Q Insights #003

Q Insights is brought to you by KanataQ

This week’s read time: 7 minutes

Welcome to this edition of Q Insights — our bi-weekly newsletter for sustainability and ESG professionals looking to make smarter solution decisions.

Each edition brings you concise, relevant updates on the tools, trends, and technologies driving the sustainable transition. We filter the noise, highlight what matters, and help you navigate the sustainability solution landscape with clarity and confidence.

In this edition, we’ll cover:

• Q Intelligence: Conversion Titans: US & SG Solutions Lead the Way 🔎

• Q Thought Piece: Why SBI Is the Future of ESG Tools - thought piece by Nawar Alsaadi 💬

• Q Signals: Socialsuite launches a new software platform; Makersite releases whitepaper which outlines how AI can transform Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), and other news 📊

• KanataQ Corner: New Listed Providers and Ecosystem Partners announced ✅

• and other insights 💡

Q INTELLIGENCE

Fresh data from KanataQ shows a clear gap: solutions from the US and Singapore convert over 50% of profile views into qualified sales leads - nearly 2x the global average.

Why are they winning? On average, they’re 2 years more mature, score higher on trust (+3%), have double the LinkedIn following, and charge 219% more. It’s the power of 2x - and buyers respond.

Meanwhile, solutions from Australia, Denmark, and France get just as many profile views on average - but convert far less into leads. 

The opportunity? Build credibility and 4× your lead conversion rate.

If growth is the goal, sign up for KanataQ’s upcoming Market Intelligence Portal ([email protected]). Get real-time insights like this - and carve out your edge.

Q THOUGHT PIECE

Why SBI Is the Future of ESG Tools

By Nawar Alsaadi

As the EU scrambles to simplify and water down sustainability regulations due to political and competitiveness pressures, and as the U.S. distances itself from its sustainability commitments, it’s critical for sustainability solutions providers to reposition themselves as what I call “Sustainable Business Intelligence” (SBI) tools.

What Is Sustainable Business Intelligence (SBI)?

Sustainable Business Intelligence merges ESG data with analytical, decision-making, and performance management capabilities. It provides organizations with a cohesive lens to plan, develop and manage their sustainability, operational and strategic objectives.  Unlike traditional ESG tools that often emphasize compliance or reporting, SBI is about converting sustainability into business intelligence systems.

With 93% of CFOs seeing a clear business case for sustainability and 82% of the C-Suite seeing a role for ESG in driving corporate performance, a fusion between sustainability tools and business is the natural next step.

The 4-Layers of Sustainable Business Intelligence

There are four complementary  pillars or layers to SBI. Each solution provider should understand where they wish to be and where they could win within these layers.

1. Data-Driven Insights

The foundation of any effective sustainability strategy is reliable, actionable data. The Data-Driven Insights pillar focuses on technologies and systems that allow organizations to collect, monitor, and analyze sustainability data in real time (i.e., data capture, data lakes, data visualization, and knowledge graphs).

2. Sustainable Advantage

Once data is captured and structured, the next step is to use it strategically. The Sustainable Advantage dimension focuses on tools that help organizations translate data into insight and foresight to inform business strategy  (i.e., scenario analysis, forecasting tools, sensitivity analysis, dynamic systems modeling).

 3. Operational Support

The third pillar recognizes that strategy without execution is meaningless. Operational Support covers a suite of tools that help teams implement sustainability plans across the enterprise (i.e., collaboration tools, communications tools, performance management tools, reporting and compliance tools).

4. Agentic Sustainability Management

Perhaps the most forward-looking dimension of SBI is Agentic Sustainability Management. This pillar envisions autonomous tools and systems that build on the previous three dimensions to manage sustainability tasks with minimal human oversight (i.e., autonomous energy management, supply chain optimization).

From Box-Ticking to Mission-Critical Intelligence

Sustainable Business Intelligence repositions sustainability from the margins to the center of enterprise decision-making. It enables organizations to integrate environmental, social, and governance factors in operations and business strategy with the same rigor as financial data. In doing so, SBI positions sustainability as an enabler and a driver for business performance.  

Of note, many solution providers already operate within one or more SBI layers, often without labeling it as such. As the sustainability solutions market evolves, it is essential for these providers to be more intentional about their SBI positioning. Reviewing product roadmaps through the lens of SBI can help clarify competitive differentiation and inform future growth.

It’s no longer enough to offer ESG disclosure tools or impact management features. The next generation of sustainability and ESG solutions will be those that build operating systems for sustainable value creation, platforms that help organizations sense, predict, act, and optimize business and sustainability performance simultaneously and in real time.

