A new managed ESG solution has been launched to help SMEs address increasing regulatory and stakeholder demands around sustainability. ESG as a Service brings together ESG software and expert-backed support, functioning as a “Virtual Sustainability Officer” for organisations without internal ESG teams.
The service responds to mounting pressure on finance leaders, with over 78% of CFOs now feeling compelled by investors, customers and partners to take measurable action on sustainability. It is designed for UK and international SMEs employing up to 500 people.
The offering enables businesses to comply with ESG regulations, strengthen their attractiveness to investors and foster a sustainability-led culture, all while avoiding the cost and complexity of hiring specialist in-house resources.
To support regulatory alignment, ESG as a Service has been built to comply with EU CSRD, UK CSDDD and the UN SDGs, helping organisations prepare for both current and future reporting requirements.
With this launch, the platform broadens its CSR and ESG services, providing growing businesses with practical tools and guidance to meet evolving sustainability expectations and demonstrate accountability to stakeholders.
The Importance of ESG as a Service
Meeting Environmental, Social, and Governance requirements has shifted from a one-off reporting exercise to an integral operational need. It is changing the way UK businesses operate and compete.
Regulatory frameworks such as the EU’s CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) and the UK’s emerging Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) are asking for more reporting data from businesses and their supply chain.
Clients, investors, and procurement teams now require detailed, transparent, and auditable ESG data before doing business or investing in companies.
From carbon footprints to governance policies, many VC investors increasingly value quarterly ESG impact reports before investing. Financial institutions look more favourably at firms meeting ESG compliance. Moreover, the newer workforce, such as Gen Z, is increasingly preferring to work with organisations demonstrating strong ESG commitment.
Some SMEs and mid-market organisations face a unique challenge in ESG compliance. They require special teams to collect and report data, dedicated resources, and ongoing governance that a Sustainability Officer alone may not be able to meet.
KindLink’s ESG as a Service was launched to bridge these gaps by offering a fully-managed, subscription-based service, designed to help SMEs meet ESG reporting requirements and obligations without putting pressure on internal teams.
How KindLink’s ESG as a Service Works
KindLink’s ESG as a Service combines technology with hands-on expert involvement, acting as a Virtual Sustainability Officer for each business.
This service begins with a simple onboarding process and ESG materiality assessment to identify the key environmental, social, and governance priorities for a business. From there, KindLink’s Account Managers support companies across the complete ESG lifecycle.
Policy Creation & Governance Setup
After assessing a business’ requirements, KindLink creates customised governance documentation that touches up DEI, modern slavery, anti-bribery, and whistle-blowing policies.
Data Collection and Impact Measurement
Through guided “data hunts,” their team helps organisations identify, calculate, and verify core ESG metrics, such as carbon emissions, supply chain practices, and workforce diversity.
Live ESG Dashboards & Disclosure
To ensure accountability, they create a public-facing profile which is continuously updated with credible ESG information with customers, investors, and lenders.
With KindLink’s ESG as a service, businesses can be consistent with ESG compliance reporting and present it to their stakeholders.
Key Features
This new service integrates with KindLink’s wider range of CSR and ESG tools, including ESG & SDG reporting.
Businesses can access certified carbon data, social impact metrics, and governance documents for procurement audits for supplier ESG reporting. An audit-ready dashboard organises governance policies and social impact information that signals compliance. Businesses also receive a dedicated ESG Account Manager who works as a Virtual Sustainability Officer, offering the capabilities of a complete sustainability team.
Core ESG as a Service features include:
- Initial Materiality Assessment
- Virtual CSO Account Manager
- Policy Generation (DEI, Modern Slavery, Anti-Bribery Policy, etc.)
- Public ESG Dashboard (for Tenders & Investors)
- Data Collection Support
Supplementary features include:
- Quarterly ESG Reviews and Improvement Recommendations
- Employee Engagement Platform
- Charity Marketplace and Community Initiatives
- Fundraising and Donation Matching tools
- Corporate Volunteering Management
- ESG Storytelling and Social Impact Feed
Pricing
For its new ESG as a Service solution, KindLink has introduced a transparent, three-tiered pricing model, based on the organisation’s size and the degree of data complexity.
Small businesses with up to 100 employees can start using this service at £350 per month. It’s £550 per month for those with 100 to 300 employees and £850 per month for a mid-sized organisation with 300 to 500 employees.
Additionally, there is a 25% discount on annual prepayment. Each pricing tier includes complete access to KindLink’s ESG platform and managed services.
About KindLink
KindLink is a social technology company, providing an all-in-one ecosystem where businesses, employees, and non-profits collaborate to make social and environmental impact transparent and effortless.
Its vision goes beyond offering a standard software solution. KindLink provides a comprehensive suite of digital tools for Corporate Social Responsibility, including volunteering management, donation matching, and grant making, that allow organisations to amplify their social commitments and showcase the real and measurable impact of their work.
KindLink introduces ESG as a Service as an extension of its existing corporate CSR platform, specifically created to support SMEs to meet compliance requirements and showcase their ESG efforts.
Their purpose is to simplify the way organisations measure and report their social and business impact, helping them amplify their positive footprint on communities and the environment. This is evident from the hard work they put into their alternative management solutions for charities via KindLink.org.
What This Launch Means for Businesses
The launch of this service marks a significant shift in the way businesses approach sustainability. It repositions ESG data as a strategic asset instead of a burden or compliance risk to be ticked off.
As regulations evolve in the CSR space, platforms like KindLink can shape how ESG data can support contract bids, investor confidence, and branding efforts.
By helping businesses demonstrate their ESG credentials to customers and buyers, KindLink’s ESG as a Service offers a practical and simpler pathway to ESG and CSR compliance, without building a full internal ESG team.
