Close to 23 per cent of businesses have focused their sustainability efforts primarily in the area of energy. Measures pertaining to the circular economy, including responsible management of raw materials and waste, were noted by 15 per cent. Emission reduction efforts were undertaken by 8 per cent of businesses. A notable 36 per cent have taken a combination of measures relating to energy, emissions, or the circular economy, CBS said on the basis of the Business Survey Netherlands (COEN) held at the beginning of September 2023 among enterprises in the manufacturing and retail trade sectors.

Interestingly, 18 per cent of businesses reported making no additional efforts in sustainability this year. The transportation sector was observed to be more active in emission reduction, whereas retail trade businesses were more focused on energy conservation measures.

Regarding challenges in the sustainability journey, a quarter of entrepreneurs identified dependence on third parties as a major barrier. A lack of financial resources was cited by over 14 per cent, and 11 per cent saw limited benefits in becoming more sustainable. However, 32 per cent of the businesses said they faced no obstacles in their sustainability endeavours, as per CBS.

Large companies, with at least 250 employees, mentioned dependence on third parties as a primary obstacle more often than smaller businesses. Small enterprises, having up to 50 employees, pointed out financial limitations, unfamiliarity with sustainability possibilities, and a perceived lack of benefit as major hurdles more frequently than their larger counterparts.

In terms of self-perception, nearly 35 per cent of enterprises consider their operations largely or fully sustainable. Almost half of the businesses see themselves as partially sustainable, while 15 per cent regard their sustainability efforts as minimal. Large enterprises are more likely to consider themselves as largely sustainable compared to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The survey also indicates that businesses tend to benchmark their sustainability performance against standards, peer companies or sustainability opportunities within their sector rather than comparing themselves to more sustainable enterprises in other sectors.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)