It looks like SAP's Sustainability Performance Management software is ERP integration for Clear Standards' environmental intelligence software. SAP acquired Clear Standards in May 2009.

The software lets you automatically collect sustainability data to use to measure GHG emissions and other environmental impacts. My guess is that the big difference between Clear Standards' old offering and SAP's new one is that you need to use SAP's ERP.

Implementing ERP software in general tends to be an expensive proposition, but I'm not sure how much additional work it would be to implement SAP's Sustainability Performance Management software if you already are using SAP's ERP.

I'd suggest you evaluate the following when making a decision:

1) Is your university already using SAP ERP software? If yes, then it would make sense to consider SAP's solution.
2) How regularly will SAP update the software and add improvements? Often, when functionality is added through an acquisition, technical innovation slows. SAP has a history of this.
3) How does the cost of implementing SAP's Sustainability Performance Management software compare to implementing a competitor's solution? It looks like there are quite a few companies offering environmental intelligence software that you could use for comparison.

Best,
Julia

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Julia Kulla-Mader
IT Manager
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

Thanks!