Business Basics

Build a foundation for climate action and understand basic principals.
Begin

Build an understanding

Business Carbon Calculator

Measure your emissions with the Business Carbon Calculator.

Tool

Understand climate change basics

Learn about the impacts of climate change and insights into how we can achieve a better future.

External resource

1.5°C Business Playbook

Guidelines to set climate targets, strategy and actions.

External resource
Tool

Business Carbon Calculator

The Business Carbon Calculator is powered by Normative and offered for free through the SME Climate Hub. Use it to estimate your company’s full carbon footprint and find quick-win actions to reduce emissions.

Time to complete: 30 minutes

Provided by Normative

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External resource

Understand climate change basics

Learn about the impacts of climate change and insights into how we can achieve a better future.

This is for any SMEs new to taking climate action.

Time to read: 5 minutes

Provided by EDF

External resource

1.5°C Business Playbook

The Playbook is suited for companies and organisations of all sizes that want to align with 1.5°C and net-zero ambition. It contains guidance for companies of all sizes to set targets, strategy and actions.

Time to read: 1 hour

Provided by ERI

Mature

Establish goals

Climate strategy and governance

Incorporate sustainability into the heart of your business’s strategy.

Course

SME Climate Commitment

Commit today to future-proof your business.

Tool

Setting 1.5°C aligned targets

Learn to set emissions reduction targets in line with the global ambition to keep climate change below 1.5°C.

Action Guide
Course

Climate strategy and governance

Your business’s ability to successfully reduce emissions depends on the effectiveness of its strategy. As the world transitions to a net zero economy, SMEs need to decarbonize in order to stay competitive.

This Climate Fit module provides a guide to embed sustainability at the core of your business strategy and helps identify areas where you can make the greatest impact.

Our courses are designed for SMEs of all sizes and are a good entry point for those getting started.

Time to complete: 30 minutes

Tool

SME Climate Commitment

Make this globally recognized commitment to:

– Halve your greenhouse gas emissions before 2030
– Achieve net zero emissions before 2050
– Disclose your progress on a yearly basis

By making the SME Climate Commitment business publicly join the Race to Zero.

Time to complete: 10 minutes

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Action Guide

Setting 1.5°C aligned targets

This guide outlines how to set emissions reduction targets that help keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C. Establishing targets aligned with these standards demonstrates a company’s commitment to reducing its emissions and provides a structured framework for its climate action.

Our Action Guides focus on simplicity and speed, and are appropriate for all SMEs.

Time to read: 10 minutes

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Accelerate progress

Report

Share your emissions reduction progress annually.

Tool

Finance support

Find the appropriate financial support for your business’ journey to net zero.

Tool

Financing net zero transition

Learn how to finance your climate actions.

Course
Tool

Report

The SME Reporting Tool helps small businesses create annual greenhouse gas emission reports and track their reduction efforts. Tailored for SMEs and originated from the SME Climate Disclosure Framework, the reported data can be used in your business reports, websites, or shared with stakeholders.

For any SME who has begun their climate action journey and would like to do year-to-year comparison of their emissions reductions progress while increasing transparency and accountability.

Time to complete: 30 minutes

Tool

Finance support

This section of the SME Climate Hub is designed to help you find the most appropriate financial support for your business’ journey to net zero.

Time to complete: 30 minutes – 1 hour

Developed with BSR and CISL

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Course

Financing net zero transition

This module provides a guide to green financing, including how to prioritize your climate investments, evaluate your financial impacts and leverage funding for climate action.

Our courses are designed for SMEs of all sizes and act as a good entry point for those getting started.

Time to complete: 30 minutes

Business basics case studies

Survey: small businesses face recurring barriers to carbon reduction

The survey found that the most common barrier to SME climate action is a lack of resources, with 68% of the surveyed businesses citing it as a concern.

Read full case study here

VMI: Business improves when you take climate action

Through their sustainability efforts, VMI have their business improve. Their clients are more involved, and their staff are more invested By committing to a net zero future, they’re not just making a difference in our industry – they’re setting a new standard for what it means to be a responsible, forward-thinking company.

Read full case study here