Why efforts to make small and mid-size enterprises more sustainable need to address gender and social equity

The document identifies a gap in sustainability efforts regarding gender and social equity, particularly within SMEs. It argues that gender acts as a 'social stratifier' that limits women's access to education, finance, and leadership, which in turn hinders overall economic and environmental progress. The brief provides a business case for gender equality, noting that closing gender gaps in agriculture and employment could significantly boost GDP and food security. It suggests that the 'green economy' risks excluding women if technical roles in renewable energy and construction remain male-dominated. Recommendations include implementing family-friendly workplace policies, repealing discriminatory laws, and adopting public procurement policies that target female-led micro- and small enterprises.

• Gender inequality is systemic and institutionalized, acting as a 'social stratifier' that determines access to education, health care, and political representation. This is evidenced by the fact that gender inequality is legally enshrined in 155 out of 173 analyzed countries, with restrictions including bans on certain professions in 100 countries and requirements for husbands' approval for wives to work in 18 countries.
• Women face significant structural barriers as entrepreneurs, particularly regarding finance. Approximately 70% of formal female-owned SMEs in developing countries are either unable to access financial services or are shut out by institutions, resulting in an annual credit deficit of nearly $300 billion.
• The transition to a 'green economy' may inadvertently exclude women if it focuses on male-dominated technical sectors. While 50 million green jobs are expected over two decades, women currently make up less than 6% of technical staff and less than 1% of managers in the energy sector, and less than 9% of jobs in construction.
• Closing gender gaps offers substantial macroeconomic benefits. Equal access to land, technology, and financial services could increase agricultural production on women-owned farms by 20–30%, potentially reducing hunger for 100–150 million people. Furthermore, matching female employment to male employment could increase GDP by 27% in the Middle East and North Africa and 19% in South Asia.
• Sustainable development models, including the 'green economy' and 'circular economy', often fail to address intra-generational equity. For example, green job programs might threaten women's livelihoods if they prioritize agro-industrial activities over informal, female-dominated agricultural work.
• To integrate gender equality with sustainability, the document recommends that SMEs adopt family-friendly policies, flexible scheduling, and fair wages. At the policy level, it suggests repealing discriminatory laws, providing reproductive health services, and using public procurement to target female-led micro- and small enterprises.

APA

Barbero, J. M. V., Davis, M., & Resurrección, B. P. (2017). Why efforts to make small and mid-size enterprises more sustainable need to address gender and social equity. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sei-2018-discussionbfg-gse-gender-smes-smallsize.pdf

Chicago

Barbero, José Manuel Vega, Marion Davis, and Bernadette P. Resurrección. Why efforts to make small and mid-size enterprises more sustainable need to address gender and social equity. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2017. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sei-2018-discussionbfg-gse-gender-smes-smallsize.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Barbero |first1=José Manuel Vega |last2=Davis |first2=Marion |last3=Resurrección |first3=Bernadette P. |title=Why efforts to make small and mid-size enterprises more sustainable need to address gender and social equity |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2017 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sei-2018-discussionbfg-gse-gender-smes-smallsize.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{barbero2017why, author = {Barbero, José Manuel Vega and Davis, Marion and Resurrección, Bernadette P.}, title = {{Why efforts to make small and mid-size enterprises more sustainable need to address gender and social equity}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sei-2018-discussionbfg-gse-gender-smes-smallsize.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }