Sustainable Entrepreneurship: The Positive Impact of Small Businesses and the Example of
Small businesses play a crucial role in achieving the UN's sustainable development goals, as they are more sustainable, cultivate a direct connection with their communities, and encourage a closer and more personalized social responsibility. In addition, transportation logistics are more efficient, since they operate on smaller scales and specific locations, resulting in less wear and tear on vehicles and a reduction in polluting gas emissions.
The proximity to suppliers and customers makes it easier to use more sustainable transportation methods, such as local deliveries and smaller vehicles.
We take as an example the story of Fernanda, a former Uber driver, and Jerlane, a saleswoman, who have been married for 20 years and are the mothers of little Kenzo, aged 12. The family was going through a financial crisis. Fernanda, dealing with depression and health problems, was unable to continue her work as an Uber driver due to COVID-19 restrictions. Jerlane, encouraged by her family, bought six Desert Flower seedlings and gave them to her wife Fernanda, who, after studying how to grow Desert Flowers, started small-scale production. During the pandemic, in a challenging scenario, Jampa Flor was born literally in the backyard of the capital of Paraíba. Serving customers by phone and Instagram, offering delivery, and creating jobs for delivery motorcycle couriers.
Jerlane, in a bold move, left her job to become a small business owner alongside Fernanda. Two women committed to social and sustainable development started buying from local producers, helping to reduce their ecological impact. In addition to giving opportunities to small artisans and local florists who faced significant challenges due to restrictions and changes in consumer behavior that directly impacted sales during the pandemic.
Adapting to demand, Jampa Flor now sells plants on special occasions and focuses on ceramic pots personalized by Jerlane and Fernanda. Jampa Flor currently has a physical store in Galeria de Tambaú, the most popular beach in João Pessoa, and is present at local fairs. Fernanda and Jerlane's dream to expand persists, and they are open to new possibilities to grow, employ more people, and elevate the work of other small entrepreneurs sustainably. It is small businesses like Jampa Flor that contribute to creating jobs in the community, strengthen social ties, and promote the circulation of financial resources within the region more sustainably, with a smaller environmental footprint and being able to adapt more easily to the specific needs of the community compared to large corporations.
By Josi Svenningsson
SDGs 1, 8, 9,12,13
Notes:
1. SDGs 1 - Poverty Eradication: Small businesses have the potential to reduce poverty by generating local jobs and economic opportunities.
2. SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth: Encouraging sustainable growth and fair working environments is possible through responsible practices in small businesses.
3. SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Small businesses drive local innovation and contribute to infrastructure development, supporting economic growth.
4. SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production: Encouraging sustainable production and consumption practices can be achieved through actions implemented by small businesses in their operations.
5. SDG 13 - Action Against Global Climate Change: Small businesses can adopt sustainable measures to reduce their carbon footprint and promote environmentally friendly practices, contributing to action against climate change.
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