In line with two strategic objectives as “Partner for sustainable finance” and “Responsible company” MBH Bank’s vision is to be a key player in the creation of sustainable banking in the domestic financial market.
Initiatives and decarbonisation efforts of the member banks to date, environmental risks, management expectations for transparency, and employee well-being are the basic pillars of their ESG strategy. The Bank’s ESG unit has been set up to coordinate the tasks defined based on the objectives, with performance indicators.
Their Net Zero efforts are based on the PCAF methodology, their Sustainability Report is based on GRI standards.
As a part of their corporate social responsibility programme they believe it is important to contribute to community development and the well-being of those affected by the natural and social environment, within their economic means. Their priority issues are: supporting the socially disadvantaged through inclusion, developing financial awareness and digital literacy supporting Hungarian arts and culture.
To improve the well-being of their workplace communities, they plan to launch various programmes to raise awareness, knowledge and attitudes among their employees. These programmes will cover the whole spectrum of the employee lifecycle, focusing on the specific needs of each employee lifecycle, such as trainees, early career, pregnant and returning mothers and support for workers over 60.
They have joined our membership to contribute to creating a sustainable future in BCSDH’s community of forward-thinking companies and leaders.
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/mbh_logo_1_landscape_CMYK-scaled.jpg5012560Balasfalvi-Lukacsi Mariannhttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngBalasfalvi-Lukacsi Mariann2024-06-25 12:22:142024-06-25 12:22:14Our new member company: MBH Bank
’Where business meets business’, BCSDH is also present – at the Business Fest 2024 on 13 June at Millenáris, BCSDH will be represented among many well-known companies and organisations representing value. We have prepared an exciting discussion: Irén Márta, Managing Director of our organisation, will discuss “Human Value: the key to corporate sustainability?” with her guests Zsolt Csavajda, Managing Director of DSM Kft. and Gábor Arató, Managing Director of Manupackaging Hungary Kft. This is a particularly topical issue, as the BCSDH 2024 professional focus is on human, as a value. At the beginning of the year, we started our professional work on this topic at the BCSDH business breakfast and forum event, together with the involvement of the membership, and continued it at the CEO roundtable discussions to prepare recommendations for companies to take action on the topic of “human value”, which will be presented at the BCSDH business lunch in October.
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/bfest2024_2.jpg11111108Balasfalvi-Lukacsi Mariannhttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngBalasfalvi-Lukacsi Mariann2024-05-29 18:49:362024-05-29 18:52:05BCSDH at Business Fest 2024
Rising inequalities are one of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges (alongside climate change and biodiversity loss). Oxfam’s latest Report states that globally, the richest 1% own 45.6% of global wealth, the poorest 50% just 0.75% in 2023. High levels and patterns of inequality have also become a systemic risk at global level, threatening entire nations and societies.
Inequality also directly affects the performance of companies: it limits productivity, consumption and growth, destabilises supply chains, and causes political and economic instability. The business case for tackling inequality is about mitigating these risks while contributing to the long-term sustainability of business. It is important to understand what business needs to do to drive systemic change and accelerate the process to reduce inequalities. The key to driving change is to ensure that people are seen as a value in companies’ value-creation processes.
This was the topic of this year’s BCSDH ‘Transform Talks’ CEO Roundtable discussion series, in which more than 40 company leaders participated and shared their thoughts on the topic, the events were led by Márta Irén, BCSDH’s managing director.
Corporate values and culture, openness, partnership, community building. Some key concepts that characterise companies that put people first. It was clear from the roundtable discussions that the participating companies have a strong commitment to their employees. Training and education, support for physical and mental health, and the creation of employment systems adapted to life situations are all priorities. Many company managers shared their positive experiences and good practices in these areas.
However, companies face significant challenges in attracting and retaining employees with the right skills and competences. Significant progress is also needed in improving staff mobility and health awareness. At the same time, it is clear that partnership and leadership by example are of paramount importance in this area. Companies are taking on increasing responsibilities in a number of areas, including the continuous training of their staff and increasing access to health services.
The concrete results of the ‘Transform Talks’ CEO Roundtable discussions will be presented at the BCSDH Business Lunch on 10th October, together with the company’s best practices.
Special thanks to the hosts of the events for providing the venue, the photo galleries can be viewed at the links below:
Can creating a sustainability report have a team-building aspect? Can such a report be a management tool? How can one get started, why is it worth preparing trial reports and collecting data now? These were the questions addressed by BCSDH’s first communications working group of the year, hosted by Gránit Pólus on March 20, 2024.
Eszter Ujvári, Employer Branding and Communications Coordinator, welcomed the participants, followed by Dóra Szemerédi, the company’s ESG leader, who gave an inspiring insight into her company’s sustainable operational strategy and good practices. She highlighted their achievements in energy and waste management, showcasing good examples like the expanding ReStore at WESTEND, which started with used clothing, and the Rooftop Terrace focusing on biodiversity and habitat regeneration.
