VERDANTIX.

COM

Green Quadrant: ESG & Sustainability

Consulting 2022

JANUARY 2022

BY SAM RENSHAW
WITH KIM KNICKLE

This version of the report contains Verdantix’s summary of EY’s capabilities to help prospective
customers evaluate whether the vendor is a good fit for their ESG and sustainability consulting
requirements. It does not contain other vendor profiles.

ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY

 Green Quadrant: ESG and Sustainability Consulting 2022

This report provides a detailed fact-based comparison of the most prominent ESG and sustainability consulting
firms. Based on the proprietary Verdantix Green Quadrant methodology, the analysis encompassed two-hour
live briefings, desktop research and vendor responses to a 97-point questionnaire covering 15 capability and
seven market momentum categories. Verdantix also conducted interviews with more than 10 ESG and
sustainability consulting customers and reviewed the data from the 2021 Verdantix Global Corporate Survey of
400 senior executives in ESG and sustainability governance (see Verdantix Global Corporate Survey: ESG And
Sustainability Governance, Strategies And Priorities). Verdantix analysis finds that the ESG and sustainability
consulting market has undergone a substantial transformation, with more than 18 sustainability consulting
acquisitions occurring within the last two years. Among the consultancy firms featured in the Leaders’ Quadrant,
four firms — ERM, EY, PwC and WSP — demonstrate the most advanced all-round ESG and sustainability
consulting capabilities. Additionally, this report highlights the breadth of the ESG and sustainability consulting
market, with eight different firms demonstrating market-leading capabilities in at least one sub-sector.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The State Of The Market For ESG And Sustainability Consulting ........................................................................ 4
ESG Is Becoming Firmly Established As A Major Priority For The C-Suite
Heterogenous ESG Market Drivers Fuel Demand For A Broad ESG Consultancy Offering
Significant Acquisition Activity Reflects Competitive Dynamics In ESG And Sustainability Services

Green Quadrant For ESG And Sustainability Consulting ................................................................................... 10

Green Quadrant Methodology
Evaluated Firms And Selection Criteria
Evaluation Criteria For ESG And Sustainability Consulting Providers
EY Offers Market-Leading Capability For ESG And Sustainability Consulting Services

TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Personas Responsible For Defining Sustainability Strategy .......................................................................... 5
Figure 2. Projected ESG And Sustainability Investment Increase In 2022 ..................................................................... 6
Figure 3. Projected Spend Change On Professional Services Projects In 2022 ........................................................... 7
Figure 4. Business Functions Responsible For Implementing ESG Strategies ............................................................. 8
Figure 5. ESG and Sustainability Consulting Acquisitions Summary For 2019-2021 ................................................... 9
Figure 6. Capabilities Criteria For Types Of ESG and Sustainability Consulting Engagements ................................. 13
Figure 7-1. Capabilities Criteria For ESG And Sustainability Service Lines ................................................................. 14
Figure 7-2. Capabilities Criteria For ESG And Sustainability Service Lines ................................................................. 15
Figure 8. Momentum Criteria For ESG And Sustainability Consulting Firms .............................................................. 16
Figure 9-1. ESG And Sustainability Consulting Firms Capabilities Scores ................................................................... 17
Figure 9-2. ESG And Sustainability Consulting Firms Capabilities Scores ................................................................... 18

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Figure 10. ESG And Sustainability Consulting Firms Momentum Scores .................................................................... 19
Figure 11. Green Quadrant For ESG and Sustainability Consulting 2022 ................................................................... 20

ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED
Accenture, AECOM, Arabesque S-Ray, Arcadis, Arcus, Bain and Company, BCG Digital Ventures, Blackstone,
Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Center for Social and Sustainable Products
(CSSP), ClimeCo, Critical Resource, Datamaran, Deloitte, Designit, DuPont Sustainable Solutions, E4tech,
EarthCon, Earthsoft, EcoVadis, Enablon, ERM, EY, FE fundinfo, Fidelity, Ford Motor Company, Global Affairs
Associates, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Golder, Greenomy, IBM, Infosys, Intel, Intelex, Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) , International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), Jacobs, KKR, KKS
Advisors, KPMG, Lodestone Partners, LT Environmental, M.J. Bradley and Associates, McKinsey and Company,
Microsoft, Network Rail, PA Consulting, Persefoni, Planetrics, PwC, Renewables Consulting Group, Robertsbridge,
SAP, Salesforce, Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Societer,
Sofies Group, Sphera, Stonehaven, Stratos, SustainAbility, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB),
Sustainable Development Committee of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC),
Sustainalize, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Teneo, UK Green Building Council
(UKGBC), United Nations (UN), University of Minnesota, Utopus Insights, US Air Force, Vivid Economics, Wipro,
Workiva, World Bank, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), World Green Building
Council, World Economic Forum, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), WSP.

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The State Of The Market For ESG And Sustainability Consulting
Myriad firms seek the services of ESG and sustainability consulting providers to help them develop and
implement a broad range of sustainability initiatives, in order to appease stakeholders, reduce operational
risks, improve productivity and, most importantly, identify opportunities. The demand for ESG and
sustainability consulting has grown rapidly over the last two years, as firms grapple with increasing stakeholder
demands and a greater understanding of the perils of lack of action on sustainability.

This report provides the individuals responsible for selecting, implementing and getting value from ESG and
sustainability consulting services with a detailed benchmark to help them select the consultancy firm best
suited to their needs. The research for this report answers specific consultancy firm selection questions, such
as:

• What is the current state of the ESG and sustainability consulting market?
• Which ESG and sustainability consulting firms lead the market?
• Which firms have the strongest momentum in the ESG and sustainability consulting market?
• How can an ESG and sustainability consultant support our firm in its sustainability journey?
• Which consulting firm can best support our firm’s sustainability journey?

