ZEROvia guide for Swiss SMEs

To date, Switzerland has had a leaner regulatory approach than the EU. Nevertheless, there are various provisions that are directly or indirectly relevant to SMEs[2].

The most important Swiss regulations - compactly explained

Even if many of these regulations do not formally apply to SMEs, they have an indirect effect. Large customers, banks and insurers are guided by them - and transfer the expectations to smaller companies in their networks.

Scope 1, 2 and 3 - briefly explained

Companies cause greenhouse gas emissions at different points along the value chain. The international GHG Protocol logic distinguishes between three categories („scopes“) so that it is clear where emissions occur and who is responsible for what.

Scope 1 - direct emissions

emissions generated within the company.

Examples:

• Company vehicles
• Heating systems, oil boilers, gas boilers
• Own machines or systems

→ Everything that burns or emits directly on site.

Scope 2 - indirect emissions from energy procurement

emissions that arise outside the company but are caused by the purchase of energy.

Examples:

• Electricity
• District heating or cooling

→ The CO₂ footprint of the energy purchased.

Scope 3 - other indirect emissions along the value chain

All other emissions that are not caused by the company itself, but by its activities. Scope 3 comprises 15 sub-categories, typically including

• Purchased goods and services (purchasing / supply chain)
• Transportation & Logistics
• Business travel & commuting
• Use of the products
• Disposal and recycling
• Investments

→ Scope 3 is usually the largest share - often over 70 % of an SME's total emissions.

Why this is relevant

Many SMEs are surprised at how little influence they have on Scope 1 and 2 and how much influence they have on Scope 3.

Purchasing, suppliers and logistics are often the biggest levers for reducing emissions - and this is precisely why Scope 3 data is increasingly taking center stage in bank ratings, tenders and ESG questionnaires.

Many Swiss SMEs are solidly self-financed. Nevertheless, banks and insurers play a central role - in overdraft facilities, investment loans, leasing, mortgages and risk hedging. This is precisely where sustainability aspects are increasingly being factored into risk assessments and conditions.

Banks no longer assess companies solely on the basis of balance sheet figures, but also take into account climate and transition risks, energy dependencies, supply chain risks as well as governance and compliance structures. These factors influence ratings, interest rate conditions and the availability of financing - companies that are unable to provide structured ESG data are increasingly falling behind[2][4].

The scale is also shifting in purchasing:
Recent surveys by the consulting firm Bain & Company show: More than half of the buyers surveyed worldwide are increasing their spending on sustainable suppliers - and a similarly large proportion plan to exclude suppliers that do not comply with environmental or social standards.[1] For Swiss SMEs, this means that sustainability is increasingly deciding whether they make it onto the shortlist at all.

This creates an „indirect specification“ for SMEs - it is not the law that requires the ESG report, but:

• the loan discussion with the house bank,
• the tender of a major customer,
• the extension of an insurance policy,
• or the onboarding process as a new supplier.

Those who can respond in a structured way signal professionalism, risk awareness and future viability.

Against this background, the question arises: How can an SME present its sustainability performance in such a way that banks, customers and inspection bodies can work with it - without a corporate apparatus?

This is precisely where the VSME standard (Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for non-listed SMEs) comes in.[8][9] It was developed by EFRAG (European Financial Reporting Advisory Group) explicitly for non-listed small and medium-sized enterprises in order to provide a voluntary, proportional reporting framework that remains compatible with the logic of the ESRS/CSRD (see glossary) without adopting its complexity.

At its core, VSME:

• a clear structure along the ESG themes,
• a significant reduction compared to the ESRS variety,
• a division into two modules:
  • VSME Basic - entry-level version with a focused set of key disclosures, suitable for SMEs at the beginning of their ESG journey,
  • VSME Comprehensive - extended version with additional information on strategy, objectives, measures and selected key figures.

Many banks, auditors and large companies now see VSME as a suitable, lean basis for SME reporting because it:

1. proportional (resources of SMEs are respected),
2. remains compatible with CSRD/ESRS (no dead end),[8][9]
3. provides comparable data (for portfolios, supplier pools, rating models).

For Swiss SMEs, this means

Even though VSME is an EU standard, it is establishing itself as the de facto common language - especially where an SME is export-oriented, part of international supply chains or dependent on European banks and investors.

