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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.

The question is not whether we can do it, but whether we are willing to do it

This is one of the key messages of the Beyond Zero film, which BCSDH organised for the second time for its member companies and invited guests on 5 March as part of the Race to Zero programme. The event was again hosted by the E.ON Hungária Group.

The inspiring documentary film shows the transformation of the company and its management through the person of Ray Anderson, answering the questions of what are the steps for a successful paradigm shift, how to engage the management, convince investors and engage business partners to achieve climate goals.

 

The screening was followed by a CEO roundtable discussion with Gábor Décsi, CEO of DOME Facility Services and János Kocsány, CEO of Graphisoft Park SE. During the discussion, moderated by Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH, several aspects were covered, touching on the role of leadership by example, the importance of unconventional choices and opportunities that put sustainability at the forefront. Through their personal examples, they also gave ideas to the audience on how to engage the members of the organisation and foster this kind of approach and commitment. They stressed that sustainability is also a business case that pays off and can deliver significant improvements at industry and system level.

Az inspiráló film hazai terjesztésében a BCSDH együttműködik a Sustainova csapatával, amely remek eszköz lehet a vállalati elkötelezettség növeléséhez és a munkatársak bevonásához, hogy minél gyorsabban megvalósuljon a rendszerszintű változás és érdemi cselekvés a klímacélok érdekében.

BCSDH is partnering with the Sustainova team to disseminate the inspiring film domestically, which can be a great tool to increase corporate engagement and employee involvement to accelerate systemic change and meaningful action towards climate goals.

You can see the photos of the event by clicking here.

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: 

 

Beyond Zero film premiere and roundtable: sustainability is both a leadership responsibility and a corporate culture

The Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH) presented the Beyond Zero film for the first time in Hungary at an exclusive CEO event in cooperation with Sustainova, sponsored and hosted by E.ON Hungária Group.

In addition to the CEO of BCSDH member companies, members of the Net Zero Advisory Board were also invited to the event on 17 September, including Paul Fox, the UK Ambassador to Hungary, who also joined.

The event was moderated by Irén Márta, Managing Director of BCSDH, and the participants were welcomed by Attila Chikán Jr., President of BCSDH and President-CEO of Alteo, Zsolt Jamniczky, Deputy CEO of E.ON Hungária Group, Tomas Svoboda, Co-Founder and CEO of Sustainova, and Nathan Havey, writer-director of the film (via video message).

This inspiring documentary explores the personal and corporate transformation of business leader Ray Anderson, answering questions about the steps to a successful paradigm shift, how to engage leaders, convince investors and engage business partners to achieve climate goals.

After the screening, committed leaders, Tímea Pesti (Ald | LeasePlan), Zsolt Jamniczky (E.ON Hungária Group), Balázs Báthory (Market Építő Zrt.) active in sectors important to climate protection shared their thoughts and dilemmas during a round table discussion. Participants emphasized how important the faith and will of the CEOs is, so that sustainability permeates the entire organizational culture and encourages employees to take action. Observing the natural environment and gaining inspiration for specific developments from it can be of great help in the implementation of the climate goals, this is also one of the key messages of the film.

BCSDH cooperates with Sustainova in Hungary to disseminate this inspiring film for business leaders and employees to accelerate systemic change and meaningful action towards climate goals.

You can see the photo gallery of the event by clicking on the link.

Speed, Porsche… Cupra, Sustainability

We continued in a slightly different way the first line of the well-known Hungarian pop song, as on 30 May our Race to Zero working group was hosted by Porsche Hungária Kft., where we had the opportunity to visit the Innovation and Training Centre and gain a more detailed insight into the Group’s sustainability efforts at global and local level.

In his welcome speech, Tamás Bognár, Head of Communications of Porsche Hungária, emphasized their commitment to climate protection and briefly presented the Innovation and Training Centre, which was built with HUF 2 billion of their own resources, and is used to train the professionals of the future, especially with regard to the electric car market. The Cupra brand is a flagship of the Group and of electromobility.

