4.2.2026
13.2.2026
Sustainability management software: A buyer’s guide for private equity firms
Event Date:
Sustainability management software: A buyer’s guide for private equity firms
Private equity firms face a significant transformation in how sustainability data must be collected, managed and reported. Increasing expectations from limited partners (LPs), evolving industry standards such as InvestEurope benchmarks, the ESG Data Convergence Initiative (EDCI) and SFDR reporting requirements, as well as heightened audit scrutiny, have made sustainability management a core operational capability rather than a periodic reporting exercise.
At the same time, the sustainability software market has expanded rapidly. Many platforms were originally designed for corporate sustainability teams, not private equity firms, creating challenges around scalability, data quality, engagement with portfolio companies, and return on investment. This buyer’s guide is designed to help private equity firms navigate that complexity.
What this guide covers
Based on insights from over 100 private equity professionals from general partners (GPs) and portfolio company leaders, this guide provides a structured framework for evaluating sustainability management software against private equity specific requirements.
Rather than comparing vendors, it focuses on the capabilities, questions and trade-offs private equity firms should understand before selecting a platform.
Inside the guide, you’ll find:
- The key operational challenges private equity firms face when managing sustainability data
- Why generic ESG tools often fall short in PE environments
- How AI and automation are changing sustainability workflows
- What best practice looks like for portfolio-wide data collection without placing undue burden on portfolio companies
- A practical lens on audit readiness, alignment to EDCI and other benchmarks, and long-term scalability
- Tangible questions to ask vendors before making a decision
The 13 dimensions of platform evaluation
The guide breaks sustainability software evaluation into 13 critical dimensions, including:
- Provider DNA and private equity track record
- Customisation and flexibility
- AI and automation capabilities
- User experience and support models
- Metrics, KPIs and framework alignment
- Data collection, quality and audit readiness
- Carbon accounting capabilities
- Reporting, analysis and performance insights
- Target setting, action planning and value creation
- System setup, controls and security
- Return on investment and business case
Each section includes clear evaluation criteria and practical questions to support structured, objective decision making.
Who the guide is for
This guide is relevant for:
- Private equity firms reviewing or replacing sustainability software
- Investment, investor relations, sustainability, finance and operations teams involved in data collection or reporting
- Firms preparing for heightened LP due diligence and alignment with benchmarks such as EDCI and InvestEurope
- Firms looking to reduce reporting burden while improving data quality and insight
No prior technical or sustainability expertise is required.
Download the buyer’s guide
Fill out the form below to access the full sustainability management software buyer’s guide for private equity firms to understand what to look for, what to avoid, and how to select a platform that can scale with your portfolio.
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Sustainability management software: A buyer’s guide for private equity firms
Private equity firms face a significant transformation in how sustainability data must be collected, managed and reported. Increasing expectations from limited partners (LPs), evolving industry standards such as InvestEurope benchmarks, the ESG Data Convergence Initiative (EDCI) and SFDR reporting requirements, as well as heightened audit scrutiny, have made sustainability management a core operational capability rather than a periodic reporting exercise.
At the same time, the sustainability software market has expanded rapidly. Many platforms were originally designed for corporate sustainability teams, not private equity firms, creating challenges around scalability, data quality, engagement with portfolio companies, and return on investment. This buyer’s guide is designed to help private equity firms navigate that complexity.
What this guide covers
Based on insights from over 100 private equity professionals from general partners (GPs) and portfolio company leaders, this guide provides a structured framework for evaluating sustainability management software against private equity specific requirements.
Rather than comparing vendors, it focuses on the capabilities, questions and trade-offs private equity firms should understand before selecting a platform.
Inside the guide, you’ll find:
- The key operational challenges private equity firms face when managing sustainability data
- Why generic ESG tools often fall short in PE environments
- How AI and automation are changing sustainability workflows
- What best practice looks like for portfolio-wide data collection without placing undue burden on portfolio companies
- A practical lens on audit readiness, alignment to EDCI and other benchmarks, and long-term scalability
- Tangible questions to ask vendors before making a decision
The 13 dimensions of platform evaluation
The guide breaks sustainability software evaluation into 13 critical dimensions, including:
- Provider DNA and private equity track record
- Customisation and flexibility
- AI and automation capabilities
- User experience and support models
- Metrics, KPIs and framework alignment
- Data collection, quality and audit readiness
- Carbon accounting capabilities
- Reporting, analysis and performance insights
- Target setting, action planning and value creation
- System setup, controls and security
- Return on investment and business case
Each section includes clear evaluation criteria and practical questions to support structured, objective decision making.
Who the guide is for
This guide is relevant for:
- Private equity firms reviewing or replacing sustainability software
- Investment, investor relations, sustainability, finance and operations teams involved in data collection or reporting
- Firms preparing for heightened LP due diligence and alignment with benchmarks such as EDCI and InvestEurope
- Firms looking to reduce reporting burden while improving data quality and insight
No prior technical or sustainability expertise is required.
Download the buyer’s guide
Fill out the form below to access the full sustainability management software buyer’s guide for private equity firms to understand what to look for, what to avoid, and how to select a platform that can scale with your portfolio.
