Write a Sustainability Policy Customers Actually Trust

Write a Sustainability Policy Customers Actually Trust

By Kaynat Advisory May 22, 2026

A sustainability policy is one of the first documents a customer or procurement team will ask for when evaluating your ESG credentials. It is also one of the most commonly done poorly, either too vague to be meaningful, or copied from a template that bears no relation to the actual business.

This guide explains what a good sustainability policy needs to contain, why it matters, and how to write one that stands up to scrutiny from EcoVadis analysts, ISO auditors, and corporate procurement teams alike.

Why might your current policy not be working?

The most common problem with sustainability policies in UAE SMEs is that they are generic. A two-paragraph statement that commits to ‘minimising environmental impact and treating employees fairly’ tells the reader almost nothing. It does not demonstrate that your leadership has thought seriously about sustainability, that you have identified your significant impacts, or that you have any system in place to manage them.

EcoVadis analysts, in particular, are trained to distinguish between substantive policies and placeholder documents. A generic policy will score poorly regardless of how well-intentioned it is.

What a good sustainability policy must include

• A clear scope stating what the policy covers – which business entities, locations, and activities. A policy that applies to ‘all operations in the UAE’ is more credible than one with no defined scope.
• Your significant impacts identifying the main ways your business affects the environment, your workforce, and the communities you operate in. For a construction company, this might be energy use, waste, and worker safety. For a logistics business, it is likely vehicle emissions and driver welfare.
• Commitments that are specific to your business rather than generic language. Make commitments that reflect your actual operations. ‘Reduce diesel consumption in our vehicle fleet by 10% by 2026’ is more credible than ‘minimise our carbon footprint.’
• Reference to legal compliance – confirm your commitment to complying with UAE environmental and labour legislation, including relevant federal and emirate-level regulations.
• Responsibility and accountability – name or reference the role responsible for sustainability within your organisation even if it is the owner or a senior manager with other responsibilities. This shows the policy is owned, not just published.
• A review date – policies should be reviewed at least annually. Include a review date and ensure it is honoured. An outdated policy is treated as inactive by most assessment frameworks.
• A senior signatory must sign the policy such as CEO, Managing Director, or equivalent. This is a non-negotiable requirement for EcoVadis and most ISO standards.

Keeping it relevant to your business:

One of the most effective things you can do when writing a sustainability policy is to think about what sustainability actually means for your specific business. A facilities management company has very different material issues from a food manufacturing business. Your policy should reflect that.

Ask: what are the three or four most significant ways our business affects the environment and our people? Build your commitments around those. A policy that is specific, honest, and relevant to your operations will always outperform a generic template.

What to do after the policy is written:

Writing the policy is only the first step. To count towards EcoVadis scores and ISO audits, you need to be able to demonstrate that the policy has been communicated.

• Share it with all staff via an email, an induction pack, or a team briefing with attendance records
• Post it in your workplace or on your website
• Include it in onboarding for new employees
• Communicate it to key suppliers if it includes supply chain commitments

Keep evidence of each of these steps. A policy that exists but has never been communicated has very limited value in any formal sustainability assessment.

Need help writing or reviewing your policy?

Kaynat Advisory develops sustainability policies for UAE businesses that meet the requirements of EcoVadis, ISO standards, and corporate procurement frameworks. Contact us at info@kaynatadvisory.com or call +971 50 907 8152.