Most companies reserve their efforts despite the increasing organizational debate and uncertainty about the role of programs related to the environment, social and governance (ESG). This is according to a study of the Ecovadis commercial sustainability provider today.
The study found that 87 % of American companies have maintained or increased their investments in business sustainability efforts this year, as many said they are doing this “behind the scenes” amid the consolidation of ESG supervision at the national and global levels. Companies do so because they say that their efforts are fruitful: Nearly a third of the companies said that the sustainability of the supply chain gives them a competitive advantage in the market.
“The results reveal a variable approach: companies still give priority to the sustainability of business behind the scenes, but a fewer promotion publicly,” according to an ECOVADIS statement announces the results. “Executive managers see sustainability as a way to survive competitive and flexibility, especially at a time when the regulatory supervision of ESG is scaling concerns about increasing supply chain disorder.”
The report defines five main trends that constitute the company’s sustainability strategy in 2025:
● Sustainability investments continue despite the increase in “Greenhushing”: It says approximately (31 %) of executives that they increase the investments of commercial sustainability, but they reduce public communications. Eight per cent stopped talking about their obligations publicly, but they continued to invest and stay in the plan. Only 7 % has reduced their sustainability efforts, only 6 % admit that it is not a priority and does the minimum compliance.
● Executive managers see sustainability a competitive advantage: sixty -five percent of all respondents say that the sustainability of the supply chain is a competitive advantage that helps them grow faster by reducing risk, flexibility, brand improvements, supply chain performance, and costs. Sixty percent of directors, VPS and 59 % of C-SUITE leaders say it helps to attract and keep customers. The majority of financing leaders (52 %) agree with this feeling, saying that sustainability is a growth driver.
● The rules of retreat from ESG can lead to reverse results: approximately half (47 %) of the respondents C-SUITE say that eliminating ESG regulations will increase the supply chain disorders. Thirty -five percent of all CEOs says that ESG’s organizational decline can lead to counterproductive, weakening the quality of ESG data, undermining accountability, and negatively affecting sustainability results. 59 % of others expect that unfair work practices and mismanagement of workers will rise.
● Companies to keep pace with ESG: only 13 % of companies are on the right path to compliance with the final dates across four main lists: CSRD and CBAM in California, SB-253, and modern slavery law in Canada. For each list, up to 19 % of the companies covered in the collection of ESG supply data, up to 15 % in “WAIT and See” mode, did not start in the hope of the transformation of organizational time tables.
● Technical investments are accelerating as companies are working to close data gaps: A third of the executives (33 %) admit to the reporting of ESG data on which they were based on estimates, even if they knew that they were not accurate, marketing, marketing, or investor expectations. However, the majority works to bridge these gaps with technology: 57 % uses ESG risk mapping tools, 49 % have ESG sharing platforms in place, 34 % use supply base set tools, and 32 % use site audit tools. 89 % of companies say they are planning more technical investments over the next 12 months.
“Even with the rise in commercial sustainability, executive officials focus on sustainable interview is what keeps ongoing supply chains and clients on board,” Pierre Francois Taller, co-founder and his participation in the environment. “To remain in the forefront and disruption, leading companies give priority to transparency and accountability by investing in tools that help them to evaluate suppliers’ performance, manage risk more proactive, and move in advanced compliance requirements.”
A future view of commercial sustainability in Ecovadis 2025 visions of 400 American executives in companies with more than one billion dollars of revenue, through industries including consumer, industrial, technology and services.
