La Sostenibilidad Ambiental: Un Reto para las Microempresas en Ecuador

Smaller production units, known as microenterprises,are the most numerous worldwide; however, they are the onesthat receive the least support from the government in terms ofconditions conducive to growth, which not only reduces their competitiveness butalso results in their short-term survival in the market. Among the factors contributing to this situation are a lackof innovation and the limited use of technology in their production processes,among other factors (Tobar, 2024). In this context, sustainable environmental development has become a key factor for the competitiveness of the productive sector and, in particular, of microenterprises, all in line withsociety’s expectations and various government regulationsaimed at implementing these policies. This research analyzes the perceptions of microenterprise managers in Ecuador regarding environmental management within theirorganizations. It also examines how these practices can generatebenefits associated with greater competitiveness, the reductionof waste, and savings in production costs, which in turncould contribute to improving customer satisfaction and strengtheningbusiness performance.