2025 ESG Reporting Tools Comparison Guide

The demand for audit-ready ESG reporting has never been higher. With the ISSB framework (IFRS S1 & S2) becoming a global baseline and UK-specific regulations on the horizon, selecting the right ESG tool is critical. This guide compares two leading platforms: neoeco and Workiva.

Key Takeaways:

• neoeco: Focuses on financially-integrated ESG reporting, embedding sustainability into financial systems with automation and AI-driven insights. Ideal for organisations needing ISSB compliance and detailed transaction-level ESG data.

• Workiva: Offers broad framework support (e.g., CSRD, GRI, TCFD) with strong collaboration and integration capabilities. Best for enterprises seeking a trusted, flexible reporting tool.

Quick Comparison:

Who Should Use These Tools?

• Choose neoeco if you prioritise financial integration and ISSB compliance.

• Choose Workiva if you need broad framework compatibility and a proven platform.

With UK Sustainability Reporting Standards starting in July 2025, now is the time to prepare. Both tools offer advanced solutions to replace error-prone spreadsheets, but your choice depends on your organisation's specific needs.

1. neoeco

neoeco describes itself as a Financially-integrated Sustainability Management (FiSM) platform, designed to weave ESG data directly into financial processes. Instead of treating sustainability as a separate task, neoeco incorporates it into the financial framework of an organisation.

Stephen Pell, CEO & Co-founder of neoeco, explains their approach:

"With FiSM, we've rebuilt ESG reporting from the ledger up. It's a financial-grade layer that brings ESG into the ledger, not as a bolt-on, but as part of how your business already runs. FiSM isn't another system to manage - it's the connective tissue between your finance and sustainability tools, embedding ESG into the processes you already trust. What used to take consultants months, FiSM does in minutes."

Supported Standards

neoeco is prepared for the ISSB framework, specifically IFRS S1 and S2, ensuring organisations are ready for the regulatory changes expected in 2025. It also supports a wide range of global frameworks, including CSRD, GHGP, TCFD, SASB, CDP, and GRI. This comprehensive support enables UK-based organisations to meet both domestic and international sustainability standards. The platform is designed to help companies establish a solid foundation for financially integrated sustainability reporting - ready for ISSB, audit-ready, and future-proof.

This focus on compliance comes at a critical time, as 36 jurisdictions are moving to adopt the new ISSB standards, with 17 already finalising their implementation plans. For UK companies preparing for these requirements, neoeco’s multi-standard compatibility provides much-needed flexibility. Its ability to integrate seamlessly with existing systems further strengthens its appeal.

Integration Capabilities

neoeco’s architecture is built to connect effortlessly with major enterprise systems. It extends its reach to energy service providers, ERP and HR systems, and also supports CSV uploads. Its Sustainability Ledger tracks over 90 impact factors for each financial transaction, bringing together data sources, workflows, policies, and reports. This eliminates the common problem of data silos that can complicate ESG reporting.

Automation Features

Leveraging its strong integration capabilities, neoeco automates many aspects of data management to ensure audit-readiness. A standout feature is its AI-powered transaction matching, which aligns financial transactions with relevant ESG data points. This automation covers data collection, categorisation, and reporting, significantly reducing manual effort. Users can generate audit-ready reports with a single click, aligned with global regulations. These reports include forecasting, target-setting, and actionable insights for reducing impact, offering detailed data across 96 ESG impact categories.

Dan Firmager BFP ACA, ESG Advisor at Kreston Reeves & ICAEW Climate Champion, highlights the platform’s strengths:

"neoeco stood out by going beyond traditional carbon accounting. Their use of Life Cycle Assessment gave us the granularity we needed for accurate, future-proof ESG reporting."

Importantly, neoeco’s automation isn’t limited to carbon accounting. It spans all sustainability categories and is supported by SOC2 compliance for data security, helping organisations achieve financially integrated sustainability management.

Pricing Models

neoeco uses an annual licensing model tailored to the specific needs of each organisation. It doesn’t offer standard pricing tiers or free trials. Instead, pricing is determined through a consultative process, with annual licence fees per user and modular add-ons based on the organisation’s reporting complexity and functionality requirements.

