NEWS DIGEST
GREENWASHING TARGETED BY ESG REPORTING REFORMS
SCHOOL Rajagiri Business School, India
R ajagiri Business School assistant professor Jains Chacko delved into the lack of consistency among methodologies for environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings in a recent blogpost for the Kochi-based school. The article explored how this has impacted both investors’ decision-making and recent regulatory reform in India. “The same company’s ESG performance can be interpreted in fundamentally different ways by different providers,” he remarked, noting that the divergence greatly increases the risk of greenwashing. Chacko then highlighted how last year’s introduction of a comprehensive governance structure for ESG rating providers (ERPs) in India has moved these measurements away from freely distributed global platforms and firmly into the country’s regulated financial ecosystem. New regulations from India’s Securities and Exchange Board, for instance, stipulate that all ESG scores must follow transparent methodologies, adhere to a clear 0-100 rating scale and encompass rating rationales and conflict-of-interest controls. Reflecting on the changes, Chacko argued that India’s reforms are a step in the right direction, pushing companies to prioritise assured disclosures, accurate data and long-term risk management practices. “Regulators have signalled that sustainable finance in India must be grounded in reliable data, transparent methodologies and accountability from rating providers,” he noted. TBD
STUDY UNCOVERS NOVEL FORM OF HERITAGE TOURISM
Developed by the UK’s Churches Conservation Trust in 2015, the champing initiative has grown to include 29 churches and more than 10,000 visitors since its launch. Facilities are intentionally minimalist: camp beds, lanterns and basic hot drink provisions. The paper places the concept within the academic frameworks of camping and staycations, both identified as under-researched areas in tourism studies. By doing so, it highlights how champing expands the outdoor hospitality portfolio and contributes to debates on authenticity, minimalism and local tourism. Three dominant themes were found to be at the heart of the champing experience: peaceful, explore and novel & new. “Overtourism has become a pressing issue for many destinations,” noted Jones. “Champing offers a counterpoint; it’s small-scale, local and experiential travel that benefits communities and reduces environmental pressures.” The study was co-authored by the University of Brighton’s Francisca Farache and published in the open-access journal, Tourism and Hospitality . CD
SCHOOL Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences Netherlands
A newly published study by Wittenborg associate professor Adam Jones explores the concept of ‘champing’, a novel form of heritage-based tourism that involves staying overnight in historic churches. The research provides the first academic examination of champing, a niche tourism concept that combines aspects of camping and staycations, while supporting the conservation of heritage buildings. The study adopted a ‘netnographic’ approach [akin to ethnography for the digital world], analysing online promotional material and guest reviews from the official champing website to understand how the practice is represented and experienced. “Champing offers an innovative example of how heritage spaces can be repurposed for sustainable tourism,” explained Jones.
SHARE YOUR NEWS AND RESEARCH UPDATES by emailing Business Impact editor Tim Banerjee Dhoul at t.dhoul@amba-bga.com
Business Impact • ISSUE 1 • 2026
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