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The Best ESG Software Companies for UK Businesses
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By Stephanie Safdie, US Copywriter, on 12/08/2026
Updated by Agnès Potier-Murphy
Picking the right ESG software company can feel like a full-time job in itself — there are dozens of platforms, and it's rarely obvious which one actually fits a UK business's reporting needs.
The key thing to remember is that ESG software is a category of business tools that turns ESG reporting into something structured and repeatable, rather than a one-off project every time a disclosure is due. Verdantix's 2025 research is clear on why adoption keeps rising here even as some compliance pressure has eased: investors, not regulators, are now the main driver.
In this article, we’ll cover:
The difference between ESG software and an ESG ratings agency
Why investor demand, not regulation, is now driving UK adoption
How Workiva, Sweep, Novisto, Cority, and Greenly stack up against each other
The practical checks worth running before you commit to one
What is ESG software?
ESG software gives a business a one-system solution for tracking its environmental, social, and governance data and turning it into reports.
It's worth distinguishing from an ESG ratings agency — software like this helps a company manage its own data, while a ratings agency (MSCI, for example) scores other companies for investors. Verdantix, an independent analyst firm, frames genuine ESG software as letting companies "collect, analyse and manage ESG information" against both mandatory and voluntary reporting standards.
Think of an app that tracks how many steps you take per day. If you have a goal of how many steps you’d like to take everyday, it is paramount that you keep a log of your current activity in order to develop new ideas to increase your step count. The same goes for any goal, and that’s what ESG software does to help you improve your company’s ESG criteria.
Here's a quick look at how the five platforms covered in this article differ, before we get into the detail:
| Platform | Best for |
|---|---|
|
Workiva
|
Bringing financial and ESG reporting together on one platform |
|
Sweep
|
Carbon-focused data management, with a genuine UK/EU footprint |
|
Novisto
|
An audit-ready ESG record system built for larger companies |
|
Cority
|
Businesses already running EHS software that want ESG built in |
|
Greenly
|
Companies that want carbon accounting and ESG reporting on one platform |
ESG software is used to gather valuable data for companies in regards to ESG, which in turn – can allow them to make improved decisions regarding their resource allocation, efforts to mitigate transition risk, and which policies are most worthwhile to align with their personal goals.
Remember, ESG stands for environmental, social, and governance:
- Environmental – which refers to the factors that could have an impact on the planet, such as with excess emissions, efforts to manage and reduce water usage, mitigate air pollution, and seek to ethically source materials.
- Social – which refers to efforts to implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices, implement fair working rights, and create a safe and secure workplace for all places in which the business operates.
- Governance – which refers to how a company demonstrates leadership, such as with how business ethics are conveyed, how policies are developed, executed, and followed, audits are completed, and the way in which intellectual property is protected.
ESG data collection and software can help companies ensure that they are implementing all of the possible mechanisms to ensure their environmental, social, governance criteria remains in excellent working condition.
Why is ESG software important?
ESG software is more important than ever before seeing as investors, customers, and stakeholders are learning to utilise all your ESG data from ESG reports when deciding whether to invest their time or money into the company.
This means ESG software is a valuable tool that can be used as a buffer to ensure companies are making the most of every opportunity that comes their way – seeing as ESG software can help companies to remain proactive in their ESG strategy and prevent them from disappointing key stakeholders during pivotal moments of business.
Why ESG Data & Risk Management Are Relevant Today
Here are a few other reasons why ESG software is crucial in today’s world:
- Engaging Stakeholders – It is more difficult than ever to keep key stakeholders engaged, and this is one of the areas where ESG software and improved data management could help – seeing as this tool helps companies to gain insight on issues before diving into a larger one. This provides stakeholders with more opportunities to voice their opinion and feel essential to the company’s direction. That pressure hasn't let up even where regulation has: Verdantix's 2025 research found investor demand alone is driving continued ESG software adoption, independent of shifts in compliance requirements.
- Better Decision Making – Seeing as ESG software allows for greater insight ahead of potential problems with sourcing for materials, production, and how those products or services will affect surrounding communities and the planet. Therefore, ESG software can help companies to better understand how their actions will impact others – and make choices accordingly with this new information. This tracks with wider industry findings — PwC's 2025 Global Sustainability Reporting Survey found that most companies already reporting under CSRD gained real business value from the process itself, not just a completed filing.
