Behind the Backlash: Q&A with Anaïs Blarel, Sustainability Manager of Revaia
The ESG narrative has become increasingly polarized in recent years. Yet beneath the controversy, European scale-ups are steadily strengthening sustainability practices and laying more resilient foundations for growth.
To bring some clarity to this complex moment, Revaia has published the second edition of its “European ESG Data Benchmark” in partnership with Apiday, one of Europe’s leading ESG data platforms, and drawing on the insights from invaluable expert contributors from across the ecosystem. The study measures what organizations implement internally: how they govern their data, support their teams, and take responsibility for their value chain.
Coming two years after the first report, the 2025 edition shows that progress is not slowing. On the contrary, the integration of environmental, social, and governance practices remains a defining feature of the European tech scale-up journey.
To dive deeper into these lessons, we sat down with Anaïs Blarel, Sustainability Manager at Revaia, to discuss the report.
Why release a second edition only two years after the previous one?
Anaïs Blarel: Over the past two years, expectations toward ESG have evolved so fast that continuing to rely on the previous dataset would not reflect the current reality of the ecosystem. With this new edition, we wanted to make sure that the insights we provide are grounded in more reliable, more comparable, and more useful data.
Working closely with Apiday enabled us to access anonymized ESG information from more than a thousand European startups and scale-ups, covering Pre-seed to Series C+ maturity levels. Our objective was to strengthen the robustness of the benchmark, while preventing any additional reporting burden for founders and their teams.
This year’s edition provides a resource designed not for compliance, but for decision-making: one that can strengthen conversations between investors, leadership teams, and sustainability experts.
What does this benchmark reveal about the evolution of ESG practices in a context often described as an “ESG backlash”?
A.B.: The data uncovers important shifts and evolutions in approaches. Over the last two years, political pressure and financial concerns have raised doubts around ESG, particularly in the United States. Europe has not been immune to these debates. That is precisely why it was key to assess with facts whether the momentum had slowed down.
The answer is encouraging: among VC and growth-backed companies, there is no sign of regression in the implementation of policies and initiatives. On the contrary, the data shows sustained progress across most dimensions of ESG. Sustainability continues to be embedded in the growth journey of European tech companies, even under increased scrutiny. In this context, the question is no longer whether European tech companies “do ESG”, but whether their efforts translate into robust and resilient foundations for growth.
But the benchmark also highlights where resilience is being tested. For example, climate ambition is clearly the most fragile component, with fewer companies formalizing environmental policies compared to 2022. The growing energy demands of AI and other data-intensive models partly explain this hesitation to commit to firm targets. The noise around major financial institutions leaving Net Zero alliances is causing hesitation around formal climate targets and decarbonization strategies.
Meanwhile, the adoption of diversity policies has risen sharply, but this has not yet translated into meaningful gains in representation at the executive or board level. Progress exists, but it remains uneven.
What are the most prominent areas of progress according to the data?
A.B.: Governance practices are advancing significantly. Data protection certifications have surged, confirming that digital resilience and cybersecurity have become central to operational maturity. Responsible procurement policies are also increasingly adopted, reflecting the growing recognition that ESG risks extend across the value chain. Social frameworks have strengthened as well, particularly through the adoption of formalized diversity commitments. What the figures tell us is that ESG foundations are being installed more firmly than before.
This year’s benchmark also includes external perspectives from some of your peers in the ecosystem. Why was it important to bring these voices in?
A.B.: Benchmarking is valuable only if it is connected to real-world dynamics. We were therefore very glad to include insights from peers who are directly shaping the ESG maturity of European tech. Dr. Johannes Lenhard, CEO at Reframe Venture, explains how comparability drives adoption: competition between peers can encourage rapid progress, while also revealing where the ecosystem still lacks material data quality. Petar Georgiev, VP Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Ampeco, brings the operational side: his views include that ESG has shifted from intentions to verification, with investors and customers expecting clear evidence of performance. Their contributions show how the numbers translate into daily decision-making and how resilience in ESG is maintained despite the current backlash narrative.
What do you hope investors and companies will take away from this benchmark?
A.B.: ESG reporting must remain actionable. Our aim is to create a new reliable standard, but most importantly to provide a practical resource enabling investors and ESG leaders to identify gaps, understand where they stand relative to peers, and design more informed sustainability strategies. By focusing on a concise and relevant set of indicators, we want users to feel equipped, not overwhelmed.
A final word to conclude this year’s edition?
A.B.: Despite the noise surrounding ESG, this benchmark sends a signal of progress. It confirms that the European tech ecosystem continues to move forward, even when external pressures shake the narrative.
ESG has evolved from a world of broad pledges to one of verifiable, operational practices inside companies. Policies are now widely adopted, particularly on diversity, data protection, and responsible procurement.
Yet, it also reminds us that climate commitments and women’s representation require more resilience to withstand the backlash. Structural outcomes still need to catch up.
At Revaia, we remain committed to supporting the ecosystem with transparent and constructive insights, so that data becomes a driver of transformation and helps build companies that are stronger, more responsible, and built for the long term.