Abstract
Even though many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) realize the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for their sustainable business development, they face difficulties when individually pursuing this target. This paper aims to provide cluster-based SMEs with a framework to facilitate the uptake of the SDGs through a cluster network model. By focusing on the case study of a furniture production Cluster Management Organization (CMO Habic a network-based approach to sustainability management is analyzed in order to integrate the SDGs framework into SMEs’ everyday language and day-to-day operations. Through a cluster model approach, industry-specific sustainability material issues are tackled jointly and with the aim of applying a common solution to a similar challenge, Lehi-ODS, an online sustainability management tool for SME self-evaluation, has been developed wherein the participating SMEs can gain an overarching knowledge about the UN 2030 Agenda, assess their own alignment with the SDGs and with respect to that of their peers, and prioritize initiatives to correctly deliver them. The main conclusion derived from the paper is that a CMO is deemed to be a valuable driver in identifying common sector-specific challenges of corporate sustainability and in addressing collectively the question of contributing to the SDGs.
Highlights
After the Rio+20 Sustainable Development Conferences held in 2012, the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDG) were launched and, in 2015, were endorsed by the UnitedNations and adopted by all 193 Member States [1], with the purpose of ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030 [2], guaranteeing that no one is left behind
The role of clusters in promoting the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDG) is outlined in the literature review in Section 2 in order to gain a better understanding of how clusters have evolved over time with a close up focus on their social aspect, and how cluster policy can promote the SDGs through Cluster Management Organizations (CMOs) joint-action
In the paper we have discussed to what extent SMEs can be introduced to the SDGs through a cluster approach and how a CMO can support SMEs, through joint-action initiatives, in their transitions towards identifying sustainabilityrelated objectives and in the adoption of hands-on and actionable management tools
Summary
After the Rio+20 Sustainable Development Conferences held in 2012, the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDG) were launched and, in 2015, were endorsed by the UnitedNations and adopted by all 193 Member States [1], with the purpose of ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030 [2], guaranteeing that no one is left behind. The SDGs are considered to be the very first global United Nations explicit call for joint action to all developing and developed countries and to states, business, and society at large, which must cooperate in global partnership to achieve them [2]. SDGs represent both a call for action to business and an open window to develop new sustainable products and services, as the United Nations goals forecast the generation of market opportunities of over USD$12 trillion a year by 2030 [7]. The findings and the analysis of the results deriving from the tool constructed are provided in Section 4, and Section 5 includes the discussion, conclusions and further steps that can be taken in future research
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