Author: Mustafa Ozer
As an international initiative Green at Heart puts sustainability at the core of startups and SMEs in the social and proximity economy by offering ESG and circular economy diagnostics and associated guidance. Funded by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency the project is implemented in Spain, Austria, and the Netherlands and reaches small and medium enterprises across Europe via the Impact Hub Network, represented in 48 European locations, and the Cities of Amsterdam and Vienna, and runs from October 2023 until October 2025. 

By design, Green at Heart aims to empower social startups and SMEs with insights into their current sustainability status and opportunities with our diagnostic tools; coaches them to select and implement green solutions; inspires them via interaction with international peers and solution providers; and offers a structured process for a grant application to achieve their sustainability objectives. In our previous blog post we have mentioned what are the reasons SMEs need to and should embrace ESG. Aligned with these reasons, with the structured support that Green at Heart provides, SMEs will benefit from green and social solutions to strengthen their business model and positioning in the marketplace. In an economy that increasingly values sustainability, Green at Heart helps ventures leverage green solutions to thrive.

 

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Since the launch of Green at Heart, the project has made substantial progress, and in this blog post, we’re excited to share the progress we’ve achieved and share what’s coming next.

Green at Heart in Numbers

The project has attracted a strong response from across Europe, with 311 enterprises applying to join. Of these, 183 applications were eligible to be part of the next stages based on the call criteria. At the end of the call, the Netherlands had 99 applications, followed by Spain with 44, and Austria with 40.

Following the end of the application process the participants have moved to phase 2 of Green at Heart where teams have joined webinars to understand not only how to use the tools but also what are the next steps including getting recommendations for their action and apply for a grant to not only improve their ESG performance but also have a chance to join a learning opportunity that is scheduled in March 2025. 

In this pipeline of offerings, 50 ventures have completed the self-diagnosis phase as of end of August 2024, gaining a clear understanding of their sustainability standing using GoSustainable tool with a complimentary access. This initial step is crucial, as it provides businesses with a detailed overview of their ESG strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to identify areas for improvement and prioritize actions, curated by the tool at the end of their self-diagnostics. In addition to self-rating; each user gets a double materiality analysis and perception analysis based on the inputs from their stakeholders.

88 ventures attended info sessions, where they were introduced to our tools and learned how to advance their ESG stance. In addition, 77 ventures have accessed the project learning platform that offers step-by-step guidance on navigating the next phases of Green at Heart project. The platform is designed to be user-friendly and serves as a roadmap for businesses to follow as they work toward integrating greener practices. Furthermore, 23 ventures have received access to the Circular Transition Indicators Tool, a evaluate toolkit that allows them to have a comprehensive view of their circularity performance. 

 

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Dissemination and Webinars

As we have previously mentioned above, webinars and direct outreach were key aspects of Green at Heart’s approach on putting sustainability to the heart of businesses. In order to make the process of seeing the call to graduating from the project; the project team tried to ensure that participants have all the support they need. That is why the project team has hosted 70+ info sessions, each designed to address specific needs and provide targeted guidance. As the project has launched an Open Call for Grants, 3 webinars on how to apply for the grant has been delivered.

In addition to our direct engagement with program participants via various calls, the project team wanted to engage with a wider community to advocate the importance of sustainability for social businesses. Through our content marketing efforts, we’ve published three blog posts, shared 19 social media posts, and featured Green at Heart in four newsletters. By sharing insights and success stories, we aim to demonstrate the tangible benefits of integrating sustainability into business models and motivate others to take action.

Looking Ahead: The Future with Green at Heart

As we are about to move to colder winter months in the Northern Hemisphere, Green at Heart team prepares for what is coming: Our mandate is to make sure that at least 120 SMEs are empowered to understand the areas of improvement in their operation for a just, circular and fair economic transition. In the coming months, participants will not only complete the self-diagnostics tool but also will get recommendations to work on an action plan. Teams with the action plan will have a chance to apply for a grant to act on these key initiatives. To support them financially, we are currently running an open call till the end of October to select 60 grantees who will receive up to 8.000€ to work on the areas that the tools of Green at Heart have recommended. Following the grant disbursement, the project team is also organizing an International Bootcamp to host 15-18 ventures to be further supported by the various content and case studies that show how some businesses are putting green to the heart of their operation. The lessons learned from project and operation, with the inputs from participants and other stakeholders will further develop into roundtable discussions, where at the end of the project term will be published as a policy document.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this journey toward a greener, fairer and more sustainable future for startups and SMEs.

Green at Heart is cofunded by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). The money is coming from the COSME fund earmarked for greening social economy SMEs and entrepreneurs in the proximity and social economy ecosystem through transnational cooperation. The programme was designed by Impact Hub Amsterdam, Impact Hub Madrid, Impact Hub Vienna, the Impact Hub Network, Amsterdam Impact, and Vienna Ökobusiness.