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There is still much to be done on climate adaptation, which will be a priority topic in 2025

Ayvens Hungary hosted the last Race to Zero working group of the year on 26 November. In her presentation, Tímea Pesti, CEO of the company, stressed that we can do a lot to reduce carbon emissions by thinking more consciously and applying new perspectives. A good example of this is to adapt the vehicles in the company fleet to actual usage needs rather than position.

Dr Barbara Botos, Ambassador at Large for Climate of Ministry for Energy, presented the biggest lessons and achievements of the COP29 climate summit on her return home.

An important element of this is that countries have agreed to set a climate finance target of at least USD 300 billion per year by 2035, with developed countries taking the lead in mobilising and providing climate finance to developing countries.

 

Representing the Deloitte team, Flóra Borek, senior manager and Vanda Seres, senior consultant presented the main results of our recent research “Towards Net Zero”, in which they supported BCSDH as professional partners. One of the main findings is that we are already orders of magnitude better off with our carbon emissions target and concrete measurement and delivery compared to the previous survey period, but there is still a lot of work to be done in the area of climate adaptation. The detailed results of the research will be made available to the wider public in January.

Andrea Nagy, BCSDH’s Race to Zero project manager, briefly outlined the 2025 theme of climate adaptation, helping companies to implement systemic change.

The event was moderated by Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH.

Thanks to our Race to Zero 2024 program sponsors: 

 

Hungary hosts European Circular Economy Hotspot in 2026

Hungary has been selected as the host for the 2026 European Circular Economy Hotspot, marking a significant step forward in promoting sustainable practices and fostering global collaboration. The selection was revealed during the Circular Economy Hotspot conference in Cardiff on October 8th.

The hotspot will focus on carbon-neutral practices, local sustainability strategies such as composting and accessible building design, and strong international partnerships. Hungary’s event promises to be transformative in Europe’s circular economy journey. Hungary’s dedication to linking circularity with climate adaptation and social impact makes this an event to look forward to. This event will catalyze global collaboration, inspiring worldwide action and innovation in the circular economy. The Hotspot promises to elevate sustainable practices and forge new pathways towards a circular future.

The Circular Economy Hotspot first took place in the Netherlands in 2016. The concept then travelled to Luxembourg, Scotland, Belgium, Catalonia, North Rhine Westphalia and Dublin. This year, the European Hotspot has been held in Wales, while global Hotspots will take place on three other continents: North America (Canada), South America (Brazil) and Africa (South Africa). 2025 Hotspot hosts have already been selected in Europe (Slovenia), Africa (Ethiopia) and North–Central America (Mexico), with an election for South America planned for later this year.

 

“I’m Very Resilient, but I’m Tired of it” – Technology and Data-Driven Solutions for Everyday Well-Being at the Social Capital Working Group Meeting

What is Biohacking and How Does It Relate to Well-Being? How can we optimize our external and internal environments, and how can companies support their employees in this? How significant are sustainability considerations when purchasing intimate hygiene products, and what impact can period poverty have on employees? These were among the questions discussed as members of the Social Capital Working Group gathered at the Generali Headquarters for an inspiring and insightful afternoon.

The meeting was opened by Éva Gerendás, Head of Talent Management & Transformation at Generali, who delivered a warm welcome. This was followed by a a speech from Attila Kelemen, CEO of ProSelf and Chair of the Working Group, who emphasized the importance of individual well-being and mental health. He also highlighted the disparities technology can create for certain groups and the severe barriers others face in meeting their basic needs.

One of the event’s central themes, biohacking, was introduced by Éva Gerendás. In her presentation, she outlined how technology and data-driven solutions can support health preservation and daily well-being. She emphasized a shift in perspective: visiting a doctor not because you’re sick and want to get better but because you’re well and want to stay that way—or even enhance your well-being for the long term. The goal is to optimize both external and internal environments, leveraging every tool available, whether technology, data, psychology, sports, nutrition, or meditation.

On the topic of corporate social responsibility, Nóra Hevesi, Communications and Campaign Manager at Tesco, spoke about the importance of combating period poverty and introduced their initiative, which won the BCSDH Sustainable Future Award in the “Human Value” category. Research related to the initiative revealed that sustainability factors account for only 8% of purchasing decisions for intimate hygiene products. It also found that women spend an average of HUF 4,200 monthly on menstrual products—a significant financial burden, especially for low-income families.

