Does the environment matter, a closer look at the environmental approach by small businesses in Africa developing countries.

Abstract

Environmental Social Responsibility (ESR) is a notion, where business integrates environmental concerns in their operations and the interaction with stakeholders, without compromising profit. To this day, ESR studies are limited to areas of ethics, society and employees while literature is blunt on its impact on societies, consumer behaviour and governments. SMEs in developing countries are not spared their approach to ESR as a sustainability strategy. SMEs’ approach seems to digress from leverage on loyalty which emanates from their nearness to communities who in turn are potential customers. This paper takes a closer look at SMEs’ approach to ESR driven by SME business owners’ perception towards ESR. The paper will take account of SMEs’ behavioural response towards ESR and establish whether they regard ESR a strategic sustainability approach with long-term positive bottom-line benefits.

Results were attained through assessing perceptions of SMEs towards ESR; assessing impact practice of ESR by SMEs; exploring factors that undermining practise of ESR by SMEs. A mixed approach was adopted where data was obtained using face to face interviews. Results showed that the majority of SME business owners had a negative approach towards the practice of ESR. SMEs believe ESR was mainly for large corporations since their operations were hideously affecting the environment. As new knowledge, recommendations from this paper will be shared with Chambers of Commerce in Africa developing countries. Some of the recommendations were that the chambers of commerce, local authorities must proactively support SMEs to practise ESR through awareness workshops, train and share the ESR strategy alignment with business strategy.