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How many days does life last? – BCSDH Weekend at Agroloop and Master Good

How can we ensure the growing population’s need for high-quality protein in a circular manner? This topic was at the center of this year’s exciting BCSDH weekend program for executives and their partners.

The professional program began on Friday at AGROLOOP’s Üllő plant, which was handed over last December, where host Rajmond Percze, founder and managing director, welcomed the participants. He presented the history of the company’s founding and the basics of its operations, which are based on a specifically sustainable strategy. His personal commitment was greatly influenced by the BCSDH “Future Leaders” program, after which he decided to found a company operating on sustainable principles. Sustainable food, agriculture and animal husbandry are major challenges for the world. A company that produces high-nutritional-value animal protein and fat suitable for animal feed from fly larvae offers a solution to this problem in a fully circular process. This low-carbon and low-water-footprint solution was created to help make animal husbandry sustainable so that we will not have to live on insects in the future. The factory tour followed the process from the arrival of the eggs to the “harvesting” of the 12-day-old larvae.

The next day, Master Good hosted the team in Kisvárda, and after a video message from Péter Bárány, managing director, Csaba Farkas, director of innovation and sustainability, welcomed the participants and presented the tremendous progress made by the Bárány family in the field of poultry breeding and processing. Master Good’s pioneering sustainability measures, which are based on emission and carbon footprint data that are unique and detailed in the industry, place the company at the forefront internationally. During the factory tour, which ended in the beautiful Japanese garden, participants were able to see the almost completely circular process, from feed production to 100% utilization of waste and by-products.

We would like to thank the leaders and staff of Agroloop and Master Good for their hospitality and for organizing such an informative program.

A selection of photos from the event is available here.

A Response to Changes in International Regulations – Amendments to the ESG Act Enter into Force

The final days of the Parliament’s spring session were closely followed by ESG-focused professional organizations, as the National Assembly voted on the amendment to the ESG Act on 17 June.
The final text was published in the 19 June issue of the Magyar Közlöny (Official Gazette of Hungary).

What does the final text include?

Narrowed Scope of Applicability

As expected, the scope of companies subject to the ESG Act has been significantly reduced.
Following the entry into force of the amendment, according to Section 1 (1) b) of the Act, the obligations apply only to large enterprises that:

  • carry out their main activity in one of the sectors listed in the Annex to the ESG Act, and
  • have an annual net revenue exceeding HUF 90 billion, and
  • employ at least 500 people as of the balance sheet date of the financial year.

Public interest small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are now exempt from the Act.

Reporting Simplifications

ESG reports covering the financial years 2024, 2025, and 2026:

  • no certification is required,
  • no submission to the ESG Authority is required,
  • and no public disclosure is required.

However, affected companies are still obliged to prepare the ESG report during these years, which must be approved by the company’s executive body.

Data Provision Requirements

Until 30 June 2027, micro and small enterprises cannot be required to provide ESG-related data and may not commit to doing so via contracts or written declarations.
(This restriction also applies to medium-sized enterprises.)

SMEs can fulfil their ESG data provision obligations by obtaining an ESG rating from the state-appointed ESG certifier.

That said, companies subject to the ESG Act may still reach out to their suppliers using questionnaires, so it is advisable for SMEs to continue collecting ESG-related data.

Refined Corrective Measures

Instead of the previous 3-month period, companies are now only required to suspend business relations with a direct supplier for 30 days in case of failed corrective actions.

The Social Capital Working Group Moves Forward as a Creative Hub

On 19 June 2025, Randstad Hungary hosted the latest meeting of the BCSDH Social Capital Working Group. The event also marked a new beginning: going forward, the group will operate as a creative hub — an inspiring professional community working together toward a more sustainable and human-centered world.


The meeting began with a presentation by Sándor Baja, Managing Director of Randstad Hungary, who shared the latest findings from Randstad’s recent research. In addition to highlighting current trends, he addressed some of the key challenges expected to shape the next 5–10 years.

Next, Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH, and Attila Kelemen, CEO of ProSelf Zrt. and leader of the Social Capital Working Group, presented the group’s recent professional achievements related to the theme of human value. They also introduced a five-point action plan developed last year, offering concrete recommendations for the business sector.


A találkozó második felében a résztvevők közösen gondolkodtak arról, hogy vezetőként milyen területeken tehetünk konkrét lépéseket a következő időszakban. Olyan témakörök merültek fel, mint a munkahely, mint „safe place”, a munkatársak edukációja fenntarthatósági témákban, a pénzügyi tudatosság fejlesztése vagy például a nyugdíjba vonulók tudásának bevonása.

