Compliance & GRC
ESG Software
Updated August 2026 · By the ERP Research Editorial Team · Independent and vendor-neutral — no vendor pays for placement or ranking.
ESG software helps finance, sustainability and compliance teams measure carbon emissions, track ESG metrics and produce the disclosures now expected by regulators, investors and customers, replacing manual spreadsheets with automated data collection, emissions calculation engines and audit-ready reporting.
This guide compares the leading ESG and carbon accounting platforms on the criteria that matter most: emissions calculation methodology, disclosure-framework coverage, data automation and, for companies running an ERP, how cleanly each tool pulls the activity data (spend, energy, logistics, procurement) it needs directly from the general ledger and operational systems rather than relying on manual uploads.
Compare ESG software
| Product | Works with | Pricing | Deployment |
|---|---|---|---|
 SAP Oracle | Quote-based | Cloud | |
| ERP-agnostic | Quote-based | Cloud | |
SAP Sage | Quote-based | Cloud | |
| ERP-agnostic | Quote-based | Cloud | |
| SAP | From $30,000 (base 12-month contract, AWS Marketplace) | Cloud | |
 Dynamics 365 | Quote-based (Microsoft Enterprise Agreement or CSP) | Cloud | |
| ERP-agnostic | Quote-based | Cloud | |
| ERP-agnostic | Quote-based | Cloud | |
| ERP-agnostic | Freemium: free Persefoni Pro tier plus a quote-based Advanced tier | Cloud | |
| ERP-agnostic | Tiered subscription (Essential / Pro / Enterprise), quote-based | Cloud | |
| SAP | Quote-based | Cloud | |
| SAP | Quote-based | Cloud |
SAPOracleSAPSageSAPDynamics 365SAPSAP
NetSuite
WorkdayNetSuiteSAPOracleSage Intacct+1What is ESG software?
ESG software is a platform that helps organisations collect, calculate and report on environmental, social and governance performance, most commonly carbon emissions (Scope 1, 2 and increasingly Scope 3), energy and water use, waste, and the governance and social metrics required by frameworks like the CSRD, ISSB/IFRS S1-S2, SEC climate rules, CDP and GRI. Platforms range from focused carbon accounting tools that calculate emissions from activity data, to broader ESG data-management and disclosure platforms that also handle materiality assessments, supply-chain (Scope 3) data collection, audit trails and investor-grade reporting. The strongest platforms automate data ingestion from finance, procurement, energy and logistics systems instead of relying on manual spreadsheet collection, and map results directly to the disclosure frameworks a company must report against.
How to choose ESG software
Emissions calculation methodology
Transparent, auditable Scope 1/2/3 calculation engines built on recognised emission factor databases (GHG Protocol-aligned), not a black box.
Disclosure-framework coverage
Built-in mapping to the frameworks a company must report against, CSRD/ESRS, ISSB, SEC climate rules, CDP or GRI, so one data model feeds multiple filings.
Data automation and integrations
Direct connectors to finance, ERP, procurement, utility and travel systems to pull activity data automatically instead of manual spreadsheet uploads.
Scope 3 and supply-chain data collection
Workflows for requesting, collecting and validating emissions data from suppliers, since Scope 3 is typically the largest and hardest-to-source category.
Audit readiness
Version history, calculation transparency and evidence trails that hold up to third-party assurance as disclosure requirements move toward mandatory audit.
ERP and financial-data sync
A real connector or API to ERP spend, procurement and operational data so emissions calculations start from actuals, not estimates.
ESG & Sustainability that works with your ERP
Most ESG platforms are sold as standalone SaaS, but the accuracy of an emissions inventory depends on the underlying activity data, spend by GL account, procurement volumes, fuel and energy purchases, logistics and travel, nearly all of which already lives in the ERP. Tools that connect directly to NetSuite, SAP, Dynamics 365, Sage Intacct or Acumatica (or ingest structured exports from them) can calculate spend-based and activity-based emissions without a parallel manual data-collection exercise, and keep the numbers reconciled to the same financial actuals auditors already trust. Native ERP-vendor tools like SAP Sustainability Control Tower and Microsoft Sustainability Manager take this further by running the calculation directly inside the ERP data layer. Each product below is profiled with the ERP systems and data sources it actually connects to, so buyers can shortlist tools that fit their existing stack rather than adding another manual reporting process.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best ESG software?
The best ESG software depends on what a company needs to report and how automated data collection should be. Companies facing CSRD, SEC climate or investor-grade disclosure requirements typically need strong framework mapping and audit trails (Workiva, Persefoni, Watershed); companies mainly tracking their own carbon footprint often start with a focused carbon accounting tool (Greenly, Normative, Sweep). Compare the options below by framework coverage, ERP and data integration, and pricing.
How much does ESG software cost?
Pricing is almost always quote-based and scales with company size, emissions scope (Scope 1/2 only vs full Scope 3 supply-chain tracking) and the number of disclosure frameworks supported. Entry-level carbon accounting tools can start in the low thousands of dollars per year; enterprise ESG reporting platforms with CSRD/SEC-grade assurance support are typically five- or six-figure annual contracts. Each product page below lists the vendor's published pricing model where available.
Does ESG software integrate with my ERP?
Many ESG platforms offer integrations or APIs to pull spend, procurement, energy and logistics data from ERPs such as NetSuite, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Sage Intacct and Acumatica, and native tools like SAP Sustainability Control Tower and Microsoft Sustainability Manager run inside the ERP vendor ecosystem directly. Integration depth varies significantly between vendors, so confirm support for the specific ERP before shortlisting; each profile below notes the systems it connects to.
What is the difference between ESG software and carbon accounting software?
Carbon accounting software is focused specifically on calculating greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3) from activity data. ESG software is broader: it typically includes carbon accounting plus social and governance metrics, materiality assessments, and disclosure workflows for frameworks like CSRD, ISSB or CDP. Some vendors specialise in one or the other; several products below cover both.
What features should ESG software have?
Look for a transparent, auditable emissions-calculation methodology, coverage of the disclosure frameworks a company must report against, automated data ingestion from finance and operational systems including the ERP, Scope 3 supplier data-collection workflows, and an audit trail that supports third-party assurance. Use the buyer checklist on this page to score each option against the requirements.