The 2nd edition of the sustainability guide for SMEs and cooperatives focuses on the energy transition and renewable energy cooperatives.
Vienna (OTS) – In October last year, the Association of Volksbanks and the Austrian Cooperative Association (ÖGV) published a guidebook for the first time under the title “So geht Nachhaltigkeit für KMU und Genossenschaften” (This is how sustainability works for SMEs and cooperatives), which is intended to help interested companies on their way to a sustainable future. Now the brochure has been published in a second edition. In the focus of the continuation are from current cause the energy turn as well as the establishment of renewable energy communities. DI Gerald Fleischmann, CEO of VOLKSBANK WIEN AG and spokesman of the Association of Volksbanks, explains: “Climate change, the corona pandemic and, most recently, the Ukraine war make it clear that there is no way around sustainability. Europe has been shown how dependent we still are on oil and gas. As part of our second sustainability brochure, we are working with the ÖGV to show how companies can manage the transformations and what a crucial role energy cooperatives play in achieving the energy transition.”
Sustainability means future viability
The new edition of the Sustainability Guide for SMEs and cooperatives outlines why sustainability is everyone’s business and should be seen not only as a challenge but also as a strategic opportunity with attractive business potential. After all, only those who operate sustainably are fit for the future. In the new publication, the Association of Volksbanks and the ÖGV present a number of exemplary projects by customers who already operate sustainably or have even implemented sustainability as a business purpose. “In addition, we show the readers how energy cooperatives work, who helps with the foundation and how we as the Association of Volksbanks have already been involved in renewable energy projects for years. Currently, we have entered into a cooperation with the ÖGV and the company PowerSolution, which is pushing the construction of photovoltaic plants,” says General Director Fleischmann proudly. This can also be read in the new issue of the SME brochure.
Sustainability round with respACT goes into the next round
In addition to implementing its own comprehensive sustainability strategy, the Association of Volksbanks sees it as its duty to provide advice and support to its customers. “In doing so, we want to accompany SMEs and cooperatives in particular on their way to a sustainable future,” says Fleischmann. And so this year, the series of events on the topic of sustainability is also entering the next round in cooperation with the CSR experts from respACT. The event kicked off on June 09, 2022 in the halls of the Austrian Cooperative Association in Vienna. Under the title “Sustainability: opportunities and challenges for SMEs in practice”, numerous customers accepted the invitation of VOLKSBANK WIEN AG and discussed, among other things, how to align companies with sustainable goals. Further events in the provinces are planned for the fall.
The free guidebook “How sustainability works for SMEs and cooperatives: focus on energy transition” is now available for download at
[https://volksbank.at/nachhaltigkeitsbroschuere]
(https://volksbank.at/nachhaltigkeitsbroschuere).
The Association of Volksbanks
The Association of Volksbanks is an Austria-wide banking group comprising the eight regional Volksbanks, Österreichische Ärzte- und Apothekerbank and the SPARDA-BANK brand. The central organization of the association has been VOLKSBANK WIEN AG since July 2015. The Association of Volksbanks has total assets of EUR 32.1 billion and serves over 1 million customers throughout Austria with 3,128 employees (full-time equivalents) in 243 sales outlets (as of December 31, 2021). Further information at [www.volksbank.at] (http://www.volksbank.at/) and [www.volksbank.at/nachhaltigkeit]
(http://www.volksbank.at/nachhaltigkeit). Despite careful research, the information presented here
serves exclusively as non-binding information. Misprints and errors excepted.
VOLKSBANK WIEN AG
Dir. Wolfgang Layr
PR & Communications
Tel.: +43 1/40137 – 3550
eMail: [email protected]
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