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Comment les PME peuvent transformer leurs données ESG en avantage business

Souha Bel Haj Messaoud
02/12/2025

At Eco Fluent Solutions, we recently hosted our very first live session dedicated to one essential question: How can small and medium-sized enterprises transform ESG data into a real business advantage?
The session was delivered in French and designed specifically for French and European SME leaders, QSE managers, and operational teams who are facing growing expectations around sustainability.

What we observe every day is simple: SMEs want to act, but feel lost between obligations, client demands, and resource constraints.
This live was created to bring clarity, structure, and practical guidance.

Why ESG data now matters for every SME

We opened the session by addressing a major shift.
ESG expectations no longer come only from regulations like the CSRD. They come from the partners SMEs work with every day:

  • Clients who request ESG/RSE questionnaires
  • Banks that integrate sustainability into financing conditions
  • Talents who want to work in value-driven companies
  • Tools like the French Portail RSE that simplify data collection and obligations

In other words, business relationships are evolving from “show intentions” to “prove actions.”
And the reassuring part is that most SMEs already hold valuable ESG information without realising it: energy bills, waste volumes, HR data, supplier certificates, safety logs… all of these are ESG data points.

A real-life inspired story: the PME that almost lost a client

During the live, we shared an example inspired by companies we have supported.
A family-owned wood-sector SME, with around 30 employees, received a detailed ESG questionnaire from a major retailer. The client needed to map sustainability risks in its supply chain for a public tender.

Like many small organisations, the SME feared the questionnaire was “not for them.”
But when we looked closely, the company already had the essentials: electricity bills, certified wood purchase volumes, waste logs, and safety indicators.

Instead of returning a half-empty form, we helped them fill in what existed, and attach a simple ESG roadmap for what would be built next.
The result surprised them: the client was reassured.
They saw not a struggling supplier, but a transparent, structured, and reliable partner.

This story illustrates a core principle of our work: large companies are not looking for perfect suppliers, they are looking for partners capable of demonstrating progress and clarity.

A broader example: when ESG drives measurable performance

To show that ESG is not reserved for large corporations, we also explored the case of AHT in Austria, acquired by Quadriga Capital and Partners Group. By integrating ESG principles into product design, energy efficiency, supplier ethics, and governance, the company achieved remarkable outcomes: lower energy use, increased competitiveness, workforce expansion, and a measurable rise in value.

This example confirms what we see daily in SMEs: structured ESG actions directly drive performance, credibility, and resilience.

Why ESG is an investment! Not a cost!

Throughout the session, we emphasised how SMEs benefit when ESG data is tracked consistently:

  • Energy savings
  • Reduced material losses
  • Lower turnover
  • Better access to financing
  • Easier responses to client demands

SMEs that follow even three basic indicators such as energy, waste, and responsible purchasing… often find quick wins.
ESG becomes not a burden, but a lever for operational efficiency.

The tools SMEs can use today

We introduced two key tools that SMEs can start using immediately, depending on their maturity level.

The Portail RSE
A French public, free platform that helps SMEs centralise indicators, understand obligations, and access practical guidance.
It is the most accessible entry point for small structures beginning their ESG journey.

The VSME (Voluntary Standard for SMEs released by EFRAG)
A European voluntary framework recommended by the European Commission in 2025.
It allows SMEs to present their information in a clear, harmonised way, especially when interacting with clients subject to CSRD requirements.

We explained their relationship in simple terms:
Portail RSE = practical dashboard
VSME = European reporting language
Together, they form a solid ESG foundation for SMEs.

Our message to SMEs

We closed the live with a belief at the heart of Eco Fluent Solutions:
ESG is not paperwork! It is your company’s story!
It is the narrative you share with your clients, your employees, and your ecosystem. And every SME, regardless of size, can begin this journey today with what it already has.

At Eco Fluent Solutions, we support SMEs in:

  • defining their ESG/RSE strategy
  • training teams and raising internal awareness
  • implementing the right tools (Portail RSE, VSME, labels)
  • transforming raw data into commercial and financial arguments

Our approach is designed to be simple, human, and aligned with the realities of small structures.

If this live resonates with your organisation, or if you want guidance on where to begin, we would be happy to continue the conversation.
Very often, a single exchange is all it takes to create clarity.