CBS: Large proportion of companies working on sustainability

CBS: Large proportion of companies working on sustainability

The majority of companies (82 percent) have taken measures this year to make their operations more sustainable. Last year this was 79 percent of companies. This reports CBS based on the business survey conducted in early September 2023 among companies in industry, automotive, retail and services.

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Nearly 23 percent of companies have made sustainability measures primarily related to energy. Measures regarding circular economy ─ environmentally conscious handling of raw materials and waste ─ were mentioned by 15 percent. 8 percent of companies were reducing emissions. Nearly 36 percent of companies said they had taken a combination of measures around energy, emissions or the circular economy. Nearly 18 percent of companies did not pursue sustainability this year.

In transport and storage, companies are working on their emissions more often than the other industries. For the industries of culture, sports and recreation and automotive and retail, this applies to energy measures. And for the hospitality industry, circular measures are more important.

Financial resources more often obstacle at small business

For a quarter of entrepreneurs, dependence on third parties is the main obstacle to making the business more sustainable. Over 14 percent cite a lack of financial resources as the most important obstacle. A slightly smaller group (11 percent) sees too few benefits from increasing sustainability. On the other hand, nearly 32 percent of the companies experience no obstacles to becoming more sustainable.

In the large business sector (companies with 250 or more employees), 3 in 10 companies cite dependence on third parties as the main obstacle to sustainability. In the small business sector (up to 50 employees), this is 2 out of 10. The small business sector cites a lack of financial resources, unfamiliarity with the possibilities of (further) sustainability and a lack of awareness of the benefits of sustainability more often as the most important obstacle than the large business sector.

The small business sector cites a lack of financial resources, unfamiliarity with the possibilities of (further) sustainability and a lack of awareness of the benefits of sustainability more often than the large business sector.

Large companies find their own business operations more often largely sustainable

Nearly 35 percent of companies rate their business operations as largely or entirely sustainable. Almost half say their company operates partially sustainably, and 15 percent say the company is sustainable to a small extent. Large businesses are more likely to rate their business operations as mostly sustainable than small and medium-sized businesses. The results do not mean that all economic activities are equally sustainable. For example, companies are more likely to compare their performance to standards, peer companies or sustainability opportunities within their industry than to compare themselves to (more sustainable) other industries.