Simply complying with rules and regulations is no longer sufficient...a proactive mindset is at the heart of an organisation’s ESG agenda.

IEA’s Global Energy Review 2025 shows that despite solar power growth, fossil fuel demand hit record highs in 2024, driven by China and India. Renewables accounted for just 38% of energy demand growth versus 54% from fossil fuels, indicating “energy addition” rather than transition. CO2 emissions continue rising at historical rates, highlighting the need for more scalable alternatives.

Technology leaders from major UK organizations reveal how successful companies extract maximum value from data despite legacy system constraints. Rather than pursuing expensive replacements, they focus on connecting existing systems through location-based analysis, enabling organizations to discover patterns that would remain hidden in conventional systems while delivering measurable business results.

Deloitte’s 2025 Renewable Energy Industry Outlook highlights the race to meet surging clean energy demand driven by data centers, cleantech manufacturing, and carbon removal industries. The report identifies five key trends: industrial policy shaping renewables growth, AI expanding capabilities, emerging 24/7 renewable solutions, workforce development challenges, and renewables powering high-integrity carbon offset markets. With demand potentially outpacing supply by 57 GW by 2030, renewable energy faces both historic opportunity and significant scaling challenges.

Sustainability leaders are dramatically shifting their approach as new research reveals 82% see green initiatives as crucial to organizational reputation. Based on interviews with 25 senior executives across industries, this market report uncovers how leading organizations are leveraging technology and data-driven strategies to enhance environmental stewardship while driving business value and long-term resilience.

This Accenture report argues that sustainable technology is essential for business growth, enhanced ESG performance, and global resilience. It highlights three pillars of sustainable tech strategy: using tech to drive sustainability, making tech more sustainable, and scaling sustainability with collaborative ecosystems.

This McKinsey report identifies 18 emerging high-growth industries—future “arenas” like AI, modular construction, and cybersecurity—that could shape global economic progress, driving trillions in revenue by 2040. Trends reveal escalating investments and technology advances across these dynamic sectors. [McKinsey October 2024]

ERM’s 2024 Annual Trends Report covers 10 key areas that will shape sustainable business, including climate change responses, valuing human capital, ESG integration, supply chain resilience, and AI’s impact on sustainability. This report is aimed at guiding corporate leaders through complex challenges across sustainability and ESG priorities.

Industry experts discuss the challenges and opportunities in CTRM systems, highlighting the importance of adaptability, scalability, and innovation in meeting the complex needs of modern traders. David Glasspool of Amphora shares valuable insights on the evolving landscape of commodity trading and the role of technology in shaping its future.

This Accenture report outlines a collaborative framework for heavy industry to achieve net-zero goals, focusing on three pillars: leveraging green premiums, expanding low-carbon energy and hydrogen, and reducing infrastructure costs. The three-year strategy addresses the urgent need for collective action in decarbonisation. 

Gain insights from Mark Wells, CTO of Esri UK, as he discusses the transformative power of location intelligence in our latest interview. Learn how advancements in AI and GIS are driving data-driven decision-making across various industries, from sustainability to logistics. Discover how Esri UK is pioneering geospatial technology for a smarter future through real-world applications and expert insights.

KPMG Singapore’s January 2024 report, post “Race to Zero,” focuses on expanding trusted voluntary carbon markets (VCM). It discusses VCM’s potential in reducing emissions, obstacles like credit verification and data fragmentation, and the use of blockchain and AI to increase efficiency and trust. The report suggests improvements in transparency, regulation, and technology use, forecasting a VCM value of USD 5 to 25 billion by 2030. [KPMG January 2024]

Explore the transformative role of geospatial technology in corporate sustainability in our interview with Jules Cullen, Esri UK’s Head of Commercial Markets. Learn how Esri’s GIS software enhances transparency, climate resilience, and sustainable practices across industries, with real-world examples from companies like Nespresso.

EY’s February 2024 report outlines the critical role of sustainability and ESG in advancing India’s healthcare sector. It explores integrating technology and healthcare to meet unique local needs, emphasizing sustainability in operations and strategic planning for net-zero transitions. The document advocates for comprehensive ESG strategies, including digitalisation, analytics for real-time decisions, and embedding sustainability across the value chain to drive innovation, accessibility, and quality in healthcare services. [EY February 2024]

Deloitte’s guide provides a framework for auditing climate-related risks, responding to increased ESG transparency demands since 2020. It outlines the role of internal auditors in ensuring ESG transparency and the integration of ESG within Malaysian regulations for sustainable operations. The guide also includes practical audit planning advice, focusing on data quality and leveraging the COSO framework for effective ESG reporting controls.[Deloitte, no date provided].

