AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS' PERCEPTION TOWARDS ESG ADOPTION AMONG INDIAN COMPANIES

Abstract

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework has become a major topic for modern corporate performance and long term business sustainability in India. Chartered Accountants (CAs) play a critical role as financial advisors, auditors, and compliance leaders in guiding Indian businesses through this transition. This study presents an empirical investigation into Chartered Accountants' perception towards ESG adoption among Indian companies. The main objectives of this research are to evaluate the level of awareness among CAs regarding regulatory ESG mandates like SEBI's Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) and to analyse their perception of the key operational challenges and strategic benefits associated with ESG implementation. The research methodology relies on a primary survey conducted among 150 Chartered Accountants in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, selected using a simple random sampling technique. Statistical tools including descriptive percentage analysis, mean score ranking, and Chi-Square tests were applied to analyse the primary dataset. The empirical results show high awareness of ESG concepts among CAs, although practical implementation expertise remains moderate. CAs strongly agree that ESG adoption improves long term company valuation and attracts global investments, but highlight data verification, high compliance cost, and lack of standard reporting frameworks as primary barriers. In conclusion, Chartered Accountants view ESG as a high value opportunity for professional growth and corporate governance, provided formal training and clear reporting standards are established.