Manufacturing & Engineering
India's manufacturing sector contributes 17% of GDP and is the backbone of the Make in India vision. We help manufacturing and engineering companies tackle direct emissions, energy intensity, worker safety, and supply chain ESG across diverse sub-sectors.
Key BRSR Materiality Issues
The most material ESG issues for manufacturing and engineering companies under India's BRSR framework and global disclosure standards.
Scope 1 & 2 Direct Emissions
Manufacturing processes involving combustion, thermal treatment, and grid electricity consumption create significant direct and indirect emissions requiring robust measurement and reduction.
- GHG inventory (Scope 1 & 2)
- Process emission mapping
- Fuel combustion optimisation
- Science-based target setting
Energy Intensity & Efficiency
Energy costs represent 10-30% of manufacturing expenses. PAT scheme compliance and competitiveness demand continuous improvement in specific energy consumption.
- Energy audit & benchmarking
- PAT compliance roadmap
- Waste heat recovery systems
- ISO 50001 implementation
Worker Safety (LTIFR)
Heavy machinery, high-temperature processes, and chemical handling create significant occupational hazards demanding world-class safety management systems.
- LTIFR & fatality tracking
- Safety management system (SMS)
- Contractor safety governance
- Near-miss reporting culture
Water Management
Manufacturing processes consume significant water for cooling, cleaning, and processing. Water-stressed industrial belts face growing regulatory and community pressure.
- Water footprint assessment
- Recycling & reuse systems
- Zero liquid discharge targets
- Rainwater harvesting
Supply Chain ESG
Fragmented supply chains with thousands of SME vendors create blind spots in labour practices, environmental compliance, and quality standards.
- Supplier ESG assessment
- Vendor audit programmes
- Responsible sourcing policies
- Supply chain transparency
Hazardous Waste
Manufacturing generates hazardous waste including used oils, chemical sludge, metal residues, and contaminated materials requiring compliant handling and disposal.
- Hazardous waste inventory
- Authorised disposal partnerships
- Waste minimisation strategies
- TSDF compliance
Circular Economy & Recycling
Moving from linear to circular models through material recovery, product lifecycle extension, and industrial symbiosis reduces waste and creates cost savings.
- Material flow analysis
- Design for disassembly
- Industrial symbiosis mapping
- EPR compliance & reporting
Community Impact
Manufacturing facilities impact surrounding communities through noise, traffic, air quality, and employment. CSR obligations and social licence to operate are critical.
- Community engagement programmes
- Environmental impact mitigation
- Local employment & skill development
- CSR spending compliance
Sector Challenges
Structural complexities that make ESG transformation in the manufacturing and engineering sector uniquely demanding in India.
High Direct Emissions from Thermal Processes
Foundries, forging, heat treatment, and coating operations rely heavily on fossil fuels for thermal energy. Electrification and fuel switching face technical constraints and capital requirements, particularly for high-temperature processes above 400°C.
Thermal processes: 60%+ of energy demandFragmented Supply Chain ESG Visibility
India's manufacturing supply chains involve thousands of SME and MSME vendors with minimal ESG reporting capability. Achieving supply chain transparency and compliance across tiers is a massive data and engagement challenge.
63M+ MSMEs in the supply chainPAT Compliance Costs
BEE's Perform, Achieve and Trade scheme sets increasingly stringent energy efficiency targets for designated consumers. Meeting targets requires capital investment in efficiency technologies, while non-compliance means purchasing ESCerts at market rates.
PAT targets tightening each cycleKey Metrics & KPIs
The critical metrics that investors, regulators, and BRSR assessors evaluate for manufacturing and engineering companies.
Energy Intensity (toe/₹Cr)
Tonnes of oil equivalent consumed per crore of revenue. The primary energy efficiency metric for PAT compliance and operational benchmarking.
Benchmark: Sector-specific, declining YoYLost Time Injury Frequency Rate
Number of lost-time injuries per million hours worked. The gold-standard safety metric for manufacturing environments with heavy machinery and process hazards.
