Business Sustainability Statistics By Technology And Facts (2025)

Table of Contents

Introduction
Editor’s Choice
Share of Companies Disclosing Sustainability Information By Industry
Importance of Sustainability In Business
Employee Expectations For Corporate Sustainability Efforts
Consumer Approach Regarding Sustainability
Consumers Are Willing To Pay More For Sustainable Products
The Growing Influence of ESG In Corporate Strategy And Investment
Sustainability And Technology
Sustainability Adoption
Conclusion

Introduction

Business Sustainability Statistics: Sustainability was once a buzzword, but the present corporate context treats it as a must. Big and small businesses alike were increasingly implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices into their operations in 2024.

Consumers, investors, and regulators now ask for more transparency and accountability when businesses talk about sustainability. From there, hard statistics say that companies reap benefits when they incorporate sustainability into their DNA-from cost-cutting to customer retention.

Here we discuss the 2025 business sustainability statistics with sources that can be trusted, describing trends, challenges, and opportunities in a field that is evolving rapidly.

Editor’s Choice

In China, 98% of the financial sector market capitalisation came from companies that disclosed sustainability data.
69% of companies reported increased brand value and customer recommendations due to sustainability efforts.
63% of organisations saw revenue growth linked to sustainability initiatives.
Global plastic production reached 430 million tonnes in 2023, with 65% becoming short-lived waste.
Plastic pollution caused 600 billion dollars of social and economic costs all over the world by the end of 2023.
55% of CEOs in 2024 expected significant returns from sustainability investments in 2030.
69% of employed adults want their companies to invest in sustainability, especially younger workers 18-34.
64% of global consumers are very worried about sustainability; in Brazil, it is 81%, whereas 67% in the Asia-Pacific region.
Globally, consumers are ready to pay a 12% premium for sustainable products, and yet these products tend to be overpriced by 28%.
Almost 50,000 companies became subject to mandatory sustainability reporting in 2024.
Those companies that implemented an ESG strategy were twice as likely to see a revenue increase of at least 10%.
74% of public companies plan to invest in sustainability reporting tools.
77% of companies 2050 aim to be net zero in emissions.
54% of banks in the world make use of climate data in their financial statements.
80% of companies have long-term environmental goals, whereas only 60% have targets for social and governance.

Share of Companies Disclosing Sustainability Information By Industry

(Source: oecd.org)

In 2022, sustainability disclosure rates, weighted by market capitalisation, varied according to industry and region.
Globally, 78% to 91% of the capitalisation varied according to the industry considered.
Companies in the extractives and mineral processing sectors disclosed sustainability information at the highest rates, with disclosure occurring in companies representing 91% of the disclosed market capitalisation.
Likewise, in the food and beverage sector, companies representing 90% of the industry’s market capitalisation disclosed such information.
Such high ratios may imply that industries with high environmental and social impact tend to do more sustainability reporting.
Across regions, even the level of sustainability disclosure within an industry went up and down.
For instance, the financial sector in China experienced an exceptionally high level of disclosure, tied to 98% of market capitalisation in companies reporting sustainability information.
On the other hand, the United States and Latin America recorded a low disclosure of 75% and 76% in their financial sectors, respectively.
This means that while regional areas are some of the leaders in sustainability transparency, others are still some ways behind in following international reporting standards.

Importance of Sustainability In Business

Depending on how implemented, sustainability can bring forth various positive impacts in an organisation.
Around 69% of companies report an increased brand value when sustainability practices are implemented, with the same percentage mentioning increased recommendations from customers.
68% of organisations say they’ve seen an improvement in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ratings, which can further influence investors’ confidence and reputation in the market.
Internally, the impact is felt by 67% of companies reporting increased employee motivation, while 65% of companies witness improved customer satisfaction scores on the outward side, showcasing sustainability as a vital factor in building consumer confidence and engagement.
Financial performance comes next, with 63% of companies registering an increase in revenues.
Supplier relations also tend to improve, with 61% claiming increased loyalty from suppliers.
On an individual level, 38% of employees will be more loyal to a company that cares about sustainability, emphasising corporate values as an element contributing to employee retention.
As per World Environment Day, business sustainability statistics state that around 430 million tonnes of plastic were produced globally in 2023.
Despite numerous pledges and some initiatives by governments and industries, the current commitments only foresee an 8% reduction of plastics entering the ocean waters by the year 2040.
The environmental and economic calamities were gloomy—plastic pollution was estimated by the late 2023 to have caused social and economic costs of up to US$600 billion.
Between 19 million and 23 million tonnes of plastic waste enter aquatic ecosystems like rivers, lakes, and oceans every year.
That level of pollution is about 2,000 garbage trucks dumping waste into these ecosystems every single day.
Transitioning into a global circular economy where resources are efficiently used, waste is minimised, and recycling is given priority is purportedly capable of generating approximately US$4.5 trillion economic savings by 2040.
When it comes to environmental degradation, land ecosystems are involved. Around 10 million hectares of forest are lost annually due to deforestation.
Agriculture is leading to deforestation everywhere except for Europe, where urbanisation, climate change, and excessive exploitation of natural resources come into the picture as the main factors.
An emerging view among businesses is that sustainability is a long-term investment.
Consequently, 55% of the CEOs of 2024 expect to reap large returns on their sustainability investments by 2030, contributing to the increased confidence regarding the economic rationality of environmentally responsible practices.