Zita Szederkényi, program leader, provided a brief overview of the outcomes from the “Future Leaders” program. The event concluded with a presentation by the MAN-Co project team (Boronkay Fanny, DSM, Halmai-Serfőző Petra, Fe Group, Varga-Kisteleki Kata, Nestlé, Kovács Ildikó, Mazak, Dr. Molnár Beáta, Progress Étteremhálózat), who shared corporate solutions aimed at mental health and burnout prevention. This successful project was presented with the intention of setting a tradition, inspiring innovative corporate programs in the future.

The meeting fostered vibrant discussions among committed participants, creating excellent opportunities for knowledge sharing and strengthening collaboration. The presentations and projects showcased during the program served as inspiration for further efforts in sustainability and corporate well-being development.

A 30% reduction in material use would already be a solution to the climate crisis – but this can only be achieved through a circular economy.

In 2026, Hungary will host the European Circular Economy Hotspot meeting.

Creating a circular economy is a global necessity: this transcends geographical boundaries and requires collaboration among nations, organizations, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds. This was the key message at the 7th Circular Economy Summit, held on November 21, 2024. BCSDH, in collaboration with its professional partners, has won the right to host the 2026 European Circular Economy Hotspot meeting.

Global material consumption has more than tripled since 1970, while the Earth’s population has only doubled. Material extraction and processing are responsible for 60% of the harmful impacts on the climate, over 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress linked to land use, and approximately 40% of health-damaging particulate air pollution.

“Our health and the health of our economy depend on the health of nature, which is declining at an unprecedented rate. Humanity’s negative impact on nature is becoming increasingly evident, and alongside the climate emergency, we must now clearly reckon with the danger of the collapse of natural systems. In this situation, accelerating the transition to a circular economy is in our shared interest, as the resulting reduction in consumption alone could address many climate and ecological crises. However, this requires cooperation instead of competition, shared commitments, measurable targets, and actions. Immediate action is needed in this area as well,”- said Attila Chikán Jr., President of BCSDH, in his speech.

The global circularity rate of material use is steadily worsening. While in 2018, 9.1% of all raw materials used by the global economy came from recycled materials, this figure had dropped to just 7.2% by 2024. Our economy is still on a path of increasing material use, even though societal needs could be met with just 70% of the materials that are currently used. Increasing the level of circularity to this extent would significantly impact several ecological tipping points.

“We need a paradigm shift in the way we handle raw materials. The quantity of raw materials we use globally has more than tripled since the 1970s, and it is expected to double by 2060,” – the Dutch ambassador, Désirée Bonis, pointed out, adding that we also need to ensure resilience to geopolitical shifts in the supply of raw materials. The Dutch National Circular Economy Program aims at closing the loop of material flows so that the country becomes 100% circular by 2050, in line with the climate goals.

The Circular Economy Platform now has 102 members. It was established through the initiative of the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH), the Embassy of the Netherlands, and the former Ministry of Innovation and Technology. Its members have identified knowledge sharing, collaboration, and immediate action as their most important priorities.

According to the latest report by the National Council for Sustainable Development (NFFT), Hungary is depleting its natural capital at an increasing rate. However, a positive development in waste management is the growing proportion of selectively collected waste, which is accompanied by a continuous increase in the amount of material being recycled. In line with EU objectives, the circular economy has also become a focal point in Hungary’s public policymaking.

Dr. Márta Nagy, Deputy State Secretary for Circular Economy at the Ministry of Energy, discussed the current regulatory environment for the circular economy in Hungary and the sustainability priorities of Hungary’s EU presidency.

The phase-out of single-use plastics, the introduction of the extended producer responsibility system, the mandatory deposit return system, and the recently implemented concession-based waste collection system are seen as the only viable options for meeting both EU and Hungarian climate goals. These measures also represent significant progress in developing the circular economy, a priority that Hungary’s EU presidency places particular emphasis on accelerating.

According to BCSDH’s survey in 2023, 69% of companies expect state incentives, and 59% expect regulatory measures to facilitate the transition to a circular economy. There is significant anticipation regarding ongoing initiatives.

