The innovation is a national mechanism for ESG data governance, not just a website. It brings together heterogeneous ESG data from multiple sources, applies documented quality and traceability rules, and converts them into comparable indicators and visualisations aligned with recognised standards (ESRS/CSRD, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, Greenhouse Gas Protocol and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards). This addresses a complex and evolving challenge—data heterogeneity, different methodologies and a changing regulatory landscape—where no ready national solution existed. By creating a reusable indicator catalogue and a BI reporting layer, the platform reduces information costs and enables consistent benchmarking for policy and market actors.

The platform is in full operation and continues to evolve. EKT maintains the data integration pipeline, updates the indicator catalogue and dashboards, and works with data-providing institutions to expand coverage, add historical time series and refine quality checks and documentation.

Public-sector partners and data providers include the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Hellenic Development Bank and the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency. Their datasets and domain expertise are essential for coverage and credibility. EKT leads the standards alignment, data governance, indicator design and the public dissemination platform.

Beneficiaries include businesses (benchmarking and readiness for reporting), financial institutions (risk and sustainability analysis), public authorities (evidence for policy design, monitoring and targeted tools), and researchers/analysts (access to structured indicators). The wider public benefits from more transparent sustainability information.

The platform provides a single national and public reference point for comparable ESG indicators. It currently covers 14,293 companies across all 13 regions of Greece and 11 economic sectors, producing 38 ESG indicators and interactive BI dashboards. This improves access to reliable information for benchmarking, supports more targeted public interventions (e.g., green finance and sectoral programmes), and reduces information and administrative costs by using common definitions and reusable indicators. It also strengthens preparedness for EU sustainability reporting (CSRD/ESRS) by promoting standardised, traceable data.

Key challenges included heterogeneous data formats and definitions across sources, uneven data completeness, and the need to ensure comparability while ESG standards and regulation continue to evolve. These were addressed through an indicator catalogue with clear definitions, documented transformation rules, iterative quality checks, and close coordination with data-providing institutions. A further challenge is sustaining regular updates; this is managed through an operational maintenance model and planned expansion of data pipelines.

Success depended on: (i) EKT’s mandate and leadership in data governance and evidence for policy, (ii) an interdisciplinary team (data engineering, ESG analytics, BI reporting and communication), (iii) strong collaboration with institutional data providers, (iv) alignment with recognised international standards and EU CSRD/ESRS requirements to ensure credibility and reuse, and (v) sustainable resourcing for operation and updates (pilot funding plus an ongoing maintenance model). Clear governance, transparent methodology, user feedback loops and a shared public-value motivation were also critical.

Start with a clear indicator catalogue and agreed definitions before building dashboards. Treat data quality and traceability as core design features, not afterthoughts. Align early with international standards to reduce future rework and to make data reusable for multiple purposes (policy, finance, reporting). Deliver iteratively: pilot with real data, test with users, then scale coverage and features. Finally, invest in partnerships with data owners—long-term value depends on sustained data flows.

Supporting materials include a short slide deck and the indicator-to-standards alignment matrix (ESRS/CSRD, GRI, GHG Protocol, ISO, SASB and SDGs). The initiative was publicly presented as a national ESG data infrastructure at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) communication event, helping to raise awareness among stakeholders and potential users.