SME Futures Editorial
Sustainability has emerged as a critical priority for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), shaping their long-term credibility and value. According to DHL Express’ Global Sustainability Survey 2024, sustainability is not just a goal but a necessity for SMEs aiming to thrive in a competitive landscape.
The survey, conducted across 11 markets—including the UK, India, China, and Germany—analyzed input from 5,000 SME decision-makers spanning industries like retail, technology, and fashion. The findings highlight how sustainability is reshaping supply chain operations and helping SMEs identify growth opportunities.
“Sustainability is now at the forefront of many businesses’ agendas. But the challenge of developing
and implementing a sustainability strategy can often seem overwhelming – with many survey
respondents highlighting not knowing where to start on the journey. By partnering with a trusted
logistics leader like DHL Express, renowned for its dedicated portfolio of low emissions shipping
solutions, SMEs can position themselves to remain viable, competitive, and ensure long-term growth”,
says Michiel Greeven, Executive Vice President Global Commercial at DHL Express.
High relevance but low investment readiness
At least two thirds of SMEs within all surveyed sectors said that sustainability is either “very important” or “extremely important” to them. The financial services sector and fashion sector agreed most strongly with this sentiment, with 81% of respondents in each group answering this way. Despite a widespread understanding of the importance of the issue, most SMEs are reluctant to allocate budget towards sustainable initiatives. Most (53%) are only willing to invest 1-3% of their operating budget into sustainable practices. Only 9% of SMEs will invest more than 5%, whilst 16% will invest nothing.
Internal and customer buy-in remains a major challenge
While the global average for customers willing to pay more for sustainable shipping is just 23%, confidence is notably higher among SMEs in India and China, where 51% and 47%, respectively, believe their customers would be willing to do so. When asked about their challenges in reaching their sustainability goals, the main concern for most SMEs across all markets was securing internal and customer buy-in. This is particularly prevalent in Germany, where 74% of SMEs acknowledge this challenge.
Fashion industry and financial services sector among most sustainable industries
Although the fashion industry is often subject to significant scrutiny over the sustainability of its supply chain, most fashion SMEs are strongly pro-sustainability. 81% of respondents in the sector said it is “very important” or “extremely important” to their business and over three-quarters (78%) believe offering sustainable delivery options could improve their brand image (“to some/a large/a very large” extent). SMEs in the financial services sector are the most likely to say sustainability is “extremely important” to their business (43%). This sector is the most willing to allocate operating budget to sustainability practices (88%), and the most likely to feel offering sustainable delivery options could lead to increased commercial success (47% “to a large/to a very large” extent.)