Rebeca Nohl from SYSTEMIQ presented a summary of the Global Resource Outlook 2024 (IRP), jointly published with the WBCSD, highlighting its business implications and impacts.

According to the report, resource extraction has tripled over the past five decades and is projected to increase by 60% by 2060. The study emphasizes that resource use is associated with significant business risks: competition for natural resources intensifies supply chain volatility, further exacerbated by climate change and geopolitical disruptions. Rising material costs erode profits as competition for finite resources becomes fiercer.

Businesses face increasingly complex climate-related regulations and growing scrutiny and expectations from consumers, employees, and investors regarding their environmental impacts.
The summary highlights the opportunity for businesses to unlock new sources of profit and increase their resilience by decoupling value creation from resource consumption. Resource efficiency and productivity can serve as an organization-wide means of achieving multiple goals, such as building resilient supply chains, reducing costs, enhancing competitiveness, and strengthening market differentiation.

There is currently significant international attention on the joint initiative of the WBCSD and UNEP, the Global Circularity Protocol, which was presented by Filipe Camano Garcia, Director of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). This standard system, currently under development, is being modeled after the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and is set to be introduced in 2026. It is a voluntary standard designed to provide methodology and metrics for businesses, as well as practical tools for policymakers. As the first step, a ‘landscape analysis’ was completed in July 2024. This analysis maps out corporate measurement and reporting tools, policies, and regulations related to circularity, helping to identify gaps and opportunities within the circular ecosystem that can support the development of the protocol.

Among our internationally recognized speakers was Joost van Dun, Head of Sustainable Financing and Circular Economy at ING Bank, who, through examples, showcased the current financing trends in the circular economy sector.

The role of collaborations in achieving a circular economy was the focus of a panel discussion featuring Brigitta Deák, CEO of Greenpro Zrt., Joost van Dun, Head of Sustainable Financing and Circular Economy at ING Bank, Csaba Farkas, Director of Sustainability and Innovation at Master Good Kft. The panel explored the types of cross-sectoral collaborations that can make successful circular business models achievable. The roundtable discussion was moderated by Dr. Bálint Bartha-Horváth, Senior Sustainability Consultant at CBRE.

For the first time in the history of the Circular Economy Summit, an innovation corporate pitch series was held, showcasing the best circular solutions. Five companies and organizations had the opportunity to present their circular solutions. The presenters were:

  • Repair Café Budapest – Viktória Kranzieritz, Volunteer
  • Denim Deal – Roosmarie Ruigrok, Sustainable Fashion & Textile Expert
  • Miscancell – Marcel van de Peppel, CEO
  • Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) Innovation Center – Dalma Berkovics, Head of Partnerships
  • Sock Exchange Program – Zoltán Csányi, Founder

Ivett Takács, project manager, reported on the 2024 results of the Circular Economy Platform andon the European Circular Economy Hotspot meeting held from October 7-9 in Wales, where the BCSDH’s partnership proposal was announced as the winner. As a result, Budapest will host the largest international forum on the circular economy in 2026.

She emphasized that for BCSDH, as one of the founding members of the Circular Economy Platform, it is crucial to have a community of highly committed companies and business leaders. By following the good practices of the 140+ member companies, the entire business sector can go beyond making drastic emissions reductions to also focus on biodiversity preservation and restoration and reversing growing social inequalities. This is the core focus of our Time to Transform 2030 program, which builds on the outcomes of the Action 2020 program and is supported by our Circular Economy Platform.

 

THANK YOU TO THE MAIN SPONSOR OF THE EVENT:

TO THE EVENTSPORSORS:

 

TO THE 2024 SUPPORTER OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY PLATFORM:

 

AND TO THE SPONSOR OF OUR CARBON-CONSCIOUS EVENTS:

 

Time Saved from Increased Productivity is Reinvested in Further Production instead of Resting – report on the last event of the “Future Leaders” Alumni this year

What can a telecommunications network company do for sustainability? What is a degrowth doughnut and how can it help Budapest sustainability? Can we imagine the end of capitalism? – These are some of the questions discussed at the last event of the “Future Leaders” Alumni at Nokia Hungary.

