An Initiative for Sustainable & Responsible Business Excellence in India
भारत ESG अवार्ड्स 2026  ·  Inaugural Edition
ESG
India's Premier ESG Recognition Platform

Bharat
ESG Awards

2026  ·  Inaugural Edition
India's First National ESG Honours  ·  Recognising Responsible Excellence

Honouring India's most transformative organisations and leaders advancing Environmental stewardship, Social equity and Governance excellence — building the foundation for a Viksit Bharat.

Submit Nomination View Categories
18
Award Categories
3
ESG Pillars
21 Aug
Gala Ceremony
2026
Inaugural Year
About the Awards

Setting India's Gold Standard for Responsible Business

The Bharat ESG Awards is India's most authoritative recognition platform dedicated to honouring organisations and individuals who are redefining responsible business through measurable Environmental, Social and Governance impact.

Launched in 2026 as the Inaugural Edition, these awards create a credible, rigorous and independent benchmark — celebrating those building a more equitable, resilient and transparent economy aligned with India's national sustainability ambitions, BRSR framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

From large corporates to nimble startups, public undertakings to independent professionals — the Bharat ESG Awards welcomes excellence from every sector of the nation.

🌿
Environmental
Recognising efforts in climate action, clean energy transition and circular economy practices that measurably reduce India's environmental footprint.
🤝
Social
Honouring commitments to workforce wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, community upliftment and equitable value creation across India.
⚖️
Governance
Celebrating exemplary board accountability, transparent ESG reporting, ethical business conduct and stakeholder engagement.
🏅
National Recognition
India-wide visibility and credibility as a leader in responsible and sustainable business.
🔍
Rigorous Evaluation
Independent expert jury with multi-criteria, evidence-based assessment methodology.
📈
Investor Signals
ESG recognition increasingly influences institutional, FII and impact investment decisions.
🌐
Network & Influence
Connect with CXOs, policymakers, investors and sustainability leaders at the Grand Gala.
Award Categories

18 Categories Across Three Pillars

Nominations may be submitted across multiple categories. Shortlisted nominees proceed to Phase 2.

E
Environmental
6 Categories · Climate, Energy & Circularity
Climate Action & Net Zero Leadership
Awarded to organisations with credible, science-based net-zero commitments, verifiable emissions reductions and documented decarbonisation roadmaps aligned with India's NDCs.
Clean & Renewable Energy Champion
Recognising organisations leading India's energy transition through adoption, development or innovation in solar, wind, green hydrogen and other clean energy sources.
Circular Economy & Waste Innovation
Honouring organisations that have fundamentally redesigned products, services or supply chains to eliminate waste and maximise resource value at scale.
Sustainable Supply Chain Excellence
For organisations embedding environmental sustainability across their entire value chain — from Scope 3 emissions management to responsible and ethical sourcing practices.
Green Building & Infrastructure
Recognising leadership in designing, constructing or operating buildings and infrastructure to the highest environmental performance and energy efficiency standards.
E-Waste & Responsible Electronics
Recognising organisations with best-in-class electronic product take-back, recycling and extended producer responsibility programmes in the Indian market.
S
Social
7 Categories · People, Community & Inclusion
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion
For organisations demonstrating measurable progress in gender, disability, and ethnic diversity across all levels of leadership and workforce composition.
Employee Wellbeing & Occupational Safety
Recognising holistic employee health, mental wellbeing, zero-harm workplace practices and people-first policies that benchmark the industry.
Community Development & Social Impact
Honouring strategic, long-term community investment programmes that measurably uplift livelihoods, skills and quality of life in surrounding communities.
Education & Skill Development Initiative
For impactful programmes expanding access to quality education, digital literacy and vocational training for underserved populations across Bharat.
Women Empowerment & Gender Equity
For programmes that meaningfully advance women's economic participation, safety, leadership representation and financial independence across India.
Customer & Consumer Protection
For organisations with exemplary practices in product safety, ethical marketing, data privacy and transparent consumer grievance redressal mechanisms.
CSR Excellence & Social Innovation
Celebrating the most impactful and strategically aligned Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives delivering transformative outcomes for Indian communities.
G
Governance
5 Categories · Ethics, Transparency & Leadership
Best ESG Strategy & Integration
For organisations that have most effectively embedded ESG into core business strategy, capital allocation, board-level oversight and performance management systems.
ESG Reporting & Disclosure Excellence
For the most comprehensive, credible and decision-useful ESG and BRSR disclosures demonstrating transparency, materiality and third-party assurance.
Sustainable Finance & ESG Investing
For financial institutions and investors integrating ESG into investment mandates, product innovation or climate finance solutions for the Indian market.
Stakeholder Engagement Excellence
Recognising organisations with outstanding practices in proactive, inclusive and two-way engagement with communities, employees, investors and regulators.
ESG Innovation by a Startup
For early-stage companies building technology, products or services that directly advance an Environmental, Social or Governance outcome at meaningful scale in India.
Special Recognition

