For years, ESG was a checkbox. A well-structured report, a polished disclosure, and maybe a net-zero goal 20 years out. But as climate pressure intensifies, supply chains demand transparency, and regulations bite harder, that mindset is fading, and fast. Today, ESG technology is no longer about reporting the past. It’s about driving the future.
Take a step back and look at the SPARK Matrix™ reports from both 2023 and 2024 side by side, and you’ll start to see the real story. These aren’t just static snapshots, they’re part of a moving picture. Compared together they show how the ESG platform landscape is evolving in real time: who’s stepping up, who’s holding steady, and who’s quietly losing ground in a space where momentum matters more than ever.
The Unshakables: Who Held Their Ground (and Why It Matters)
It takes more than flash to stay on top. Few vendors have proven that. Salesforce retains its place as a top Leader in both 2023 and 2024. Positioned at the extreme top-right in both years, Salesforce is clearly ticking both boxes: technology maturity and customer impact. The platform’s strength lies in embedding ESG across its business ecosystem, turning sustainability from a department-level task into an enterprise-wide capability.
IBM, another established player has maintained its position as a Strong Contender across both years. That stability signals consistency, though not necessarily innovation. IBM hasn’t slipped, but it also hasn’t surged. In a rapidly changing market, that’s a fine line to walk.
Worldfavor, Sphera, and Wolters Kluwer all show modest but meaningful improvement in customer traction. Wolters Kluwer crosses from Strong Contender to Leader in 2024, a testament to its growing enterprise footprint and technology investments.
The Risers: Strategic Leaps That Redefined the Matrix
Some vendors didn’t just improve; they changed their position in the market entirely.
Workiva in 2023 sat squarely in the Strong Contenders quadrant. In 2024 it has climbed decisively into the top-tier Leaders. That’s not a subtle move; it’s a strategic transformation. Workiva’s ability to unify ESG and financial disclosures, streamline compliance, and improve reporting agility clearly resonated with enterprises navigating SEC and CSRD requirements.
Then there’s NASDAQ, a name more associated with markets than emissions. Yet in 2024, it emerges as a full-fledged Leader, rising from a modest Strong Contender position in 2023. This upward movement reflects how ESG is converging with financial infrastructure. NASDAQ’s product is now about more than data, it’s about insight, risk modeling, and investment-grade sustainability strategy.
Persefoni has also made a modest yet visible move upward in 2024, climbing slightly on the customer impact axis. This shift points to continued traction among enterprises.
The Fallbacks: Slipping from the Summit
ESG tech isn’t static. And for some, the 2024 matrix is a tough wake-up call.
OneTrust, previously a standout in the Leader quadrant in 2023, slides noticeably into the Strong Contender zone in 2024. While still positioned high in customer impact, its tech momentum seems to have tapered off, perhaps overtaken by more vertically specialized platforms.
SINAI Technologies suffers a more dramatic fall, from a borderline Leader in 2023 to a clearly lower Strong Contender in 2024. This shift suggests that while the platform’s carbon modeling remains respected, its broader product strategy and enterprise fit may not be scaling fast enough.
ESGeo, which sat low in the Leader quadrant in 2023, also slips to the Strong Contender section in 2024. The technology dimension in particular appears to have weakened, hinting at possible stagnation in roadmap execution.
It’s worth noting that UL Solutions and Schneider Electric, both present in 2023, are missing entirely in 2024. Whether that’s due to strategic withdrawal, portfolio shifts, or lack of participation, their absence is notable, and leaves space for newer players to capture attention.
The Debuts and the Partnerships
The 2024 matrix also features a new name in the Leaders quadrant: AMCS Group. Not seen in 2023, AMCS now appears co-labeled with FigBytes, suggesting a partnership or technology collaboration. This entry, directly into the upper Leader tier, is impressive, and hints at the growing importance of circular economy solutions and environmental compliance as part of ESG programs.
The Stuck Middle: Still in the Game, But for How Long?
Vendors like Intelex, Novisto, South Pole, CEMAsys, and Ecometrica hold steady across both years. They remain relevant, especially in specific verticals or use cases, but haven’t made dramatic moves in either direction. The question now is: will they adapt in time to avoid being outpaced?
Meanwhile, Emitwise, Emex, and Diginex continue to occupy the lower-left quadrant, with little to no visible movement from 2023 to 2024. Emitwise and Emex, in particular, seem to have dropped slightly in customer impact, widening the gap between them and the next tier of contenders.
If innovation doesn’t pick up soon, these platforms risk being squeezed out of enterprise buying conversations altogether.
So, What’s Changed in the Market?
Between 2023 and 2024, the market shifted gears. ESG buyers are no longer shopping for reporting software, they’re looking for strategic decision engines. The most successful vendors are those who:
- Enable integrated financial + ESG disclosures
- Support supplier-level Scope 3 emissions mapping
- Offer AI-enabled benchmarking and scenario modeling
- Build platforms that connect strategy, reporting, and action, not just compliance
What’s also clear is that brand legacy alone no longer guarantees a top spot. Today’s ESG leaders are defined by their ability to anticipate complexity and scale relevance, across teams, supply chains, and reporting frameworks.
Final Thoughts: ESG Tech Is a Moving Target
Comparing the 2023 and 2024 SPARK Matrix™ evaluations shows a market in transition. Some vendors are rising by design, backed by focused R&D, better integrations, and a clearer understanding of what enterprise buyers truly need. Others are slipping, either overwhelmed by the pace of change or too focused on the past.
But one thing is certain: this market rewards movement. And by next year, the definition of “Leader” may look different yet again.