Melinda Tóth, Environmental and Sustainability Specialist at Porsche Hungária, presented the global and local objectives and programmes, which are implemented along a 5 pillar strategy. Of course, zero emission mobility plays a major role in this.

Electromobility was also an important topic in the next presentation, as Orsolya Barsi, Head of the Climate and Environment Department of the Mayor’s Office, presented the 100 Climate Neutral Cities project, of which Budapest is one of the participants. Businesses also have a major role to play in the implementation of climate adaptation. This was confirmed by Ada Ámon, Director of the Budapest Climate Agency, who stressed the importance of concrete cooperation with the business sector, as only together we can achieve the climate neutrality targets.

This was followed by a mini workshop organised by Deloitte with the help of Flóra Borek, Senior Manager and László Porkoláb, Senior Consultant, where we reviewed with the participants the latest trends and industry challenges of decarbonisation, with a focus on the Scope 3 assessment in the value chain and the increasing expectations towards suppliers. The issue of carbon tariffs emerged as an emerging challenge. The inputs will help to prepare the next round of the Towards Net Zero survey, which is expected to be launched in September.

The presentations were followed by a tour of the Innovation and Training Centre, where not only the educational activities but also the building itself is the result of a sustainability-conscious design, with green solutions and awareness-raising.

Our next event is the “Race to Zero on the Spot” programme on 19 September, when we will tour the Pünkösdfürdő Baths Park, dreamed up and implemented by the BKM’s Főkert (Gardening) Division, providing inspiration and ideas for corporate biodiversity programmes.

Further actions for high-level cooperation were discussed by the Net Zero Advisory Board

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
  • Zsolt Bertalan – President, Smart Future Innovation Cluster
  • Attila Chikán Jr – President, BCSDH
  • Péter Csipes  – Managing Director, S.T.I. Hungary – representative of MLBKT
  • Orsolya Diófási-Kovács, PhD – Associate Professor, Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem
  • Anikó Juhász  – Deputy State Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture
  • Csaba Kandrács Dr.  – Vice President, Hungarian Central Bank
  • András Kárpáti – President, Future Mobility Association
  • Matthew Kirlew – Head of Policy, British Embassy
  • Kocsis Kriszti – Senior Policy Officer, British Embassy
  • Csaba Kőrösi  – Strategic Director, Blue Planet Foundation, former President of UN General Assembly
  • Irén Márta – Director, BCSDH
  • Andrea Nagy – Race to Zero Project Manager, BCSDH
  • Zsuzsa Némedi – Senior Trade Adviser, British Embassy
  • Diána Ürge-Vorsatz, Prof. Dr.  – Vice Chair, IPCC, HuPCC
  • Gábor Szántó  – Head of Climate Policy Department, Ministry of Energy
  • Gábor Gábor – President, Hungary Green Building Council

Click here for the photo gallery of the event.

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.

From psychosocial risk analysis to photon transformation: 27 companies presented at the BCSDH Sustainability Matchmaking

The Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH), with its membership spanning across sectors and including more than 140 companies, facilitates effective promotion of partnerships for carbon-neutral operations and the acceleration of systemic changes. The organization hosted its Sustainability Matchmaking for member companies for the third time on January 23, 2024. Balázs Tóth, President and CEO of UniCredit Bank, welcomed the participants at the event.

In the event organized under the Race to Zero program, 27 companies showcased their sustainability products and services, including unique and innovative solutions such as psychosocial risk assessment, innovative solutions to increase the efficiency of solar panels, a digital platform to support sustainability issues, or a methodology for sustainable event planning. Alongside opportunities supporting climate goals, there were also numerous solutions aiding biodiversity.

 

“Collaboration is the only way to lead the systemic change that the world needs for climate protection and adaptation. Only together can we achieve what no single company could do alone.” – emphasized Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH.

Following the brief presentations, informal discussions took place where the large number of interested companies seeking sustainability solutions could find potential collaborative partners.

