The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has launched SSA 5000, a new standard designed to harmonise Indian sustainability reporting with international norms, aiming to boost credibility and stakeholder confidence from April 2027.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has issued SSA 5000, a new sustainability assurance standard designed to bring Indian practice into line with global norms. The standard, formally titled “SSA 5000 – General Requirements & Framework for Sustainability Assurance Engagements”, is intended to give assurance engagements over sustainability disclosures a more consistent and credible foundation as reporting expectations continue to expand.
According to an ICAI press release, the framework tracks the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s ISSA 5000, while allowing for selected carve-outs for Indian conditions. The global standard, published by the IAASB, was built as a standalone benchmark for sustainability assurance across different topics and reporting frameworks, and is intended to work for both reasonable and limited assurance engagements. The goal is to improve trust, reliability and comparability in sustainability information used by investors and other stakeholders.
ICAI said the new standard will take effect for financial years beginning on or after April 1, 2027. From that point, SSAE 3000 and SAE 3410 will be withdrawn. ICAI president Prasanna Kumar D said the move would lift sustainability assurance in India to global standards, while vice-president Mangesh Kinare said the framework broadens the scope of assurance while preserving consistency across reporting approaches.
The change comes as companies face rising pressure to substantiate environmental, social and governance claims with evidence that can withstand scrutiny. By setting a single principle-based framework, ICAI is aiming to reduce uncertainty for practitioners and reporting entities alike, while giving stakeholders greater confidence in the disclosures they rely on.
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