Market Overview: The ESG & Sustainability Software And Services Partnership Ecosystem

Guy Lewis

Guy Lewis

Kim Knickle

Kim Knickle

18 Jul, 2023

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

This report explores the ways that software and service firms partner to deliver tools, strategy and insights to corporates who are actively pursuing ESG and sustainability agendas. As ESG momentum continues to grow, firms will increasingly rely on a combination of software and advisory services to support their ESG programmes and reporting strategies, where specific use-cases to assist with technology integration and to meet industry demands will become ever more important. Sustainability executives should use this report to understand how software and service partnerships can deliver value to their ESG reporting processes and operations.
Software and service partnerships can help corporates overcome ESG hurdles
New challenges require expertise and technology in equal measure
An integrated software and services approach can support end-to-end ESG and sustainability strategy implementation
Sustainability expertise is crucial for software and services selection
A combined software-services proposition guides firms on their ESG journeys
Sustainability will percolate into new areas for partners to support firms
As ESG maturity develops, new opportunities will emerge for collaboration
Figure 1. Software and services partnership example: ESG reporting engagement
Figure 2. Factors most likely to influence the selection of consulting services for buyers
Figure 3. Factors most likely to influence the selection of software services for buyers
Figure 4. Key benefits for corporates from partnerships
Figure 5. Recently announced partnerships with specific ESG application

About the Authors

Guy Lewis

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

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...

Other related content

Webinar
Sustainable Supply Chains
Sustainability Assurance & Due Diligence
Sustainability & Climate Risks
ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change Services
The State Of Sustainability: 2026 Globa...

The sustainability market is shifting fast – and not always in the direction anyone expected. Regulatory rollbacks and expansions, geopolitical realignment, and tightening budgets ...

Upcoming / 08 September, 2026

Webinar
Sustainable Supply Chains
Digital Grid Technologies
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change Services
Corporate Energy Transition Solutions
Corporate Energy Leaders
Carbon Management Software
Built Environment Energy & Decarbonization
Utility Customer Platforms: Navigating ...

Utilities are managing billing, CRM, customer engagement and DER operations across separate systems designed for a one-way energy model, which is now expiring. In the UK, National ...

Upcoming / 03 September, 2026

Industry Events
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software
AI Platforms & Applications
Industry Event // Why sustainability re...

The reporting burden has shifted. So has the opportunity. CSRD, ESRS, and a growing wave of global assurance requirements have pulled sustainability data into the same governance m...

Upcoming / 17 September, 2026

Blog
Climate Financial Data & Analytics
Carbon Management Software
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
CDP’s Permira Deal Signals A New Phase ...

CDP's decision to bring in private equity backing marks more than a change in ownership. It may represent a turning point in the evolution of the sustainability market itself. The ...

03 August, 2026

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Oregon’s Court Battle Puts Packaging EP...

In July 2025, Oregon became the first US state to launch an extended producer responsibility (EPR) programme for packaging. One year later, its Plastic Pollution and Recycling Mode...

28 July, 2026

Webinar
Sustainable Supply Chains
Sustainability & Climate Risks
Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change Services
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
State Of The Market: Sustainability Con...

The sustainability market is shifting fast — and not always in the direction anyone expected. Regulatory rollbacks and expansions, geopolitical realignment, and tightening budgets ...

23 July, 2026