Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting is no joke. And in 2026 it’s no longer something that only concerns big business either. Around the world, governments are introducing new sustainability reporting requirements, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in Europe, Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) in the UK, Australia’s mandatory climate reporting framework, and the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act in California.
While a bunch of small and medium-sized businesses aren’t directly covered by these regulations, it’s fair to say that everyone is feeling the effects. Why? Because many large organizations are now asking suppliers for sustainability information, either to support mandatory reporting or voluntary ESG commitments. It’s like a series of reporting nesting dolls, all the way up. And that means sustainability questions are becoming a standard part of procurement, tender processes and supplier reviews.
Hard truth: good intentions aren’t always enough
For many SMBs, sustainability isn’t really the problem. The problem is documentation.
Many organizations are already taking practical steps to reduce waste, improve efficiency or lower their environmental impact, which is great. But without dedicated sustainability teams (or specialized reporting systems) actually proving those efforts can be difficult and time-consuming.
Often, businesses don’t even know what information they’ll need until a customer sends a questionnaire. And by then, they’re scrambling to gather historical data from multiple systems, spreadsheets, or manual records. At that point, many find some metrics can only be estimated, while others simply haven’t been tracked at all.
All of this creates unnecessary work, not to mention unnecessary stress. It also leaves businesses relying on assumptions rather than evidence.
Start where the data lives
It’s important to remember that preparing for external reporting doesn’t mean measuring every environmental impact from day one. Most clients aren’t even asking for that.
A more practical approach is to begin with operational areas where reliable data is already available, then expand your reporting capability over time. Baby steps, right? This creates a foundation of measurable evidence, while at the same time avoiding the complexity of trying to track every single thing at once.
Printing is a great first step here, because unlike many business activities that require manual calculations or estimates, modern print management software captures detailed information about print activity. The hard work is already done! Every print job generates operational data that can be translated into meaningful sustainability metrics with minimal additional effort.
So rather than guessing, organizations can provide real numbers backed by system-generated reports. And the operational burden is basically zilch, since print management reports can be customized and automated in advance.
Turning print data into ESG evidence
So how does all this actually work? Well, at PaperCut for example we help organizations move beyond simply managing print costs. Our print management software transforms everyday printing activity into measurable sustainability data – the kind that supports both internal improvement (tick) and external reporting (tick tick).
Measure what matters
PaperCut automatically converts print activity into meaningful metrics, helping organizations understand the environmental impact of their printing, without relying on manual calculations.
The metrics and reports are highly customizable, but at the bare minimum, we can help your organization report on the following:
- Estimated CO₂ emissions
- Energy consumption
- Paper usage
- Toner usage
- Trees required for paper production
And because the data comes directly from print activity, it’s consistent, repeatable, and ready to support customer questionnaires or broader sustainability reporting.
You can get granular, too. Reports can be generated by user, department, office, or business unit, making it super easy to demonstrate performance at whatever level your customers or stakeholders require. Data can also be exported for inclusion in wider corporate ESG reporting, so you’re not locked into weird software silos.
Organizations with specific reporting frameworks aren’t forced into default assumptions, either. PaperCut allows sysadmins to customize backend conversion factors (things like the number of sheets per tree or grams of CO₂ per printed page) so reporting aligns with internal methodologies or specific customer requirements.
Prevent waste before it happens
We always say that the most sustainable page is the one that never gets printed.
That’s why PaperCut includes a bunch of features that actively reduce unnecessary printing, helping organizations lower both their environmental impact and their operating costs.
Secure Print Release holds documents in a virtual queue until the user authenticates at the printer. Forgotten print jobs (which are a surprisingly common source of paper waste) are never produced if they aren’t physically collected.
You can set rules-based print policies to automatically encourage or enforce more sustainable behavior. Maybe by prompting users to print double-sided, or in black and white instead of color.
Printing quotas and departmental budgets encourage more thoughtful printing habits by making usage visible (and better yet, accountable).
PaperCut also provides custom dashboards that allow users to see the impact of their own printing behavior. It’s one of those you-can’t-improve-what-you-can’t-see things. Visibility encourages better decisions, helping sustainability become part of everyday workplace culture rather than a box-ticking exercise.
Grow back what you print
For organizations looking to go one step further, PaperCut Grows extends sustainability beyond simply reducing waste.
PaperCut Grows measures paper consumption in real-time and funds certified non-profit reforestation projects that plant more trees than an organization consumes through printing. In other words, it closes the printing loop. Rather than relying on broad estimates, the program uses actual print data to calculate your environmental impact and support meaningful restoration efforts. That means it’s not only good for the planet, it’s also provable, measurable, and available for clients on demand.
It’s a simple way for organizations to complement their reduction initiatives, while at the same time demonstrating an ongoing commitment to sustainability.
Be ready before the questionnaire arrives
ESG reporting expectations are becoming more and more common across global supply chains. Even businesses with no direct reporting obligations are being asked to demonstrate their environmental performance, just so the next company down the chain can demonstrate theirs.
The organizations that respond confidently won’t necessarily be the ones measuring everything. That way madness lies. Instead, they’ll be the ones with reliable, credible evidence where it matters most. And they’ll have it ready to go at the drop of a toner cartridge.
Print management is one of the easiest places to start. If you’d like to know more, just give us a call.