The BCSDH 2024 focus themes also emerged during the presentation, covering areas related to human value, social inequalities, services related to employee well-being, appreciation of human capital, social exposure, mental health, and efficiency.

Introducing companies:

Link to the photo gallery

Thank you for our sponsors: 

 

Can bee pastures be part of business strategy?

On 16 November, at our last Race to Zero Working Group this year, we got a better insight into the operations and long-term commitment of two of our member companies, and a definitive “yes” to the question in the title.

With the help of our host, János Kocsány, CEO of Graphisoft Park, we were able to learn about the history of the brownfield project, which is unprecedented in Europe. We chose this as one of the topics of the meeting because this year Graphisoft Park won the Sustainable Future Award in ‘Business Solution – Biodiversity‘ category for its forward-thinking solutions. Moreover, the park, with 60% green space, has an outstanding tenant loyalty index (15 years) and is not just building offices, but a cohesive community, with a special focus on nature conservation and restoration.

Graphisoft Park’s case study with results and inspiring thoughts so far is also available in the Business Solutions sub-page under Resources on BCSDH’s website, along with several other examples of companies promoting biodiversity and climate adaptation.

The presentation by András Zakar, Director General of FŐKERT Division for Urban Park Management of Budapest Public Utilities Nonprofit Plc. showed that the Főkert is responsible for the maintenance and protection of 6 million m2 of green space in 479 locations. In addition to the more familiar bee pastures, he talked about the Stockholm tree planting method, low-impact plant protection and the Miyawaki mini-forests, of which there are already six in Budapest. They have their own plant nursery and a strong focus on monitoring and testing, and then applying best practices based on the results. Sustainable operations are supported by a fleet of electric vehicles, and waste management is also a priority. The main tasks of Főkert are public, but they are also keen to help companies to protect natural diversity, either by working with them to develop or rehabilitate a new area, or by involving employees in voluntary activities. Education and awareness-raising are a priority in all activities, as they know that the only way to protect nature is to involve people.

Andrea Nagy, BCSDH’s project manager, briefly presented this year’s Race to Zero programme and the professional materials, films and presentations related to the 2023 biodiversity flagship theme, which can provide a good summary and inspiration for further strategic thinking. This was followed by the 2024 targets, where there will be a continued focus on showcasing good business practices and collecting business solutions. In addition to the traditional workshops, we will also visit external sites.

Finally, Dorka Veress, HR and PR Manager of Graphisoft Park, gave an unusual behind-the-scenes tour of the site, where we could see how an old forge is transformed into a high-tech office space, what an unused area looks like, and we also had the chance to see the Generator House. In the close-to-nature office park you can find a bee pasture, a wetland with lots of fish and plants, lots of trees and of course the Danube bank, in addition to 22 species of birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to the hosts and speakers for their inspiring presentations and ideas, and to the sponsors of the Race to Zero programme for their support:

Dramatic biodiversity loss has become a business risk – it poses a greater near-term problem than climate change.

The decrease in biodiversity poses a more significant and immediate threat than climate change; immediate action is even more crucial. All companies are dependent on and affected by nature. Business leaders have a considerable responsibility and opportunity to achieve positive changes in this area. This was the focus of the BCSDH’s (Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary) business lunch on October 12, 2023, which emphasised biodiversity restoration and nature-positive climate solutions.

Budapest, October 12, 2023 – Life is intertwined with nature, and so is business, as nearly half of global GDP is directly dependent on nature and its services. How has biodiversity become one of the fastest-growing ESG topics? What role does nature play in achieving net-zero goals? What should companies do in this regard?

The Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH) presented a three-point recommendation at its business lunch to help the business world take steps in the field of biodiversity.

For a sustainable future, systemic changes are necessary. In addition to utilising the low-tech solutions provided by nature, it’s crucial to leverage the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. This topic was discussed by Greta Nagy, a member of the BCSDH Board, in a conversation with Dr. George Tilesch, an expert and consultant in artificial intelligence (AI) who works with various sectors and industries, primarily in the transatlantic region.

