ESG Career for CA in India: Jobs, Salary, Skills & How to Start

Introduction

If you have cleared your CA exams, chances are you have been thinking about the "next big thing" beyond tax and audit. Well, here it is — ESG. Three letters that are quietly changing how companies do business, how investors put their money, and yes, how Chartered Accountants build their careers in India.
This blog will walk you through exactly what ESG is, why it matters for you as a CA, what kinds of jobs are opening up, and how you can get started. No complicated language, no jargon — just a real conversation about a real opportunity.

What is ESG, and Why Should a CA Care?

Let us break it down simply. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. Think of it as a report card for companies — not for profits, but for how they treat the planet, their people, and their shareholders.

• Environmental: How much carbon does a company emit? Does it waste water? Does it manage its waste responsibly?
• Social: How does it treat its employees? Does it pay fair wages? Is there diversity in the workplace?
• Governance: Is the board independent? Are there any fraud risks? Is the management transparent?

Now here is the part that matters for you as a CA. All of this needs to be measured, reported, and verified. And who better to do that than someone trained in financial reporting, auditing, and compliance? That is exactly where you come in.

What Is Happening in India Right Now?

India's regulatory environment around ESG has changed dramatically over the last two to three years. This is not a trend that is coming — it is already here.
SEBI and the BRSR Framework
SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has made ESG reporting mandatory for listed companies through a framework called BRSR — Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report. Here is the simple version of where things stand:

• From FY 2022-23: All top 1,000 listed companies must file BRSR reports as part of their annual reports.
• From FY 2023-24 onwards: The top 150 listed companies must additionally comply with BRSR Core — a sharper, more detailed version requiring independent third-party verification.
• By FY 2026-27: The entire top 1,000 listed companies will be covered under BRSR Core requirements.
• Value chain disclosures (meaning your suppliers and customers also need to report) are being phased in from FY 2025-26.

Think about what this means practically. If you are an Infosys, a Tata Motors, or even a mid-size manufacturing company, you now have a legal obligation to measure and disclose your carbon emissions, water consumption, gender diversity, wage parity, and dozens of other ESG metrics. And someone has to do that work.

India's Net Zero Commitment

India has committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2070. To get there, companies need to track, reduce, and report their emissions every single year. Green bonds are being issued. Renewable energy projects need funding. None of this works without finance professionals who understand both numbers and sustainability.

What Kind of ESG Jobs Can a CA Get in India?

ESG careers for CAs are not just one job — they are a whole family of roles. Here is a breakdown:
1. ESG Reporting Specialist
This is probably the most direct entry point. Companies need someone to collect data, fill in the BRSR report, ensure the numbers are correct, and submit it to SEBI. As a CA, your understanding of financial reporting makes you the ideal person to handle non-financial reporting too.
Example: Large IT companies like Wipro and HCL now have full-time ESG reporting teams internally. These are not junior clerk roles — they are analyst and manager-level positions with good salaries.
2. ESG Auditor / Assurance Provider
Remember how financial audits work? ESG audits are similar — a company prepares its ESG data, and an external auditor verifies it. SEBI now requires third-party assessment for BRSR Core disclosures. Big 4 firms (Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG) and several mid-tier CA firms are building dedicated ESG assurance teams. If you are in practice, this is a direct extension of your existing audit skills.ESG assurance work closely mirrors statutory audit principles—risk assessment, evidence evaluation, documentation, and independent reporting—making a strong audit foundation invaluable for CAs entering ESG verification roles.
3. Sustainability Consultant
Imagine a Tata Steel or a Mahindra group company wants to reduce its carbon footprint or improve its diversity numbers — but does not know where to start. That is where a sustainability consultant walks in. You help companies build their ESG strategy, identify gaps, set targets, and put systems in place. This role tends to pay very well and has room for a lot of creative thinking.
4. Green Finance and ESG Investment Analyst
Institutional investors — think mutual funds, insurance companies, pension funds — are increasingly using ESG scores to decide where to invest. They need analysts who can read an ESG report the same way you would read a P&L statement. If you have a finance and accounting background, this is a natural fit. Add a CFA to your CA and you are almost unstoppable in this space.
Professionals transitioning into ESG investing often find that strong financial due diligence skills—such as analysing quality of earnings, sustainability of cash flows, and hidden risks—play a critical role in evaluating ESG-aligned businesses.
5. ESG Risk Officer in Banks and NBFCs
The Reserve Bank of India has introduced climate risk disclosure requirements for banks and NBFCs. A bank that lends to a coal company carries very different risks than one lending to a solar energy firm. ESG risk officers help financial institutions understand and manage these risks. This is a newer but rapidly growing role in India's banking sector.
6. ESG Compliance Manager (In-house)
Large corporates, especially those that export to Europe or have foreign investors, are hiring full-time ESG compliance professionals in-house. Your job is to ensure the company meets all its ESG obligations — both to SEBI and to international standards like GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) and TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures). Companies in sectors like pharma, textiles, and auto-components are particularly active here.

How Much Can You Earn in an ESG Role?

ESG salaries in India are still being standardised, but here is a rough picture based on current market trends:

Note: These are indicative figures based on current market trends. Salaries in ESG are rising fast because demand is clearly outpacing supply of qualified professionals right now.

What Skills Do You Need as a CA to Enter ESG?

