Political climate influences sustainability choices for 40% of SMEs

It is noteworthy that SMEs that place more importance on sustainable entrepreneurship are more likely to state that the current political climate influences the choices regarding sustainability that the company makes. A large majority of entrepreneurs (65%) consider sustainability within the company important, especially larger SMEs with more than 50 employees see sustainability as an integral part of their business operations. They mainly focus on the energy transition and recycling and reducing waste. In addition to complying with laws and regulations, which is the main driver for 31%, many entrepreneurs feel responsible for future generations and want to protect the environment (almost 30%). Reasons such as personal conviction, competitive advantage, and customer demand are mentioned less frequently. Entrepreneurs who consider sustainability important are generally more convinced of its positive impact on the success of their company. Only 16% of the surveyed companies say they do not take any sustainability measures.

Mariska van Donge, manager of sustainability at a.s.r.: ‘It is good to see that more and more entrepreneurs are paying attention to sustainability. This often involves complying with regulations and reducing negative impact through energy transition and recycling. There are, however, many opportunities for entrepreneurs in sustainable innovations and seeking ways to make a positive impact, such as the development of bio-based building materials, sustainable damage repair, and a supermarket that does not use packaging materials.’

Diversity and inclusion are seen by about 1 in 10 entrepreneurs as part of sustainable entrepreneurship. 45% of SMEs indicate that they are predominantly positive about investing in the support of neurodiverse employees within the organisation. At the same time, the research shows that only 16% of companies currently have policies or programmes in place to support neurodiverse employees.