Community Index Magazine, anuarul bilingv dedicat investițiilor în comunități din România, marchează șase ani de impact și inspirație

Community Index Magazine, anuarul bilingv dedicat investițiilor în comunități din România, marchează șase ani de impact și inspirație

  • Agenția The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services anunță lansarea celei de-a șasea ediții a Community Index Magazine, un anuar de referință în domeniul sustenabilității și al investițiilor în comunități. Publicația este singura revistă bilingvă în format print dedicată sustenabilității din România, incluzând rezultatele ranking-ului Community Index 2024, interviuri exclusive cu lideri internaționali și locali, studii de caz ale unor proiecte de impact și analize asupra tendințelor din domeniul CSR.
  • În premieră, cititorii se pot bucura de interviuri cu“sustainability thought leaders” recunoscuți din Belgia, Noua Zeelandă, SUA, Franța, Elveția, Marea Britanie, Canada și Emiratele Arabe Unite. 
  • Ediția din acest an își propune să inspire și să educe prin povești care conturează un viitor sustenabil. Revista pune în prim-plan bunele practici implementate atât la nivel național, cât și internațional, fiind un ghid valoros pentru profesioniști, companii, ONG-uri și instituții publice care doresc să contribuie activ la dezvoltarea sustenabilă a comunităților.

Community Index Magazine: inspirație și know-how de calitate pentru un mindset sustenabil

Ajuns la cea de-a șasea ediție, anuarul conține rezultatele unei analize a peste 850 de proiecte evaluate, 116 pagini de know-how, 153 de distincții acordate pentru excelență în CSR, 21 de categorii care reflectă prioritățile investițiilor în comunități, 11 studii de caz ale unor campanii cu impact semnificativ, 8 interviuri exclusive cu experți internaționali, 4 interviuri cu lideri locali, articole dedicate tendințelor și strategiilor de sustenabilitate, fiind disponibil în română cât și engleză. Publicația poate fi deosebit de utilă nu doar pentru profesioniștii din domeniu, ci și pentru membrii comunităților, ONG-uri, universități, agenții de PR/comunicare și autorități.

Ediția în format flibook poate fi citită integral aici.

Ce tip de conținut regăsesc cititorii în ediția 2024?

Ediția a șasea aduce interviuri exclusive cu lideri recunoscuți la nivel internațional, care explorează soluții inovatoare pentru un viitor sustenabil. Printre temele centrale discutate se numără heliotropic leadership, mindfulness în neuroștiințe, justiție climatică, conservarea biodiversității, teoria “triple bottom line”, diversitate și incluziune, viitorul educației și impactul AI, drepturile copiilor și cultivarea wellbeing-ului în cadrul companiilor:

  • Lead Interview: John Elkington – The Godfather of Sustainability, Founder & Chief Pollinator, Volans, Author of Green Swans
  • HRH Princess Esmeralda of Belgium – Journalist; Author; Activist; Documentary Filmmaker; Chair of Friendship Belgium; Honorary President, CARE Belgium; WWF Ambassador
  • Steven Laureys – Author of The No-Nonsense Meditation Book; Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience; Director, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège; Research Director, CERVO Brain Research Centre
  • Sagarika Sriram – Founder, Kids4abetterworld; Champion of Children’s Environmental Rights; Climate Pioneer in the BBC100 Women List 2023; UN Advisor, Committee on the Rights of the Child
  • Frances Valintine – Author of Future You; Education Futurist; Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit; Founder & CEO of academyEX (Mind Lab, Tech Futures Lab, Earth Futures Lab & academyEX.com)
  • Kim Cameron – Author of Positively Energizing Leadership; Co-Founder, Center for Positive Organizations, University of Michigan; William Russell Kelley Professor Emeritus, Ross School of Business
  • Andreea D. Vanacker – Author, The Human Growth Code, TED Speaker; Joy and Purpose Expert; Brain Tumor Survivor; Podcast Host, One Million Years of Joy
  • Antoinette Vermilye – Co-Founder, Gallifrey Foundation; SHE Changes Climate

De asemenea, revista include interviuri cu CEOs și lideri din România sau studii de caz ale unor companii și ONG-uri considerate benchmark în sustenabilitate, precum:

  • Marco Hößl, Kaufland România & Republica Moldova
  • Bogdan Ivănel, Code for Romania
  • Corina Dospinoiu-Imre, Auchan Retail România
  • Alina Chifan, EGGER România
  • Alexandru Mureșan, Renergia
  • Povestea A.L.E.G., Asociația pentru Libertate și Egalitate de Gen
  • Oana Filip, Lipici în Comunitate
  • Sabina Mihăilescu, Între Vecini

„Nu este de ajuns să fii bine intenționat, este important ca resursele pe care o companie le are la dispoziție să fie folosite cât mai eficient și să se pună accent pe sustenabilitatea proiectelor.  Este despre a face lucrurile corect. Astfel încât, atunci când se retrage sprijinul companiilor, comunitatea să poată să își continue dezvoltarea și să se auto-susțină. Liderii CSR au puterea de a influența schimbări pozitive în societate și de a crea un viitor sustenabil pentru toate părțile interesate.”, declară Alina Liciu, Managing Partner The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services.

