SAP Puts Sustainability at the Core with Unified Data and AI

At its annual Sapphire event, SAP launched a new suite of sustainability data management and AI-powered solutions designed to help companies turn environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals into real business performance drivers.

With its latest innovations, SAP aims to move sustainability from being just a compliance task to a core part of how businesses operate and make decisions. By integrating sustainability data, AI tools, and process intelligence into its enterprise platforms, SAP is helping companies gain deeper insights and take faster, more strategic action.

From Compliance to Competitive Advantage

“Organizations often don’t realize how much sustainability data is already at their fingertips, hidden in procurement logs, operational systems, and supplier records,” said Sophia Mendelsohn, SAP’s chief sustainability and commercial officer. “We’re introducing new tools that help companies uncover the data they didn’t know they had, so they can unify them in one system and act on it more effectively.”

SAP’s approach is centered around embedding artificial intelligence (AI) into its key platforms, such as SAP S/4HANA and SAP Sustainability Control Tower (SCT). These tools will help automate complex processes and bring sustainability metrics directly into the decision-making process.

Some of the new features, available to beta users starting in August 2025, include:

• AI-assisted permit management for Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) compliance
• Conversational incident reporting using SAP’s AI copilot, Joule
• AI-generated safety instructions tailored to risk data
• Automated processing of sustainability declarations

These tools will be part of SAP’s SCM premium package and support real-time action with audit-ready reporting.

Read More: The Growing Need for ESG Companies, Sustainability, and Climate Solutions

Turning Data into Decisions

By late 2025, SAP’s Sustainability Control Tower will be fully integrated with the SAP Business Data Cloud. This creates a unified data model where sustainability metrics can live alongside financial and operational key performance indicators (KPIs).

New data offerings will include:

• Verified emissions data for air, water, and wastewater
• Expanded carbon footprint metrics across supply chains
• Structured, governed datasets ready for enterprise use

This integration is aimed at giving business leaders a single source of truth, enabling more confident and aligned decision-making across the C-suite, from COOs to CIOs.

Embedding Sustainability in Business Workflows

SAP is also enhancing its Signavio Process Transformation Suite to include sustainability insights directly in business workflows. Starting Q4 2025, companies can:

• Use regulation-ready process templates via SAP Signavio Value Accelerators
• Identify ways to reduce carbon emissions through SAP Signavio Process Intelligence

This means that sustainability will influence strategy, and it will actively shape how work is done across departments and operations.

A New Era of ESG Performance

SAP’s innovations reflect a growing understanding in the business world: Sustainability and profitability are not mutually exclusive. With the right tools, data, and processes, organizations can drive performance while meeting climate goals.

“Sustainability now intersects every critical business function,” SAP stated. “Its integration into enterprise systems prepares organizations for an AI-enabled future.”

Also Read: Norway’s Emerging Climate Champions: 5 Startups Driving Sustainable Innovation

Key Takeaway

SAP’s new offerings are designed to move sustainability from the sidelines to the center of business operations. By embedding AI, integrating ESG data, and aligning processes, the company is helping organizations take meaningful action faster and at scale.

For modern businesses, the question isn’t whether sustainability matters. It’s how quickly your systems can act on it.

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