Our ongoing research reveals that 63% of SMEs have received requests for ESG data in the last six months. Whether it is from a large customer who needs to include SME data in their mandatory ESG disclosures, an investor seeking lower risk, or a lender that is offering loans to help reduce CO2 emissions, SMEs need to be able to produce accurate and reliable non-financial data to remain competitive.

There are three main barriers to the implementation of ESG reporting. These are the time it takes to collect, refine, and disclose a company’s data for disclosure; the added cost that might be incurred; and the complexity of the work itself.