„Studiul Gallup Global Leadership Report 2025 arată că principalul lucru de care oamenii au nevoie de la lideri este speranța, alături de încredere, compasiune și stabilitate. Aceste valori sunt universale, indiferent de țară sau cultură, și cred că ne arată că sustenabilitatea nu este doar un concept, ci o dorință colectivă: de a trăi într-o lume mai blândă. În ultimii șase ani, prin Community Index Magazine, ne-am propus să aducem în prim-plan nu doar povești care inspiră, ci exemple reale de oameni care transformă această inspirație în acțiune. Credem că acum, mai mult ca niciodată, e vital să fim curioși, să privim dincolo de granițele noastre, să înțelegem ce funcționează la nivel global și să adaptăm inteligent aceste idei în comunitățile noastre.” (Ioana Marin, Sustainability Editor & Storytelling Consultant, Founder, Inspirators)

Ce este rankingul Community Index?

Community Index este primul și singurul index al proiectelor corporate de investiții în comunități din România, lansat în 2019. Ranking-ul reprezintă cea mai mare bază de date de CSR din România și un instrument de analiză esențial pentru companii, autorități și comunități atunci când iau decizii de investiție. Indexul este parte a Romania CST Index (în trecut Romania CSR Index), cea mai importantă analiză privind performanța și transparența sustenabilității corporative în România, lansat în 2016. Proiectele incluse în Community Index sunt evaluate conform unor standarde internaționale recunoscute și grupate în 21 de categorii, reflectând domenii esențiale precum educație, sănătate, mediu, orașe sustenabile și incluziune socială.

Principalele trenduri identificate în analiza Community Index 2024

Piața de investiții și donații în comunități depășește 100 de milioane de euro anual în România. Domeniile de interes pentru companii includ:

Educație pentru elevi – 7.3% (în scădere față de 9.4% în 2023)
Sănătate – 7.3% (în creștere față de 6% în 2023)
Mediile defavorizate – 13.5% (în scădere față de 23% în 2023)
Artă & Cultură – 6.5% (în scădere față de 10% în 2023)
Orașe sustenabile – 4% (în creștere față de 1.5% în 2023)
Combaterea schimbărilor climatice – doar 2% dintre proiecte, în scădere față de 4% în 2023

În plus, ediția 2024 introduce noi categorii, precum Educație & Dezvoltare personală și Granturi, reflectând tendințele emergente din CSR.

Unde puteți găsi anuarul Community Index Magazine?

Community Index Magazine este disponibil atât în format print, cât și online.

Versiunea digitală poate fi accesată aici.
Ediția tipărită poate fi găsită la locațiile de distribuție indoor ale SPIN Media (în limita disponibilității) sau comandată de pe site-ul communityindex.ro

Despre The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services

Agenţie de consultanță, înființată în 2013, cu scopul de a sprijini companiile din România privind integrarea sustenabilității corporative în strategia de business, The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services are o abordare axată pe rezultate pe termen lung, utilizarea tehnologiei IT pentru un nivel ridicat de acuratețe a indicatorilor de sustenabilitate și analize/research care să sprijine decidenții din companii în definirea strategiei de sustenabilitate corporativă.

Cel mai important și complex proiect al agenției este Romania CST Index, în trecut denumit Romania CSR Index, ranking lansat în 2016 şi care este singurul din România care evaluează indicatorii de sustenabilitate ai companiilor: informaţii despre managementul sustenabilității, impactul economic, de mediu şi social. Indexul este lansat în fiecare an în cadrul conferinţei Best Practices in Corporate Sustainability. În 2019, agenția a lansat Community Index, cel mai cuprinzător ranking al proiectelor corporate de investiții în comunități și un centralizator al celor mai bune campanii de CSR derulate în fiecare an de companiile din România. Rezultatele ranking-ului, împreună cu studii de caz şi interviuri ale unor experţi naţionali şi internaţionali sunt prezentate în fiecare an în Community Index Magazine, singurul anuar bilingv dedicat investițiilor în comunități derulate de companiile din România.

Launch of the bilingual Sustainability Index Magazine, 2nd edition: ESG profiles and new developments in sustainability

Launch of the bilingual Sustainability Index Magazine, 2nd edition: ESG profiles and new developments in sustainability

The Sustainability Index Magazine, 2nd edition, highlights the top performers in sustainability according to the Romania CST Index, as well as the latest trends and innovations in corporate sustainability from local and international experts.

  • The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services Agency launches the second edition of Sustainability Index Magazine, a premium bilingual publication (Romanian – English) that aims to present the current status of corporate sustainability in Romania.
  • Readers will find in the magazine the results of the only corporate sustainability index in the country, Romania CST Index, as well as interviews with national and international experts, educational articles, and case studies.
  • The publication aims to promote corporate sustainability as a responsible business management practice, as well as to help companies to develop a more effective strategy based on aggregated market information.

Sustainability Index Magazine is following in the footsteps of Community Index Magazine, the bilingual yearbook containing the results of Community Index: a ranking of programs and projects run by Romanian companies to invest in communities, launched in 2019.

The publication can be particularly useful not only for professionals in the field, but also for local and multinational companies, investors, universities, PR agencies and authorities.

The second issue of the magazine has more than 100 pages and the online version is offered free of charge to contribute to the development of the field. The yearbook in digital format as a flipview can be viewed here: https://sustainabilityindex.ro/sustainability-index-magazine-2024-3/

What’s in the Sustainability Index Magazine?

