How much does an ESG report cost in the UK?

An ESG report for a UK small business can cost anything from nothing to a substantial consultancy fee. The price mostly depends on who does the work. A consultant charges for their time, software charges for the tool, and with a guided self-service report like ours, your first report costs nothing.

The more useful question is what you actually need. For most small firms, the answer is much simpler, and much cheaper, than the big-ticket options suggest.

What you are paying for

Every ESG report, however it is produced, involves the same three jobs:

1. Gathering the information. Energy bills, travel, headcount, policies, how decisions get made.
2. Turning it into numbers. Mainly your carbon footprint, which means multiplying your activity (kWh, miles, flights) by official emission factors.
3. Writing it up. Presenting it clearly enough that an investor, funder or buyer can read it in five minutes and trust it.

Consultants charge for all three. Software tends to automate the second and leave the first and third to you. A guided questionnaire handles the first two for you and generates the third from your answers.

How each option is usually priced

Prices vary a lot between providers, so it helps to know how each option charges before you ask for quotes.

Option	How it is usually priced	What you get
Large consultancy	Project fee, usually the most expensive option	Workshops, materiality assessment, full report, often assurance support
Independent consultant	Day rate, so the cost rises with scope	A tailored report and carbon footprint, a few meetings
Carbon footprint only	Fixed fee or day rate, depending on the sources covered	Scope 1, 2 and sometimes 3 emissions, no social or governance
ESG software subscription	Monthly or annual subscription	Dashboards and data tracking, you do most of the input
ESG Now	First report free	Full ESG report, carbon footprint and action plan

The expensive end makes sense for a business with hundreds of staff, multiple sites and a legal reporting duty. For a team of five in a co-working space, it is like hiring an architect to put up a shelf.

What pushes the price up

If you are getting quotes, these are the things that make them climb:

• Multiple sites or premises. Each one needs its own energy data.
• Vehicles and fleets. More data, more calculations.
• Scope 3 supply chain work. Measuring emissions from everything you buy is the most time-consuming part of carbon accounting.
• Materiality assessments. Formal stakeholder workshops to decide which ESG topics matter most.
• Assurance. Having a third party verify your figures. Rarely needed below large company size.
• Custom design. A beautifully typeset 40-page report looks lovely, but nobody reading it for a grant application needs it.

What a small business actually needs

When an investor, grant funder or customer asks about your ESG, they are usually looking for four things:

• A carbon footprint with a clear method behind it
• Evidence you have basic policies in place, like an environmental policy and a code of conduct
• A sense of how you treat your people: pay, training, health and safety
• Some commitments or next steps, so they can see you are moving in the right direction

That is it. No one expects a startup or a ten-person agency to produce a report like a FTSE 100 company. They want something honest, well organised and easy to read.

How ESG Now keeps it simple

The ESG Now questionnaire walks you through each part in plain English. If you do not have a number to hand, it offers a sensible way to estimate it, such as working out office energy from your floor area. When you finish, it generates:

• A shareable ESG report covering environmental, social and governance
• Your Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprint using the official UK government conversion factors
• A private action plan with your priorities in order, including any policies worth adding next

Most small businesses are done in under 30 minutes. A sole trader working from home can finish in about ten.

How long will yours take?

Pick the option that sounds most like your business. You will see a realistic time, what to have nearby and a head start on the questions.

Which sounds most like you?

Sole trader working from homeConsultants, designers, developers, coaches10 to 15 minSole trader or freelancer in a co-working spaceA desk at a WeWork, Regus or local hub10 to 15 minSmall team in a co-working or serviced officeStartups and agencies with 2 to 25 people15 to 20 minSME with its own office and no vehiclesProfessional services, tech firms, studios20 to 30 minSME with vans, cars or regular staff travelTrades, field services, consultancies on the road30 to 45 minShop, cafe, workshop or product businessRetail, hospitality, makers and manufacturers30 to 45 min

Your estimate

Pick the option closest to your business and we will tell you how long it takes and what to have ready.

Most small businesses finish in under 30 minutes. Sole traders are often done in 10.

When paying a consultant is worth it

There are good reasons to bring in an expert. If you are bidding for a major public contract, preparing for B Corp certification with a complex supply chain, or you have a board asking for a full climate transition plan, specialist help pays for itself.

Even then, starting with a free report is a smart move. You will walk into that first meeting with your baseline already done, which usually means fewer billable hours and a better conversation.