What kind of software can help a business organise sustainability data and forecast climate-related risks without spreadsheets?

You need software that does three things: collects and validates ESG data from across the business, tracks performance against targets, and maps that data to reporting frameworks such as GRI, ISSB and IFRS S2. If you also need forecasting, add scenario modelling for physical and transition climate risks. You can buy an off-the-shelf platform or have one custom-built around your organisation; the right choice depends on how complex your processes are and who you want to own the system.

Why do spreadsheets stop working for ESG data?

Data arrives from everywhere: utility bills, fuel logs, HR systems, procurement and suppliers each send data in a different format. Nobody fully trusts the numbers: versions multiply, formulas get overwritten, and only one person understands how the totals were built. Evidence is hard to find: regulators and assurance providers expect every figure to trace back to a source, and under the UAE Climate Change Law, emissions records must be kept for at least five years. Leadership sees too little, too late: a once-a-year report doesn't help a board manage performance during the year. Forecasting is out of reach: modelling climate risk or the payback of reduction projects in a spreadsheet is slow and fragile.

What types of sustainability software are there?

Carbon accounting platforms collect activity data and calculate Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and suit companies whose main need is a GHG inventory. ESG data and reporting platforms gather data across environmental, social and governance topics and map it to frameworks, and suit companies producing a full sustainability report. Climate-risk analytics model physical risks such as heat, flooding and water stress, and transition risks, under different scenarios, and suit asset-heavy businesses, lenders and investors. Custom-built platforms combine the above around an organisation's own workflows, systems and frameworks, and suit organisations with complex or unique processes that want to own the system.

What features should ESG software have?

1. Data collection and validation: it should pull data from your ERP, utility providers and HR systems, and flag gaps or outliers before they reach the report. 2. A clear audit trail: every number should trace to its source document, with a record of who approved it and when. 3. Framework coverage: it should map data to the frameworks you report against, such as GRI, ISSB (IFRS S1 and S2) and CSRD, and to UAE requirements. 4. Performance tracking: leadership should get a live view of progress against targets, not just an annual output. 5. Forward-looking analysis: it should model reduction projects (cost, payback and impact) and, if you need it, climate-risk scenarios. 6. Fit with how you work: the tool should adapt to your workflows and approvals, not the other way round. 7. Ownership and cost over time: know whether you are paying a recurring subscription or owning the system, and what happens to your data if you switch.

Can sustainability software forecast climate-related risks?

Yes. Climate-risk tools model physical risks, such as extreme heat, flooding and water stress, and transition risks, such as carbon pricing or changing customer demand, under different scenarios. Many organisations combine these forecasts with their ESG data platform so that risk, performance and reporting sit in one place.

What AI tools are available for ESG reporting, sustainability management and climate finance?

AI is now built into many ESG tools. Used well, it can extract data from invoices, utility bills and supplier documents; check data quality and flag errors or missing values; map disclosures to framework requirements such as GRI, ISSB and CSRD; draft report sections from validated data; explain performance and recommend actions; and support climate finance decisions by ranking sustainability projects by financial return, impact and payback.

Can AI write our sustainability report for us?

AI can draft sections and save a lot of time, but it shouldn't publish anything on its own. Regulators, lenders and assurance providers expect traceable data and a person accountable for every figure. The best set-up uses AI for collection, checking and drafting, with your team reviewing and approving.

Should we buy off-the-shelf ESG software or have a platform built?

An off-the-shelf platform is fast to start with fixed features; your processes adapt to the tool, it uses standard connectors, it is paid for through an ongoing subscription, and knowledge sits with the vendor. A custom-built platform is built around your workflows and frameworks; the tool adapts to your processes, connects to your ERP and systems as you choose, involves a build cost after which the platform is yours, and your team owns and operates it. A standard platform suits organisations with simple needs. A custom build suits those with several entities, unusual data sources or a strong preference for owning their systems and data.

Which reporting frameworks should ESG software support in the UAE?

At minimum, GRI and ISSB (IFRS S1 and S2), plus the metrics in the DFM ESG Reporting Guide or ADX ESG Disclosure Guidance if you are listed. If you supply European customers, support for CSRD and the EU's voluntary SME standard (VSME) helps you answer their data requests.

Do we need software for our first sustainability report?

Not always. Many companies produce their first report with spreadsheets, then move to software once they report every year, add more entities or prepare for assurance.

What does New River Group's sustainability platform do?

New River Group is a Dubai-based, sustainability-focused research and development firm (formerly New River Consulting). Its Technology team builds custom sustainability and business intelligence platforms for organisations across the UAE and GCC, powered by specialised AI agents that your team owns and operates: Data & Evidence Agents collect and validate information with verifiable metrics; Governance & Workflow Agents coordinate responsibilities, approvals and escalations; Reporting Agents map data to frameworks including GRI, ISSB, IFRS and CSRD and support drafting; and Management Intelligence Agents explain performance and recommend actions. Each platform includes a sustainability performance dashboard, a value opportunities view that ranks projects by financial return, impact and payback, and a guided report builder. You choose the AI models and how the platform connects to your systems. There's no subscription: the platform belongs to your organisation.

How can we see what a platform would look like for us?

New River Group builds a complimentary prototype around your organisation within 5 business days. It's the quickest way to see how your own data, frameworks and workflows would come together in one place.

