More information
Description
The project aims to make businesses greener and help them grow their business development capacity and become more competitive.
The project consists in training SMEs in sustainability issues. The training will consist in the development of a training programme to be uploaded on an online platform, as well as a series of workshops and 1-1 consultations. The training and business support will be focused mainly on environmental and social sustainability, green innovations, sustainability policies and regulations. The objective of the training programme is to offer participating businesses access to tools, methodologies, knowledge and networks that will allow them to develop their businesses in line with the sustainability attributes needed for their growth.
Summary of project results
Businesses which do not prioritise sustainability often face challenges which affect their competitiveness; therefore, it is imperative for them to incorporate tangible and effective sustainability practices throughout their value chains.
The aim of this project was to design and deliver a training programme to help 10 SMEs accelerate their sustainability transition and provide them with the tools to grow their ventures with a positive impact and strong financial returns.
The project consisted in training 10 SMEs in sustainability issues, with the aim of helping them grow and setting them on a path to deliver both meaningful social impact and attractive financial returns, by making them more future proof and competitive.
The training programme consisted of workshops on the subjects of a) Developing Sustainable Services, b) Value Chains, c) Communication & Employee Engagement, d) Qualitative & Quantitative Data for Reporting, e) Value Chains, f) ESG & Reporting, g)Funding Sources, Trends & Impact Investment, but also provided mentoring hours.
Moreover, an e-learning platform was set up with additional training material and resources.
In addition, 2 staff members from the promoter visited Norway and received training by WIN (Women Investor Network). The training explored the innovation and sustainability landscape of Norway, and how this could be transferred to the Greek ecosystem. And 1 staff member from the promoter visited Iceland and received training on the Blue Economy ecosystem of Iceland from the Iceland Ocean Cluster. The training focused on Iceland''s entrepreneurship ecosystem, the structure of the Cluster and the activities that led to its growth, but also went in depth into the topics of fish full utilization, sustainable fishing gear, biotechnology and blue engineering. The aim of the training was to understand the steps, policies, activities applied in growing a sustainable and innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Blue Economy sector, and how such good practices could be transferred in Greece, given the importance of the specific sector on the Greek Economy.
Through the training, the Greek SMEs received valuable tools to help them make sustainability an integral part of their business models and operations, and make them more competitive. The trained companies are now better equipped to have effective processes and policies in place, making them more attractive in talent acquisition, consumers, partners and possible future investors. They are better prepared for legislative changes taking place, and they better understand trends, challenges and opportunities they may have or that may lay ahead.
The project also better strengthened the promoter’s knowledge in sustainability issues, and is now better equipped to build on and expand its training resources that increase the capacity building, competitiveness, and sustainability transition of businesses in Greece.