Plenary Session 2. Fostering the contribution of SMEs and entrepreneurs to the green and digital transitions
Jun 28, 2023 | 9:30 AM - 11:00 AMDay 2 Plenary Room CC1
Jun 28, 2023 | 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Day 2 Plenary Room CC1
Description
Governments face the challenge of managing immediate crises while driving long-term economic, societal, and environmental transitions. Given their sheer contribution to the economy and their collective environmental footprint, SMEs and entrepreneurs are crucial to this effort. However, they need to adapt their business models. The pandemic has presented opportunities for digitalisation, but SMEs face challenges such as skills gaps, limited financial access, and keeping pace with innovation, which are similarly encountered during the green transition. Governments should make them front and centre in their policy agendas. This involves adopting an SME and entrepreneur lens in the development of policies that affect the green and digital transitions, improving SMEs and entrepreneurs’ awareness of opportunities from the green and digital transitions and enhancing their access to support and strategic resources, such as finance, skills, advisory services, technology, and data. Digitalisation and greening should be addressed in tandem to capitalise on synergies.
