What if 32 companies could leave a 60-minute workshop with over 300 new climate actions? And what if 100% of them planned to actually implement those actions?
During Climate Week NYC, that's exactly what happened over the course of 2 workshops led by Giki in partnership with the UN Race to Zero and the SME Climate Hub.
Smaller companies want to act on climate, but they often lack the resources and clear roadmaps that larger corporations have access to. Most climate events focus on awareness and inspiration, which is so important, but they also leave attendees asking: "So what do I actually do on Monday morning?"
The SME Sustainability Actions Workshop, organised by Giki (a social enterprise and B Corp), flipped that script entirely. And we saw how interested businesses are in taking action – the first workshop was booked out in hours, so we ran a second one later that day.
The setup was simple: 32 companies from 20 different industries including manufacturing, retail, charities, technology, food, and event venues. Almost the entire economy represented, all joining virtually with zero preparation required.
The session opened with Ali Sheridan, Lead at the UN Race to Zero, and Dan Altman, Net Zero Manager from the SME Climate Hub, setting the business context in just 10 minutes. Their message landed perfectly: sustainability must be business-first, with being green as an extra benefit.
They highlighted why SMEs need climate action plans:
Plus it’ll make their business more resilient in a rapidly changing world.
Then Jo Hand, Giki's co-founder with over 20 years of sustainability experience, took the group through a 10-minute sustainability assessment using the Giki Actions platform - a one-stop shop sustainability toolkit. This assessment identified each company's goals and key emissions areas, creating a personalized list of recommendations ranging from 30 to over 100 actions depending on size, sector, and priorities.
The next 20 minutes were all about speed: "if in doubt, kick it out." Companies rapidly built their shortlists from these recommendations, with Jo providing real-time support. They knew they could dive deeper later - every action comes with detailed research, business cases, and implementation plans, drawn from a massive research project examining company transition plans that Giki has been working on since 2023 to identify actions that work for SMEs, but which have already been proven by large companies. This library of over 600 actions sits at the heart of the Giki Actions platform described by one participant as “your right hand to guide you through the sustainability mine field”.
Jo then walked participants through downloading their plans and how to access ongoing resources to help implement the actions. This included the Action Library, where people can find additional ideas, and the all-important Resources Hub packed with guides, templates, and policies. Everything people need for a fast start at low cost.
The numbers from the workshop tell the story:
The most common challenges highlighted are ones that every SME recognises: energy efficiency, suppliers, employee engagement, travel and waste management. But here's what made the difference - companies discovered that practical solutions already exist, they just needed to be made accessible and actionable.
Take waste management. Companies weren't just talking about "reducing waste" - they were committing to concrete steps like conducting waste audits and providing adequate, clearly labelled bins for recycling, composting, and landfill waste. Simple, implementable, immediate impact.
For supplier engagement, the actions ranged from running targeted supplier engagement programs designed for SMEs to developing comprehensive sustainable procurement policies. Companies could choose their starting point based on current resources and relationships.
Employee engagement moved beyond generic "green initiatives" to specific tactics: creating Green Walls to collect employee sustainability ideas and using free online resources to build company-wide sustainability knowledge. Real tools that tap into workforce creativity and commitment.
Getting the message out meant embedding sustainability into all communications, writing and publishing Climate Transition Plans, and making sustainability part of the brand story - not measurement and reporting, but genuine action communication.
Across all industries, certain solutions emerged as universal wins: energy efficiency improvements, green retrofits, and reducing unnecessary business travel. A manufacturing company's approach to energy audits can inspire a professional services firm; a retailer's employee engagement strategy can spark ideas for a charity.
The revelation wasn't discovering new problems - it was realising that tested, practical solutions were already available and could be tailored to any company's starting point and capacity.
"A straightforward action plan that is not daunting."
"Super helpful, quick yet comprehensive tool to support your sustainability roadmap."
"Easily accessible, smart, yet backed up by in-depth research and tools at your fingertips that would literally take weeks/months to produce yourself!"
And it does not finish here. The 32 companies now have access to the Giki Actions platform for a full year, can track their progress, and are part of a growing community. The next workshop with Business on Purpose is already prepped and ready to go for anyone who missed out!
The magic wasn't just in the results - it was in the replicability. Any organisation can use the Giki Actions platform to run similar events. The UN Race to Zero and SME Climate Hub partnerships show this model can scale across networks and regions.
If you're looking to move your community from climate conversation to climate action, this blueprint works: 60 minutes, virtual, no prep required, and results that companies can actually implement.
Ready to organise a workshop for your network? Giki is actively supporting organisations to replicate this model. Learn more about bringing climate action workshops to your community.
Get in touch with one of our co-founders to find out more.