The greatest risks and challenges in business now relate to environmental and social issues. Increasing reporting pressure from the EU and Hungarian regulations will gradually affect all companies. Irén Márta, Executive Director of BCSDH, spoke about the current legal regulations, stakeholders, and the process.
It is up to the companies to leverage the advantages that the report, collected data, and articulated goals can offer. This work is often coordinated by the communications, CSR, or marketing departments.
Participants of the roundtable discussion following the introductory presentation provided insights into the practice of report preparation and shared their experiences: Ildikó Farkas, CFO of Graphisoft Park, Andrea Koncsikné Káli, Communications and Marketing Manager of PURECO Kft., and Gábor Dávid Kovács, Marketing Director of Zwack Unicum Nyrt.
Graphisoft Park, already based on a sustainable business model, prepared its first ESG/Sustainability report in 2023, encouraged by the BÉT, which won the Green Frog Award. PURECO Kft. also prepared its first report in 2023, winning the BÉT competition. Zwack Unicum Nyrt. has been reporting on its social and sustainability performance since 2008.
All three companies will have reporting obligations under the Hungarian ESG law and the European CSRD. They emphasized the importance of having established practices and processes and building the internal and external stakeholder relationships necessary to support the process and data collection by the time they need to report officially.
All three companies confirmed that this is a time and human resource-intensive task, but they have already experienced numerous benefits in the short term. Beyond business success and advantages, it has improved information flow within the organization, provided insights into different areas, raised awareness of achievements within the organization, and even served as a kind of “team-building.”
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240320_151313-scaled.jpg14422560eszter.chikankovacshttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngeszter.chikankovacs2024-05-27 12:49:102024-05-27 12:49:10ESG Report as Team-Building ? – Report from the BCSDH Communications Working Group Meeting
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240517_114348678_iOS-scaled.jpg19202560Takacs Ivetthttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngTakacs Ivett2024-05-24 08:27:402024-05-24 08:27:40Ecorec site visit organised by the Circular Economy Platform
Saint-Gobain has implemented a unique biodiversity programme at its mine in Pilisvörösvár, and on 8 April, BCSDH member companies had the opportunity to visit the main sites.
After a welcome speech by Daniel Domini, CEO of Saint-Gobain Hungary Kft., László Karafa, Quarry and Sustainability Manager, gave a short introductory presentation, and then we were able to see the programme in action. In addition to the 5 hectares of wooded area and 2000 m2 of water surface, the old explosives warehouse has been converted into a bat roost, and birds are also a favourite nesting site, with the bird boxes being 80% used. The area is also used periodically for beehives, which are a priority for flowering and pollination.
On the 1-hectare lawn created in 2002 – optimized for the size of the area – 5 rack sheep graze the grass, and they happily accept apples, they almost expect them from visitors.
In the last 3-4 years, most of the innovations were implemented with the involvement of an external biologist expert, which has now become almost completely self-sustaining. As László Karafa emphasized, nature does not need much for life to start again, which is also proven by the fact that the number of observed species increased from 140 to almost 250 in a few years. During the process, monitoring is extremely important, but equally important emphasis is placed on education, whether it is for employees or schoolchildren.
We launched our “Race to Zero on the ground” initiative this year, with the aim of presenting initiatives that help climate adaptation and protection, as well as the protection of biodiversity, at the place of implementation. This will also provide ideas and inspiration for other member companies to implement further projects and promote system-level changes.
On 17 September, we will visit the Pünkösdfürdő park (Budapest, District III), dreamed up and created by the Főkert (Gardening) division of BKM Nonprofit Zrt.
Thanks to our Race to Zero program sponsors:
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240408_153915-scaled.jpg17802560Nagy Andreahttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngNagy Andrea2024-05-16 10:41:002024-05-16 10:41:002000 m2 of water surface, 1 hectare of grazed grassland with 5 rack sheep, nearly 250 species – would you believe we were in a dolomite quarry?
What are the biggest challenges in achieving net zero goals? What kinds of collaborations and solutions can help meaningful progress and systemic changes? The Net Zero Advisory Board, established to promote the carbon neutrality of the Hungarian economy, had a meeting again.
After the welcoming words of Márta Irén, director of the BCSDH, as the host of the event held at the British ambassador’s residence, Matthew Kirlew, Head of Policy of British Embassy, greeted the participants and emphasized in his speech that they are still committed to the meaningful promotion of climate neutral actions in Hungary.
At the platform bringing together several interested parties, Attila Chikán Jr., the president of the Hungarian Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSDH), emphasized the importance of action in his welcome speech, and that in addition to climate protection, adaptation must also play an increasingly important role.
Csaba Kőrösi, the former president of the UN General Assembly, spoke about the beginning of a new era with solutions to our difficulties. In the period of wars and crises, it is a great challenge to achieve a sustainability turnaround and net zero goals. At the same time, more and more of the economic actors see that sustainable development, material and energy efficiency, the decreasing environmental footprint and social responsibility have become competitiveness factors.
