This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the knowledge of and access to funding sources in the context of sustainability. Additionally, it seeks to analyse the perspectives and intentions of entrepreneurs regarding the use of such sources in the future. For this purpose, quantitative research was conducted, and data were collected from a sample of 267 respondents, companies operating in the Central Region of Romania. The evidence indicates that reinvestment of profits is the most commonly used funding source, followed by bank loans and leasing. The least-used and least-known funding source are Business Angels. Among the conclusions of the study, the demonstration of the link between the level of use of the funding sources, which moderates the close relationship between sustainability and the financial performance of a company, is noteworthy. Ultimately, this research opens new ways for collaboration between the academic environment, government, and local authorities. The results can be beneficial for stakeholders at both the micro- and macroeconomic levels interested in the sustainable development of the SME sector.

The contemporary world is facing a real crisis due to the depletion of basic resources, consumerism and the unprecedented proliferation of physical and mental diseases that are caused by unhealthy nutrition and eating habits. The training of future specialists in the food industry with a high level of emotional intelligence, responsible both for themselves and for others, can be a useful strategy for getting out of the crisis. This was the general objective of the present research, whose statistical hypotheses aimed at increasing the level of empathy of students enrolled in two academic programs of study in the food industry by introducing four consumer psychology modules targeting emotional awareness and moral identity. The applied experimental treatment consisted of the students going through the activities of the four modules, with each module having a triarchic structure: teaching–self-testing–reflective writing. The design used was quasi-experimental, with a single group taking a pretest–posttest measurement. The results obtained support previous research efforts that had the same objective—to contribute to increasing millennial students’ levels of empathy and awareness of their own emotions. Additionally, using the pedagogical techniques of self-testing and reflective writing proved useful in achieving the set objective.