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Sophie McGonigle

CAFA Partners with HSBC to Provide Simple Sustainability Steps For Small Business

Updated: Jan 12, 2023



HSBC loved CAFA's simple and straight talking resources so much they commissioned the team at CAFA to curate a similar range of guidance for SME's.


Housed in HSBC's Small Business Sustainability Hub HSBC's objective is to provide small businesses with the tools and insights to turn their net zero ambition into a manageable action.


Given that 99.3% of UK businesses are SME’s, and that the majority of emissions are generated from business and industry the role SME’s play in tackling climate change is obvious. However, a common feedback we hear is that small businesses are overwhelmed by the amount of information out there and don't know where to start.


Our guidance is designed specifically to sit in one place, be practical and to help turn sustainability ambitions into immediate, achievable action, including climate facts and quick win suggestions.


'We are already helping Associations to support their small business members reduce their carbon footprint, so teaming up with HSBC to provide our practical guidance was a logical extension for us'

Alison Heppenstall, Executive Director, Climate Action for Associations



We know, as a small business ourself, that transitioning your business and operations might seem complicated at first – but being a small business can prove advantageous when it comes to making changes.


With a smaller workforce and more visibility of your supply chain taking steps towards transforming your organisation might be easier than you think.


Introducing small changes, one step at a time to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions will often lead to increased efficiency, cost-savings, a boost to your bottom line and increased employee well-being.


Practical Guides & Templates


Our guides and templates have been created specifically to help associations and their small organisational members to take practical, hands on action.


We've made these jargon free so any small business, regardless of size or sector can benefit from them.


The resources we produced for HSBC include;

  • How to Adopt a Green Printing Strategy

  • How to Measure Carbon Emissions when working from home

  • How to Set the Baseline and Benchmark Your Carbon Emissions

  • Quick Wins to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

  • Green Printing Policy

  • Green Working From Home Guide

  • Low Carbon Travel

  • Environmental Policy

  • Climate Action Jargon Busters

  • Greening Your Suppliers


Climate & Sustainability Content For Associations & Your Individual and Organisational Members


Most Associations are now including Sustainability into their corporate strategy and are providing information, guidance and learning to their membership on climate change, environment and sustainability.


This includes climate information and practical support at a general and sector specific level.


We are working with membership organisations to help them;

  • Understand their members needs and requirements when it comes to climate and sustainability

  • Formalise their sustainability plans

  • Evolve their sustainability pillars, topic areas themes

  • Curate their Sustainability Climate Hub / Knowledge Areas and related campaigns and programmes of work

  • Identify and evolve the right content, information, learning and guidance to support their respective memberships accelerate climate action

  • Build sustainability into longer term programmes of member and sector engagement


Carbon Foot printing, Target Setting & Measurement for Small Business


CAFA launched its Net Zero Carbon Reduction Service last year specifically for Associations and their small business members.


Our 5 step process comes with your own Carbon Buddy to guide you each and every step of the way, removing all the overwhelming aspects of gathering data and getting started. They will also input all your data into your own Climate Dashboard so you can see your emissions, targets and progress for yourself. The dashboard also produces reports for you to use to showcase your position and progress.


If you'd like to learn more about the small business sustainability content and guidance we produced for HSBC and the services, content and support we are providing associations and their small business members get in touch today.








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