Best Practices: ESG & Sustainability Digital Strategies For CPG & Retail
Access this research
Access all Corporate Sustainability Leaders content with a strategic subscription or buy this single report
Need help or have a question about this report? Contact us for assistance
Executive Summary
As sustainability continues to grow in importance on the corporate agenda, firms are increasingly looking for guidance on how to enhance their ESG and sustainability programmes. With no one-size-fits-all sustainability strategy, firms are leveraging industry best practices and prioritizing the use of software and consultants with industry-specific experience. This report provides firms in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail sectors with examples of best practices and guidance on how to address some of the unique challenges they face, such as managing complex supply chains while meeting changing consumer preferences. Additionally, service providers and software vendors can leverage this report to better understand the pressures facing firms in these sectors.CPG and retail firms are under increased pressure to report their sustainability data and improve performance
Challenges for the CPG and retail sectors
Best practices for firms developing a sustainability digital strategy
Firms must establish internal processes to set the foundation for successful data collection and management
Collaboration with external stakeholders is crucial for effective sustainability programmes
Establishing the technical foundation for software implementation is a collaborative effort
Digital solutions can help CPG and retail firms navigate key sustainability challenges
Figure 2. Supply chain pressures and ESG reporting requirements strongly impact the CPG and retail sectors
Figure 3. Regulations targeting CPG and retail firms
Figure 4. Priority sustainability topics identified by representative firms in materiality assessments
Figure 5. CPG and retail firms must manage sustainability throughout their supply chains
Figure 6. Examples of collaboration to improve sustainability performance
Figure 7. Examples of industry groups helping firms with sustainability initiatives
Figure 8. Progression of software adoption by CPG and retail firms
About the Authors
Jessica Pransky
Principal Analyst
Jessica is a Principal Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in providing insights to sustainability leaders and analysing ESG and sustainability reporting software. She advises ...
View Profile
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...
View ProfileOther related content
2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for sustainability leaders. After a turbulent 2025, characterized by regulatory uncertainty and politicization, the focus is shifting toward...
23 January, 2026
As the EU Sustainability Omnibus Package is being finalised, join us to find out what action you need to take now, and how to prioritise in an era of rapid change. Find out: What t...
Upcoming / 24 February, 2026
Utilities are facing unprecedented grid constraints and long DER connection backlogs, driven by rapid growth in solar, EVs, and storage. Traditional systems alone struggle to provi...
Upcoming / 10 February, 2026
Episode 29 The Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) role has undergone a radical evolution. Once focused primarily on voluntary reporting, policy formation and goal-setting, today’s ...
04 December, 2025
The beginning of 2025 saw significant uncertainty surrounding sustainability regulations. Twelve months later, that uncertainty hasn’t disappeared – in fact, the year has highlight...
27 November, 2025
November 18, 2025 was a notable – and unusually eventful – day for California’s climate disclosure laws, SB 253 and SB 261. Two major developments unfolded simultaneously: CARB hel...
27 November, 2025