Responsibility in startups: building sustainable trajectories at European level
Entrepreneurial responsibility is emerging as a key issue within the European startup ecosystem. But beyond mere declarations of intent, how far have young companies actually come in the practical implementation of responsible practices? The European Barometer of Responsible Practices in startups, led by the academic coalition INNOVA Europe, offers a concrete insight into this ongoing transformation.
Conducted amongst 433 European startuups in France, Italy and Germany, this first edition takes the pulse of the ecosystem.
Why this barometer, now?
The debate surrounding ESG is currently going through a tense phase. In certain contexts, particularly in Anglo-Saxon countries, responsible practices are sometimes accused of diverting companies from their primary objective: economic performance. This polarisation fuels persistent confusion between communication, regulatory compliance and real impact. Yet, at the same time, the pressures on companies show no sign of abating: the transformation of value chains, the rise of European regulations, and heightened expectations from talent, customers and investors. Startups, as drivers of innovation and economic transformation, are at the heart of these dynamics.
The INNOVA Europe Barometer stems from this dual conviction:
- responsibility cannot be analysed in ideological or binary terms;
- it must be examined in the context of actual decision-making, where economic models are shaped.
The barometer analyses responsible practices through four complementary pillars:
- Environmental: resource management, energy, emissions;
- Social: inclusion, equity, well-being and working conditions;
- Governance: transparency, decision-making processes, ethics;
- Civic: contribution to the local area, communities and the public interest.
Above all, it approaches responsibility as a progressive process, distinguishing three key levels:
- Intention and declaration
- Concrete implementation
- Measuring and steering impact
What the study reveals: a committed ecosystem, but one still taking shape
Key finding: awareness of responsibility is well established.
Nearly 93% of the start-ups surveyed report implementing responsible practices, at varying levels of commitment (ranging from exploration to more structured integration).
In fact, 81% of start-ups have taken action on at least one of the four pillars of responsibility defined by the barometer: environmental, social, governance and civic. These findings confirm that responsibility is no longer seen as a peripheral issue but as a concern that is now integrated into strategic thinking, even at an early stage.
However, few organisations address all these dimensions simultaneously. Responsibility is built up in stages, often depending on operational priorities, available resources and the organisation’s level of maturity.
ESGC: priorities that reflect the realities on the ground
Whilst environmental initiatives remain highly visible, the barometer shows that social and governance dimensions are now among the most widely implemented (nearly 80% and 78% respectively). This result is largely explained by their proximity to the day-to-day life of start-ups: team culture, managerial practices, decision-making processes and internal organisation. These are all levers that can be directly activated even at early stages of development. Conversely, the civic dimension, which is more indirect and harder to measure, lags behind (51%). Yet it relates to fundamental issues such as regional roots, contribution to local communities, and societal impact in the broadest sense.
Intention, action, measurement: a journey still incomplete
One of the key contributions of the barometer is to analyse responsibility as a progressive process, from intention to impact measurement.
Whilst verbal commitments and implementation are widespread, only 28% of startups currently measure the impact of their responsible practices using dedicated indicators. This discrepancy highlights a key challenge: the difficulty of translating action into strategic management. A lack of time, resources or expertise, or a fear of excessive reporting: the obstacles are well identified. But for INNOVA Europe, measurement should not be seen as an additional burden. On the contrary, it serves as a tool for clarity, enabling prioritisation, adjustment and progress without losing sight of the mission. The aim is not to implement cumbersome reporting, but to track two or three key indicators that reflect the brand’s identity and align with the brand and product, in order to communicate more effectively with stakeholders and unite teams around shared, responsible objectives.
The key role of the ecosystem
The study reveals a fundamental lesson: startups do not progress on their own. Those that are actively engaged by their ecosystem (incubators, customers, investors, partners, etc.) are twice as likely to measure their responsible practices. Incubators and accelerators play a decisive role in the early stages, laying the cultural foundations. Customers, for their part, exert a constant influence throughout the startup’s lifecycle.
Impact investors and venture capital funds help shape reporting practices as companies grow.
Responsibility and growth: a false dichotomy
To become a genuine driver of transformation, responsible practices must go beyond a mere compliance mindset. When viewed as a driver of identity, differentiation and long-term performance, they become an integral part of a start-up’s growth strategy, rather than remaining peripheral. The barometer thus debunks a persistent misconception: that of a trade-off between responsibility and development. Responsible practices do not, on their own, enable a start-up to ‘scale’, but neither do they hinder its development. When integrated in a coherent manner, they become a lever for identity, differentiation and long-term performance. Trajectories such as those of the startup Bellevilles or the French scale-up HomeExchange illustrate this approach: companies that have embedded responsibility in their DNA, aligning their external mission, internal governance and social practices, whilst continuing to grow. Responsibility is a demanding process, sometimes perceived as restrictive, but one that constitutes a genuine driver of sustainability and long-term performance.
A barometer to support the transformation
Beyond simply providing an assessment, the INNOVA Europe coalition aims to make this barometer a key reference tool for the European ecosystem:
- to track how practices evolve over time,
- to foster a shared culture of corporate responsibility,
- to share best practices and inspiring case studies,
- to inform academic research,
- and to formulate concrete recommendations for public and private stakeholders.
Against a backdrop of multiple economic, social and environmental transitions, start-ups occupy a strategic position in European competitiveness. This barometer is part of this vision: that of a more human, more sustainable form of entrepreneurship, better aligned with contemporary challenges, driven not by mandates but by an ecosystem capable of evolving collectively.
