Business sustainability practices in micro and small enterprises: A systematic review

Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) are essential for economic and social development globally, as they represent a significant proportion of employment and production. Nonetheless, these enterprises confront substantial difficulties in incorporating sustainable practices, largely attributable to their limited financial resources and capacity, difficulties in accessing relevant information, scarcity of operational resources, and the lack of regulatory frameworks to facilitate their operations. The adoption of sustainable practices is presented as a viable strategy to improve both their competitiveness and profitability, while contributing to social and environmental well-being. For this reason, a systematic review was conducted to answer the question: What are the sustainability practices of micro and small enterprises? The objective was to compile the business sustainability practices that have been documented in MSEs. Bibliographic research was carried out in different databases of articles published between 2012 and 2023. The main results were presented through a qualitative systematic review. The studies carried out in MSEs from different sectors reported practices related to technological innovation, product innovation, strategic management, as well as economic, social and environmental aspects. Longitudinal studies are required to assess the long-term impact of sustainable practices on MSEs.Author summary: In this work, we conducted a systematic review to understand sustainability practices in micro and small enterprises (MSEs). MSEs are crucial to economic and social development, but they face significant barriers to implementing sustainable practices due to a lack of financial and operational resources, as well as the absence of adequate regulatory frameworks. Our study highlights that adopting sustainable practices, such as technological innovation, strategic management, and corporate social responsibility, can improve the competitiveness and profitability of these enterprises while contributing to social and environmental well-being. The results showed a wide range of sustainable approaches across different sectors and countries, underscoring the importance of adapting these practices to local contexts. The conclusions of this research are valuable for both policymakers and entrepreneurs seeking to integrate sustainability into their business models.