SMEs and sustainability

ESG survey

Key findings

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Export Development Canada’s SMEs and Sustainability survey – conducted in 2022 – captures the perspectives of more than 350 small- and medium-sized exporters. It aims to uncover: how different SMEs perceive environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices; the level of integration of ESG into a company’s business; and how ESG practices are being applied in those businesses.

Key findings

1. Most export-oriented SMEs recognize the importance of ESG to their business.

Pie chart illustrating the various levels of business importance survey respondents place on ESG

2. Significant barriers remain for the large-scale integration of ESG practices.

Icons illustrating the top three reasons survey respondents aren’t integrating ESG in their business

3. SMEs are taking action to strengthen their ESG practices.

Icons illustrating the top three ESG measures on which survey respondents are spending resources

4. COVID-19 and ESG.

Pie chart illustrating how survey respondents thought COVID affected ESG momentum

* Note: Among SME respondents with an interest in exporting, 16% reported that they don’t actively discuss sustainability and/or ESG issues at all, and as such, were screened out of the survey.

Learn more about ESG at EDC here.

Access the full EDC survey on SMEs and sustainabilityUnlimited one-click access through your MyEDC Account

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Date modified: 2023-03-23

ESG survey: The SME perspective on sustainability