ESG in action – How to convert Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) data into business intelligence

ESG in Action: How C-Suite executives convert ESG data into business intelligence

Sustainability is a core driver of performance, competitiveness, and growth. Artefact’s new ebook, ESG in Action: How to convert Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) data into business intelligence, brings together C-suite leaders from global organizations to explore how companies are transforming ESG data into operational intelligence and unlocking measurable value in the process.

Based on insights derived from semi-structured interviews with C-level executives across 10 sectors, the consensus is clear: ESG data is the new financial data. It draws from procurement, logistics, HR, energy systems, and product composition and exposes inefficiencies that traditional reporting often misses. For most executives, ESG measurement behaves like an “X-ray” of their operations, revealing gaps in supplier information, product references, and system integration. This added operational visibility delivers immediate returns, from cost savings to decision-making.

The illustrative cases in the ebook, including Accor, Legrand, Tarkett, Siplec, Ardian, Heineken and ALSglobal show how their initiatives turn sustainability into a continuous performance engine by defining ESG metrics early, embedding them directly into operational systems, and contextualizing them with financial and operational data. For example:

• Accor used integrated ESG and operational data to phase out single-use plastics across its hotels.
• Legrand is building a digital twin to model the environmental and operational footprint of its activities.
• Tarkett’s ReStart® circularity program has recycled more than 124,000 tonnes of flooring material since launch.
• Heineken Brazil’s SPIN initiative generated R$250 million in revenue in its first year.

ESG clearly succeeds when treated as a strategic capability, not a compliance task. These are inspiring examples of companies that institutionalized ESG data governance, connected sustainability and financial insights, and embedded indicators into everyday decision-making, paving the way to align impact with long-term performance.