Sustainable Supply Chains
A sustainable supply chain is one that aims to mitigate all negative environmental and social impacts to ensure the protection of people and the environment. Presently, businesses experience the largest volume of emissions within their Scope 3 and are proactively trying to calculate and respond to this. But negative social impacts in a supply chain can go unaccounted for due to a lack of traceability and transparency.
The shift to jointly assess the environment and social risks is occurring due to the EU legislation such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the EU Green Claims Directive. These now require companies to be able to demonstrate sufficient evidence to support any sustainability claim across both social and environment.
BITCI support members to create more sustainable supply chains through:
- Using our Business Working Responsibly Mark as a framework, support member companies to map their supply chains, increase due diligence and transparency. Identify potential risks and provide guidance to mitigate.
- Provide feedback on policies and procedures that are in place and identify any gaps.
- Provide support with stakeholder engagement such as facilitate supplier engagement meetings and events or support internal working groups or committees.
- Provide training for employees and or other stakeholders on human rights, modern slavery or climate action.
Many of our members have a complex value chain that includes many SMEs and while we do not offer a direct service for SMEs, we recognise that we can support SMEs indirectly through our members.
In 2025 BITCI, along with BITC NI, successfully delivered Phase 2 of the Climate Action Programme for SMEs. Our partner businesses for 2025 were Bank of Ireland, ESB and SSE Airtricity.
The Programme delivered carbon literacy training, which is accredited by The Carbon Literacy Project along with tailored support to help participants develop effective climate action plans.
In both the pilot Programme and Phase 2, the Programme has been aimed, not only at the SMEs in our members’ value chains but also at our members’ own employees. We want to collaboratively build capacity within our members’ organisations to bring their SMEs along with them as we transition to a fairer and more sustainable future.
The Programme was delivered through a series of group workshops, using a ‘learning by doing’ approach to deepen understanding of both the challenges and the opportunities available.
SMEs leave the Programme with a better understanding of the risks and opportunities faced by their businesses and how they can plan and take action when it comes to decarbonisation. The SMEs are asked to commit to an action and will be supported post-training by a tailored resource pack and a peer network.
Key findings and outcomes from Phase 2 included:
- SMEs are more matured than perceived, and this should be built upon.
- SMEs are willing but constrained, supports should be practical and action-oriented, focusing on overcoming economic constraints and capacity limitations.
- Standardisation is both a help and a hurdle. While standardisation can streamline data collection, space must be maintained for nuance so as not to inadvertently disadvantage SMEs with fewer resources.
- Avoid carbon tunnel vision. While reducing greenhouse gas emissions is important, SMEs can and are taking action on a wider range of issues from water and biodiversity to circularity and social impact. Let’s support them to grow and continue their efforts here while supporting them to incorporate their actions into strategies and communications.
You can read the full report here
This Programme aims to demonstrate how powerful supply chain decarbonisation can be when we come together. Through collaboration, upskilling, and empowering BITCI member companies, their suppliers and customers, real progress can be made in supporting SMEs to reduce their carbon footprints. The work in this Programme has informed the design and influenced the roll-out of Accelerate, The Business Pact for Climate and Nature.
Watch the videos below to understand how effective this initiative was for those involved in 2025.
And follow us to see highlights and insights from phase 3 in 2026.
Climate Action Programme for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) Insights Paper
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