To answer these questions, Verdantix analysed 15 ESG and sustainability consultancy firms, using a 97-point
questionnaire, and conducted detailed briefings with participating service firms. We also leveraged insights
from the 2021 Verdantix Global Corporate Survey of 400 senior executives in sustainability, which included
specific questions on their sustainability consulting spending plans for 2022 (see Verdantix Global Corporate
Survey: ESG And Sustainability Governance, Strategies And Priorities). The resulting analysis is based on the
proprietary Verdantix Green Quadrant methodology, which is designed to provide an evidence-based, objective
assessment of suppliers of comparable products or services.

ESG Is Becoming Firmly Established As A Major Priority For The C-Suite

A decade ago, sustainability consulting was a niche field, with the market largely comprising small boutique
firms. Consultancy projects were commissioned by Heads of Sustainability, often with constrained budgets that
were unable to fund large projects. Fast forward to 2021, and budgets have grown, thanks to the widespread
financial impact of sustainability issues and the support of the C-Suite. Rising demand has led to a variety of
multinational firms, ranging from management consultants to professional services firms, vying to demonstrate
a competitive offering in an ever-expanding ESG and sustainability consulting landscape. The extent to which
ESG is increasing in prominence in the boardroom can be seen in the:

• Tectonic shift in the personas responsible for driving ESG strategy implementation.
The C-suite is increasingly collaborating with the Head of Sustainability to create the firm’s sustainability
strategy. In the Verdantix Global Corporate Survey, analysis found that 79.5% of the CEOs surveyed made
a leading or significant contribution to their firm’s sustainability strategy, closely followed by CFOs, at 75%
(see Figure 1). Although Heads of Sustainability are still consistently the employees most actively involved
in discussions (with 90% either leading or making a significant contribution, according to our survey), the
C-Suite – and predominately the CEO – are emerging as a leading voice. As pressure from stakeholders on
sustainability matters continues to evolve, the role of the C-Suite in sustainability will continue to grow –
not least because ESG negligence results in perilous job security.

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 FIGURE 1

Personas Responsible For Defining Sustainability Strategy

“What is the involvement of the following decision-makers in defining your firm's sustainability strategy?”

VP Sustainability 31% 61% 8% 1

CEO 36% 44% 17% 4

CFO 11% 64% 23% 1

Leading Significant contributor Minor contributor Not involved

Note: Data labels are rounded to zero decimal places, percentages less than 7% have been written as numbers.

Source: Verdantix Global ESG and Sustainability Governance, Budgets and Priorities Survey 2021 N=400

• Signals for a further increase in sustainability initiative spending in 2022.

Firms’ spending on sustainability initiatives looks set to continue expanding at rapid rates for both ESG
software and consultancy services. In the Verdantix Global Corporate Survey, 57% of firms expected
sustainability initiative spending in 2022 to exhibit double-digit growth compared with 2021, with 28%
anticipating an increase greater than 25% (see Figure 2). This expectation of spending increase is
mirrored in the actions of ESG and sustainability consulting participants. Firms are publicly seeking to
establish offerings in the market, with McKinsey and Company, for instance, launching a specialized
sustainability practice in April 2021.

• Broad range of professional services projects set to exhibit spending growth in 2022.
As firms seek to develop and implement adequate sustainability strategies across the full spectrum of
sustainability touchpoints, budget-holders are looking to professional services firms for solutions. In our
Global Corporate Survey, growth is anticipated in all seven types of sustainability projects cited in 2022,
with over 50% of participants expecting four project types to display double-digit growth (see Figure 3).

Heterogenous ESG Market Drivers Fuel Demand For A Broad ESG

Consultancy Offering
As the touchpoints of ESG across a firm’s operations increase, there is a requirement for multiple business
functions to play a role in the response to ESG market drivers. In the 2021 Verdantix survey, over 70% of
respondents found that five business functions played a significant role in implementing their firm’s
sustainability strategy, with only human resources (HR), IT and legal and sales departments lacking a significant
role (see Figure 4). A diverse range of market drivers has been the root cause of the varied business functions

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 FIGURE 2

Projected ESG And Sustainability Investment Increase In 2022

“Across all your firm's business functions, by how much do you estimate spending on sustainability initiatives will
change in 2022 compared with 2021?”

1% 1%

11%

23%

17%

19%

29%

>50% increase >25% increase >10% increase 1-9% increase

No change Decrease Don't know

Source: Verdantix Global ESG and Sustainability Governance, Budgets and Priorities Survey 2021 N=400

interacting with ESG and seeking specialized consulting services. These ESG and sustainability consultancy
market drivers include:

• Expanding disclosure requests.

The proliferation of voluntary and mandatory disclosure standards has created a challenge for firms, who
need to have access to data that are both granular and accurate to meet burgeoning data requests. Firms
are preparing for mandatory climate and ESG regulations in multiple jurisdictions, while voluntary
reporting continues in parallel. Significant incoming mandatory regulations include the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) climate and ESG disclosure rules, which are expected to be announced in
2022 for anticipated mandatory disclosures in the 2023 financial year. As firms grapple with preparations
for imminent mandatory disclosure requests, further data requests continue to flood in, ranging from
supply chain assurance and confidential disclosures to secure sustainable finance agreements. ESG
consultancy services provide capabilities to collate disparate data through partnerships with software
firms, while in-house industry experts track regulatory changes to ensure that a firm maintains
compliance. In the future, we also expect disclosure regulations to drive demand for audit and assurance
for ESG disclosures.

• Push to a net zero economy.

