The Best Sustainability Reporting Frameworks for Small Business and How to Pick the Right One for You

Sustainability reporting has become a cornerstone of responsible business practice. While many frameworks have been designed with large corporations in mind, there are increasingly accessible and effective tools tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Whether you're just beginning your sustainability journey or looking to refine your reporting approach, selecting the right framework is essential to ensure your efforts are impactful, credible and aligned with your business goals.

This article explores some of the best sustainability reporting frameworks for small businesses, what each offers and how to choose the one that best fits your values, capacity and industry context.

Why Sustainability Reporting Matters for Small Business

For small businesses, sustainability reporting isn't just about regulatory compliance or appeasing investors; it's about building trust, enhancing transparency and demonstrating a commitment to long-term impact. With increasing pressure from consumers, suppliers and governments to address environmental and social issues, reporting allows SMEs to communicate their values and performance clearly and credibly.

Even if you're not legally required to report, adopting a sustainability framework can give you a competitive advantage, open up funding and partnership opportunities and future-proof your operations.

Top Sustainability Reporting Frameworks for Small Business

1. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

The GRI Standards are among the most widely used sustainability reporting frameworks globally. While originally designed for large companies, GRI now offers tools and guides tailored to SMEs. The GRI framework focuses on materiality, helping businesses identify and report on the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics most relevant to their operations and stakeholders.

Key Benefits:

• Recognised globally, increasing credibility and comparability

• Strong stakeholder and materiality focus

• Provides sector-specific guidance

2. B Impact Assessment (BIA)

Developed by B Lab, the B Impact Assessment is a free, comprehensive tool that helps businesses measure their impact across governance, workers, community, environment and customers. It's particularly useful for purpose-driven SMEs or those seeking B Corp certification but can also stand alone as a sustainability measurement tool.

Key Benefits:

• Easy-to-use, free online tool

• Focused on values-driven, small businesses

• Actionable improvement suggestions

3. UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Mapping

Many small businesses use the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a voluntary framework to align their sustainability efforts with global priorities. Though not a formal reporting framework, mapping your actions to the SDGs can provide structure and help communicate your impact in a globally recognised way. We highly encourage this mapping exercise with our clients as it is the most comprehensive economic, social and environmental development framework produced to date.

Key Benefits:

• Universally recognised and flexible

• Helps align with global issues

• Simple starting point for storytelling and impact reporting

4. Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)

SASB provides industry-specific standards that focus on financially material sustainability issues. While SASB is more common in investor-driven settings, SMEs looking to communicate ESG risk and performance to financial stakeholders may find it valuable, particularly those in sectors like manufacturing, energy or finance.

Key Benefits:

• Tailored by industry

• Focus on materiality and financial relevance

• Increasing integration into investor frameworks

5. Future-Fit Business Benchmark

The Future-Fit framework helps businesses identify the environmental and social break-even points required to operate within planetary boundaries. It’s ideal for forward-thinking SMEs aiming to lead in sustainability and go beyond compliance or basic impact tracking.

Key Benefits:

• Science-based and future-focused

• Covers both impact and risk

• Encourages systemic thinking

How to Choose the Right Framework for Your Business

Here are some factors to consider when selecting a sustainability reporting framework for your SME:

• Your industry: Sector-specific frameworks (like SASB) can offer greater relevance.

• Stakeholder expectations: Consider your customers, investors and suppliers. What do they expect?

• Capacity and resources: Choose a framework that matches your time, budget and team.

• Your goals: Whether it’s storytelling, attracting funding or measuring internal improvements, align the framework with your purpose.

Sustainability reporting is a powerful tool for small businesses to clarify their values, track their progress and build lasting trust with their stakeholders. From GRI to the B Impact Assessment to SDG mapping, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, just the one that best fits your business.

By starting with a clear understanding of your goals and resources, you can choose a framework that grows with you. Remember, even the act of starting the reporting process is a step toward a more resilient, impactful and future-ready business.

Need help in choosing the right framework for your business or getting started on implementing one? Contact us today.