In order to investigate the current state of German SMEs with regard to social sustainability, students at LMU Munich conducted a survey with Breitenstein Consulting and the German Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (BVMW).
Social sustainability
Sustainability can be divided into three dimensions: ecological, social and economic. While ecological sustainability has arrived in most areas, social sustainability often plays a subordinate role. Social sustainability focuses on people and society and includes practices that promote development, employee participation and ecological responsibility. In the future, this area of sustainability is expected to play a major role in employer attractiveness in particular, as aspects such as meaningfulness, participation, life-work balance, sustainability and social commitment are becoming increasingly important, especially for young people.
Results of the survey
A total of 30 managing directors of German SMEs took part in the survey. The results show that sustainability is generally considered important, but that the area of ecology in particular receives a great deal of attention:
In terms of social sustainability, however, SMEs are already on the right track: the majority pay close attention to regular employee appraisals, a good work-life balance, mental health and diversity. Above all, however, regular employee surveys, the active demand for participation, learning and development opportunities for employees, a strong focus on shared responsibility with regard to ecological sustainability and the development of a management and corporate mission statement guarantee potential for improvement.
Promoting social sustainability in companies
Based on the results of the survey, three key aspects of social sustainability in companies were extracted:
- Participation: employees are a company’s most important resource. Use their voices through regular surveys and informal feedback. Encourage your employees to get actively involved by creating a climate of trust and openness.
- Training and further education: Sustainable companies need a sustainable learning culture. Create a mindset of fault tolerance and encourage unconventional ideas to drive innovation and creative thinking.
- Purpose: What is the purpose of your company? And what values do you stand for? A corporate and leadership mission statement helps you and your employees to answer these questions.
