Who does what in sustainability management at SMEs?

C-plus-C has prepared a detailed description of the responsibilities for sustainability management at an SME, which is tailored to the specific needs of each company during consultations. For a complete, detailed description of all functions in sustainability management, please contact us here.

Below is a brief excerpt:

Internal: Who does what?

1. Management / Owner

sets the direction, priorities, and budget
makes the final decision on what is “relevant”: energy, supply chain, reporting, customer requirements, CO₂, waste, social
issuesembeds sustainability in goals and responsibilities
resolves conflicting goals: costs, effort, risk, market opportunities

Without this role, things usually don’t work. In small SMEs, almost everything depends on support from the top.

2. Sustainability Officer

Coordinates and drives sustainability initiatives internally (on a day-to-day basis)
Collects data
Organizes actions and schedules
Prepares reports, customer information, questionnaires, and audits
Maintains contact with external partners

Does not have to be a full-time position; can be filled by someone from Quality Management, HSE, Purchasing, the Executive Assistant, or Controlling, for example.

External: Who does what?

1. Sustainability Consultant

Establishes a company-specific (!) structure
Provides expert support for materiality analysis, carbon footprint, roadmap, supply chain approach, and reporting
Helps set priorities based on company-specific goals
Facilitates internal workshops and assists with conflicts of interest (mediation?)
Accelerates projects through expert knowledge of methods and facts

Useful when there is limited internal capacity or expertise. Not useful if everything is completely outsourced and no one takes responsibility internally.

Conclusion - Who does what in sustainability management at (small) SMEs?

Management: makes decisions and sets priorities

1 internal coordinator: oversees the initiative

Departmental units: provide data and implement measures

External consultants: provide selective methodological and technical support

Controlling/QM: ensures the whole process is robust

Responsibility remains internal, even if external support can be provided effectively on a selective basis.

Conclusion – What often goes wrong in sustainability management at (small) SMEs?

Everything depends on a single motivated individual without a formal mandate
Marketing communicates more than is substantiated internally
External consultants develop effective concepts, but no one implements them internally
External consultants talk too much instead of listening carefully
Data collection is confused with management
Sustainability remains a side project rather than a management priority