ING Bank Romania has invested €11 million in the past 11 years in environmental actions in Romania and €1.2 million were donated in 2022 alone for vulnerable groups' support, says Alexandra Maier, Sustainability Manager at ING Bank Romania.
Aquila's total carbon footprint decreased by 6.5%, amounting to 36,837 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e), on location-based calculation, according to the sustainability report.
Crayon is partnering with EnterTeq to provide companies with innovative digital solutions for ESG alignment and increased sustainability.
Cornerstone Investment Management, a CEE-based private equity investment management firm, acquired Ecowipes, a European manufacturer of biodegradable wet wipes, in cooperation with Kartesia, a European specialist financing provider.
Lack of education in terms of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and a poor number of good practice solutions are two of the challenges in the field, says Matius Ichim, Architect at Matius Studio and owner of the retail platform www.prioretail.ro. He talked to Green Forum about the advantages of a sustainably built commercial space. He says that 15-20% of the operating networks in Romania have started implementing ESG key principles in their fit-out design and close to 5% in full sustainable standards.
The Ariston Group, which operates in the field of sustainable thermal comfort, has presented its vision and ESG objectives for 2030 within the "Road to 100", a strategic plan that attests to the group's commitment to sustainability.
To support the fight against and prevention of plastic pollution, Lidl Romania has invested over RON14.6 million (€2.92 million) in programs developed together with civil society.
Coca-Cola HBC Romania is the first local company, in the FMCG industry to produce a sustainability report to international standards and among the first local companies to publicly present such a report, says Alice Nichita, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director at Coca-Cola HBC Romania. She talked to Green Forum about the company's ESG strategy and the company's current sustainability targets and the social initiatives that the company and its employees are involved in.
Wizz Air was named the most sustainable low-cost airline for the third consecutive year at the World Finance Sustainability Awards 2023. The company states that World Finance magazine appreciated Wizz Air's sustainability credentials and its commitment to reducing emissions by another 25% by the end of the decade.
Last year, Kaufland Romania was involved in the development and implementation of social responsibility projects worth €9 million, including two financing programs through which Kaufland offers non-refundable grants to non-governmental organizations. The company states that it is among the biggest supporters of NGOs that fight for causes such as health, environmental protection, education, healthy living, and sports or culture.
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.
Sonae Sierra has reduced its CO2 emissions by approximately 90% from 2005 to date and its electricity consumption by 66% since 2002. The company announces that it has avoided costs of €34.9 million by implementing eco-efficiency measures.
Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced that the Schneider Electric Sustainability School is open for enrolment. Free to access, the digital platform provides a range of interactive courses aimed at equipping companies and professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to improve their sustainability performance.
At Romanian private equity fund ROCA Investments, ESG considerations are gradually turning into a critical part of the investment and portfolio management processes, says CEO Rudolf Vizental
Romania should have a body that regulates the ESG field (environment, social, and governance), and the ministries should prepare sustainability reports, says Călin Ionescu, CEO of Sphera Franchise Group. Although there is an obligation to publish the ESG report for all companies with over 500 employees, apart from multinationals, most do not publish it because there is no sanction.
We report from Romania ESG Forum 2023, an international business conference organized by Green Forum & Property Forum in Bucharest earlier this month.
The banking sector has a very important role in promoting the green economy by providing green loans and sustainable support.
One of UniCredit's priorities in Romania in 2022 is the implementation of the local ESG strategy, as the bank's report shows. Thus, the bank finances businesses in the area of green energy, renewable energy, and energy efficiency, and the green loan with mortgage intended for individuals continued to be one of the requested products.
An EY survey found that experts are much more likely to take concrete action by stepping up investment in sustainability. Nine out of 10 companies (90%) said they plan to increase their investments in sustainability. The survey also identified a key link between effective board sustainability governance and company business performance.
Globalworth analyzed its performance over 3 years and set its environmental target of reducing its GHG emissions intensity by 40% by 2030 compared to its baseline 2019 levels. About 90% of the group's commercial properties are green-certified and about 98% of the energy used in the portfolio came from renewable sources at the end of 2022.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) extended an €80 million portfolio risk-sharing guarantee to BNP Paribas Bank Polska (BNPPBP), to help increase access to green finance in Poland.
Energa Green Development has acquired the PV Serby project, one of the largest planned solar farms in Poland, with a projected capacity of 112 MW.
ORLEN Venture Capital (ORLEN VC) has invested in Hystar, a Norwegian company specializing in high-efficiency proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers for large-scale, zero-emission hydrogen production.
Allview Solar Energy, the renewable energy division of Visual Fan S.A., has signed a contract with Prodlacta S.A.
The joint venture partners behind the project – Equinor, the international energy company headquartered in Norway, and Polenergia have made their final investment decisions for the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms, paving the way for full-scale construction.
