The same conversation plays out in meeting rooms across the country: "We know sustainability is important, but where do we start?" The usual response has been to hire a consultant for a diagnostic assessment, receive a report, and... find themselves in the same place six months later.
The problem doesn't lie in the quality of these reports. We believe the issue is treating sustainability as a one-off project, when in reality it's a living process that requires continuous support.
SMEs, which represent 99% of the national business fabric, need this support the most during this transition, yet have the fewest resources to navigate such complexity on their own. The regulatory landscape is changing faster than ever, with the European Taxonomy, sustainability reporting directives, and ESG criteria increasingly determining who gets access to (better) financing, who wins public tenders, and who earns customer trust.
SMEs increasingly turn to sustainability training sessions and one-off consulting support to conduct diagnostics, prepare sustainability reports, and create commitments, targets, and initiatives for disclosure.
An analysis or one-off support may identify problems and even suggest solutions, but who actually implements those solutions? Who monitors implementation and ensures the intended results are achieved? Who adapts the strategy when legislation changes? Who ensures opportunities aren't missed? Who helps companies navigate the requests they receive from financiers or the requirements tied to EU funding? Who helps companies, day-to-day, understand how to incorporate lessons learned and transform them into practical management tools?
Recognising these specific SME needs, SFgo offers companies the Sustainability Officer service.
A Sustainability Officer works across the organisation in line with the company's culture and needs, which may range from answering a simple question to providing structured guidance on how to systematically integrate sustainability practices into business operations.
The Sustainability Officer is someone who stays permanently by the company's side, providing support when and where it's needed most.
The scope of the Sustainability Officer's work is whatever companies want and need. Examples of more structured services that a Sustainability Officer can help deliver include:
1. Risk Identification and Analysis
- Mapping physical risks (climate events, resource scarcity, supply chain disruptions) and transition risks (regulatory changes, reporting requirements). Each risk is assessed for its financial and operational impact, enabling companies to prepare proactively rather than react in crisis mode.
2. Greenhouse Gas Accounting
- Establishing a credible baseline to measure company emissions according to international standards. We believe this accounting isn't merely about compliance – it's essential for setting realistic reduction targets, identifying energy inefficiencies, and demonstrating tangible progress to investors, financiers, and clients.
3. Taxonomy Analysis and Compliance
- We conduct detailed assessments of company activities against the European Taxonomy, identifying which are eligible and aligned for sustainable finance access. Many SMEs miss out on funding simply because they don't know they qualify for specific credit lines.
4. Strategic Investment Prioritisation
- We develop a sustainability action plan based on the company's environmental priorities and financial reality. This isn't about doing everything at once, but about maximising return on investment by starting with measures that deliver the greatest environmental impact and economic return.
5. Technical Opinions for Financing Applications
- We prepare specialised technical opinions that strengthen the sustainability credentials of company projects, aligning them with specific financier requirements and European standards. These documents typically increase approval rates and are sometimes a mandatory requirement.
6. Environmental Impact Assessment Support
- We provide technical and strategic support throughout Environmental Impact Assessment processes, ensuring legal compliance, clear guidance on stages and timelines, and continuous communication to avoid non-compliance that could delay project development.
It doesn't matter whether we call it "Sustainability, Balance, or Good Management", ignoring environmental, social, and governance factors is no longer just about reputation; it's a real threat to business survival. Companies that fail to integrate these factors into their operations and performance measurement face growing regulatory penalties, lose financing opportunities, and risk both their reputation and long-term survival.
"Sustainability, Balance, and Good Management" isn't a destination; it's a journey. It requires constant adaptation and real-time adjustments. That's why ongoing support makes all the difference.
Having a Sustainability Officer isn't just about producing reports; it's about ensuring permanent access to an expert who drives real organisational transformation in SMEs.
SFgo's SEGue Programme was created to support the SMEs that will lead the future – in their daily operations today and in the future they're building.
