Born Sustainable Firms – innovations and ecosystems

This project examines the role of "Born Sustainable Firms" (BSFs) in addressing global sustainability challenges by focusing on smaller firms that are purpose-driven to create social and environmental impact. While sustainability initiatives have typically been associated with large firms, there is a growing recognition that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in promoting sustainable practices. Notably, in Sweden, two-thirds of SME managers see sustainability as a competitive advantage, while at the EU level, SMEs are seen as pivotal to achieving a sustainable economy. BSFs—firms strategically organized around sustainable principles rather than solely profit—offer innovative solutions within ecosystems of interconnected actors. Through both technological and social innovations, BSFs like Germany's Kaffeeform, which repurposes coffee waste into products through circular production, demonstrate the transformative potential of sustainable business models. This research seeks to explore BSFs’ unique characteristics, their development of innovations with ecosystem partners, and the broader impact of these innovations on industrial practices, contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This project is funded by Handelsbankens forskningsstiftelser (grant number P23-0209).

For more information, please contact Daniel.Tolstoy@hhs.se