Market Insight: Sustainability Consulting Budgets And Buyer Priorities
Priyanka Bawa
Kim Knickle
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Executive Summary
This report draws on findings from a survey of 400 sustainability leaders to examine current dynamics in the sustainability consulting market, including buyer priorities and preferences. Verdantix conducted telephone interviews with sustainability executives in April and May 2025 to capture their perspectives across 33 countries and 15 industries. The dataset reveals a pattern that runs counter to the prevailing narrative: despite perceptions of slowing regulatory momentum, data management remains a major focus. The study provides sustainability consulting firms with evidence to assess how well their offerings and commercial strategies align with buyers’ stated needs.
Figure 1. Planned change in spend on consulting services
Figure 2. Top three categories for increased sustainability consulting spend in 2026, by region
Figure 3. Factors influencing sustainability consulting provider selection
About the Authors
Priyanka Bawa
Principal Analyst
Priyanka is a Principal Analyst at Verdantix, where she leads research to enable sustainability leaders and services firms to analyse shifting market dynamics and evaluate inn...
Kim Knickle
Research Director
Kim Knickle is a Research Director at Verdantix, bringing more than two decades of analyst experience to the evolving world of sustainability. Her current research spans ESG a...
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