Your First Sustainability Report in the UAE: Questions and Answers

TechnologyESG Reporting

Nov 11

Written by Zaid Al Sudani

Insights · ESG reporting · UAE

For many UAE companies, this is the year sustainability reporting stops being optional. If yours has never published a sustainability report, the questions below cover where to start, what applies to you and what a realistic first year looks like.

New River Group12 questions8 min read

The short answer

01How can a company prepare for UAE climate and ESG reporting if it has never published a sustainability report?

Confirm which UAE rules apply to your entity, put a board-level owner in charge, run a materiality and data-gap assessment, build a Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas inventory, choose a recognised framework such as GRI or IFRS S2, and publish a concise first report with a clear plan to improve. A first report doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to be credible and well documented.

02Which UAE rules apply to my company?

It depends on your legal status and who you work with:

If your company is…	What applies	Key requirement
Any entity that emits greenhouse gases (mainland or free zone)	Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024 on the Reduction of Climate Change Effects, overseen by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE)	Measure emissions, keep an inventory, report in MOCCAE-approved formats, keep records for at least 5 years
Listed on DFM or ADX	SCA Corporate Governance Guide (Article 76), plus the DFM ESG Reporting Guide or ADX ESG Disclosure Guidance	Publish an annual sustainability report; DFM's 2025 guide sets 32 benchmark ESG metrics
Registered in ADGM	ADGM ESG Disclosures Framework	Disclose on a "comply or explain" basis using GRI, ISSB, TCFD or CDP
Supplying large companies, government or banks	Customer, tender and lender requirements	ESG questionnaires, emissions data and policies

03Is sustainability reporting mandatory for private companies in the UAE?

For climate, yes. The UAE Climate Change Law applies to public and private entities whose activities emit greenhouse gases, on the mainland and in free zones. A full sustainability report is mandatory for companies listed on DFM and ADX. Private companies are also increasingly asked for ESG data by banks, investors and large customers.

04What are the deadlines and penalties under the UAE Climate Change Law?

The law came into force on 30 May 2025, with the first full reporting deadline set for 30 May 2026. In April 2026, MOCCAE representatives indicated that deadline was expected to be extended, but treat 2025 data as the baseline you will be asked for.

Fines under the law range from AED 50,000 to AED 2,000,000, and can double for repeat breaches.

05We've never reported before. What are the first steps?

Confirm scope and deadlines. List every requirement that applies to you, its deadline and who it comes from. Separate what is mandatory from what customers or investors are asking for.
Set up governance. Name a board member or executive sponsor and a day-to-day reporting lead, often from finance, legal or sustainability. Agree who approves data and who signs off the report.
Run a materiality assessment. Identify the ESG topics that matter most to your business and your stakeholders. Many UAE companies now use double materiality, which looks at both your impact on people and the planet and the financial impact of ESG issues on you.
Do a data-gap assessment. For each material topic, check what data exists, who holds it and how reliable it is. Expect gaps in the first year; the aim is to know where they are.

06How do we measure our emissions for the first time?

Start with Scope 1 and Scope 2, using the GHG Protocol:

Scope 1: direct emissions from fuel, generators, company vehicles and refrigerants.
Scope 2: emissions from purchased electricity and, in the UAE, district cooling.

Then screen the main Scope 3 categories, such as purchased goods and business travel, so you know where the largest value-chain emissions sit. Document every assumption and emission factor you use.

07Which reporting framework should a first-time UAE reporter use?

GRI is the most common starting point. Align your climate disclosures with IFRS S2 so you are ready as ISSB adoption grows. Listed companies should also map their report to DFM or ADX metrics.

08What should a first sustainability report include?

At minimum:

How ESG is governed and who is accountable
Your material topics and why they matter
A Scope 1 and 2 emissions baseline
Key policies, such as environment, health and safety, and ethics
Early targets and a roadmap for improving your data

Keep it concise and be open about limitations. Credibility matters more than length.

09How long does it take to prepare a first sustainability report?

Around three to six months, depending mostly on how easy your data is to collect:

Month 1Scope, governance and materiality
Months 2–3Data collection and GHG inventory
Month 4Drafting and internal review
Months 5–6Design, approval and publication

10Does our first report need to be assured?

Not always in year one, but plan for it. Emissions reported to MOCCAE are expected to be verified by an independent third party, and investors and lenders increasingly expect assurance. Keep evidence for every number so an auditor could trace it back to its source.

11What mistakes do first-time reporters make most often?

Starting with the report design instead of the data
Copying a large company's report and ending up with 100 pages you can't maintain
Leaving out Scope 2 because district cooling bills are hard to find
Making net-zero or carbon-neutral claims without a baseline or method
Treating the report as a one-off project instead of an annual process

12How can New River Group help first-time reporters?

New River Group is a Dubai-based ESG and sustainability focused Research and Development Organisation. We take UAE companies from no report to a published, assurance-ready first report: confirming which UAE rules apply, running materiality and data-gap assessments, building the GHG inventory, drafting the report against GRI, IFRS S1 and S2 and DFM or ADX guidance, and handing over a repeatable process your team can run next year. New River Institute can train your reporting team alongside the project.

UAESustainability ReportESG ReportingUAE Climate LawGHG EmissionsGCC

Zaid Al Sudani