Over a third of corporate capital expenditure now aligned to sustainability goals, as firms embed net zero into business strategy
Independent study by Risilience shows more than half of large businesses now have detailed decarbonization roadmaps, nearly nine in ten are increasing investment, and boards are treating climate and nature risk as core strategic priorities
NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest businesses are redirecting capital at scale to support their net zero transition, with an average of more than a third of all capital expenditure (36%) now aligned to sustainability goals.
That's according to new research from Risilience, which polled senior sustainability and finance executives across the US, UK and Europe on how global businesses with an annual turnover of $700m to $50 billion+ have responded to climate and nature risk as part of its state of the nation report, Climate and Nature Risk 2025.
The study found sustainability has become fully embedded in corporate strategy, with businesses committing capital, building detailed decarbonization plans, and elevating climate and nature risks to board-level discussions.
More than half of organizations (52%) now have a detailed net zero roadmap, while nearly a third (30%) are currently developing theirs, and the majority (88%) report increasing investment in net zero strategies, despite ongoing geopolitical and economic volatility. Three quarters of decarbonization plans include a return-on-investment forecast, a sign that companies are moving from ambition to financially quantified execution, though challenges remain in standardizing metrics.
Sustainability is also firmly established in governance, with 95% of companies reporting that climate and nature issues are a standing item at board level, with most discussing them frequently. Despite a backdrop of heightened global volatility, with 96% of firms saying the geopolitical and economic environment has increased business uncertainty, the vast majority (90%) of businesses surveyed report feeling a greater urgency to invest in climate strategy as a result.
"Capital allocation is the clearest signal of intent," said Andrew Coburn, CEO of Risilience. "When over a third of corporate CapEx is being aligned with sustainability goals, it shows businesses are no longer experimenting with net zero – they are embedding it into strategy, governance and finance. The leaders are those who are moving from ambition to quantified, finance-grade execution."
The study, launched this week at Climate Week NYC also examined differences between industries, and found consumer-facing sectors such as fashion, food, and retail to be leading the way in embedding risk into decision-making. Yet challenges remain, particularly in addressing Scope 3 supply chain emissions, where misaligned incentives and poor supplier data continue to slow progress.
Nature risk was found to be rapidly following a similar trajectory to climate. Three quarters (75%) of companies already have a nature risk plan, and over a third (37%) are piloting TNFD-aligned disclosures despite the framework being relatively young. While barriers such as unclear ownership and weak investor pressure remain, the early adoption revealed by the study suggests nature will soon become as mainstream a consideration for sustainability and finance leaders as climate.
"Climate and nature risks are no longer abstract sustainability issues, they are real financial risks," continued Coburn. "Companies that act decisively to quantify these risks, embed them into governance and financial systems, and align incentives across their supply chains will build resilience and competitive advantage in the face of economic and political challenges. Those who fall behind will face mounting pressure from investors, regulators, and the market as expectations continue to accelerate."
About Risilience
Our mission is to help global businesses transition to the net-positive economy profitably.
We achieve this through our award-winning platform, Riise, and advisory services that drive actionable insights, connecting climate and nature to deliver decision-useful business intelligence, robust disclosures, and transition strategies designed for commercial success.
Our heritage is rooted in science. We apply environmental frameworks developed in collaboration with the Centre for Risk Studies at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. These frameworks, combined with advanced analytics and a multidisciplinary team of expert advisors, deliver decision-useful information, audit-ready disclosures and commercially viable transition plans that align with business strategy to provide value for all stakeholders.
Share this article