Since the origination of the net zero GHG emissions target concept at the UN’s 2015 Paris Agreement, a
plethora of countries and firms have outlined commitments to achieving this goal. Firms continue to
come under pressure from stakeholders to develop strategies for decarbonizing their operations,
providing both a communicated target and a roadmap to achieve this. To demonstrate a verifiable target,
firms seek certification from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) – a not-for-profit organization
guiding firms in science-based target-setting. As of July 2021, Verdantix analysis found that 71% of FTSE

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 FIGURE 3

Projected Spend Change On Professional Services Projects In 2022

“How do you expect your firm's spend to change on the following professional services projects in 2022 compared
with 2021?”

Energy transition plan 1 17% 29% 35% 16% 3

Climate change risk scenarios and TCFD reporting 8% 21% 38% 22% 10%

Supply chain and product sustainability risk assessment 1 4 16% 31% 26% 22%

Assurance of sustainability and ESG disclosures 6 17% 30% 28% 20%

ESG performance improvement 2 6 24% 32% 36% 1

ESG disclosure optimization 3 9% 19% 30% 39% 1

10-year sustainability strategy development 2 5 17% 41% 36%

More than 100% increase 50% to 99% increase 25% to 49% increase 10% to 24% increase
1% to 9% increase No change Decrease

Note: Data labels are rounded to zero decimal places, percentages less than 7% have been written as numbers. Data is
ranked by ‘10% to 24% increase’ or over.
Source: Verdantix Global ESG and Sustainability Governance, Budgets and Priorities Survey 2021 N=400

100 firms have set a net zero emissions goal for between 2025 and 2050, but that only 35% of these
targets have been ratified by the SBTi (see Verdantix FTSE 100 Net Zero Emissions Targets Reveal Critical
Success Factors). Consultancy services are sought in both the development and implementation of a net
zero strategy.

• Need to integrate ESG in investment analytics.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, large sections of the investment community have been
transitioning towards accepting the financial materiality aspect of ESG. Fund managers are taking
particular notice of the downside risks associated with securities and portfolios that are excessively
exposed to ESG risks. In November 2020 Fidelity, a financial services organization with 58,000 employees,
published a report analysing the total return of 2,660 firms between January 1, 2020 and September 30,
2020; the equities with the lowest ESG ratings fell by 23%, while those with top ratings saw a positive
return of 0.4%. Challenges surrounding the full integration of ESG into the investment decision-making
process persist, with a lack of investor-grade ESG data on a firm level and a continuing search for
appropriate strategies to fully integrate ESG across a portfolio. ESG consultancy services provide
techniques to integrate ESG into investment decision-making processes, while developing potential

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 FIGURE 4

Business Functions Responsible For Implementing ESG Strategies

“How significant is the role of the following business functions with regard to implementing your firm's sustainability
strategy?”

Environment, health & safety 33% 24% 39% 4

Real estate & facilities 14% 44% 37% 5 1

Engineering & maintenance 14% 41% 40% 6

Production & operations 20% 49% 23% 7

Product design and innovation 10% 32% 35% 22% 1

Finance 7 29% 39% 26%

Human resources 1 11% 32% 56% 1

Sales 9% 28% 63% 1

IT 1 8% 27% 63% 2

Legal 1 8% 24% 66% 2

Most significant Very significant Significant Not significant Don't know

Note: Data labels are rounded to zero decimal places, percentages less than 7% have been written as numbers.
Source: Verdantix Global ESG and Sustainability Governance, Budgets and Priorities Survey 2021
N=400

solutions for incomplete ESG data.

• Ever-increasing climate risks for physical assets.

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that temperature increase since
the pre-industrial period is expected to exceed 1.5 Celsius by 2030, even with significant action. Climate
change has exacerbated natural disasters, as extreme weather conditions lead to an increased severity
and frequency of disasters such as flash floods, storm surges, wildfires, heatwaves, tornadoes and
infrastructure failures. There has been a tenfold increase in the number of natural disasters in the last 50
years. Clients are seeking ESG and sustainability consulting services to assess the financial threat of
climate change to their firms’ assets.

Significant Acquisition Activity Reflects Competitive Dynamics In ESG And

Sustainability Services
Since 2019 Verdantix has witnessed over 18 sustainability consulting acquisitions, with these ramping up over
the last 12 months (see Figure 5). ESG and sustainability consulting acquisition activity over the past years has
been led by:

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 FIGURE 5

ESG and Sustainability Consulting Acquisitions Summary For 2019-2021

Date Transaction Type Target Lead Investor

January 2019 Acquisition SustainAbility ERM

DuPont Sustainable
February 2020 Acquisition Lodestone Partners
Solutions
February 2020 Acquisition Critical Resource ERM

February 2020 Investment EcoVadis Bain and Company

March 2020 Acquisition M.J. Bradley and Associates ERM

January 2021 Acquisition Arcus ERM

January 2021 Acquisition CSSP FE fundinfo

March 2021 Acquisition Vivid Economics McKinsey and Company

April 2021 Acquisition Sustainalize ERM

May 2021 Buy-Out ERM KKR

DuPont Sustainable
June 2021 Acquisition KKS Advisors
Solutions
June 2021 Acquisition E4tech ERM

July 2021 Acquisition Renewables Consulting Group ERM

DuPont Sustainable
October 2021 Acquisition Sofies Group
Solutions
October 2021 Acquisition Robertsbridge Stonehaven

October 2021 Acquisition Societer Teneo

November 2021 Acquisition Global Affairs Associates ClimeCo

November 2021 Acquisition Stratos ERM

Source: Verdantix analysis

• Large consultants acquiring specialists.

