No Poverty
End poverty in all its forms, everywhere. For SMEs, this is about fair access to opportunity, decent work, ethical supply chains, and supporting people and communities to thrive.
A practical example, local and real
A York-based plumbing and heating SME noticed more customers asking for budget-friendly repairs and flexible payment options. They launched a community support plan for urgent fixes, offered staged payments, and partnered with a local charity to refer households needing additional help.
- Emergency support option for urgent repairs
- Staged payments for essential work
- Local referral partner for hardship cases
- More enquiries from local searches
- Higher conversion on urgent repair calls
- Stronger reviews and community trust
They updated their SDG:Zero listing with phrases customers actually search: “emergency plumber York”, “affordable boiler repair York”, “flexible payment plumbing”. They also posted a short update each month showing community support outcomes, which helped build trust and improved visibility in local results.
Quick explainer video
Hear how SDG 1 affects local SMEs, and how small, practical actions can make a real difference in local communities.
Practical actions for SMEs
Commit to a living wage and transparent progression wherever possible.
Offer apprenticeships, work placements, or entry routes into your industry.
Flexible payment options, clear pricing, and practical support for essential services.
Prioritise local suppliers and ethical sourcing where it makes sense.
Partner with local charities, food banks, or advice services and show the impact.
Listing copy examples you can use
We create opportunities locally through apprenticeships and entry-level roles, supporting sustainable work in our area.
For essential services, we offer clear pricing and flexible options to help customers stay safe and supported.
We partner with local organisations to support households facing hardship and help connect them to the right services.
Simple metrics to track
Apprenticeships, placements, entry roles, or supported return-to-work paths.
Hours donated, referrals, discounts, or essential assistance provided.
Reviews mentioning fairness, affordability, helpful support, and trust.
Turn community impact into local leads
When your business shows it supports people locally, customers choose you. Add SDG 1 to your SDG:Zero listing and publish short monthly updates, jobs created, community support, ethical sourcing. That type of content builds trust, improves your local profile, and helps you stand out in near me searches.