Studie Sustainability Leadership Perspectives from the Chemical Industry

The chemical and oil industry is operating in an increasingly challenging environment. Economic headwinds, geopolitical uncertainty and a changing regulatory landscape are putting pressure on sustainability initiatives and forcing companies to prioritize investments more rigorously. At the same time, sustainability continues to be recognized as a key driver of long-term competitiveness, resilience and value creation.

As part of the Horváth Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) Study 2026, more than 300 sustainability leaders across industries were interviewed between February and April 2026. To complement the cross-industry findings, Horváth conducted a dedicated deep dive into the chemical  and oil industry, providing insights into the priorities, challenges and perspectives of sustainability leaders from leading chemical and oil companies. 

Key findings of the study include:

  • Sustainability is viewed as a long-term value driver. While sustainability is often perceived as a burden in the short term, chemical companies overwhelmingly expect positive business impacts over the longer term. Sustainability is therefore seen as a key contributor to future competitiveness and business success. 
  • The business case has become the decisive factor for sustainability investments. Compared to other industries, chemical companies place an even stronger emphasis on demonstrating measurable economic value. A robust business case is considered the most important prerequisite for integrating sustainability into management decisions, while the absence of a clear value proposition remains one of the largest barriers to progress. 
  • Sustainability is increasingly embedded in strategic decision-making. Sustainability leaders in the chemical industry report above-average involvement in corporate strategy, product development, investment decisions and portfolio management. Nevertheless, many companies still see room to further integrate ESG considerations into planning, forecasting and steering processes. 
  • Decarbonization remains a strategic priority. Many chemical companies have already established climate transition plans and long-term climate targets. At the same time, carbon management and carbon capture and storage (CCS) are becoming increasingly important as companies seek economically viable pathways to reduce emissions while maintaining industrial competitiveness. 
  • Data quality, digitalization and AI are high on the agenda. Improving ESG data quality and building integrated ESG data platforms are among the most important priorities for sustainability organizations. Looking ahead, chemical companies see particularly strong potential for artificial intelligence in data collection, validation, reporting and regulatory monitoring. 

Beyond these findings, the study highlights several strategic value levers for the chemical industry. These include monetizing sustainability through value-based pricing, strengthening carbon management capabilities, and leveraging AI to improve the efficiency and quality of ESG reporting and sustainability management processes. 

Hartl, P. / Hartmann, M. / Gaß, J.

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