Take the First Step: Your SME’s Practical Guide to Emissions Reduction
Reducing emissions can feel overwhelming, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) balancing limited resources, competing priorities, and the pressure to act quickly. But tackling emissions doesn’t have to involve complex models or endless data. By starting small and focusing on what’s practical, SMEs can make real, measurable progress without overcomplicating the process.
This guide will help you understand where to begin, what to prioritise, and how to build momentum as you move towards a more sustainable future.
Why Starting Matters
For many SMEs, emissions reduction often feels like something that only “big businesses” can take on. But small actions add up and acting early brings clear advantages. Taking control of your emissions positions your business as a responsible partner, strengthens your reputation with customers, and prepares you for future regulations and stakeholder expectations.
More importantly, it’s about resilience. Building a low-carbon strategy today helps protect your business from rising costs, shifting policies, and changing customer demands tomorrow.
Step One: Understand Where You Are
Before you can start reducing emissions, you need to know where you stand. Setting a baseline is your first step. That doesn’t mean you need perfect data from day one. Begin by mapping out your main sources of emission, like energy use, business travel, and your supply chain, and filling in the gaps over time.
Simple tools, like online carbon calculators or ENSO’s support services, can help you estimate your footprint quickly. What matters most at this stage is building a clear picture that you can work from, even if it’s imperfect.
Step Two: Set Ambitious but Achievable Goals
Once you know your starting point, it becomes easier to decide where you’re headed. Setting targets makes emissions reduction tangible. It turns “we need to do something” into “here’s what we’ll achieve and when.”
The best targets balance ambition with realism. You might set a long-term goal, like achieving net zero by 2040, alongside shorter-term milestones that keep your team focused and motivated. When everyone understands what you’re aiming for, it becomes easier to prioritise actions and measure success along the way.
Step Three: Build Momentum Through Small Wins
Big sustainability shifts rarely happen overnight. In fact, some of the most effective actions are also the simplest. SMEs often see quick results by focusing on low-cost, high-impact changes first like switching off unused equipment, hosting virtual meetings to cut down on travel, or encouraging staff-led initiatives like carpooling schemes.
These early wins demonstrate that progress is possible and create a sense of momentum that helps secure buy-in from leadership and employees alike. Small steps can open the door to bigger investments and longer-term change.
Step Four: Bring People on the Journey
Sustainability is a team effort. Success comes when emissions reduction becomes part of your company culture rather than an isolated project. Hosting team workshops or town halls can spark ideas, encourage collaboration, and help everyone feel ownership of the process.
Engaging your supply chain is equally important. For many businesses, purchased goods and services from your suppliers represent a significant portion of your overall emissions. By sharing your goals and collaborating on solutions, you can unlock reductions that wouldn’t be possible working in isolation.
Step Five: Track, Share, and Learn
Measuring progress keeps your strategy on track and builds credibility. Tracking tools and frameworks like the Science Based Targets Initiative can help you monitor reductions over time and identify areas for improvement. But it’s just as important to communicate openly. Sharing updates internally and externally demonstrates transparency, builds trust, and positions your business as a sustainability leader, even if you’re still figuring things out along the way.
Progress isn’t always linear. There will be challenges, but each step forward matters. Be honest about what’s working and where you’ve struggled; those lessons are just as valuable as the wins.
Final Thought
Emissions reduction isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. SMEs have the agility to act quickly, experiment, and lead by example. By understanding your impact, setting realistic goals, and embedding sustainability into your culture, you can future-proof your business while making a real difference.
For practical tips and real-world examples, listen to our latest episode of Simplifying Sustainability, where we explore these strategies in greater depth.
❇️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/06FVWWy2BpU1wD5sFgo26d?si=482882cc63e649d8
▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/-m_JQbKaygU
