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Sustainability takes centre stage in Generali Hungary’s SME EnterPRIZE webinars

April 27, 2021

Each of the 7 countries participating in the SME EnterPRIZE project has a chance to take its inspiring principle – encouraging SMEs to develop sustainable business models – and turn it into actionable insights for local SMEs.

This is what Generali Hungary did by offering a series of free webinars to national SMEs, tailoring the training content on their particular needs.

The idea came straight from fact-based, first-hand feedback given by Hungarian entrepreneurs. Through a dedicated survey recently conducted among almost 20,000 SMEs, Generali Hungary discovered that entrepreneurs considered online training an effective means to acquire knowledge and skills their company could benefit from in their journey towards a more sustainable way of working.

The results showed that the majority of respondents (69%) already occasionally attend online seminars, a quarter do so regularly and almost one out of two managers have attended a conference or webinar conducted by a professional at least once.

Particularly in the banking and financial sector (91%), in healthcare (81%) and in the construction industry (68%), entrepreneurs are open to online courses and are particularly interested in receiving useful information on efficiency, sustainability, innovation, and their legal implications.

The Generali Hungary project, called “Inspire Others with Your Business”, was designed to respond to their specific requirements and set off with a series of webinars led by industry experts. For example, the opening online seminar “Digital Transformation & Innovation” – which is one of the pillars of Generali’s strategy – was moderated by the well-known Hungarian journalist and presenter Krisztina Bombera.

The purpose of the webinars was to provide the SME sector with the right tools to face the challenges of the future. Following the first seminar on Digital Transformation and Innovation, the other webinars focused on efficiency, risk management, and sustainability.

Prominent speakers took part in this last webinar including Zoltán Gazsi, CEO of Eisberg Hungary Ltd, Anna Kudron, one of the founders of the creative studio PINKPONILO and Anna Kalmár, founder of AdniJóga (JogaShare).

Together they presented cases in point of projects successfully applied in the fields of workplace wellness, environmental protection, and responsibility for the microenvironment.

These three areas of application were the focus of  an initiative dedicated to local SMEs launched by Generali Hungary to promote, specifically:

  • The wellbeing of employees and their families through the implementation of ad hoc company policies. Some examples are the creation of nurseries, vocational training courses, and the organisation of leisure activities.
  • Environmental protection, by singling SMEs with tangible projects aimed at reducing emissions of pollutants harmful to the environment, as well as all small and medium-sized enterprises that have implemented initiatives for the use of renewable energy and proper recycling.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility for Micro-Communities.

 

Hungarian SMEs can apply for one of the three categories by submitting their projects. Registrations started on April 22 and will continue until May 12. On May 31, one winner per category will be selected to receive a prize of HUF 3 million.

The jury in charge of evaluating and, thus, awarding the SMEs is made up of prominent figures such as Irén Márta, director of the Hungarian Business Council for Sustainable Development and Melinda Kamasz, editor-in-chief of the news website Növekedés.hu.

The best project ideas selected will be presented in Brussels during the international Award Ceremony to be held in September 2021.

Other countries such as Germany, France and Austria have also been involved in building a more sustainable Europe through initiatives in favour of local SMEs. Italy and Spain are next in line to discover positive sustainable actions implemented by local SMEs and reward them for their efforts.

To learn more about the SME EnterPRIZE Sustainability Award in Hungary visit the Generali Hungary Website.