Sustainability is no longer a side conversation in securities services — but embedding it into day-to-day operations remains a challenge.

The key findings of our Sustainability Survey, developed by ISSA’s Sustainability Working Group in partnership with The ValueExchange, brings together insights from senior leaders across the global Securities Services ecosystem to assess how firms’ ESG agenda is progressing, how sustainability is impacting business costs and what is holding the industry back.

Based on responses from leading firms across Europe, APAC and North America, the key findings show that:

• 59% of firms now see sustainability as a core part of their operating model, with adoption strongest among Tier 1 organizations
• Over 75% of firms report rising costs, particularly across reporting, due diligence and data management
• Lack of standardized, high-quality ESG data remains the biggest barrier for 77% of respondents
• 50% of firms see sustainability as a revenue opportunity, driven by new products, increased RFP activity and client demand
• Senior management is setting the sustainability agenda at 89% of firms, highlighting its growing strategic importance