The task of ESG-Compliance, long the domain of spreadsheets, consultants and increasing costs, is given an AI-driven overhaul.
The Startup Esggenter, established in Brisbane.a., has launched a platform that promises to reduce the compliance costs by a maximum of 85 percent and even make the regulatory report accessible to companies without internal expertise in the field of sustainability.
The timing is no coincidence. The new ESG reporting requirements of Australia will be in force in 2025, which forces more companies, in particular SMEs, to become serious about publicity of sustainability. But for smaller companies without deep bags or internal teams, compliance with the regulations can be both intimidating and expensive.
Esggent.ai says it directs that gap directly. The platform uses a series of autonomous AI agents to automate everything, from data collection to generating reports that are tailored to frameworks such as TCFD, Gri and IFRS.
“ESG expertise has traditionally been accessible only for large organizations with dedicated sustainability teams and mass consultancy budgets,” says Shan VaHora, founder and CEO of Esggent.ai. “We change that. Our platform democratizes access to advanced ESG options, so that companies of all species cannot achieve compliance without mass investments in resources.”
From bottleneck to background task
The nore offer is a team of AI agents who are trained to process specific ESG functions, data requests, deadline tracking, compliance verification and even real-time interpretation of evolving regulations. The system is designed to work as an internal sustainability team, minus the workforce.
One of these agents, called “Susan”, acts as a virtual ESG analyst. Susan contacts internal and external stakeholders to collect relevant data, checks it based on regulatory standards and draws up reports in the correct format. According to Vahora it is more than automation, it is delegation.
“Susan works like a colleague who never sleeps,” he says. “She follows data on departments, ensures that nothing is missed and makes full reports based on real-time compliance checks. She is trained in the specific ESG data of your company, so there is no generic gis work.”
A built-in onboarding coach for SMEs
Although larger companies can use Esggent.ai to accelerate reporting cycles, the platform has been designed with SMEs companies in mind.
“We know that most SMEs do not have an ESG expert in the field of staff,” says Vahora. “That is why every customer receives a tailor-made AI agent who builds a knowledge base from their existing reports and sustainability data. From there it guides them through what is needed and when.”
The onboarding process includes uploading existing ESG documentation to a central data storage, which is then used to build a company-specific model. From there, the AI checks gaps, coordinates the company with the correct standards and assigns tasks to different agents.
To reduce learning curves, the platform includes pre -built templates, educational sources and a real -time compliance check. Vahora describes it as “a system that you not only tell what to do, it runs through it.”
Where the cost savings come from
Although the idea of replacing ESG consultants with AI may sound courageous, the company supports its cost-saving claims with a breakdown.
“Consultants charge $ 100,000 to $ 200,000 a year to handle ESG report,” says VaHora. “We offer a system that supplies the same results, data management, framework alignment, report generation of reports at a fraction of the price.”
VaHora points out that automating ESG reporting for a medium-sized company can unlock more than $ 200,000 in annual productivity savings. For larger companies, that figure could rise to $ 1 million. What is more, many of these savings come not only by reducing external costs, but also from recovering internal time.
“A process that usually lasts three to six months with consultants can be done in a few weeks,” he says. “There is no double data input about frameworks, no manual layout. That is where the time and money are lost, and that is where AI makes the biggest difference.”
Connect and play compliance
For SMEs that are still struggling with what ESG -Compliance even looks like, VaHora offers specific examples.
“A production company can use our platform to determine which CSRD requirements apply to them, and the AI will then split it into concrete tasks,” he says. “A technical startup can upload emission data and our system automatically calculated their CO2 footprint and the lack of values. A retail company can assign ESG tasks to the staff without hiring a single new person.”
In practical terms, SMEs can log in, check a dashboard, update figures and generate a verified report, without needing a consultant to explain the acronyms.
The platform also offers a protective layer against Greenwashing. By automatically verifying claims with supporting documentation and aligning them with recognized frameworks, ESGAGENT.AI helps ensure that sustainability declarations maintain under external control.
Ready for the regulator and the auditor
For Australia’s 600-plus B corps with updated certification standards and companies that are preparing for the incoming reporting mandates, the platform is placed as a ready-to-go solution.
And for directors increasingly on the hook for ESG risks, the tool adds an extra board layer.
“It’s not just about tapping boxes,” says VaHora. “Our platform gives boards and managers real supervision of ESG risk, of regulatory exposure to reputation damage.”
Delivery as a SOC 2-Conforming application, esgaget.ai also emphasizes data privacy, a crucial factor for companies that treat sensitive information.
While the Australian supervisors increase ESG expectations, the arrival of AI can be in compliance as a relief. Whether or not it can completely replace it can still be seen. But if Esgagent.ai even delivers half of what it promises, the era of spreadsheet ESG might be on the way to the outside.
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