[Case Study] Reducing the negative environmental impact of SMEs in Pakistan’s leather and tanning industry

In the year 2000 the Norwegian Agency for Cooperation and Development (NORAD) and the Pakistan Government began to work together to reduce the environmental impact of small and medium-sized enterprizes (SMEs) in Pakistan’s private sector. Initial work began with the leather and tanning industry; one that was particularly known to be responsible for water pollution impacting on the availability of clean water to local communities. A social marketing programme was launched to change SME owners’/managers’ behaviour so as to reduce waste and negative environmental impact. At the same time SMEs would benefit from developing new capabilities, improving working conditions, increasing efficiency and cost savings, enhancing product quality, reputation and profitability. The programme was judged to be successful and was subsequently extended to other industrial sectors. However, while many SME owners adopted the new behaviours, others did not. This case study particularly focuses on the differences between adopters and non-adopters of pro-environmental behaviours to suggest how those implementing social change programmes can best target their interventions and accelerate the adoption process.