Over the past year, what has happened that has affected the ways in which you do business? Many SMEs will have felt the impacts of flooding, transport systems failing and supply chain disruption. Supplier and customer expectations are also changing; what is your value chain asking of you? Customers are increasingly asking businesses what their green credentials are. We mustn't forget there are huge opportunities that come with considering climate in your business strategy with potential new markets to tap into and attracting talent.

What do you want to achieve in the short and long term? Are you looking to stay ahead of regulatory changes, keeping up with market demands, looking to adapt to ensure business continuity? It may be useful to undertake a SWOT analysis at this stage to understand what is affecting your business/industry specifically. Be sure to include broader stakeholder perspectives e.g. funders, employees, customers, suppliers, and what their expectations are.

You’ve decided what your first steps should be, now find out how to measure your impact, what support is available and training opportunities. It is worth noting that data around emissions is not perfect but is continuously evolving as more data becomes available.