2. Alternative ESG Reporting Platform

Workiva is a cloud-based ESG reporting solution designed for large enterprises. It prioritises features like collaboration, seamless data integration, and robust audit trail management. This approach offers a distinct alternative to neoeco's financially integrated methodology, providing organisations with another avenue for managing ESG reporting.

In June 2025, Workiva was recognised by IDC as a "leader" in ESG reporting and compliance. This recognition highlighted its ability to link sustainability metrics with financial data while adhering to global compliance standards.

Amy Cravens from IDC shared:

"Companies looking for a sustainability management platform should consider Workiva given its ability to connect sustainability and financial data, enable compliance with sustainability standards, provide in-platform XBRL tagging, and maintain transparency through robust audit capabilities."

Supported Standards

Workiva supports a variety of established ESG frameworks, including CSRD, GRI, and TCFD, through pre-built integrations. This ensures data accuracy and consistency across diverse reporting requirements. Unlike neoeco's focus on ISSB standards, Workiva's broader support for multiple frameworks makes it a versatile choice for organisations with varied compliance needs. Additionally, the platform includes in-platform XBRL tagging, enabling machine-readable ESG data. This feature is particularly beneficial for companies required to submit filings in structured formats.

Integration Capabilities

The platform connects with a wide range of business systems, including major file storage services, relational databases, and ERP platforms like SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, and QuickBooks. These integrations reduce the need for manual data entry and ensure smoother workflows. This integration strategy stands apart from neoeco's Sustainability Ledger approach.

Automation Features

Workiva automates key processes such as data collection, validation, and report generation, helping organisations keep up with evolving ESG requirements. By eliminating manual reconciliations and enabling collaborative filings, the platform saves significant time for reporting teams. It also combines financial reporting, ESG management, and risk oversight into a single, centralised platform. However, users have reported challenges with implementation and noted areas for improvement in data management and customer support.

Pricing Models

Workiva employs a consultative pricing model tailored for enterprises with over 1,000 employees. Instead of offering standard pricing tiers, it customises costs based on an organisation’s specific reporting requirements and system complexities. While this pricing approach is somewhat similar to neoeco's, Workiva remains focused on more traditional ESG reporting solutions.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Building on the detailed platform descriptions above, let’s break down the key strengths and weaknesses of neoeco and Workiva. These two platforms take distinct approaches to ESG reporting, each with its own impact on implementation and reporting outcomes.

neoeco's standout strength is its financially-integrated approach, achieved through its Sustainability Ledger. This system incorporates over 90 ESG impact factors directly into financial transactions, delivering impressive results, as seen with Kreston Reeves. They reported sharper data insights, less manual data collection, and better readiness for assurance processes. The platform also employs a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), covering 96 ESG impact categories. By moving beyond traditional spend-based reporting to activity-based metrics, neoeco ensures greater reporting accuracy. This approach aligns well with ISSB standards and supports the growing trend of blending financial and non-financial reporting.

However, neoeco faces hurdles in market recognition, with no Capterra reviews and a rating of 0.0. This lack of user feedback can be a red flag for organisations seeking validation from peers. Additionally, its consultative pricing model might deter smaller organisations, as it’s tailored for enterprises with complex reporting needs.

Workiva's strengths lie in its established reputation and broad framework compatibility. Recognised as a "leader" in ESG reporting by IDC, it’s a trusted choice for enterprises. Workiva supports multiple frameworks, including CSRD, GRI, and TCFD, offering flexibility for organisations with varied compliance demands. Its in-platform XBRL tagging also enables machine-readable ESG data submission.

Another advantage is its extensive ERP integrations, which reduce manual data entry and simplify workflows. This makes it ideal for large organisations with complex technology systems.

On the downside, Workiva users have reported challenges during implementation and issues with data management and customer support. Additionally, its more traditional ESG reporting methods may struggle to meet the rising demand for financially-integrated sustainability management, especially when dealing with detailed Scope 3 emissions tracking.

This comparison offers a clear view of how neoeco and Workiva stack up against each other.

Choosing between the two ultimately depends on your organisation's priorities. If financial integration and cutting-edge sustainability metrics are key, neoeco might be the better fit. On the other hand, those needing wide framework support and a trusted market presence could find Workiva more suitable.

