Small and Medium Enterprises
The UK Government defines an SME as: ‘An SME is any organisation that has fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than £50 million or a balance sheet total less than £43 million.’
Tackling climate change and adopting sustainable practices is just as important for small and medium enterprises. We understand that the challenges faced by smaller businesses can require a different approach. On this page we have included a collection of resources that we hope will support your climate journey.
SME Climate Hub
The SME Climate Hub is a non-profit global initiative that empowers small to medium sized companies to take climate action and build resilient businesses for the future. They provide multiple resources that can be useful for smaller suppliers who are just beginning their climate journeys.
SBTI SME Route
We request that our suppliers set science-based targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative (or equivalent). Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can submit targets through an exclusive streamlined target validation route. This allows SMEs to bypass the initial stage of committing to set a science-based target and the standard validation process.
Supplier Guidance Packs
Aviva have also produced some guidance packs to provide Aviva suppliers with details of our Aviva Sustainability Ambition and associated operation and supply chain net zero targets. It shows what you can do to align to our supplier requirements and the steps you can take to join Aviva in our climate journey.
Calculate your emissions
A helpful place to start is by getting an initial view of your companies’ emissions portfolio. There are many carbon calculators available, but we have found the one provided by the SME Climate Hub useful in the first instance.
EcoVadis
Aviva engaged EcoVadis in November 2021 as our data partner to help enhance our understanding of our suppliers’ sustainability. We encourage suppliers to obtain an EcoVadis scorecard and a reduced scorecard fee is offered for smaller companies.
Want to ask a question about sustainability?
Please email us at netzero@aviva.com