The sustainability landscape is shifting rapidly, and businesses that proactively prepare for Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) compliance are set to gain a competitive edge. We believe that sustainability is more than a regulatory requirement—it is a strategic driver of value, resilience and long-term success.
Sustainability experts GIST Impact, Benchmark Gensuite, and Bemari recently hosted a joint webinar, exploring how businesses can navigate CSRD readiness and unlock business value through AI-powered data insights.
Why CSRD Matters: More than Just Compliance
The CSRD is transforming the way companies report on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, ensuring greater transparency, accountability and data-driven decision making.
As Mahima Sukhdev, SVP Commercial Development at GIST Impact, emphasised:
“With CSRD, businesses are moving beyond tick-box compliance towards a future where sustainability data informs real business strategy. It is about reducing risk, improving efficiency and delivering long-term value.”
The key challenge? Businesses need reliable, science-backed ESG data to support double materiality assessments and meet the audit-ready requirements of CSRD.
AI and data: A Game Changer for Sustainability
One of the biggest takeaways from the discussion was the role of AI and data analytics in streamlining sustainability reporting and unlocking business insights.
Peter Walsh, Senior Director of Sustainability and ESG Digital Solutions at Benchmark Gensuite, highlighted how AI-driven platforms are transforming today’s ESG data management:
“AI enables companies to collect, structure and analyse vast amounts of sustainability data, helping them meet regulatory requirements faster and more efficiently.”
GIST Impact and Benchmark Gensuite’s joint solution helps companies cut through complexity with a quantitative double materiality assessment, ensuring that sustainability risks and opportunities are measured with precision and aligned with regulatory frameworks like CSRD.
Embedding Sustainability into Core Business Strategy
For companies looking to go beyond compliance, integrating sustainability into core business strategy is essential.
Marina Bradford, Director at Bemari, shared insights on how companies can achieve this:
“Sustainability is not a siloed function—it is an enabler of operational excellence and long-term growth. Businesses that take a proactive, data-driven approach will be best positioned to succeed.”
The Road Ahead: What Businesses Should Do Now
- Prioritise high-quality, science-backed ESG data to meet the CSRD’s audit-ready standards.
- Leverage AI-driven tools to streamline sustainability reporting and enhance decision making.
- Move beyond compliance by embedding sustainability into strategic planning and risk management.
Leveraging science-backed quantitative insights and deep industry expertise means businesses can navigate CSRD with confidence, and simultaneously turn this process into a driver of value creation and long-term success.
Want to learn more? Get in touch or catch our recent webinar to explore how we can support your sustainability and CSRD journey.
