Global Corporate Survey 2025: Decarbonization Budgets, Priorities And Tech Preferences

Report
Corporate Energy Leaders
Alessandra Leggieri
Alessandra Leggieri
Connor Taylor
Connor Taylor
Ryan Skinner
Ryan Skinner
19 Sep, 2025

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Executive Summary

Facing policy and regulatory uncertainty, sustainability leaders are under pressure to maintain budgets and demonstrate clear business value from decarbonization initiatives. This requires building strong business cases that highlight cost savings and risk reduction, driving closer collaboration with finance and operational teams. Verdantix surveyed more than 350 leaders across six regions and 16 industries to understand their decarbonization priorities and challenges, as well as their digital maturity and future software spend. 
Summary for decision-makers
Global survey reveals corporate decarbonization priorities
Sustainability leaders are under pressure to build a business case for decarbonization
Organizations remain bullish on climate action in 2025
Climate is now an operational, as well as strategic, concern
Despite positivity, firms must overcome significant barriers to achieve climate goals
Greater operational engagement incentivizes diverse digital approaches
Climate data platforms are no longer the preserve of reporting functions
Firms will invest in software capabilities to unlock energy savings and operational efficiency
Verdantix interviewed 355 corporate climate leaders across six regions and 16 industries
Figure 1. Most firms have raised their climate targets in the last 12 months
Figure 2. Firms are less confident in meeting short- and long-term targets compared with 2024
Figure 3. Building better connections between corporate sustainability strategy and initiatives at the operational level is a key priority for the coming year
Figure 4. Decarbonization is becoming a critical element of organization-wide strategic planning
Figure 5. Finance and risk teams review decarbonization data quarterly, while operational departments engage with it monthly
Figure 6. Firms will prioritize building decarbonization investment plans with financial and operational teams in the next 12 months
Figure 7. Unstable climate policies, mounting cost pressures and supply chain dependencies create obstacles to achieving short-term climate targets
Figure 8. Technology adoption is expanding across financial and operational departments
Figure 9. Collecting data from suppliers was a frequent and time-consuming challenge in the last 12 months
Figure 10. Firms struggle with obtaining data from suppliers to measure PCFs
Figure 11. Firms are increasingly using a single commercial software solution to support carbon management activities
Figure 12. Technology adoption is expanding across financial departments, though regular usage remains limited
Figure 13. Different software platforms increasingly support enterprise-wide emissions data management efforts
Figure 14. Cyber security, associated services and integration capabilities are important factors when selecting carbon management software
Figure 15. Almost 40% of respondents do not plan to increase their spend on carbon management software in 2025 compared with 2024
Figure 16. Firms anticipate expanding investment in mandatory climate disclosure and energy consumption and efficiency analysis
Figure 17. Firms expect higher spend on software to manage product emissions data in the coming two years
Figure 18. IT leaders increasingly recognize the potential of AI in climate data management
Figure 19. Respondents represent five core role types
Figure 20. Respondents are located in six geographical regions
Figure 21. Respondents represent 16 industries with varied business models

About the Authors

Alessandra Leggieri

Alessandra Leggieri

Senior Analyst

Alessandra is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in carbon management and software for product carbon footprints. Her research spans over 100 vendors in the carbon ma...

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Connor Taylor

Connor Taylor

Principal Analyst

Connor is a Principal Analyst at Verdantix. He focuses on delivering research to help senior executives navigate decarbonization decision-making and build effective strategies...

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Ryan Skinner

Ryan Skinner

Research Director

Ryan is a Research Director at Verdantix, where he leads a team of analysts delivering research, data and advisory services that help clients navigate the fast-evolving landsc...

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