In this blog post, we’ll explore the latest Q1 2025 innovations in SCT—from new qualitative metrics and AI-driven report customization to expanded analytics and enhanced connectivity—designed to help sustainability leaders turn complexity into control and ambition into action.
Qualitative Metrics Definition and Data Collection App
You can create qualitative metrics and collect textual information for a selected time period according to the configured period granularity. The system supports defining narrative, semi-narrative, and Boolean reference types and mapping data points according to the disclosure requirements of the reporting standard version at the metric level.
Afterward, you can use the new “Manage ESG Qualitative Data” App to collect data for qualitative metrics. By selecting the metric ID and report period, disclosure information relevant to a data point can be added for the period selected.
Enhanced Metric Configuration
New fields are added to the Metric Configuration to allow a more detailed configuration and reporting: ”Reporting Standard Version”, “Disclosure Requirement”,” Disclosure References”. Multiple selection of disclosure references is possible and the content for mapping to cover ESRS and EU Taxonomy is included. You can extend this content to add other standards.
In Q1 2025, SCT introduces the ability to define custom metrics with up to five dimensions for deeper drill-down and analysis, improving extensibility and reducing the need to recreate metrics for each new dimension. This enhancement is supported by a new public Read OData API, enabling secure access to standard custom metrics data—including additional dimension breakdowns—without requiring recalculation outside of SCT. Customers can configure and maintain these metrics in the Manage Metrics app, which includes classification fields (such as Reporting Standard Version and Disclosure Reference) for better alignment with frameworks like European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and EU Taxonomy. Once configured, these custom metrics can be consumed in the new Analyze ESG Data app, other SAC integrations, or third-party tools using the updated APIs. By streamlining metric definitions and exposing key metadata (for example, metric formulas, units of measure, and leading hierarchies), SCT empowers users to leverage more accurate and granular sustainability insights that support regulatory compliance and organizational reporting needs.
Expanded SAC Live Connectivity Enhances ESG Reporting
In November 2024, SCT expanded its SAC Live Connectivity feature to support all 12 Data Provider Interfaces (DPIs), significantly enhancing the integration between SAP Sustainability Control Tower and SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC). Initially launched in Q2 2024 with support for GHG Emissions, this expansion now includes comprehensive connectivity for Emissions, Energy, Resource Use, Water, Waste, Land, People, Injury, Corruption Incidents, Prosperity, and General Measures. This development allows customers with SAC licenses to seamlessly access and visualize their sustainability data in real-time without the need for data replication. By exposing custom fields and enabling live connectivity across all DPIs, users can create dynamic and detailed dashboards tailored to their specific ESG reporting needs. Additionally, a new outbound API, SustainabilityCustomMetricsData, is now available in the Custom Metrics category on SAP Business Accelerator Hub, allowing users to retrieve data for standard custom metrics, including drill-down dimensions. This enhancement not only improves the flexibility and reach of sustainability reporting in alignment with ESRS but also streamlines the data integration process, empowering organizations to make more informed and timely decisions based on accurate and up-to-date ESG metrics.
Instance-based Authorizations
We’re excited to introduce instance-based authorizations in SAP Sustainability Control Tower, which enables administrators to restrict user access to specific sustainability metrics and measures. By leveraging SAP Cloud Identity Services, you can restrict visibility to particular business objects – such as metric actuals or measure actuals – and further narrow access by business location, legal entity, or organizational unit. This means each user only sees data relevant to them in apps like Manage ESG Data, Our Ambitions, the Emissions Dashboard, and the Analyze ESG Data app. Importantly, instance-based authorization augments rather than replaces existing SAP BTP roles and role collections, offering an additional layer of control for safeguarding sensitive ESG information. Getting started requires a subscription to SAP Cloud Identity Services, establishing trust, and then configuring or customizing authorization policies to align with your security and compliance needs. To learn more about these steps and see example policies, check out our updated documentation and discover how to determine who can view what within your sustainability landscape.
Introducing the New Analyze ESG Data App
As of February 2025, SCT has launched the Analyze ESG Data app, designed to replace the existing KPI tiles on the landing page and enhance how customers and partners interact with their ESG metrics. The new app provides robust filtering options, allowing users to select up to six time periods – by year, quarter, or month – and view their data in greater detail. Additionally, users can filter KPI tiles based on organizational hierarchies such as business location, reporting line, and legal entity. The app also offers flexible clustering and grouping of KPI tiles by subject matter (e.g., water, energy, waste), reporting frameworks (like ESRS or EU Taxonomy), through custom user-defined groups. Personalization features enable customers to save custom views with their chosen KPI tiles and apply authorization settings to ensure secure access. These updates aim to provide a more organized and tailored experience for tracking and managing ESG performance through the Analyze ESG Data app, now accessible in the SCT launchpad under the “Analytics and Steering” section.
Customizable AI Templates
In the Generate ESG Reports with AI app, you can now copy existing SAP-provided report templates and toggle individual sections on or off, as well as change the sectioning of the template structure. You can also see the status of an SAP-delivered template and get updates when available.
Planned Features
- ESG reports with AI: You will be able to edit the generated content in-app before downloading the reports.
- Fiscal Period Support: You can soon integrate fiscal year and period configurations in S/4HANA Cloud into SAP Sustainability Control Tower. Integrations will allow you to upload data for the activated fiscal year variant and the defined fiscal periods.
- New supported languages: Italian and Turkish will be added to the supported languages at the end of Q1-2025.
