As the ecological transition becomes a central issue for all businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Eastern Europe often struggle to take the first steps toward climate action. They are held back by a lack of resources, internal expertise, and the complexity of emerging standards. Yet, the carbon footprint of SMEs represents a significant share of regional emissions. So how can carbon audits be made accessible to these agile but often under-resourced structures?

A Market Dominated by Large Consulting Firms – Not Designed for SMEs

Today, the carbon audit market in Central and Eastern Europe is dominated by major international consulting firms: EY, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, as well as more specialized players such as denkstatt, South Pole, and EcoAct (a Schneider Electric subsidiary). These companies offer comprehensive, highly structured services, often embedded in broader ESG or regulatory compliance frameworks (such as CSRD, SFDR, etc.).

However, these services are primarily designed for large companies: multinationals, industrial groups, public institutions, or listed corporations. The costs can quickly run into tens of thousands of euros, and the methodologies—though rigorous—often require a high degree of process formalization, data availability, and dedicated human resources.

For an industrial SME with 50 to 1,000 employees, operating with limited means and a flexible organization, these offerings are simply out of reach. They leave little room for experimentation, step-by-step learning, or genuine ownership by internal teams. At the same time, SMEs—especially in subcontracting chains (automotive, textile, electronics, etc.)—are increasingly being required to provide carbon assessments by their clients, without any technical support or guidance.

A Strategic Diagnosis — Not Just Reporting

What many companies don’t realize is that a carbon footprint assessment is far more than a compliance exercise. For an SME, it can become a true strategic business tool. Analyzing greenhouse gas emissions helps identify the extent to which a business model depends on direct and indirect energy consumption: raw material purchases, logistics, machine use, employee transportation, and more.

This mapping of energy-related vulnerabilities provides a foundation to:

• reduce long-term operating costs,
• better anticipate energy or carbon price increases,
• diversify the product or service offering towards less exposed segments,
• strengthen resilience in the face of regulatory or geopolitical changes.

In other words, an affordable carbon audit can be a powerful lever for commercial innovation and competitiveness—especially in a region where value chains are highly dependent on energy and transport.

For example, an SME that relies heavily on imported raw materials or energy-intensive processes will be more exposed to energy price volatility, geopolitical instability, or growing environmental demands from clients. On the other hand, once these weaknesses are identified, the company can:

• reduce medium-term costs through energy efficiency,
• diversify into more local or low-carbon solutions,
• increase resilience by integrating circular economy principles,
• highlight its efforts to industrial clients, building low-carbon value chains collaboratively.

This is the conviction on which we’ve built our approach

A Tailored Offer for Industrial SMEs in Eastern Europe
We offer simple, educational, and affordable carbon audits specifically designed for industrial SMEs in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic. These companies are at the heart of European subcontracting chains but often receive little support in this area.

Our approach is built on three pillars:
• Accessibility: A structured yet lightweight method, adapted to the data actually available in an SME.
• Understanding the business model: Our audit goes beyond a numerical report; it highlights how energy consumption impacts margins, hidden costs, and commercial prospects.
• A concrete roadmap: We help business leaders develop scenarios to evolve their offerings or processes, taking into account their technical, human, and commercial environment.

Our goal is not to do “reporting for financiers,” but to make carbon tools a driver for industrial decision-making.

Taking Action: A Strategic Move, Not an Extra Burden
Too often, SME leaders postpone carbon audits, thinking they’re a luxury for large corporations or just another regulatory burden. That’s a strategic mistake. The real cost lies in inaction: lost competitiveness, energy dependence, and difficulties in winning bids or integrating into more sustainable supply chains.

Conducting a carbon assessment means getting ahead. It’s about understanding where your business model depends on energy, anticipating changes, pivoting when needed, expanding your commercial offering, and showing clients you’re a reliable partner aligned with new market standards.

We invite industrial SMEs in Central and Eastern Europe to take this step at a controlled cost, with a personalized, business-oriented approach and gradual support.

Are you an industrial SME leader wondering if this is for you?
Get in touch: within a few weeks, you’ll gain a clear view of your emissions, key action priorities, and the commercial opportunities within the low-carbon transition.