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Reporting on ESG and Sustainability Performance Oriented to the Needs of Small Enterprises
The RESPONSE Project
The RESPONSE Project
The RESPONSE project is an Erasmus+ initiative (KA220-VET) designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) improve their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting practices. By developing an innovative "ESG+ Toolbox" the project aims to align SMEs with new European standards, such as the Voluntary SME ESRS released in late 2024.
Led by a consortium of Chambers of Commerce from Italy, Ireland, Spain, and Bulgaria, alongside the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, the project provides specialized training to both entrepreneurs and Chamber staff to bridge the current green skills gap. Ultimately, RESPONSE seeks to foster a culture of sustainability, allowing smaller companies to effectively communicate their environmental impact and strengthen their competitiveness in the global market.
Small and medium-sized enterprises face significant barriers to non-financial reporting, primarily due to a lack of financial resources and specialized personnel for ESG management.
Many companies suffer from a "green skills gap," finding it difficult to navigate complex European regulations and collect the structured data required by banks and large clients.
The primary goal of RESPONSE is to empower SMEs to communicate their ESG performance effectively, aligning them with the new Voluntary ESRS standards.
The project aims to identify the specific needs of small businesses, enhance the technical skills of entrepreneurs through innovative training, and strengthen the role of Chambers of Commerce as key advisors in the ecological transition.
Creation of the ESG+ Toolbox, featuring a self-assessment system, an ESG metric calculator, and ready-to-use reporting templates, adopting VSME ESRS standards.
The project will also deliver the ESG+ Masterclass, a professional training program tested by 20 pilot SMEs.
Partnership
Partnership
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa – Bulgaria (Project Coordinator)
Fondazione per l'Innovazione e lo Sviluppo Imprenditoriale – Italy
Cámara Oficial de Comercio, Industria, Servicios y Navegación de Valencia – Spain
Dublin Chamber of Commerce – Ireland
Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna - Istituto di Management – Italy
EU Funding
EU Funding
RESPONSE is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union under KA220-VET – Cooperation Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training.
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