Martina Manzo

The topic of sustainability reporting by SMEs is gaining significant importance in European contexts such as Italy. However, recent regulations, constantly evolving in terms of legal requirements and practical standards, do not yet provide solid foundations to guide small and medium-sized enterprises. This study aims to examine how Italian listed SMEs address sustainability issues in terms of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their sustainability reports, in light of the recent requirements set out in European directives (i.e., Directive 2022/2464/EU—Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Directive 2025/794/EU—Stop the Clock). The analysis is based on a content review of 17 sustainability reports published in 2023 by Italian SMEs listed on Euronext Growth Milan of Borsa Italiana. The research protocol was structured around the key SDG themes found in the reports, using Python 3.14.2 libraries including Pandas, NumPy, NLTK, and Matplotlib. The findings highlight heterogeneous approaches to sustainability. Most firms adopt symbolic approaches based on formal narrative disclosures without addressing sustainability reporting’s substantive dimensions. They overlook both the principle of double materiality, actually recommended by the CSR Directive, and the provision of assurance statements on reports. Although mandatory sustainability reporting is not imminent, particularly in light of the “Stop the Clock” measure, this research offers significant insights into both theoretical and practical implications. From a theoretical standpoint, it contributes to the growing body of literature on sustainability practices among SMEs. From a managerial standpoint, it underscores the importance of designing tailored reporting practices for SMEs that avoid administrative costs and overload issues, at the same time fostering a substantive approach to disclosure able to convey meaningful information to stakeholders.

The women's education and its potential impact on entrepreneurship and innovation represent a growing interest in socioeconomic academic research (Paoloni and Manzo, 2023; Pereira, 2020; Bishu and Alkandry, 2017). The present paper makes a systematic literature review based on the topic of Gendered Education and Innovation in female entrepreneurship, considering the evolution over almost the last two decades and the current state of the art. The study is based on the Scopus database. It examines articles, books, and indexed conference proceedings that have focused on the influence of women's education on their entrepreneurial journey and innovative capabilities. The studies having in Abstract, Title, or Keywords "education " AND " innovation " AND " entrepreneur* " OR "enterprise*" AND "gender" are 257. Source types, year of publication, field of research, source title, keywords, country/territory, and language classify studies. After this, the most cited studies were analyzed to answer the RQs. The studies reviewed show a positive correlation between women's level of education and the likelihood of engaging in entrepreneurial activities. Education provides technical and managerial skills, boosts self-confidence and expands networking, facilitating access to resources and opportunities (de las Mercedes Barrachina Fernández et al., 2021; Gupta et al., 2009). From a theoretical point of view, the research contributes to gender studies about female entrepreneurship, focusing on the relationship between education and innovation. Analyzing how education influences women's entrepreneurship can help identify and address educational and socio-cultural barriers that limit women's access to entrepreneurship and active participation in innovation. From a managerial perspective, the results of such research can inform public policy, guiding government and organizational efforts in promoting specific educational programs that encourage women's entrepreneurship and innovativeness. Promoting women's innovativeness and entrepreneurship can contribute to overall economic development, as greater inclusion of women in the business landscape can lead to increased diversity, competitiveness and innovation (Minniti and Nardone, 2007; Morton et al., 2016; Pereira, 2019; Pereira and Salaris, 2019; ).

Purpose: Women-led enterprises can count on intellectual capital (IC) to implement a knowledge exchange process, improve managerial skills and provide themselves with more certain and reasonable financial resources. Recently, the literature has recognized a new paradigm of innovation, known as open innovation (OI) that emphasizes the strategic importance of relationships for knowledge development. The paper, first, aims to investigate if IC can support female agri-start-ups’ innovation process. Second, the aim is to analyse the ways in which IC supports female agri-start-ups.Design/methodology/approach: The work uses a qualitative methodology and a multiple case study supports the paper. Data were acquired using direct semi-structured interviews. To read and interpret them, the authors resorted to the C.A.O.S. model that permits examining the direct relationships in terms of relational capital (RC) and also, observing the effect produced by the relational circuit in terms of human capital (HC) and structural capital (SC) in small and medium enterprises.Findings: Findings reveal that RC plays a fundamental role in innovative start-up's development. The S-C and S-O links support business management and help fill the gender financial gap. This leads to improving entrepreneurial skills (HC) and promoting internal innovative solutions (SC). The S-A links can help the entrepreneur acquire more awareness of the market and compete better.Originality/value: The research contributes to IC and gender studies, with a specific focus on RC and the innovation process. Although the literature has already investigated the role of RC in female entrepreneurship, only few previous research have conducted a qualitative analysis about the relationships established in the peculiar context of innovative agri-start-ups.

Since the early 1980s, the economic literature has recognized the importance of valorizing the differences in the corporate context as a necessity and has been fueled by studies using the term "diversity management" (Kelly & Dobbin, 1998; Keil et al., 2007). The attention placed on the issue by both public and private sector organizations has grown exponentially, embracing new contexts and also new shades of diversity (Di Santo et al., 2013). Gender is a focal element of the organizations' multiplicity, the respect for which requires equal representation of men and women in the workplace (Wawryszuk-Misztal, 2021). The EIGE (European Institute for Gender Equality) Indicator considers different variables, among of which there are employment and education, two closely interdependent aspects which are even more prominently encountered in academia. Gender inequality in academic careers is, in fact, a global phenomenon, although the causes and consequences vary in different national contexts (Piva and Rovelli, 2022). One tool increasingly used by universities to demonstrate their commitment to pursuing gender equality is the gender budget, a document that assesses and restructures budget items considering women’s priorities and needs as well as those of men (Addabbo et al., 2015; Bilyk et al., 2021; Lucchese et al., 2022). This paper aims to investigate whether and how gender budget can communicate the evolution of the gender diversity management approach. The paper uses a qualitative analysis based on a single case study to answer the research question. In particular, the research is focused on gender budgeting elaborated by the oldest university in Europe: University La Sapienza, set in Rome, Italy. Sapienza University is the most prominent university in Rome and the first to implement this tool. The authors will carry out a documentary analysis of the latest gender budget (2021), comparing it with the previous ones (2016-2020), to see if it is possible to understand how Sapienza's commitment to reducing the gender gap has evolved over the years. From a theoretical point of view, the research contributes to gender studies and non-financial reporting research, focusing on the role of clear and transparent communication in conveying the value and enhancement of diversity. From a managerial perspective, findings could increase the universities' awareness about which information the gender budget should contain to represent the organization's dynamic engagement against gender inequalities.