Can you help us in Net Zero Documentation as required for the Buyer?

“We have a target to become Net Zero by our international buyer; have installed Solar Power Plants, Energy Efficient gadgets, rice husk based boiler,etc. “  this was the reply of a Carpet manufacturing unit representative in Bhadohi MSME  cluster while interacted with them. Bhadohi district is biggest carpet manufacturing centre in India. It is known for its hand-knotted carpet. The Mirzapur-Bhadohi region is the largest handmade carpet weaving cluster, engaging around 3.2 million people in the industry. Bhadohi employs 22 lakh rural artisans. It also explains that sustainable development practices are important for MSMEs to remain relevant and competitive.

This example itself explains the importance of MSMEs in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN General Assembly has designated June 27 as “Micro, Small and Medium sized enterprises day” to raise awareness of the tremendous contribution of MSMEs to the achievement of the SDGs. MSMEs account for 90% of business, 60-70% of employment and 50% of GDP worldwide.

In this article, we can revisit the contributions MSMEs can make towards achieving the 17 SDGs: –

1. GOAL 1: End Poverty in all its forms everywhere
   • MSMEs create employment that lift people out of poverty
   • Engage even unskilled workforce
   • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
2. GOAL 2: End Hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
   • Small holder farmers and agricultural focused enterprises directly contribute
   • Have the potential to adopt actions in their business practices to contribute to the goal
3. GOAL 3: Ensure Healthy lives and promote and promote well-being for all at all ages
   • MSMEs as health care providers can contribute
   • Can bridge the gap through various health care services
4. GOAL 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
   • MSMEs can provide technical and vocational education
   • MSMEs can be complementary formal education providers
5. GOAL 5 : Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
   • A significant number of MSMEs globally are women owned / led
   • MSMEs employ women
   • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
6. GOAL 6 : Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
   • MSMEs deliver water and sanitation services
   • Agricultural and food supply chain MSMEs can conserve water
   • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
7. GOAL 7 : Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
   • MSMEs have the potential to become more energy efficient
   • MSMEs can be incentivized by larger enterprises to integrate sustainable practices in their operations
   • Financial assistance to MSMEs can be helpful in this direction
   • MSMEs can be system integrators or service providers
8. GOAL 8 : Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
   • MSMEs contribute to the GDP and economic growth
   • MSMEs create jobs and have the potential for promoting decent work and entrepreneurship
   • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
9. GOAL 9 : Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
   • MSMEs involved into industrial production can contribute
   • MSMEs promote innovation
   • Financial assistance to MSMEs can be helpful in this direction
   • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
10. GOAL 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
    • MSMEs promote economic inclusion and have the potential to regenerate under-served geographic areas
    • MSMEs provide employment to skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workforces
    • New business models of MSMEs have the potential to contribute
11. GOAL 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
    • MSMEs provide employment and economic growth in cities also
    • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
    • New business models like last mile delivery, repair and maintenance services have the potential to contribute
12. GOAL 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
    • MSMEs as a part of the supply chain to the international and national companies can contribute
    • MSMEs can participate in 3Rs practices like Reduce ,Reuse and Recycle in their operations
    • MSMEs can itself become part of the waste management and recycling services and contribute to the GOAL
    • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
13. GOAL 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
    • MSMEs have the potential to make vulnerable populations and households climate resilient.
    • MSMEs operating in energy intensive sectors; have the potential to contribute to mitigation
    • MSMEs can also contribute to various climate change related adaptation practices
    • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
14. GOAL 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
    • Small-scale fishery and marine-based enterprises are directly relevant to the goal.
    • Building MSME capabilities to promote sustainability of value chains
    • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
15. GOAL 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
    • Agribusinesses and smallholder farmers have a critical role to play in conserving land-based ecosystems.
    • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal
16. GOAL 16 : Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
    • MSMEs have the potential for promoting good governance principles.
    • MSMEs have a role in conflict/violence prevention.
    • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal.
17. GOAL 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
    • MSMEs account for a large share of added value in international trade when indirect linkages are taken into account
    • MSMEs are a source of partnership to implement SDGs
    • MSMEs are a source of data for SDG monitoring and reporting
    • Individual MSMEs have the potential to adopt actions in their business practice to contribute to the goal.

So, the MSMEs have a huge potential to contribute to meet the SDGs; the need is the awareness build up and hand holding. The result is manifold including the local nation building.