ACCA: SMEs must adopt sustainable practises

Date: 16th October 2008

Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are being urged to adopt more sustainable business practises by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

The ACCA has stated that this area should not just be the responsibility of large corporations, but also must apply to small business start-ups.

In particular, SMEs are being encouraged to look at the fields of sustainable development (SD) and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The ACCA's head of social and environmental issues, Rachel Jackson, stated: "As well as being compliant with all applicable social and environmental regulations … SMEs should be included within all voluntary SD and CSR programmes."

There are a number of ways in which business start-ups can improve these practises, such as by reducing electricity and paper use, while also educating employees on environmental issues.

Recent research by BT Business showed that SMEs in London were weathering the economic storm better than their counterparts in other regions of the UK.