In the Netherlands and the United Kingdom – as in other countries – the majority of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are challenged to play a role in the green transition. The sustainability challenges are ambitious and demand a lot from SMEs. Lack of financing is often a reason why SMEs are not optimally able to act sustainably and make maximum contribution to a more sustainable economy.

Increasingly, companies must comply with ESG standards and the expectations of investors, government and other stakeholders are increasing. It is clear that SMEs need to accelerate towards sustainability if they are not to run the risk of falling behind.

SMEs also increasingly have to make non-financial sustainability information transparent. For example, banks that lend them money and companies to whom they supply demand transparency. The transition to a sustainable economy means that collecting and sharing information about sustainability is becoming a common practice for companies of all sizes.

Although the proposal for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Reporting Directive mainly applies to large companies, SMEs will also have to deal with such reporting frameworks. By following these frameworks, SMBs can report information to banks, large enterprises, customers and other stakeholders.

This event, organized by the Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce and Global Compact Network Netherlands, will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, such as SMEs, companies with SMEs in their network, insurance companies and investors. Together they address the question:

• What ESG regulations (including the SDGs) are we facing?
• How will you use the SDGs to tell your company's strategic story?
• How do you define the topics that are specifically relevant to you as a company with regard to the SDGs?
• How do you measure progress on these SDGs? How do you translate ambitions into measurable objectives, which you can report on?
• And how will this be aligned with the upcoming regulations?
• How does this alignment with SDGs help you to become more financially attractive? How does reporting contribute to the financing of your sustainability ambitions?

Programme: 

• 10:00 - 10:05 Welcome and introduction to the event by at Global Compact Network the Netherlands.
• 10:05 - 10:25 Expert Introduction to the topic – focused on reporting – by Evelien Spitteler, Senior Manager - ESG Team at PwC.
• 10: 25 - 11:10 Panel Discussion and Q&A:

• Clifford Chance by Angela McEwan, Partner at Clifford Chance
• EMMA Safety Footwear by Iris van Wanrooij, Program Manager CSR at EMMA Safety Footwear
• NUNNER Logistics by Arthur van Gerven, Board member and CSO of Baerbergh Adventure Capital (parent company of Nunner Logistics)
• InvestNL by Andrea van Dijk, ESG Officer at InvestNL

• 11:10 - 11:25 Q&A
• 11:25 - 11:30 Closing by Anton Valk, Chair at Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce