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Transform your ESG reporting with expert support.
Credit committees used to live almost entirely in financial statements. That is changing. Lenders now ask about climate exposure, ESG policies, and customer-driven sustainability requirements — because those factors affect repayment risk.
For SMEs, the goal is not to become a reporting giant. It is to answer bank questions with consistent, evidence-based information and avoid surprises at renewal.
Why banks care about non-financial data
- Regulatory pressure on banks to understand climate and ESG risk in loan books
- Customer concentration risk when large buyers demand supplier ESG data
- Physical and transition risks that can disrupt operations or raise costs
What you may be asked for
Expect questions on energy use, carbon footprint readiness, climate risks to sites, and whether major customers have sustainability clauses. Some banks use questionnaires; others fold items into annual reviews.
How to prepare without drowning in paperwork
- Keep a single pack: energy summary, carbon figures if available, key policies, and major customer ESG requirements.
- Reuse the same dataset for banks, customers, and insurers instead of rewriting from scratch.
- Flag data gaps honestly and show a short improvement plan.
Protecting access to finance
Incomplete answers rarely help. Clear, proportionate disclosure builds confidence that you understand your risks and can meet buyer demands that affect cash flow.
Sustainly helps SMEs organise carbon and ESG information so the next bank or buyer questionnaire is answered from one source of truth.