Sustainability boutique consultancy firms are being acquired by large consultants, as a mechanism for the
latter to bolster their in-house sustainability expertise and further enhance their credibility. ERM, for
example, has been active in the sustainability consulting acquisition market, with its acquisitions following
the general market trend of increasing over the last 12 months. In 2021 ERM acquired five sustainability
consulting firms, including Sustainalize, a sustainability consulting firm with 30 employees headquartered
in Utrecht, Netherlands, and Stratos, a Canadian sustainability management consultancy firm, also with
30 employees. Similarly, McKinsey and Company’s acquisition of Vivid Economics, a London-based
economics consultancy with broad sustainability capabilities, has provided the former with an
opportunity to expand its ESG and sustainability consulting offering.

• Consultancy firms acquiring access to innovative digital technology.

The depth and breadth of the demands made on ESG and sustainability consulting services have led

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 consultancy firms to turn to partnerships for access to sustainability-focused digital technology.
Consulting projects increasingly require granular sustainability data and sophisticated software to
amalgamate these data for strategic monitoring – with consultancy firms often in need of third-party
expertise to create a suitable offering. For example, EY utilized technology developed by Enablon, an EHS
and sustainability software provider headquartered in France, to create a centralized repository for EY
clients to track ESG data and strategies. In a similar vein, Bain and Company’s minority investment and
collaboration with EcoVadis, provider of sustainability ratings for supply chains with over 800 employees,
delivers reputable supply chain data to add depth to consulting projects.

• Investment firms seeking exposure in the ESG and sustainability consulting market.
Private equity firms have been actively acquiring ESG-focused firms, as they seek to participate in and
reap the rewards of this rapidly expanding market – as demonstrated by Blackstone paying $1.4 billion
for Sphera, an EHS and product stewardship software supplier with over 1,000 employees. This trend is
reflected in the ESG and sustainability consulting market, with KKR, a private equity firm with over 1,700
employees, acquiring ERM for $1.7 billion in May 2021.

Green Quadrant For ESG And Sustainability Consulting

Clients of ESG and sustainability consulting services across multiple industries and geographies seek a service
that combines digital and subject-matter expertise with proven experience. Clients engage with consulting
firms to transition their operations with a sustainability focus and to align with stakeholder expectations. For
the purposes of this report, Verdantix defines ESG and sustainability consulting services as:

“Engagements to provide firms with solutions to meet regulatory requirements and develop strategies to integrate
sustainability into business models, digital architecture and operational resource management.”

This definition does not cover boutique consultancy firms, law firms, non-profits or audit, assurance,
certification and verification providers. It also excludes firms whose breadth of expertise in ESG and
sustainability is insufficient to meet the requirements of complex, large matrix organizations in multiple
industries and regions.

Green Quadrant Methodology

The Verdantix Green Quadrant methodology provides buyers of specific products or services with a structured
assessment of comparable offerings at a certain point in time. The methodology supports investment decisions
by identifying potential consultancy firms, structuring relevant purchase criteria through discussions with
buyers and providing an evidence-based assessment of the products or services in the market. To ensure
objectivity of the study results, the research process is guided by:

• Transparent inclusion criteria.

We analyse all providers that would qualify for inclusion in this research. For those providers that decline
our invitation or fail to respond, we work to include them based on publicly available information that
would provide an impression of those firms’ market positioning, if such information were deemed
accurate.

• Analysis from the buyer’s perspective.

For this survey, we integrated findings from our Global Corporate Survey of 400 senior decision-makers,
many of whom have engaged with ESG and sustainability consulting firms such as those analysed in this

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 Green Quadrant. Our data-driven survey findings inform how we define the relevant consulting
categories and sub-categories that propel the Green Quadrant graphic output.

• Reliance on professional integrity.

As it is not feasible to check all data and claims made by vendors, we emphasize the need for professional
integrity. Assertions made by consulting firms are put in the public domain via the Verdantix report and
can be checked by competitors and existing customers.

• Scores based on evidence.

To assess the expertise, resources, business results and strategies of individual providers, we collected
evidence from public sources and conducted interviews with multiple representatives of the actively
participating ESG and sustainability consultants, as well as with industry experts. Where providers claimed
to be ‘best in class’, we collated relevant evidence.

• Comparison based on relative capabilities.

We construct performance measurement scales ranging from ‘worst in class’ to ‘best in class’ at a certain
point in time. A provider’s position in the market can change over time, depending on how its offering and
success evolves relative to its competitors. As a result, a vendor’s Quadrant positioning may not
necessarily improve — even if it adds new capabilities, makes a strategic acquisition or receives
investment — if its competitors also enhance their offerings. The Green Quadrant analysis is typically
repeated every one-and-a-half to two years.

Evaluated Firms And Selection Criteria

Verdantix defines vendor inclusion criteria to ensure that the Green Quadrant analysis only compares firms
providing similar services. We believe that all of the firms in this report offer significant value in the ESG and
sustainability consulting services market. The 15 providers included in this study were selected because they
have:

• Minimum coverage of over half the Green Quadrant solution categories.

We focused the study on vendors with the human, financial and technological resources to meet the
needs of diverse customers for the foreseeable future. To qualify for this benchmark study, participants
needed to deliver consulting services across at least three of the following consulting sub-segments: 1)
business model transformation; 2) ESG and sustainability programme strategy; 3) ESG reporting and
target-setting; 4) digital infrastructure transformation; and 5) operational resource and impact
transformation.

• Partners in over two continents and over 50 dedicated full-time ESG and sustainability staff.
To qualify for this benchmark study, at a minimum, we required a firm to have dedicated partners over
two continents and over 50 full-time specialist ESG and sustainability employees. This was to ensure that
a firm has sufficient global presence and personnel expertise dedicated to ESG and sustainability
consulting solutions.

• In excess of 1,000 employees.

We established this hurdle in order to screen out small boutique consulting firms. Although smaller firms
may offer capabilities similar to those of their larger counterparts, inclusion of this subset would have
invalidated the direct peer-to-peer comparison. For this reason, the final inclusion criterion requires firms
to be at least 1,000-employees strong, which all participants easily passed.

