How SoftDesign Turned ESG Management into a Competitive Advantage

An ESG assessment is not always seen as an opportunity. But that is exactly what SoftDesign saw when it was included in the monitoring carried out by Sicredi (one of Brazil's largest credit cooperative systems) through the ESGreen Platform.

What could have been just an obligation became a turning point. The company used ESGreen's data as the basis to structure its governance, strengthen its reputation and open important doors in the market. The result was approval as a supplier to a multinational and a clear step up in its ESG maturity.

About SoftDesign: technology with a vision for the future #Link para esta seção

SoftDesign is a technology company with almost 30 years in business. It serves clients in Brazil, the United States, Europe and Latin America, developing custom software solutions focused on design, architecture and cloud.

Even with a solid culture of good practices, such as diversity and information security, the company felt the need to organize and formalize these initiatives to meet its clients' increasingly demanding standards.

It was in the context of the ESG monitoring conducted by Sicredi, through ESGreen, that this transformation began.

The insight that changed everything: ESGreen monitoring #Link para esta seção

It was when Sicredi began monitoring it via ESGreen that SoftDesign gained access to its first structured ESG assessment.

The platform delivered much more than a score: it provided an assessment, ESG indicators by pillar (Environmental, Social and Governance), ESG materiality, a maturity rating and a complete picture of the company's maturity.

With this report in hand, CEO Osmar Pedrozo made a simple but powerful decision: instead of just meeting a requirement, he would use the material as a compass to rethink the company's entire structure.

“I realized I had a very complete assessment there, free of charge. Instead of just answering it, I decided to use it as a compass to improve the company.” – Osmar Pedrozo, CEO of SoftDesign

The challenges that had to be addressed #Link para esta seção

SoftDesign faced three major areas of concern:

1. ESG practices without formalization:

Good practices existed, but they were not documented, organized or institutionalized.

2. No reference model:

There was no clarity on which ESG criteria to prioritize or how to create a structured improvement plan.

3. Difficulty meeting demanding market requirements:

The company was losing competitiveness because it did not have evidence ready for selection processes, RFPs and external audits.

The action plan: from assessment to ESG structure #Link para esta seção

With ESGreen's data in hand, SoftDesign began a structured improvement journey:

• It created a compliance area and hired an ESG specialist.
• It brought in a legal consultancy to support the review of strategic documents.
• It formalized policies on ethics, diversity, business continuity and information security.
• It set up committees, internal training and risk management plans.

Every indicator flagged in the report became a real workstream within the company.

The results speak for themselves #Link para esta seção

✔ Approval by a multinational

The new ESG structure enabled SoftDesign to meet all compliance requirements and be approved as a global supplier.

✔ Ready to respond to RFPs and audits

The company began responding to large clients quickly, with structured data and concrete evidence.

✔ Crisis response capability

During the 2024 flood in Porto Alegre, the company already had a continuity plan and a crisis committee in place, supporting employees and keeping operations stable.

✔ International expansion with stronger governance

With a solid management foundation and mapped risks, SoftDesign moved forward with more confidence in the US market.

“ESG has become part of our business. It all started with an assessment, and today we are reaping the rewards of having taken it seriously.” – Osmar Pedrozo, CEO of SoftDesign

Assessment with purpose: the real impact of ESGreen monitoring #Link para esta seção

SoftDesign's journey shows that being monitored by a client via ESGreen can, and should, be seen as a strategic opportunity.

The platform offers much more than an assessment. It delivers a complete reading of the company's ESG reality, with actionable data, indicators by pillar, a consolidated score and a clear view of the main areas of concern.

The difference lies in how this assessment is interpreted and put into practice. That is what SoftDesign did: it turned an external request into an internal lever. It used the report as a starting point to evolve its governance, reduce risks and win new markets.

If your company is being monitored, or wants to make ESG a true competitive differentiator, the time to act is now.

ESGreen: from analysis and monitoring to transformation. With data, direction and impact.