In the second half of the meeting, participants engaged in a collaborative discussion about the areas where leaders can take tangible steps in the near future. Key topics included: the workplace as a “safe space”, educating employees on sustainability topics, fostering financial awareness and involving the expertise of retirees.

The Three-Legged Stool is the most stable – How can a company, franchise partner, and supplier work together for a circular economy?

Progress Étteremhálózat Kft., which operates McDonald’s restaurants in Hungary, hosted our second Circular Economy Working Group meeting on June 11, which members of the Circular Economy Platform could follow in person or online.

At the working group meeting, we gained insight into McDonald’s sustainability strategy and the main findings of the 2025 Circularity Gap Report, as well as learning about the circular solutions of Master Good Kft. and Progress Restaurant Network Ltd. and the characteristics of supplier relationships that prioritize sustainability.

To kick off the meeting, Judit Szabó, Head of Communications and Sustainability, presented how McDonald’s can have a positive impact on people and the planet. She emphasized that among the solutions supporting the circular economy, the responsible and sustainable use of raw materials and waste management are key elements of the company’s sustainability strategy.

Dr. Bálint Bartha-Horváth, CBRE’s senior sustainability advisor, presented this year’s Circularity Gap Report. In addition to macroeconomic trends, the report focused on circular economy indicators, with 23 sub-indicators included in the document. The report reveals that although we have taken small steps forward, global circularity is still moving backwards due to increasing material use. The latest data shows that compared to last year’s 7.2%, only 6.9% of global material flows can be considered circular. Another important finding of the report is that recycling alone will not solve the problem: if we only recycle all waste and do not reduce material consumption, circular material use (CMU) could be increased to around 25%.

“We can use everything except chicken breath,” said Attila Szabó, innovation and sustainability manager, who presented the circular model of Master Good Kft. in detail. Thanks to the company’s efforts, Master Good became the first company in the world to receive certification from McDonald’s Flagship Farm program in 2015.

The meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion moderated by Irén Márta, director of BCSDH, with the participation of Dr. Tibor Cselényi, senior quality and product development manager at Progress Étteremhálózat Kft., and Attila Szabó, on successful supplier cooperation. McDonald’s partnerships are based on a Three-Legged Stool strategy. They believe that any party (company, franchise partner, supplier) can only grow if everyone grows. High-level partnerships are based on mutual benefits, shared values, and consistently high quality.

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We need to assess climate risks – The question is no longer why, but how!

In 2025 BCSDH’s focus topic is climate adaptation, of which risk assessment is a key part. At our Race to Zero Working Group meeting on June 4, we explored the above issue, focusing on practical knowledge and implementation. This time, ALTEO was the host and one of the speakers of the event, as a leading company in the topic.

Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH, opened the working group meeting, followed by Anita Simon, Deputy CEO for Sustainability and Circular Economy at ALTEO, who highlighted in her welcoming speech that climate change represents both challenges and opportunities in the fields of energy and waste management. The details were presented by Éva Klein-Stiller, Sustainability and IIR Manager at ALTEO, presenting the process and practical implementation of the climate risk assessment, the physical and transition risks, the methodologies and tools used, thereby providing help and ideas for other member companies.

After the practical example and answering participants’ questions, the National Adaptation Center gave a presentation. First, Pál Selmeczi, head of department, presented the organization’s activities, the basic legal background and regulatory environment, and regulations related to climate change preparedness, emphasizing the obligations this entails for companies. The methodologies used, climate scenarios, and the specific tool, NAGiS (National Adaptation Geographic Information System), which companies can use to assess climate risks along 18 layers, providing a clear basis and guidance on the main points to know about each topic area. The NATéR online system was presented step by step by Dr. Maigut Vera, senior geoinformatics expert, who described its main functions and useful tools to make it as user-friendly and effective as possible for companies.

 

The series of presentations was concluded by Andrea Nagy, BCSDH Race to Zero project manager, who presented the planned BCSDH recommendations on climate adaptation together with the related action plan. The programs for the coming period and related autumn events were also discussed.

We would like to thank our host for their hospitality and for sharing their practical experiences, our colleagues at the National Adaptation Center for their exciting and informative presentation and demonstration, and the participants for their many questions and constructive discussions.

 

We would like to thank the sponsors of our Race to Zero program:

Sponsor of our carbon-conscious events:

BCSDH ‘Transform Talks’ 2025: Climate adaptation is crucial and necessary, it must be addressed in a meaningful way alongside mitigation!

Extreme climatic and weather events such as prolonged rainfall shortages, heat waves, sudden downpours and their consequences, droughts, widespread fires and floods are becoming more frequent and severe. Our current systems and infrastructures are no longer able to cope with all this, and there is an urgent need to adapt to changing climatic conditions. This is also important because the positive effects of mitigation measures on the climate are not immediate. Moreover, in Hungary we are more exposed to the negative impacts of climate change than our contribution to global GHG emissions.