On November 6, a special program and a pleasant environment awaited the Alumni community at Nokia Hungary, where the recently graduated class of 2024 of the “Future Leaders” Talent Program was also represented. Attila Baranyai (Global Logistics Quality Manager) greeted the guests followed by a welcome address from József Pap (Supply Chain – Head of Excellence and Process Management). The attendees then had the opportunity to learn more about Nokia’s research and development lab in Hungary. Norbert Juhász and László Czencz, who led the visit, shared interesting insights about the lab’s power supply, cooling and protection systems. They also showcased a control room and their vast server room, where participants could even see part of the control center hardware that handled the first digital call.

Following the lab tour, Irén Márta, director of BCSDH, personally shared the good news with the Alumni community, that the “Future Leaders” Talent Program, of which all participants were a part of, won this year’s European Enterprise Promotion Award in Hungary in the category of ”Encouraging Sustainable Transition”.

Dr. Alexandra Köves, ecological economist and lecturer at Corvinus University of Budapest discussed the “doughnut economy” model, emphasizing the balance between human well-being and the planetary boundaries. She also presented the finding of their latest research, which examines Budapest’s sustainability status through the lenses of the doughnut model of degrowth.

After the thought-provoking presentation, thanks to our host, the participants engaged in informal discussion on the topics raised.

The NCSD and BCSDH Host European Delegation

What European-level collaborations can support both European and Hungarian companies in achieving their climate goals and climate adaptation? What partnerships can advance the sustainability objectives of the Green Deal domestically, and promote the spread of clean technologies and green industries?

November 5, 2024 – These questions, among others, were the focus of a high-level delegation meeting held at the National Assembly Office Building, timed to coincide with the Hungarian EU presidency.

The National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) and the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH) hosted the European Technology Chamber (EUTECH), whose mission is to empower European businesses to leverage technology for Europe’s benefit. The meeting included members of the Net Zero Advisory Board, as well as ministry and university leaders.

On behalf of the NCSD, Zsombor Barta, Senior Parliamentary Advisor, welcomed the guests. Florian Von Tucher, the Chairman of EUTECH and leader of the 7-member delegation, highlighted in his opening address the importance for EUTECH of establishing European-level collaboration between regulatory bodies and companies that share a commitment to sustainability.

Irén Márta, BCSDH Director, moderated a discussion aimed at strengthening cooperation between European businesses and regulatory bodies, with a focus on the sustainability goals of the Green Deal and the opportunities for innovation linked to emerging global technology trends. In her introductory remarks, Irén Márta emphasized the need for systemic changes to halt climate change and adapt to the new conditions, with companies at the forefront, yet advocating for even closer cooperation with social organizations and regulators.

As a result of the meeting, the parties agreed on a joint initiative to promote environmental sustainability and innovation. They set a goal to develop cooperation opportunities in clean technologies and green industries identified during the discussions.

 

Participants: 

Florian Von Tucher, Chairman, EUTECH Chamber 

Henning Vom Stein, Board Member, EUTECH Chamber 

Igor Gladkov Dr., Director, EUTECH Chamber 

Mohamed Garbhi, Climate Action Alliance Board Member, EUTECH Chamber 

Yves Decadt, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Biolingus 

Mariem Harmassi Dr., Head of Quality Department -IT Education, IT School, Université Centrale 

Esteban Remecz, CIO VP Information Technology & Digital Iochpe-Maxion S. A., Maxion Wheels 

 

Zsombor Barta, Senior Parliamentary Advisor National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) 

Anikó Juhász, Deputy State Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture 

András Kárpáti, President, Future Mobility Association 

Gábor Szarvas, President, Hungary Green Building Council 

Irén Márta, Managing Director, BCSDH 

Andrea Nagy, Race to Zero Project Manager, BCSDH 

Barbara Botos Dr., Ambassador at Large for Climate, Ministry of Energy 

Réka Matheidesz, CEO, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) 

A fenntartható jövőnek méltányosnak kell lennie – átvették oklevelüket „A jövő vezetői” 2024-es résztvevői

A BCSDH üzleti ebédjén, október 10-én vették át oklevelüket „A jövő vezetői” tehetségprogram 2024-es évfolyamának végzettjei. A Magyarországi Üzleti Tanács a Fenntartható Fejlődésért (BCSDH) „A jövő vezetői” tehetségprogramjában az idei 32 résztvevővel együtt már több, mint 330  vezetőt foglal magába „A jövő vezetői” tehetségprogram Alumni szervezete.

