ESG Acceleration for Change: Over 350 Participants Enhance Knowledge of Voluntary Sustainability Reporting.

As part of the “ESG Acceleration” project, free specialized training courses are being held throughout Slovenia for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want to understand the importance of voluntary sustainability reporting, learn about current legislative requirements, establish systems for collecting the necessary data, and gain the knowledge and support to prepare a voluntary sustainability report in accordance with ESG principles (environment, society, governance). To date, over 350 participants from SMEs have attended the training courses.

In most cases, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are not directly obligated to produce sustainability reports, but they are increasingly encountering these requirements indirectly – through supply chains, partners, banks, and investors.

Voluntary sustainability reporting offers numerous benefits to companies:

• easier access to financial resources, as banks and investors are increasingly considering the sustainability aspects of business operations,
• a competitive advantage with larger customers/suppliers who operate in accordance with ESG standards,
• savings through the introduction of ESG practices, such as energy efficiency,
• strengthening the company’s reputation and trust among employees, customers, and the wider community.

The project is being implemented within the framework of the “Sustainable Reporting for SMEs” measure of the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy (MOPE) and the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport (MGTŠ), which is being implemented by the Slovenian Entrepreneurship Fund (SPS) through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS) with partners from the Climate Fund.

The project is being implemented in terms of content and organization by a consortium of GZS with partners; the members of the consortium are the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS), the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia (OZS), Infinite Pure Solutions d. o. o. (IPS), the Institute for the Development of Social Responsibility (IRDO), and ARCTUR d. o. o.

Great response from micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises

From September 30 to December 4, more than 350 SMEs participated in four online repetitions of Module 1 and sixteen repetitions of Module 2, in all statistical regions of Slovenia. Module 1: “Fundamentals and Benefits of Sustainability Reporting” and Module 2: “Preparing for Sustainability Reporting – From Data to Implementation” have been fully implemented. Module 3: “Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan” is in progress and is being implemented live in all Slovenian regions.

The first implementation of online Module 4: “Managing ESG Factors for Long-Term Success” took place on December 12. We expect to complete the training by February 2026.

The growing interest clearly shows that awareness of the importance of sustainable business and voluntary sustainability reporting is growing among Slovenian companies.

The interim results of the project and the high level of participant satisfaction confirm the success of the activities carried out. Participants highlight the quality of the implementation and the usefulness of the knowledge gained. The comprehensive, clear, and professionally in-depth content of the training courses gives them greater confidence and reinforces the belief that sustainability can be an important development and business opportunity.

Implementation of training courses – live and online

The training courses thus take place in a combination of online and physical implementations in all Slovenian regions; the program comprises a total of four modules that guide companies step by step from understanding the importance of sustainability to preparing a concrete sustainability report and action plan. The live training courses consist of lectures and workshops; representatives of companies are present at the modules as examples of good practice in introducing ESG principles and reporting into their business operations, as well as representatives of banks.

Companies can register for individual modules or for the entire program, thereby gaining comprehensive knowledge and practical tools for:

• general knowledge about sustainability and the importance of sustainable business,
• development of a company’s sustainability strategy.
• establishment of internal data collection systems,
• preparation of a sustainability report,

A company can register a maximum of two participants for each module. If a participant successfully completes the quiz at the end of each module, they will receive a certificate of attendance for the module they have successfully completed. A participant who successfully completes all four modules receives the ESG Acceleration certificate, which represents confirmation of successful completion of the entire ESG training, indicating the number of hours and experts who conducted the training.

ESG voucher also in preparation

In the first half of 2026, the Slovenian Entrepreneurship Fund also plans to publish an ESG voucher, intended to support companies in preparing sustainability reports.

Companies will be informed of the publication of the public call in a timely manner, which will enable them to prepare adequately for the application and make the most of the opportunities offered by the voucher.

All information about the project, training program, and registration is available at:

www.esgpospesek.si

info@esgpospesek.si

“This is a measure of the “Sustainable Reporting for SMEs” of the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy (MOPE) and the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport (MGTŠ), which is being implemented by the Slovenian Entrepreneurship Fund (SPS) through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS) with partners from the Climate Fund.”