Uncovering the Journey to Corporate Sustainability Performance: A Longitudinal Case Study of Tata Consultancy Services (FY2021–FY2026)

Abstract

 This study examines the sustainability performance of India’s IT sector through a longitudinal case study of Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS), one of the country’s largest and most influential IT services companies. Six years of company data (FY2021–FY2026) are analysed to trace how TCS’s Environmental (E), Social (S) and Governance (G) disclosures have evolved, and to propose a roadmap that other IT companies can use to strengthen their own sustainability performance. TCS was chosen because it represents the growth and maturity of India’s IT services industry and is widely regarded as a benchmark-setter for corporate sustainability among its peers. The study evaluates: (i) Environment indicators — energy consumption and intensity, water management and intensity, and greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3); (ii) Social indicators — gender ratio, sexual harassment cases filed per 100,000 employees, complaints on health, safety and working conditions, the share of employees trained on up-skilling, employee compensation, health insurance coverage, and employee turnover; and (iii) Governance indicators — policies, processes and procedures, and gender diversity on the Board. Data were compiled from TCS’s published Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reports (BRSR), Annual Reports, official disclosures, press releases and corporate news, and all charts and visualisations in this study were prepared using Microsoft Power BI. The findings outline the steps TCS has taken to improve its sustainability performance, identify the metrics and enablers behind that progress, and point to the areas where IT firms still struggle to make their operations more sustainable. This study will help other IT companies understand how one of India’s largest IT multinationals is advancing sustainability over time. It should also help startups and mid-size companies embed sound sustainability practices into their own operations, and offers insights for corporate leaders, policymakers and investors seeking to deepen ESG practices and long-term business sustainability. The trend analysis presented here should be useful to academics and researchers pursuing further studies in this area.