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Sustainability

A world in balance 2024: Accelerating sustainability amidst geopolitical challenges

Report from the Capgemini Research Institute

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Organizations worldwide are making significant strides in environmental and social sustainability.

To understand the progress being made, the Capgemini Research Institute conducted an extensive survey involving 2,152 executives from 727 organizations with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion across 13 countries worldwide. They also surveyed 6,500 consumers from the same 13 countries to gain a comprehensive view of sustainability from both organizational and consumer perspectives.

The results of this survey have been collected in the third edition of our A world in balance series. By comparing this data with previous years’ surveys, we examine the progress organizations have made in environmental and social sustainability over the past three years and identify the challenges they face.

A world in balance 2024: Accelerating sustainability amidst geopolitical challenges highlights the strides made in areas such as circularity, sustainable design, measurement and data sharing, water stewardship, biodiversity, social sustainability, and sustainability education and training. Despite these advancements, challenges remain, particularly in addressing Scope 3 emissions and effectively engaging consumers.

The report has found that regulations have driven sustainability efforts and accelerated measurement and tracking capabilities. However, many organizations are still unprepared for upcoming directives like the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Read an executive summary below.

Click to read Executive Digest | A world in balance 2024

Executives recognize the importance of climate tech, including low-carbon hydrogen, industrial carbon capture, and electrification, in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving other sustainability goals. Two-thirds of executives agree that data and digital technologies are accelerators for climate tech adoption. Although high costs, skills shortages, and regulatory uncertainties pose challenges.

 The research reveals that sustainability is geopolitically and politically sensitive. Sixty-five percent of executives cite current geopolitical tensions as barriers to sustainability investments. Concerns about the uncertain political environment in the US and other regions also impact sustainability projects.

Consumer skepticism towards corporate sustainability claims is on the rise, with 52% believing that organizations are greenwashing their sustainability initiatives, up from 33% in 2023. Transparency and accountability are crucial to rebuilding trust.

Our report offers actionable insights for decision-makers to navigate these complexities. It emphasizes the importance of preparing for regulatory changes and geopolitical uncertainties and prioritizing water and biodiversity. Organizations can build trust  and drive innovation and business value by prioritizing customer centricity in  sustainability strategies, integrating circularity in the value chain, investing in climate tech and digital technologies, and ensuring the achievement of sustainability goals are an enterprise-wide focus.

Download the full report to learn more.

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Meet our experts

Vincent Charpiot

Executive Vice President, Head of Group Sustainability Accelerator, Capgemini
I am a senior business executive and global business leader with extensive experience in helping clients manage their digital transformations. I lead the Group Sustainability Accelerator and my focus is to ensure we go to market with a unique Sustainability Services portfolio and ecosystem to help our clients on their journey to Net Zero, in an evolving ESG regulation.

Florent Andrillon

Group Climate Tech leader, Capgemini
Florent leads clean tech business development with all sustainability teams across the Group. He has more than 20 years of experience in the energy and utilities sector, helping clients to achieve their sustainability goals and transition to a low-carbon economy. He has a strong focus on the energy, resources, and clean tech market, as well as on sustainability, climate, and energy transition issues. He leverages Capgemini’s capabilities and its external partners to deliver innovative and impactful solutions.

Shobha Meera

Group Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer
Corporate Responsibility

James Robey

Global Head of Sustainability, Capgemini
I have led the Capgemini Group sustainability agenda since setting first carbon reduction targets in 2008. I am a long-term advocate of ambitious targets as a mechanism to drive innovation to ensure continual improvements. I manage our sustainability risks and drive our program to reduce environmental impacts in our most material areas. However the biggest difference we can make on this agenda, is the work we do with our clients. In 2018, we announced a new target to help our clients save 10 million carbon tonnes through leveraging technology. I regularly speak on this topic and engage directly with our clients.

Sol Salinas

Global Executive Vice President & North America Sustainability Lead, Capgemini
Sol is Americas and global Group accounts Sustainability Lead at Capgemini, where he oversees work across the Americas and globally on key sustainability priorities. He was the founder of ENERGY STAR and served as brand CZAR and Strategy lead from ’91 to ’05. He is a sustainability expert and digital transformation global thought leader with 25 years of experience in all aspects of sustainability and digital transformation.

Karine Vasselin

Expert in Diversity and Inclusion