Most Romanian entrepreneurs, over 75 percent of those surveyed in an IRES study, believe that climate change has a negative impact on the local business environment as well. This is one of the main conclusions of the sociological study carried out by IRES for the Sustainability Academy, with the support of BCR.
Another important finding of the study is that 6 out of 10 entrepreneurs believe that renewable energy will play a major role in their company’s success, while half of them see sustainable practices and waste management as fundamental to the future of their business. Most entrepreneurs associate sustainability with sustainable business development, meeting employee and customer expectations, low financing costs and reducing the carbon footprint.
Issuance of electronic invoices, selective collection of waste and efficient lighting, among the most popular actions
Among the most common sustainability actions are electronic invoicing, selective waste collection and efficient lighting. Only a small percentage, 10 percent, use electric cars or less polluting transport alternatives. Although many entrepreneurs want to adopt sustainability strategies, most do not collect data to create reports, with only 17 percent of them doing so. The main obstacles in data collection are financial resources, lack of time and lack of necessary knowledge, and the main data collected are those related to energy and electricity consumption, waste generated, social impact, origin of materials used, water consumption and carbon footprint.
More than 70 percent of entrepreneurs have not set sustainability goals
Most of the interviewed entrepreneurs, over 70 percent, have not established sustainability objectives related to the impact of the activity on the environment and society. Of those that have set targets, more than a third focus on separate collection and recycling of waste, while others target energy efficiency and renewable energy.
There is also a significant percentage of entrepreneurs, 68 percent, who are not very well informed about EU regulations in the field. Only 2 percent believe they have all the necessary knowledge, but the majority, 82 percent, are eager to learn more, preferring online courses.
Only 3 percent of SMEs surveyed have an employee dedicated exclusively to sustainability
The organizational structure shows that only 3 percent of SMEs have an employee dedicated exclusively to sustainability. Most of the time, decisions are made by the owner or CEO, and in some firms, decisions are made collectively, involving all employees.
In the context of green financing opportunities, there is a need for dialogue and feedback, so that SMEs are informed and increase the degree of access to these financings. Grants are in high demand, and 7 percent of respondents turned to green financing, especially for the installation of photovoltaic panels.
In conclusion, Romanian entrepreneurs consider sustainability essential for the long-term success of their businesses. However, the two biggest obstacles that prevent them from implementing it in their businesses are costs and lack of information.
The Study Behaviors and Attitudes regarding Sustainability among SMEs in Romania was carried out for the Sustainability Academy by IRES, with the support of BCR. The study was conducted between April 12 and May 6 on a sample of 303 respondents, decision-makers or people involved in the decision-making process regarding sustainability, using the CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) method and having a margin of error of +/- 5.6 percent.