According to the World Economic Forum Global Risk 2025 report, surveyed leaders rank extreme weather conditions as the second biggest risk factor in 2 years and the first in 10 years. Only environmental and climate challenges are in the top four.

The problem is urgent and growing, so climate adaptation was the topic of this year’s BCSDH ‘Transform Talks’ CEO Roundtable, where top executives from member companies participated and shared their thoughts. The events were led by Irén Márta, BCSDH Executive Director.

In general, climate change mitigation is the primary focus for companies, and adaptation has been less of a focus, while the impacts of climate change are increasingly felt in their day-to-day operations.

It was also clear that there are more and more events that require intervention at a strategic level, whether it is unexpected phenomena that previously occurred only rarely but have now become common, changed working conditions or a product portfolio that requires rethinking. During the discussions, we came across many good practices, and there are companies for whom climate change is a business opportunity, as it opens up new solutions and markets. It is certain that every company and industry is affected in some way, the question is how quickly they can react and act meaningfully, ensuring business continuity and evaluating risk as an opportunity. The importance of thinking in the whole value chain also came to the fore, as this is the only way to manage complex processes well, and the responsibility in this is mutual.

The concrete results of the ‘Transform Talks’ CEO Roundtable discussions and the resulting recommendations will be presented at the BCSDH Business Lunch on 7 October, together with corporate best practices.

Special thanks to the event hosts for providing the venue. Related photos and LinkedIn posts can be viewed by clicking on the link:

6 May

Sió-Eckes Kft.

PhotosLinkedIn post
13 May

BKM Nonprofit Zrt.

PhotosLinkedIn post
15 May

Prímaenergia Zrt.

PhotosLinkedIn post
21 May

Graphisoft Park SE

PhotosLinkedIn post

Thanks for the sponsor of the Time to Transform 2030 program!

Main sponsor: 

Sponsor of the carbon-conscious implementation of events:

Role Models and Good Practices Are the Keys to Systemic Change – Inspirational Breakfast with the Winners of the “For a Sustainable Future” Award

The application period for the 2025 For a Sustainable Future Award has officially begun. In support of this initiative—and to promote action and sustainable corporate operations—the Hungarian Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSDH) held its first-ever Sustainable Future Inspirational Breakfast on May 27, 2025. The event aimed to showcase exemplary practices.

The event, hosted by Kinstellar, provided an opportunity to gain deeper insight into the outstanding individual and corporate achievements recognized with the 2024 For a Sustainable Future award. Balázs Sepsey, Office Managing Partner, welcomed the participants.

“As we face growing challenges to sustainability—and as the impacts of climate change are increasingly felt in day-to-day business operations—swift action is more important than ever to make our systems more sustainable and resilient,” emphasized Attila Chikán Jr., President of BCSDH, in his welcome remarks. “With this award and today’s event, we aim to inspire companies and leaders to integrate sustainability into their decisions and to develop business solutions that go beyond the usual practices. By scaling these across the sector, we can create real, widespread impact and accelerate systemic change,” he added.

Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH and the event’s moderator, highlighted the organization’s ongoing commitment to accelerating sustainability efforts by showcasing some authentic, exemplary initiatives and innovative measures taken by business leaders. These aim to trigger systemic transformation and promote the spread of creative and sustainable business models. One of the event’s key goals was inspiring high-quality applications for the newly launched 2025 award cycle, which remains open until July 18, 2025, by presenting previous award winners.

Achieving genuine strategic and company-wide sustainability is impossible without credible, committed leaders and outstanding businesses. A CEO roundtable discussion, moderated by István Salgó, Honorary President of BCSDH, explored the stories behind the individual winners of the 2024 prize, focusing on the personal motivations that drive dedication and commitment. Participants included:
• Zoltán Dapsy, Managing Director, Continental Automotive Hungary Kft.
• Anikó Körmendi, CEO, Arriva Hungary Kft.
• Zsuzsa Nagy, Managing Director, E.ON Energy Solutions Ltd.
• Károly Nyári, Vice President and Head of Group Finance, Grundfos A/S

Systemic change hinges on business solutions that go beyond routine operations and can be adapted and scaled by other actors in the business world. The event showcased and discussed the award-winning initiatives of 2024. Namely:

In 2025, BCSDH is launching the For a Sustainable Future Award earlier than in previous years, with the application period open from May 19 to July 18. The focus remains on areas where companies can make a significant impact on systemic transformation across the following four main categories:

  1. Change Leader – Award for outstanding leadership and responsibility
    Change Leader Award – BCSDH
  2. Leading Woman
    Leading Woman Award – BCSDH
  3. Corporate Transformation – Award for the most significant progress toward sustainable operations
    Corporate Transformation Award – BCSDH
  4. Business Model / Business Solution, in one of the following areas:

Major changes to domestic ESG legislation expected in mid-June

On 13 May, the Ministry of National Economy submitted to the Parliament its bill on the foundation of Hungary’s 2026 central budget, which introduces several significant changes to the ESG law.
This article summarises the proposals contained in the submitted draft, with the final vote (and publication of the final changes) expected in mid-June. Follow our online platform where we will keep you updated on the latest developments.

