Client at a Glance

Indoco Remedies Limited is a fully integrated, India-based pharmaceutical major with a global footprint spanning over 55 countries. With 11 manufacturing facilities and a workforce of approximately 6,000 employees, Indoco is a powerhouse in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.

Faced with an aggressive regulatory timeline and the inherent complexities of pharma manufacturing, Indoco engaged Oren to transform their ESG approach. What began as a rapid response to SEBI’s BRSR mandate evolved into a sophisticated, board-governed sustainability programme that delivers measurable environmental impact and operational efficiency.

The Challenge: Rapid Institutionalisation in a High-Stakes Industry

Indoco’s ESG journey began at a critical juncture where the need for regulatory compliance met the challenges of a decentralised manufacturing landscape. The company faced several formidable hurdles:

• Compressed Regulatory Timeline: The immediate mandate was to achieve full BRSR compliance within a narrow 3–5 month window for FY 2022–23.
• Decentralised Data & Silos: Data was scattered across 9 operational locations and multiple departments, leading to high variance, inconsistencies, and a baseline data accuracy of only 65–70%.
• Resource & Policy Gaps: At the outset, the company lacked a dedicated sustainability function. Furthermore, existing corporate policies required significant upgrades to address modern ESG governance, carbon emissions, and water stewardship.
• Technical Complexity: As a pharmaceutical manufacturer, tracking precise metrics for energy intensity, hazardous waste, and water emissions across diverse plant configurations required high technical rigour.

Oren's Solution: A Multi-Year Roadmap to Sustainability Excellence

Oren’s engagement was structured to move Indoco from "Rapid Compliance" to "Strategic Performance" through a phased, three-year evolution.

Year 1: Rapid BRSR Compliance & Foundation (FY23)

The primary objective was meeting the SEBI mandate without compromising on data integrity.

• Gap Assessment & Training: We conducted an exhaustive BRSR gap assessment and delivered department-wise training to 100% of relevant employees.
• Rapid Data Mobilisation: Oren streamlined data collection, reducing the cycle to just 15–20 days. This was supported by a three-layer validation process (Internal Review → Oren Review → Systematic Validation).
• Policy Architecture: We facilitated critical policy upgrades and secured board-level approvals within statutory timelines, ensuring the company’s legal and ethical framework was "ESG-ready".

Year 2: Data Accuracy & Performance Management (FY24)

With the foundation laid, the focus shifted to institutionalising ESG within the corporate structure.

• Capacity Building: Oren supported the onboarding of a dedicated Sustainability Head, transitioning ESG from an outsourced task to an internal core competency.
• KPI Pilot Programme: We launched an internal ESG KPI programme covering emissions, energy, water, and safety. This moved the needle from "reporting the past" to "managing the present" via quarterly performance reviews.
• Technical Advisory: Oren acted as an extended technical partner, advising on high-impact initiatives such as biofuel transitions and energy efficiency projects at the plant level.

Year 3: Governance & Strategic Scale-Up (FY25)

In the current phase, ESG has been elevated to the highest levels of corporate decision-making.

• Board-Level Oversight: Oren enabled the formation of a formal board-level ESG committee, ensuring sustainability is integrated into Indoco’s long-term business strategy.
• Plant-Level Implementation: We are currently supporting sustainability rollouts across manufacturing sites, including feasibility studies, vendor identification, and procurement support.
• Global Benchmarking: We have initiated EcoVadis certification for key facilities and are planning for deeper ESG integration for the FY 2025–26 cycle.

The Outcome: From Compliance to Performance

The partnership has matured Indoco’s ESG profile into a value-driven programme backed by the CFO and the Board.

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Complexities Managed

Navigating the pharmaceutical sector required solving for specific technical and structural complexities:

• High-Variance Data: Overcoming inconsistencies across 11 diverse facilities by implementing "Trend Analysis" and "Anomaly Detection" to flag spikes in consumption or emissions.
• Audit Readiness: Moving beyond mere data points to a "document-first" approach, where every metric is backed by digital evidence (bills, certificates, and logs) within the Oren's AI-powered ESG data management platform.
• Operational Transition: Supporting the transition from traditional fuels to biofuels and improving water recycling processes within a highly regulated manufacturing environment.

Conclusion

Indoco Remedies’ journey is a testament to the fact that meaningful ESG impact is built through sustained partnership, not one-time reporting. By starting with a digital-first compliance approach and progressively layering on governance and technical efficiency, Indoco has moved from meeting a mandate to driving performance.

Today, with Oren as their long-term strategic partner, Indoco Remedies possesses a resilient, data-driven ESG framework that reduces risk, creates cost efficiencies, and strengthens stakeholder trust in an increasingly conscious global market.