Breaking Barriers: Inclusivity in Small to Medium-Sized Businesses Through Sustainability Reporting

By Sarah Kistner and Miranda Padron

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, sustainability isn't just a buzzword; it's a critical component for long-term success and societal impact. Large corporations have been at the forefront of sustainability initiatives for years, leveraging sophisticated tools and resources to track and report their environmental and social performance. However, there's a noticeable gap when it comes to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) embracing sustainability reporting. Despite their significant collective impact, SMEs often lack the resources and infrastructure to effectively monitor and communicate their sustainability efforts. Greenlight Solutions, in collaboration with Infosol, aim to bridge that gap by developing a reporting dashboard that is tailored to SMES.  The dashboard will enable companies to input data, set baselines, and test scenarios to reduce their ecological footprint.

Here is a sneak-peak into the current version of the Sustainability Reporting Dashboard. You will see the backend development of the dashboard, where the team implemented no-code app development, and what the dashboard will look like to the client

To prepare for the launch of the dashboard, the team also conducted market research and compiled a list of prospective clients. Using the SWOT analysis approach, 20 sustainability dashboards currently on the market were examined. Finding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats against other dashboards allowed the team to take advantage of weaknesses in the market and avoid potential vulnerabilites during the development stage. This research will also help guide future decisions regarding dashboard improvement, marketing, and launch.  The team then identified 70 prospective clients, spanning 17 different industries and 12 cities in Arizona, to prepare for the dashboard launch. Using this document, GreenLight Solutions will have a diverse group of businesses to contact when the program is launched. 

The Sustainability Reporting Dashboard is one of GreenLight Solutions contributions towards meeting Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. The dashboard specifically contributes to achieving Target 12.6, by providing the resources necessary for SMEs to integrate sustainability metrics into their reporting cycle and adopt sustainable operating practices. Additionally, the dashboard will help all clients assess and align their operations to advance the progress towards meeting the following the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. 

Throughout this project, the Sustainability Reporting Dashboard Team gained valuable experience and insight into sustainable business practices. The team learned no-code app development, project management skills, and the importance of stakeholder engagement. Through market research and the dashboard development the Solutioneers gained an understanding of sustainability metrics and the realities that SMEs face regarding the barriers to sustainability compared to large corporations. The team was very lucky to have Sean Murray as Project Partner who shared his knowledge of the Lean Startup methodology and provided advice when challenges arose during the project.

During this journey, we've had the opportunity to collaborate within a global team as our Project Mentor, Rizwan Pasha, is located in India and our project lead, Sarah, is situated in Italy. Alongside our Project Partner Sean and our Project Mentor Rizwan, our Sustainability Reporting Dashboard team consists of three graduate students from Arizona State University and Harvard, each bringing their distinct expertise. Explore more about our team below:

​Authors

​Hi everyone! I am Sarah Kistner, a Project Lead on the Sustainability Reporting Dashboard team. I am currently working towards my Masters In Sustainability from Harvard University, Extension School. My focus is in corporate sustainability and sustainable communities, and my goal is to help organizations reduce their environmental impact and increase biodiversity. You can find me on LinkedIn here.
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Hi! My name is Tripti Basant and I am the co-project lead on the Sustainability Reporting Dashboard team. I am currently pursuing Masters of Sustainable Solutions at Arizona State University, to enhance my knowledge and skills in sustainability practices. I am a researcher by profession and deeply committed to advancing sustainability initiatives, with particular interests in corporate sustainability, circular economy, and social sustainability. My aim is to use my knowledge and passion for sustainability to drive impactful change within organizations, foster environmentally conscious practices, societal well-being and contribute to a more sustainable future. You can find me on LinkedIn here.
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Hello! I am Miranda Padron, a Solutioneer on the Sustainability Reporting Dashboard team. I'm currently a student at Arizona State University studying for my Masters of Sustainable Solutions. I'm originally from San Diego but I currently reside in Tempe, Arizona. My focus is on corporate sustainability but I'm also interested in renewable energy and green buildings. You can find me on my linkedin profile here.
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