Discover the View on Integrating Sustainable Development in Businesses, which presents the results of an extensive survey conducted with business owners.
Today we are publishing the View on Integrating Sustainable Development in Businesses. The result of an extensive survey conducted alongside the Réseau Mentorat’s Indice entrepreneurial québécois (Quebec entrepreneurial index) with some 2,000 business owners, the study provides wide-ranging information about the relationship between Quebec entrepreneurs and sustainable development.
The View unveils results about:
- the level of knowledge about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
- the preferred stage for businesses to integrate sustainable development efforts
- the level of integration of sustainable factors according to 13 different themes
- checks on integration
- drivers of integration
Entrepreneurs’ level of knowledge about SDGs remains limited
Our study shows that only one in ten entrepreneurs believes they know about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the framework used by many organizations globally.
When we asked the same question of entrepreneurs from the Quebec entrepreneurial ecosystem, two in 10 entrepreneurs reported knowing about the SDGs.
Women, immigrants, and youth stand out
The View shows that women, immigrants, and youth 18 to 34 are more aware of the SDGs.
Specifically, twice as many women as men reported being very familiar with the SDGs (8.7% of women versus 4.6% of men). Immigrants reported being aware of them at a rate of 40.8%, versus people born in Canada at a rate of 18.7%. Youth aged 18 to 34 are aware of them at a rate of 28.7%, compared with around 21% for other age groups.
These same groups told us they integrated sustainable development principles before launching their business.
Human resources: a priority for entrepreneurs
With respect to the level of integration of sustainable development, our interest is in 13 themes, broken down into three groups:
- operations
- human resources
- resource and waste management
Many more respondents reported that their sustainable development efforts fall mainly under themes from the human resources group.
What do we need to take action?
Our study shows that one in three entrepreneurs still have not made sustainable development part of their business. Of the main obstacles to entrepreneurs acting, many indicated they felt that the issue of sustainable development did not apply in their sector or lacked familiarity with and information about the subject.
A hopeful future
It is important to note that among respondents who reported they had not made sustainable development part of their business, more than half plan to do so soon.
This is a sign that the number of agents of change in the Quebec entrepreneurial ecosystem is growing.
This is why we believe that the most important message from this study is not that Quebec entrepreneurs need to be convinced of the importance of sustainable development, but that it is important to continue to help them integrate it.
Click here to consult the View on Integrating Sustainable Development in Businesses (English version coming soon)