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Based on the inclusion criteria above, this report evaluated 15 ESG and sustainability consulting firms:
Accenture, AECOM, Arcadis, Bain and Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Deloitte, ERM, EY, Infosys,
Jacobs, KPMG, McKinsey and Company, PwC, Wipro and WSP.

The firms who fully participated by completing the briefings and questionnaire include Accenture, AECOM,
Arcadis, ERM, EY, Jacobs, PwC, Wipro and WSP.

Evaluation Criteria For ESG And Sustainability Consulting Providers

Verdantix defined the evaluation criteria for the Green Quadrant ESG and sustainability consulting study using
a combination of interviews with corporate managers, desk research, discussions with multiple customers and
staff expertise. In full, this year’s Green Quadrant analysis compares offerings from 15 consulting firms using a
97-point questionnaire, covering 15 categories of capabilities and seven categories of market momentum.
Individual metrics were classified as follows:

• Capabilities metrics.
The Capabilities dimension, plotted on the vertical axis of the Green Quadrant graphic, was used to
measure each consulting firm’s ESG and sustainability based on the breadth and depth of that firm’s
service approach, its differentiators against other providers, and its proven experience in each area.
Verdantix assessed capabilities across two categories. In the first category – types of consulting
engagement deliverables provided for clients – we assessed providers across five capabilities. In the
second category – ESG and sustainability solutions and service lines provided for clients – we assessed
providers across ten capabilities. In total, we assessed the providers across 60 criteria.

• Momentum metrics.
The Momentum dimension of the analysis, captured on the horizontal axis of the Green Quadrant
graphic, was used to measure each consulting firm based on its brand perception, ESG and sustainability
revenue size, customer base and in-house ESG and sustainability performance. Evidence was provided
either by consulting firms or through desktop research and was assessed using a quantitative model that
started with the sub-criteria scores. Each sub-criterion was equally weighted to generate the overall score
for each capability area. To assess performance along this dimension, Verdantix collected data on 36
criteria in seven areas: 1) vision and strategy; 2) total revenue size (2020/2021); 3) ESG and sustainability
revenue size (2020/2021); 4) ESG and sustainability revenue size (2019/2020); 5) current customer base; 6)
consulting practice organization; and 7) consulting vendor in-house ESG and sustainability performance.

All sub-criteria were scored between the values of zero (‘no capability’) and three (‘best in class’). The
combination of high-level criteria scores in the Capabilities and Momentum sections generate the Green
Quadrant graphic and rankings. Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 provide details of the study criteria; Figure 9
and Figure 10 provide the scoring for all participants against the criteria. The figures also present the weighting
of each primary criterion, shown inside the parentheses. Figure 11 provides the Green Quadrant graphic
summarizing the positioning of all consulting firms in this benchmark study.

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 FIGURE 6

Capabilities Criteria For Types Of ESG And Sustainability Consulting Engagements

Capabilities Questions

What are your capabilities for delivering ESG and sustainability strategy engagements for
ESG and Sustainability clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to ESG and sustainability strategy?
Programme Strategy (7%) How many of your firm’s projects are considered ESG and sustainability programme strategy
consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering business model transformation engagements for
Transformation (Business
clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to business model transformation?
Model) (7%)
How many of your firm’s projects are considered business model transformation consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering operational resource and impact transformation
Transformation
engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to operational
(Operational Resource and
resource and impact transformation engagements? How many of your firm’s projects are
Impact) (7%)
considered operational resource and impact transformation engagements consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering digital infrastructure transformation engagements for
Transformation (Digital clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to digital infrastructure transformation?
Infrastructure) (7%) How many of your firm’s projects are considered digital infrastructure transformation
consulting?

What are your capabilities and best practice approach for delivering reporting and target
ESG Reporting and setting engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to reporting
Target- Setting (7%) and target setting? How many of your firm’s projects are considered reporting and target
setting consulting?

Figures in brackets represent the weighting given to each criterion in the flexible multi-criteria model that generates the
Green Quadrant graphical analysis.

Source: Verdantix analysis

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 FIGURE 7-1

Capabilities Criteria For ESG And Sustainability Service Lines

Capabilities Questions

What are your capabilities for delivering climate change strategy and risk engagements for
Climate Change Strategy clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to climate change strategy and risk?
and Risk (7%) How many of your firm’s projects are considered climate change strategy and risk
consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering GHG emissions and carbon management
GHG Emissions and engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to GHG emissions
Carbon Management (7%) and carbon management? How many of your firm’s projects are considered GHG emis-
sions and carbon management consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering environment and resource management
Environment and
engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to environment and
Resource Management
resource management? How many of your firm’s projects are considered environment and
(7%)
resource management consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering social performance management engagements for
Social Performance clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to social performance management?
Management (7%) How many of your firm’s projects are considered social performance management
consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering governance performance management

Governance Performance engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to Governance
Management (7%) Performance Management? How many of your firm’s projects are considered Governance
Performance Management consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering ESG and sustainability programme management
ESG and Sustainability
engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to ESG and
Programme Management
sustainability programme management? How many of your firm’s projects are considered
(7%)
ESG and sustainability programme management consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering product stewardship and circular economy
Product Stewardship and engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to product steward-
Circular Economy (7%) ship and circular economy? How many of your firm’s projects are product stewardship and
circular economy consulting?

Figures in brackets represent the weighting given to each criterion in the flexible multi-criteria model that generates the
Green Quadrant graphical analysis.

