51% of Romanian entrepreneurs see sustainability as a way to reduce operational costs, yet the same proportion say implementation is too expensive, according to a new study by BRD Groupe Société Générale. Conducted among micro and small-to-medium enterprises, the research outlines how Romanian entrepreneurs perceive the opportunities and challenges of transitioning to sustainable business models.
BRD Groupe Société Générale has entered into a new partnership agreement with the European Investment Fund (EIF) to guarantee loans that finance sustainable projects.
BRD Groupe Société Générale, in cooperation with Eldrive Romania, started this month the first phase of a pilot project to install charging stations for electric cars at the branches in Galati and Timișoara.
BRD has strengthened its involvement in financing the transition to sustainability with the total volume of new sustainable financing reaching over RON 1.2 billion (€240 million) in the first half of 2023, says Flavia Popa, Secretary General, BRD Groupe Société Générale. She talked to the Green Forum about the target regarding the reduction of water and energy consumption in the BRD offices and also about the social projects that the bank supports.
On International Climate Emergency Day (22 July), the Climate Change Summit (CCS), the largest event in Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to addressing the challenges of climate change, presented the carbon footprint report of its first edition in 2022.
BRD – Groupe Société Générale granted sustainable financing of RON1.1 billion (€220 million) last year. BRD launched 2022 its first green lending products for individuals. Also, the BRD Group reduced its energy consumption by 12.5% compared to the previous year and the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from operations.
Microsoft has achieved its goal of matching 100% of its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy, reaching the milestone five years ahead of its 2025 target. The achievement supports the company's commitment to become carbon negative by 2030.
The recent weakening of the CSRD may have some real estate developers cheering the compliance rollbacks, but the consequences could be complicated. A new research survey examines how EU real estate firms are navigating changes to the CSRD, and what that could mean for upcoming SFDR revisions.
Waldevar Energy has begun construction on two utility-scale photovoltaic parks for Doral Energy in Tudor Vladimirescu (Brăila County) and Ștefan Vodă (Călărași County), Romania. The projects will deliver 14 MWp of installed capacity using around 25,000 photovoltaic panels.
Lidl Romania has published its eighth sustainability report for the 2024 financial year, announcing accelerated progress in reducing environmental impact. The retailer has achieved its international 2030 target for transitioning to natural refrigerants, with these now used in 100% of logistics centres and 81.7% of stores, compared to the original goal of 100% of logistics centres and 40% of stores. The company has also increased its green energy usage to 80% of total consumption.
The European Union has reached a provisional agreement to reduce the scope and stringency of two major ESG regulatory frameworks: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
