More than a half of small and medium enterprises (SME) (59 per cent) find pro-environment activities important to the development of their businesses – this is a conclusion from an IBRiS survey conducted upon request of Bank Ochrony Środowiska. What is more, according to business entities, a pro-environment approach is also something very important to the closest surrounding. Nearly a half of SMEs (49 per cent) believe the ecological component of their undertakings is something that matters to their contractors. Experts point out that corporate social responsibility, together with its pro-environment component, will become more and more significant to consumers.
Representatives of small and medium enterprises recognize the significance of ecology in business. Nearly six out of ten find ecological activities important. According to over a third of them (36 per cent), this type of activities is neutral to conducting a business. Only 5 per cent of the survey participants admit that such initiatives are not important to their operations. Adam Błażowski of FOTA4Climate Foundation says that activities related to pro-ecological attitude have a concrete economic benefit. “Growing energy prices are and will be an important factor speaking in favour of business investments into renewable sources of electricity. Already today such initiatives boast attractive return-on-investment rates whenever all the generated energy may be consumed on site and wherever the local conditions are suitable,” stresses Błażowski.
Ecology matters to business environment
Nearly a half of the SME participants of the survey (49 per cent) believe the pro-environment attitude of their business matters to their contractors. Four out of ten (39 per cent) think it is neutral, and 12 per cent think environmental investments do not matter to their clients. “Corporate social responsibility, together with its pro-environment component, will be more and more important to consumers. Already today, to address social expectations, companies are giving up plastic, sort waste and inform about implementing procedures to reduce carbon emission,” points out Bogusław Białowąs, Management Board President of Bank Ochrony Środowiska.
Investments which companies dream about
The most companies, provided they had sufficient budgets for any pro-ecology initiative of their choice, would decide to install a photovoltaic system (20 per cent). 18 per cent of entrepreneurs would choose to replace their current energy or heating sources, and 14 per cent would replace their fleet with more environment-friendly alternatives. Fewer chose replacement of lighting with energy-saving systems (9 per cent), thermal insulation (8 per cent) and solutions to limit consumption of resources and raw materials (7 per cent). 19 per cent of the surveyed did not indicate any specific solution.
Source: Press release
