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ESG Glossary: 60 Terms Every Sustainability Professional in India Must Know

The ESG and carbon markets come with an alphabet soup of acronyms, frameworks, and technical terms that can be overwhelming for professionals entering the field. This glossary covers 60 of the most important terms you will encounter in India's sustainability landscape — from regulatory frameworks to carbon market mechanics to reporting standards. A–C: Additionality to CSRD Additionality: A carbon project is 'additional' if the emission reductions would not have occurred witho

C² Team

Mar 193 min read

How to Choose a Carbon Credit Broker or Advisory Firm in India

India's carbon credit market is growing rapidly — and with that growth has come a proliferation of intermediaries of widely varying quality. Some are specialist advisory firms with deep knowledge of carbon markets, regulatory frameworks, and project verification. Others are brokers primarily interested in facilitating transactions without regard for credit quality or strategic fit. Choosing the right partner is one of the most important decisions a company can make when enter

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

Pharmaceutical Industry ESG: Water, Waste, API Manufacturing and Decarbonisation

India's pharmaceutical industry is the world's third largest by volume, supplying approximately 20% of global generic medicines and exporting to over 200 countries. This global footprint comes with global ESG scrutiny. International buyers, particularly in regulated markets like the EU and US, are increasingly imposing sustainability requirements on their Indian API and formulation suppliers. Combined with India's expanding BRSR framework, the ESG agenda for Indian pharma com

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

How Indian Banks and Lenders Are Using ESG in Credit and Lending Decisions

The relationship between ESG performance and access to capital is becoming tangible for Indian companies. Major Indian banks, development finance institutions, and international lenders are increasingly integrating ESG assessments into their credit processes — not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a genuine risk management tool. For companies seeking large loans, project finance, or bond issuance, their ESG profile can now affect both the availability and the cost of capital.

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

How to Set Science-Based Targets: A 1.5°C Reduction Pathway for Indian Companies

Setting a Science Based Target means committing to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions at a rate consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels — the goal established by the Paris Agreement. For Indian companies, this is not a distant aspiration: it is an increasingly common requirement from international buyers, institutional investors, and global value chain partners. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) provides the validation framewor

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

ESG Due Diligence: What Private Equity and Investors Now Demand from Indian Companies

ESG due diligence has become a standard part of the investment and lending process for Indian companies receiving capital from institutional investors, private equity funds, development finance institutions, and international banks. What was once a voluntary questionnaire has evolved into a structured, data-intensive process that can materially affect deal terms, valuations, and access to capital. Understanding what investors are asking for — and why — is now essential for an

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

Nature-Based Solutions and Afforestation Carbon Credits in India: A Complete Guide

Nature-based solutions (NbS) — which include afforestation, reforestation, improved forest management, soil carbon enhancement, and mangrove restoration — represent one of the most scalable, cost-effective categories of carbon credit projects in India. With over 24% of India's land classified as forest or tree cover, and significant opportunities for restoration of degraded land, India has the potential to generate substantial volumes of high-quality nature-based carbon credi

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement: What It Means for India's Carbon Market

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is the section that governs international cooperation on climate action — specifically the rules that allow countries to trade carbon credits internationally to help meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). For India, which has both significant emissions reduction ambitions and a large potential to generate low-cost carbon credits, Article 6 rules are directly relevant to how its carbon market develops and how Indian companies ac

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

The GHG Protocol Explained: Why It's the Global Standard for Carbon Measurement

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol is the most widely used international accounting standard for greenhouse gas emissions. Developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), it provides the methodology that underpins BRSR reporting, CCTS compliance, and virtually every major corporate climate framework — from CDP to TCFD to SBTi. Understanding the GHG Protocol is not optional for any Indian company serious about

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

Real Estate and Construction: The ESG Metrics That Matter Most in India

India's real estate and construction sector is among the most scrutinised for ESG performance, and for good reason. Buildings account for approximately 37% of global carbon emissions when construction and operational energy are combined. In India, where rapid urbanisation is adding hundreds of millions of square metres of new built environment each year, the sector's ESG profile is under increasing scrutiny from institutional investors, green finance providers, and internatio

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): The Complete Guide for Indian Exporters

