You keep getting the same call. A finance lead or operations manager forwards me a 20–40 page ESG questionnaire from a major customer. The subject line usually reads: “What is this and can we ignore it?” The answer is always no. And the conversation that follows reveals why most SME suppliers won’t survive the 2026 ESG compliance wave. The ESG Questionnaire Panic The moment of realisation hits when the team opens that questionnaire, and three things become clear at once: They