Author: Nikolina Frangoullidou

The Stars4SD initiative, a collaborative effort between Austria’s Sudwing, Belgium’s KMOP Policy Center, Cyprus’ CARDET, Greece’s KMOP and Amazing Youth, Ireland’s Future In Perspective, and Italy’s CESIE, has developed a Good Practice Guide. This guide aims to raise awareness among young entrepreneurs about effective, successful, and sustainable ways to incorporate environmentally and socially responsible practices into their schemes. Featuring 14 cases from partner countries, the guide also addresses key areas where young entrepreneurs need assistance.

Key findings

The issues that young entrepreneurs and companies care most about are the following:

• Decent work and economic growth
• Financial Support and Funding
• Entrepreneurial education and Training
• Challenging Sustainable Production
• Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility
• Collaborative Ecosystems
• Networking and Communication
• Support for promoting the SDGs
• Access to Sustainable Materials
• Data and Measurement for Eco-friendliness
• Zero Waste Strategies

The Stars4SD Policy Recommendation Report

The Report complements the previous effort by offering policy recommendations to formulate an effective strategy for promoting sustainability in youth entrepreneurship. Drawing on evidence from desk and field research, as well as insights from participants in the STARS4SD Awards, the report provides a comprehensive summary of key lessons learned from the project outputs and includes policy recommendations, divided into three segments: recommendations for Policy-Makers at Local, Regional, and National Levels; recommendations for Policy-Makers at the European Level; and recommendations for multiple levels of governance.

Find out more about the findings of our Best Practice Guide and Policy Recommendation Report HERE.

Stars4SD, a leading initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable business practices, has created a self-assessment and award system to propel businesses and organizations towards achieving their sustainability goals. The Stars4SD Award system offers comprehensive indicators for the evaluation and cultivation of a sustainability culture within a company or organization. This initiative empowers network members to engage in a self-assessment questionnaire, scrutinizing their business practices against predefined criteria. Upon completion of the self-assessment, participants or companies are rewarded with stars, reflecting the points accumulated during the evaluation. The awarded stars correspond to specific levels within a structured framework of five levels in total. The Stars4SD self-assessment tool is accessible in multiple languages, including English, Greek, French, German, and Italian, and is provided free of charge. Companies can still register to the Stars4SD network, fill in a form with their details and contact information, and use our self-assessment tool.

Star4SD Awards

The Stars4SD Awards were a recognition for applicants who integrate sustainability principles into their business activities, operations, and practices. The award winners from Austria, Brussels, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Ireland have already been announced and were given the opportunity to present their own successful sustainability story. The Stars4SD Awards in each partner country were more like a celebration of businesses and organizations that embrace sustainability as a core value. In the Stars4SD project we believe that by acknowledging and promoting their efforts, we inspire a global movement towards a more sustainable and responsible future. Therefore, we still encourage businesses and organizations across Europe to embrace the challenge, undertake the self-assessment in our network, and share their stories, signalling their dedication to making a positive impact on the world.
Find out more about the Stars4SD Network HERE.

Stars4SD is proud to announce the development of a methodology aimed at driving positive change and inspiring responsible business practices. To realize its ambitious objectives, the project has pursued the development of a framework which serves as a comprehensive guide, offering invaluable insights to entrepreneurs into meeting the five selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The framework is connected to the Stars4SD self-assessment mechanism and award system, designed to recognize and reward entities actively undertaking measures aligned with these SDGs. Business organizations, chambers of commerce, and business agencies are also encouraged to leverage this methodology to implement the Stars4SD award system within their markets. Furthermore, youth and environmental organizations can utilize the methodology to advocate for sustainable practices and incentivize their adoption.

Key Components of the Stars4SD Methodology:

● Provides an overview of the Stars4SD initiative and the need for a new framework in business administration.
● Defines the perceived needs of youth entrepreneurs regarding sustainability
● Includes the benefits for entrepreneurs resulting from promoting the SDGs in their business
● Describes the relevance of the five SDGs with businesses and explains the award system
● Presents concrete actions to guide the continuous use of the Stars4SD Methodology

By helping other organizations to incorporate the award system and promote the selected SDGs, Stars4SD aims to create a global network of businesses contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future.

The Stars4SD project

Stars4SD is an Erasmus+ project that aims to strengthen youth entrepreneurship and promote youth active citizenship and innovation, by providing support for young entrepreneurs and trainers about the importance of five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – namely provide quality education to youth entrepreneurs, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, and responsible consumption and production – by providing a methodology and guidance on how to meet these SDGs, and also by rewarding young entrepreneurs who take the necessary steps to meet the SDGs.

Find out more about the Stars4SD Methodology here.