A study by Kerala University and the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, reveals that top Indian companies support Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) integration under the mandatory Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) rules. However, they face hurdles due to missing sector-specific reporting standards and high costs to implement these initiatives. The research, published in the journal Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, used detailed interviews with senior managers in banking, manufacturing, and service sectors. It found that banks and financial firms are best in following rules and reporting, though they struggle to measure environmental impacts. Manufacturing companies lead in putting environmental plans into action but find it hard to convert those efforts into formal reports. Service firms suffer most from adapting to the framework. Many managers showed strong enthusiasm for ESG but worried about slow financial gains and heavy upfront spending on projects like renewable energy and waste management. Despite these hurdles, ESG compliance is seen as vital to attract global investors. While foreign investors seek ESG-friendly Indian firms, local retail investors seem less interested. Principal investigator Biju A.V., Associate Professor at Kerala University, suggests creating an “Emerging Economy ESG Implementation Framework” that fits sector needs and India’s diverse industries. The current uniform BRSR framework does not fully fit different sectors' operations. The study also involved researchers Ambili Jayachandran and Aghila Sasidharan.