It's leaving there third edition of SME EnterPRIZEThe project Generali which aims to promote a culture of sustainability among European SMEs. The initiative is aimed at searching for the most sustainable small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe, to find the best practices able to inspire other entrepreneurs and help society tackle environmental challenges.
Involved 10 EU countries where the local Sustainability Heroes will be selected
They will be this year ten European Union countries involved: Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Spain and Hungary. In each country, Generali will work, through its distribution network, local partners and associations that are part of European Entrepreneurs CEA PME to select the Local Sustainability Heroes. The selected ones will receive, on the occasion of the event in Brussels next autumn, a special recognition, the “Sustainability Heroes”. This award is aimed at entrepreneurs who have implemented sustainability initiatives of particular note in their business activities of remarkable sustainable initiatives and which can become a source of inspiration for their fellow entrepreneurs.
Dedicated White Paper and a research project
To better understand the challenges and opportunities that European SMEs must face on their path to sustainability, Generali has also thought of creating a Dedicated White Paper it's a research project through interviews with more than 2.000 companies. These two initiatives are in collaboration with the SDA Bocconi School of Management. In addition, the Group has also entered into a collaboration with European Entrepreneurs CEA PME which, through the GreenerSME platform for research and development projects, aims to make European SMEs even more sustainable, competitive and innovative.
Essential SMEs for a green and inclusive economy
For Generali, European SMEs are essential for realizing the EU's ambition to build agreener and more inclusive economy. SME EnterPRIZE, in the first two editions, has reached more than 13.000 PMI in his quest for Sustainability Heroes.
Among the Sustainability Heroes of previous editions:
- Mint Future GmbH, a business based in Germany, which enables electric vehicle owners to turn saved CO 2 emissions into money or sustainability projects
- Clever Farm, an agricultural company in the Czech Republic developing smart solutions for farmers such as IoT-based sensors and precision farming tools
- Rioma, a textile company that has created a foundation active in Spain and South America to support young people at risk of social exclusion
“We launched SME EnterPRIZE with the aim of promote the culture of sustainability among SMEs, supporting them on their journey and at the same time giving visibility to the most brilliant and successful stories. The initiative is part of our commitment to ensure that Generali is the Life Partner of small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe. In the previous two editions, we observed over 13.000 SMEs through our distribution networks and analyzed how institutions, through their political choices, can contribute to accelerating the sustainable transition: an issue that will be at the heart of the research and the White Paper of SDA Bocconi. Our commitment to SMEs is stronger and more meaningful than ever, because Europe's sustainable future will depend on their success,” said the CEO of Generali, Philippe Donnet.
“Our research confirms the positive link between social and environmental commitment oriented towards sustainability and a series of advantages in terms of company performance. In other words, SMEs that have promptly invested in sustainability - clean and renewable energies, energy efficiency, saving, reusing or recycling materials - are now better equipped than others to deal with the complexities we are experiencing, in the seize new competitive and market opportunities and in managing risks more effectively,” he commented Francesco Perrini, Associate Dean for Sustainability of SDA Bocconi School of Management.