Employee Expectations For Corporate Sustainability Efforts

(Source: media.deloitte.com)

According to Deloitte’s Global State of the Consumer Survey, 69% employed adults would like their employers to actively spend money on such sustainability projects as reducing carbon emissions, buying renewable energy, and minimising waste.
The data further highlights the generation gap as younger employees, mainly ranging between 18 and 34, show a stronger preference for corporate sustainability compared to the older age groups.
This carries the message that sustainability is not only an agenda for businesses but is equally important for employee engagement and satisfaction, especially for the emerging workforce.

Consumer Approach Regarding Sustainability

(Source: bain.com)

Globally, 64% of consumers reveal they are very concerned about environmental sustainability, and this concern is on the rise.
Regional disparities reflect the variances of awareness and urgency. In Brazil, concern stands out as the greatest, with 81% of consumers being highly worried about sustainability issues.
The Asia-Pacific region holds a value of 67% in concern, followed by Europe at 61% and finally the U.S. at 53%.
In the past couple of years, 60% of the global consumers acknowledged having increasingly realised their concern over climate change since then.
This trend appears most strongly in Brazil, where 63% of respondents have reported amplified concern for the environment over the past two years.
In the Asia Pacific region, 66% of consumers declare increased concern over the environment now as compared to two years ago.
In Europe, 57% trend up in terms of concern, while in the U.S., 49%, the lowest percentage, is doing so.
These figures on a global scale show increasing consciousness of environmental issues and are shaped on a regional scale by their experiences and policy interventions.

Consumers Are Willing To Pay More For Sustainable Products

Consumers Report That They’re Willing To Pay More For Sustainable Products

(Reference: bain.com)

The increase in environmental concerns suggests the inclination of consumers toward sustainable choices and willingness to pay more for an eco-friendly product.
However, the price consumers are willing to pay often does not correspond to the prices of sustainable products.
For example, in the U.S., consumers are willing to pay a premium that, on average, is around 11% for environmentally friendly products.
But green products are generally offered at a 28% price premium, creating a discrepancy and deterring the purchase.
At a global level, the average premium consumers would be willing to pay is approximately 12%; however, such a figure varies across countries.
In India, consumers are the kindest, having a maximum willingness to pay maybe 20% more for sustainable products, followed closely by Indonesia at 19%, Brazil at 16%, China and the Netherlands at 15%, respectively.
Slightly less willingness was found among Europeans: France 10%, Germany 9%, Italy 9%, United Kingdom 8%. Japan holds the lowest willingness, only 6%.
These figures indicate that although there is a very strong intention to support sustainability, affordability, and price discrepancies are major hurdles.

The Growing Influence of ESG In Corporate Strategy And Investment

In 2024, a significant shift among business leaders happened, embracing ESG strategies as a core part of corporate success.
Reuters reports that today, 71% of C-suite executives view ESG investments as a competitive advantage, up from 60% in 2023.
An overwhelming 82% believe that in the next few years, the importance of ESG will continue to rise as a measure of corporate performance. This rising prominence has been enjoyed through regulatory changes.
Almost 50,000 companies in countries including Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, and the United States, among others, will be subject to mandatory sustainability reporting in 2024 under the CSR Directive (CRSD).
Research by McKinsey confirms the business rationale for ESG: companies with an ESG approach will have double the chance of at least 10% revenue growth compared to those that do not.
With a bigger lens cast in industries all over the world, sustainability efforts stand to save US$437 billion per year through improved energy efficiency by 2030. Investment trends are also supporting such priorities.
By 2025, it is expected that from 11% to 15% of investment managers in the U.S. will allocate 40% or more of their assets toward ESG investments.
Hence, such changes only help to tell more stories of this growing partnership between ESG principles and both larger operational strategies and investment decisions globally.