The second edition of the Sustainability Index Magazine brings to the forefront sustainability profiles of companies that have published sustainability reports for their operations in Romania. The profiles are organized along several dimensions in order to have a real and clear picture of companies’ objectives and investments in Romania: audit of sustainability reports, key figures, targets achieved and future goals.

The yearbook also features exclusive interviews with globally and regionally recognized corporate sustainability experts such as:

  • Michel Scholte, Impact Entrepreneur, Speaker & Co-Founder, Impact Institute; Instructor, CSRD Academy
  • Oghosa Erhahon, Independent Consultant, Hydrogen Policy Expert, TEDx Speaker and Co-Author of “Touching Hydrogen Future”
  • Harald Friedl, Circular Economist & LinkedIn Top Voice

The yearbook also features interviews with nationally recognized personalities with extensive experience in sustainability management and strategies, such as:

  • Marco Hößl, CEO Kaufland Romania and Republic of Moldova
  • Fady Chreih, CEO Regina Maria
  • Valentin Truță, General Director Premier Restaurants Romania
  • Gemma Webb, CEO & President RetuRO
  • Raluca Dascălu, Communications Manager JYSK ROMÂNIA
  • Roxana Puia, Marketing Director ENVIRON Association
  • Luiza Dumitru, Communication & Marketing Director OSCAR Downstream
  • Corina Radu, CEO Solutions4Impact Consulting
  • Alina Liciu, Managing Partner The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services

What is Romania CST Index?

Romania CST Index (Corporate Sustainability & Transparency Index), launched in 2016, is the first ranking in our country dedicated to performance and transparency in the field of corporate sustainability/ESG. The index proposes a comprehensive and transparent analysis, aligned with international standards, and is the largest database on sustainability indicators of companies in the country.

To carry out the analysis, the index uses public company data on environmental, social, and governance issues. Indicators assessed cover areas such as climate change, sustainable products, labor practices, community investment, risk management, responsible marketing or supply chain, among others.

What are the main objectives of Romania CST Index?

A sustainability index is important because it is a tool to assess a company’s performance in comparison with other players in the industry and in the country. Romania CST Index aims to contribute to increasing the level of transparency on sustainability indicators and to recognize the companies with the greatest progress in Romania in addressing the principles and requirements of international standards for corporate sustainability management and reporting.

Thus, the Romania CST Index aims to promote corporate sustainability as a responsible business management practice. The index can also help companies to better develop their strategy based on market intelligence.

What are the results of the analysis?

2024 comes with many challenges, but also opportunities for the corporate environment in the EU and implicitly in Romania to integrate sustainability considerations into business decisions. Legislative changes at European bloc level set ambitious new targets for transparency and ESG performance, but also bring more clarity and consistency.

The Romania CST Index 2023 analysis shows a slight increase in the number of companies publishing sustainability reports. We are also seeing progress in setting smart targets on environmental, social and governance factors, and best practices from industry leaders that point to opportunities for improvement across the sector.

However, the number of companies publishing sustainability reports continues to be low, below 10% in 2023 in Romania, out of the more than 750 companies that have this obligation.

ESG is however starting to be integrated in several departments of organizations: finance, procurement, HR or marketing. This change indicates a need to increase the number of trainings on sustainability principles so that all these professionals understand the importance of integrating these principles into their business strategy and practices.

Finally, an important aspect emerging from the analysis is the need for a data collection and monitoring strategy and infrastructure. The sustainability strategy should include a high number of SMART indicators. Targets need to be measurable, clear and aligned to the industry and specificity of the organization. Analysts and investors need this information in order to compare different organizations in the same industry and assess who is performing best.

***

About the Editor

The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services is a sustainability consultancy established in 2013 with the aim of supporting companies in Romania on integrating corporate sustainability into their business strategy. The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services has an approach focused on long-term results, the use of IT technology for a high level of accuracy of sustainability indicators and analysis/research to support company decision makers in defining corporate sustainability strategy.

The agency’s most important and complex project is the Romania CST Index, formerly called Romania CSR Index, ranking launched in 2016 and which is the only one in Romania that assesses companies’ sustainability indicators: information on sustainability management, economic, environmental and social impact. The Index is launched every year at the Best Practices in Corporate Sustainability conference.

In 2019, the agency launched the Community Index, the most comprehensive ranking of corporate community investment projects and a centralizer of the best CSR campaigns run each year by Romanian companies. The ranking results, together with case studies and interviews with national and international experts, are presented every year in Community Index Magazine, the only bilingual yearbook dedicated to community investment by Romanian companies.

Envisioning a hydrogen-powered future

Interview with OGHOSA ERHAHON, Independent Consultant, Hydrogen Policy Expert, TEDx Speaker and Co-Author of “Touching Hydrogen Future”

Envisioning a hydrogen-powered future

Hydrogen, often perceived as a buzzword in the energy discourse, holds great significance as a crucial element for achieving global net-zero objectives. Not only it signifies a technological shift but it also embodies a responsibility in our collective journey towards decarbonization. Regardless of the uncertainties surrounding the energy transition, one thing is crystal clear: the vital role of human capital.

In this exclusive interview, Oghosa Erhanon shares valuable insights from her co-authored book, “Touching Hydrogen Future,” and her TEDx speech, “Carbon Neutrality.”