Source: Verdantix analysis

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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 FIGURE 7-2

Capabilities Criteria For ESG And Sustainability Service Lines

Capabilities Questions

What are your capabilities for delivering supply chain risk and traceability management
Supply Chain Risk and
engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to supply chain risk
Traceability Management
and traceability management? How many of your firm’s projects are considered supply chain
(7%)
risk and traceability management consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering mergers and acquisitions ESG due diligence
Mergers and Acquisitions engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to mergers and
ESG Due Diligence (7%) acquisitions ESG due diligence? How many of your firm’s projects are considered mergers
and acquisitions ESG due diligence consulting?

What are your capabilities for delivering investment portfolio ESG integration and impact
Investment Portfolio ESG assessment engagements for clients? How does your firm differentiate its approach to
Integration and Impact investment portfolio ESG integration and impact assessment? How many of your firm’s
Assessment (7%) projects are considered investment portfolio ESG integration and impact assessment
consulting?

Figures in brackets represent the weighting given to each criterion in the flexible multi-criteria model that generates the
Green Quadrant graphical analysis.

Source: Verdantix analysis

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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 FIGURE 8

Momentum Criteria For ESG And Sustainability Consulting Firms

Capabilities Questions

Customer Reference and How strong is the brand awareness for the firm’s ESG and sustainability consulting offering?
Brand Perception (20%) What is the brand perception for the firm’s ESG and sustainability consulting offering?

How many consulting engagements have you delivered within the last 12 months or most
recent reporting period? How many consulting clients have you delivered engagements for
Total Revenue Size within the last 12 months or most recent reporting period? How much revenue have you
(2020/2021) (10%) generated from consulting engagements within the last 12 months or most recent reporting
period? What is the average cost per consulting engagement signed or delivered during the
last 12 months or most recent reporting period?

How many ESG and sustainability consulting engagements have you delivered within the
last 12 months? How many ESG and sustainability consulting clients have you delivered
ESG and Sustainability
engagements for within the last 12 months? How much revenue have you generated from
Revenue Size (2020/2021)
ESG and sustainability consulting engagements within the last 12 months? What is the
(20%)
average cost per ESG and Sustainability consulting engagement signed or delivered during
the last 12 months?

How many ESG and sustainability consulting engagements have you delivered during the
last 12 to 24 months? How many ESG and Sustainability consulting clients have you
ESG and Sustainability
delivered engagements for during the last 12 to 24 months? How much revenue have you
Revenue Size (2019/2020)
generated from ESG and sustainability consulting engagements during the last 12 to 24
(10%)
months? What is the average cost per ESG and Sustainability consulting engagement
signed or delivered during the last 12 to 24 months?

What percentage of your customers spend <$100k, $100k-$500k, $500k-$1m, and >$1m on
Current Customer Base ESG and Sustainability consulting services? What percentage of your ESG and
(15%) Sustainability consulting engagements are completed within <3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12
months, >1 year from client kick off?

How many partners and managing directors are focused full-time on ESG and sustainability
consulting engagements? How many employees are focused full-time on ESG and
Consulting Practice sustainability consulting engagements? When did you first successfully engage heads of
Organization (15%) ESG/Sustainability on consulting projects? Who do you have established partnerships with
for ESG and sustainability? What firms have you acquired within the past two years to
enhance your ESG and sustainability consulting capabilities?

Consulting Vendor How big is your in-house ESG and Sustainability team and when was it established? What
In-House ESG and are your ESG and sustainability objectives, targets and KPIs? How have you performed
Sustainability Performance against your ESG and sustainability objectives, targets and KPIs to date? Do you publish a
(10%) sustainability or integrated report and when was it first published?

Figures in brackets represent the weighting given to each criterion in the flexible multi-criteria model that generates the
Green Quadrant graphical analysis.

Source: Verdantix analysis

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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 FIGURE 9-1

ESG And Sustainability Consulting Firms Capabilities Scores

Consulting
Accenture

Company
Bain and
AECOM

Arcadis

Deloitte
Boston
Group
Capabilities Scoring For ESG and

ERM

EY
Sustainability Service Lines

ESG and Sustainability Programme

1.0 1.0 0.8 1.5 2.5 2.0 2.4 2.6
Strategy
Transformation (Business Model) 1.1 1.1 1.0 2.0 2.3 1.5 1.4 2.4
Transformation (Operational Resource
1.4 2.3 2.6 1.5 1.5 2.0 2.8 1.8
and Impact)
Transformation (Digital Infrastructure) 2.6 1.0 1.5 0.5 0.5 2.0 1.5 1.8

ESG Reporting and Target-Setting 0.6 1.5 1.4 0.5 1.0 2.5 1.9 2.6

Consulting
Accenture

Company
Bain and
AECOM

Arcadis

Deloitte
Boston
Group
Capabilities Scoring For ESG and

ERM

EY
Sustainability Service Lines

Climate Change Strategy and Risk 1.4 2.0 1.1 1.5 2.0 1.7 2.0 2.6
GHG Emissions and Carbon Management 2.4 1.5 2.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.8 2.3

Environment and Resource Management 1.1 2.4 2.6 1.5 1.0 1.0 2.5 1.4

Social Performance Management 2.1 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.5 0.0 1.5 2.3

Governance Performance Management 0.5 0.4 2.3 0.0 0.0 2.3 1.4 2.4

ESG and Sustainability Programme

1.1 1.5 1.3 2.0 2.5 2.0 2.6 2.3
Management
Product Stewardship and Circular
1.6 1.4 2.8 1.8 2.3 1.0 2.4 1.3
Economy
Supply Chain Risk and Traceability
2.1 1.0 1.0 1.3 1.7 0.5 1.3 1.6
Management
Mergers and Acquisitions ESG Due
0.5 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.5 2.7 2.6
Diligence

