ESG working group Archívum

What next after the Omnibus package and the changes to the ESG law? – ESG working group meeting at Colas

The ESG legislative framework in Europe and in Hungary (CSRD, CSDDD, Hungarian ESG Act) is going through a turbulent period. What changes are expected? How will this affect the preparation of companies?” – we sought the answers on 15 April together with more than 40 of our member companies at the BCSDH ESG working group meeting.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mátyás Bellaagh, CEO of Colas Hungária Zrt. IIR welcomed the guests. He emphasized that we have witnessed significant changes in the field of sustainability reporting in recent years, especially in this significantly changing environment.

On 3 April 2025, the European Parliament and on 14 April the EU Council voted in favour of the European Commission’s “stop-the-clock” proposal, which delays the implementation deadlines for the most important sustainability regulations – the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

Zsófia Reizinger, ESG Consultant and Ákos Veisz, Managing Director of BDO Hungary ESG Consulting Ltd. They confirmed that it is worth continuing to prepare and to pay attention to strategic initiatives. They also gave a brief presentation on the planned amendments to the Hungarian ESG Act.

Although less publicised, the VSME (Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for non-listed SMEs), which can support companies in voluntary reporting, was finalised in December 2024. Julianna Nagy, Senior Manager at KPMG, pointed out that for companies that will no longer be covered by the CSRD, the Commission will adopt a voluntary reporting standard based on the VSME developed by EFRAG through a delegated act.

The presentations were followed by small group discussions where participants could directly share their experiences. Thank you to the working group members Julianna Nagy, Nora Stancsics and Ákos Veisz for moderating!

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16.04.2025

ESG is also a responsibility for the supply chain as a whole – ESG working group meeting at Continental

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The ESG Working Group meeting of the BCSDH on 18 February 2025, hosted by Continental’s Budapest factory, was very well attended. The event started with a welcome speech of Zoltán Dapsy, Factory Director, who presented the company’s sustainability objectives and the measures it is taking to support corporate transformation.

The focus of the meeting was again on the ESG Act, and last year’s changes were presented by Csaba Gábor Molnár, ESG Director of SZTFH, who was delighted to accept our invitation to speak again. In his presentation, he also explained the steps to be taken to set up a risk management system. We also thank Mr Molnár for answering questions from the audience.

In 2025, climate adaptation will be the focus of BCSDH’s professional activities, said Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH, who also spoke about the relevance of the topic for companies and its links to ESG.

Starting this year, we would like to offer our members more opportunities for face-to-face discussions and knowledge sharing. Therefore, the presentations were followed by small group discussions where participants discussed how their company is progressing in building a risk assessment system and engaging suppliers. We would like to express our gratitude to the working group members Greta Nagy, Eszter Mihály and Beatrix Szabó for moderating.

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19.02.2025

The picture on ESG is getting clearer – deeper insight into the implementing regulations of the ESG law

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With more than 40 people in person, we held our next ESG working group meeting on 11 September 2024, hosted by KINSTELLAR.

The focus of the meeting was on the implementing regulations for the ESG law published in August. The most anticipated from companies were the detailed rules for the fulfilment of due diligence obligations for sustainability purposes, which were published in the Decree 13/2024 (VIII.15.) of SZTFH.

The event started with a welcome speech by Dr. Balázs Tomaj, lead lawyer of KINSTELLAR Energy Law Group. In his presentation he briefly described the domestic regulatory environment of ESG.

To our great pleasure, we again accepted the invitation of Gábor Csaba Molnár, ESG Director of the Regulatory Authority for Regulated Activities, who gave an overview of the specific implementing regulations and the content of the supplier questionnaire. His presentation was followed by a lively question and answer session.

Attila Bálint, the sustainability officer of IKEA Hungary, then used practical examples to show how sustainability criteria can be incorporated into the selection of suppliers and how their implementation can be monitored and ensured.
To conclude the event, Irén Márta informed the participants about the organisation’s upcoming events.

13.09.2024

Human value and ESG: can a human approach move companies forward?

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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.

The SZTFH commentary on the amendments to the ESG Law is available here: https://sztfh.hu/az-esg-torveny-modositasa-tamogatja-a-hazai-vallalatok-versenykepesseget-kommentar/.

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”.

12.04.2024

How can the ESG Act drive sustainability forward?

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Presenting the results of our latest ESG Survey – ESG Working Group meeting at 4iG

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We are getting closer to the launch of the CSRD – focus on regulatory details at the ESG working group meeting

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Safety, Balance, Values – What can we do in the Society of Burnout? – ESG and Social Capital Working Group meeting

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Social issues are receiving increasing emphasis in the business world, as growing inequalities carry systemic risks.

What can companies do to reduce social inequalities? What workforce trends should they prepare for in the near future? How can we support innovation in social issues by aligning with values? What psychosocial risks are present in the workplace? These were the topics that were discussed during our joint ESG and Social Capital Working Group meeting on April 27, 2023, with the participation of around 35 people, hosted by Randstad Hungary.

The participants of the joint working group were welcomed by Gréta Nagy, leader of the ESG Working Group and CEO of Dandelion, and Attila Kelemen, leader of the Social Capital Working Group and President-CEO of ProSelf International Ltd. They emphasized that social issues are gaining increasing importance in the business world, as the success of every organization depends on its people, i.e., colleagues, partners, and consumers.

Sándor Baja, the CEO of Randstad Hungary, presented the latest trends and indicators characterizing the Hungarian labor market in his presentation. He emphasized that in the uncertain economic environment, the financial stability of employers has become significantly more important. At the same time, the importance of work-life balance has further strengthened compared to the previous year.

Ágnes Vörös, Head of HR and Administration Hungary at BASF, and Kristóf Kovács, founder and trustee of the Invisible School Foundation, presented the Invisible School program, an exemplary initiative where volunteers support the academic development, vocational orientation, and social integration of children living in temporary homes through mentorship programs, personal tutoring, and summer camps.

Lajos Csaba, Deputy Head of PR and Government Relations at Richter Gedeon Nyrt., presented how the Richter Anna Prize helps the company contribute to the development of social issues such as education, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. They support innovative ideas aimed at improving working conditions and service quality. The winning projects can serve as best practices on a wider scale.

Gréta Nagy‘s presentation focused on the issue of workplace stress. She emphasized how creating a trusting atmosphere, ensuring safety, and establishing balance greatly contribute to the mental well-being of employees.

To conclude the event, Zsófia Galambosné Dudás, Professional Project Manager of BCSDH, presented the organization’s plan for the new CSRD training.

23.05.2023