Sustainability is no longer just a reporting checkbox, it’s increasingly a strategic lever for growth.
What was once a box to tick in reports, is increasingly becoming a strategic lever for growth. Here, we’re looking at ‘sustainability’.
A clear signal from the third annual Global Sustainability Barometer Study, conducted by Ecosystm in partnership with Kyndryl and Microsoft (a study surveyed over 1,200 enterprise leaders across 20 countries and nine industries), reveals how organizations that align sustainability with business strategy, empower employees, and harness AI-driven insights are outperforming their peers across multiple dimensions.
The study identifies a decisive shift: leading organizations are embedding sustainability into core business processes rather than treating it as a side initiative. These “integration-focused” organizations are transforming sustainability from a compliance obligation into a value-creation engine, driving innovation, resilience, and competitive differentiation.
Statistics:
- 78% of integration-focused organizations say IT is a critical enabler of sustainability goals, using data, automation, and AI for measurable impact.
- 56% of IT teams now lead sustainability efforts across the organization, up from 38% in 2024.
- 62% embed sustainability into innovation, cost savings, and resilience strategies, almost double the rate of other organizations.
Faith Taylor, Senior VP of Global Citizenship and Sustainability at Kyndryl, notes: “We’re seeing leaders connect policy, people, and purpose, embracing technological insights and agentic AI, to drive impact and not just report on sustainability. When sustainability is embedded in the business, organizations can make smarter, data-driven decisions that build resilience and spark innovation.”
AI as a Sustainability Accelerator
One of the most compelling findings is the growing adoption of agentic AI which is capable of not just analyzing data, but taking autonomous, actionable steps. The study shows that 30% of organizations worldwide are piloting or deploying agentic AI for sustainability, and early adopters are already seeing measurable benefits in cost savings, innovation, and compliance.
Ricardo Davila, GM at Microsoft, explains: “More than half of leading organizations now use predictive AI to anticipate and act on sustainability challenges. Forward-looking intelligence is becoming central to sustainability strategy, turning insights into measurable action.”
The research highlights a clear link between technology and organizational alignment. Seventy-three percent of organizations report strong coordination between technology and sustainability teams, connecting departmental objectives, empowering employees, and engaging stakeholders.
The result? Sustainability is moving from an isolated initiative to a driver of business value.
Integrating sustainability into strategy is proving financially smart, too:
- 59% of organizations report financial benefits from sustainability initiatives, primarily through operational efficiency, improved customer retention, and new market opportunities.
- Companies investing in IT modernization- 27% of those surveyed, achieve tangible sustainability gains through efficiency, innovation, security, and compliance.
From an operational standpoint, industries such as energy and utilities, banking, and transport are leading in agentic AI adoption. Their focus extends beyond traditional energy and emissions optimization to operational resilience, resource efficiency, and sustainable product design, demonstrating how AI and data can reshape business operations holistically.
Regional Trends
Europe is currently leading in aligning technology modernization and AI adoption with sustainability, largely due to robust regulatory frameworks. Globally, organizations that accelerate sustainability cite ROI or new revenue opportunities as the primary driver (67%).
Sash Mukherjee, VP at Ecosystm, highlights the power of predictive and agentic AI: “Predictive AI anticipates risks, while agentic AI responds in real time, turning strategy into execution. When technology and business strategy align, organizations can truly embed measurable environmental outcomes into everyday operations.”
The key insight from the 2025 Global Sustainability Barometer Study is that sustainability embedded into business strategy, powered by AI and IT, is a growth engine. Organizations that treat sustainability as part of their operating model enjoy-
- Enhanced resilience to market and environmental shifts;
- Faster innovation and operational efficiency
- Tangible financial returns
- Greater competitive differentiation
In short, AI and IT are not just supporting sustainability, they are enabling organizations to act on it, transforming environmental responsibility into strategic advantage.
About the Study:
The third edition of the Global Sustainability Barometer Study, conducted by Ecosystm and commissioned by Kyndryl and Microsoft, surveyed 1,286 enterprise leaders across 20 countries and nine industry sectors between August and September 2025. It explores how technology, strategy, and organizational alignment are transforming sustainability from compliance to competitive advantage.