EY’s December 2023 report highlights the increasing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and the need for sustainable battery practices, focusing on the recycling and repurposing challenges. It explores the environmental and social impacts of extracting essential minerals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt. The report advocates for a circular battery economy to address environmental concerns and ensure sustainability, discussing the lifecycle, recycling methods, and barriers such as high costs and complex recycling processes. [EY December 2023]

Deloitte’s report explores the challenges and strategies for organisations aiming to transition from compliance-focused sustainability efforts to integrating sustainability into their strategic core. It reveals that while nearly half of surveyed companies are working on sustainability strategies, there’s a need for better alignment with business objectives and overcoming organisational and cultural barriers. The report highlights the importance of leadership commitment, employee engagement, and adopting a comprehensive approach to sustainability that encompasses environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors [Deloitte, no date provided].

KPMG’s report emphasizes the growing scrutiny by investors and stakeholders on how companies manage climate change, DEI, and other ESG risks. With 55 out of 150 FTSE companies forming ESG committees, the report advises on clarity of purpose, board competency in ESG, engaging with stakeholders, integrating ESG into risk and strategy, and enhancing systems for better data management. [KPMG 2024]

Deloitte’s 2023 report highlights how smart manufacturing can drive decarbonization in sectors like refining and chemicals by focusing on reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions. Enhanced monitoring, energy efficiency, and quality conformance are key aspects that can offer significant environmental and operational gains. The adoption of these technologies is crucial for meeting sustainability targets and progressing towards net-zero emissions. [Deloitte, 2023]

PwC’s March 2024 guide to sustainability reporting, following the SEC’s climate-related disclosure rules adoption, focuses on integrating sustainability into financial narratives. It compares ISSB, SEC, and EC frameworks, addressing reporting challenges in scope, materiality, and policy consistency, and emphasizes technology’s role in enhancing data quality and reporting efficiency. This document aims to streamline sustainability reporting amid varying global standards, offering insights for businesses navigating the evolving ESG landscape [PwC, March 2024].

Discover how Amphora’s Symphony platform is changing the game in commodity trading and risk management (CTRM). This article looks at Symphony’s in-depth features, flexibility to work with different commodities and markets, and how it helps with the complex world of commodity trading.

Deloitte’s report on ESG reporting in the APAC region underscores technology’s role in improving transparency and accuracy. It forecasts ESG software sales surpassing US$1 billion by 2024, driven by consumer awareness and regulations. The report discusses data challenges and how AI, ML, and blockchain could make ESG reporting more efficient and reliable. [Deloitte, no date provided]

UK-based Standard Gas Technologies Ltd believes the process it has developed, patented, and is commercialising can transform waste management into a key part of the Circular or Regenerative Economy and make a significant contribution to the mitigation of Climate Change and the goals of Net Zero.

Deloitte’s report proposes “EcoChain,” a blockchain solution to enhance carbon emissions tracking and sustainability in investments, focusing on fossil fuels. By integrating IoT and blockchain, the system improves transparency and efficiency, fostering investments in green initiatives and addressing climate action urgently. [Deloitte, no date provided].

Amphora’s Alchemy offers a concentrates CTRM platform that simplifies the trade lifecycle and optimises the complexities of concentrates contracts, including issues of weight and assay changes, and offers a comprehensive pricing engine. The user-friendly platform ensures accurate data capture, easy adaptation, and lower operating costs.

Deloitte’s report examines how financial institutions are incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into their governance. It presents a model with four pillars: oversight, compensation, policies and risk management, and transparency and accountability. This structure supports financial and strategic goals, aligning with societal expectations on ESG commitments. [Deloitte, no date provided]

The hydrocarbon sector faced renewed challenges in 2020. The new decade began with fears about the impact of the coronavirus, the China-US trade deal and tensions in the Middle East. Massive new regulations reducing ship emissions also came into force.

The World Economic Forum’s report, in collaboration with PwC, outlines actionable strategies for reducing global energy demand by focusing on the buildings, industry, and transport sectors. By implementing existing technologies and collaborative approaches, it proposes a feasible path to a 31% reduction in energy intensity, offering significant economic savings and environmental benefits. This energy demand-side action complements supply-side efforts, aiming to align with the Paris Agreement and support global net-zero ambitions [World Economic Forum, January 2024].

The global energy landscape has been impacted by increased market uncertainty due to the conflict in Ukraine. Already before the conflict began, the rebound in energy demand triggered supply constraints and price spikes for multiple commodities.

As government agencies push for deeper climate-related disclosures from companies, it’s time to build an ESG reporting strategy that works for your company.

Digital technologies can help oil and gas CEOs and leaders cut costs, boost output, and reduce carbon emissions.

Sustainability and cybersecurity are rarely mentioned in the same sentence. Sustainability is tangible. By contrast, nearly all cybersecurity solutions fall into the background of our daily lives.

Reaching net zero requires a remake of the energy system. It will mean accomplishing what seems unimaginable, like entirely phasing out the internal combustion engine or adding the equivalent of the world’s largest solar farm every single day. The circular economy – a system which aims to get the most out of materials, keep products and materials in use and design them to be cycled back into the economy and eliminate waste – will be vital.

With a new year, we’re taking a fresh look at where sustainability is headed globally. What technologies will drive the global discussions, and moreover, which will have the greatest impact in 2019?