SBI Cards Achieves Improved ESG Score of 79.7 for FY25, Reflecting Sustainability Progress
The improved ESG score generally enhances the company's reputation and appeal to ESG-focused investors. However, persistent issues like a high volume of consumer complaints and certain governance lapses could temper the positive impact and signal operational or customer satisfaction challenges.
The company achieved an improved ESG score and made progress in environmental metrics like emission reduction and renewable energy use. However, significant concerns remain regarding over 1 lakh consumer complaints annually, a material gender pay gap, lack of occupational health and safety systems, and a decrease in return-to-work rates for parental leave.
SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited (SBICARD) has been assigned an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Score (Adjusted) of 79.7 for the financial year 2024-25 by SES ESG Research Private Limited, as per their report dated August 26, 2025. This score reflects an improvement of +1.4 year-on-year, as the ESG Score for FY 2023-24 was 78.3.
Key highlights from the report include: * Achieved a 52% reduction in Scope 2 emissions, surpassing the original target of 50% by FY 2026-27 (baseline FY 2018-19). * Total energy intensity, emission intensity, and intensity of total waste generated linked to Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) decreased in FY 2024-25 compared to FY 2023-24. * Consumption of renewable energy increased from 0 in FY 2023-24 to 2.61% in FY 2024-25. * Significant increase in the percentage of employees provided with Human Rights trainings in FY 2024-25. * Zero cases of data breach in FY 2024-25, and no safety-related incidents or complaints on Human Rights, Working Conditions, Health & Safety, Data Privacy, or Cyber Security in the last three financial years. * Statutory Auditors made no qualification, reservation, adverse remark, or disclaimer in their report for FY 2024-25, and no penalties were imposed by regulators during the year.
Areas requiring attention highlighted in the report include: * The company received more than 1 lakh consumer complaints in each of the previous three financial years. * Absolute Scope 3 emissions and the related emission intensity linked to turnover increased in FY 2024-25 compared to FY 2023-24. * A material gap (more than 20%) was observed in the median remuneration paid to male and female employees. * Only 11.44% of employees received skill upgradation training and 11.49% received health and safety training in FY 2024-25. * Occupational health and safety management system has not been implemented by the company. * SES also noted a non-compliance with the Companies Act regarding the disclosure of an independent director's appointment 16 days prior to the AGM, instead of the legally mandated 21 days.
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SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited filed this with the NSE as a statutory disclosure, categorised under sustainability. It is a primary document, not a recommendation, and the desk marks it medium impact: worth reading, rarely worth acting on by itself.
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See the model portfoliosA plain-language summary of a public exchange filing by SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited. Read the original for the full detail.