Oghosa is a seasoned legal expert with a rich background in crafting policies and strategies across energy and sustainability sectors. Her multifaceted experience includes roles in government-led missions, donor-funded programs, and consultancy management spanning continents from Africa to Europe. From advising on the GIZ-Global Hydrogen Diplomacy Programme to serving as a Hydrogen Policy Expert for the Research Institute for Sustainability, her expertise has shaped global conversations on energy transformation.

Discover the complexity of opportunities and challenges brought by the hydrogen transition, guided by Oghosa’s wealth of knowledge and expertise.

  1. Hydrogen is an element of hope for both our economy and our future regarding climate change. What are, in your opinion, the most valuable applications for hydrogen in achieving net-zero goals?

Hydrogen, possibly a buzzword but a critical energy vector, comes with its responsibility towards reaching global net-zero goals. Hydrogen development brings versatile applications for pathways towards decarbonization. Let’s take the hard-to-abate industries: the ones which would be harder to simply electrify. Hard-to-abate industries include steel production, cement production and ammonia synthesis etc. which are necessary industries for industrialization. So, as our global population increases the world needs roads, housing, and general infrastructure. Low-carbon hydrogen facilitates the decarbonization of these hard-to-abate industries, ultimately reducing emissions that would otherwise have been emitted.


Further, hydrogen as an appreciated application is valuable in energy storage. As a last frontier on the decarbonization journey, long-duration energy storage – like hydrogen – offers a solution to excess energy generation, especially from renewable energy sources. An example is enabling the integration of renewable energy into the grid and advancing the decarbonization journey.

2. You are one of the co-authors of “Touching Hydrogen Future: Tour around the Globe”. Almost 150 years after Jules Verne first envisioned a world powered by hydrogen, the book paints a picture of a transformed world powered by hydrogen and other energy transition vectors. What is your input in educating and inspiring the next generation to embrace and actively contribute to the development of hydrogen technology?

The “Touching Hydrogen Future” book changed our lives! My co-editors, Erik Rakhou and Rosa Puentes, and our over 27 co-authors have been some of the most inspirational people I have created with. We started this conversation in 2021, raising an idea of what the world could be with focus and determination towards achieving our decarbonization goals across industries and communities.

The book covers so many interesting topics for the next generation to embrace and actively contribute to the development of hydrogen technology. It’s worth mentioning that what I appreciate about the chapters covering Namibia, China or Kazakhstan is that they offer space for the younger generation to imagine what is possible. Navigating careers and emerging technologies ahead of net-zero future can easily be overwhelming – I find it easier to start from what an ideal world looks like and then work backwards. For example, let’s say you are a civil engineer: What would the future need from you? Start there!

3. In your TEDx Talk, “Carbon Neutrality: Small Changes, Big Impact”, you discuss the urgent need for carbon neutrality and the role individuals and nations can play in reducing carbon emissions. What are the key takeaway ideas from your speech you want to share with our readers?

Oh, what a time that was! Reaching Carbon Neutrality is to be a continuous effort without any hard stop. What we see with targets and deadlines is that they act as guidelines towards ensuring strategies and metrics are adequately in place to enable sustainability. So, when people say “reaching net-zero emissions or carbon neutrality”, we expect, by 2040, for example, a country positioned to decarbonize industry or meet neutrality to have frameworks, projects, strategy, projects completed, educational facilities, and continuous development working to provide low carbon systems.

My initial story towards carbon neutrality is the concept of carbon sink: finding ways to sequester carbon. It is vital to consider tree planting, biodiversity, protecting ocean reefs and so on, but my key takeaway is empowering everyone to know that decisions – big or small – have an impact. However, the main impact will have to come from the biggest emitters – and that’s where the majority of the emission trading schemes, cross-border carbon adjustment methodologies etc. are cracking down on.

I also believe that reaching carbon neutrality is a privileged experience. The reason being that so many countries, for example, barely reached their optimized energy consumption levels. Now they have an opportunity to develop systems that have sustainability and low carbon possibilities from the onset.

4. You believe green hydrogen requires a massive scale-up of renewable energy capacity, and this process could boost employment opportunities and the creation of new jobs. Could you offer some examples of such professions?

This is an increasingly popular question. I appreciate communities like Green Careers Hub and their work in elevating these possibilities especially when it comes to discussing employment and sustainable jobs for the future. The energy transition is posed with so many uncertainties but one thing we know for sure (beyond artificial intelligence) is that we will need people for this transition.

People who are savvy in design, who know how to handle technology, work on community sensitization, and who understand legal frameworks, financial structures, intellectual property and even knowledge management. So many exciting positions! I also understand where the fear comes from especially with school leavers or professionals in traditional energy spaces navigating the transition. Sustainable jobs are the future: the fundamental skills we learn now are adaptable for the next five, ten and even thirty years!

CSRD: Popular myths, common mistakes and key opportunities

Exclusive interview with Michel Scholte

Impact Entrepreneur, Speaker & Co-Founder, Impact Institute; Instructor, CSRD Academy

CSRD: Popular myths, common mistakes and key opportunities

CSRD mandates comprehensive and consistent reporting on sustainability metrics, driving companies to disclose their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance more transparently. It is also seen by many as overwhelming, burdensome or costly. There are still many questions left unanswered.

