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Environmental Entrepreneurship

Profit with Purpose

Environmental entrepreneurship links sustainable development to entrepreneurship. This module describes what environmental entrepreneurship is, its important role in society, and how it can help shape a better future. It also describes the phases a business needs to go through to become green and the possible difficulties that may arise.

The Green Transformation Journey

3 phases from conventional to fully sustainable business

60% of all greenhouse gas emissions by enterprises in the EU come from SMEs — green transformation is essential

Click on any phase to explore the green transformation journey

Green Business Sectors

Environmental entrepreneurship spans every industry

Course Content

Environmental entrepreneurship is a form of entrepreneurship that focuses on protecting the environment and nature as the focus of its strategy. It can be defined as the entrepreneurship process applied to create businesses that solve environmental problems or operate sustainably. The term began to be widely used in the 1990s. Ecopreneurs are 'entrepreneurs whose business efforts are not only driven by profit but also by a concern for the environment.' Green businesses know that existing production and consumption systems are wasteful, so they want to efficiently use natural resources by reducing their ecological footprint.

Key Points

  • Ecopreneurs combine profit orientation with environmental ambition
  • Green businesses assume natural resources are finite
  • Environmental entrepreneurship links SDGs to business practice
  • SMEs make up 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions by enterprises in the EU
  • Growing numbers of SMEs are investing in sustainable technologies

Module Quiz

Question 1 of 520%

What is 'Scalability' in business?

Downloadable Resources

Worksheets and templates to practice what you've learned

Sources & Literature

  1. [1]B-ECO Project Results: https://b-eco.erasmus.site/it/project-results/
  2. [2]Stefan Gorgels et al. (2022): Annual Report on European SMEs 2021/22. European Commission.
  3. [3]Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej et al. (2021): Environmental Entrepreneurship. Journal of Cleaner Production.
  4. [4]M. Lenox, J.G. York (2011): Environmental Entrepreneurship. Oxford University Press.

Learning Objectives

  • 01Define environmental entrepreneurship and its key concepts
  • 02Understand the role of environmental entrepreneurship in society
  • 03Recognize examples of green businesses across sectors
  • 04Understand the phases of transformation to a green business
  • 05Identify the issues SMEs should focus on when going green