This article first appeared in the Belfast News Letter on 22nd July 2025 here.
I know that when I started my own business a decade and a half ago, that in all honesty, sustainability just wasn’t at the top of my list of priorities. But that’s all changed, and now ESG is a big part of us walking the walk when it comes to our values. But, had I only been setting up FN Research today, then things might look a little different. Employees, customers, suppliers – mindset around sustainability has really changed for all of them.
It’s now part of everyday business life, and that includes small businesses as well as larger ones.
The good news is that embedding sustainability into your business doesn’t require a big budget or CSR department. What it does require is the desire to do the right thing, transparency, and maybe most importantly, the willingness to listen.
So what do people care about? At FN Research, we’ve noticed a real uptick in requests for research tied directly to ESG and sustainability. From brand perception studies to internal staff feedback, businesses want to understand how their values compare to customer and employee expectations.
We recently ran a small survey with local organisations and saw some recurring themes: reducing carbon footprint, embracing diversity and inclusion, ethical sourcing, and giving back to local communities. When asked what steps they’d like to see next, most respondents pointed to practical solutions like more online meetings, less travel, and phasing out paper where possible.
It’s a reminder that customers and employees aren’t necessarily expecting perfection or radical change. But they are expecting progress.
But, and there’s usually a but, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. That’s why research is such an essential tool in the ESG space. It’s not just about tracking emissions or measuring recycling rates. It’s also about understanding what your audience values and how well your efforts are being received.
Are your customers aware of your initiatives? Do they see your brand as ethical or sustainable? Are your internal policies aligning with what your team cares about most?
Without that data, you’re basing decisions on just… plain old hope.
The beauty of being a small business is that you can be agile. You don’t need to wait for a board-level decision to launch a green initiative or review your supply chain ethics. You can start small – maybe switching to digital-only invoicing, encouraging hybrid working, supporting a local charity – and then build from there.
In fact, when it comes to it, smaller businesses often have the edge. Your customers likely know you personally. That means you don’t need a fancy campaign to prove your values – just action, transparency, and be happy to keep on learning.
Like many others, we’ve created a sustainability policy for FN Research. We’re working to lower our footprint year on year and offset what we can’t eliminate. But more importantly, we’re building sustainability into how we think, plan, and serve our clients in the first place.
So my advice? Start with a few questions. Ask your customers. Ask your employees. Use research to guide your decisions. And don’t wait for perfection to start.