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Generali Hungary

“Our insurer’s calling, which involves preparing people for unexpected situations, has evolved with our commitment to sustainability: we need to do this while identifying, assessing, and managing ESG risks and opportunities in a responsible and forward-looking manner. Sustainable corporate operations require serious commitment and investment, which we are often tempted to postpone for short-term advantages. I am proud that at the Generali Group, we do not see our corporate transformation as a surrender but as a conscious investment in our future.”
Mihály Erdős, Chairman and CEO, Generali Hungary

Executive Summary of the Application – Original, Unaltered Text

Executive Summary of the Business Transformation:

We believe that securing the future begins in the present, and the focus should shift from short-term gains to creating a sustainable world for future generations. To achieve this, we needed to change our focus within our own operations. At Generali Hungary, we did not have a dedicated organizational unit, resources, or a local sustainability strategy for sustainability. In 2022, we made changes: we developed a local sustainability strategy, and since early 2022, we have had a sustainability officer in the organization, under the direct control of the CEO. We support mindset change through targeted training and dedicated actions, our carbon reduction plan has been completed, and our operational carbon reduction target for 2025 is under review. We are in the process of transforming our vehicle fleet (reducing the number of diesel cars by -60%), and we have initiated a sustainability-focused review of business travel. Sustainability considerations have been integrated into procurement processes. We have taken significant steps towards paperless operations (a -70% reduction in paper usage). In terms of property management, we continue the ongoing energy efficiency investments: solar panels have been installed on 8 existing sites, resulting in annual savings of HUF 6.5 million. Through a comprehensive sustainability organizational review, we plan to further shape sustainable corporate governance processes.

 

OPTEN ESG Solution

“The sustainable businesses of the future are being built in the present. Many organizations now need to examine their operations, plan how to catch up with a common goal, if they don’t want to fall behind in the competition. OPTEN not only supports businesses with ESG services for strategic reasons but also out of a sense of mission, right from the first step. Our goal is for the Hungarian business world to understand sustainability-related topics, to get to know their own and their partners’ situations, and then make business decisions based on the acquired knowledge and – the emphasis is on this – relying on credible data.”
Tamás Tóth, CEO, OPTEN Kft.

The executive summary of the business solution – with the original, unchanged text

The executive summary of the business solution:

Given today’s regulatory and market conditions, our company’s mission is to engage, educate, and assist SMEs in ESG compliance. Based on our experience, SMEs not only lack a sustainable mindset in their daily operations, but their capacity is also insufficient, and they struggle to keep up with the associated costs.

To address this problem, our ESG reporting product, which will be detailed later, provides a solution. Thanks to the framework and logically structured format, companies have nothing else to do but provide the data we require. As a result of the process, they receive an ESG report covering various topics, priced according to the resource level of SMEs. The content and structure of the service have been accredited by GRI, the world’s largest and most renowned framework provider, following a six-month audit period, making it the first of its kind in Hungary.

We see that it’s far from sufficient for large corporations to focus on sustainable operations primarily due to regulatory and investor pressure. SMEs need to be addressed, and a straightforward digital solution must be made available to them so they can take the initiative, understand what aspects they need to pay attention to, and where they should make changes to operate more sustainably. OPTEN’s mission is to attract and encourage all 490,000 Hungarian companies to act toward this common goal.

 

Graphisoft Park SE – Natural Office Park

“We believe that humans are part of nature and feel at home where they have a direct connection with it. The Park was conceived in this spirit, and to this day, we continue to develop it in collaboration with our tenants. We are building modern offices, a diverse natural environment, and a cohesive community. We believe that sustainability goes beyond green technologies and is about creating a world where we can all thrive – a world that recognizes the dignity and value of every human being.”
János Kocsány/CEO/Graphisoft Park SE

The executive summary of the business solution – with the original, unchanged text

The executive summary of the business solution:

The development of Graphisoft Park is a brownfield investment that began in 1996 on the abandoned grounds of the Óbuda Gas Factory. Our goal was to ensure that after the revitalization of the area, the emerging office buildings would be set in a genuine green environment, and the area could be reintegrated into the urban fabric. To achieve this, we carefully planned the landscaping steps and the expected outcomes through landscape design. We aimed for the trees to be taller than the buildings and for the majority of the area to be covered by native vegetation. We began establishing biodiversity as part of the very first developments, and the natural environment has continued to flourish alongside the buildings. Today, the intended results have been achieved, and anyone visiting Graphisoft Park can hardly imagine that just 25 years ago, industrial ruins stood where the current oasis is.

