The Sustainable Revolution: Greasing the Engines for the Sustainability Transition of SMEs

Abstract

Companies, regardless of their size, need to take accountability and responsibility for creating a sustainable future. Most of the studies on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are on the performance of large companies. Addressing sustainability issues is at least as important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as it is for large companies. This thesis will try to identify what drives and hinders SMEs in the Netherlands in their transition to a more sustainable business model. A final framework will be constructed supported by literature, theoretical reasoning, and interviews with consultants with experience in the transition of SMEs, to construct a clear, structured but generalized overview of what drives and hinders SMEs to attempt and complete their transition to a more sustainable business model. A single, definitive conclusion cannot be made with this explorative design of research. Nonetheless, this thesis does generate meaningful insights, like the importance of intrinsic motivation, and discussion points that future researchers can investigate and policymakers can take into account.