For Immediate Release
Washington, DC — May 6, 2025
Media Contact
Anayana White
anayana@asbnetwork.org
Tariffs Shock Small Business Community; ASBC Joins Senate Democrats to Highlight Harm During National Small Business Week
Over Half of Sustainable Businesses Polled Expect Higher Costs; Half Say Tariffs Threaten Market Competitiveness
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As National Small Business Week kicks off, the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), the advocacy affiliate of the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN), is sounding the alarm over the damaging effects of tariff policies under the current administration. ASBC joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and small business owners from across the country yesterday to urge an end to the harmful trade taxes that are squeezing businesses nationwide.
“Small businesses operate on razor-thin margins and are still regaining stability after the disruptions of COVID-19. Now they’re being hit again—this time by punitive tariffs that drive up costs and threaten their survival,” said Vicki Lee Parker-High, a board member representing ASBC and Executive Director of the South Carolina Sustainable Business Council. “Small businesses make up nearly half of all private sector jobs and over 97% of U.S. exporters. I was proud to stand with business owners from across the country to urge Congress—on both sides of the aisle—to exempt small businesses from these burdensome tariffs before more are forced to close their doors.”
At a Capitol Hill press conference yesterday, Parker-High stood with Senator Schumer and small business owners to spotlight how tariffs are raising costs, reducing competitiveness, and adding uncertainty to already fragile business environments.
A recent ASBN member poll conducted during a national tariffs webinar on April 9 found:
- 62.5% of small businesses expect tariffs to increase production costs
- 50% say tariffs will make them less competitive in their markets
Participants included leaders from manufacturing, retail, professional services, and agriculture.
“Small and midsize businesses are scrambling,” said David Levine, Co-founder and President of ASBC and ASBN. “Uncertainty is one of the biggest threats to business, and these erratic tariff decisions have become a source of frustration and concern about business stability. Just this week, the president dismissed small businesses in a national interview, saying, in effect, ‘who cares.’ That attitude is unacceptable.”
ASBN’s “Tell Your Story” campaign, launched in April to give a voice to small businesses affected by funding freezes, tariffs, and weakened federal support.
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American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN) amplifies the collective voice of sustainable business to lead the way to a regenerative economy that is stakeholder-driven, just, and prosperous. As a multi-issue, membership organization advocating on behalf of every business sector, size, and geography, ASBN operates as an umbrella organization encompassing two affiliates: 501(c)(3) American Sustainable Business Institute (ASBI) and the 501(c)(4) American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC). Together, they work in close harmony to advance their shared mission to inform, connect, and mobilize sustainable business leaders, transforming the public and private sectors toward a just and regenerative economy. ASBN’s work is powered by members collectively representing thousands of businesses across the US.
