Generali: despite the unfolding crisis, 46% of Hungarian SMEs are actively engaged in sustainability

EnterPRIZE sustainability round table discussion (Photo: Generali)

In recent years, Generali Biztosító has tried with several initiatives to draw the attention of the European SME sector to the importance of sustainability, which is a key factor not only for business success, but also for the common future of societies living together on the continent. With this in mind, it launched the EnterPRIZE program in 2021, which recognizes companies that set an example with good practices, and in addition, in cooperation with Bocconi University, it also assessed the attitude of European small and medium-sized enterprises to sustainability this year. On November 24, the insurance company also presented the lessons learned from this year’s research in Budapest, and representatives of the corporate sector, the Hungarian prize winners of EnterPRIZE and Generali’s new sustainability ambassador, swordsman Áron Szilágyi, were able to share their experiences in the round table discussion moderated by Krisztina Bombera.

The SME sector is polarizing, incentives are needed

While the results of last year’s sustainability research were primarily influenced by the long-lasting, elemental impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the situation in 2022 is already determined by the war conflict, inflation, and the climate and energy crisis, which significantly overshadow the plans for the near future. . Based on this, the European SME sector seems to be clearly polarized: while the number of companies that have already adapted their ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) strategy has doubled, just twice as many companies have declared that they are not even planning to do so in the near future – moreover Their number increased from 20% to 43% in the last two years. The negative trend is also visible among Hungarian SMEs, since while 46% of them have already put their sustainability action plan into practice, maybe they are working on it or want to implement it in the near future, 42% of them do not count on this at all at the moment, since they have to solve acute problems in everyday life.

“This research provides us with many important lessons, which, recognizing the trends, can also be a guide for the future. For example, it turned out that the owners and managers of businesses play a key role in sustainability efforts (73%), and the most important motivating factor is the regulatory environment of each country (65%). We also learned that companies are taking far more steps towards sustainability than they think or are able to communicate, and that they primarily focus on promoting sustainable demand (72%), accessible incentives (71%), resource support (64%) and broad education (59%) would apply,” Mihály Erdős, President and CEO of Generali, summarized the results at the event.

The “Sustainability Heroes” and Áron Szilágyi also set an example

If we leave aside the long-term benefits for society as a whole, the adaptation of a sustainable approach can be seen from a business point of view even in the short term: SMEs using an ESG approach have proven to be more successful in terms of customer satisfaction, reputation and dialogue with stakeholders. These positive experiences and the sharing of good practices can also be important incentives, which is why Generali launched its EnterPRIZE program last year, which supports the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and the spread of the culture of sustainability. This year, 6,600 applicant companies from all over Europe took part in the competition, and Manual Divat Kft., known by the Hungarian brand name Karma Leather Gloves, was among the nine “Sustainability Heroes”. The company committed to slow fashion and the circular economy thus followed in the footsteps of Virgin Oil Press Kft., the manufacturer of Grapoila zero waste products, awarded in 2021, and the two domestic sustainability role models were able to share their experiences with the audience at the round table discussion organized by Generali.

Although the sustainability practices of SMEs, which form the backbone of the continent’s economy, affect the lives of all of us, we should not think that we ourselves cannot do something for a more livable future on a daily basis. Therefore, Generali’s efforts will now be supported by a sustainability ambassador in the person of our three-time Olympic, two-time world and three-time European swordsman, Áron Szilágyi. The elite athlete has been Generali’s health ambassador since 2017, but from now on he is cooperating with the company as a sustainability ambassador.

“I try to consciously organize my weekly schedule, optimize my city travel, shopping, and meals in advance, all through the lens of sustainability. I feel a huge difference in terms of the environmental effects of the pre-thought-out, planned schedule and the rhapsodic everyday life. In addition, it is important to talk about energy efficiency: the lights in our household have never burned unnecessarily, and we also pay attention to the consumption data when purchasing new appliances. In my opinion, it is slowly becoming natural everywhere to collect garbage selectively, not to buy unnecessary disposable packaging, and to compost suitable waste if possible. As an athlete and a well-known person, I feel it is my duty to support and promote charitable causes and important messages. Sustainability is not a topic that can be dismissed from one day to the next, in fact, it will become more and more unavoidable in all areas of life, so we all have to deal with it. I don’t know yet what direction life will take after elite sports, but sustainability will certainly be decisive for me there as well. It would be good if we were more aware and tried to reduce our ecological footprint in order to leave a livable world for the future generation,” says Áron Szilágyi.