11/12/2025
INTRODUCTION — Read This First
If you're a small or medium business in Australia, your customers — especially big companies, mining companies, government, councils and utilities — are about to start asking you for simple sustainability information.
Not a full ESG report.
Not a consultant-written plan.
Just basic evidence that you’re managing your impact and running responsibly.
This pack gives you everything you need to get started, written in plain English, with practical steps you can complete in weeks, not months.
SECTION 1 — What’s Actually Changing in 2025? (Simple Explanation)
From 2025, big companies must report sustainability and climate information under new rules (AASB S1 & S2).
When they report, they will ask you for:
basic environmental data
simple policies
proof of responsible operations
a short sustainability summary
evidence you’re managing risks
This is not about becoming “green.”
It’s about:
And you only need simple, basic information to get started.
SECTION 2 — Your 10-Minute Sustainability Checkup
Tick what you already have in place:
☐ A simple Sustainability Policy
☐ Someone responsible for sustainability tasks
☐ A basic risk register (safety, environment, reputation)
☐ Electricity usage (from bills)
☐ Fuel usage (from receipts or fleet system)
☐ Waste & recycling invoices
☐ Water bills
☐ A basic emissions estimate (optional but useful)
☐ Safety stats (LTI, near misses, etc.)
☐ Training records
☐ A simple stakeholder list (employees, customers, community)
☐ Supplier Code of Conduct
☐ Basic supplier questionnaire (optional)
☐ A one-page sustainability summary
☐ A short action plan for improvement
If you have at least 6 ticks, you’re already on the right track.
If not, don’t stress — the rest of this pack shows you exactly what to do.
You do not need perfection.
You need something — and it needs to be simple.
Download a simple Sustainability Policy
Appoint a “sustainability coordinator” (just someone reliable)
List your main risks (safety, environment, operations)
Collect electricity and fuel bills
Time required: 1–2 hours
Create a stakeholder list (employees, customers, community)
Record your safety & training stats
Create a simple Supplier Code of Conduct (1 page)
Draft a basic emissions estimate (Scope 1 & 2)
Time required: 2–3 hours
Save all documents to one folder
Create your first Sustainability Summary (template included below)
Draft a small improvement plan (3–5 actions)
Time required: 1 hour