As ESG regulations become more complex across the EU, many large enterprises are turning to their technology providers for support. In this case study, I outline how ESG Integration partnered with a European SaaS company to help one of their enterprise clients prepare for Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) compliance.
The Challenge
A leading technology company (anonymised for confidentiality) approached ESG Integration to act as their ESG expert in support of one of their clients—a multinational enterprise with over 24 subsidiaries operating across four countries.
The enterprise had met the CSRD thresholds and was in-scope for mandatory ESG reporting. However, they were struggling with:
- Understanding what they needed to report, when, and how
- Navigating a highly decentralised structure, with inconsistent ESG maturity across subsidiaries
- Locating ESG-related data, which was spread across over 10 platforms, formats, and teams
- Lacking an effective system to engage subsidiaries, gather information, and ensure compliance
Our Approach
ESG Integration was brought in to deliver both strategic and technical expertise. My role was twofold:
1. Shaping the ESG Service Offering
I worked with the SaaS company to develop a comprehensive CSRD compliance proposal for their enterprise client. This included:
- Outlining CSRD obligations, timelines, and required disclosures under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)
- Explaining the process for double materiality assessment, stakeholder engagement, and audit trail requirements
- Defining how a digital tool could support structured data collection and readiness assessment
2. Assessing Readiness and Designing the Software Architecture
Once the client engaged the SaaS provider, I supported both parties to:
- Conduct a CSRD diagnostic by reviewing the client’s internal double materiality assessment and interviewing key staff
- Map existing ESG data sources across HR systems, financial software, operational reports, and supply chain tools
- Identify missing data points, duplication, and gaps in subsidiary-level reporting
- Design the specification for a custom ESG data management tool, tailored to:
- Link to multiple data systems
- Enable structured engagement with each subsidiary
- Track data availability, ownership, and reporting progress
- Align with ESRS granularity and future XBRL tagging requirements
The Outcome
The client secured the enterprise contract based on the strength of our integrated ESG-tech proposal. As a result:
- The enterprise now has a clear roadmap to CSRD compliance, built around their existing systems and structure
- A bespoke ESG data platform is in development to support live reporting progress and integration with core business systems
- The SaaS provider now has a repeatable ESG offer they can tailor to other large clients facing regulatory requirements
Why This Matters
This project demonstrates ESG Integration and SaaS providers can work together to deliver measurable, scalable ESG solutions for regulated organisations. ESG Integration’s value lay in translating regulatory expectations into operational and technical requirements, enabling software development aligned with rapidly evolving EU directives.
If you’re a technology provider supporting clients subject to CSRD, or an enterprise unsure where to begin with ESG data readiness, ESG Integration can support you in developing a structured, regulatory-aligned solution.
Let’s Talk
We work with:
- SaaS providers developing ESG or compliance features
- Enterprises preparing for CSRD or EU Taxonomy alignment
- UK or EU-based firms with complex data landscapes
- Sustainability teams building a digital ESG data architecture
To discuss partnership opportunities or secure consulting support for 2025, get in touch here.
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