SME environmental attitudes and participation in local-scale voluntary initiatives: some practical applications

Peters, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4324-6559 and Turner, K. (2004) SME environmental attitudes and participation in local-scale voluntary initiatives: some practical applications. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 47 (3). pp. 449-473. ISSN 0964-0568 doi: 10.1080/0964056042000216555

Abstract/Summary

This paper briefly assesses the economic efficiency case for voluntary initiatives (VIs), discusses some limitations of this type of policy instrument and goes on to consider the role that local‐scale voluntary initiatives might play in assisting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to embrace the issue of environmental performance improvement. The paper examines SME organizational management in relation to the likely effectiveness of their participation in voluntary environment programmes. An environmental attitudes survey carried out with 62 SMEs in East Anglia found that willingness to become involved in such initiatives does exist, but that a better presentation of opportunities for prospective small firms, together with a more tailored approach, will be necessary if VIs for SMEs are to become a more extensive feature of environmental policy making in the UK.