In the park’s planning, we took into account that since people will work in the park daily, the natural environment is just as important as the quality of the buildings. We opened the park to the residents of the capital city from the very first opening.

Only 25% of the area is built up, while the green area covers over 60%, and approximately 2,500 m2 of green roofs have been created.

Impact: Graphisoft Park, as a green and biodiverse office park in Budapest, represents a unique quality.

Nestlé Hungária – Regenerative farming project

 

“Nestlé aims to source one-fifth of its key raw materials from areas where regenerative farming practices are employed by 2025. The essence of the LENS program is to eliminate the negative impacts of large-scale agricultural production, which has now become widespread worldwide, and restore the arable land exposed to it to a condition that allows the soil to maintain its fertility in the long term.”
Peter Noszek, Managing Director, Nestlé Hungary

The executive summary of the application – with the original, unchanged text

The executive summary of the business solution:

As the world’s largest food industry company, Nestlé aims to source one-fifth of its key raw materials from areas where regenerative farming practices are employed by 2025, and half of these materials five years later.

The Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) methodology is designed to develop private sector ecosystem service markets in a specific area. The program, developed by the British sustainability consultancy firm 3Keel, is running in several European countries and is managed in line with LENs principles and guidelines by Preferred by Nature, an international nonprofit organization that supports better land management and business practices.

In Hungary, the initiator of the LENs program in 2021 was Nestlé Hungary’s Purina pet food business in the Western Transdanubian region. A significant portion of the raw materials supplied annually to the Nestlé Purina pet food factory in Bük comes from Hungarian farmers who face significant challenges such as the effects of climate change, impending fertilizer shortages, and rising energy costs. Within the framework of LENs, Nestlé Purina seeks to promote the transition to regenerative agricultural practices among its suppliers to improve the resilience of its supply chain and contribute to the company’s net-zero emissions goal.

IKEA – Second Life For Furniture

“At IKEA, our goal is to become a circular company by 2030. To achieve this, we need to rethink how we conduct our business and preserve our existing values. Entering the used furniture market is a fantastic opportunity for us to achieve sustainable business growth while reducing our dependence on limited resources. Our ‘Second Life for Furniture’ service enables IKEA customers to conveniently and economically pass on their used furniture while giving a second chance to products finding new homes.”
Barbora Kotoun, Country Sustainability Manager, IKEA

The executive summary of the application – with the original, unchanged text

The executive summary of the business solution:

In June 2022, IKEA launched the “Second Life for Furniture” service, offering a sustainable opportunity for our customers. This service involves buying back used IKEA furniture from their owners, which has become surplus in their homes, and giving these items a second chance in new homes. After repurchasing and careful inspection, the products seeking new owners are placed in the “Furniture Rescuer” section, where anyone can purchase them at the price at which IKEA bought them back. Products in the “Furniture Rescuer” section come with a one-year warranty for our customers. Additionally, IKEA Family members are provided with a guaranteed solution for repurchasing children’s furniture, thus contributing to the circularity of furniture that families typically use for short periods during specific life stages.

This service aligns with IKEA’s goal to become fully circular by 2030 and offers our customers an environmentally sustainable and conscious option when making decisions about their purchases and furniture replacements. Thanks to this service, in Hungary alone, 2,993 IKEA products were given a second chance in 2022, and our aim is to increase this number year by year.

Krisztina Schubauer

Krisztina Schubauer 

Executive Director of HR, Marketing, and Communications, EXIM Hungary

The executive summary of the nomination – with the original, unchanged text

How would you describe the nominee in three words?

With her motivating, value-creating, and innovative approach, Krisztina contributes significantly, both within and outside the organization, to creating a more livable and sustainable workplace and a broader environment.

Brief summary of the rationale – Why do you consider the nominee suitable for the award?

Krisztina’s dynamic, forward-thinking mindset and the organizational projects and causes she stands for are aimed at establishing the solid foundations of a modern, value-based, and sustainable organization. This is particularly commendable in an organizational environment and governmental sector where certain sustainability issues are not a priority and where there is significant resistance to achieving the goals.

Andrea Koncsikné Káli

Andrea Koncsikné Káli 

Communication Leader, ESG Coordinator; BDL-Pureco Group

The executive summary of the nomination – with the original, unchanged text

How would you describe the nominee in three words?

Committed, conscious, responsible

Brief summary of the rationale – Why do you consider the nominee suitable for the award?