Investment Portfolio ESG Integration and

1.4 0.0 1.1 1.5 0.5 1.0 1.4 2.0
Impact Assessment

Scoring Framework
Vendor provides evidence of market-leading capabilities, supported by a broad set of references to customer
3
examples
2 Vendor provides evidence of strong capabilities supported by a broad set of references to customer examples
1 Vendor provides evidence of moderate capabilities, with limited references to customer examples
0 No response provided or lack of publicly available information demonstrating capabilities

Source: Verdantix analysis

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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 FIGURE 9-2

ESG And Sustainability Consulting Firms Capabilities Scores

McKinsey and
Company
Infosys

Jacobs

KPMG

Wipro
Capabilities Scoring For Types Of ESG and

WSP
PwC
Sustainability Consulting Engagements

ESG and Sustainability Programme Strategy 1.0 0.9 2.0 2.5 2.1 1.0 2.1

Transformation (Business Model) 1.0 1.0 1.5 2.5 1.5 1.3 0.8
Transformation (Operational Resource and
1.0 1.1 0.5 1.5 1.4 0.9 2.6
Impact)
Transformation (Digital Infrastructure) 2.0 1.3 0.5 0.5 1.4 2.0 0.8

ESG Reporting and Target-Setting 1.0 1.1 2.3 0.5 2.8 1.3 2.0

McKinsey and
Company
Infosys

Jacobs

KPMG

Wipro
Capabilities Scoring For ESG and

WSP
PwC
Sustainability Service Lines

Climate Change Strategy and Risk 0.5 1.6 2.3 2.8 2.5 0.5 2.3

GHG Emissions and Carbon Management 2.3 1.8 1.3 1.0 1.6 1.6 2.4

Environment and Resource Management 1.5 2.3 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.8 2.8

Social Performance Management 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 1.9 0.8 0.9

Governance Performance Management 0.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 1.8 0.8 0.6
ESG and Sustainability Programme
0.5 0.8 1.0 2.3 1.9 0.9 2.1
Management

Product Stewardship and Circular Economy 2.5 1.5 2.3 1.0 1.5 1.8 1.6

Supply Chain Risk and Traceability

1.6 1.0 2.0 0.5 1.5 1.6 1.0
Management

Mergers and Acquisitions ESG Due Diligence 0.0 1.0 2.5 1.0 2.1 0.5 1.4

Investment Portfolio ESG Integration and

1.0 0.8 2.0 2.8 2.6 0.5 0.9
Impact Assessment

Scoring Framework
Vendor provides evidence of market-leading capabilities, supported by a broad set of references to customer
3
examples
2 Vendor provides evidence of strong capabilities supported by a broad set of references to customer examples
1 Vendor provides evidence of moderate capabilities, with limited references to customer examples
0 No response provided or lack of publicly available information demonstrating capabilities

Source: Verdantix analysis

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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 FIGURE 10

ESG And Sustainability Consulting Firms Momentum Scores

Consulting
Accenture

Company
Bain and
AECOM

Arcadis

Deloitte
Boston
Group

ERM

EY
Momentum Scoring

Customer Reference and Brand

1.5 1.5 1.0 1.5 3.0 3.0 2.3 3.0
Perception
Total Revenue Size (2020/2021) 1.3 1.5 1.5 2.0 1.5 2.0 0.9 2.4

ESG and Sustainability Revenue Size

0.5 0.9 1.3 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.0 2.3
(2020/2021)

ESG and Sustainability Revenue Size

1.0 0.9 1.4 1.5 1.0 2.0 2.0 1.5
(2019/2020)

Current Customer Base 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 2.0

Consulting Practice Organization 1.3 0.9 1.0 1.5 2.0 1.5 2.1 1.6
Consulting Vendor In-House ESG and
1.0 1.5 2.4 1.5 2.0 1.5 1.6 1.4
Sustainability Performance
and Company
McKinsey
Infosys

Jacobs

KPMG

Wipro

WSP
PwC
Momentum Scoring

Customer Reference and Brand

1.0 1.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 2.0
Perception

Total Revenue Size (2020/2021) 1.5 1.5 1.8 2.0 2.1 1.3 1.8
ESG and Sustainability Revenue Size
1.0 0.8 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.8 2.4
(2020/2021)
ESG and Sustainability Revenue Size
0.5 0.8 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.8 1.9
(2019/2020)

Current Customer Base 0.5 0.5 1.5 1.5 2.3 2.3 1.0

Consulting Practice Organization 1.0 1.0 1.5 1.5 2.0 1.4 2.2
Consulting Vendor In-House ESG and
2.5 2.0 1.5 2.0 1.4 1.8 1.9
Sustainability Performance

Scoring Framework
Vendor provides evidence of market-leading positioning, supported by a broad set of references to customer
3
examples
2 Vendor provides evidence of strong positioning supported by a broad set of references to customer examples
1 Vendor provides evidence of moderate positioning, with limited references to customer examples
0 No response provided or lack of publicly available information

Source: Verdantix analysis

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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 FIGURE 11

Green Quadrant For ESG And Sustainability Consulting 2022

INNOVATORS LEADERS

EY
ERM

PwC
Arcadis

WSP
CAPABILITIES

Accenture BCG
Bain
KPMG Deloitte
Jacobs
AECOM McKinsey

Infosys Wipro

CHALLENGERS SPECIALISTS

MOMENTUM

Capabilities This dimension assesses capabilities for the following: ESG and
sustainability programme strategy; transformation (business model);
transformation (operational resource and impact); transformation (digital
infrastructure); ESG reporting and target-setting; climate change strategy
and risk; GHG emissions and carbon management; environment and
resource management; social performance management; governance
performance management; ESG and sustainability programme
management; product stewardship and circular economy; supply chain risk
and traceability management; mergers and acquisitions ESG due diligence;
investment portfolio ESG integration and impact assessment.