Sustainability And Technology

A growing number of public companies are selecting technological enhancements toward greener practices.
Some 74% have stated they would invest in sustainability reporting tools in the coming year to make the collection, analysis, and reporting of data more efficient and accurate.
Only 10% of organisations have been observed utilising Generative AI to analyse sustainability data, but by Capital Group estimates, this should change, with 53% having plans in place to operationalise Generative AI.
In a survey of investors managing US$25 trillion combined in assets, 53% expressed concerns about the poor quality or limited availability of sustainability-related data and analytics.
In parallel, within companies, the roadblocks are mounting, with 81% of executives putting sustainability documentation among their top three operational issues.
These numbers speak of commitment to sustainability on one hand and demand for better tools and infrastructure in support thereof on the other.

Sustainability Adoption

As established by Capital Group, the region of EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) held a number-one position in adopting sustainability measures for 2024.
94% of surveyed nature-and-sustainability-type businesses now implement some kind of sustainability practice in their operations.
In a tightening global climate-solution environment, 77% of companies reported having plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
According to Deloitte, more than 75% of the executives interviewed stated that their organisations have made significant or moderate progress toward achieving their environmental and social targets within the last year.
In the realm of sustainability, recording is becoming increasingly popular in finance.
A 2024 Trend Report indicated that 54% of the world’s banks presently include climate data in their financial statements, an indication of advancing climate risk disclosure transparency.
Nevertheless, the environmental aspect of ESG seems to overshadow other parts of ESG lately.
About 80% of companies have long-term targets related to emissions reductions; however, the number of those having similar targets related to social and governance issues is just 60%.

Conclusion

In 2024 business sustainability statistics, such evidence merely shows that sustainability is not just some trend but an ultimate priority of every business. From the hike in demand from consumers, stricter regulations, and financial returns to brand loyalty, firms willing to invest in sustainability are rewarded with real benefits.

The challenges of cost and complexity remain, especially for smaller organisations. Otherwise, companies that adapt ahead of time and strive will survive and grow. As we proceed toward a sustainable global economy, being alerted to data and transparent reporting will mark the difference in success.

Sources

Intuition

Travelperk

Bain

Deloitte

Businessdasher

Oecd

FAQ.

Why is sustainability important for businesses nowadays?

Sustainability has become a key factor in brand value, customer loyalty, revenue generation, etc. To wit, 69% of the companies affirm enhanced brand recognition and recommendations as a result, while 63% cite revenues as having increased.

How are consumers reacting to sustainability?

The worldwide concern for sustainability has only increased, with 64% of consumers expressing high concern and 60% admitting their worry has grown in the preceding 2 years. Many would pay an average 12% higher price for a sustainable item, but actual price levels are, however, 28%. higher, creating a barrier to purchase despite strong intent.

How does ESG matter in corporate strategy and investment?

ESG is incrementally becoming the heart of business strategy, with 71% of executives citing it as a competitive advantage. Those companies embracing ESG are twice as likely to witness a revenue growth of 10% or more. In the world today, almost 50,000 companies are under sustainability reporting mandates, and physics forces indicate a sharp increase in the growth of ESG investing by 2025.

How is technology helping sustainability?

Its adoption is very much on the rise, with about 74% companies intending to invest in sustainability reporting tools and 53% exploring generative AI for analysis. However, it is only being used by 10% at present, and data quality is a major issue, with 53% of the investors citing poor quality in sustainability data as a concern and a call for better digital infrastructure.

What are the global trends in sustainability adoption?

The EMEA region leads the world with 94% of businesses with sustainability practices. 77% of companies, on the other hand, are aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050. While 80% have made long-term environmental targets, only 60% have done so for social and governance areas—thus pointing to the need for a more balanced ESG emphasis.

Joseph D'Souza

Joseph D'Souza founded ElectroIQ in 2010 as a personal project to share his insights and experiences with tech gadgets. Over time, it has grown into a well-regarded tech blog, known for its in-depth technology trends, smartphone reviews and app-related statistics.