Sustainability in financial processes

Sustainability is no longer an option but a requirement for companies, institutions and individuals. Specifically, sustainability in digital financial processes translates into a profound transformation, based on digitalisation as a tool to ensure transparency, financial efficiency and environmental responsibility.

In this context of digital transformation, tools such as electronic invoicing and Big Data are essential pillars for building a financial structure with a solid foundation of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria.

That is why, in this article, we clearly explain what is meant by sustainable finance (or ESG), as well as different tools you can use to promote it in your organisation.

What is sustainable finance?

In a society where sustainability is increasingly valued, taking action and establishing policies or measures is no longer an option, it is an obligation. Companies of all sizes are getting involved in the cause and doing different actions to promote sustainability in financial processes, from incorporating technology designed to predict results to actions aimed at reducing waste generation.

So, what determines whether a company is sustainable? This is a question with a broad answer, and to address it, we rely on one concept: ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria. Coined in the UN’s 2004 report ‘Who Cares Wins’, these criteria refer to the factors that make a company sustainable through its social, environmental and good governance commitments.

As can be deduced, there are three criteria that form the basis of this concept:

• Environmental criteria. Activities that have a positive impact on the environment. This includes, for example, actions aimed at reducing pollution and waste generation. In fact, according to a recent study by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce’s “Business Competitiveness Observatory”, almost 86% of companies have noticed benefits after implementing environmental sustainability practices.
• Social criteria. Actions related to social and labour conditions and respect for human rights. In this case, they promote a diverse, inclusive company with a healthy climate and space for its employees and the community in general.
• Governance criteria. This encompasses issues related to the corporate governance of organisations, their corporate quality, their culture and their management processes. This category can include actions such as implementing transparency plans or ethical practices.

How to promote sustainability in financial processes

Integrating sustainability into digital financial processes is not always easy, but it is increasingly necessary. For this reason, we present four effective tools that organisations can incorporate to enhance sustainability in digital financial processes:

Electronic invoicing for more transparent management

In 2026, the management and accounting departments of any company will undergo a major transformation process with the implementation of the VeriFactu system. Since its arrival was announced, it has been the talk of the town, and finally, 1 January 2026 will be the deadline for companies to adopt its software, and 1 July of the same year for the rest of the self-employed and liberal professionals.

As indicated by the Ministry of Finance, its main purpose is to simplify the invoicing process for any company and, therefore, increase its agility. There are other benefits, such as:

• Shortening processing cycles, including collection
• Reducing human error
• Eliminating or reducing printing and storage costs
• Improving the customer experience
• Combating fraud and tax evasion

The latter is possible through the traceability and registration of invoices issued. Structured data is sent automatically and in real time to the AEAT (Spanish Tax Agency), facilitating the auditing of the supply chain. From a sustainability point of view, this is a very interesting tool; according to Comunicae, based on data from Voxel, for every million electronic invoices sent, 18.9 tonnes of CO2 are avoided.

Automation of routine tasks and RPA (Robotic Process Automation)

Task automation refers to the practice of incorporating specific technology into end processes in order to automate them and make them more efficient. On a practical level, some of the tasks that are often involved with this type of software are payroll, outstanding payments, financial reports, and budgeting, to name a few examples.

As you know, these are tasks that require a great deal of time, with the risk that, in many cases, more time is spent on them than necessary. Given this handicap, automation presents companies with an opportunity to focus on strategy and decision-making, delegating manual and routine work to technological tools, increasing accuracy and improving speed.

Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for analysing financial data

If we thought that the application of Artificial Intelligence would be limited to the workplace, we were wrong. It is no secret that Artificial Intelligence has revolutionised society as a whole, through applications that we would never have imagined just a couple of years ago. Accessible to everyone, it offers new opportunities for professionals, users and companies around the world.

Its potential reaches the next level when combined with other types of tools, such as the aforementioned automation or data analysis tools. By analysing large volumes of data, machine learning algorithms can, when applied to financial processes:

• Predict financial results with a high degree of accuracy
• Identify patterns and trends
• Accelerate strategic decision-making based on objective, real-time insights
• Facilitate collaboration between departments

Electronic signatures for better financial health now and in the future

Finally, we cannot talk about the most useful tools for promoting sustainability in financial processes without mentioning electronic signatures. How many times have you had to sign any type of document (a contract, a sick note or a payslip, for example)? Countless times. Which, in addition to the document itself, involves signing several copies, folders full of documents that have to be kept for long periods of time, etc.

Electronic signatures change the way we manage documentation as we know it. It is mainly related to financial sustainability in two ways: on the one hand, through the efficiency and economic savings it generates, and on the other, through its contribution to environmental sustainability. It reduces the consumption of paper, ink and courier services, lowering the carbon footprint and associated costs. In the long term, it means better financial health for the company, reducing deadlines and improving process efficiency.

The future of finance is digital and sustainable

As you have seen, sustainability is no longer an option; it has become a requirement that society demands of companies. That is why it is essential to have the best technological allies in order to be able to rise to the challenge. With Viafirma, a company with more than 25 years of experience, you are ready for it. Our sales team, an international group of experts in the field, can guide you and give you all the information you need. Contact us today and start promoting sustainability in digital financial processes.