SME Engagement Project

Survey of SMEs Complete Results

August 2015

Respondents

56%

25%

12%

6%

1% 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Europe Americas Asia/Ocenia Africa MENA

Region (n=373)

• 373 SMEs from 43 countries in all regions completed.

20%

10%

9%

6% 5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Spain Brazil France Argentina UK

The 5 countries with most respondents (n=187)

• Half of the respondents have mostly local operations (50%).

• The majority of the respondents have less than 100 employees (76%).

Respondents

6%

16%

14%

12%

20%

30%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

0% local 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% local

Local/international operations?

57%

19%

7% 8%

5% 5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

<=50 51 - 100 101 - 150 151 - 200 201 - 250 >=251

Number of employees

What was your company's main motivations to join the Global Compact? (select two)

66%

49%

24%

16%

12%

10%

9%

6%

5%

1%

1%

1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Commitment to learn and implement sustainability principles

Improving company's reputation and visibility

Request by clients and/or stakeholders

Engaging with the Global Compact Local Network in your country

Business development / credit opportunities

Connecting with the United Nations

Networking

Other

Connecting with the national development/competitiveness plan

Not sure why we joined

Access to local events

Access to global events

Motivations to join the Global Compact

What are the main benefits your company has received as a Global Compact participant? (select two)

56%

45%

27%

13%

13%

11%

10%

9%

8%

5%

3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Enhanced reputation, trust and visibility

Guidance on incorporating sustainability into strategies and operations

No real benefit has been perceived

Support from the Global Compact Local Network in your country

Other

Networking

Connection with the United Nations

Access to local events

Increased or retained business / access to credit as a result of commitmentto the Global Compact

Connection with the national development/competitiveness plan

Access to global events

Benefits received from participation

Which factors limit your company's engagement with the Global Compact? (select two)

70%

31%

27%

26%

16%

16%

12%

2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Limited internal capacity and resources

The resources/activities provided by the Global Compact are of limitedrelevance to my company

Limited recognition from stakeholders

No tangible return on investment

The support from my Global Compact Local Network does not fully addressthe needs of my company

Language: Some Global Compact Resources are available in English only

Other

Limited internet access/connectivity

Internal capacity is the main limitation to engagement

• Most respondents believe that the current outreach form and frequency is appropriate.

• The preferred way of being approached is through emails from the LN

• Would you like the Global Compact and Local Networks to enhance, maintain or diminish its current outreach to your company? (select one)

• What are your preferred ways of being contacted by the Global Compact? (select two)

Enhance 39%

Maintain 58%

Diminish 3%

Enhance, maintain or diminish outreach

Outreach is appropriate

78%

Prefer different outreach format

22%

Outreach format

85%

59%

37%

16%

3%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Emails from LN, inlocal language, withinformation on local

activities

Emails from GC HQwith generalinformation

In person meetingsand events

Phone calls from LN Other

LN emails are the preferred medium of communication

What are your current interactions with the Global Compact and the LN?

61%

19%

12%

5% 2%

44%

10%

25%

18%

3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Email is the most common way of interacting with GC HQ and LN

GC Headquarters

LN

73% 75%

27% 25%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

GC Headquarters LN

Satisfied with actual interactions

Dissatisfied

Satisfied

How often does your company interact with the Global Compact and the LN?

45%

26%

17%

13%

31%

17%

25%

28%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Rarely or never Yearly Twice a year Monthly

Periodicity of interactions

GC Headquarters LN

73% 73%

27% 27%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

GC Headquarters LN

Satisfaction with frequency of interactions

Satisfied Dissatisfied

Has your company ever submitted a COP? Which are the main limitations for your company to create and submit a COP? (select two)

53%

32%

23% 23% 21%

18% 15%

9% 6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Internal resources is the main limitation to report

Yes 67%

No 29%

Don't Know

4%

Submitted a COP

Should the GC revise the reporting requirements (COP Policy) and/or online submission for SMEs?

37%

29%

18%

8%

5%

4%

0% 20% 40%

Simplify requirements

Requirements are appropriate

Extend deadline

Eliminate requirements

Other

Increase requirements

Revise reporting requirements (COP Policy)

50%

44%

4%

3%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Online submission is appropriate

Simplify the process, but retainonline submission

Replace online submission withoffline mechanism

Other

Revise online submission

Do you use tools and materials offered by the GC and your LN? How useful are these materials?

Yes 53%

No 47%

Use materials

8%

19%

39%

24%

10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

1 - Notuseful

2345 - Veryuseful

Usefulness of materials

Qualitative insights - SUMMARY (n=131)

Actual benefits from participation • Gained foreign clients • Enhanced employee engagement • Serve as example to other companies • No economic benefits, but a realization of our values • Visualize the company’s commitment to sustainability • Although a client requested we join, we did not receive any business from them

Suggested ways of interacting with the GC and LNs • Webinars and remote activities • More communications from the LN • More local events (outside of those in the capital city) • Hardcopy materials • Interactive online platforms • Intuitive tools, including database with good practices and other information • A platform so participants can communicate among each other • Visit from NY staff to remote locations • Collect and share better participant information • Social media • Enhanced information sharing through website • Emails without persona follow-up are lost • An annual informative call

Limitations around COP • Measuring outcomes is too difficult

• Lack of internal commitment

Suggested revisions to the GC

• Only report on updates and not on every single topic each time • Only require information relevant to the specific sector of each company • Only require information relevant to the specific country of each company • Allow for a “ratification” of the previous report as not every year there are significant

developments • Offer online and offline COP mechanisms

Reasons to join the Global Compact

• Shared values • To make our values known to the public • Want to help to promote the GC principles • Enhance company’s attractiveness for talent recruiting • To Complement current efforts and activities related to sustainability • To reinforce our social license to operate

Factors that limit engagement with the GC • Limited time to fully explore the GC’s offer • Our business model does not allow further engagement • Events and resources are tailored for multinationals • Location / No GC representation in my city • COP is not applicable to my organization • Our focus is narrowed to environment • The GC offering is abstract and detached for my company • Commitment is too difficult to materialize • Too expensive to join the LN

NEXT STEPS

• Provide written input to the proposal when prompted to do so

• Use the data from this project to your LNs benefit as applicable

• Reach out to us if you have any questions

SME PARTICIPANT BASE

Europe Americas Asia/Ocenia Africa MENA

Austria Argentina Australia Ghana Egypt

Belarus Brazil Bangladesh Kenya

Belgium Canada China Malawi

Bulgaria Ecuador Indonesia Nigeria

Croatia Panama Japan Sudan

Czech Republic Paraguay Malaysia

Denmark USA South Korea

France Venezuela Sri Lanka

Germany

Greece

Italy

Macedonia

Netherlands

Norway

Portugal

Russia

Serbia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

UK

THANK YOU!