Q Insights #029

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This week’s read time: 5 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: Snippets from the AI Deployment in Sustainability Solutions report 📊

• Q Signals:
 - Workiva launched its Sustainability Disclosure Agent
 - Brightest announced a partnership with TÜV SÜD 
- osapiens and GreenDot launched a partnership to deliver an EPR solution
- Novara acquired sustainability platform Ensogo
- S&P Global Sustainable1 launched a new UN Global Compact (UNGC) Screening Dataset
- Sweep and HowGood launched a partnership to help food and agriculture companies track and report product-level emissions

• KanataQ Corner: Newly Listed Providers on KanataQ ✅

• and other insights 💡

Q INTELLIGENCE

AI in sustainability is still primarily used internally, but it is increasingly finding its way into products, workflows, and client-facing services.

In our latest report, 83% of surveyed providers said they use AI internally, while 78% report at least some client-facing AI use. But the depth of deployment is still uneven: only 39% say AI is embedded in key client-facing workflows.

The most common use cases also tell an important story. AI is being applied first where sustainability work is most data-heavy and repetitive, such as data extraction/processing (70%) and calculations/analysis (70%).

This suggests AI’s biggest near-term value may be the less visible work below the surface: turning fragmented sustainability data into structured, reviewable, and decision-useful outputs.

Read more in our latest Q report.

Q SIGNALS

Latest developments, insights, and trends

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

Workiva (KanataQ listed) launched its Sustainability Disclosure Agent, an AI-powered tool that helps companies identify reporting gaps, align disclosures with evolving sustainability standards such as ESRS and IFRS S1/S2, and generate draft disclosures. The solution automates the comparison of existing reports against reporting requirements, highlights missing information, and recommends next steps, helping sustainability teams streamline compliance in an increasingly complex reporting landscape. (link)

Brightest (KanataQ listed) announced a partnership with TÜV SÜD to integrate independent supplier auditing and sustainability assurance services directly into its sustainability management platform. The collaboration enables companies to initiate supplier audits within Brightest and receive TÜV SÜD’s audit findings in the same system, while also allowing organizations to move seamlessly from preparing sustainability disclosures to requesting third-party assurance engagements. (link)

osapiens and GreenDot launched a partnership to deliver an AI-powered Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) solution designed to help companies comply with the EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The solution combines GreenDot’s expertise in packaging compliance and producer responsibility schemes with the osapiens HUB platform to automate packaging data collection, calculate EPR obligations across European markets, optimize fee structures, and manage country-specific reporting requirements. (link)

Novara acquired AI-powered sustainability platform Ensogo to strengthen its AI capabilities, sustainability offerings, and global reach. The deal combines Ensogo’s expertise in ESG reporting, carbon accounting, and sustainability intelligence with Novara’s operational risk and safety platform. (link)

S&P Global Sustainable1 launched a new UN Global Compact (UNGC) Screening Dataset to help investors, banks, and companies assess alignment with the UNGC’s principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. Covering approximately 16,500 companies, the AI-powered solution combines controversy monitoring and business involvement screening to identify sustainability risks, enabling users to strengthen risk oversight, portfolio management, and corporate engagement. (link)

Sweep and HowGood launched a partnership to help food and agriculture companies track and report product-level emissions, combining HowGood’s database of more than 12 million product carbon footprints with Sweep’s sustainability reporting platform. The integrated solution aims to address growing pressure from regulations such as the EU’s CSRD and California’s SB 253 by providing ingredient- and product-level emissions data for Scope 3 accounting, regulatory reporting, and supplier engagement. (link)

KANATAQ CORNER

What’s new on KanataQ?

📈 KanataQ Growing Family

Providers that joined KanataQ since our last edition: Intaygral (Strategic Advisory Services).

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 or contact us at [email protected] for inquiries.

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