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Impact Watch

We want to promote a sustainable and increasingly inclusive business culture. It is for this reason that we created the Impact Watch: Banca Ifis’ Observatory dedicated to the aspects and trends of sustainable transition, with a particular focus on the path of SMEs.

There are three areas of analysis in each edition: the ecological transition and interventions in the sustainability field, new trends in environmental sustainability and present and future scenarios in the social field.

Measuring the ecological transition of SMEs

Sustainability is an opportunity that brings growth and benefits to SMEs. Investments, in particular in energy savings and natural resources, allow cost containment in the long term and a better reputation among all stakeholders.

To concretely measure the progress in sustainability of Italian SMEs, we have created an Ecological Transition Index capable of measuring the intensity of activity in sustainability by surveying the actual interventions implemented, the percentage of turnover invested and the structural and organisational measures adopted.

Results indicate that the ecological transition is being driven by the largest SMEs. Despite the barriers related to the costs involved, almost all companies see the ecological transition as a priority for their business and are ready to invest in training to increase their expertise.

Key results of the study

Ecological Transition Index

37/100 the score of the Ecological Transition Index.

Best performing sector

+28 points on average in the Chemical and Pharmaceutical sector, the best performing sector.

Benefits

93% of SMEs in the sample declared that they had benefited from the green transition.

Looking into the future

50% of SMEs will have made at least one investment in environmental sustainability by 2024.

Data as of March 2023.
Source: Banca Ifis’ calculations based on Format Research for Banca Ifis involving a representative sample of 8,122 SMEs interviewed until March 2023.