The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has published a report with seven recommendations for UK policymakers to support SMEs in collecting and reporting sustainability-related information.
ACCA recommendations:
- Ensureframeworks and collection methods are standardised, simple and stable
- Account for differences in business size, structure and activities in data collection
- Consolidatepositive initiatives and subsidies with guidance and clarification
- Adopt carbon intensity metrics and growth considerations
- Communicate tools and initiatives to trusted advisers
- Ensure SMEs are provided with actionable insights
- Develop open-source standards for reporting
Jessica Bingham, ACCA head of regional policy development, stated: "The aim of this paper is to consider what ‘good’ looks like for SME sustainability reporting. Expectations for transparency and disclosure are continuing to rise, so we want to offer solutions to the practical challenges SMEs face in collecting and reporting on sustainability and climate metrics."
