Policy Brief: Nudging SMEs towards more sustainability
07.12.2023
Not just a question of money: Why environmental sustainability is important for SMEs
The latest findings of the “Nudging SMEs” project have been recorded in a policy brief, which provides insights into the use of “nudge” interventions and similar instruments in promoting environmental measures at small and medium-sized companies (SMEs).
There are a large number of political programmes that aim to improve the environmental management practices of SMEs. Jan Schmitz’s project shows that financial incentives are not the main motivation for SMEs to take part in this type of programme; the desire to have a positive impact on the environment is just as important. When recruiting SMEs for sustainability programmes, it is therefore crucial to stress not just the financial advantages (such as saving money on electricity and other resources) but also the environmental benefits.
Additional surveys carried out as part of the project support these findings and show that the main factor driving SMEs to participate in environmental programmes is the personal motivation of CEOs and managers to make a difference.
The study also investigated how to communicate advantages (gain framing) and missed opportunities in the event of an SME not taking part (loss framing). Although no significant differences were observed, gain framing appears to be the better choice in promoting sustainability at SMEs, because it is seen as less controversial by political decision makers.
More information:
Contact:
Dr. Jan Schmitz
Department of Economics, Radboud University
+31 24 361 24 60
jan.schmitz@ru.nl