Seizing Opportunities: How Small Businesses Can Lead in Sustainability and Inclusion
July 2024
AEO’s Seizing Opportunities report sheds light on the challenges and opportunities faced by diverse-owned small businesses in adapting to the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability and inclusion strategies.
Executive Summary
In recent years, corporations and businesses across industries have been reevaluating their approach to risk and resilience and implementing sustainable and inclusive practices into their business strategies and operations. The impact of this trend on small businesses, especially diverse-owned small businesses, is understudied. Understanding how corporate sustainability and inclusion strategies affect these small businesses is crucial. Given their extensive presence, protecting their ability to operate in today’s business landscape is essential for fostering a more equitable and resilient economy. To understand the impact of corporate environmental sustainability and social inclusion goals on small businesses, AEO carried out a comprehensive study.
This report outlines how sustainability and inclusion are pivotal trends affecting corporations and shaping the business landscape, the unique opportunities for these businesses, and recommendations for key ecosystem stakeholders to strategically and collaboratively support these businesses in navigating today’s increasingly more sustainable economy.