“ A jövő vezetői program 11 éve során most értünk el ahhoz a pillanathoz, amikor az európai uniós szabályozás és a hazai szabályozás egyaránt elvárásként kezeli a fenntartható vállalati működést. Ebben tudjuk segíteni tagvállalatainkat ezzel a programmal. ” – mondta el Márta Irén a BCSDH igazgatója.

A BCSDH tagvállalatainak különböző szakterületekről érkező fiatal vezetőiből kerültek ki a 11. évfolyam résztvevői.

A program során a résztvevők nem csupán elismert szakértőktől, hanem gyakorló vezetőktől tanulhatják az etikus működést, stratégiát, fenntarthatóságot egy sokszínű csoportban, miközben megismerkedhetnek a mentorvállalatokkal. Évfolyamonként több, mint hetven mentor: vállalatvezető, civil, tudományos és vállalati szakértő segíti, hogy a résztvevők minél több nézőpontból ismerhessék meg az üzleti szféra lehetőségeit.

„A program egyik erőssége abban rejlik, hogy mindig aktuális és releváns, hiszen amellett, hogy több, mint tíz éve fut, mindig tagvállalataink vezetőit, szakértőit kérjük meg arra, hogy osszák meg velünk éppen aktuális dilemmáikat, kérdéseiket vagy jó gyakorlataikat.” -mondta Szederkényi Zita, a program vezetője.

A napok során a BCSDH „A fenntartható vállalatvezetés irányelvei” egy-egy pontját, annak elméleti hátterét és vállalati gyakorlatát járják körbe (Stratégiai megközelítés, Felelős vállalatirányítás, Alapértékek tisztelete, Környezeti felelősségvállalás, Partnerség az érintett és érdekelt felekkel, Etikus és Átlátható működés, illetve immár 3 éve bevezetett a Fenntartható termékek, szolgáltatások és innováció).

Companies must also address social issues, as inequalities undermine economic stability.

One of the most urgent sustainability challenges today is the dramatic rise in social inequalities and polarization, which also impact companies economically. Inequality is a consequence of our systems, and the solution lies in systemic transformation. Companies play an important role in this, primarily through their impact on employees and value chains. This was the theme of BCSDH’s business lunch held on October 10, 2024, which focused on reducing social inequalities and recognizing people as economic assets.

At the event, the Sustainable Future Awards were presented in four categories, recognizing outstanding leaders, leading women, and business solutions in the field of sustainability.

 

Budapest, October 10, 2024 – Inequality is increasing both globally and in Hungary. The wealthiest 1% of the world’s population owns 45.6% of global wealth, while the poorest half owns less than 1%. In Hungary, the top 10% of earners take home 40% of all income and 90% of capital income.

Inequality hinders social and economic development, and without immediate action, it may worsen further. Moreover, this process could weaken the results and impact of measures taken so far to address poverty, climate change, and economic transformation.

 

At the business lunch of the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH), a recommendation and its associated five-point action plan were presented to help the business community take steps to reduce inequalities.

At the event, the organization, which brings together 148 member companies responsible for producing around 40% of Hungary’s GDP, presented the Sustainable Future Award for the eighth time in the categories of Change Leader, Leading Woman, Business Solution, and Corporate Transformation.

 

Systemic changes are needed to address social issues as well, as income, wealth, and welfare inequalities threaten the political and economic conditions on which business operations, innovation, and growth are based. Carolien De Bruin, Senior Director of Equity Action at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and a member of the Business Commission to Tackle Inequality (BCTI), spoke about the steps that can lead companies to make these systemic changes in her presentation.

“Rising inequality and tackling the ‘S in ESG’ in an integrated manner is both a material system- and business-level risk, and increasingly a regulatory requirement following the introduction of CSRD and CSRDDD, AND an opportunity to build value chains that are more resilient and ultimately productive. Collective, bold, and decisive action is needed to make this vision a reality. Through the Business Commission to Tackle Inequality (BCTI), we are investing in the solutions of tomorrow and squarely putting equity into the boardroom. We look forward to being joined by Hungary’s corporate frontrunners as we do [this],”– said Carolien De Bruin.

Companies can take steps primarily through their own employees, but they can also have an impact on three other stakeholder groups: workers in the value chain, consumers, and communities.

