Opportunities for entrepreneurial sustainability initiatives to advance Sustainable Development Goals

Since Norwegian social-anthropologist Fredrik Barth introduced us to entrepreneurs as agents of social change, entrepreneurship has been considered to be a driver of change in communities. This can be positive change if and when the business model engages in sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nevertheless, the exercise of sustainability is challenging, the core characteristic for the Sustainable Development Goals is “leaving nobody behind” hence to improve livelihoods and transitioning to sustainability along ecological and social dimensions. The chapter argues that despite of the Sustainable Development Goals set a new agenda with particular emphasis on the private sector’s strength – entrepreneurship – regarding relevant skills to deliver on the SDGs and, contribute to the transformative sustainability process, it appears that entrepreneurial activities demand for sustainability transition might be an overlooked resource to connect and create linkage between these. The chapter investigates entrepreneurial initiatives on the micro-level with a view on macro- and meso-level processes of the Sustainable Development Goals.