SustainSMEs aims to 1. Develop a monitoring mechanism within SMEs to increase or maintain their sustainability performance. 2. Define a new role (Sustainability Regulator) within the SME structure, assigning specific roles and responsibilities related to sustainability. 3. Promote the recognition of competences and qualifications under the EQF in Europe. 4. Improve the sustainability practices and perspectives of SMEs. 5. Promote innovation, education, social inclusion and climate and energy preservation, in line with the EU SME Strategy. 6. Create more employment opportunities through sustainable development. 7. Strengthen the role of VET in training SMEs on sustainability policies and practices. 9. Emphasise the use of the EQF and ECVET as tools for achieving lifelong learning.
Most environmental legislation targets large organisations, but it is SMEs that have the greatest impact. A European Commission study showed that "SMEs contribute 64% of the environmental impact" (SMEs and the environment in the European Union, 2010). It has therefore become a priority for the EU to provide SMEs with all the necessary support to help them work to reduce their impact on the environment. SMEs have neither the structure nor the trained human resources to address this vital issue. They need to integrate sustainability into their management functions and have access to tools that enable them to monitor their environmental impact. It is very important that SME managers have timely information to decide on the appropriate corrective reaction and to contain the damage to the environment. This requires learning how to develop a sustainability strategy and how to use technology to implement it. This is all in the hands of vocational training. VET has the agility to capture market needs and transform them into educational offers using ECVET standards to safeguard quality.