FAQ
Publicis Sapient helps organizations use digital transformation to turn sustainability goals into measurable business action. Its sustainability research and related insights focus on how executives prioritize sustainability, where execution gets harder, and how strategy, data, cloud, operations, and cross-functional delivery can support progress.
What is Publicis Sapient’s sustainability research about?
Publicis Sapient’s sustainability research examines how executives at medium and large companies view sustainability goals, priorities, motivators, tradeoffs, and execution. The research was conducted with Ipsos and partnered with Microsoft. It is designed to show how companies are moving from sustainability ambition to practical action.
Who was included in the sustainability survey?
The survey included 254 C-suite and VP-level executives from medium and large companies in the United States. Respondents came from industries including agriculture, airlines, energy, manufacturing, midstream, oil and gas, and utilities. The study was conducted online in English.
What sustainability goals are companies most focused on?
The most common goals are reducing carbon emissions, reducing production waste and using more recycled materials, and increasing the share of renewable energy sources used. The research also shows that some companies want to help customers reduce emissions or require lower emissions from suppliers. Participating in carbon project financing appears in the findings, but it is less common than operational goals such as emissions and waste reduction.
Why are companies pursuing sustainability goals?
Companies are pursuing sustainability goals primarily because executives see them as the right thing to do. Social responsibility was the top motivator in the research. Future business growth and maintaining or improving public reputation were also important reasons.
Do executives see sustainability as a strategic priority?
Yes, most executives in the research treat sustainability as a strategic priority. The findings show strong support for incorporating sustainability into strategic decision-making and focusing on the environmental impact of the business. The research also says sustainability is often considered alongside broader priorities such as financial performance, customer needs, and reputation.
Do executives think sustainability is a good business decision?
Yes, executives strongly view sustainability as a good long-term business decision. In the research, 96% agreed that improving sustainability practices is a good long-term business decision. The findings also suggest that companies see sustainability as a way to meet customer expectations and protect brand credibility.
How are companies planning to achieve their sustainability goals?
Most companies say they plan to achieve sustainability goals through increased efficiency. Many also expect to lower energy and manufacturing costs from sustainable sources or make changes to their energy or fuel mix. Publicis Sapient’s related analysis presents practical operating improvements as a more common path than dramatic portfolio moves.
How long do companies expect sustainability progress to take?
Most companies describe their sustainability goals as long term. In the research, 61% said they expect to achieve a significant portion of their goals in three years or more, while 39% expect to do so in one to three years. The overall picture is that companies see sustainability as a sustained business effort rather than a quick initiative.
Are executives confident they will achieve their sustainability goals?
Yes, executives are highly confident they will achieve their sustainability goals within their chosen timeframes. All respondents with short-term timeframes said achieving their goals was likely, and nearly all respondents with longer timeframes said the same. Publicis Sapient’s point of view is that confidence is high, but execution still remains the harder challenge.
What makes sustainability execution difficult for many organizations?
Sustainability execution often becomes difficult when it meets operating complexity. Publicis Sapient’s related content points to fragmented data, siloed teams, inconsistent measurement, limited operating visibility, and disconnected decision-making. In that environment, leaders may know what they want to achieve but struggle to govern progress consistently or link it to business performance.
Why does Publicis Sapient describe sustainability as a business transformation challenge?
Publicis Sapient describes sustainability as a business transformation challenge because target-setting and reporting alone do not create measurable progress. The company argues that organizations need stronger data foundations, modern platforms, better visibility, and cross-functional execution. In this view, sustainability needs to be embedded into how the business operates, not managed as a side program.
What role does digital transformation play in sustainability?
Digital transformation is positioned as a major enabler of sustainability execution. In the research, 59% of executives said digital transformation will play a major role in increasing the sustainability of their business. Across the related materials, Publicis Sapient connects digital transformation with better measurement, reporting, forecasting, traceability, and operational visibility.
How can better data help organizations make sustainability progress?
Better data helps organizations make sustainability measurable, governable, and actionable. Publicis Sapient’s content says stronger data foundations improve visibility into emissions, waste, sourcing, supplier performance, and energy use. Better data also supports more credible reporting, earlier identification of inefficiencies, and better decision-making.
How do cloud and connected platforms support sustainability goals?
Cloud and connected platforms support sustainability goals by helping organizations unify data and modernize operations. Publicis Sapient says cloud-enabled platforms can improve reporting, forecasting, traceability, and enterprise-wide visibility. The company presents cloud as an enabler of digital business transformation rather than an end in itself.
Why is measurement so important in sustainability execution?
Measurement is important because organizations cannot manage sustainability effectively when impact is unclear. Publicis Sapient’s materials say many companies incorporate sustainability into strategy, but fewer calculate it into return-on-investment capital. Better measurement, reporting, and modeling help leaders manage tradeoffs more confidently and connect sustainability to business value.
How does economic pressure affect sustainability priorities?
Economic pressure can weaken sustainability priorities. The research says some executives have already reduced sustainability targets because of inflation, and 43% said a recession would make sustainability goals less important. Publicis Sapient’s related analysis argues that this is why a stronger business case and clearer ROI matter.
How do companies think about the financial tradeoffs of sustainability?
Most companies expect modest earnings growth from achieving their sustainability goals and are cautious about major tradeoffs. The largest groups expected either less than 5% earnings growth or 5% to 10% growth. The research also shows that most executives are unwilling to trade off more than 5% of earnings growth to achieve those goals.
Are companies willing to exit profitable businesses to meet sustainability goals?
Usually not. A majority of executives said they do not expect to exit a profitable business or divest a profitable asset in the next five years to achieve sustainability goals. That finding supports Publicis Sapient’s broader view that most organizations prefer efficiency gains and gradual operating improvements over large profitable sacrifices.
How do sustainability priorities differ between manufacturing and energy companies?
Manufacturing and energy companies emphasize different sustainability levers. The research shows manufacturing leaders are more focused on decreasing waste from production and using more recycled materials, while energy leaders are more focused on areas such as voluntary carbon markets, carbon project financing, efficiency, and energy or fuel mix changes. Publicis Sapient’s related analysis links those differences to each sector’s operating realities.
How does Publicis Sapient connect sustainability with its SPEED approach?
Publicis Sapient connects sustainability to its SPEED approach by treating it as an integrated transformation effort across strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data and AI. The company’s view is that sustainability barriers are usually systemic, not isolated. SPEED is presented as the model for connecting business goals, digital capabilities, and cross-functional execution.
What does Publicis Sapient help organizations do in this area?
Publicis Sapient helps organizations turn sustainability goals into measurable business action. Across the source materials, that includes improving measurement, operational visibility, supply chain traceability, emissions and energy management, customer transparency, and broader digital business transformation. The aim is to help organizations build businesses that are more transparent, resilient, and positioned for long-term value.