We have a popular business website and a large client base of small businesses, most of whom have not considered sustainability until now. We want to help them with this.

We are hoping to partner with a talented team who can create resources and checklists for small businesses, which they could download from our website and complete an internal sustainability audit.

We would like to support this with some text about what is a sustainability audit, how to complete one, and any other areas that might be of use. This is such a fast-changing area and becoming more and more important to all of us.

Our objective is to leverage your expertise in creating a repository of resources, guides, and checklists designed for small businesses. This content will assist them in conducting their internal sustainability audits. The resources should be straightforward and user-friendly, enabling businesses with little or no knowledge of sustainability practices to begin their journey toward a more environmentally friendly operation.

Given the dynamic nature of sustainability, these resources should include not only the fundamental principles but also the latest trends and strategies in sustainable business practices. Ideally, the content will provide clarity on what a sustainability audit is, the steps involved in conducting one, and the value it can bring to their business.

Our ultimate vision is a dedicated 'Sustainability Resource Center' on our website. Here, users will find a comprehensive guide on conducting a sustainability audit, an overview of various sustainability frameworks, and actionable advice on how small businesses can transition towards more sustainable practices.

Additionally, we hope to provide one or more actual audit templates that businesses can directly download and use within their operations. These could also be transformed into interactive digital checklists on our website for ease of use. All resources will be open for use and free of charge, with due credit given to the student team for their valuable contributions.

While our team will take care of the web and design work, we need your expertise in generating the core content and shaping it to suit our audience. We anticipate this project will involve a blend of planning, research, content creation, checklist/framework development, and project management. Together, we aim to support countless small businesses in their initial steps toward becoming more sustainable, thereby making a significant positive impact on our planet.

To achieve the project's ambitious goal, we think that these are some of the core areas of the project:

1. Project Planning: Outline the project's scope and define its key stages. This will include establishing a timeline and assigning responsibilities among team members.
2. Extensive Research: Study the latest trends, strategies, and best practices in sustainable business. Review existing sustainability audit models and frameworks. Identify the common challenges small businesses may face when trying to implement sustainability measures.
3. Content Generation: Write clear, concise, and actionable guides on conducting a sustainability audit, understanding different sustainability frameworks, and transitioning towards sustainable business practices.
4. Resource Development: Create comprehensive, user-friendly checklists and audit templates that small businesses can download and use internally. Where possible, design these resources to be interactive to enhance user engagement and effectiveness.
5. Project Management: Regularly track the project's progress and ensure all milestones are met within the agreed timeframe.
6. Testing and Feedback: Test the developed resources for usability and understanding. Solicit feedback from a small group of businesses to validate the effectiveness of these tools before finalizing them.
7. Presentation and Documentation: Present the final resources and guides in a manner that is visually appealing and easy to understand. Document the entire process from start to finish, highlighting the challenges faced, solutions developed, and key learnings for future reference.
8. Awareness Creation: Draft a communication strategy to spread the word about the available resources, encourage small businesses to use them, and promote the importance of sustainability.

Skills the Students will be using on the Project:

1. Research Skills: Learners will develop robust research skills as they investigate the latest trends and strategies in sustainable business, and study existing sustainability audit models and frameworks.
2. Critical Thinking: The process of analyzing various sustainability practices and frameworks will enhance learners' critical thinking abilities, as they identify what would work best for different types of small businesses.
3. Content Creation: Creating informative and engaging guides, resources, and checklists will allow learners to improve their written communication and content creation abilities.
4. Project Management: Managing the various stages of the project, from planning and execution to monitoring and completion, will provide learners with valuable project management experience.
5. Collaboration: Working as a team to achieve a common goal will improve learners' abilities to collaborate effectively, fostering skills such as communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
6. Sustainability Literacy: Learners will gain in-depth knowledge about sustainability practices and audits, enhancing their sustainability literacy and preparing them for future roles in this field.
7. Data Analysis: By testing the developed resources and evaluating their effectiveness, learners will acquire and enhance their data analysis skills.
8. Creativity and Innovation: The development of user-friendly, engaging resources and checklists will foster learners' creative thinking and innovation skills.
9. Presentation Skills: Presenting the final resources and guides, as well as documenting the entire project, will provide learners with valuable experience in professional presentation and documentation. This will also be supported via the weekly check-in calls with ourselves as the "client" in this project.
10. Communication Strategy Development: Crafting a strategy to spread awareness about the available resources will enable learners to develop strategic communication and marketing skills.
11. Stakeholder Engagement: Soliciting feedback from ourselves as the stakeholder and incorporating this input into the resources will enhance learners' stakeholder engagement skills, teaching them to work effectively with diverse groups and individuals.

• Weekly Video Calls: We will establish routine video calls to discuss progress, address queries, and provide direction.
• Planning Input: Our experienced team will offer invaluable guidance during the planning stage of the project, sharing insights and strategies to ensure a successful outcome.
• Regular Feedback: Learners will receive continuous feedback on their work to help them learn, grow, and refine their output.
• Access to Our Entire Team: Learners will have the opportunity to interact with our diverse team of experts across various fields, gaining valuable insights from their experiences.
• Mentorship: Each learner will be assigned a mentor from our team, who will provide one-on-one guidance and support throughout the project.
• Resource Availability: We will provide access to our library of digital resources, research databases, and tools that can aid in the successful completion of the project.
• Flexibility: We understand that learners have different styles and paces of working. We'll provide the necessary flexibility to ensure their comfort while maintaining project efficiency.
• Safe Learning Environment: We will foster an environment that encourages questions, nurtures creativity, and respects diverse ideas and perspectives.
• Real-World Exposure: Learners will get hands-on experience in a real-world business setting, learning about the challenges and solutions first-hand.