Global Enterprises Strengthen Sustainability Data Systems

Companies connect records to meet diverse requirements and make more informed decisions, ISG Provider Lens^® report says

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Enterprises worldwide are linking sustainability records across environmental, supplier and financial functions to meet changing requirements and inform business choices, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm.

The 2026 ISG Provider Lens^® global Digital Sustainability report finds that firms continue to invest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) data modernization amid diverse and evolving regulations. Europe remains the largest center of demand, while U.S. federal retreat and state requirements complicate compliance for multinational firms. Enterprises are adopting reusable data foundations that accommodate changing taxonomies, disclosures and assurance expectations while reducing redesign costs.

“Dynamically changing rules have turned ESG data from a reporting task into an architecture challenge,” said Kathy Rudy, partner, ISG Data, Analytics and Technology Office. “Enterprises need systems that preserve trust in the numbers while allowing teams to quickly apply sustainability information to financial, operational and product decisions.”

Enterprises are creating common ESG architectures, taxonomies and control models to support regional regulations and voluntary frameworks. This approach avoids duplicate pipelines and calculations as taxonomies, disclosures and assurance expectations change. ESG systems of record are expanding beyond corporate reporting repositories to include product, component, supplier, asset and financial records. The resulting foundation supports closer links between environmental and financial information.

Product teams are adding lifecycle assessments, digital product passports and supplier traceability. They are integrating these records with enterprise resource planning (ERP), workflow, product lifecycle and specialist systems. This gives teams more complete information for sourcing, product design, capital allocation and risk management. It also gives operations, finance and procurement organizations more ownership.

Finance, risk and assurance teams are seeking lineage, reconciliations, evidence workflows and role-based access. These measures make sustainability information comparable with other managed enterprise records. Organizations with limited specialist capacity are adopting managed services for stewardship, disclosure cycles and regulatory interpretation. Enterprises are rapidly adopting GenAI for narrative creation and analysis and gradually introducing agentic AI, ISG says.

“AI can improve sustainability information only when organizations preserve traceability and human oversight,” said Matt Warburton, ISG principal consultant and digital sustainability lead, and lead author of the report. “Service providers can help clients establish controls for trusted automation and enduring data quality.”

The report also explores other global digital sustainability trends, including the need for modular interfaces and exit options to avoid platform dependency, as well as the increasing demand for measurable post-implementation service outcomes.

For more insights into the digital sustainability challenges faced by enterprises globally, along with ISG’s advice for addressing them, see the ISG Provider Lens Focal Points briefing here.

The report evaluates the capabilities of 62 providers across two quadrants: Data Transformation Services and Data Management Solutions.

The report names Accenture, Capgemini, Cognizant, ERM, Genpact, HCLTech, IBM, Infosys, TCS and Wipro as Leaders in both quadrants. It names Cority, Deloitte, EcoVadis, EY, LTM, Microsoft, PwC, SAP, Sphera, Wolters Kluwer and Workiva as Leaders in one quadrant each.

In addition, Atos, Hitachi Digital Services, osapiens and Sphera are recognized as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.

In the area of customer experience, Atos is named the global ISG CX Star Performer for 2026 among digital sustainability service providers. Atos earned the highest customer satisfaction scores in ISG's Voice of the Customer survey, part of the ISG Star of Excellence™ program, the premier quality recognition for the technology and business services industry.

The 2026 ISG Provider Lens global Digital Sustainability report is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG

ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm, founded in 2006, is known for its proprietary market data and research, in-depth knowledge and governance of provider ecosystems, and the expertise of its 1,500 professionals worldwide working together to help clients maximize the value of their technology investments.