Day of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

Starting from 2017, on June 27, by the decision of the UN General Assembly (resolution No. 71/279), a holiday is celebrated - the Day of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day).

These enterprises, which typically employ no more than 250 people, are the backbone of most economies and play a key role in developing countries, as they create jobs for the most vulnerable groups in the first place and are often the only source of income in rural areas. Therefore, they play a crucial role in the fight against poverty and economic development.

However, although such enterprises are a major source of job creation, they face significant barriers to obtaining financing, which severely limits their growth and development prospects. In the most difficult situation are enterprises that are not officially registered, and this is approximately 74% of the total number of enterprises. It is they who often resort to informal forms of financing, which is sometimes illegal.

In addition, small businesses, including those run by women and young entrepreneurs, have been hardest hit by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. To continue to play their key role in creating decent and productive jobs and improving living standards, small businesses depend more than ever on an enabling business environment, including supporting access to finance, information and markets.

Therefore, the purpose of the Day is to highlight the important role of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the economy and development of any country, as well as in the overall achievement of sustainable development goals. Recognizing this fact and the importance of the principles of responsible entrepreneurship, the UN invites states to encourage the “coming out of the shadows” and the official registration of such enterprises, provide them with access to investment and concessional lending, and develop international cooperation between micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from different countries.

According to the International Agency for Small Enterprises, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises comprise about 90% of all enterprises, employing approximately 70% of the working population and accounting for 50% of global GDP.

In most states, support for small businesses and private enterprises is considered a strategically important task for economic development. In Russia, the share of small and medium-sized businesses in GDP accounts for about 20%, while abroad, only for small businesses, this figure reaches 50%.

According to Rosstat, in Russia the number of employed workers in the sector of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is 25% of the total employment in the economy. But only 3.4% of small businesses live more than three years, the rest are closed earlier. Unfortunately, in Russia the growth rate and the number of registered individual entrepreneurs remain low. Therefore, the state develops and implements programs of financial support for small and medium-sized businesses. For example, the provision of loans on preferential terms for priority sectors of the economy.

On the holiday itself, June 27, the UN invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations, academia, individuals and other relevant stakeholders, to appropriately celebrate Day of micro, small and medium enterprises in accordance with national priorities in order to raise public awareness of their contribution to sustainable development.

It is also proposed to conduct research papers, organize policy discussions, workshops and speeches by business owners from around the world, in cooperation with public, private and non-profit organizations.

The Association "StekloSouz" of Russia congratulates micro, small and medium enterprises of the glass industry on the holiday! We wish stability, prosperity and production success!

Source: https://www.calend.ru/