Around three quarters (73%) of Irish companies are embedding sustainability into how their business priorities are set, a new report by EY has found.
The EY Ireland State of Sustainability Report 2025 also found that 69% of businesses ‘actively use’ environmental and social factors to assess organisational performance, while 62% of firms have assigned sustainability responsibility at C-suite level.
Around two thirds (67%) of Irish businesses have appointed a dedicated individual to oversee its sustainability agenda, while in other firms, responsibility is shared, or still has to be assigned.
‘A landscape in motion’
‘This year’s survey reflects a landscape in motion,’ EY said in the introduction to its report. ‘Continuing on from previous years, there’s clear evidence of ongoing movement. Organisations in Ireland are building, adjusting, and staying engaged with the work sustainability requires.’
Despite progress being made, Irish companies are still lacking when it comes to confidence of delivery, with 37% of respondents having a science-based net zero goal, but just over a quarter (26%) expressing strong confidence in meeting it.
Regulatory compliance is a major driver of sustainability practices among Irish businesses, with 87% of respondents citing CSRD reporting as a key driver, with compliance, risk management, and internal alignment all linked to reporting activity.
Some four fifths (81%) of Irish businesses say that they want to contribute positively to society – citing water stewardship, biodiversity, and circular economy initiatives as strategic priorities.
Reporting requirements
Elsewhere, just 30% of firms say that they feel ‘very prepared’ for reporting requirements around CSRD and ISSB frameworks, with 39% stating that they ‘don’t yet know’ when they expect to have a CSRD reporting system in place.
“There’s a growing fluency around the language of regulation, but the infrastructure behind it is still catching up,” said Colm Devine, EY global vice chair for sustainability.
“Organisations are interpreting CSRD and ISSB in ways that reflect their own maturity and priorities. Some are embedding these frameworks into existing systems. Others are starting from scratch. What’s clear is that progress is being made and there are new proposed systems emerging.”
Data management
In addition, 57% of Irish firms have data management tools in place to support their sustainability efforts, with 48% supporting greenhouse gas calculations, and 41% reporting ESG reporting capability, up from 27% last year.
“Reporting infrastructure is being built in layers,” added Ferga Kane, EY Ireland infrastructure and real estate sector leader. “Some systems are mature, others are still evolving, and many are being adapted to fit the organisation’s rhythm.
“What matters now is how these tools support internal capability, how they help teams interpret data, define metrics, and respond to changing expectations with clarity and confidence.” Read more here.
