Strategic Focus: The Future Of ESG And GRC
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
The ESG landscape is rapidly evolving. A wave of new regulations is forcing firms to scale up ESG commitments and integrate sustainability considerations into mainstream business decision-making. Corporate ESG performance is now subject to intense public scrutiny and in response to this, firms are changing the way they manage ESG internally. This raises questions about how governance, risk and compliance (GRC) can be leveraged to support ESG objectives. This report provides executives in sustainability, finance, risk, legal and internal audit roles with insights into how the relationship between ESG and GRC is evolving and how organizations can adopt an integrated approach to managing ESG and GRC programmes.Evolving ESG Landscape Calls For A New Model Of Corporate Governance
An Integrated Approach To ESG And GRC Can Advance Sustainability Objectives
Organizations Should Leverage Technology To Streamline Process And Data Integration
Figure 2. Contribution To ESG And Sustainability Strategy By Business Function
Figure 3. Contribution To ESG And Sustainability Strategy By Stakeholder
Figure 4. Surge In ESG Software Investment By Vendors With A GRC Background
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
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
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
After the rapid surge of ambitious policies in 2024, and the abrupt reversals, cancellations, and turbulence that followed in 2025, many organizations expected momentum to stall. I...
Upcoming / 21 January, 2026
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, negotiations focused on how to rein in climate change and protect natural resources. Like previous COPs, the formal agenda was dedicated to finance, emis...
24 November, 2025
On October 20, 2025, a new carbon accounting coalition, Carbon Measures, hit the market. Supported by prominent organizations across industry and finance – including BlackRock, BAS...
11 November, 2025
On October 13, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized the work of Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt “for having explained innovation-driven economic growth” by...
10 November, 2025