A Net Zero Roadmap for SMEs (Without the Corporate Bloat)

Step 1: Baseline

A GHG ProtocolGHG ProtocolThe global standard for corporate GHG accounting, defining Scope 1/2/3 boundaries.Full definition →Guide →-consistent Scope 1Scope 1Direct GHG emissions from sources you own or control — fuel combustion, company vehicles, fugitive emissions.Full definition →Guide → + 2 + material Scope 3Scope 3All other indirect emissions across your value chain — purchased goods, travel, transport, use of sold products.Full definition →Guide → inventory for a representative year. This is the number every future comparison anchors to.

Steps 2-3: Target and plan

Target: aligned to 1.5°C — typically 42% reduction of Scope 1Scope 1Direct GHG emissions from sources you own or control — fuel combustion, company vehicles, fugitive emissions.Full definition →Guide →+2 by 2030 versus 2019, with net-zero of full scopes by 2050. SBTiSBTiInitiative validating corporate emissions targets against a 1.5°C-aligned pathway.Full definition →Guide →'s SME route validates targets for under $1,000 with a simplified process.

Plan: energy efficiency first (LED, HVAC, insulation, sub-metering), then electrify (fleet, heating), then contract renewables, then residual removal. Reduction before compensation — always.

Steps 4-5: Track and communicate

Annual recomputation with the same methodology. Public progress narrative — even a one-page annual update sits well with banks, customers, and hires. Avoid glossy 'sustainability reports' at SME scale; a credible one-pager beats a 40-page brochure.