- Manage ESG Risks – ESG risks refer to the problems that could arise in a business if a company refuses to acknowledge the impact of their environmental, social, or governance criteria. The good news is that ESG software can help companies to prevent these ESG risks from occurring in the first place, and allow for overall improved sustainability management.
- Improved Chances at Investments – Investors are taking an interest in ESG in order to ensure they commit to sustainable companies that can demonstrate long-term viability and consistent success. This means that opting to use ESG software can help increase the chances at new financial opportunities and resources for your business to grow.
- Practice Reporting for Other Disclosures – With new environmental regulations on the rise, it is becoming essential for companies to familiarise themselves with the importance of clearly delineating their company’s activities in order to comply and demonstrate transparency. Therefore, using ESG software can not only make adhering to future policies easier, but also help companies avoid other predicaments down the road – such as accusations of greenwashing.
Here's a quick recap of what ESG software delivers, at a glance:
| Reason | Benefit to Business |
|---|---|
| Regulatory Compliance | Ensures adherence to ESG-related laws and standards, reducing legal risks and penalties. |
| Improved Investor Relations | Demonstrates transparency and commitment to sustainability, attracting ESG-focused investors. |
| Operational Efficiency | Automates data tracking and reporting, saving time and reducing human errors. |
| Enhanced Brand Reputation | Shows dedication to environmental and social responsibility, improving public perception. |
| Risk Management | Identifies and mitigates ESG-related risks before they impact business performance. |
| Cost Savings | Optimises resource use and energy efficiency, leading to financial savings over time. |
| Competitive Advantage | Positions the company as a leader in sustainability, differentiating from competitors. |
Ultimately, ESG software is becoming a vital tool to help companies not only grow more aware of their current impact across ESG criteria – but to help them grow their business.
Our Top 5 ESG Softwares
Workiva
Workiva runs a dedicated UK platform and was named a Leader in Verdantix's Green Quadrant: ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software (2025). European clients including Equinor and Bolt already use it to bring financial and sustainability reporting together on one system.
Because Workiva applies the same audit-ready rigour to ESG data as it does to statutory financial filings, it's a natural fit for listed companies juggling multiple disclosure regimes at once.
Sweep
Sweep is dual-headquartered in Paris and London, and structures its platform around three pillars: Track, Disclose, Act.
Sweep was named a Leader in the 2026 Verdantix Green Quadrant and the IDC MarketScape for carbon and sustainability management. It automates Scope 1, 2, and 3 tracking, supports CSRD and GHG Protocol disclosure, and includes supplier engagement tools for value-chain data — for more carbon-specific options, see our top carbon management software roundup.
Novisto
Novisto positions itself as a "system of record" for ESG data — built for companies that want the same audit trail and traceability on sustainability data as they already have on financial data. It was named a Leader in Verdantix's Green Quadrant: ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software (2025).
Novisto recently acquired Minimum, a London-based carbon management firm, specifically to strengthen its support for the UK's own Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) alongside CSRD. It supports SASB, GRI, and CDP reporting too, with AI-powered peer benchmarking built in.
Cority
Cority's EHS+ platform brings environmental, health and safety, quality, and sustainability data together in one place, used by over 1,500 organisations worldwide.
Cority was named a Leader in Verdantix's 2025 Green Quadrant for both EHS Software and ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software, and its Paris-based sustainability consultants work directly with clients across the EU on CSRD compliance. Its platform tracks Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and generates disclosures aligned with CDP, GRI, SASB, TCFD, and CSRD.
Cority tends to suit companies in industrial or high-compliance sectors — manufacturing, chemicals, energy — that want ESG reporting built into existing safety and compliance workflows. See our 5 key capabilities of sustainability software for more on how this fits into the wider category.
Greenly
Greenly is a carbon accounting and ESG reporting platform used by over 4,000 companies across more than 30 countries, built to bring emissions measurement and ESG disclosure into one system rather than two separate tools.
