<4th SME Management Status Survey for FY2025> Mandatory Disclosure for Prime Listed Companies Under SSBJ Standards. Possibility of 'Sustainability Compliance' Rippling to SME Business Partners. Meanwhile, ESG Management Awareness Remains at 30%.
Forval GDX Research Institute surveyed 1,647 SMEs on ESG management. While mandatory SSBJ standards affect supply chains, only 30% of SMEs know about ESG. However, over 60% of SMEs practicing ESG report improved performance and internal reputation, highlighting the need for external expertise.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 18:55 (128h 24m after Collected)
The Forval GDX Research Institute (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Director: Manabu Taira), which aims to transform small and medium-sized enterprises using Green and Digital technologies, conducted the '4th Survey on the Management Status of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises for Fiscal 2025' targeting SMEs.
As the formulation of sustainability disclosure standards (SSBJ standards) progresses and mandatory information disclosure across the entire supply chain is imposed on listed companies, ESG management response is becoming a crucial management issue for SMEs that affects transaction conditions and competitiveness. This survey revealed that, while acting against the backdrop of such 'external pressure,' companies proactively taking initiatives most strongly feel an 'improvement in internal evaluation,' which is the internal growth of the organization, in addition to an 'improvement in performance.'
This report focuses on ESG management and reports the survey results regarding its awareness, implementation status, progress level, effects, issues, and future intentions for promotion.
URL: https://gdx-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/bluereport_202604ver02.pdf
[Survey Results Summary]
1. Awareness of ESG management stagnates at just over 30%. The 'wall of awareness' hindering compliance with SSBJ standards.
About 70% of business owners answered that they 'have heard of it but don't know it well' or 'don't know' about ESG management.
2. Over 60% of companies working on ESG management feel 'improved performance.' The biggest achievement is improved 'internal evaluation.'
56.4% of implementing companies feel an improvement in internal evaluation, and this heightened internal evaluation fosters a sense of unity in the organization.
3. The key to success is the 'utilization of external experts.' Hands-on support to compensate for the lack of specialized personnel is an urgent issue.
The biggest reason for progress is the 'utilization of external experts,' making the strategic use of external resources essential to compensate for the lack of knowledge.
[Questionnaire Overview]
- Survey sponsor: Forval GDX Research Institute
- Survey period: January 14, 2026 - February 13, 2026
- Target audience: SME managers nationwide
- Survey method: Web-based questionnaire and analysis of responses
- Number of valid responses: 1,647 people
When using the survey results from this release, please be sure to specify [Survey by Forval GDX Research Institute].
Q1. Awareness of ESG Management (n=1,647)
Q2. Demands from Upstream Companies (n=978)
Q3. Demands from Upstream Companies × Initiatives (n=978)
Q4. Reasons for Not Implementing ESG Management Despite Demands (n=33)
In the survey regarding awareness of ESG management, 'I know it and can explain it to others' remained at 5.7%, and 'I know it, but not well enough to explain it' was 25.1%, bringing the total aware group to 30.8%. This is almost the same level as the previous survey in 2024, and about 70% of business owners still answer that they 'don't know' or 'have heard of it but don't know it well' regarding ESG management.
The direct targets of the mandates based on SSBJ standards are listed companies, but since listed companies are required to disclose information across the 'entire supply chain,' the impact on their SME business partners is inevitable. Currently, the percentage of companies receiving demands for ESG promotion from upstream companies remains at 8.6%, but among the companies that answered they 'have' such demands, about 60% have not yet started ESG management.
As for the reasons for not being able to tackle it despite having demands, the most common was 'We have no personnel with specialized knowledge and know-how' (39.4%), highlighting the reality that low awareness and a lack of resources act as a 'wall' inviting the risk of being screened out of supply chains in the future.
Q5. Status of ESG Management Initiatives (n=978)
Q6. Areas of Greatest Focus (n=149)
Q7. Areas of Greatest Focus (n=149)
Companies engaged in ESG management (15.2%) are beginning to view it as a comprehensive management framework including governance (G), moving away from the previous overemphasis on the environment (E). In fact, initiatives in the governance area, which was a minority in the 2024 survey, have significantly increased, suggesting rising awareness of compliance and risk management.
