94% of Business Leaders Report Climate-Related Financial Losses
Ongoing geopolitical and climate disruption has highlighted a critical need for integrated sustainability data, research from Sweep and Capgemini has found
MUMBAI (India CSR): Climate disruption is increasingly becoming a direct financial concern for companies, with 94% of senior business leaders reporting losses over the past two years, according to Sustainability in Action 2026 by Sweep and Capgemini. Yet, 79% of respondents say their sustainability data is still not sufficiently integrated or reliable enough to guide wider business strategy.
The research, based on responses from 1,000 senior leaders across five major markets, shows that the impact of extreme weather, geopolitical disruption and economic uncertainty is being felt across supply chains, operating costs, procurement and investment decisions. Nearly one-third of respondents said climate-related disruption had resulted in financial setbacks exceeding $1 million.
Despite the growing risk, businesses continue to see the low-carbon transition as an opportunity. While 85% believe their organisation must transform for the low-carbon economy, 86% view this shift as a potential source of growth. The report also highlights the expanding role of AI, with 79% saying its adoption has increased investment in sustainability through improved data accuracy, audit-readiness and faster processing.
The 2026 report shows that climate disruption is already having a direct commercial impact on most companies, while the data required to understand and address issues head-on remains siloed in business systems, left incomplete or lacking standardisation. With only one in five reporting minimal financial impact below $100,000, it’s clear how much businesses are battling against the ramifications of climate change, exacerbated by a challenging geopolitical environment.
“Sustainability has not fallen off the business agenda; in fact, the opposite is true,” said Rachel Delacour, co-founder and CEO of Sweep. “There is a growing risk to companies as climate disruption and geopolitical tensions continue to impact supply chains, costs and investment decisions faster than the data systems built to help manage them.”
Despite these challenges, companies remain convinced that sustainability is commercially important. 85% of respondents say their business must transform for the low-carbon economy, and 86% view that transition as a growth opportunity rather than an inhibitor.
However, the quality of the sustainability data underpinning those decisions is degrading. In 2024, over half (53%) of respondents claimed their data lacked the reliability needed to inform business strategy, compared to 79% this year.
The report findings come at a time when companies are increasingly using sustainability data to make decisions on cost, risk mitigation, supply chains, procurement and investment strategy.
AI has rapidly emerged as a way to support these decisions effectively, making data more reliable, actionable and relevant. Eight in ten (79%) respondents say AI adoption has increased investment in sustainability, with benefits including greater access to investment, improved data accuracy and audit-readiness, and reduced time spent on data collection and processing.
“Resilience is no longer just about managing risk,” said Cyril Garcia, Global Head of Sustainability Services, Corporate Responsibility and member of the Group Executive Board at Capgemini. “It is about anticipating disruption and acting with confidence. Trusted, connected data across the value chain is the foundation that enables AI to improve supply chain performance, advance sustainability outcomes, and create sustained competitive advantage for organisations.”
“Business leaders are under pressure to respond to the huge financial losses fueled by geopolitical changes, extreme weather events and uncertain economic conditions,” adds Delacour. “Sustainability data is an answer to all of that, as it provides insights on where these risks are hitting the business, what it is costing them, and where to act first.”
The report concludes that companies able to combine integrated data infrastructure will be better placed to manage climate-related disruption, meet disclosure requirements and turn sustainability from a reporting obligation into a source of business resilience.
Sustainability in Action 2026 is based on research conducted by independent research house Censuswide among 1,000 senior leaders, including Sustainability Managers, CSOs, CEOs, CFOs, CTOs, Chief Data Officers, Chief AI Officers and Chief Procurement Officers. Respondents span five sectors: energy, life sciences, manufacturing, retail and transportation. The research covers five markets: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the DACH region and the Nordics. Fieldwork ran from 22 May to 1 June 2026. Where questions were asked in both 2024 and 2026, figures track how leaders’ views have shifted over two years. Findings are reported at respondent level. Where the text refers to organisations, figures reflect the share of the 1,000 senior leaders surveyed.
Sweep is the sustainability intelligence platform trusted by global leaders including L’Oréal, Orange and Auchan. Its enterprise SaaS platform helps organisations turn sustainability and ESG data into decision-ready insight, supporting disclosure, risk management and long-term business resilience.
Capgemini is the business transformation partner for enterprises in the age of AI. We help organizations imagine and build an intelligent, sustainable future, combining AI, technology and human ingenuity to transform how they operate, innovate and grow. With unique end-to-end capabilities spanning strategy, technology, engineering and intelligent operations, we bring together deep industry expertise and market-leading capabilities in AI, cloud and data to turn ambition into measurable business outcomes at scale. Supported by a robust ecosystem of partners and nearly 60 years of expertise, Capgemini is a responsible and diverse global organization of over 410,000 team members in more than 50 countries. The Group reported 2025 revenues of €22.5 billion.