The nominee has been working in the field of environmental protection and environmental sustainability for over twenty years, leading and directing the sustainability efforts, mindset-shaping, and informative activities of prominent players in the corporate, governmental, and civil sectors for over 16 years. In her role as corporate communications leader, she strives for sustainable solutions, the use of digital tools, reducing the company’s carbon footprint, greening the corporate office, expanding employees’ knowledge of sustainability, developing ESG strategies, and creating corporate CSR programs. In addition to her corporate position, she plays an active role in implementing the Hungarian Water and Wastewater Association’s water value program, planning and implementing mindset-shaping, awareness-raising campaigns, educational solutions, participating as a speaker in events related to sustainable urban water management, and supporting the sustainability efforts of corporate and association leaders with her professional knowledge.

Balázs Báthory

Balázs Báthory 

Deputy CEO Responsible for Innovations and Strategic Developments, Market Építő Ltd.

The executive summary of the nomination – with the original, unchanged text

How would you describe the nominee in three words?

Innovative; Visionary; Responsible; +1 – Future-Shaping Leader.

Brief summary of the rationale – Why do you consider the nominee suitable for the award?

Setting a great example in the construction industry, Market Group was the first in 2022 to release a Sustainability Report. The development of this report and the prior formulation of Market’s sustainability strategy up to 2025 are credited to the Nominee.
The Nominee never enforces their innovative ideas through force but rather supports them with real and compelling arguments. He is dedicated, enthusiastic, and optimistic. An excellent strategist, a future-shaping, globally-minded leader.
He supports young professionals at the start of their careers, allowing his colleagues to unfold with confidence, making him an energizing leader. He communicates with purpose and don’t indulge in ambiguity: he always express his opinion in an accessible and open manner.
An excellent communicator both in his native language and in English, he is capable of representing the company at a high level, even on the international stage.
Balázs is also sensitive to issues threatening our livable future in his personal life, setting an example as a person and thus being a credible and motivating leader.

Swallows, elephants and carbon dioxide, unique corporate publications: diverse topics at the Race to Zero working group

On September 20 the Race to Zero Working Group also focused on biodiversity conservation and restoration and the implementation of climate neutrality, with a number of good corporate practices and novelties.

This time, Szentkirályi Magyarország provided both a venue and an exciting topic for the meeting. In his welcome speech, Dániel Buzási, Managing Director, emphasized the strong commitment to sustainability at the ownership level, and one of the priority areas is the implementation of a circular economy and approach, in which the company wants to become a role model by 2025.

He was followed by Nikolett van der Wildt, Sustainability and PR Manager, who talked about the biodiversity project in the area of the factory in kékkút, emphasising that they had been inspired and partnered in a previous working group meeting. Among the many elements of the long-term programme are an artificial pond, a swallow wall and an insect hotel. The water resources of the Káli basin will be protected by monitoring wells and groundwater regulation.

Afterwards, Dávid Kovács, Marketing Director of Zwack Unicum, spoke about the sustainability goals and areas, and we learned, among other things, that between 2016 and 2020, the company achieved a CO2 reduction of more than 200 elephants (about 1200 tons) at the company level. He also gave a detailed presentation of the geothermal conversion of their plant in Dunaharaszti, the process and challenges involved. The half a billion forint investment could not have been realised without the long-term commitment of the owners, and the development, which was handed over this year, is already showing good figures: gas consumption has been reduced by 20% in 6 months.

 

Half a year ago, Daniella Huszár, HuGBC’s sustainability coordinator, spoke about the Advancing Net Zero initiative in the framework of the working group, and now she talked about the results and programmes of the period since then. It is very important to underline that the built environment has a huge role to play in reaching the 1.5 degrees target and halving carbon emissions by 2030. To help decarbonise buildings, a Zero Carbon Recommendation has been published under the programme.

 

Finally, Andrea Nagy, BCSDH’s project manager, closed the working group with the presentation of two new publications. ” Nature-Based Solutions and Voluntary Carbon Markets – Corporate Buyer’s Guide “, edited by the Central Bank of Hungary, was prepared together with WWF and other member companies as a result of the joint work of the Nature-based Climate Solutions Working Group. This publication is the first public, tangible product of the Working Group and is intended to help companies and anyone interested in the topic to find their way around the market in a clear and accessible way.

A “CEO Guide” has also been produced, which contains the main findings of the long publication, with an active link to the original document. This will also help managers to get a quick overview of the topic, and they can read the details in the Corporate Buyer’s Guide.

Thanks to the sponsors of the Race to Zero program in 2023:

 

Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary
1118 Budapest, Ménesi street 9/a.

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