Per this BizCommunity article, below are the four trends that will influence SMEs in 2023.
We then add our comments to each.
- Women-led ventures breaking barriers
- ESG and social entrepreneurship
- The fourth industrial revolution
- Storytelling for SME incubators and support programs
Besides being one of the four, as you would suspect, we see sustainability being an anchor of the other three.
For women led-ventures, or any smaller company that is new to a sector and short of cash, becoming certified sustainable is a wonderful way to cost-effectively take consumers away from established competitors, as 7 out of 10 consumers will move their business to a certified sustainable company.
As to the fourth industrial revolution bringing a new era of innovation in technology, sustainability is a core component for any company looking to cost-effectively scale any aspect of its operation. From the use of alternative energy, to hybrid work environments, to less travel, to faster software, to reusable equipment, to hiring/retaining better talent, any organization looking to advance and scale with new technology needs sustainability as an anchor.
Finally, as to storytelling for SMEs, given that 9 out of 10 consumers want your company to be certified sustainable and 7 out of 10 will move their business to a certified sustainable company, there are few stories that will generate more impact for a company than to talk about becoming certified sustainable and being able to continue talking about your ongoing Green Team sustainability projects.