Small business / Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Defined in terms of number of employees and turnover, the numbers depending on which region is at stake, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain the backbone of any national economy. Their role in taking sustainability mainstream is critical, mindful of the accumulative impact that many small actions in daily business operations can have. The need to provide support and build the capacity of SME managers has been repeated may 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 the Eco-Efficiency and Sustainable Enterprise Group at the Wuppertal Institute in Germany in developing The Efficient Entrepreneur calendar. This innovative product provides training specially adapted to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) world-wide. The calender is available in growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish and Turkish. New language versions can be prepared in co-operation with any industry or business association interested.

How does it work?

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 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 Wuppertal Institute have been joined by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in transforming the Entrepreneur into a sustainability project that also covers socio-economic issues. An introduction for SMEs to use of the GRI Guidelines in sustainability reporting has already been launched. See the High 5! and follow up guide online on the website of the Global Reporting Initiative. Further funding is being sought for the SMART Entrepreneur, introducing SMEs to social responsibility issues and related management challenges.

 

Websites

The Efficient Entrepreneur Calendar

UNIDO & SMEs