In his opening remarks, Attila Chikán Jr., President of BCSDH, emphasized: “The business case for reducing inequalities revolves around mitigating risks while contributing to the long-term sustainability of the economy. Reducing inequality requires coordinated action from all stakeholders—governments, companies, civil society organizations, and employees. It is crucial that people, as valuable assets, are recognized in these value-creating processes as we initiate these changes.”

 

It’s Time for Action! In our Time to Transform 2030 framework program, working with more than 60 company leaders and experts this year, we have collaboratively developed the following recommendation and five associated action plan proposals on the theme of recognizing people as valuable assets:

RECOMMENDATION:
Provide a fair livelihood by creating and maintaining an inclusive, flexible, and safe work environment that proactively supports development.

 

PROPOSED ACTION PLAN:

  1. Pay a wage that ensures a fair livelihood.
  2. Provide a safe working environment that supports the physical and mental health of employees, along with benefits and services.
  3. Establish and implement flexible and inclusive employment systems tailored to individual circumstances.
  4. Proactively support employees’ lifelong development and meet changing expectations.
  5. Assess and extend the implementation of the above-described actions throughout the value chain.

 

 

How can we embark on this journey? How is the recognition of people as valuable assets already reflected in the processes of various companies? This was the focus of the roundtable discussion among company leaders, moderated by Márta Irén, Director of BCSDH, featuring Raffaella Claudia Bondi, Managing Director of Roche Hungary Ltd., Viktória Lucenko, Managing Director of Auchan Hungary Ltd., and Zoltán Mikó, CEO of Future FM Plc.

The main sponsor of this year’s Time to Transform 2030 program is Nestlé.

The sponsor of BCSDH’s carbon-conscious events is Ayvens.

The 2024 Sustainable Future Awards have been presented – recognizing the most outstanding sustainable corporate and leadership achievements of the year.

A large number of exceptional applications were submitted for the 2024 Sustainable Future Awards. The awards, which recognize outstanding corporate and leadership achievements aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and driving systemic change, were presented based on the decision of the professional jury. Tesco, K&H Bank, SolServices, Saint-Gobain, and Continental Automotive were the winners of the various corporate categories. Károly Nyári (Grundfos) received the Change Leader Award, while Anikó Körmendi (Arriva Hungary) and Zsuzsa Nagy (E.ON Group) were honored with the Leading Woman Award. The award ceremony took place at the business lunch of the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH) on October 10.

Márta Irén, Director of BCSDH and a member of the professional jury, stated: “For the eighth time in 2024, we received an outstanding number of high-quality applications for the Sustainable Future Award. The business world and the environment around us are changing rapidly, continuously challenging companies. This should encourage us even more to take swift action and transform our systems to become more sustainable. The Sustainable Future Award evolves along with changes in the business environment, responding to current challenges. This year, we focused the award on areas where companies have the greatest impact on transforming systems. It is encouraging to see, through the applications, an increasing number of solutions that create real change and [involve] companies integrating sustainability into their operations.”

 

The six-member professional jury, consisting of Dr. Gábor Bartus, Szilvia Krizsó, Márta Irén, Éda Pogány, István Salgó, and Prof. Dr. Diána Ürge-Vorsatz, selected the winners.

 

Winners of the 2024 Sustainable Future Awards:

 

CHANGE LEADER AWARD:

Károly Nyári
Vice President, Head of Group Finance
Grundfos A/S

Károly Nyári is a visionary, forward-thinking leader and a true driving force, leading his company and partners toward the realization of sustainability through a complex understanding of it.

 

 

 

LEADING WOMAN AWARD:

Anikó Körmendi
CEO
Arriva Hungary Ltd.


Anikó Körmendi is an inspiring, innovative, and integrative leader who works tirelessly to promote electromobility and more sustainable operations at the corporate, industry, and regional levels.

 

 

Zsuzsa Nagy
Managing Director
E.ON Hungária Group / E.ON Energy Solutions Ltd.

Zsuzsa Nagy is a people-centered and inclusive leader whose innovative solutions significantly benefit her company, its partners, and, indirectly, the country’s green energy transition.

 

 

 

BEST BUSINESS SOLUTION AWARD:

Climate Protection and Adaptation Category:

K&H Bank – K&H Agricultural CO2 Calculator

K&H Bank supported the agricultural sector in taking a significant step forward by helping farmers with credible, science-based carbon footprint measurement, which was developed with the help of a Hungarian team of experts.

