Benchmarking Sustainability Assessment Tools for SMEs: An AHP–TOPSIS Framework and a Vision–Execution Quadrant Approach

Companies are increasingly adopting sustainability practices and complying with environmental regulations, which has led to a growing demand for tools supporting Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing, and Social LCA. However, selecting the most suitable software can be challenging, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that often face resource constraints and due to the wide variety of available solutions. This paper proposes a structured and replicable benchmarking framework that integrates the Analytic Hierarchy Process and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution, complemented by a strategic visualization model inspired by the Gartner Magic Quadrant. The framework supports systematic evaluation and intuitive interpretation of software alternatives, addressing both technical and organizational dimensions. To illustrate the methodology, the same has been applied to benchmark solution “ζ”, an innovative tool based on microservices architecture, against five established platforms. The results offer practical decision-making support for organizations-particularly SMEs-seeking scalable, modular, and regulation-compliant sustainability software solutions.