Guides
Sustainability guides for small businesses
Plain-English answers to the questions small businesses actually get asked — by customers, tenders, banks and the law. Every rule links to its official source.
- ESG3 min readWhat is ESG? A plain-English guide for small businessesThe three letters everyone uses, explained in plain English — and what they actually mean for a business your size.
- G4 min readDo small businesses have to report on sustainability in the UK?SECR, ESOS, gender pay gap, modern slavery, recycling — which ones actually apply to a business your size.
- ESG4 min readA customer sent you a sustainability questionnaire. Here's how to answer itWhat large customers are really asking for, the five documents that answer most questions, and what to say if you're not there yet.
- E3 min readScope 1, 2 and 3 emissions explained (with small business examples)The three "scopes" of carbon emissions, with everyday examples from offices, shops, cafés and trades.
- E3 min readHow to calculate your small business's carbon footprint from your billsTurn a year of energy and fuel bills into a Scope 1 & 2 carbon figure, with a worked example.
- E3 min readCarbon Reduction Plans for public sector contracts (PPN 006) explainedWhen UK government tenders need a Carbon Reduction Plan, what goes in it, and how to write one.
- E3 min readWorkplace recycling rules in England (Simpler Recycling): what businesses need to doWho Simpler Recycling applies to, the dates for micro-firms, and the four steps to get set up.
- G3 min readHow to write a sustainability policy for a small business (free template)What to include, what to avoid, and a free one-page template you can copy and adapt.
- E3 min readHow to set a net zero target as a small businessWhat net zero means, the two common routes for small businesses, and how to set a target you can actually keep.
- ESG3 min readEcoVadis for small businesses: what it is and how to prepareWhat the EcoVadis rating is, how it's scored, how medals work, and how to prepare without a consultant.
- ESG3 min readThe VSME: a simple ESG report for UK small businesses with EU customersThe EU's short ESG report format for smaller businesses, and why it's useful if you sell to European companies.
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