A new publication by sustainability advocate Adam Reutens-Tan is seeking to lower the barriers to entry for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and charities looking to adopt sustainable practices. Titled esg Sustainability Made Easy for Charities and SMEs, the 40-page book serves as a no-frills, jargon-free introduction to ESG principles.
With a monochrome, minimalist design to reflect its ethos of simplicity, the book sidesteps the dense complexity of global sustainability frameworks and instead distils the core of ESG—Environmental, Social, and Governance—into actionable insights. The aim, Reutens-Tan says, is to make sustainability “understandable, practical, and most importantly, doable.”
“Too many guides speak at organisations rather than to them,” he explains. “Charities and SMEs don’t need another framework to be overwhelmed by—they need real-world, applicable advice they can begin implementing tomorrow.”
Singapore is home to approximately 300,000 SMEs and 2,300 charities, many of which operate on tight budgets and lean teams. For such organisations, sustainability can feel like a luxury—far removed from the everyday realities of service delivery or staying afloat. Reutens-Tan says he wrote the book to bridge this gap.
“In my conversations with small organisations, I kept hearing the same thing: ‘We want to do something, but we don’t know where to start.’ This book is my response to that,” he said.
The book outlines 137 practical tips—ranging from low-effort changes like combining fans with air-conditioning, to more involved efforts such as engaging suppliers on sustainable sourcing. It also includes a logic-based model designed by the author to help organisations integrate sustainability thinking into their existing systems.
“Change doesn’t have to be expensive or disruptive,” Reutens-Tan says. “Sometimes, it’s just a matter of seeing where improvements can be made in daily operations. That’s why every tip in this book is designed to be accessible.”
In addition to hands-on guidance, the book features a basic primer on how to draft a sustainability report—an increasingly expected component in organisational accountability, even for smaller entities.
Reutens-Tan, who also conducts pro bono workshops for charities, says the publication is a culmination of his years of work in sustainability roles and certification programmes. “What I’ve learned is that the biggest obstacle is inertia. If we can help people take the first step, the rest becomes far more manageable.”
He adds, “This book isn’t just for ticking boxes or earning green points. It’s about embedding values that align with long-term resilience—for the planet and the organisation.”
esg Sustainability Made Easy for Charities and SMEs is available as a free download at adamreutens-tan.com.
