Some 92% of businesses say that sustainability programmes are essential to business success, up from 87% last year, a new study by product lifecycle management (PLM) firm Aras has found.
According to Aras’ The Future of PLM and Digital Engineering report, digital maturity, especially through the introduction of PLM solutions, can play a key role in enabling businesses to meet compliance demands and accelerate sustainability initiatives.
‘Adapt, compete and grow’
“Sustainability today is about aligning regulatory compliance with operational excellence,” commented Roque Martin, CEO of Aras. “Organisations that embed sustainable practices into their day-to-day operations are better positioned to adapt, compete, and grow – regardless of how the requirements evolve.”
The study claimed that companies that use PLM services are more equipped to support sustainability compliance – 88% of PLM users said that their systems adequately support compliance, compared to 60% of non-users.
This enables businesses to better track product data, collaborate with suppliers, and address regulations such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Digital Product Passport.
Elsewhere, the study noted that 87% of PLM users are also leveraging AI for product development, compared to a 59% adoption rate among non-users.
Challenges remain
At the same time, many firms face challenges in terms of implementing and operationalising their sustainability goals – just 37% of respondents feel their compliance efforts are well supported, citing issues like poor data quality and system fragmentation, while 18% state that their systems are ‘inadequate’, according to the study.
‘These aren’t just technical hurdles – they represent real business risks,’ Aras noted. ‘Without trusted data, organisations struggle to make informed decisions or future-proof their operations. With regulatory demands only increasing, now is the time for businesses to act. The research urges organisations to modernise their systems and strengthen their data foundations to stay ahead and build a lasting competitive edge.’
Aras‘ study is based on insights from 656 executives in Europe, the US, and Japan. Read more here.
