According to the study “Small business, big opportunity‘ by Sage, only 48% of managers said sustainability was of great importance to them. And less than one in six companies (15%) determine their own carbon footprint. However, SMEs that value sustainability go to great lengths to meet their carbon footprint and sustainability goals. As the results of the study show, 43% are already reducing their energy consumption. And 40% of businesses are reducing their waste to address sustainability. An additional 34% are increasingly doing without business travel and as many are saving significant resources through digitalization.

Special role of sustainability for climate change

“The lack of resources for long-term business planning and a high workload in day-to-day activities make it difficult for small and medium-sized companies in Germany to address the issue of sustainability,” says Christoph Stoica, Managing Director Central European National Companies at Sage. “However, this does not absolve them of their responsibility. Because only if sustainability plays an important role in all areas of everyday life, and especially in business, can climate change be countered in the medium and long term. » (sg)

About the study methodology

Together with Strand Partners, Sage conducted an online survey of 11,986 SME managers in February 2023. In Germany, 1,068 people were interviewed. Decision makers from Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States were interviewed. In each of these markets, decision-makers from companies with less than 250 employees were interviewed. Except for the United States, where due to an official definition of SMEs, a specific sample for companies with 250 to 500 employees was included.

THE Sage Ltd. offers IT systems that enable more transparency and more efficient processes in the areas of accounting, business management and human resources. By digitizing business processes and relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, banks and authorities, the digital network brings small and medium-sized businesses closer together. (gs)

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