Nasdaq has outlined its progress in workforce engagement, ethical governance, and environmental stewardship in its 2025 Sustainability Report, reinforcing its commitment to what it describes as a ‘Future Forward’ approach.
“As a leading technology platform powering the world’s economies, Nasdaq’s focus is on serving as the trusted fabric of the financial system,” commented Nasdaq chair and CEO Adena Friedman. “That means we are Future Forward – architecting the world’s modern markets, powering the innovation economy, and building trust in the financial system.
“This past year reinforced our conviction that innovation is not about reacting to disruption, but about designing durable solutions the global financial system can depend on over time.”
The role of AI
A key focus of the report is the role that AI is playing across Nasdaq’s business, both in terms of integration into its existing structures, but also its environmental impact.
Nasdaq said that it is committed to ‘understanding and managing’ the environmental impacts of AI, while maintaining a commitment to renewable electricity across its operations. The company is also engaging with cloud and technology suppliers on energy efficiency and water management practices, and encouraging personnel to use AI tools that are ‘appropriately sized’ for their tasks at hand.
‘Responsible innovation’
“Responsible innovation has always been part of how we think about technology at Nasdaq, and AI is no different,” added Sarah Youngwood, EVP and CFO at Nasdaq.“As we embed AI across our products and operations, we’re being deliberate about governance, capability-building, and environmental impact.”
In terms of Nasdaq’s broader climate strategy, the company is seeing to “reinforce long‑term operational resilience by actively managing climate‑related risks,” said Youngwood, by reducing its environmental footprint, improving energy efficiency, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining carbon neutrality across operations.
Nasdaq has earned recognition for its sustainability efforts, and was included in Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable US Companies list for 2025, Forbes’ 2026 Net-Zero Leaders ranking, Glassdoor’s Best-Led Companies list for 2025 and TIME’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies ranking for 2025.
“As we look ahead, our commitment remains clear: to advance sustainable growth, deliver transparent, measurable impact, and create long-term value that endures beyond the next cycle,” Friedman added. “The choices we make today – the technologies we modernise, the infrastructure we strengthen, the talent we cultivate – are investments in a future that is more secure and connected for all our stakeholders.” Read more here and here.
