The "Sustainability Transformation Trends" survey conducted by Capgemini places the financial services industry—encompassing insurance and retail banking—ahead of eleven other sectors, as they collectively boost their sustainability index by an impressive 30 points. This achievement surpasses industries such as healthcare, industrial manufacturing, and even energy and agriculture.

This index is derived from a comprehensive set of 93 queries that assess advancements in both environmental and social sustainability. A baseline score of 100 signifies average performance over a span of three years.

Capgemini reports that an encouraging 84% of the 2,152 surveyed executives acknowledged their organizations' alignment with emissions reduction objectives, with only 9% needing to catch up. Australian representation in the survey included input from 192 executive respondents.

Amidst a survey size that included 727 substantial organizations across 13 countries, the survey underscores substantial improvement in areas like sustainable design, circularity, and biodiversity.

Particularly noteworthy is Australia's commendable leap in its sustainability index, advancing from 100 to 120, and securing a superior score compared to major nations like the UK, US, and Germany. These findings signal Australia's consistent annual progress, as highlighted by Capgemini.

According to Cyril Garcia, Capgemini's lead in global sustainability services, water conservation, biodiversity, and circular practices now rank as essential business strategies. He emphasized the dual role of business leaders in fostering a sustainable economic shift.

Cyril Garcia articulated, “Today's leaders are tasked with reducing CO2 while also achieving cost efficiency. With burgeoning innovations in climate technology and emerging regulations, tangible results in sustainability are key to fostering consumer trust.”

Such industry strides are indicative of the finance sector's role in paving the way to a sustainable future, a journey that continues to gain momentum, outlined in Capgemini's full report.