Smart Innovators: Sustainability Management Software

Diana Olaleye

Diana Olaleye

Steve Bolton

Steve Bolton

14 Oct, 2019

Access this research

Access all EHSQ Corporate 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

Over the past decade, the sustainability management landscape has transformed from a predominant focus on complying with environmental regulations and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to a broader concentration on materiality assessments, environmental, social and governance factors, and supply chain sustainability. This change is due to a range of factors including mounting pressure from consumers and non-governmental organizations, increasing regulations and government action, and new priorities among institutional investors. This report helps corporate decision-makers responsible for tracking emissions and natural resource use, quantifying sustainability impacts, selecting and managing suppliers, and mapping sustainability strategies better understand the current market landscape of software for managing sustainability programmes and the associated reporting requirements.
Sustainability Management And Reporting Are Increasingly Important Across Industries
Landscape Of Sustainability Reporting Is Driven By Regulators, Customers, Investors And NGOs
Sustainability Reporting Can Incorporate A Huge Spectrum Of Metrics

Characterizing Vendors And Products Within The SMS Market
Sustainability Management Software Providers Have Varied Backgrounds 
SMS Platforms Offer Deep Functionality For Various Sustainability Needs

Forward-Looking SMS Solutions Are Best Positioned To Succeed
Figure 1. Adoption Of SMS Platforms Across Firms
Figure 2. Change In Sustainability Management Spend In 2019 Compared To 2018
Figure 3. SMS Vendors Come From Varied Backgrounds
Figure 4. Varied Capabilities Across SMS Platforms
Figure 5. Capabilities Assessment Of SMS Platforms

About the Authors

Diana Olaleye

Diana Olaleye

Analyst

Diana is an Analyst in the Verdantix EHS practice covering research on industrial wearables and environmental sustainability. Her recent research focussed on benchmarking the ...

Steve Bolton

Steve Bolton

Research Director

Steve leads the Verdantix EHS research practice, based out of our New York office. He has 25 years of experience advising on sustainability, EHS, circular economy, corporate s...

Other related content

Blog
EHS Specialist Software
Smoking Summers And Wild Winters: The U...

Over the last year, the UK has experienced an increase in extreme weather. According to the Met Office, the UK’s current climate is vastly different from just a few decades ago. ...

04 February, 2026

Blog
EHSQ Corporate Leaders
Breaking Silos And Building Trust: The ...

The 10 EHSQ predictions for 2026 from Verdantix reveal a decisive shift – organizations are leaving behind fragmented tools and early‑stage AI in favour of systems that build trus...

03 February, 2026

Blog
EHS Software & Services
Compliance Is King: How Compliance Mana...

As noted in the 2025 Green Quadrant on EHS software, a key area of differentiation for EHS software vendors is the strength of their compliance management capabilities – and thos...

30 January, 2026

Blog
EHSQ Corporate Leaders
Driving Commercial And Educational Mome...

EHS practitioners attend industry events to stay informed on best practices for maintaining safe, sustainable and compliant operations. These forums not only provide education on e...

30 January, 2026

Blog
EHS Software & Services
Starting 2026 With Adoption, Trust And ...

Almost a month into 2026, AI is moving from concept to practical application in EHS software. Towards the end of 2025, several EHS software vendors introduced agentic AI that integ...

27 January, 2026

Blog
EHS Specialist Software
Using Learning Management Systems To Im...

Contractors provide organizations with specialist knowledge, workforce flexibility and a cost-effective alternative to hiring additional employees. However, their status as recentl...

15 January, 2026