Despite a growing awareness and commitment to sustainability, only 2% of small businesses feel that there is significant sustainability support available according to a new report.
The Small Business, Green Growth report commissioned by BT, Small Business Britain and Oxford Brookes Business School involves more than 2000 small businesses.
The report states that 80% of business proprietors aim to enhance their sustainability efforts, with nearly one in four small businesses seeing environmental initiatives as a potential avenue for growth.
But, small businesses do not believe there is much support available to them. Whether this is a perception or reality, clearly any support available is not reaching the businesses. A significant 47% of businesses believe there to be minimal support available for sustainability in their business, with 17% claiming a total absence of support. Only a small fraction, 2%, believe there is significant support available.
Despite the Government’s commitment to Net Zero by 2050, there is limited understanding amongst small businesses about what this means, and perhaps as a result, few businesses see Government as a key influencer in their sustainability journey.
Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain said “It is clear that there is engagement, excitement and even passion in the approach to sustainability from small businesses. What is less clear to both us and them is the path forwards for them from here to a point of net zero and the fundamental changes we will need to make to combat climate change.”