The award was received by Zoltán Demeter Agribusiness Manager of K&H Bank.

 

 

Biodiversity Preservation and Restoration Category:

 

Saint Gobain – Biodiversity Program


Through professional partnership, the program laid the foundation for a self-sustaining ecosystem during quarry reclamation that has served as an inspiration and example for other companies.

The award was received by Daniel Domini, Managing Director of Saint-Gobain Hungary.

 

 

 

SolServices – Next-Generation Solar Park Professional Guide


The initiative involved developing an outstanding industry-level guide and solution that innovatively supports the establishment of solar parks that preserve biodiversity.

The award was received by Krisztina Kulcsárné Dr. Takács, CFO and Gábor Dr. Farkas, Managing Director of Solservices.

 

 

Human Value Category:

TESCO Global Stores Ltd. – “Combatting Menstrual Poverty”


Committed to addressing societal and women’s issues, Tesco has taken significant steps to help reduce menstrual poverty.

The award was received by Eszter Varga, External Communications Manager of TESCO.

 

 

CORPORATE TRANSFORMATION AWARD:

Continental Automotive Hungary Ltd.


Continental is systematically progressing toward full carbon neutrality and circularity throughout its entire value chain, integrating sustainability as a core part of its operations.

The award was received by Zoltán Dapsy Managing Director of Continental Automotive Hungary

 

 

CONGRATULATION!

Main sponsors of this year’s awards: Essity, Market, SPAR
Sponsor of the Leading Woman category: McDonald’s.

Hungarian ‘ESG Act’ implementing regulations have been published

Detailed rules on the fulfilment of the due diligence obligations of companies for sustainability purposes and the registration process for ESG reports, ESG rating agencies and ESG software have been published in Issue 81 of the Hungarian Offical Journal 2024. Issue 80 also contains regulations about the requirements for accreditation as an ESG consultant and the rules of procedure for accreditation.

 

The aim of the Regulation is:

Containing also the questionnaire annexed to the ESG report 13/2024. (VIII. 15.) SZTFH Regulation, on the basis of the ESG Act, sets out the detailed rules that allow an objective comparison of companies according to sustainability criteria and the monitoring of their responsibility.

 

The main screening criteria are

  • Establishment of a risk management system: a documented risk management system must be in place to minimise ESG risks, both within the business’s own sphere of responsibility and in the supply chain. The risk management system includes the recording of environmental and social impacts and the analysis of organisational governance impacts, in particular screening, identification, assessment, prioritisation, prevention, elimination, correction and follow-up;
  • Develop an internal responsibility strategy and system;
  • Conduct regular and ad hoc risk analyses;
  • Establish preventive and corrective actions for all identified adverse impacts within the scope of its own business and with its direct suppliers;
  • ESG reporting obligation: by preparing an ESG report and completing the questionnaire annexed to the ESG report;
  • Declaration of direct suppliers with regard to the risks they face.

The Regulation also includes minimum formal requirements for the preparation of the ESG report.

 

Temporary, facilitating provision

The ESG reports of companies under Section 1 (1) (a) of the ESG Act for the financial year 2024 and of companies under Section 1 (1) (b) of the ESG Act for the financial year 2025 only have to be pre-audited and do not have to be certified, neither the ESG reports themselves nor the pre-audit results are public and are not published.

 

Questionnaire annexed to the ESG report

The table in Annex 1 of the SZTFH Regulation contains the questions that form the basis of the ESG reporting and supply chain due diligence.

The questions cover ESG activities of companies in the areas of environment (45 questions), society (41 questions) and corporate governance (14 questions). For the screening of direct suppliers, the questions are adapted to the size of the suppliers, their geographical location and the scope of the questions to be answered.

It is important to underline that direct suppliers cannot commit to answering voluntary questions either in a contract or in a written declaration.

 

ESG calculator coming soon

For the preparation of the ESG report, the SZTFH will soon provide an ESG calculator to help you calculate the more complex numerical data of the questionnaire.

 

For more information (in Hungarian), please visit the SZTFH website:

ESG report
ESG questionnaire
ESG Authority Activity

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

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World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) National Partner