Nearly 99% of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) plan to maintain or increase their efforts across environmental, social or economic sustainability after the pandemic.
Software Advice, a company that helps small businesses navigate the software buying journey, released findings today from its report on sustainability in SMB supply chains. This survey of over 500 SMB supply chain professionals found that 86% of respondents had sustainability measures in place prior to the pandemic, and environmental sustainability practices were most common.
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While the pandemic has presented numerous challenges for businesses, most respondents increased their sustainability practices in the past 18 months. Fifty-four percent of respondents surveyed have increased their environmental sustainability efforts, 42% increased social sustainability efforts, and 24% increased economic sustainability efforts. Almost all plan to maintain or increase these measures after the pandemic.
Respondents also shared the downsides of investing in sustainability practices. In the survey, 58% reported high direct (e.g., buying more expensive products) and indirect (e.g., longer processes) costs as their biggest challenges. However, once the initial investment was made, many saw the benefit of their efforts: 46% rate cost savings as the top benefit as a result of sustainability investments, followed by positive change in brand reputation (43%), and increased internal morale (43%).
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The survey findings also revealed that SMBs are using software for sustainability implementation. Eighty-three percent of respondents say that they use software to help support their sustainability efforts, and 60% report that software saves them time. This is followed by others who say that it has helped execute sustainable actions (49%) and save money (49%).
The research shows that investments in supply chain sustainability not only support society and the planet, SMBs can also see a positive impact on their business and customers. As SMBs understand the benefits of sustainability initiatives, they can be expected to take their business in a more eco- and community-friendly direction.