Ideas Shop Sustainable Business Practices Survey

in association with Chartered Accounting Firm BDO Spicers

www.ideasshop.co.nz

Published in March 2009 by Ideas Shop Ltd

Sustainable Business Practices | At a glance

The Ideas Shop Sustainable Business Practices Survey was completed during March 2009.+401 respondents across New Zealand+Businesses employ between 5 and 50 staff (ie SMEs)+Error rate of +/- 5%+Organised into metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas+50% response rate of those contacted for a telephone survey.

Methodology

•SustainablebusinesspracticeisregardedbymostSMEsasimportantandsomethingtheywillbe

working at over the coming years.

•ThesurveyresultsallowedustocategoriseSMEsintovesegments–fromthesmallEco-Warrior

segment who undertake the maximum number of sustainable business practices and incorporatethem into their way of operating, to unconvinced businesses who are cynical about the sustainabilitymovement and complete sustainable activities almost by accident.

•Thenumberofpeoplethebusinessemploysandthesizeofitsturnoverhasadirectrelationshipwith

their likelihood of operating sustainably.

•AroundaquarterofSMEs(metropolitanandnon-metropolitan)haveaformalcommitmenttooperating

sustainably.

•Around10percentofsmallandmedium-sizedbusinessesreportontheirsustainablebusiness

practices.

•95percentofSMEsundertakeatleastoneofsevenenvironmentalmeasures.•Themostcommonenvironmentalmeasuresaresortingwaste,savingpowerandconservingpaper.•SMEshaveexibleemploymentpractises,withatleasthalfofferingstaffatleastoneoptionforworkingexibly.•Around35percentofSMEsoffertheirpeoplewellnessbenetssuchasindependentnancialadviceorhealth/tnessbenetse.g.counselling.•93percentofsmallandmedium-sizedbusinessesundertakeatleastonecharitableactivity.•87percentsurveyeddonatetocharity.Otherssponsoreventsandprovideprobonogoodsand

services.

•TimeandmoneyarethebiggestbarrierstoSMEsincorporatingsustainablebusinesspractices.

Being sustainable means incorporating good economic, social and environmental principles into productsand services, long-term business planning, day-to-day operations and interactions with customersand suppliers. It’s about making intelligent business decisions and the best long-term use of talent and

resourcestoimprovetheoverallqualityoflife

www.business.govt.nz/General/Sustainable-business

Of the 401 New Zealand small andmedium-sized enterprises (SMEs)surveyed, almost all undertook someform of environmental, employmentor social sustainable businesspractice. However, the level ofbusiness commitment to sustainability

variedsignicantlydependingonthe

location and the size of the business.

Sustainability is the biggest opportunity and challenge that businesses face.Developing strategies to take on sustainability is vital for the long-term survival of enterprise. The drivers

areclear–andthechangeinthinkingrequiredandtheassociatedchallengeforbusinessissignicant.

Among the 401 New Zealand small and medium-sized businesses surveyed, almost all undertook someform of environmental, employment or social sustainable business practice. However, the degree of

commitmentvariedsignicantlydependingonthelocation(metropolitanornon-metropolitan)andthesize

of the business.More than half of SMEs surveyed said that sustainable business practices are important to them, but timeand cost were often the greatest barriers to their commitment.

Aquarterwantedtomakeagreatercommitmentbutdidn’tknowwheretostart,lackedtimeand/orinformation,orthoughttheirbusinessneededtobebiggerandmoreprotabletoinvestinsustainable