The SME Climate Hub has launched a dedicated landing page for India to empower micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) to take climate action.
- The initiative has been made possible with support from Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) and Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE).
- The SME Climate Hub partnered with CRB to launch a pilot project earlier this year to create awareness and build capacity among Indian MSMEs across multiple sectors and states.
- The initiative would be of benefit to the Indian textiles sector, the bulk of which is made up of countless MSMEs spread across the country.
THE PAGE: Available virtually and free of charge, the SME Climate Hub helps MSMEs make a globally recognized climate commitment, and measure, report and reduce their emissions through a suite of tools and resources, including:
- Business Carbon Calculator, which enables MSMEs to identify priority sources of emissions within their business operations;
- Climate Fit education course, which offers short, digestible modules as an introductory primer for MSME climate action;
- A reporting tool, through which signatories of the SME Climate Hub can report their emissions data on a yearly basis, to track progress on their climate commitment and communicate their action to key stakeholders such as consumers, buyers and investors.
Getting Started: Over 200 Indian MSMEs have already made the SME Climate Commitment.
- These businesses join 6,500+ global counterparts in committing to halving emissions by 2030, and reaching net zero by 2050.
- By joining the SME Climate Hub, Indian small businesses are strengthening the case for MSME climate ambition in India and building a strong basis for evolving policy instruments and incentives for climate action in this sector, the organisers said.
THE BACKDROP: The MSME sector is the backbone of the Indian economy, championing local resource use and innovation, generating employment, and strengthening value chains.
- The sector accounts for about 30% of India’s GDP, a 49% share of exports and employs 110 million workers – making MSMEs an indispensable player for the country to reach its net zero target.
- While Indian MSMEs increasingly perceive sustainability in a positive light and are taking proactive action for the climate, they must be supported with the right knowledge and tools to help them take concrete, actionable steps towards a collective net zero target.
THE HUB: The SME Climate Hub is an initiative of the We Mean Business Coalition, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, and the United Nations Race to Zero campaign, which simplifies and aids the decarbonisation process for MSMEs. This enables them to commit to and act upon climate targets aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
- In collaboration with Normative and the Net Zero team at Oxford University, the SME Climate Hub provides tools and resources to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to make a climate commitment, take action and measure their progress towards emissions reductions in line with the latest science.
- The SME Climate Commitment is the official pathway for small and medium sized businesses to join the United Nations global Race to Zero campaign. Over 6,500 businesses across 125 countries have already made the commitment.
WHAT THEY SAID:
The climate emergency requires rapid action across businesses of all sizes and sectors. MSMEs in India are proactively taking measures to be a part of the solution, and with additional support and guidance they can go much further and faster. The SME Climate Hub serves as an important starting point for businesses looking to begin their climate journey. By making the SME Climate Commitment and reducing emissions through the Hub’s tools and resources, MSMEs can cut costs, elevate their brand, navigate changing regulations and stay ahead of their competitors.
— Pamela Jouven
Director
SME Climate Hub
Businesses and their supply chains are extremely vulnerable to climate change and its impact on operations, infrastructure, availability of resources, and employee wellbeing. Despite barriers, an increasing number of small enterprises are taking initiative and embracing greenhouse gas reductions and other measures for sustainability. It is important to scale climate ambition amongst Indian MSMEs and unify them on a common platform to signal to the world that Indian MSMEs can and will lead the charge in global decarbonization efforts.
— Devyani Hari
Director
Centre for Responsible Business
