A Global Cross-Industry Assessment of Sustainability Needs, Preferences, and Best Practices
Situation
Our client wanted to better understand how organizations are evolving their sustainability strategies, shifting from high-level commitments to execution-focused initiatives—and where support can be added amid growing regulatory complexity, internal capability gaps, and increasing demand for measurable ESG outcomes.
10EQS supported the Client with a similar study in the previous year which the client was now looking to refresh to assess whether priorities and and strategies have changed and if so, how.
Objective
The objective was to assess how various business functions within Fortune 500 organizations are approaching sustainability execution, identify key barriers and capability gaps, and determine how our client can best position themselves as strategic partners in delivering practical, industry-specific, and compliance-aligned sustainability solutions.
Our Work
10EQS conducted a comprehensive Voice of the Customer study, combining insights from 150 survey respondents and 50 in-depth interviews across industries, regions, and job functions. 10EQS explored how organizations are navigating sustainability execution, regulatory challenges, and partnership models. 10EQS further identified evolving needs for external support, highlighting where the client can differentiate through specialized expertise, AI-driven solutions, and cross-functional integration.
Project team
- Ex-Deloitte Management Consultant with extensive sustainability & professional services experience
- Senior Consultant supporting content synthesis
- Associate Consultant conducting secondary research
- 10EQS Delivery Operations (=PMO) providing quality assurance, process management and expert recruitment
- 50 industry experts (qualitative interviews)
- 150 survey respondents (quantitative survey)
Industry experts (excerpt)
- Vice President, Sustainability and Social Impact – Global Financial Services Company (Canada)
- SVP, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability – Global Consumer Good Company (China)
- Executive Director – Sustainability Utilities & Infrastructure – Private University (US)
- CFO – Energy Company (Singapore)
- Sustainability Lead, Global Supply Chain APAC – Pharma Company (Australia)
- IT Chief Data Officer for Procurement & Supply Chain – Oil & Gas Company (Netherlands)
- Engineering & Global Construction Director – Personal Care Company (Mexico)
- VP of Corporate Sustainability – Global Technology Company (Korea)
- Vice President Research And Development – Multinational Materials Company (France)
- Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs – U.S. Public Sector County Department (US)
- EVP Facilities Management and Engineering – Financial Services Company (Saudi Arabia)
- Senior Project Manager – Sustainability Operations – Pharmaceutical Company (Ireland)
- Senior Director Technology – Industrial Manufacturing Company (India)
- Former Vice President Responsible Sourcing and Sustainability – Consumer Goods Company (US)
Results
- 10EQS found that organizations are shifting from broad sustainability commitments to actionable, ROI-driven initiatives, with regulatory compliance, ESG data integration, and supply chain transparency emerging as top priorities.
- Organizations increasingly recognize sustainability as a transformation that requires cross-functional collaboration, yet many struggle with internal resistance, operational misalignment, and embedding sustainability into financial and enterprise models.
The insights helped inform potential opportunities for our client to partner with organizations in navigating complex regulations and implementing scalable, tech-enabled solutions