Q SIGNALS

Latest developments, insights, and trends

📊 New tools, features, and funding rounds from solution providers

Socialsuite (KanataQ listed) launched a new software platform designed to help companies manage double materiality assessments required under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The platform integrates stakeholder engagement tools with AI-powered benchmarking to support compliance with CSRD and ISSB standards. Key features include centralized data management, industry trend analysis, and strategic risk assessment capabilities. CEO Seth Forman said the platform can reduce the time and cost of conducting double materiality assessments by up to 80%, addressing growing regulatory demands with enhanced efficiency. (link)

ctrl+s (KanataQ listed), a Scope 3 emissions solution provider, is expanding into North America with new operations in the U.S. and Canada. After gaining traction in Europe and securing additional funding from SCALEHOUSE Capital, the company is scaling its impact globally. ctrl+s emphasizes building tools that help reduce emissions, not just report them, and aims to bring that practical approach to the North American market. (link)

Makersite (KanataQ listed) released a whitepaper, which outlines how AI can transform Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). It also warns that general-purpose AI tools often lack the transparency, data rigor, and contextual understanding needed for credible sustainability insights, leading to significant errors and greenwashing risks. Instead, it advocates for a purpose-built AI framework grounded in curated data, expert oversight, and transparent methodologies. The paper highlights best practices such as smart data enrichment, controlled gap-filling, and maintaining expert control, showing how companies like Microsoft are applying this approach to scale credible, auditable LCAs efficiently. (link)

Denominator (KanataQ listed) has partnered with Standard Chartered’s Women’s International Network (SC WIN) to enhance global visibility and access for women-led and diverse businesses. Through Denominator’s free Data Portal, procurement teams can discover verified suppliers aligned with ESG and diversity goals, using standardized metrics on ownership and impact. SC WIN supports women entrepreneurs with capital, networking, and community under its Scale, Connect, and Belong pillars. The partnership aims to empower diverse suppliers with certifications, visibility, and growth tools while helping corporations meet inclusive procurement and sustainability targets. (link)

Watershed launched a free, open-access version of its global emissions database, CEDA, to help organizations make more accurate decarbonization decisions. The database includes emissions data from 148 countries and 400 industries, covering 95% of global GDP. Originally developed by VitalMetrics, which Watershed acquired in 2023, CEDA aims to address widespread reliance on outdated or geographically skewed emissions data. The move supports broader access to high-quality environmental data, with partners like Amazon integrating CEDA into its Sustainability Exchange and Data Initiative to support informed climate action across sectors.

SAP launched a suite of new sustainability-focused solutions aimed at helping companies manage value chain data and meet regulatory requirements. Unveiled at its Sapphire event, the tools will be part of SAP’s Business Data Cloud (BDC), providing structured and validated data on emissions and compliance. Upcoming integrations include carbon footprint data and SAP Sustainability Control Tower. SAP also added sustainability metrics to its Signavio business transformation suite, enabling carbon tracking across business processes.

Assent launched a new solution to help manufacturers comply with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), offering built-in tools to calculate and manage embedded supply chain carbon emissions. CBAM, set to take effect in 2026, requires importers to report the carbon intensity of goods brought into the EU, with a goal of preventing carbon leakage and aligning carbon pricing across jurisdictions. Assent’s platform addresses the challenge that fewer than 15% of manufacturers currently have the necessary data systems in place, providing emissions calculators, supplier data mapping, and AI-driven support through a partnership with Forward Earth. The solution aims to reduce compliance risks, automate reporting, and help companies gain a competitive edge as sustainability regulations tighten.

Microsoft introduced new sustainability-focused tools for its Azure cloud platform, including emissions tracking during cloud migration and carbon optimization for ongoing operations. The updates incorporate carbon analysis into Azure Migrate to help businesses compare on-premise and Azure emissions when planning cloud transitions, and make carbon optimization generally available for monitoring and reducing emissions from active workloads. These tools offer detailed emissions data, AI-powered efficiency recommendations, and integration with reporting systems, reinforcing Microsoft’s push to embed sustainability as a continuous element of cloud management.

KANATAQ CORNER

What’s new on KanataQ?

📈 KanataQ Growing Family

Here is the list of providers that joined KanataQ since our last edition: Works Design (Sustainability Communication), Kind Your Own Business (Strategic Advisory Services), ecoPRISM (Sustainable Operations), Terrama (Education & Training), 414 (Sustainable Finance).

🔵 New Ecosystem Partners

We’re pleased to welcome Holly Smith, Wesley Gee, and Louis Hebbs to our fast growing KanataQ Ecosystem Partners program. As a reminder KanataQ Ecosystem Partners are a select group of sustainability experts carefully chosen by KanataQ to contribute to the platform's growth and success.

Come join us

Are you a sustainability solution provider? Join KanataQ, the platform where sustainability solution providers connect with high-intent buyers. Generate quality leads, gain market insights, and maximize ROI with our commission-free model. List with us today.

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