In an exclusive interview for Sustainability Index Magazine, Michel Scholte helped us identify the most popular myths, common mistakes and key opportunities around the intriguing CSRD.

Michel is an impact entrepreneur, keynote speaker, sustainability writer, director and co-founder of Impact Institute and True Price. In this role, he focuses on calculating and improving the true price of products, including social and environmental costs. Impact Institute provides data, software, (digital) education and advice on impact measurement and management. Michel is also a founding board member of Impact Economy Foundation, where he develops an open-source impact accounting method together with Harvard Business School’s Impact Weighted Accounts Initiative.

  1. Impact Institute is a social enterprise on a mission to empower organizations and individuals to realize the impact economy through open-source standards for impact measurement and valuation. How would you define “impact”? What is your piece of advice for a company that aims to identify and improve impact, but is not sure where and how to start the journey?

At Impact Institute, we define “impact” as the tangible and intangible consequences of an organization’s actions on the environment, society, and economy. It encompasses both positive and negative effects, measured not only in financial terms but also in social and environmental dimensions. Essentially, impact represents the real-world footprint of an organization’s activities.

For companies aiming to identify and improve their impact, my advice is to start with a comprehensive impact assessment. Begin by mapping out your value chain and identifying key areas where your operations intersect with environmental and social factors.

Engage with stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, and communities to gather diverse perspectives on your impact. Use robust measurement tools and frameworks, such as the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative, to quantify and analyze these impacts.

Once you have a clear picture, prioritize areas for improvement based on their significance and feasibility. Set measurable goals, integrate them into your core business strategy, and continuously monitor progress. Transparency and accountability are crucial. Communicate your impact goals and achievements openly to build trust and drive collective action.

Remember, the journey towards positive impact is ongoing and requires collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to sustainability at all levels of the organization.

2. CSRD ACADEMY was started by Impact Institute to empower businesses and professionals to help them comply with the CSRD and address the current sustainability challenges through the guidance of leading experts in sustainable development, finance, education and compliance. Which are, in your view, the top three consequences of CSRD for the transformation of the role of businesses? What about the key opportunities you envision for companies?

Through CSRD ACADEMY we educated more than 500 professionals and 100 companies across Europe and beyond. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will significantly transform the role of businesses in three major ways:

  1. CSRD mandates comprehensive and consistent reporting on sustainability metrics, driving companies to disclose their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in a more transparent manner. This heightened transparency will foster greater accountability and trust among stakeholders, including investors, customers, and regulators.
  2. Businesses will need to integrate sustainability into their core strategies, decision-making processes, and operations. This shift from peripheral CSR activities to central strategic imperatives will encourage companies to innovate and adopt more sustainable practices, leading to long-term resilience and competitiveness.
  3. CSRD emphasizes stakeholder engagement and requires companies to consider the interests and impacts on various stakeholders. This will drive businesses to engage more deeply with their stakeholders, fostering collaboration, and addressing material issues that are critical to their long-term success.

There are multiple key opportunities for companies under CSRD, but I will focus on the top three. First of all, early adopters of comprehensive sustainability reporting can differentiate themselves, attract sustainability-conscious investors and customers, and gain a competitive edge. Secondly, identifying and managing ESG risks proactively, companies can mitigate potential financial and reputational risks. Last but not least, the push for sustainability can spur innovation, leading to more efficient processes, cost savings, and new business models that align with a low-carbon and circular economy.

3. What are the most popular myths around CSRD and the most common mistakes made by companies in reporting?

Many believe CSRD will be overwhelmingly burdensome and costly. While compliance does require effort and investment, the benefits of improved risk management, enhanced reputation, and long-term sustainability far outweigh the initial costs.

There is also a misconception that CSRD imposes a one-size-fits-all approach. In reality, CSRD allows for sector-specific adaptations, recognizing that material impacts and reporting needs vary across industries.

One of the most common mistakes in reporting includes poor data quality and the lack of reliable data sources that can undermine the credibility of sustainability reports. Companies often fail to invest in robust data collection and management systems.

Another mistake we identified is that, when reporting, some companies focus on superficial disclosures rather than addressing material impacts. It’s crucial to provide meaningful and substantive information that reflects genuine sustainability efforts.

It is also important to mention that failing to engage with stakeholders can result in overlooking critical issues and missing valuable insights. Effective reporting should be inclusive and responsive to stakeholder concerns.

4. You are a frequent Speaker on topics that include sustainability reporting frameworks, stakeholder engagement, and ESG metrics. In what ways do you believe CSRD will impact relationships in the business environment?

CSRD will profoundly impact company and stakeholder relationships in various ways.

By mandating detailed and reliable sustainability disclosures, CSRD will enhance trust between companies and their stakeholders. Transparent reporting allows stakeholders to make informed decisions and hold companies accountable for their ESG performance.

CSRD encourages ongoing dialogue with stakeholders, fostering a more collaborative and inclusive approach to sustainability.

Companies will need to actively engage with stakeholders to understand their concerns, expectations, and priorities, leading to more responsive and impactful sustainability strategies.

As companies align their operations with sustainability goals, the interests of various stakeholders – such as investors seeking long-term returns, customers demanding sustainable products, and communities concerned about environmental and social impacts – will increasingly converge. This alignment can lead to stronger, more resilient relationships and shared value creation.

