Teaser
Did you know that in 2022 we have exhausted all the natural resources that nature is able to provide us already on July 28th? ...which means we needed the resources of 1.75 planets Earth to meet our needs in 2022...does that sound right?
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Sustainable approach for MSMEs Sustainable approach for MSMEsClick to read
![]() What do you imagine by being sustainable? How would you describe the meaning of sustainability to your friend? What is the sustainable approach your company applies? Answer the questions and watch this video Sustainable concerns in global development got attention in the mid-last century. Read about several milestones related to the issue of sustainable development regarding the creation of an international framework for further direction: 1972 – United Nations Conference on the Environment was the first world conference on the environment in Stockholm also known as the Stockholm Conference. It represents the international beginning of a dialogue between developed and developing countries about the link between environmental issues (mainly pollution of water and air), economic growth, and the well-being of people. Moreover, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) was created. 1992 - The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was held in Rio de Janeiro also as an occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Stockholm Conference (1972) focused on the human socio-economic impact on the environment. UNCED or the „Earth Summit“ recognized that: the concept of sustainable development was an achievable goal for all people; to meet the human needs for sustaining life on Earth is vital to balancing economic, social, and environmental concerns - for such integration, a new perception of consumption and production, the way we work, live, and make decisions is significant. 2015 – Summit on Sustainable Development was held at the UN Headquarters in New York where the Agenda 2030 including 17 sustainable development goals was formally approved. Two months later, Paris Agreement was signed and ratified by 187 parties at COP21 in Paris. 2022 – Stockholm+50 international meeting took place after fifty years since the 1972 Stockholm Conference and was determined to accelerate the goals of Agenda 2030. Read the key recommendations for accelerating action towards a healthy planet for the prosperity of all. Sustainability in the context of MSMEs Click to read
![]() Sustainability in business refers to
Why act sustainably?
The Earth doesn’t produce unlimited natural resources. On the contrary, we live in a truncated world of resources called planetary boundaries that must be respected to avoid environmental, social, and economic consequences. Watch the video about planetary boundaries and their current state here. Operational implications for MSMEs Click to read
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Considerations of sustainable operational implications you can apply within your company include:
Check the Sustainable trends for MSMEs for 2023 by Dr. Ayman El Tarabishy
Foundations for social entrepreneurship Foundations for social entrepreneurshipClick to read
![]() Social entrepreneurship is a way to sustainably solve societal challenges! According to the European Commission:
Based on the numbers, we can see that social entrepreneurship has a big potential to grow. The actual disadvantage is very low public exposure and recognition. Let´s learn more about what social entrepreneurship is and what added value could your business gain with this approach! Source: Business Jargons, read more about social entrepreneurship here. How is social entrepreneurship different?Click to read
![]() In general, entrepreneurship is based on profit maximization and this profit can be divided among the owners. Social enterprise can operate in any field and generates profit as any other business - the difference is how the profit is used! The profit is reinvested and fulfills a clear social mission that positively impacts a community! Social enterprises reinvest a certain share of their profit based on the relevant national law – e.g. Social enterprises in Slovakia put more than 50% of the profit back into the organization to expand and improve their services and activities that they carry out in order to fulfill their socially beneficial goals.
Social enterprises vs. profit-maximizing business and non-profit organisations: Source: Building Social Business Models: Lessons from the Grameen Experience Muhammad Yunus, Bertrand Moingeon and Laurence Lehmann-Ortega
Often, in the eyes of the public, social entrepreneurship is mainly associated with the integration of disadvantaged people.
BUT social missions can support the community’s well-being in many other fields than job creation and social inclusion of vulnerable groups, for example, cultural needs, healthcare, environmental protection, etc. For a better picture of the answer to the question „What is Social Entrepreneurship?“ watch the video created by Cluster for Eco-Social Innovation and Development CEDRA Split. Check examples of successful social enterprises and social innovation projects in selected countries described in the Handbook on Social Innovation prepared by experts from Slovakia or good practices identified within the project BRESE, Interreg Europe. Social entrepreneurship vs. Corporate social responsibility (CSR)Click to read
![]() Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. A socially responsible company voluntarily carries out activities that contribute, for example, to the protection of the environment or the development of the community, (they release employees to perform volunteer activities, financially support cultural events, etc.) - BUT its primary goal is still the creation of profit! While the primary goal of a social enterprise is the fulfillment of the social mission, the creation of social benefits, and a positive impact on the community. Social mission in MSMEs Click to read
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Green entrepreneurship Green entrepreneurshipClick to read
![]() Green entrepreneurship is a subset of sustainable entrepreneurship that addresses mainly environmental concerns but also social change through its products, services, and operations while generating profit. Green entrepreneurs are thus entrepreneurs who work towards the elimination of negative impact on the environment, by:
What is green entrepreneurship and its principles Click to read
![]() To make an impact, green entrepreneurs must communicate information about their sustainable activities and inform all stakeholders about it. However, this is preceded by the specific set of goals and the correct selection of tools to measure progress (such as monitoring the environmental impact of production operations and products during the whole lifecycle). Additionally, successful green entrepreneurship is desirable for the customers’ swift of their consumption to be more consciousness one.
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