The VSME differs from corporate standards in that it is based on pragmatic principles that reduce costs to the bare minimum. The most important rules at a glance:

• The „If applicable“ principle (the courage to leave a gap) This is the most important lever for SMEs: you only have to report information if it applies to your company.
  • Do you not have a production with high water consumption? Then module B6 (water) is not required.
  • Do you have fewer than 50 employees? Then many social key figures do not apply. Where there is nothing, nothing needs to be reported. This massively reduces the scope for service providers or small companies.
• Double materiality „Light“ The VSME does not require the kind of complex scientific analysis that is mandatory for corporations. However, it invites you to adopt two perspectives:

1. Inside-Out: What impact do we have on people and the environment?
2. Outside-In: Which risks (e.g. climate change) affect us financially? You can also add topics that are missing from the standard but are important for your industry (e.g. specific trade topics).

• A report for the whole group (consolidation) Do you have subsidiaries? You do not have to report individually for each GmbH. The VSME allows a consolidated report for the entire group (similar to the financial report). This saves redundant work.
• Comparability & Timing Ideally, the sustainability report should be published at the same time as the annual financial statements. From the second year onwards, you must provide figures from the previous year - this will make your progress visible.
• Sensitive data Are you afraid of disclosing trade secrets? The standard explicitly allows the omission of classified or competitively sensitive information (with a brief justification).

Those who see sustainability reporting exclusively as a compulsory exercise run the risk of producing a document once a year, uploading it to a few places - and then not looking at it again for 12 months. That's a shame, because the same data can be used much more widely.

A „report for the sake of a report“ can often be recognized by the fact that:

• key figures are not included in regular management reports,
• no clear objectives can be derived,
• measures and responsibilities remain unclear,
• the report is prepared primarily in response to individual requests.

A sensibly structured ESG program combines reporting with active management:

• Key figures are updated at least once a year,
• they are underpinned by targets (e.g. energy consumption, proportion of certified suppliers, accident frequency),
• They are incorporated into investment, procurement and personnel decisions,
• Progress is communicated internally.

This turns a supposed additional task into a management and control tool that makes costs, risks and growth opportunities visible.

Instead of focusing on fulfilling obligations, it is worth considering ESG as a bundle of levers that can generate concrete added value. The following seven levers can be systematically addressed with VSME-based reporting:

In order to use these levers in a structured manner, a step-by-step approach in three phases is recommended. Each phase has clearly defined goals and typical steps; VSME serves as a common thread[8].

With today's range of functions, an SME can already:

• carry out an ESG Quick Check,
• build up a VSME-based ESG profile,
• Integrate suppliers via digital profiles,
• generate structured reports that can be used by banks, customers and auditors.

Even today, an SME with a structured ESG profile and a digital supplier base can respond to inquiries from customers, banks and auditors much more quickly and consistently.

ZEROVia helps to collect relevant data efficiently, translate VSME requirements into comprehensible subtasks and prepare reports in such a way that they remain comprehensible and auditable. Recurring requests can be answered on the basis of the same data set - instead of filling in new Excel spreadsheets for each customer.

In the long term, there will be an additional multiplier effect: if large companies use a platform such as ZEROVia to record and integrate their suppliers, SMEs can use their ESG profile once recorded several times - instead of filling out new Excel questionnaires for each customer. This is a deliberately long-term perspective and part of the future ZEROVia roadmap.

In the long term, this creates an ecosystem in which:

• SMEs record their ESG information once in a structured manner,
• Large companies and banks can access verified profiles via interfaces,
• updates are automatically visible in one place in the network.

This platform effect will reduce the administrative effort for everyone involved - and at the same time increase data quality[8][9].

Instead of a long to-do list, we recommend an iterative process that creates a quick sense of achievement. This approach is in line with the logic of ZEROVia:

Step 1: The quick check (day 1)

Target: Positioning & materiality.

Action: Carry out the ESG Quick Check (e.g. on ZEROVia). Roughly clarify: Which stakeholders have the most pressure (bank? customer?) and which topics (energy? occupational safety?) are really relevant for us?

Result: An initial ESG profile in less than 30 minutes.

