Sustainable Business Consulting

What Sustainable Business Consulting does

Sustainable Business Consulting (SBC) is a Nairobi-headquartered sustainability consulting and ESG advisory firm founded in 2016 (per the dedicated About page), operating across 15+ countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. The company serves SMEs, startups, impact investors, enterprise support organizations (accelerators and incubators), development finance institutions, and larger enterprises seeking to integrate sustainability, ESG, and occupational health and safety practices into their core business models.

SBC's commercial offering is layered across four revenue streams: (1) bespoke sustainability consulting and advisory services covering assessment, strategy, supply chain management, ESG reporting, and circularity; (2) a portfolio of proprietary GRCS (Governance, Risk and Compliance Suite) software products — Enterprise Risk Management, Third Party Risk Management, Health & Safety Management, Business Continuity Management, Sustainability & ESG Tool, Crisis and Incident Management, Carbon Measurement, and Covid-19 Assessment — distributed via direct enterprise sales with 'Request a demo' and 'Request pricing' CTAs; (3) professional training courses through the SBC Academy online learning platform at $500 per course (4 one-hour sessions, 20 seats per cohort); and (4) entrepreneurship development and capacity-building programmes, often delivered via partnerships with accelerators and DFIs. The company is a Certified B Corporation and UN Global Compact signatory, and has facilitated over $4.5M in blended finance while supporting 300+ SMEs and redesigning 40+ business models since 2022.

The business is founder-led by CEO Gladys Kivati and operates with a distributed team of approximately 21 members across Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and other geographies. Revenue is generated through a combination of professional services fees, SaaS subscriptions, course tuition, and programme delivery, with no disclosed funding rounds, external investors, or revenue figures.

Name

Sustainable Business Consulting

Legal name

Sustainable Business Consulting

Website

https://sbclimited.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sustainable Business Consulting (SBC) is a Nairobi-based sustainability consulting and ESG advisory firm serving SMEs, impact investors, enterprise support organizations, and larger enterprises across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean with bespoke advisory, proprietary GRCS software, and online training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Consulting

NAICS

Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (BPAEAPAA), Compliance Technology, GRC Platforms & Controls Automation Advisory (BPAHAFAO)

Keywords

• Sustainability consulting
• ESG advisory services
• Sustainability training
• Sustainable investment advisory
• Occupational health safety

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Sustainability Consulting Services: Advisory and consulting engagements for sustainability assessment, strategy, training, investment advisory, supply chain management, and ESG advisory. Delivered through one-on-one client engagements and bespoke advisory engagements.
2. Professional Training and Courses: Online and virtual training courses on ESG, sustainability reporting, climate finance, supply chain sustainability, and related topics. Courses are priced at $500 per course with 4 one-hour sessions and 20 seats per cohort.
3. Software Subscriptions: SaaS-based software products including Enterprise Risk Management, Third Party Risk Management, Health & Safety Management, Business Continuity Management, Sustainability & ESG Tool, and Crisis and Incident Management platforms. Accessed via 'Request a demo' and 'Request pricing' CTAs indicating subscription-based pricing.
4. Entrepreneurship Development Programs: Business planning, advisory services, and capacity building programs for startups, high-growth companies, and established businesses across various stages of their lifecycle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sustainable Business Consulting (SBC) is a Nairobi-based sustainability consulting and ESG advisory firm that delivers advisory engagements, professional training, and a suite of proprietary Governance, Risk and Compliance Software (GRCS) products. Their offerings span sustainability assessment, strategy development, ESG integration, sustainable investment advisory, supply chain management, carbon measurement, and occupational health & safety, serving SMEs, investors, enterprise support organizations, and larger enterprises across Africa, Asia, and select global markets.

Product overview

Sustainable Business Consulting (SBC) offers a suite of sustainability and ESG-focused software products built on their proprietary GRCS (Governance, Risk, and Compliance Suite) platform. The product portfolio centers on the Sustainability & ESG Tool as a comprehensive platform for tracking environmental, social, and governance goals, complemented by specialized risk management products including Enterprise Risks Management, Third Party Risk Management, and Health & Safety Management Software. Additional offerings include Business Continuity Management Software, Crisis and Incident Management, Carbon Measurement and Reporting Software, and Covid-19 Assessment Software. SBC also provides the Safe and Decent Work Toolkit—an E&OHS resource for intermediaries—and sustainability consulting services. The GRCS platform serves as the underlying technology foundation connecting risk data across products for comprehensive enterprise visibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sustainability & ESG Academy: Online learning platform offering short courses on sustainability, ESG, climate change, and related topics for professionals.