Lansare anuar bilingv Sustainability Index Magazine, ediția a 2-a: Profiluri ESG și noile evoluții din sustenabilitate

Anuarul Sustainability Index Magazine, ediția a 2-a, aduce în prim plan top performeri în sustenabilitate conform rankingului Romania CST Index, precum și cele mai recente tendințe și inovații în sustenabilitate corporativă de la experți locali și internaționali

București, 28 iunie 2024

  • Agenția The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services lansează a doua ediție a anuarului Sustainability Index Magazine, o publicație bilingvă premium (română – engleză) care își propune să prezinte statusul actual al sustenabilității corporative din România.
  • Cititorii vor regăsi în revistă rezultatele singurului index de sustenabilitate corporativă din țară, Romania CST Index, precum și interviuri cu experți naționali și internaționali, articole educative, și studii de caz.
  • Publicația urmărește să promoveze sustenabilitatea corporativă ca o practică responsabilă de management al afacerilor, precum și să ajute companiile să-și dezvolte o strategie mai performantă pe baza informațiilor agregate din piață.

Sustainability Index Magazine calcă astfel pe urmele Community Index Magazine, anuarul bilingv care conține rezultatele indexului programelor și proiectelor derulate de companiile din România pentru a investi în comunități, lansat în 2019.

Publicația poate fi deosebit de utilă nu doar pentru profesioniștii din domeniu, ci și pentru companiile locale și multinaționale, investitori, universități, agenții de PR și autorități.

Al doilea număr al revistei are peste 100 de pagini și varianta online este oferită cu titlu gratuit pentru a contribui la dezvoltarea domeniului. Anuarul în format digital, ca flipview, poate fi vizualizat aici: https://sustainabilityindex.ro/sustainability-index-magazine-2024-3/

Ce conține Sustainability Index Magazine?

A doua ediție a Sustainability Index Magazine aduce în prim plan profiluri de sustenabilitate ale companiilor care au publicat rapoarte de sustenabilitate pentru activitatea din România. Profilurile sunt constituite pe mai multe coordonate pentru a avea o imagine reală și clară asupra obiectivelor și investițiilor companiilor în România: auditul rapoartelor de sustenabilitate, cifre cheie, ținte atinse și obiective viitoare.

Anuarul oferă în exclusivitate și interviuri cu experți din domeniul sustenabilității corporative, recunoscuți la nivel global și regional, precum:

  • Michel Scholte, Impact Entrepreneur, Speaker & Co-Founder, Impact Institute; Instructor, CSRD Academy
  • Oghosa Erhahon, Independent Consultant, Hydrogen Policy Expert, TEDx Speaker and Co-Author of “Touching Hydrogen Future”
  • Harald Friedl, Circular Economist & LinkedIn Top Voice

Anuarul conține, de asemenea, interviuri cu personalități recunoscute la nivel național, cu experiență vastă în management și strategii de sustenabilitate, precum:

  • Marco Hößl, CEO Kaufland România și Republica Moldova
  • Fady Chreih, CEO Regina Maria
  • Valentin Truță, General Director Premier Restaurants România
  • Gemma Webb, CEO & President RetuRO
  • Raluca Dascălu, Communications Manager JYSK ROMÂNIA
  • Roxana Puia, Marketing Director ENVIRON Association
  • Luiza Dumitru, Communication & Marketing Director OSCAR Downstream
  • Corina Radu, CEO Solutions4Impact Consulting
  • Alina Liciu, Managing Partner The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services

Ce este Romania CST Index?

Romania CST Index (Corporate Sustainability & Transparency Index), lansat în 2016, este primul ranking din țara noastră dedicat performanței și transparenței în domeniul sustenabilitate corporativă. Indexul propune o analiză complexă şi transparentă, aliniată la standardele internaţionale, și constituie cea mai mare bază de date privind indicatorii de sustenabilitate ai companiilor din țară.

Pentru realizarea analizei, indexul folosește date publice ale companiilor în ceea ce privește aspectele de mediu, sociale, și de guvernanță. Indicatorii evaluați acoperă domenii precum schimbări climatice, produse sustenabile, practici de muncă, investiții în comunități, gestionarea riscurilor, marketing responsabil sau lanțul de aprovizionare, printre altele.

Care sunt obiectivele principale ale Romania CST Index?

Un index al sustenabilităţii este important deoarece este un instrument de evaluare a performanței unei companii în comparație cu ceilalți jucători din industrie și din țară. Romania CST Index își propune să contribuie la creşterea nivelului de transparenţă privind indicatorii de sustenabilitate și să recunoască companiile cu cel mai mare progres din România în abordarea principiilor şi cerinţelor standardelor internaţionale pentru managementul şi raportarea sustenabilităţii corporative.

Astfel, Romania CST Index urmărește să promoveze sustenabilitatea corporativă ca o practică responsabilă de management al afacerilor. Totodată, indexul poate ajuta companiile să-și dezvolte mai bine strategia pe baza informațiilor din piață.

Care sunt rezultatele analizei?

2024 vine cu multe provocări, dar și oportunități pentru mediul corporate din UE și implicit din România de a integra considerații de sustenabilitate în deciziile de business. Modificările legislative la nivel de bloc european setează noi obiective ambițioase pentru transparență și performanță ESG, dar aduce totodată și mai multă claritate și coerență.