“The most powerful tool that humanity has been given, thanks to artificial intelligence, is also the best instrument to solve civilisational problems. However, this only works if we can make it human-centric. The one who can steer it towards socially beneficial results and manage risks correctly will achieve the greatest long-term success. We need to create alternative technological visions and paradigms,” explained Dr. George Tilesch.

 

However, technological solutions alone will not provide the answer; we need ecosystem services provided by nature. Nature accounts for one-third of climate solutions.

In his opening remarks, Attila Chikán Jr., president of BCSDH, emphasised, “The decline in biodiversity can pose an even greater problem than the climate crisis, as we are on the brink of [biodiversity] collapse. The World Economic Forum (WEF) annual report already lists the disappearance of biological diversity as among the most serious risks. Biodiversity provides important adaptation functions in the context of climate change, as the more diverse and varied a system is – including the business [ecosystem] – the more resilient it is to external impacts. It has a much better chance of survival or adaptation.”

The time for action is undoubtedly now. Within our Time to Transform 2030 framework this year, which addresses the topic of biodiversity, we have formulated the following three recommendations that can assist the business sphere in taking the necessary steps:

  1. Conduct organisational impact assessments and set goals for preserving and restoring natural and biological diversity.

  2. Identify relevant areas and implement strategic initiatives incorporating natural diversity into decision-making processes.

  3. Adopt and apply a holistic approach and mindset throughout the value chain, fostering partnerships and collaboration.

“How to embark on this journey?” was the focus of the executive roundtable discussion featuring Gábor Décsi, CEO of Dome Facility Services Kft., János Mészáros, Deputy CEO for Strategy and Economics at BKM Budapesti Közművek Nonprofit Zrt., and Anita Simon, Deputy CEO of the ALTEO Group. The discussion was moderated by Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH.

This year’s highlighted sponsors of the Race to Zero program were Deloitte and E.ON, with additional support from Alteo, ALD|Leaseplan, and Unilever. ALD|LeasePlan was a sponsor of BCSDH’s carbon-conscious events.

***

 

Dr. George Tilesch

An expert in artificial intelligence (A.I.) and senior executive and consultant, working primarily in the transatlantic space across sectors and industries, specialising in AI Strategy, Ethics, Impact, Policy, and Governance.

He is Founder and President of the PHI Institute for Augmented Intelligence with the mission of putting machine intelligence in the service of enhancing the human condition for all. As a global senior executive and strategy consultant, Dr. Tilesch has worked for 25 years with a wide array of actors: government leaders on all continents (the EU, the White House,  the U.S. Navy, NASA, Dubai, New Zealand), for corporations (Microsoft, Ipsos, and other companies from the Fortune 50 Tech list), and international organisations and global think tanks (World Economic Forum, Club de Madrid), in addition to startups, scaleups and global social innovation leaders. He is the co-author of the 2022 World Economic Forum AI C-Suite Toolkit, read and implemented worldwide by big enterprise CEOs. Dr. Tilesch is also the co-author of the book Between Brains: Taking Back our AI Future, published in 2020. Dr. Tilesch has American and Hungarian citizenship and is based in Silicon Valley.

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:

 

Tag Archive for: Race to zero

Race to Zero on the Spot

Event exclusively for members of the BCSDH Race to Zero Working Group

To participate in the event, pre-registration is required from the Working Group members, the registration link is included in the invitation to the event.

To join the working group or for any questions or comments, please contact Andrea Nagy (andrea.nagy@bcsdh.hu), the person in charge of the working group.

Race to Zero Working Group

Event exclusively for members of the BCSDH Race to Zero Working Group

To participate in the event, pre-registration is required from the Working Group members, the registration link is included in the invitation to the event.

To join the working group or for any questions or comments, please contact Andrea Nagy (andrea.nagy@bcsdh.hu), the person in charge of the working group.

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