About 25% of the owners and managers of pmi declares to have adopted a floor Esg, against 14% in 2020. However, over 40% of those interviewed say they have not adopted any sustainability plan, showing an increase compared to 20% two years ago, despite adopting an environmental and social business strategy improves satisfaction customer and reputation, increases efficiency and market share. These are the main results anticipated by Generali than a survey of more than 1.000 European small and medium-sized enterprises.
Among the obstacles that European SMEs are facing: the difficulty in accessing the finance planet and to public incentives aimed at SMEs as well as the lack of demand for sustainable products and services.
“Our survey shows that adopting good environmental and social practices offers significant business opportunities,” he said. Philippe Donnet, group CEO of Generali adding that “the insurance and financial sectors can contribute by improving access to finance for sustainability-related initiatives, and this also constitutes an opportunity for further cohesion for Europe. Small and medium-sized enterprises on the Continent are essential for a sustainable recovery, and next October we will be happy to reward those who have most distinguished themselves for having adopted sustainable business models. These will represent an example for the whole of Europe to follow”.
The complete results will be announced next October, on the occasion of the second edition of SME EnterPRIZE, the Lion of Trieste's project to promote a culture of sustainability among European SMEs through a special White Book created by Bocconi University.
Generali survey: complete results during the second edition of SME EnterPRIZE
The launch of the second edition marks the start of a process that will select SMEs in the 9 countries participating in the programme: Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Czech Republic, Spain e Hungary. The "Sustainability Heroes" will be selected by a panel of independent judges gathered in a Scientific Committee and will be proclaimed during a ceremony to be held in Brussels on 26 October. The “Sustainability Heroes” are entrepreneurs who have implemented particularly relevant sustainability initiatives in their business activities, who can be a source of inspiration and become ambassadors of sustainability.
Among the "Sustainability Heroes" of the 2021 edition of SME EnterPRIZE, selected from over 6 SMEs, are a Hungarian producer of vegetable oil that has adopted an innovative policy aimed at eliminating waste, an eco-hotel in Austria with low carbon, an Italian organic farm that has implemented employee welfare initiatives and a Spanish company active in the textile sector that provides support to young people at risk of social exclusion.
Furthermore, according to a note, Generali will present the “Bocconi University White Paper” which analyzes the progress made by European SMEs in creating sustainable businesses, the obstacles faced and the possible contribution of politics and finance.
