Which Sustainability Standards Should SMEs Care About?

If you’ve started exploring sustainability, you’ve probably come across a tangle of acronyms including GHG Protocol, SBTi, ISO, PAS, B Corp and wondered where to begin.

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the different sustainability frameworks out there. The good news is: you don’t need to follow every standard. Understanding the key ones can help you decide which best fits your goals, resources, and stage on the sustainability journey.

Here’s a breakdown of the main standards and what they mean for UK SMEs 👇

🌍 1. GHG Protocol - Measuring Your Carbon Footprint

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol is the global standard for measuring and reporting carbon emissions.

It breaks emissions into three “scopes”:

• Scope 1: Direct emissions (e.g. fuel used by company vehicles).

• Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity or heating.

• Scope 3: All other indirect emissions in your value chain (from suppliers, travel, waste, etc.).

Even if you’re not legally required to report yet, using the GHG Protocol helps you build a clear, consistent picture of your impact, and it forms the foundation for most other sustainability frameworks.

More information: https://ghgprotocol.org/

🎯 2. Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) - Setting Credible Carbon Goals

The SBTi helps businesses set emissions reduction targets that align with global climate goals.

For SMEs, there’s a simplified process available, you can commit to cutting emissions by a set percentage within a specific timeframe, without complex modelling. Having an SBTi-approved target shows customers and investors that your climate goals are serious, science-based, and transparent.

More information: https://sciencebasedtargets.org/

✅ 3. ISO 14001 - Managing Environmental Performance

The ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard helps businesses build a structured system for improving environmental performance.

It doesn’t just focus on carbon, it covers waste, resource use, compliance, and continual improvement. For SMEs, ISO 14001 certification can be a real differentiator when tendering for contracts, particularly with larger corporates or public sector organisations. It shows your business is managing its environmental impact responsibly and systematically.

More information: https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/products-and-services/standards/ems-iso-14001-environmental-management-system/

💨 4. ISO 14068-1 - Demonstrating Carbon Neutrality

The ISO 14068-1 standard, published in 2023, is the new international standard for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality and it replaces the older PAS 2060 guidance.

ISO 14068-1 provides a consistent, credible framework for measuring, reducing, and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. For SMEs, this standard helps ensure carbon-neutral claims are transparent, evidence-based, and internationally recognised, reducing the risk of “greenwashing.”

While certification isn’t mandatory, following ISO 14068-1 can give customers and stakeholders confidence that your business is acting with integrity on its carbon goals.

More information: https://www.bsigroup.com/siteassets/pdf/en/insights-and-media/insights/brochures/gl-as-scert-lg-nss-sus-iso14068-mp-carbonneutrality-0524-report-1.pdf

💚 5. B Corp - Proving Purpose Beyond Profit

Becoming a Certified B Corporation means meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

It’s a holistic framework, not just about carbon, but how your business operates, treats people, and contributes to the wider community. While the certification process takes effort, it’s a growing movement in the UK, and many SMEs are joining to show genuine commitment to people and planet.

More information: https://bcorporation.eu/company_type/small-medium-companies/

🧭 So, Where Should SMEs Start?

You don’t need to chase every certification. Instead:

• Start with the GHG Protocol to measure your carbon footprint.

• Consider ISO 14001 if you want to formalise environmental management.

• Adopt SBTi or ISO 14068-1 to show credible emissions reduction or neutrality goals.

• Explore B Corp once you’re ready to embed sustainability across your whole business.

Choosing the right framework is about what fits your size, capacity, and ambitions, not just ticking boxes.

✳️ Next Steps

At The Net Zero Co., we help SMEs cut through the noise, identify the right standards, and build sustainability strategies that work in the real world.

👉 Learn more about how we can help: Sustainability Health Check