New Yorkers encouraged to support local stores and restaurants on Small Business Saturday – ABC7 New York

Report on New York’s “Small Business Saturday” Initiative and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

This report analyzes the “Small Business Saturday” campaign in New York, highlighting its significant contributions to achieving key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative encourages consumers to support local entrepreneurs over large corporations, thereby fostering sustainable local economies.

Economic and Community Impact: Advancing SDG 8 and SDG 11

Fostering Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)

The campaign directly supports SDG 8 by promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. In New York, small businesses are critical economic engines:

• They constitute 98% of all businesses in the state.
• They employ nearly 40% of the private-sector workforce.
• Within the retail sector, approximately 81% of stores are independently-owned.

By directing consumer spending towards these enterprises, the initiative helps secure local jobs and stimulates grassroots economic activity.

Building Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)

The initiative is a cornerstone for achieving SDG 11, which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. As stated by Governor Hochul, supporting local businesses helps keep “main streets thriving.” These enterprises are described as “engines of opportunity and cornerstones of community,” reinforcing their role in creating vibrant and resilient neighborhoods. Investing in local shops and services is a direct investment in the social and economic fabric of the community.

Promoting Sustainable Consumption and Reducing Inequalities: Contributions to SDG 12 and SDG 10

Encouraging Responsible Consumption Patterns (SDG 12)

Small Business Saturday promotes more responsible consumption by shifting focus to local supply chains. The emphasis on local innovation and creativity encourages consumers to consider the origin and impact of their purchases. Supporting local farmers’ markets and artisans, as recommended by the campaign, directly aligns with sustainable production and consumption, reducing transportation emissions and supporting local food systems.

Contributing to Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)

By channeling funds into a diverse array of independently-owned businesses, the initiative helps distribute economic benefits more broadly within communities. This practice can help reduce income inequalities by preventing the concentration of wealth in large, non-local corporations and ensuring that profits are reinvested locally.

Strategic Recommendations for Supporting Local Economies and SDGs

City officials have outlined several actionable strategies for consumers to support local businesses, each contributing to the aforementioned SDGs:

1. Shop Local: Directly invest in community-based retailers and service providers to support local employment (SDG 8) and community resilience (SDG 11).
2. Buy Gift Cards: Provide immediate capital to small businesses, ensuring their financial stability and future operation.
3. Explore Farmers’ Markets: Support local agriculture and artisans, promoting sustainable consumption (SDG 12) and local food security.
4. Shop Taste NY: Promote products from New York’s farms and artisans, strengthening regional supply chains.
5. Dine Locally: Sustain local restaurants and cafés, which are vital social and economic hubs within communities (SDG 11).
6. Spread the Word: Utilize social media and review platforms to increase the visibility of local enterprises, amplifying their economic potential.
7. Choose Store Credit: Opt for store credit on returns to ensure capital remains within the local economy, fostering a circular economic model.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article’s focus on supporting local and small businesses connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article emphasizes how small businesses are “engines of opportunity” and major employers, directly contributing to economic growth and job creation within the community.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By encouraging residents to support local enterprises, the campaign aims to keep “main streets thriving,” which is crucial for creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable communities. Thriving local economies are a cornerstone of community well-being.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The call to “Shop Local,” “Explore Farmers’ Markets,” and support local artisans promotes more sustainable consumption patterns by shortening supply chains, reducing the environmental impact of long-distance shipping, and fostering a local circular economy.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets can be identified:

• Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
  • Target 8.3: “Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises…” The entire “Small Business Saturday” campaign is a policy and public encouragement initiative aimed directly at supporting the growth of small enterprises and celebrating the “innovation, creativity and determination of local entrepreneurs.”
• Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
  • Target 11.a: “Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning.” The initiative strengthens the economic links within communities by encouraging urban consumers to invest in local businesses, including those that source from rural areas like farmers’ markets (“Explore Farmers’ Markets,” “Shop Taste NY”). This keeps money circulating locally and supports the vitality of neighborhoods.
• Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
  • Target 12.b: “Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.” While not strictly about tourism, the campaign’s focus on promoting local products (“Taste NY,” “Farmers’ Markets”) and culture aligns with this target’s goal of creating jobs and supporting local identity through consumption choices.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides several explicit and implicit indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• For SDG 8, Target 8.3:
  • Proportion of small businesses: The article explicitly states that small businesses (fewer than 100 employees) “make up 98% of all businesses” in New York. This is a direct indicator of the prevalence of small enterprises.
  • Share of employment by small businesses: The article mentions that these businesses “employ nearly 40% of the private-sector workforce.” This metric directly measures their contribution to job creation.
• For SDG 11, Target 11.a:
  • Economic vitality of local commercial areas: The goal to “help keep our main streets thriving” implies an indicator related to the health of local business districts. This could be measured by the number of active local businesses or the vacancy rate of commercial properties on main streets.
• For SDG 12, Target 12.b:
  • Consumer spending at local businesses: The campaign’s success could be measured by tracking sales data for small businesses during the holiday season or monitoring the redemption of gift cards purchased from local establishments.
  • Participation in local markets: The number of vendors at farmers’ markets or the volume of products sold through programs like “Taste NY” could serve as indicators of the strength of the local production and consumption chain.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: abc7ny.com