SMEs get boost with sustainability toolkit

Small businesses in the Asia-Pacific are gaining access to a digital platform designed to help them meet sustainability standards and unlock financing opportunities, as global trade increasingly shifts toward greener practices.

The International Trade Centre, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank, has introduced the SME Sustainability Toolkit—a tool that enables companies to assess their current practices and develop step-by-step plans to improve compliance.

Built on ITC’s Standards Map, the world’s largest database of voluntary sustainability standards, the platform translates complex global requirements into practical actions tailored to specific industries and markets.

“The objective of the SME toolkit is to improve the company’s sustainability classification, to enhance the awareness on sustainability standards, and to provide tailored recommendations for the standard compliance,” said Duc Dang during a webinar.

The system begins with a diagnostic “quick scan,” where firms answer questions about their supply chains and market requirements. Based on these inputs, it identifies relevant standards, generates a self-assessment, and produces a customized improvement plan covering areas such as environmental impact, worker safety, and governance.

“The platform simplifies complex technical information and translates global sustainability frameworks into locally relevant actions,” ITC said.

Among its features are AI-assisted guidance, certification readiness modules, interactive tools, and detailed reporting. These are designed to help businesses understand requirements, close compliance gaps, and prepare for certification.

Beyond compliance, the initiative is also being positioned as a bridge to financing. Dang said future plans include integrating the toolkit into banking systems, allowing financial institutions to assess a company’s sustainability performance when evaluating loan applications.

“They can evaluate whether a company is ready for loans or investment, or whichever green finance that you can find,” he said, noting that such tools could support better lending decisions and potentially improve access to favorable financing terms.

The ITC also highlighted the role of business support organizations in scaling adoption, particularly in providing advisory services and training to help firms navigate sustainability requirements.

As sustainability standards become increasingly central to global trade, the platform aims to equip smaller firms with the tools needed not only to comply, but to compete.