for it in credit decisions. Starting with a focused set of material topics keeps the effort proportionate.