Lifetime & Special Honours

🏆
ESG Champion of the Year
The highest individual honour — awarded to a CXO or Board Member who has demonstrably transformed their organisation's ESG trajectory and inspired industry-wide change in India.
🌟
Lifetime Achievement in Sustainability
A rare honour bestowed upon an individual whose lifelong commitment has left an enduring legacy on India's sustainability and responsible business landscape.
🚀
Rising Star in ESG
Recognising an emerging leader under 40 charting a bold, impactful path in sustainability and inspiring the next generation of ESG practitioners across India.
🏛️
Best ESG Corporate Sector Organisation
Honouring the corporate body or enterprise that has most effectively embedded ESG principles into its core business model and stakeholder value creation.
🎓
ESG Research & Academic Excellence
For academic institutions and think tanks producing high-impact ESG research that shapes policy and responsible business practice across India.
🤲
Best ESG NGO / Non-Profit
Celebrating civil society organisations delivering the most transformative social or environmental outcomes through innovation, scale and strategic partnerships.
Who Can Apply

Eligibility & Evaluation Criteria

Eligible Applicants
  • Listed and unlisted corporates operating in India
  • Corporate Sector Organisations — private and public
  • Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
  • Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Foundations
  • Startups registered and operating in India
  • Academic and research institutions
  • Industry associations and multilateral bodies
  • Individual professionals and sustainability leaders
  • Foreign companies with significant India operations
Evaluation Criteria
  • Impact & Measurability — Quantifiable ESG outcomes with documented evidence
  • Scale & Ambition — Scope of initiative relative to organisation size
  • Innovation & Approach — Novel methodologies or solutions deployed
  • Strategy Integration — Depth of ESG embedding in core business model
  • Stakeholder Engagement — Quality of consultation and inclusive co-creation
  • Reporting & Transparency — Disclosure quality and third-party verification
  • Alignment with National Goals — Contribution to India's NDCs, SDGs and BRSR
Key Dates

Awards Timeline 2026

20 June 2026
Nominations Open
Online preliminary nomination portal goes live. Submissions open across all 18 categories and special honours.
5 July 2026
Early Bird Deadline
Priority processing and reduced fees for nominations submitted by this date. Acknowledgement within 24 hours.
20 July 2026
Nominations Close
Final submission deadline — no extensions. All preliminary nominations must be submitted before midnight.
July 2026
Jury Evaluation — Phase 1
Independent expert jury reviews all preliminary nominations. Shortlisted nominees contacted for Phase 2 submission with detailed documentation.
August 2026
Shortlist Announced
Finalists publicly announced and personally notified — a prestigious recognition in itself, regardless of final result.
21 August 2026
Grand Awards Gala
A landmark black-tie ceremony bringing together India's most distinguished sustainability leaders, policymakers and business luminaries.
Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
The Jury

Distinguished Evaluation Panel

The Bharat ESG Awards jury comprises India's most respected sustainability practitioners, policy architects, institutional investors and business leaders — ensuring rigorous, independent and credible evaluation across all categories.

A
Jury Chairperson
Sustainability Policy Expert
Senior Policy Architect & ESG Advisor, India
B
ESG Practitioner
Chief Sustainability Officer
Leading Indian Conglomerate
C
Finance & Investment
Chief Investment Officer
ESG-Focused Institutional Fund
D
Civil Society Voice
Founder & CEO
National Environmental Organisation
E
Industry Representative
Secretary General
National Industry Chamber
F
Academic Expert
Professor of Sustainability
Premier Management Institution
G
Governance Specialist
Partner, Governance Practice
Leading Advisory Firm
H
Social Impact Lead
Executive Director
Development Finance Institution

Full jury panel will be announced in July 2026. Expressions of interest for jury membership welcome at awards@bharatesg.com

Submit Your Nomination

Preliminary Nomination Form

This is a Phase 1 preliminary form and is completely free. Shortlisted nominees will be invited to Phase 2 — where detailed documentation and processing fee apply.

🆓
Phase 1 is Free
No payment at this stage
⏱️
5 Minutes
Quick preliminary submission
📩
48 Hours
Acknowledgement guaranteed
Nomination Type
Step 1 — Contact Information
Person submitting this nomination
Step 2 — Organisation Details
Details of the organisation being nominated
Step 3 — Award Categories
Select all categories you wish to be considered for
🌿 Environmental
🤝 Social
⚖️ Governance
🏆 Special Honours
Step 4 — Brief Overview
A short summary for the jury — detailed docs required only in Phase 2

🔒 Completely free  ·  Acknowledgement within 48 hours  ·  Phase 1 only
Queries: awards@bharatesg.com

✓ Nomination submitted successfully!
We'll send an acknowledgement within 48 hours. If shortlisted, you'll be contacted for Phase 2.