How accountants can help SMEs be sustainable

Part two of a mini-series on steps you can take to help your clients, or your own business, overcome barriers and build in sustainable practices.

The first person many SMEs go to for guidance is their accountant, making them essential in embedding sustainability into everyday business decisions. Accountants can add real value by:

• Discussing sustainability during year-end reviews and risk assessments.
• Helping clients understand the financial risks of inaction.
• Building simple business cases that show the return on investment of greener choices.
• Introducing basic carbon tracking methods, such as recording direct and indirect emissions.
• Encouraging clients to communicate their progress clearly and honestly.

When accountants lead the way, they help clients make practical, ethical decisions while building their own reputation as trusted advisers.

Overcome common barriers

Sustainability can feel overwhelming. Let’s look at a few common barriers to change, and how you can overcome them.

Cost concerns – Many owners assume sustainability means extra expense. In fact, cutting waste or switching to renewable energy can lower running costs and improve resilience.

Knowledge gaps – You can’t manage what you don’t understand. Start by learning about climate issues and how they relate to your sector. Once you know the basics, the next steps become clearer.

Time constraints – Running a small business can be all-consuming. If time is tight, nominate a team member to take the lead or seek help from a specialist. The key is to start somewhere and keep moving forward.

Four-step approach to building in sustainable practices

Becoming a sustainable business is a gradual process. Sustainability needs to be built into everyday operations.

1. Educate yourself and your team – Build awareness of sustainability and why it matters to your business.

2. Set realistic goals – Create a plan to reduce emissions and waste with clear timelines.

3. Take action – Implement your plan step by step and review what’s working.

4. Report and celebrate progress – Share your results, be honest about challenges and celebrate the wins. Customers appreciate honesty and transparency. Every business is on its own journey, and even small improvements show commitment.

Pick one action to take

If you do just one thing after reading this, pick one action to try this month. Maybe it’s tracking your energy use or reviewing your suppliers.

See how your team responds and note any savings or positive feedback. That experience will help shape your next steps.

When you make progress, your clients notice. Every small action builds momentum and together they create the kind of resilient, sustainable business that’s ready for the future.

Learn more

Sustainability Suite, who wrote this article, recently ran an exclusive webinar for AAT members. It made sense of climate risk and sustainability requirements, and helped attendees strengthen their advisory services and provide greater value for clients.

To learn more, members can log into the AAT Learning Portal and look for Sustainability – CPD Bitesize for practical learning outcomes on the evolving role of finance professionals.

Sustainability Suite also feature a free checklist of 15 practical actions to help reduce emissions on their website.

Read part one here, and keep an eye out for more in this mini-series.

Olivia Fisher is a Multi-Channel Marketer at Sustainability Suite and The Green Accountants. She drives digital strategy, builds brand presence, and supports SMEs through Carbon Literacy certification. Accredited in Carbon Literacy, Olivia fuses photography with marketing to deliver compelling environmental communication strategies..