The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is the most significant trade-related carbon policy affecting Indian exporters. It places a carbon price on imports entering the EU from countries without equivalent carbon pricing — effectively levelling the playing field between EU manufacturers paying the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) price and foreign competitors who face no domestic carbon cost. For Indian exporters in the affected sectors, CBAM creates a new cost, a

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

How to Calculate Your Company's Carbon Footprint: A Step-by-Step Guide

Calculating your company's carbon footprint is the foundational step in any serious ESG or climate strategy. Without accurate measurement, you cannot set credible reduction targets, assess your CCTS compliance position, respond to BRSR disclosure requirements, or make substantiated carbon neutral claims. The good news is that the methodology is well established and, with the right process, accessible to companies of all sizes. Step 1: Define Your Organisational Boundary Befor

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

India's PAT Scheme Explained: Energy Efficiency Certificates and the Link to Carbon Credits

India's Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme is one of the world's largest energy efficiency programmes. Launched by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, PAT sets specific energy consumption reduction targets for energy-intensive industries and allows those that outperform their targets to earn tradable certificates. Understanding PAT is essential context for any industrial company navigating India's evolving carbo

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

SBTi vs Net Zero: What's the Difference and Which Should Your Company Pursue?

Two acronyms appear repeatedly in the corporate sustainability conversation: SBTi and Net Zero. They are related but distinct concepts, and the difference matters enormously when your company is deciding what kind of climate commitment to make. A Science Based Target (SBT) is a near-term emission reduction goal aligned with climate science. A Net Zero commitment is a long-term endpoint. Understanding how they fit together is essential for any Indian company building a credibl

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

What Is Greenwashing and How to Avoid It in Your ESG Communications

Greenwashing is the practice of making environmental claims that are misleading, exaggerated, or unsubstantiated. As ESG pressure on Indian companies intensifies from investors, regulators, and international buyers, the temptation to overclaim on sustainability credentials has grown. So has the scrutiny. In 2026, greenwashing is not just a reputational risk — it is an emerging legal and regulatory risk in key markets including the EU, UK, and increasingly India itself. The Mo

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

ESG Ratings in India: How MSCI, Sustainalytics, and CRISIL Score Your Company

ESG ratings have moved from a niche analytical tool used by specialist investors to a mainstream factor in investment decisions, procurement processes, and credit assessments. For Indian companies — whether listed multinationals or mid-sized exporters — your ESG rating can now affect the cost of your capital, your eligibility for supply chain contracts, and your access to international markets. Understanding how rating agencies assess your company is the first step to improvi

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

Gold Standard vs Verra VCS: Which Carbon Credit Standard Should You Trust?

Not all carbon credits are equal. The quality of a carbon credit — how verifiable, additional, and permanent its emission reductions actually are — depends heavily on which certification standard was used to create it. For companies buying carbon credits to support ESG claims, supply chain commitments, or voluntary net zero targets, understanding the difference between the two dominant voluntary standards is essential: Gold Standard and Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

What Is Carbon Accounting? A Beginner's Guide for Indian Businesses

Carbon accounting is the process of measuring, tracking, and reporting the greenhouse gas emissions produced by an organisation, product, or activity. It sounds technical, but the core logic is straightforward: you cannot manage what you do not measure. For Indian businesses navigating BRSR reporting, CCTS compliance, and supply chain sustainability requirements from global buyers, carbon accounting is now a foundational capability. The Three Scopes of Carbon Emissions The GH

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

India's BRSR Core: The 9 KPIs Every Listed Company Must Now Report

SEBI's Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework introduced a new layer of accountability in 2023: the BRSR Core. Unlike the broader BRSR report, the BRSR Core focuses on nine specific Key Performance Indicators that must be independently verified — not just self-reported. For India's top listed companies, getting these nine metrics right is now a regulatory requirement, not an optional exercise. What Is the BRSR Core? The BRSR Core is a subset of

C² Team

Mar 192 min read

India's CCTS 2026: What Every Business Must Do Before the Carbon Compliance Deadline

India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) is no longer a future concept. With binding emission intensity targets now officially notified for cement, aluminium, chlor-alkali, and paper sectors — and the 2025–26 compliance period already underway — the question is not whether your business will be affected. The question is whether you are ready. What Is the CCTS and Why Does It Matter Now? The Carbon Credit Trading Scheme is India's domestic carbon market, established under t

C² Team

Mar 194 min read

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