Many organizations today view sustainability as a strategic priority. But a significant gap remains between ambition and execution.
While organizations continue to invest in sustainability, many struggle to turn that investment into innovation, cost savings and long-term resilience.
To transform sustainability beyond a compliance obligation, enterprises need the right technology playbook. This includes integrating sustainability into technology strategy, using AI tools to become more proactive and building holistic resilience to withstand disruption.
Sustainability is becoming a core driver of business value. By investing in sustainability, businesses can reduce operational costs, boost efficiency and gain an edge in a competitive market. They can also mitigate risks — from regulatory change to climate-related disasters.
Leaders face a clear choice: continue operating with fragmented approaches, or embrace integrated strategies that deliver measurable returns and set enterprises up for long-term success.
Key takeaways
01
Businesses are working to close the gap between sustainability ambition and execution. More than two-thirds of organizations say sustainability is a top strategic priority, according to the Global Sustainability Barometer, but only 17% have embedded sustainability as a core driver of innovation, cost savings and resilience.
02
The business case for sustainable modernization is compelling: organizations that integrate sustainability into their technology strategy can reduce costs, extend the lifespan of equipment and mitigate risks. From hardware to data management, sustainability is an opportunity that extends across the full technology stack.
03
Enterprises have an immense opportunity to use AI to accelerate sustainability efforts. Just a fraction of organizations have adopted AI to support sustainability decision-making, and fewer have deployed agentic AI for sustainability initiatives. But those who have are significantly more likely to report gains in innovation, efficiency and customer satisfaction.
04
Integrating sustainability and resilience will better position enterprises to manage future risks. Modern resilience involves investing in technology to build a stronger adaptive muscle and training the workforce so teams can effectively use sustainability tools. Enterprises must also prepare to comply with regulatory mandates that require disclosing sustainability metrics, assessing risks and developing comprehensive plans to increase resilience.
Read more about sustainability at Kyndryl
2025 Global Sustainability Barometer
Kyndryl’s 2025 Corporate Citizenship Report
Going behind the numbers on global sustainability