According to a survey done by the Singapore Business Federation, 75 percent of businesses here have already made some effort in at least one area of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). Yet, despite this promising momentum, about 36 percent of companies still say they lack the know-how to begin their green transition in earnest.
If your company is looking to get started but you’re not sure how to move from intention to action, here are some practical steps to help you take those first meaningful strides:
1) Assess Where You Are Today
Begin by understanding your company’s current environmental impact. A good starting point is to calculate your carbon emissions based on the Green House Gas Protocol. This typically means tracking things like your direct energy use and purchased electricity. It might surprise you how big a carbon footprint your company has from less visible places, like waste disposal, packaging, or transporting goods.
Don’t overlook your supply chain, either. For many companies, emissions from suppliers or product use by customers can make up more than 70 percent of total emissions. Mapping this out gives you a clear baseline and helps you focus on the biggest impact areas first.
2) Build a Clear Sustainability Strategy
Once you know your numbers, it’s time to decide what you want to achieve. A sustainability strategy does not need to be complicated. What matters most is that it aligns with your company’s core mission and day-to-day realities.
You could follow an established framework, like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or the Science-Based Targets initiative. Or, you could choose to craft a home-grown policy focused on practical steps you can own. Whichever path you choose, keep it clear and actionable.
3) Set Realistic and Transparent Goals and KPIs
It’s tempting to announce big, bold targets to show commitment, but vague or unrealistic promises can backfire. Focus instead on setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals and appropriate key performance indicators (KPIs). For instance, you could aim to cut electricity use by 15 percent within three years or switch half of your delivery fleet to electric vehicles within five years. What’s important is to break them down into smaller actions that each department can support.
Moreover, clear targets make it easier to tap into financing green transition options. Banks and investors increasingly want to see measurable plans before offering green loans or other support.
4) Turn Goals into Action Plans
Knowing what you want to achieve is only half the work. Many companies get stuck here because they don’t translate goals into daily action. To overcome this challenging phase, gather ideas from all corners of your business. Often, the best suggestions come from the people who see waste or inefficiency every day.
Then, spell out what needs to happen, who is responsible, what it will cost, and how you’ll measure progress. For example, if you aim to cut energy use, list practical steps like upgrading lighting, optimising air-conditioning, or changing production schedules to off-peak hours.
You don’t have to implement all plans all at once. You could run pilot projects first. These small trials can show what works and help secure wider buy-in. After all, once you prove an idea delivers savings or boosts efficiency, it becomes easier to scale it across your operations.
5) Make Sustainability Part of Everyday Decisions
Beyond plans, a common pitfall companies come across is treating sustainability as a side project. Avoid this by weaving it into everyday choices. When you plan an event, for example, think about waste management and catering. Or when you buy office supplies, consider vendors who use recycled materials. This might mean preferring suppliers with credible green certifications or asking for information on their own carbon footprint. Over time, this creates a ripple effect that drives bigger change throughout your value chain.
6) Get Your People Involved
Employees want to be part of the solution, so train them to understand the bigger strategy and the specific action plans. Moreover, recognise and reward simple actions, whether that’s carpooling, reducing printing, or switching off unused equipment.
To make this stick, you can appoint a sustainability lead or form a “green team.” This signals that sustainability is not just an add-on project but part of how the business operates. Over time, this team can grow in influence and resources as they deliver results. They can also keep the momentum going by organising awareness activities, sharing updates, or running challenges to encourage friendly competition between departments. When people see that sustainability ties back to company values and their own work makes a difference, they’re more likely to stay engaged.
7) Keep Reporting About Your Progress
It’s easy to get caught up in the next target and forget to tell your story. Yet communicating what you’re doing is vital for building trust and attracting support. If your company is new to this, start small with an annual sustainability statement. Over time, you can expand this with certifications, third-party audits, or awards that lend extra credibility.
What’s important is to be honest about what’s working and where you’ve hit roadblocks. In addition, publicly sharing your goals shows that you’re serious and will make it easier for partners, investors, and customers to back your plans. These simple, credible disclosures might even help unlock new opportunities and meet customer expectations.
Let’s Move Forward Together
Singapore’s push towards a low-carbon economy is only getting stronger, and the business case for sustainability is clearer than ever. While knowledge gaps remain, practical steps like measuring your impact, setting clear goals, planning realistic actions, and engaging your people can help you move from intention to real results.
Equally important is steady progress, learning as you go, and building a business that is resilient, trusted, and ready for the future. Take these first steps now, and your company won’t just be keeping up—you’ll be helping shape Singapore’s green transition story, one action plan at a time.
