About Us
An indispensable resource for knowledge-oriented organisations
Who We Are
The Thought Arbitrage (TA) group comprises Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI), a not-for-profit, multi-disciplinary independent think tank and Thought Arbitrage Consulting (TAC), a partnership firm offering corporate advisory and business solutions.
With more than 15 years of experience since its incorporation, TA works in the areas of economics, public policy, gender, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and corporate governance, with the government of India and state governments, and industry. TA engages with numerous stakeholders across the spectrum to find delimitative answers using quantitative and qualitative techniques through a mix of primary and secondary research. Stakeholder consultations through one-on-one in-depth interviews, roundtables and focussed group discussions are a core element of our research strategy.
The TA team has 250+ person years of experience and comprises Chartered Accountants, Lawyers, Economists and Engineers with expertise in corporate governance, sustainability, public policy, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, risk assessment and legal compliance. Senior team members have served as partners and at senior management levels in the "Big Four" and other global consulting firms, and also currently serve as board members of some of India's leading for-profit and not-for-profit organisations.
Our Expertise
TA's team has diverse experience in international best practices, gained in both developing and developed countries, which helps drive outcome-based research, backed by strong analytical and incisive reporting skills. It brings unique depth to our research and consulting assignments. Knowledge acquired from projects across the world have helped the team deliver solutions and plans unmatched in efficiency and reliability.
Close associations with Indian companies and their top management, as well as industry bodies, international agencies and regulators including government departments, have resulted in a deep understanding of governance and management techniques, and has produced ground breaking and cutting-edge research in the field of corporate governance, sustainability and public policy.
TA has developed frameworks for the use of the government, industry and international bodies. The support we provide to corporates in drafting their sustainability reports is aligned with current global sustainability and ESG reporting standards and frameworks. This includes assisting Indian listed companies in preparing statutory reports such as the SEBI mandated Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), as also devising CSR strategies and supporting them in the establishment of systems and procedures to improve compliance and reporting.
TA also provides corporate advisory services and solutions to complex business problems through its consulting vertical. It is one of the pioneers in India, in providing external ombudsperson services to some of the world's largest Indian conglomerates. TA also advises some of the largest family offices in India on the governance of their investments, and on internal and external disputes and challenges. Advisory services are also provided to angel investors, venture capital funds and private equity funds with governance reviews of target companies. TA's governance review matrix, analyses and evaluates corporate governance practices of enterprises, contributing to improving the quality of their governance, reporting and disclosures. TA also provides solutions for prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace practices including setting up complaint mechanisms and advising Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) on best practices.
Our Collaborations
TA collaborates with regulators and standard setting bodies in India and overseas like GRI, GIZ, Asian Development Bank, European Union Delegation in India, DFID {now merged into the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)}, United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); trade organisations such as Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII); reputed academic institutions (like Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi) and foundations (like Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung), etc. and various businesses, to put together independent research and thought papers on policies based on quantitative and empirical research.
Our Impact
The Government of India and their departments and agencies actively consider and use TA's research findings. Several research papers prepared by TA have been presented and discussed in the Indian Parliament, and have been quoted by the government as responses to questions from lawmakers and other stakeholders.
TA's studies have received extensive media coverage as well. Our governance reviews, ombudsperson services and PoSH compliance initiatives have contributed to strengthening governance and reporting among corporates across industries. TA's structured approach to promoting responsible business practices has also allowed for integration of such practices into company operations, making sustainability an intrinsic part of decision-making rather than a compliance-driven afterthought.