Analiza Romania CST Index 2023 indică o creștere ușoară a numărului de companii care publică rapoarte de sustenabilitate. Observăm, de asemenea, progrese în ceea ce privește setarea de obiective smart privind factorii de mediu, sociali și de guvernare, și bune practici din partea liderilor din industrie care indică oportunități de îmbunătățire pentru întregul sector.

Totuși, numărul companiilor care publică rapoarte de sustenabilitate continuă să fie redus, sub 10% în 2023 în România, din totalul celor peste 750 de companii care au această obligație.

ESG începe totuși să fie integrat în mai multe departmente ale organizațiilor: financiar, achizitii, HR, sau marketing. Această schimbare indică o nevoie de creștere a numărului de training-uri privind principiile sustenabilității pentru ca toți acești profesiniști să înțeleagă importanța integrării acestor principii în strategia și practicile lor de business.

În final, un aspect important care reiese din analiză este necesitatea unei strategii și infrastructuri de colectare și monitorizare a datelor. Strategia de sustenabilitate trebuie să includă un număr ridicat de indicatori SMART. Obiectivele trebuie să fie măsurabile, clare și aliniate la industria și specificul organizației. Analiștii și investitorii au nevoie de aceste informații pentru a compara diverse organizații din aceeași industrie și pentru a evalua cine are cele mai bune rezultate.

***

Despre Editor

The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services este o agenţie de consultanță in sustenabilitate, înființată în 2013, cu scopul de a sprijini companiile din România privind integrarea sustenabilității corporative în strategia de business. The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services are o abordare axată pe rezultate pe termen lung, utilizarea tehnologiei IT pentru un nivel ridicat de acuratețe a indicatorilor de sustenabilitate și analize/research care să sprijine decidenții din companii în definirea strategiei de sustenabilitate corporativă.

Cel mai important și complex proiect al agenției este Romania CST Index, în trecut denumit Romania CSR Index, ranking lansat în 2016 şi care este singurul din România care evaluează indicatorii de sustenabilitate ai companiilor: informaţii despre managementul sustenabilității, impactul economic, de mediu şi social. Indexul este lansat în fiecare an în cadrul conferinţei Best Practices in Corporate Sustainability.

În 2019, agenția a lansat Community Index, cel mai cuprinzător ranking al proiectelor corporate de investiții în comunități și un centralizator al celor mai bune campanii de CSR derulate în fiecare an de companiile din România. Rezultatele ranking-ului, împreună cu studii de caz şi interviuri ale unor experţi naţionali şi internaţionali sunt prezentate în fiecare an în Community Index Magazine, singurul anuar bilingv dedicat investițiilor în comunități derulate de companiile din România.

The Azores has launched Community Index Magazine 2023, a yearbook now in its fifth edition, the most important bilingual publication dedicated to the field of CSR in Romania

>>> Community Index Magazine is the only Romanian-English bilingual publication in Romania dedicated to the field of CSR, available in both flip view and print formats. The yearbook includes the results of the Community Index 2023 ranking, exclusive national and international interviews, case studies and sustainability articles.

>>> Readers can enjoy exclusive articles and interviews that highlight the perspectives of recognized leaders from BCR, University of Wisconsin, Kaufland Romania, The Slow Movement or Seeds of Wisdom.

>>> The publication promotes and encourages the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals to support Romania in its efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda.

Community Index Magazine: a source of quality know-how for any professional with a sustainable mindset

The bilingual Community Index Magazine yearbook, now in its fifth edition, contains the results of the Community Index 2023 ranking, exclusive interviews with renowned international professionals, articles and interviews with local professionals in the fields of sustainability and CSR, and numerous case studies of some companies that are considered benchmarks for their community projects.

The publication is particularly useful not only for professionals in the field but also for companies, CEOs, Marketing professionals, community members, NGOs, universities, PR agencies and authorities.

The publication in flip view format is available for free at the following link: https://communityindex.ro/community-index-magazine-2023/

What type of content do readers find in Community Index Magazine?

1. Exclusive interviews with globally recognized sustainability experts:

  • Riane Eisler, The Real Wealth of Nations
  • Wakanyi Hoffman, Seeds of Wisdom
  • Jessica Leclair, University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing
  • Carl Honoré, The Slow Movement

2. Articles and interviews with nationally recognized professionals:

  • Ilinka Kajgana, BCR
  • Katharina Scheidereiter, Kaufland Romania
  • Gabriel Ivan, CHEP
  • Adina Teleucă, TOBORO

3. National and international case studies:

  • “Good Day – Little Volunteer Day on Via Transilvanica!”, Coca-Cola HBC Romania & Tășuleasa Social Association
  • The Giant T-shirt, Kaufland Romania & 11even Association
  • Phasing out plastic, Apple
  • The Money School, BCR, FabLab & Edupedu Association
  • Personal Sustainability Program (PSP), Auchan Romania
  • Our Garden, Carrefour Romania
  • Life Savers Program, Groupama Romania & The Foundation for SMURD
  • Kokoro Sports Project
  • Jobs for veterans, Starbucks
  • Microsoft’s New BING

What is Community Index?

