Generali SME EnterPRIZE, SDA Bocconi research: 51% of Italian SMEs are implementing sustainability plans

Italian SMEs are accelerating their strategic approach to sustainability.

It is one of the key findings of the research carried out by SDA Bocconi School of Management for Generali’s SME EnterPRIZE project, which has reached over 1,200 European small and medium-sized enterprises.

While the sustainable transition is progressing at various rates across Europe, Italy is leading the way thanks to 51 percent of its companies having already implemented a sustainability plan or being soon to introduce one.

Italy shows a significant integration of sustainable principles in business activity, with a global approach that especially concerns sectors such as health and safety, quality, and investment choices.

Furthermore, the need for a sustainable transition is fundamental in the strategic vision of Italian entrepreneurs: corporate social responsibility emerges in fact as decisive for 51 percent of the country's SMEs.

In this ranking relating to progress in sustainability, Italy ranks second after Germany (55%) and precedes Portugal (49%), Austria (44%), Spain (43%), and France (39%), with Hungary attempting to close the gap (38%), followed by the Czech Republic (35%) and Croatia (31%).

SME EnterPRIZE is Generali’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of sustainability among European SMEs.