Benchmark: <0.5 LTIFR (global best practice)Water Recycling Rate (%)
Percentage of total water consumption that is recycled and reused within manufacturing operations. Key metric for water stewardship and ZLD progress.
Benchmark: >50% recycling rateEmissions per Unit Production
GHG emissions (tCO2e) normalised by production volume. Enables intensity tracking independent of production growth for meaningful YoY comparison.
Benchmark: Declining 3-5% YoYWaste-to-Landfill Ratio
Percentage of total waste (hazardous and non-hazardous) sent to landfill versus recycled, recovered, or co-processed through authorised channels.
Benchmark: <5% to landfill (zero-waste target)Supplier ESG Audit (%)
Percentage of critical suppliers (by spend or risk) that have undergone ESG assessment or audit. Tracks supply chain governance maturity.
Benchmark: >80% of critical suppliers auditedIndia Regulatory Context
The regulatory framework shaping ESG obligations for India's manufacturing sector spans energy, safety, waste, and sustainability disclosure requirements.
PAT Scheme (Perform, Achieve & Trade)
BEE's flagship energy efficiency programme sets mandatory specific energy consumption reduction targets for designated consumers across manufacturing sub-sectors. Non-compliant units must purchase Energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts) at market rates.
PLI Sustainability Requirements
Production Linked Incentive schemes across 14 sectors increasingly include sustainability and environmental compliance conditions for incentive disbursement. Green manufacturing practices, energy efficiency, and waste management are becoming eligibility criteria.
Factories Act & Safety Regulations
The Factories Act 1948 and state-specific rules mandate comprehensive worker safety, health, and welfare provisions including machine guarding, ventilation, hazardous process management, and accident reporting. Occupational Safety Code modernisation is underway.
Hazardous Waste Management Rules
MoEFCC rules mandate cradle-to-grave tracking of hazardous waste from generation through storage, transport, treatment, and disposal. Authorisation from SPCBs, manifest systems, and annual returns are mandatory for all manufacturing units generating hazardous waste.
EPR Regulations
Extended Producer Responsibility obligations under Plastic Waste, E-Waste, and Battery Waste Management Rules require manufacturers to take responsibility for post-consumer waste. EPR targets are tightening annually with CPCB monitoring compliance through centralised portals.
Make in India Green Corridors
Government's industrial corridor programme includes green manufacturing zones with built-in environmental infrastructure — common ETPs, renewable energy microgrids, and waste exchange platforms. BRSR & BRSR Core disclosures apply to all listed manufacturing entities.
Our Approach
A structured methodology designed for the operational complexity and regulatory breadth of India's manufacturing and engineering sector.
Materiality & Baseline
Map manufacturing-specific materiality covering energy, emissions, safety, water, and waste. Establish baselines across all operational sites and benchmark against sub-sector peers.
Regulatory Gap Analysis
Assess compliance across PAT, Factories Act, hazardous waste rules, EPR regulations, and BRSR. Identify gaps, quantify risk exposure, and prioritise remediation actions.
Energy & Decarbonisation Roadmap
Develop a phased plan covering energy efficiency improvements, fuel switching, renewable energy procurement, and process optimisation to meet PAT targets and reduction goals.
BRSR Reporting
Structure disclosures across all nine BRSR principles with manufacturing-appropriate metrics, safety data, environmental impact, and supply chain governance documentation.
Supply Chain ESG Programme
Design and implement supplier ESG assessment frameworks, audit programmes, capacity building initiatives, and responsible sourcing policies for critical vendor tiers.
Continuous Improvement
Quarterly performance tracking, annual target recalibration, and investor-ready ESG communication to demonstrate measurable progress year over year.
Elevate Manufacturing ESG Performance
Schedule a sector consultation to assess your PAT compliance, safety systems, and BRSR readiness for manufacturing and engineering operations.
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