Compared to SMEs, under Directive 2014/95/EU, large companies have several more pieces of information to publish related to environmental and social matters,treatment of employees and respect for human rights, anti-corruption and bribery diversity on company boards (in terms of age, gender, educational and professional background).
There is no doubt that environmental, social and governance (ESG) investments will be the dominant theme of the financial sector and markets over the next decade. About one-third of all assets under management, or $35 trillion of assets under management worldwide, use some form of sustainable investment strategy.
Synesgy's success are the dedicated questionnaires, which are based on timely and rigorous references of global ESG market regulations such as UNGC, GRI, UN 17 SDGs, EBA LOM, and EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities.
In the early days of sustainability, many companies viewed it as a regulatory compliance issue. Businesses would do the minimum required to meet environmental standards and then move on, without giving much thought to how sustainability might actually benefit their operations.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in the global economy, contributing to job creation and economic growth. SMEs account for 90% of businesses worldwide and more than 50% of global employment. In Europe, such statistics are even more impacting as SMEs represent 99.8% of private companies and more than 60% of employment.
The concept of green procurement refers to the acquisition of products with a reduced environmental impact, which provides the same or improved function and performance but are less harmful to human health and the environment. It involves the use of materials with a low environmental impact and that are more sustainable, as well as the implementation of practices that promote sustainability and the choice of the less impacting option of sourcing and production.
Climate change is increasingly being recognized as a major risk to businesses. The physical impacts of the environmental disaster caused by climate change, such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, and droughts, can disrupt supply chains, damage infrastructure, and impact operations. In addition, the transition to a low-carbon economy presents risks and opportunities for businesses, as governments and consumers demand more sustainable practices. As a result, it's important for companies to evaluate their exposure to climate risks and opportunities. This can help them identify potential threats to their business and take steps to mitigate them, as well as seize opportunities to innovate and create value.
In recent years, properly measuring and communicating one's ESG performance has become a competitive lever for companies. However, while the adoption of sustainability-related practices is becoming more common among companies, measurement and governance issues still pose major challenges for many organizations, especially SMEs.
Measuring sustainability performances is becoming increasingly important for both large corporations and SMEs. On one hand, obtaining ESG certification opens several business opportunities for companies, relating to funding, partnerships and service offering. On the other hand, measuring ESG performances can be a difficult journey, especially for SMEs which, however, cannot back down from this challenge. The European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), in fact, has extended the obligation to produce a sustainability report also to SMEs listed on one of the Member States' markets.
As companies recognize the significance of integrating social considerations into their operations, they realise the immense potential benefits that investing and operating according to social sustainability can generate. This article explores the concept of social sustainability and discusses the opportunities it presents for a company.