Best Practices: ESG & Sustainability Digital Strategies For Energy, Manufacturing And Resources

Report

Corporate Sustainability Leaders

Lily Turnbull

Guy Lewis

Kim Knickle

17 May, 2024

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

To support the operationalization of ESG and sustainability strategies, energy, manufacturing and resources firms are adopting myriad solutions. Drawing on sector-specific interviews with senior practitioners in IT and sustainability, this report highlights emerging best practices for addressing sustainability challenges and developing ESG digital strategies. Senior sustainability and IT professionals, in cooperation with other stakeholders that form part of their digital sustainability strategy teams, should use this report to garner best practices and apply them to their own organization and strategy.

Table of contents

The energy, manufacturing and resources sectors power and produce sustainable futures
An overview of the energy, manufacturing and resources sectors
The energy, manufacturing and resources sectors face pressure from all sides to enhance sustainability performance
Data challenges and organizational complexities hinder sustainability performance improvements
Best practices for developing a digital strategy for ESG and sustainability
Appropriate internal organizational structures are crucial for success
Setting out the necessary processes supports implementation and utilization
Building a digital strategy maximizes the value of ESG software investment
Digital solutions integrate sustainability into key business activities

Table of figures

Figure 1. Industry mapping to NAICS sectors and sub-sectors
Figure 2a. Energy sector sustainability outlook
Figure 2b. Manufacturing sector sustainability outlook
Figure 2c. Resources sector sustainability outlook
Figure 3. Impact of corporate decarbonization targets on the digital transformation of plant operations
Figure 4. Top challenges to sustainability performance improvements in energy, manufacturing and resources
Figure 5. Representative material sustainability issues for firms in energy, manufacturing and resources
Figure 6. Examples of industry collaboration to improve sustainability performance
Figure 7. Best practices for digital sustainability strategies in energy, manufacturing and resources

Organisations mentioned

Alliant Energy, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), Amcor, American Gas Association (AGA), Anglian Water, Anglo American, ArcelorMittal, Assent, Audi, Bain & Company, Ball Corporation, BASF, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, BMW, Caterpillar, CDP, Chemical Industries Association (CIA), Circularise, Circulor, Cisco, Copperleaf, Cority, Council for Inclusive Capitalism, Dow, Duke Energy, Economist Impact, EcoVadis, EDF, Edison Electric Institute (EEI), Enel, ENIS, ESGgo, FigBytes, Ford, FREYR Battery, Geodis, Glencore, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), GSK, Iberdrola, IFRS Foundation, Ineos, Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), Institute for Supply Chain Management, IntegrityNext, International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), LyondellBasell, National Grid, Nerya, NetBenefit, NRG Energy, OMV, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Ørsted, Phillips, Porsche, PwC, Rio Tinto, SABIC, Samsung, Shell, Southern Company, SSAB, SSE, Stellantis, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance (SSCA), Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Tata Steel, Together For Sustainability (TfS), TotalEnergies, UL Solutions, US Department of Energy, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Veolia, Veolia Water, Volvo Group, WeSustain, Workiva, WTW (Willis Towers Watson)

About the Authors

Lily Turnbull

Senior Analyst

Lily is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix, where she delivers in-depth research to help executives navigate ESG, sustainability and product innovation, and make confident decision...

View Profile

Guy Lewis

Industry Analyst

Guy is an Industry Analyst in the Verdantix ESG & Sustainability practice. He currently leads research on circular economy software and services and supports research acro...

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 Profile