Jean-François Pons, a research associate at the Europe Jacques Delors think tank, has called on public authorities to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) collect and publish their environmental, social and governance (ESG) data, in a policy paper published on Tuesday 15 November.
“SMEs are a major player in the European Union’s economy. There will be no sustainable transformation of this economy if they don’t play their part in it”, he said.
While the current energy crisis is increasing the constraints on SMEs, it also makes decarbonisation an even greater priority, according to Mr Pons. SMEs should therefore be supported to the maximum extent possible by their natural partners, but also by national and European public authorities.
Although the ‘CSRD’ directive on sustainability reporting only covers listed SMEs, and they have three years to comply, the researcher advises them to start the ESG approach now (see EUROPE 13061/5).
It recommends three measures: - an EU-wide information campaign; - regularly bring best practice, efficient tools and available public assistance to the attention of SMEs; - regular monitoring, in the form of a biannual meeting of the Member States’ ministers in charge of SMEs and the Commission.
This would also imply that support mechanisms are effectively deployed and that any regulatory or technical obstacles are quickly removed.
To consult the document: https://aeur.eu/f/42l (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)