With ESG disclosure policies rising from 614 in 2020 to 1,225 in 2023, and nearly half of organisations (47%) still relying on error-prone spreadsheets, both platforms present a significant step up from manual reporting. The decision boils down to balancing the need for innovative financial integration with the reliability of established reporting tools.

Conclusion

The ESG reporting landscape in the UK is undergoing significant changes, with the government set to introduce UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (SRS) by March 2025. These standards will apply to financial years beginning on or after 1st July 2025, making the selection of an appropriate reporting platform a critical decision for businesses.

From our analysis, neoeco stands out as a leading choice for UK enterprises aiming to align with these evolving ESG requirements. Its innovative Sustainability Ledger provides detailed, audit-ready ESG data that integrates seamlessly with financial systems, addressing the growing need for transparency and compliance. This financial integration is a defining feature, positioning neoeco to tackle the increasing investment and regulatory pressures.

The numbers speak for themselves: ESG-focused institutional investments are forecasted to hit £26.4 trillion by 2026, and 94% of executives are feeling the push to prioritise ESG initiatives. With its ISSB reporting capabilities, neoeco offers UK companies a chance to stay ahead, particularly as the Financial Conduct Authority prepares to regulate ESG rating providers.

As highlighted in our earlier platform comparisons, the decision for UK organisations now hinges on practical performance and readiness for the future. Businesses must evaluate whether their current systems can deliver transaction-level ESG insights while keeping up with expanding regulatory expectations. neoeco's Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, which spans 96 impact categories, provides a robust solution to these challenges.

The regulatory push is undeniable. With mandatory reporting requirements likely to be confirmed by Q2 2025, companies need to act quickly to adopt systems that ensure compliance and transparency. Platforms offering financially-integrated sustainability management will enable businesses to meet the audit-ready standards increasingly demanded by stakeholders.

The choice between traditional ESG tools and forward-thinking solutions like neoeco boils down to whether an organisation aims to merely comply or to lead in sustainability reporting. With 89% of investors factoring ESG considerations into their investment strategies, companies that can showcase measurable impact through robust reporting will gain a clear competitive edge.

FAQs

How does neoeco compare to Workiva for ESG reporting and compliance integration?

neoeco is specifically designed for ISSB reporting and CSRD compliance, offering smooth integration of financial and sustainability data. Its key strengths lie in automation, audit readiness, and tools tailored to managing sustainability and finance data together.

Workiva, by contrast, delivers a more extensive platform for enterprise-wide ESG and integrated reporting, featuring robust compliance capabilities and support for various reporting frameworks. While Workiva caters to large-scale reporting requirements, neoeco focuses on organisations that need financially-integrated sustainability management, with an emphasis on customised ESG automation and compliance features.

How does neoeco's FiSM approach improve the accuracy of ESG reporting compared to traditional methods?

neoeco's Financially-integrated Sustainability Management (FiSM)

neoeco's Financially-integrated Sustainability Management (FiSM) approach takes ESG reporting to the next level by embedding sustainability data directly into financial systems. This means sustainability data is handled with the same precision, traceability, and audit standards as financial records, drastically reducing the errors and inconsistencies often associated with older methods.

With automated controls and ledger-grade traceability, FiSM ensures audit readiness and simplifies independent verification processes. This leads to ESG disclosures that are not only more dependable but also align seamlessly with evolving standards like ISSB and IFRS S1 & S2. Businesses can navigate compliance requirements with far greater ease and confidence.

How should organisations decide between a financially-integrated ESG tool like neoeco and a broader platform such as Workiva?

When choosing between a financially-focused ESG tool like neoeco and a more expansive platform such as Workiva, it’s important to consider your organisation’s specific goals and requirements.

Neoeco is designed for companies operating in highly regulated sectors that need tight financial integration, automation, and compliance. It works particularly well for managing ESG data alongside financial reporting, ensuring both processes align seamlessly.

On the other hand, Workiva provides a comprehensive, all-in-one platform that supports multiple reporting frameworks, including CSRD and IFRS. Its emphasis on scalability and user-friendly design makes it a great fit for organisations managing intricate ESG disclosures across various standards.

The decision ultimately hinges on whether your organisation prioritises specialised financial integration or a flexible, multi-framework reporting approach.

Related posts

• ESG Data Collection Checklist for Enterprises