The ‘Sustainable Business Initiative’ is a voluntary initiative set up within the Chamber of Commerce to deliver a vision: an island ecosystem where business, community and environment flourish together while punching above its weight in addressing the environmental crisis.

The SBI has built a community of sustainability champions who help each other with knowledge and training. From Green Finance to reducing your energy use, from better waste management to choosing the right ESG framework, we’re delivering a programme of training and a network of help. We’re all in this together.

Getting started is the biggest barrier

In a recent survey of over 100 Guernsey businesses, the no.1 barrier to being more sustainable was “not knowing where to start”. From large financial institutions to small operations the same issue comes up.

So, how do you get started?

It turns out that there are tried and tested ways to make your business more sustainable in a credible and transparent way. Follow these 3 steps:

1. Decide to act. Change won’t occur until a decision is made that the business wants it to happen
2. Appoint a sustainability champion. Things only get done when it’s someone’s job. Make it someone’s job.
3. Apply an ESG framework. Signing up to an Environment Social & Governance framework that is appropriate to your sector will help you measure your impact now and help plan for change. It could give you an accreditation too.

How to get involved

The easiest way to get involved is to join our community on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and attend one of our talks or events which are free for all Guernsey Chamber of Commerce members.

If you have some relevant expertise or even a case study you can share that might help others, or if you have a question, please also get in touch direct by email to SBI.Guernsey@gmail.com.