Ürge-Vorsatz Diána, az IPCC alelnökeként felhívta a figyelmet arra, hogy megfelelő források állnak már rendelkezésre, hogy lényegi lépéseket tegyünk globálisan a helyzet megoldására, azonban jól kell ezeket a forrásokat elosztani és felhasználni. A múlt év végi COP28 Klímacsúcs pedig valóban nagy előrelépés volt, hiszen itt született döntés a fosszilis tüzelőanyagok kivezetéséről.
Diána Ürge-Vorsatz, prof. dr., as vice chari of the IPCC, drew attention to the fact that adequate resources are already available to take essential steps to solve the situation globally, but these resources must be distributed and used well. And the COP28 Climate Summit at the end of last year was really a big step forward, since it was here that the decision was made to phase out fossil fuels.
Orsolya Diófási-Kovács, PhD, Associate Professor at Corvinus University of Budapest and Péter Csipes at S.T.I. Managing Director of Hungary in his presentation on behalf of the Hungarian Logistics, Procurement and Inventory Society (MLBKT), “What can the logistics sector do to achieve net zero goals?” entitled, gave an insight into the challenges and next steps that await the sector in Hungary.
The participants agreed that the financing of the transition is a key issue. The resources are available, they just need to be realigned.
The board, which from now on meets twice a year, was represented by all its organizations and shared future goals and plans with the other members, where several points of connection and joint cooperation were outlined.
Participants of the Board meeting:
Zsombor Barta – Parlamentary Senior Counselor, National Council for Sustainable Development
The Net Zero Advisory Board, a multi-stakeholder, cross-sector Advisory Board made up of representatives of Hungarian industry and business leaders, the government and professional organizations, was established in January 2021 at the initiative of the British Embassy and the BCSDH.
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_9533.jpg8711392Nagy Andreahttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngNagy Andrea2024-05-13 09:47:052024-05-14 09:50:17Further actions for high-level cooperation were discussed by the Net Zero Advisory Board
The 29th WBCSD Liaison Delegate Meeting in Montreux, surpassed all expectations with 50+ sessions and over 600 participants from 45 countries,this was the largest event in WBCSD’s history.A true testament to the relevance and the criticality of our agenda.
As a Global Network partner of the organisation, Hungary was represented by Irén Márta, Managing Director of BCSDH.
We held our second ESG Working Group meeting on 10 April, hosted by Allianz Hungária Zrt.
The issue of sustainability has also become an inescapable part of the insurance sector, emphasized Péter Török, Director of Accounting and Finance of Allianz Hungária Zrt. Anna Ötvös, sustainability and ESG expert, gave a deeper insight into the company’s sustainability objectives.
ESG-related legislative changes are in the focus of our working group meetings. We were delighted to have Gábor Csaba Molnár, ESG Director of the Regulated Activities Supervisory Authority (SZTFH), as our guest this time. He emphasized that the Hungarian ESG Act aims to support the competitiveness of Hungarian companies, to reduce the increasing information demand of external actors, to help them prepare for ESG reporting and certification, and to ensure predictable economic planning by reflecting the legislation of the European Union and the Member States. In his presentation, he also touched on the latest developments, indicating that several amendments to the ESG Act are expected in the near future, and the related implementing regulations are being prepared.
In the second half of the meeting, we further explored the theme of human values, the focus of the year. How important is work in the lives of Hungarian workers? How much do we like working from home? What do workers want to learn? Sándor Baja, Managing Director of Randstad Hungary Kft., gave us a presentation on the recent, and in many cases thought-provoking, results of the Randstad Workmonitor 2024 survey.
Companies can do most to reduce inequality through their employees. Andras Iljicsov, Managing Director of Spreadmonitor Ltd., invited Sara Pásztor, Managing Director of Skilly, to the meeting, who presented a new opportunity for participants in the employment of people with disabilities.
What is a life-long manager like? How to focus on people as an asset? What can managers learn from their subordinates? Zoltán Gazsi, Managing Director of Eisberg Hungary Kft., discussed these questions with Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH, in the context of her recently published book “Emberszemlélet”.
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_20240410_140505-scaled.jpg19162560Galambosne Dudas Zsofiahttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngGalambosne Dudas Zsofia2024-04-12 13:07:382024-05-28 13:11:36Human value and ESG: can a human approach move companies forward?
Does EU and national ESG regulation promote corporate sustainability? – asked Irén Márta, Managing Director of BCSDH, in her presentation at the conference “Business without ESG?”, organised by the Market and Profit Conference Centre and BKIK on 4 April 2024.
In her introduction, the Managing Director briefly talked about the EU Taxonomy Regulation which aims to help investors and financiers make better decisions, and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and then went into detail about the domestic implementation of the CSRD and CSDDD (supplier due diligence directive), the ESG Act. She summarised the responsibilities of companies under the Act, which will be more precisely defined when government regulations are issued, and also mentioned the accreditation of software for data collection, certifiers and qualifiers, and training.
She concluded on an optimistic note, responding positively to her question that reporting and data collection will provide data and information to business leaders that will unlock new opportunities and also help them to become more profitable, thus moving forward on the path to sustainable business management.