99% of all global business are SME

Sustainability becomes more and more import around the world as we are being faced with the effects of climate change.

Alaska has temperatures 10 degrees warmer than ever before. China has had the most rainfall in a 1000 years. Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands is flooded and we’re in the middle of a global pandemic. It can hardly be unnoticed.

Change will be the only constant factor in life and we have to learn to deal with that. We have to develop the skills to imagine possible futures, be creative, able to solve problems, think out of the box, collaborate and able to communicate across borders to come up with solutions for the complex global problems we face. We have to step up our pace to meet the #unsustainabledevelopmentgoals in 2030 let alone be #netzeroemissions by 2050.

From an economic perspective the changes in the environment and in society require business owners to adapt. Sustainable development and the shift from shareholder value to systems value alignment becomes the norm as we move forward in the 21st century.

Doing business for good is good for business

It is easier said than done, but if you don’t follow that rule you will simple loose your license to operate. Large corporations have to report on CSR and investors look at ESG reporting. Slowly the business community starts to shift. But we need more. As the European Union progresses the Green deal global supply chains will be affected and new Trade agreements will fall into place. Those developing countries who not join will be left behind. There is huge business opportunity in sustainable development if you play along. Over 1.8 trillion in the EU alone!

But sustainable development is not only a corporate theme.

For me the big question is how to inspire the over 400 million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) around the world to become more sustainable so they too contribute to a better and more #sustainable future.

Is it using other words, changing the perspective from global to local examples, leading by example, providing training and education to business owners and staff or even starting at school with teaching entrepreneurial skills and grow awareness for sustainable solutions?

Listen to the latest podcast from UNSDG Learn produced by Paulyn Duman with Ubiquity University

Question:

What does sustainable development mean to you? How do you think we can work together to bring the SME community into the Sustainable Development game? Let me know what you think in the comments.