Momentum This dimension assesses the following strategic success metrics: customer
reference and brand perception; total revenue size; ESG and sustainability
revenue size; current customer base; consulting practice organization;
consulting vendor in-house ESG and sustainability performance.

Note: A grey plot indicates a non-participating ESG And sustainability consulting firm

Source: Verdantix analysis

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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EY Offers Market-Leading Capability For ESG And Sustainability Consulting
Services
Headquartered in London, UK, EY is a multinational professional services firm, providing assurance, consulting,
tax and transaction services to more than 19,000 clients globally. Established in 1989, EY employs more than
300,000 employees with over 700 office locations across 150 countries. EY’s ESG and sustainability consulting
clients are predominately situated in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with almost 50% of the practice group’s
revenue derived from this region. With longstanding experience in the sustainability space over the last 25 years,
EY has actively contributed to and engaged with global standard-setters, including, but not limited to, the Task
Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the World Business Council for Sustainable
Development (WBCSD). EY has utilized strategic partnerships to plug gaps in its ESG and sustainability consulting
arsenal – including partnering with Enablon to produce an ESG reporting solution and with IBM for technological
expertise in creating innovative ideation for carbon neutrality.

Strengths And Differentiators

Based on the Green Quadrant analysis, Verdantix finds that EY has strengths in:

• ESG and sustainability programme strategy.

EY ranks the highest of all participating firms for ESG and sustainability programme strategy, with a score
of 2.6/3.0. The firm has a demonstrated history of engagements with the C-Suite on ESG and
sustainability initiatives, illustrating clear capabilities to offer strategic advice across a broad range of
areas. EY’s ESG Maturity Model enables an initial detailed assessment of the current state of a firm’s
financial and non-financial ESG performance. Additionally, a materiality assessment tool demonstrates
the materiality of certain ESG factors to a firm’s operations, configuring these to be visible and
customizable by the client through the digital end-to-end solution. These tools provide EY with a
benchmark to develop a suitable ESG programme strategy for each firm, drawing on its experience and
capabilities spanning a wide range of industries.

• Climate change strategy and risk.

EY received a score of 2.6/3.0 for its climate change strategy and risk offering, ranking in the top three for
this category. EY Predict is a scenario modelling tool to assess a firm’s exposure to climate-related
physical risks and to assess the financial consequences of the impacts. EY combines this tool with
qualitative and quantitative climate risk assessments, to provide an holistic picture of the exposure of a
firm’s physical assets to climate risks. EY’s climate governance maturity assessment enables high climate
risk areas with both low governance and risk management to be identified; the firm then uses
sustainability and industry experts to develop recommendations. Additionally, for firms launching
decarbonization operations, EY’s decarbonization navigator assesses the state of strategy maturity, to
prioritize areas for improvement.

• Governance performance management.

With a score of 2.4/3.0, EY leads the governance performance management category. The firm has the
capability to build tailor-made evaluation frameworks that can measure financial and non-financial
governance metrics, to identify areas for improvement in governance structures and processes. Through
its governance and privacy services teams, EY can operationalize policies and identify appropriate
technologies to improve a firm’s governance performance metrics. These technologies include data
classification tools to analyse both structured and unstructured data sources; such tools can identify
areas that require additional protection, reducing the risk of a data leakage/hacking event.

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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Improvement Opportunities
Based on the Green Quadrant analysis, Verdantix finds that EY could improve on:

• Product stewardship and circular economy.

EY achieved a score of 1.3/3.0 for product stewardship and circular economy, which is below average for
this category. While EY has strong expertise in circular economy and packaging through its Centre of
Excellence based in Belgium, it should look to develop its chemical expertise to the level observed in
market-leading firms. Additionally, there is scope to further enhance the firm’s portfolio of digital
innovation in this sector, introducing, for example, software to assess the risks of material substitution.

• Environment and resource management.

EY’s score of 1.4/3.0 for environment and resource management is below average for this category.
Although the firm has the proven capability to provide strategies for environment and resource
management improvement, there is a lack of in-house capabilities for solutions that can collect and
calculate performance on a granular level. EY’s partnerships, including with Enablon and SAP, have
reduced this capability vacancy, but for significant improvement in this area, the firm must match market
leaders in this category.

Selection Advice For Buyers

Considering all the consultancy firms’ offerings assessed in the Green Quadrant analysis, we believe that EY
should be shortlisted by:

• Corporates seeking a consultancy firm to manage multiple types of ESG and sustainability
engagements.
EY offers a well-rounded, integrated ESG and sustainability consulting offering, with demonstrable core
competencies across a variety of categories, such as business model transformation, digital infrastructure
transformations and ESG strategy. EY’s cross-service line suite of sustainability services and solutions
allows for consulting engagements across an entire organization by unified project teams. The capabilities
of its multidisciplinary teams are enhanced by a plethora of digital applications conducive to cross-service
line projects, ensuring a single data platform for teams to work across. For example, thanks to EY and
SAP’s strategic alliance, enterprise-grade tools for ESG sustainability performance monitoring are
available for projects.

• Multinational firms wishing to develop and meet ESG targets.

EY leverages its well-established expertise to deliver a specialized ESG and sustainability services for both
reporting and strategy services. The firm supports clients in developing methodologies and data
management solutions for calculating non-financial performance, assisting with the integration of this
into annual reports and other communications, such as voluntary disclosures and stakeholder
engagements. Additionally, EY works with firms to develop science-based targets and other ESG
performance metrics, enabling its strategy team to work with clients to construct actionable ESG
strategies to ensure that targets are successfully achieved.

GREEN QUADRANT: ESG AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING 2022

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 VERDANTIX CAPABILITIES
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