Here is the good news — you already have most of the foundation.
What You Already Have (Thanks to CA Training)

• Ability to read and prepare financial statements — ESG reporting uses very similar frameworks
• Audit mindset — understanding of evidence, verification, and independent assurance
• Compliance and regulatory understanding — SEBI, LODR, Companies Act knowledge
• Analytical thinking — interpreting data and spotting inconsistencies
• Stakeholder communication — explaining complex information to management and boards

What You Need to Add

• Understanding of ESG frameworks — GRI Standards, TCFD, ISSB, and of course BRSR
• Basic knowledge of carbon accounting — Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions (it sounds harder than it actually is)
• Familiarity with sustainability reporting software tools
• Knowledge of supply chain and value chain ESG risks
• Soft skills — stakeholder engagement, ESG storytelling, cross-department coordination
• In practical ESG assignments, Excel remains the most frequently used tool for data cleaning, ESG metrics computation, and trend analysis, which is why many professionals consciously strengthen these skills early in their ESG journey.

Certifications That Can Give You an Edge

1. ICAI Sustainability Reporting Course
ICAI has its own Certificate Course on Sustainability Reporting. Since you are already a CA, this is the most logical first step. It covers GRI standards, BRSR, and integrated reporting. It is affordable, well-recognised in India, and does not take very long to complete.
2. GRI Certified Training
GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) is the world's most widely used ESG reporting standard. Getting certified in GRI shows employers you know the international language of sustainability reporting — a big plus if you want to work with MNCs or consulting firms.
3. SASB Training
SASB has sector-specific sustainability standards — what an IT company must disclose differs from what a steel company must disclose. Knowledge of SASB is especially valuable if you go into consulting.
4. CFA ESG Certificate
If green finance and ESG investing is your direction, the CFA Institute now offers a dedicated Certificate in ESG Investing. Combined with your CA, this positions you very well for roles in asset management, mutual funds, and ESG rating agencies.

How Do You Actually Get Started? A Step-by-Step Plan

• Step 1 — Learn the basics first: Read SEBI's BRSR format. It is freely available on SEBI's website. Understanding what a company is actually required to disclose will give you a solid foundation.
• Step 2 — Do ICAI's sustainability course: It is a structured way to get formally trained without spending a lot of money. Many CA firms now look for this credential.
• Step 3 — Follow ESG news in India: SEBI circulars, Ministry of Corporate Affairs updates, RBI's climate risk guidelines — staying current is half the battle.
• Step 4 — Build a portfolio: Volunteer to help a small company draft its BRSR, or do a mock ESG report for a company you know well. This gives you something concrete to show.
• Step 5 — Network actively: LinkedIn is full of ESG professionals in India. Follow them, engage with their posts, and do not hesitate to reach out. This field is still small enough that people are generally willing to help.
• Step 6 — Target the right employers: Big 4 ESG teams, ESG consulting boutiques (like ERM, Sustain Plus), ESG rating agencies (like CRISIL, CARE), and in-house sustainability teams of large listed companies are all actively hiring.

Is ESG Really a Long-Term Career or Just a Fad?

This is the most honest question to ask, and here is the honest answer: ESG is not going away.

The reason is simple — it is now law. SEBI has made BRSR mandatory. RBI has issued climate risk guidelines. India has international commitments on carbon emissions. Foreign investors will not put money into companies with poor ESG scores. The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) means Indian exporters who cannot prove their environmental credentials will face extra tariffs.
All of this creates a permanent, structural demand for ESG professionals. The same way that GST created a permanent need for GST consultants and IND AS created a need for accounting standards experts, ESG will create a permanent need for sustainability-minded finance professionals.
Think of it this way: Five years ago, very few CA firms had a dedicated transfer pricing team. Today, it is standard. ESG is on the same path.

Final Thoughts

The ESG wave is not a distant possibility. It is happening right now, in listed boardrooms across India, in SEBI's rule books, in how global investors are scoring Indian companies. Chartered Accountants are perfectly placed to ride this wave — your training in financial reporting, auditing, compliance, and stakeholder communication maps almost directly onto what ESG roles demand.
The professionals who move early into ESG will not just find better job opportunities — they will shape how sustainability is measured, reported, and governed in India for the next two decades. That is not a small thing.
So whether you are a fresh CA looking for a niche, a practitioner thinking about diversifying your firm's services, or a commerce professional exploring new horizons — ESG deserves a serious look. The numbers are there. The regulations are there. The demand is there. All that is left is for you to get started.

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Still have questions about ESG careers? Start by reading SEBI's BRSR format — it is the best free resource available, and it costs absolutely nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is ESG a good career option for Chartered Accountants in India?
Yes. ESG is a fast-growing and regulation-driven field in India due to SEBI’s BRSR and BRSR Core requirements. CAs are well-suited for ESG roles because of their background in reporting, audit, compliance, and data verification.

2. What ESG roles are best for CA freshers?
CA freshers can start as ESG reporting analysts, ESG audit associates, or sustainability assurance professionals. These roles focus on BRSR reporting, data validation, disclosures, and compliance—areas where CA fundamentals are directly applicable.

3. What skills should a CA learn to enter ESG roles?
Apart from CA knowledge, you should learn ESG frameworks like BRSR, GRI, TCFD, and basics of carbon accounting. Strong Excel skills, data analysis, and report interpretation are critical for ESG reporting and assurance roles.

4. How much salary can a CA expect in an ESG career in India?
Entry-level ESG roles for CAs typically pay ₹6–9 LPA. With 3–5 years of experience, salaries can reach ₹18–30 LPA, especially in ESG assurance, consulting, and investment analysis roles.

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