Your customer sent you an ESG questionnaire? Here's exactly what to do

Why am I suddenly being asked for this?

You're not being singled out, and your customer isn't trying to drop you — they're responding to a rule of their own.

• In India, market regulator SEBI requires the largest listed companies to file a Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR). From FY2026–27, that reporting extends into their value chain — meaning large companies must collect ESG data from their significant suppliers. If you supply a large listed company, that's why the form landed in your inbox.
• If you export, your overseas buyers face the EU's CSRD and similar rules, which also push data collection down to suppliers. The EU created a lighter voluntary standard, the VSME, specifically so small suppliers can respond without drowning in complexity.

The takeaway: this is now a routine part of being a supplier — like a quality audit or a GST detail request. Suppliers who respond well keep and win contracts. Those who go silent get quietly de-prioritised.

What the questionnaire is actually asking for

It looks intimidating because of the jargon, but almost all ESG questionnaires boil down to a small set of real-world facts:

Environment (the "E" — usually the biggest section)

• How much electricity you use (from your bills, in kWh or ₹).
• How much fuel you burn — diesel for generators/vehicles, LPG, petrol, CNG/PNG.
• Sometimes water use and waste generated.
• From these, your carbon footprint, split into "Scope 1" (fuel you burn directly) and "Scope 2" (electricity you buy). Don't let the labels scare you — the tool does this split for you.

Social (the "S")

• Number of employees, split by gender; whether you pay at least minimum wage, provide a safe workplace, and have basic policies (no child labour, anti-harassment).

Governance (the "G")

• Basic company details, whether you have a code of conduct, and a point of contact.

That's it. It's about showing what you do today and your direction of travel — not about being perfect.

The 5-step response (do this once, reuse it forever)

Step 1 — Build a one-page "evidence folder"

Open a single spreadsheet. Each year, drop in: annual electricity (kWh), fuel quantities, water, headcount by gender, and a yes/no list of policies you have. This one sheet answers ~80% of every questionnaire you'll ever get. Build it once, update it yearly.

Step 2 — Turn your bills into carbon numbers

You don't compute emissions by hand. Enter your electricity and fuel figures into a calculator that uses India's official CEA grid emission factor — the global free tools use UK/US grids and will give you a wrong number. You'll get your Scope 1 and Scope 2 totals in tonnes of CO₂.

Step 3 — Answer the social/governance questions honestly

For each policy question: if you have it, say yes and attach a line of proof. If you don't have it yet, say so — and add that you intend to create one. Procurement teams consistently rate an honest "not yet, but planned" above a vague "not applicable".

Step 4 — Fill gaps with "not yet, here's our plan"

Nobody expects a 20-person firm to have a Scope 3 inventory. A transparent gap with a timeline is a strong answer, not a weak one.

Step 5 — Send a clean summary, and keep a copy

Return a tidy one-page summary (not a messy reply-all). Keep your copy — the next customer's questionnaire will ask for 90% of the same things, and you'll answer it in minutes.

The mistakes that actually cost suppliers contracts

• Going silent. Non-response reads as "won't comply." It's the one fatal move.
• Guessing numbers. Don't invent a carbon figure — use your real bills. It's quick and defensible if audited.
• Buying enterprise software you don't need. The ₹5–15 lakh ESG platforms are built for the large company asking you, not for you answering. You need a spreadsheet and a calculator.
• Treating it as one-off. Build the reusable evidence folder once; never start from scratch again.