Welcome to the 2026 report on sustainability in the private markets. This is the fourth edition of our annual review of the sustainability performance of the private capital industry, and its connection to value creation, produced in collaboration with the ESG Data Convergence Initiative (EDCI).
Methodology
To create the EDCI benchmark, participating GPs gather sustainability metrics from their underlying portfolio companies and share them with BCG in its role as the administrator of the initiative. BCG’s Expand Research benchmarking team then reviews and validates the data before aggregating it centrally into the final benchmark. The exhibit shows the distribution of the almost 10,000 participating portfolio companies by region, sector, and size.
If you are interested in learning more, please visit the EDCI website for information about the initiative, including membership benefits and how to participate.
The EDCI’s role in the private markets continues to grow and mature. This year, the initiative added a new cybersecurity metric, reflecting the increasing relevance of this topic for many portfolio companies. And with 300 participating general partners (GPs) contributing data from almost 10,000 underlying portfolio companies, the dataset is now operating at a profound scale: Its portfolio companies have a combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions footprint equivalent to the entire UK. And it collects data on a workforce that’s the same size as Australia’s. Every participating GP and limited partner (LP) can access tailored benchmarks and insights from the EDCI dataset, making the initiative a key enabler in supporting the private markets in driving sustainable value creation.
This year’s results indicate that real progress does indeed continue to be made on several key sustainability fronts. The number of private companies establishing decarbonization strategies has risen, while their Scopes 1 and 2 emissions intensity continues to decline at materially faster rates than for public companies. And the impact of these gains on value creation has been significant; GPs report both higher revenues and lower costs thanks to their sustainability efforts, as several examples of portfolio companies capturing real gains in these areas demonstrate.
Now comes artificial intelligence. Adoption of this transformative technology is accelerating across the private markets and impacting every aspect of sustainability. On the environmental side, while much of the attention is on the emissions externalities created by AI’s growing demand for computing power, we also estimate that AI could generate around $600 billion in global annual value by 2028 in established sustainability sectors, while also cutting emissions, reducing waste, and improving efficiencies. Meanwhile, on the social side, up to 55% of US jobs will be meaningfully reshaped by the new technology, with significant changes to how employees work across roles.
And then there is AI’s impact on governance—the focus of this report. Our analysis shows that a significant proportion of private companies have not yet made the preparations necessary to protect themselves from a growing range of cybersecurity risks or established the new governance mechanisms needed to oversee the safe and effective adoption of AI. Private companies, and the investment funds that own them, that effectively respond to these growing risks will be those that are better positioned to protect and grow value.
For a more comprehensive view of the report and its conclusions, please download the accompanying slideshow.
