European Expert Group on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and SMEs
Report: "Opportunity and Responsibility - how to help more small businesses to integrate social and environmental issues into what they do"
Published in May 2007, this is the final report of the European Expert Group on CSR and SMEs 
[684 KB] .
We hope it will assist and inspire people and organisations that want to help small businesses to improve their social, environmental and financial performance.
Alternatively, a 3 page summary of the key messages [101 KB] 
is available in all EU languages.
Good practice descriptions
The expert group also produced a series of one-page good practice descriptions, explaining how some organisations have successfully helped small businesses to engage in responsible entrepreneurship.
Other related activities
- Responsible Entrepreneurship Exchange
- EU funded projects
- Toolkit
- European Award
More information about the European Expert Group on CSR and SMEs (2005-2007)
The expert group served as a forum for the collection and exchange of ideas and experience on how best to support CSR among SMEs. Each EU Member State, as well as some non-EU countries, nominated representatives to this group. Additionally, a number of European organisations had observer status. List of members and observers [23 KB] .
The work of the group was structured around 6 key topics. For each topic, the group collected available information and experience, and identified important lessons and good practices. Resources and presentations on each of these topics are available online:
- CSR, SMEs and regional competitiveness
- The business case of CSR for SMEs
- Capacity-building for business support
- Awareness-raising and communicating with SMEs
- Toolkits and management systems
- Supply chain issues, mentoring and certification
The group met 5 times between September 2005 and the end of 2006. The minutes of each of the meetings can be downloaded here:
