Making a Start with Business Sustainability

Discover how you can transform your business for a more sustainable future while boosting profitability.

What you’ll learn
Explain the business case for sustainability
Conduct a sustainability audit of their organisation
Explain the impact of greenhouse gases on the climate and environment
Calculate their organisation’s carbon footprint
Develop action plans to reduce the direct and impacts of their organisation
Plan and implement sustainable procurement practices
Identify quick wins and develop longer term initiatives for business sustainability

Requirements
There are no pre-course requirements

Description
Many organisations would like to improve the sustainability of their business operations and practices but don’t know where to start. This course will help.

Discover how you can transform your business for a more sustainable future while boosting profitability and competitive advantage. This practical course, led by Ross Maynard, demystifies business sustainability for small and medium-sized organisations, providing a clear roadmap to get started cost-effectively and without complexity.

You’ll learn to measure what matters – calculating your carbon footprint, tracking water usage, auditing waste, and assessing your supply chain – using straightforward tools and real-world examples. Each lesson focuses on actionable steps you can implement immediately, from quick wins like fixing leaks and switching to LED lighting, to strategic initiatives like sustainable procurement and circular economy thinking.

The course covers the three pillars of business sustainability – environmental, social, and economic – showing how they interconnect to create lasting value. You’ll understand why sustainability isn’t charity or a marketing exercise, but a smart business strategy that reduces risk, cuts costs, drives revenue growth, and attracts investment.

With global temperatures exceeding critical thresholds and stakeholder expectations rising, businesses that act now gain significant competitive advantage. This course equips you with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to begin your sustainability journey, including a comprehensive audit framework, carbon calculation methods, and a six-month QuickStart implementation plan.

Whether you’re responding to customer demands, preparing for new regulations, or simply want to operate more responsibly, this course provides everything you need to make meaningful progress. Start where you are, use what you have, and discover how sustainability drives both purpose and profit.

Who this course is for
Business Owners and Senior Leaders who want to understand how sustainability can strengthen their business while reducing environmental impact and meeting stakeholder expectations.
Operations and Facilities Managers responsible for energy usage, waste management, water consumption, and day-to-day operational efficiency who need practical tools to measure and improve performance.
Procurement and Supply Chain Professionals who select suppliers, manage contracts, and want to build more sustainable and resilient supply chains.
Sustainability Coordinators and Champions tasked with developing or implementing sustainability initiatives but need a clear starting point and practical framework.
Finance and Risk Managers who recognize that environmental and social factors represent both risks to manage and opportunities to capture.
HR and People Managers interested in how sustainability connects to employee wellbeing, diversity, inclusion, and community engagement.
Anyone in an SME who wants to make their organization more sustainable but doesn’t know where to start or feels overwhelmed by the complexity.
Students of business sustainability