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Sustainability and Society: Protect the Planet
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) want to address the environmental and social impact their businesses may have, but doing it efficiently and with impact can be daunting. It is our goal to knock down the barriers standing in their way.
We will lead by example with ambitious yet realistic goals of our own:
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are at the heart of economies and societies around the world. We know that SMEs have a crucial part to play in the challenges that have arisen due to climate change and we support all SMEs in this collective mission.
In this report, we outline the impact and influence of these types of businesses on climate and economy – highlighting why the net zero transition presents real challenges for SMEs. Commissioned by Sage, in partnership with Oxford Economics and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the report features insights from 4,000 small and medium-sized enterprises across the UK and South Africa, plus global sustainability modeling by Oxford Economics. Find out what climate actions SMEs can take now, and explore what governments and big businesses can do to enable action in the future.
SMEs make up over 90% of businesses and are estimated to employ two billion people worldwide. But the reality is that a vast majority have yet to take climate action or put targets in place to reduce their carbon emissions. Lack of time, high costs, excessively complicated instructions, and uncertainty about how to measure emissions, are all barriers to taking positive action. That’s why we’ve partnered with the global body for professional accountants, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), as well as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to provide friendly recommendations for SMEs.
Our collaborative report, "Think Small First: Enabling effective climate action by small and medium-sized businesses" calls for governments and large companies to take steps to urgently simplify carbon reporting and accounting so that SMEs are not left behind in the Race to Net Zero.
Joining WBCSD as a council member provides Sage with the opportunity to represent SMEs and the challenges they face globally in protecting our planet. We will collaborate with leaders across industries, sectors, and geographical areas to help sustainable businesses be more successful.
Steve Hare will also play an active role in the Business Commission to Tackle Inequality (BCTI) as commissioner. He will work with other purpose-led CEOs and industry leaders to mobilize the business community at large and to drive tangible progress to support prosperity for all.
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