It combines automated Scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon accounting with ESG data collection, an automated double materiality assessment, and report generation mapped to major frameworks including CSRD, GRI, SASB, and UK SRS, with AI-powered data processing to speed up disclosure.
Greenly tends to suit companies that want carbon accounting and ESG reporting handled on one platform, with dedicated project managers and ESG experts supporting each framework they report against.
How can you pick the best ESG software for your business?
Start from your reporting obligations and current data gaps, then work out how many people will actually use the platform day to day. From there, six checks are worth running before you commit:
- Framework alignment: does it map your data to the standards you report against, such as CSRD, UK SRS, GRI, or SASB, without manual reformatting for each one?
- Data quality and traceability: can it handle both quantitative and qualitative data, and show you where each figure came from if a regulator or investor asks?
- Room to grow: will it still fit if you add frameworks, entities, or a heavier reporting load next year?
- Security: how is your data stored, who can access it, and what certifications does the vendor hold?
- Usability: will the people entering data each month find it straightforward, not just the person who chose it?
- A live demo: ask to see the platform working with data close to your own before signing anything.
Customer reviews are worth reading for how a vendor performs once you're a paying customer, not just their sales pitch. The right ESG software is the one that fits your reporting obligations and your team, not necessarily the one with the longest feature list.
Frequently asked questions about the best ESG softwares
What is the best ESG software for UK businesses?
It depends on what your business needs to report. Workiva suits companies combining financial and ESG reporting, Sweep and Novisto are strong general-purpose ESG data platforms with genuine UK/EU grounding, Cority fits industrial or high-compliance sectors already running EHS software, and Greenly suits companies that want carbon accounting and ESG reporting combined on one platform.
Are ESG software companies the same as ESG rating agencies?
No — this is a common mix-up. ESG software helps a company manage and report its own ESG data. Rating agencies like MSCI assess other companies' ESG performance for investors. If you're choosing a tool to run your own reporting, you want ESG software, not a ratings provider.
What is the UK's equivalent to the EU's CSRD?
The UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS), published by the Department for Business and Trade in February 2026. They're currently voluntary, with the FCA consulting on mandatory requirements expected to apply from January 2027. UK SRS and CSRD are separate frameworks, not the same standard under two names.
Which ESG software companies are recognised by independent analysts?
Workiva, Novisto, and Cority are all named Leaders in Verdantix's Green Quadrant: ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software (2025). Sweep is named a Leader in Verdantix's separate Green Quadrant: Enterprise Carbon Management Software (2026), reflecting its carbon-specific focus. Which one suits you best depends on whether you need financial-reporting integration, carbon depth, audit-ready recordkeeping, or existing EHS ties — covered in the comparison above.
What about Greenly?
If you'd like to see how Greenly's platform would work for your own reporting needs, book a demo and we'll walk you through it.
Beyond the platform itself, Greenly also runs ESG Connect, a community for sustainability professionals to share knowledge and build connections with peers working through similar reporting challenges.
Verdantix, "Verdantix Green Quadrant Report Reveals ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software Vendors Shifting Strategies Amid Regulatory Flux,"
Verdantix, "Green Quadrant: Enterprise Carbon Management Software (2026),"
Greenly, "5 Questions About Transition Risks,"
UN Global Compact / IFC / World Bank, "Who Cares Wins: Connecting Financial Markets to a Changing World" (2004)
Greenly, "Water Pollution: Causes, Consequences and Solutions,"
Greenly, "Ethical Sourcing: Definition, Goals and Keys for Implementation,"
Greenly, "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): Why Environment Matters Too,"
Greenly, "Why Is Stakeholder Engagement Difficult?,"
PwC, "Global Sustainability Reporting Survey 2025,"
Greenly, "Why Should Investors Consider ESG Companies?,"
Greenly, "Legislation Checker,"
Cority
Greenly, "5 Key Capabilities of Sustainability Software,"
Workiva
Novisto
Greenly, "Top 10 Carbon Management Software,"
Sweep
Greenly, "What is the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol)?,"
Greenly, "CSRD Reporting,"
Greenly, "UK SRS,"
Greenly, "ESG Connect,"
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