Community Index is the first and only ranking of programs and projects carried out by companies in Romania to invest in communities, launched in 2019. The ranking is the largest database of CSR projects in Romania and represents a useful analysis tool for companies, authorities and communities when making investment decisions.

It is a component of the ranking Romania CST Index (previously Romania CSR Index), the most important analysis of the level of performance and transparency from the perspective of corporate sustainability, in our country, launched in 2016.

There is a wide variety of initiatives and projects on the market, and a well-structured overview provides relevant information to help decision-makers create a strategy well adapted to the local and national context.

In order to establish the projects that were included in the Community Index 2023, more than 800 initiatives, projects or programs that took place in Romania between January 2022 and December 2023 were analyzed. The scorecard on the basis of which the evaluation was made had, in total, 6 categories and 46 indicators aligned with the most important international standards or references in the field of investments in communities.

What new findings did the 2023 analysis reveal?

The investment and donation market in support of communities has grown in recent years and amounts to over 80 million euros annually, mainly for Education projects for students (9.4%, a slight increase of 1% compared to 2022), Health (6%, down from last year) or Disadvantaged environments (23%, up 5% from 2022). Another area of interest for companies is Art/Culture, 10% of projects being developed in this direction, increasing compared to 9.2% in 2022. However, 4% of the projects carried out by companies in Romania are intended to combat Climate change, decreasing by 1% versus 2022, and 1.5% of the projects are in the direction of Sustainable cities, down from 4.4% in 2022.

Among the main trends highlighted following the analysis, we mention an increase in the level of transparency regarding the results and impact of CSR projects or programs. Also, companies are beginning to better align the Sustainability / CSR strategy with the specifics of the industry and the business strategy. As for the employees, they are more eager to help communities and appreciate companies that offer them the opportunity to volunteer for projects. Another observed trend is the fact that there is an increased interest in long-term goals: companies put more emphasis on generating impact over several years and avoid creating a dependency of the community – they focus on developing skills or an infrastructure that will remain in the community even after a company redirects its investment to other projects.

Among the projects that obtained Gold Recognition, we mention the Lifelab Educational Project developed by BCR, FabLab & Edupedu Association, in the Financial Education category – by participating in this program, students learn financial education concepts and practice planning and teamwork. In the Employee Involvement category, Auchan’s Personal Sustainability Program (PSP) was built as an effort to mobilize employees to get actively involved in projects supporting local communities. In the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle category – Banca Transilvania and Ateliere Fără Frontiere developed the Remesh project and fight for the social and professional insertion of vulnerable and marginalized people. Together in the Service of Good, a project developed by Secom Healthcare Group through which several initiatives in the field of health were supported, also received Gold Recognition in the Health category.

The year 2023 comes with a new Community Index distinction: for each individual category, we propose The One to Watch distinction – a special recognition to highlight the originality and innovation of projects that set an important trend for the coming years, in their field. Among the projects mentioned in this category were YOXO Forest – The first digital forest that became a reality, 100 business ideas for Romania – PENNY Romania or Self-confidence is learned in school – Oxygen.

Where are the ranking results published?

The 2023 results can be found both in the flip view and print Community Index Magazine yearbook, as well as online: https://communityindex.ro/rezultate-community-index-2023/

What are the objectives of the Community Index ranking?

The mission of the Community Index is to highlight CSR projects with high performance that place more emphasis on aspects such as dialogue with stakeholders, project sustainability and measurement of medium and long-term impact. In addition, the index aims to highlight those projects that can be considered Best Practices in their category and that can be used as an example in establishing the strategy of a new project.

The Community Index Magazine yearbook is the contribution of The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services agency to the development of the field of Community investments in Romania.

In addition to know-how and authentic content, this publication concretely contributes to the popularization of the concept of sustainability in the business environment: a part of the printed yearbooks will be offered, free of charge, to companies with over 500 employees (>750 companies). In addition, the flip view version will be available for free, to popularize the domain and contribute to its development.

FSC® certified paper from sustainable sources was used for printing the publication. The yearbook provides both valuable information and an authentic visual experience in itself. The cover of the publication is created by Ovidiu Solcan (collage artist), being a sustainable collage from recycled magazines, representing the Masterpiece “The Kiss”, made by the sculptor Constantin Brâncuși in 1907.

*****

About The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services

Consulting agency, established in 2013, with the aim of supporting Romanian companies regarding the integration of corporate sustainability in the business strategy, The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services has an approach focused on long-term results, the use of IT technology for a high level of accuracy of sustainability indicators and analysis/research to support decision-makers in companies in defining the corporate sustainability strategy.

The most important and complex project of the agency is Romania CST Index, previously called Romania CSR Index, a ranking launched in 2016 and which is the only one in Romania that evaluates the sustainability indicators of companies: information on sustainability management, economic, environmental and social impact. The index is launched every year during the Best Practices in Corporate Sustainability conference. The results together with Sustainability Profiles of Romanian companies are presented every year in Sustainability Index Magazine, a bilingual yearbook dedicated to sustainability & ESG in Romania.

In 2019, the agency launched Community Index, the most comprehensive ranking of corporate investment projects in communities and a centralizer of the best CSR campaigns carried out every year by Romanian companies.  The results of the ranking, together with case studies and interviews of national and international experts, are presented every year in Community Index Magazine, the only bilingual yearbook dedicated to investments in communities carried out by Romanian companies.