New sustainability reporting rules are creating pressure across industries, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While larger companies can rely on robust internal processes, most SMEs are left navigating complex regulations with limited support. To help its members tackle these challenges, amfori partnered with icapps to design a digital solution. The result: amfori SustainaPass, a smart web app that makes sustainability reporting accessible, intuitive, and impactful.
Challenge
Sustainability reporting can feel overwhelming, full of technical terms, evolving standards, and little guidance on where to begin. For SMEs, this complexity often becomes a barrier to action.
amfori saw this first-hand: its members struggled with questions around stakeholder engagement, materiality assessments, and legal compliance. Existing tools were either too vague or too complicated. The mission? Build a practical, easy-to-use solution that empowers SMEs to take ownership of their sustainability journey.
The solution
Together with amfori, we designed and built SustainaPass, a step-by-step platform tailored to the needs of SMEs across global markets.
Modular structure – breaks down the reporting process into three logical, manageable phases.
Simple user experience – built in React, with a focus on plain language and intuitive design.
Seamless backend – powered by PHP, ensuring reliable performance and easy integration with amfori’s existing tools.
Data-driven support – includes localized content and supply chain mapping for context-aware guidance.
With SustainaPass, businesses can now spend less time on paperwork and more time making a meaningful impact.
Our approach
The project kicked off with user research, interviews, surveys, and co-creation workshops to capture real struggles from real users. From there, our cross-functional team (strategists, designers, and developers) collaborated closely with amfori to shape the product vision and delivery roadmap.
We followed an agile approach, releasing new features iteratively while gathering continuous feedback from users and stakeholders.
Key development milestones:
- Materiality Module – the foundation of the platform, helping users define their sustainability priorities.
- Risk & Impact Module – builds on the first, guiding companies through due diligence and risk mapping.
- Reporting Module – auto-generates CSRD-inspired reports based on previously entered data.
Our iterative method also allowed us to adapt quickly when new legislation shifted the scope. Rather than patch over gaps, we took time to clean up technical debt and reinforce the platform's scalability.
The outcome
amfori SustainaPass empowers businesses to tackle sustainability in a structured, stress-free way:
- Streamlined processes – users navigate complex topics step by step with clear, guided input.
- Accessible education – instead of relying on expensive consultants, members learn and apply the HREDD process themselves.
- Built for change – the modular setup makes it easy to update the platform as laws evolve.
What made this project special?
Creating a solution for brand-new regulations came with a lot of uncertainty. Early user testing gave us valuable insights, but predicting how businesses would use the solution was tough, since no benchmark was set in the industry for sustainability reporting. This required a flexible, innovative approach and a willingness to learn as we went.
Results that matter
amfori SustainaPass is revolutionizing how SMEs approach sustainability reporting by delivering meaningful outcomes:
- Streamlined Processes: Members can spend less time on paperwork and achieve their sustainability goals more.
- Empowering Education: Instead of relying on costly consultants to handle sustainability reporting, we guide every member through the HREDD process (Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence). This ensures resources are directed where they make the greatest impact.
What’s next
Our partnership with amfori doesn’t stop here. We’re already developing exciting new features to improve the solution further.
With amfori SustainaPass, amfori transformed a regulatory challenge into an opportunity, demonstrating that thoughtful design and collaboration can simplify even the most complex tasks.