Assessing the sustainability performance of SMEs across countries and sectors
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11368208 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Panagiotis Mitropoulos (0000-0002-6450-2670, Agricultural University of Athens, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 116 |
| Pages | 108104 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Environmental Impact Assessment Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0195-9255 • E-ISSN: 1873-6432 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108104 |
| OpenAlex | W4412887400 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
This paper develops a composite SME sustainability index, providing policymakers with a tool to simplify assessments, rankings, and benchmarking of SME performance. The proposed two-stage methodology first uses the benefit-of-the-doubt method to aggregate multiple sustainability indicators into a single weighted performance index, enabling comparisons among companies and identifying potential improvements in each sustainability dimension. Second, the resulting SME sustainability scores are regressed against explanatory variables to identify potential barriers and drivers. The applicability and effectiveness of the developed models are demonstrated through a large-scale case study involving 6635 SMEs from 37 countries. The results reveal that both the sector and the country of operation are associated with SME sustainability performance, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. Furthermore, this study identifies technological and economic factors, rather than regulatory or cultural ones, as the primary barriers to SME sustainability. • This study introduces a composite index methodology for evaluating SME sustainability across countries and sectors. • A Benefit-of-the-doubt model benchmarks SME sustainability performance, aiding policymakers in assessing policy effectiveness. • A fractional regression model is then used to identify the key barriers that SMEs face in promoting sustainability. • A large-scale case study of 6,635 SMEs from 39 countries demonstrates model effectiveness
Business · Economics · Environmental economics · Environmental resource management · Natural resource economics · Sustainability · Energy, Environment, Economic Growth · Environmental Science · Environmental Sustainability in Business · Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators
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Assessing the sustainability performances of industries
Sustainability-oriented innovation of SMEs
An overview of sustainability assessment methodologies
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The effect of urban air pollutants in Germany
What drives environmental practices of SMEs
Lost in Transition? Drivers and Barriers in the Eco-innovation Road to the Circular Economy
Does environmental performance affect financial performance? A meta-analysis
On the Methodological Framework of Composite Indices
Driving the circular economy through public environmental and energy R&D
What drives urban low-carbon transition? Findings from China
Exploring policy support for efficiency improvement of wind power from an environmental perspective
Assessing social performance of construction companies in public-works procurement
Environmental efficiency of electricity supply chain systems in China
Three pillars of sustainability
An Introduction to 'Benefit of the Doubt' Composite Indicators
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |