Title: Family SMEs operating in a global market: challenges and triggers towards sustainability and certification

Authors: Sara Gransinigh; Giorgio Cantino; Tooleni Loteni Vista Gosbert

Addresses: Dipartimento per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile e la Transizione Ecologica (DISSTE), Università del Piemonte Orientale, piazza Sant'Eusebio, 5, 13100 Vercelli, Italy ' Dipartimento per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile e la Transizione Ecologica (DISSTE), Università del Piemonte Orientale, piazza Sant'Eusebio, 5, 13100 Vercelli, Italy ' Dipartimento per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile e la Transizione Ecologica (DISSTE), Università del Piemonte Orientale, piazza Sant'Eusebio, 5, 13100 Vercelli, Italy

Abstract: Sustainability strategies offer innovation, resilience, and competitive advantage for family-owned SMEs in global markets. Despite the proactive attitude of these firms, resource constraints, knowledge gaps, and risk aversion hinder effective implementation of sustainability practice. It is thus essential to enhance awareness and support for family-owned SMEs to align with global sustainability norms and regulations. The paper explores how family SMEs tackle sustainability challenges and regulatory compliance, by applying the case study methodology with quantitative and qualitative data. It examines the strategic responses of an Italian internationalised family SME to investigate existing theories and extract practical implications. The findings underscore the importance of external support and standardised management systems in advancing sustainability. Indeed, the case study shows that following standards and obtaining certifications support compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement. It also highlights that the ISO certifications could provide a key strategic asset for differentiation and long-term value creation.

Keywords: global markets; family-SME; sustainability; case study; corporate sustainability strategy; environmental impacts; greenhouse gases emissions; management systems; ISO standards; certification.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGSB.2025.151853

International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business, 2025 Vol.15 No.3, pp.276 - 294

Received: 21 May 2025
Accepted: 22 Oct 2025
Published online: 23 Feb 2026 *

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