Description
The project aims at developing business capabilities for environmental performance at the regional levels for key business sectors that are likely to result in higher environmental impacts for local communities. Nevertheless, the introduction of green corporate sustainability practices in Romania (as with the Eastern Europe, in general) represent big challenges, especially in the context of limited budgets allocated by companies for developing their internal capabilities for assessment and transparency of environmental performance. Therefore, this project will provide the companies in two development regions of Romania the necessary tools, using an online platform, to properly assess their environmental performance, and to identify those areas where opportunities for improvement exist. In addition, the project will provide these businesses with an online carbon footprinting calculator for all three scopes, together with ideas for improvement.
Summary of project results
The Project was needed because of the regional disparities in the level of environmental performance assessment and transparency, and engagement with key stakeholders with CSR interests in these regions. Therefore, Green Revolution saw a need for providing Romanian companies with a systematic approach on the above issues at the company level, so that they would be encouraged to assess their current environmental performance and to systematically identify those areas where improvement opportunities are for their performance, which then can be linked to financial performance and competitiveness, but also to better engagement with their respective stakeholders. The key output consists of an online platform for corporate sustainability performance assessment, comprising of the following main tools: - an online application for environmental performance assessment, with 7 questionnaires, covering corporate standards and policies, resource use, environmental impact, waste management, green buildings and spaces, supply chain sustainability, and sustainable transportation; participating companies received free individual environmental performance assessment reports; - an online application for calculating corporate carbon footprint, covering all three scopes of GHG emissions (first of its kind in Romania); - a guide on sustainability reporting and disclosure; - tutorials and regional seminars on corporate sustainability performance assessment and disclosure; - two GBI annual reports disseminating the results of the project. As Green Business Index Project was run for two years using the same methodology and online platform, the applicant was able to track and monitor improvements on short term, and they saw impressive and encouraging progress, and they believe the participating companies will continue to be engaged in our project in the future. Therefore, the main objective to increase participation of companies in GBI has been successfully achieved, many companies being now interested to extend their sustainability objectives to their supply chain partners, thus increasing the impact of the project.
Summary of bilateral results
The Project benefited from the partnership with NORGES VEL, The Royal Norwegian Society for Development, who provided technical assistance during the project implementation, with help with practical advice in a variety of project activities, in view of improving both communication, and publicity of project. The partnership has strengthened the capabilities of the Romanian team especially in the area of integrating local expertise with the international and Norwegian experience with CSR practices. The Project Partner has advised us on how to stay focused on the outcomes of the project, and how to improve visibility of the project, and not being focused excessively with the technical features of the project.