Step 2: The duty - VSME Basic (week 1-2)

Target: «Achieve »bankability".

Action: Collect the data for the base module.
Documents: Electricity bills, heating oil/gas, fuel lists, SUVA statement (accidents), employee figures (FTE/capita).

Principle: Use the «if applicable» principle. Leave out what does not apply.

Result: A solid basic report that covers 90% of requests.

Step 3: The freestyle - VSME Comprehensive (if required)

Target: Supply Chain Transparency & Strategy.

Action: Supplement the report if customers ask for Scope 3 or climate targets.
Documents: Commuter data, strategy paper (reduction targets), supplier list.

Result: A group-level report that positions you as a strategic partner.

Step 4: Digitize & Share (Ongoing)

Target: Efficiency.

Action: Maintain the data centrally in a platform (such as ZEROVia) instead of sending Excel lists. Link the report in the financial report or on the website.

Advantage: In the next year, you only need to update the changes (comparative data).

[1] Bain & Company, How Sustainability Is Creating B2B Growth - A CEO Sustainability Guide 2025, 2025.
URL:https://www.bain.com/insights/how-sustainability-is-creating-b2b-growth-ceo-sustainability-guide-2025/Bain

[2] SIX Group, Sustainability Reporting - Overview of sustainability requirements under Swiss law, including Art. 964a-964c CO and Climate Ordinance, 2024.
URL:https://handbooks.six-group.com/nachhaltigkeit/schweizer-recht-ueberblick-ueber-die-nachhaltigkeitsanforderungen/nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattunghandbooks.six-group.com

[3] Federal Office of Justice (FOJ), Ordinance on Due Diligence and Transparency with regard to Minerals and Metals from Conflict-Affected Areas and Child Labor (VSoTr, SR 221.433), background page and ordinance, 2021.
URL (overview page):https://www.bj.admin.ch/bj/de/home/wirtschaft/gesetzgebung/verantwortungsvolle-unternehmen.html
URL (legal reference, SR 221.433):https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2021/847/deFederal Office of Justice+1

[4] Swiss Confederation / Fedlex, Ordinance on Reporting on Climate Matters (SR 221.434), 2022, in force since January 1, 2024.
URL:https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2022/747/deFedlex+2Messages Admin+2

[5] Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Net zero target 2050 - Climate and Innovation Act (KlG), information page, 2025.
URL:https://www.bafu.admin.ch/de/netto-null-ziel-2050FOEN+1

[6] Swiss Sustainable Finance, Climate Protection Act and net zero targets - Climate and Innovation Act (KlG), position paper, 2024/2025.
URL:https://www.sustainablefinance.ch/en/our-activities/ssf-positions/klimaschutzgesetz-und-netto-null-ziele.htmlSwiss Sustainable Finance+1

[7] Foundation for Accounting and Reporting Recommendations (Swiss GAAP FER), FER Guidelines: Sustainability management and reporting for SMEs, Publication note, 2024.
Publications overview page:https://www.fer.ch/ueber-uns/publikationen/Swiss GAAP FER

[8] EFRAG, VSME Standard - Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for Non-Listed SMEs, Standard Document, 2024.
PDF:https://www.efrag.org/sites/default/files/sites/webpublishing/SiteAssets/VSME%20Standard.pdf
Project page:https://www.efrag.org/en/projects/voluntary-reporting-standard-for-smes-vsme/concludedEFRAG+2EFRAG+2

[9] European Commission, Commission presents voluntary sustainability reporting standard to ease burden for SMEs (VSME), press release, July 30, 2025.
URL:https://finance.ec.europa.eu/publications/commission-presents-voluntary-sustainability-reporting-standard-ease-burden-smes_enFinance+1

(For the final version, you can add specific articles/studies to individual sources if necessary - the structure of the footnotes already fits).

• Meet the requirements of banks, insurers and customers with confidence,
• Systematically reduce risks,
• Realize efficiency gains in processes and purchasing,
• Driving innovation forward,
• and become more attractive as an employer.

Sustainability is therefore not only the basic prerequisite for remaining accepted as a reliable business partner (‚license to operate‘), but also an initiative for digitalization, risk management and innovation - and therefore a driver for value creation, competitive advantages and long-term, sustainable growth.