Defined in terms of number of employees and turnover, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain the backbone of national economies. Their role in taking sustainability mainstream is critical given the cumulative impact of repeated small actions in daily business operations. The need to provide support and build the capacity of SME managers has been reiterated many times. UNEP remains ready to work with partners in different regions and industry sectors to help address this need. Foundational material is available to use as reference, in particular The Efficient Entrepreneur with its innovative text which remains highly relevant. We are also expanding its coverage into the broader sustainability area, helping to develop introductory guidance on Social Responsibility through The SMART Entrepreneur.

In 2000 we joined Wuppertal Institute in Germany in developing The Efficient Entrepreneur calendar. Now the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) is our core partner. The calender is specially adapted to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) world-wide. It is available in growing number of languages including English, French, Italian, Spanish and Turkish. New language versions can be prepared in co-operation with any industry or business association interested.

The Efficient Entrepeneur Calendar

In combination with its users' guide, the calendar provides assistance on how to measure and improve business performance. It introduces action steps that are easy to assess and evaluate. Its "month-by-month" programme starts with appointing a team coordinator in January and ends with a simple Efficient Entrepreneur Report by December.

Who is it for?

The calendar is useful to any firm that considers itself to be an SME-type company. It will be additionally be beneficial to any company that requires an introduction to performance measurement and communication. It helps companies find out how much energy, water and raw materials they consume, how much pollution they produce, and where costs can be reduced and customer satisfaction improved.

New plans:
UNEP and the CSCP have started developing a self-help guidebook provisionally entitled "Do SMART Business - Week by Week" for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) around the world. This guidebook aims to introduce the basics of environmental practice and social responsibility for managers and employees of SMEs, and includes related examples, commentaries and tips for action.

The guidebook is designed to provide 52 actions (one per week) which SMEs can implement in their operations to improve their environmental and social performance. Each action will be presented on a double page which contains short texts with an illustration, a photo or a picture that attracts the reader's attention. In contrast to the other existing tools and publications, this guidebook will target new audiences - ordinary managers and employees in SMEs who are not familiar with sustainable development issues.