Firms are being encouraged by customers, partners and employees to lead on climate action. In this Guide we advise SME business owners on where to start.
Why Irish businesses must lead on climate action now
It’s a moral imperative that Irish businesses take climate action seriously, writes Michael O’Hara of Techies Go Green.
Ireland is facing a climate reckoning. Failure to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets under EU law could cost us up to €26bn by 2030. However, this isn’t just a financial issue; it’s a profound moral responsibility on all of us to protect the planet for future generations.
Every product or service we consume originates from a business, so all businesses – of every size and across every sector – must take the lead in cutting emissions. Only then can Irish citizens make lower-carbon choices and move our country towards Net Zero.
Smart steps to sustainability for SMEs
Liv McGill asks: Where should SMEs start when it comes to becoming a sustainable business?
Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword; it is a business imperative.
With increasing customer expectations, tighter regulations, and growing pressure from supply chains, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) must embrace sustainable practices.
But where should you start, and how can you ensure your sustainability efforts are credible and impactful?
A Simple Guide to Sustainability
A recent Bank of Ireland and Davy Horizons webinar and a new report provides an essential guide to sustainability in business for private companies and SMEs.
Colette Shirley, director of Sustainability at Bank of Ireland Corporate & Commercial explained the drivers of Sustainability and how the Bank is supporting its customers through our suite of lending and sustainability supports to empower our customers to decarbonise.
The webinar coincided with the publication of a Davy report entitled “A Simple Guide to Developing a Sustainability Strategy & Roadmap”, which aims to equip businesses with the knowledge to embark on their sustainability journey with maximum effect.
Dr Dorothy Maxell, head of Sustainability & ESG Advisory at Davy Horizons outlined the Landscape of Sustainability in 2025 and explained that there are many important reasons why businesses should roadmap their sustainability strategy.
The webinar also featured a very insightful business customer case study from David Duff from Thorntons Recycling.
He said that as a waste management company the business is at the coalface of reuse and recycling in Ireland but advises businesses that codifying it in a roadmap is crucial.
How to integrate ESG principles into SMEs
John Cradden explains the importance of ESG for long-term business success.
You’d be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed by all the acronyms flying around in connection with new EU environmental and sustainability regulations, such as CRSD, NFRD and CSDDD, never mind ESG.
Furthermore, as a business owner, you may have felt a sense of the sands regarding sustainability reporting shifting a little over the past few months amid recent EU proposals to relax the current schedule of new reporting rules.
But while rules are rules, what exactly what are the principles behind ESG and why should SMEs care about it?
Achieving climate action goals in SMEs
John Cradden asks what role do SMEs in Ireland have to play in combating climate change and how can they take climate action?
In order to help achieve Ireland’s Climate Action Plan target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, every company, large and small, will need to decarbonise. The business sector must reduce its emissions by 35%, while Ireland as a whole must cut its output of greenhouse gases by 51%.
While the government has a plan, failure to meet the EU targets based on its existing policies and measures could cost Ireland between €8bn and €26bn in fines or costs, according to a joint report published in March 2025 by the Fiscal Council and the Climate Change Advisory Council.
But as sustainability moves up the agenda for firms as they seek to find their place in a low-carbon, circular economy, looking at combating climate change as both a challenge and an opportunity is a good way to approach it.
ESG funding incentives guide for businesses
A useful Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) funding incentives guide for Irish businesses compiled by Bank of Ireland’s Corporate and Commercial Banking team to help them navigate their ESG strategies.
“There are some significant grants and supports available to businesses and this guide contains an overview of the type of grants that companies may be able to avail of in order to get started or further progress their ESG journeys,” said Colette Shirley, director of Sustainability, Corporate & Commercial Banking, Bank of Ireland.
“This guide provides a snapshot of what’s available.”
Grant schemes for scaling and growing Irish SMEs
What are the grant resources available to growing Irish SMEs that want to expand and grow their businesses?
This article outlines the various programmes and grant schemes available to supporting Irish SMEs to develop their strategies and grow their businesses.
Main image at top: Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
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