As sustainability becomes central to enterprise strategy, Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are increasingly responsible for embedding carbon measurement, analytics, and reporting tools into their IT ecosystems.
Across industries, major corporations are deploying digital sustainability platforms such as SAP Sustainability Control Tower, IBM Envizi ESG Suite, and ServiceNow ESG Management to unify data, automate reporting, and drive measurable climate impact.
The following global case studies illustrate how technology is transforming sustainability management into a data-driven business discipline.
Downer Group — IBM Envizi ESG Suite
Downer Group, an integrated services company in Australia, has adopted IBM Envizi ESG Suite to unify its sustainability data and streamline carbon accounting across hundreds of sites. By integrating energy, water, and waste data from multiple sources, the company automated emission tracking and improved data accuracy for ESG reporting. The tool helps CIOs identify energy inefficiencies, optimize asset operations, and forecast carbon reduction targets.
Downer’s clients benefit from transparent sustainability reporting, while internal IT teams gain precise data analytics to guide energy decisions.
Initially, the main issue was inconsistent data collection across divisions, which was resolved by automating data capture with IBM Envizi.
Tyrolit Group — SAP Sustainability Control Tower
Tyrolit, a global abrasives manufacturer, implemented SAP’s Sustainability Control Tower to measure and manage its carbon emissions. The company uses SAP’s integrated analytics platform to collect operational data across its manufacturing facilities, enabling real-time insights into Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. CIOs at Tyrolit can now align production efficiency with sustainability metrics.
Improved transparency in supply chain emissions helped Tyrolit strengthen relationships with environmentally conscious clients.
The major challenge was aligning legacy ERP systems with the new sustainability platform, which was solved through phased digital integration.
msg global solutions — SAP Cloud for Sustainability
msg global solutions, a consulting and systems integration firm, adopted SAP Cloud for Sustainability to help clients measure ESG performance across complex financial systems. By embedding carbon accounting directly into enterprise workflows, CIOs gain complete visibility into environmental metrics alongside financial KPIs.
The integration allows msg global’s clients to easily calculate product carbon footprints, increasing trust and compliance with EU CSRD reporting standards.
Harmonizing diverse client data models was complex, but SAP’s modular design simplified multi-source integration.
Siemens — ServiceNow ESG Management
Siemens has integrated ServiceNow’s ESG Management and Reporting platform into its IT infrastructure to centralize sustainability metrics. The system automates the collection and validation of carbon data across manufacturing sites.
Clients benefit from accurate sustainability reports and energy efficiency analytics that support carbon reduction targets.
The transition from manual Excel-based tracking to real-time dashboards required cross-departmental collaboration and cloud governance alignment.
Unilever — IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite
Unilever uses IBM’s Environmental Intelligence Suite to monitor environmental risks and optimize its supply chain based on climate data. The system helps predict disruptions and analyze carbon intensity across product categories.
Improved resilience and sustainability reporting for global retailers and suppliers.
The biggest hurdle was consolidating environmental data from multiple global markets, now handled through centralized APIs and dashboards.
Accenture — SAP Sustainability Data Exchange
Accenture has partnered with SAP to implement the Sustainability Data Exchange (SDX), which enables clients to securely share carbon footprint data across supply chains. CIOs benefit from standardized data models that allow accurate tracking of supplier emissions.
Clients can achieve transparent carbon accounting while improving supplier collaboration and meeting regulatory reporting needs.
Integrating diverse client systems into a shared platform required new governance frameworks.
Coca-Cola HBC — ServiceNow ESG Reporting
Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company uses ServiceNow ESG Management to automate sustainability performance reporting across 28 countries. The tool supports tracking of carbon reduction programs and waste recycling metrics.
Enabled more frequent and transparent ESG disclosures to investors and regulators.
The challenge was maintaining consistency in regional reporting, solved by automating ESG data ingestion pipelines.
Walmart — SAP Cloud for Sustainability
Walmart leverages SAP’s Cloud for Sustainability to measure supply chain emissions and improve energy efficiency in logistics. Real-time data integration from transportation and warehouse systems gives CIOs the visibility to reduce Scope 3 emissions.
Better transparency for suppliers and reduced energy usage across distribution centers.
Managing large-scale supplier data integration remains an ongoing effort.
Schneider Electric — IBM Envizi Integration
Schneider Electric uses IBM Envizi and its own EcoStruxure analytics to align IT and operations in sustainability tracking. The platform aggregates emissions data from global facilities into a unified ESG dashboard.
Clients gain access to accurate sustainability performance insights that enhance energy management solutions.
Ensuring interoperability between internal analytics tools and IBM’s suite required API-level customization.
Microsoft — ServiceNow & Sustainability Cloud Integration
Microsoft integrates ServiceNow ESG Management with its Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability to automate emissions tracking within its own operations and supply chain. The system provides AI-driven insights into carbon hotspots across data centers and hardware production.
Helps enterprise customers meet net-zero targets using shared data models and transparency reports.
Scaling ESG data collection across thousands of suppliers required deep integration of IoT and AI layers.
Outlook
IDC forecasts strong growth in the global ESG market, with spending on ESG services projected to rise from $37.96 billion in 2023 to $65 billion by 2027. The report highlights that by 2026, over 90 percent of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms will integrate ESG risk management solutions, and 60% of large organizations will require carbon neutrality strategies in their technology procurement. IDC also notes that technology buyers will increasingly prioritize vendors adhering to responsible AI and sustainability standards.
Revathy Reghunath
