At the Green Breakfast of the CER Partnership for Sustainable Economy in the Crystal Palace, leading representatives of the economy participated; vice president of the management board and member of the OTP bank management board Anita Stojčevska, member of the CER Institute Council Mitja Feri, member of the management board of Generali Insurance, Luka Podlogar, CEO of NLB Funds, and Arjan de Draaijer from Deloitte.
Strategic, geopolitical, demographic, climate, cyber, regulatory, and technological risks are becoming increasingly unpredictable, complex, and interconnected. In such a growing complexity and uncertainty, companies must transition from a reactive to a proactive mode of operation. Companies that want to maintain long-term success must not only observe these changes but systematically integrate them into the core of their strategic decision-making.
All interlocutors agreed that sustainability is becoming an inseparable part of the operations of financial institutions and a key factor in development. Long-term challenges, such as demographic changes, the climate crisis, and an inefficient pension system, will not disappear on their own.
The initial regulations that encouraged companies to assess environmental, social, and governance risks were often overly complex and extensive, leading to understandable resistance. However, companies that have prepared sustainability reports in recent years now report that they increasingly perceive sustainability as an integral part of their strategy, and the data is better structured, enabling improved modeling, decision-making, and the development of business directions.
Large companies are in a phase of mature sustainability reporting, medium-sized enterprises are establishing appropriate systems, while micro-enterprises are still at the beginning of this process.
Banks also play an important role in the development of the entire ecosystem, confirming progress in understanding ESG requirements and quality of the available data.
The final discussion of the participants of the Green Breakfast focused on the obstacles and opportunities in implementing sustainable practices. Among the most frequently mentioned challenges were a lack of knowledge, difficulty in measuring impacts, high initial costs, and insufficient stakeholder engagement. Surprisingly, legislation was not among the main obstacles. On the contrary, many increasingly understand it as an important framework that provides companies with direction and structure for carrying out sustainability efforts.
The Green Breakfast, organized by CER confirmed that sustainability today is measured in terms of companies’ resilience, stakeholder trust, and long-term financial performance. Companies that can integrate sustainability into the core of their business will not only survive but will also thrive and adapt to the future. Risks will always exist, but the key is the ability to respond quickly, collaboration between the private and public sectors, and creating an environment where risks are systematically recognized and managed.
Source: Ana Struna Bregar CEO of CER
