The CREDIT Toolkit is now available: a practical guide for SMEs on green and circular transition

The CREDIT project has completed and published its Toolkit, “A practical guide to the green and circular transition”, a core project result developed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in taking realistic and informed steps towards sustainability. The Toolkit is available both as a downloadable publication and as an online, interactive resource.

The Toolkit was developed in response to the needs identified through the project’s research activities and direct engagement with businesses and adult education stakeholders. Rather than presenting sustainability as a complex or abstract goal, it offers structured guidance that helps organisations understand where they stand, identify priorities, and move forward at their own pace.

What the Toolkit offers

The CREDIT Toolkit is designed as a practical support tool for SME managers, employees, trainers, and advisors. It combines background knowledge with applied guidance, allowing users to connect sustainability concepts with everyday business decisions.

The content is organised into clear sections that move from understanding sustainability and green economy concepts, to analysing real barriers and skills needs, and finally to applying concrete practices across key business areas such as strategy, energy, materials, procurement, logistics, digital tools, and sustainability communication.

Users can engage with the Toolkit either sequentially or selectively, depending on their role, experience, and immediate needs.

A user-friendly online version

In addition to the full publication, the Toolkit is also available in an online format through a dedicated project landing page. The digital version breaks the Toolkit into shorter, focused sections that users can explore step by step, making it easier to navigate specific topics without having to work through the entire document.

This structure supports flexible learning and practical use, particularly for SMEs with limited time and resources. Each section can be accessed independently, allowing users to focus on the areas most relevant to their organisation.

The Sustainability Snapshot

A key feature of the online Toolkit is the Sustainability Snapshot. This short self-assessment helps organisations reflect on their current practices, capacities, and priorities related to sustainability.

Based on users’ responses, the Snapshot guides them to the most relevant sections of the Toolkit, helping them identify practical entry points rather than generic recommendations. It is intended as a starting point for reflection and planning, not as an evaluation or compliance tool.

Who the Toolkit is for

The Toolkit is primarily aimed at:

• SME owners and managers who want to integrate sustainability into strategy and operations

• Employees involved in implementing day-to-day practices

• Adult education professionals, trainers, and advisors working with businesses

While the focus is on SMEs, the content is also relevant for organisations supporting entrepreneurship, training, and local development.

A resource beyond the project lifetime

The CREDIT Toolkit is designed to remain useful beyond the duration of the project. Its modular structure and practical orientation allow it to be reused in training activities, workshops, and self-directed learning, supporting ongoing capacity-building in green and circular economy practices.

The Toolkit is freely available for non-commercial, educational, and research use, in line with the project’s dissemination and accessibility objectives.