As an effect of these initiatives, the number of companies feeling an 'improvement in performance' reached 61.8% (the total of 'very effective' and 'somewhat effective'). Furthermore, a noteworthy point is that those saying it is 'very effective'...
As the formulation of sustainability disclosure standards (SSBJ standards) progresses and mandatory information disclosure across the entire supply chain is imposed on listed companies, ESG management response is becoming a crucial management issue for SMEs that affects transaction conditions and competitiveness. This survey revealed that, while acting against the backdrop of such 'external pressure,' companies proactively taking initiatives most strongly feel an 'improvement in internal evaluation,' which is the internal growth of the organization, in addition to an 'improvement in performance.'
This report focuses on ESG management and reports the survey results regarding its awareness, implementation status, progress level, effects, issues, and future intentions for promotion.
URL: https://gdx-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/bluereport_202604ver02.pdf
[Survey Results Summary]
1. Awareness of ESG management stagnates at just over 30%. The 'wall of awareness' hindering compliance with SSBJ standards.
About 70% of business owners answered that they 'have heard of it but don't know it well' or 'don't know' about ESG management.
2. Over 60% of companies working on ESG management feel 'improved performance.' The biggest achievement is improved 'internal evaluation.'
56.4% of implementing companies feel an improvement in internal evaluation, and this heightened internal evaluation fosters a sense of unity in the organization.
3. The key to success is the 'utilization of external experts.' Hands-on support to compensate for the lack of specialized personnel is an urgent issue.
The biggest reason for progress is the 'utilization of external experts,' making the strategic use of external resources essential to compensate for the lack of knowledge.
[Questionnaire Overview]
- Survey sponsor: Forval GDX Research Institute
- Survey period: January 14, 2026 - February 13, 2026
- Target audience: SME managers nationwide
- Survey method: Web-based questionnaire and analysis of responses
- Number of valid responses: 1,647 people
When using the survey results from this release, please be sure to specify [Survey by Forval GDX Research Institute].
Q1. Awareness of ESG Management (n=1,647)
Q2. Demands from Upstream Companies (n=978)
Q3. Demands from Upstream Companies × Initiatives (n=978)
Q4. Reasons for Not Implementing ESG Management Despite Demands (n=33)
In the survey regarding awareness of ESG management, 'I know it and can explain it to others' remained at 5.7%, and 'I know it, but not well enough to explain it' was 25.1%, bringing the total aware group to 30.8%. This is almost the same level as the previous survey in 2024, and about 70% of business owners still answer that they 'don't know' or 'have heard of it but don't know it well' regarding ESG management.
The direct targets of the mandates based on SSBJ standards are listed companies, but since listed companies are required to disclose information across the 'entire supply chain,' the impact on their SME business partners is inevitable. Currently, the percentage of companies receiving demands for ESG promotion from upstream companies remains at 8.6%, but among the companies that answered they 'have' such demands, about 60% have not yet started ESG management.
As for the reasons for not being able to tackle it despite having demands, the most common was 'We have no personnel with specialized knowledge and know-how' (39.4%), highlighting the reality that low awareness and a lack of resources act as a 'wall' inviting the risk of being screened out of supply chains in the future.
Q5. Status of ESG Management Initiatives (n=978)
Q6. Areas of Greatest Focus (n=149)
Q7. Areas of Greatest Focus (n=149)
Companies engaged in ESG management (15.2%) are beginning to view it as a comprehensive management framework including governance (G), moving away from the previous overemphasis on the environment (E). In fact, initiatives in the governance area, which was a minority in the 2024 survey, have significantly increased, suggesting rising awareness of compliance and risk management.
As an effect of these initiatives, the number of companies feeling an 'improvement in performance' reached 61.8% (the total of 'very effective' and 'somewhat effective'). Furthermore, a noteworthy point is that those saying it is 'very effective'...