TLDR: Workiva has successfully leveraged its proprietary AI capabilities to dramatically enhance the efficiency and quality of its 2024 Sustainability Report, completing the comprehensive 54-page document 30% faster than previous years.
NORTHAMPTON, MA – August 21, 2025 – Workiva, a leader in assured integrated reporting, has announced a significant leap in its sustainability management processes, attributing substantial efficiency gains to the strategic integration of artificial intelligence. The company’s 2024 Sustainability Report, a comprehensive 54-page document, was completed in less than three and a half months, marking a 30% acceleration compared to prior years.
The report, which involved input from over 90 Workiva employees and underwent a multi-stage review process, also saw more than 35 metrics receive limited assurance by a third-party data provider. This achievement underscores the practical application of AI in streamlining complex corporate reporting and data handling.
Jill Klindt, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Chair of the Sustainability Task Force at Workiva, emphasized the transformative power of AI when applied responsibly. “CFOs and their finance, sustainability, audit, risk, and legal teams are increasingly leading the way in leveraging secure, practical, and responsible AI to drive greater efficiency across their organizations,” Klindt stated. She added that by modernizing core processes and enhancing collaboration, AI not only boosts productivity but also builds investor confidence.
Workiva utilized its AI capabilities across five key areas to enhance its sustainability report. This included benchmarking peer activity by reviewing public sustainability reports from other technology companies to extract key data and themes, which were then refined by Workiva’s Global Sustainability team. The AI also played a crucial role in drafting narratives based on table data, accelerating the initial analysis of complex financial and sustainability figures.
Furthermore, Workiva AI was instrumental in analyzing disclosures against evolving standards, such as the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), allowing for faster identification of gaps in compliance without manual line-by-line review. This capability enables teams to quickly gauge adherence to new regulations and build plans to close any identified gaps. The company highlighted that while AI enhances capabilities, it is designed to augment human insight and expertise, not replace it.
Also Read:
- Productivity Software Companies Leverage Core Strengths in Generative AI Shift
- Intuit Unveils Comprehensive AI Agent Suite for QuickBooks, Enhancing Efficiency and Financial Insight
The successful deployment of Workiva AI within its Sustainability Management solution allowed the company to prioritize education and acumen building within its sustainability governance groups. This strategic shift enabled greater engagement with environmental workstreams, directly supporting Workiva’s decarbonization commitments and its ambitious 2040 net-zero goal. The company’s experience demonstrates how AI can improve the creation of complex documents, enhance output quality, and ensure the integrity and responsible handling of sensitive, non-public data within a secure and integrated platform.