Narrowing of the scope of the affected companies

The new changes will significantly narrow the scope of companies covered by the Act. Following the entry into force of the amendment, the obligation under Article 1(1)(b) of the Act will apply only to large companies which:

  • carry out their principal activity in the sectors listed in the Annex to the ESG Act, and
  • their annual net turnover exceeds HUF 90 000 million, and
  • employ at least 500 persons at the balance sheet date of the financial year.

Large enterprises of public interest will continue to be covered by the law, and certain financial services providers will also be covered by the law on the basis of sectoral classification.
Small and medium-sized enterprises of public interest are excluded from the scope of the Act.

Simplifications in the area of reporting

For ESG reporting for the financial years 2024, 2025 and 2026:

  • no certification is required,
  • no need to send the report to the Authority,
  • no need to publish it publicly.

However, the ESG report must be prepared by the companies concerned for these years as well, and approved by the company’s management body.

Request for information

The government also wants to reduce the burden on SMEs, therefore:

  • Until 30 June 2027, micro or small enterprises will not be required to provide ESG data, nor will they be obliged to provide ESG data in the form of a contract or written declaration (the latter provision also applies to medium-sized enterprises).
  • It is expected that small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to fulfil their ESG reporting obligations by obtaining an ESG certification from a public ESG certification body, and will not have to fill in supplier questionnaires.

Changes to corrective actions

The scope of corrective actions is also being refined:

  • instead of 3 months, companies will only be obliged to suspend business relations with their direct supplier for 30 days if corrective action fails,
  • companies will no longer be obliged to cease doing business with their direct suppliers of high-risk activities.

Implementation of the Omnibus package has started

Also on 13 May, a bill on certain tax obligations and amending certain tax laws was submitted to transpose Directive 2025/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council, adopted as part of the Omnibus package.
Under this measure, CSRD Wave 2 and 3 companies will have to start applying the legislation two years later.

BCSDH also joined the Giving Manifesto

We believe that part of business success is the impact we have on the world. We are delighted to join the House of Giving initiative, which is strengthening the culture of conscious, effective and sustainable giving in Hungary.

One of the first professional pillars of the initiative is the Giving Manifesto, which is the first in Hungary to summarise how we can make giving thoughtful, effective and sustainable.

Building on international and domestic best practices, it presents the principles of a 21st century approach to giving. It is a tool to help business actors who want to give with a conscious strategy, for the long term and for greater social impact.

Read more about the points of the Giving Manifesto: https://houseofgiving.hu/giving-manifesto/

7 hectares, 700 trees, 30,000 shrubs and bulbs, unique expertise and commitment – an innovative eco-park that can inspire companies!

Is there self-sustaining green space? What are the climate adaptation solutions? And how can the lessons learned be transferred to businesses, even on a smaller scale? On our ‘Race to Zero on the Spot‘ programme, our member company BKM Nonprofit Zrt. FŐKERT Division for Urban Park Management, invited member companies to a unique tour of Pünkösdfürdő Park, dreamed up and created by BKM, with the help of Adrienne Szalkai, Head of the Department and Chief Designer.

The 7-hectare Pünkösdfürdő Park, which has also been awarded the Green Cities Europe national award, represents an ecological approach. A park attractive to all ages was created with natural solutions and contemporary architectural elements. The primary goal of the park, which was conceived with a regenerative approach, was to let nature prevail and create a truly sustainable and self-sustaining area.

The rain gardens help to make good use of the water that was previously stagnant there, and the wildflower meadow, which was created on 17,000 square meters and uses a special seed mixture that best suits the area, plays a major role in terms of biodiversity. There are also fruit trees in the area, with 24 species of trees harvested year after year. There are plenty of opportunities for sports and a nature trail for playful recreation.

Involving the public and thinking together is an important aspect in both the design and operation of the park. The area has an outstanding level of satisfaction, and the community also cooperates in protecting the park. The unique project is also extremely suitable for shaping attitudes, and many ideas and inspiration can be gathered not only for the public, but also for the implementation of corporate sustainability biodiversity programs.

If you would like to see the photos of the event please click HERE.

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