Embracing Sustainability: A Survey of US Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Abstract

Studies on sustainability strategies of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have primarily been done on European firms and less on those in Asia and Latin America. Fewer research is done on US SMEs to show the factors that have motivated or hindered their embracing sustainability. We bridged this gap by surveying over 600 New York SMEs. Results indicated that owners’/managers’ values, awareness, and sustainability education emerged as the key factors influencing their adoption of sustainability. Government regulations or financial incentives to coerce or encourage sustainability played a lesser role. Significant barriers were the cost of implementation and the firm’s limited resources.