Products and services

• Sustainability Consulting Bespoke sustainability consultancy engagements covering sustainability assessment, strategy, training, investment advisory, supply chain management, and communications and reporting, delivered through one-on-one client engagements for SMEs, investors, and enterprises.
• Advisory Services High-level advisory engagements for building impactful, high-performing purpose-driven businesses, supporting organizations in defining sustainability strategies and integrating ESG into business models.
• Entrepreneurship Development Business planning, capacity-building, and advisory services for startups, high-growth companies, and established SMEs across various lifecycle stages, including support for sustainability integration and access to green funding.
• Sustainable Investment & Finance Advisory Advisory services focused on adding value into investment decision-making, raising capital, financial product design, and sustainable finance linkages for investors and investees.
• Sustainability Reporting Reporting and disclosure advisory aligned with frameworks such as GRI, TCFD, CSRD, and UN Global Compact to help organizations navigate evolving sustainability disclosure requirements.
• Sustainable Products and Circularity Advisory Advisory support for transitioning production and consumption toward a resilient circular economy, including lifecycle assessments, sustainable product design, and waste reduction.
• Enterprise Risk Management Software ERM software built on the GRCS platform that enables a structured and systematic approach to managing organizational risks, with uniform risk assessment methodologies and standards.
• Third Party Risk Management Software Solution for maintaining a single inventory of all third-party relationships, their firmographic data, and risk profiles, with tiered onboarding, risk assessments, and due diligence workflows.
• Health & Safety Management Software EHS software that helps organizations track and report safety data, analyze trends, meet compliance requirements, and reduce administrative work while protecting employees.
• Business Continuity Management Software Business continuity and disaster recovery platform for orchestrating continuity planning, risk assessments, disaster tracking, recovery action management, and centralized crisis management.
• Sustainability & ESG Software Comprehensive ESG management platform enabling organizations to track, manage, and accelerate progress on environmental, social, and governance goals, aligned with global standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Crisis and Incident Management Software Incident management software for responding to, tracking, and resolving workplace incidents from initial report through root cause analysis and corrective actions, including issue identification, task management, response planning, and communication planning.
• Carbon Measurement and Reporting Software Carbon management platform for measuring, managing, and reducing carbon footprint through data collection, emissions calculation, and compliance reporting to support net-zero commitments.
• COVID-19 Assessment Software Assessment software for managing COVID-19 related workplace protocols and tracking for organizations.
• Safe and Decent Work Toolkit Employment, Occupational Health and Safety (E&OHS) toolkit with guidelines, tools, and resources for intermediaries to integrate E&OHS into advisory services and promote safe workspaces and fair employment practices among SMEs.
• Professional Sustainability Courses (SBC Academy) Online and virtual training courses on ESG, sustainability reporting, climate finance, supply chain sustainability, and related topics, delivered via SBC Academy LMS at $500 per course with 4 one-hour sessions and 20 seats per cohort.

Quantifiable outcome

• Income increase of 47% for farmers in one year through regenerative farming and crop insurance model (AgriCoop Kenya case study)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AmalgamatedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization collaborating with SBC on sustainability initiatives as shown in the clients and partners logo section.
• AECminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization listed in SBC's client and partner network.
• Shared Value HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner focused on shared value creation and sustainability integration in business operations.
• United Nations (UN Global Compact)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBC is a signatory of the UN Global Compact, aligning with UN principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption for sustainable business development.
• SankalpminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDevelopment ecosystem partner supporting sustainable business development in emerging markets.
• Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKenyan institution supporting climate innovation and sustainable business development through financing and capacity building.
• Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Safe Fair Work initiative supporting the promotion of safe and decent work practices in Kenya.
• SolidaridadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational civil society organization working on sustainable supply chains, partner in Safe Fair Work Community of Practice.
• ANDE (Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of accelerators and incubators supporting entrepreneurs in developing economies, partner in safe work initiatives.
• AssekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Safe Fair Work Community of Practice.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Greenegy: Greenegy is a sustainability and ESG advisory platform serving African SMEs and corporates. Comparable peer to SBC on African sustainability consulting footprint and SME-focused sustainability capacity building.

Direct peers

• South Pole: South Pole is a climate and sustainability consultancy offering carbon advisory, ESG strategy and climate-finance services. Closely comparable to SBC's Sustainability & ESG Advisory and carbon management offerings, especially in emerging markets.
• Anthesis Group: Anthesis is a global sustainability advisory and ESG software provider with similar end-to-end offerings (advisory + technology platform). Comparable to SBC across consulting, ESG reporting, supply-chain sustainability and carbon management.
• EcoAct: EcoAct provides carbon accounting, climate strategy and ESG advisory services. Overlaps with SBC on carbon measurement/reporting, sustainability strategy and reporting for African and European clients.
• Watershed Technology: Watershed is a carbon measurement and reporting SaaS platform. Closely comparable to SBC's Carbon Measurement and Reporting Software module as a dedicated sustainability data platform.
• Clarity AI: Clarity AI is an ESG analytics and sustainability software platform. Comparable to SBC's Sustainability & ESG Tool and risk modules, particularly for impact investors and asset managers integrating ESG into investment decisions.

Broad incumbents

• Workiva: Workiva is an enterprise SaaS platform for ESG, sustainability and regulatory reporting. Comparable to SBC's Sustainability & ESG Tool as a software layer, though Workiva operates at much larger enterprise scale and global category leadership.
• Sphera: Sphera is an established EHS and risk management SaaS vendor. Directly comparable to SBC's Health & Safety Management, Incident Management and Enterprise Risk Management modules, but at significantly larger enterprise scale.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is one of the world's largest pure-play sustainability and ESG consulting firms. It overlaps directly with SBC's ESG advisory and impact assessment services, but serves global enterprise and government clients at significantly larger scale.
• Carbon Trust: Carbon Trust is an established sustainability consultancy with deep expertise in carbon measurement, ESG strategy and emerging-market sustainability programs. Overlaps with SBC's advisory and capacity-building offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sustainable-business-consulting-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sustainable Business Consulting