Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Programme 2007 - 2013 Interreg IVC

Date of latest update: 2021-04-06

Description

Description (EN):

The issue to be tackled by the DESUR project is that of the difficulty that the SME of today is experiencing in becoming a business responsible with their environment. SMEs have neither the resources nor the awareness necessary to adopt sustainable practices such as: respect for the natural environment, removal of barriers and inequalities, lifelong learning, increased productivity, efficient resource usage, better quality of life for employees, etc. Given that 99% of companies in the EU-27 are SMEs and that they employ two thirds of European workers (European Commission Oct. 2010), the inactivity of SMEs in adopting such practices is a barrier to the sustainable development in a region. The regions that make up the project want to develop policies to make it easier for SMEs to adopt sustainable practices in their day to day business. That is, foster eco-innovation in the SMEs to increase competitiveness, create quality employment and be more respectful with the environment. The main objective of the project is, therefore, to improve policies, instruments and methodologies to promote responsible innovation in SMEs to progress on the path of sustainability. The DESUR partnership is made up of local and regional representatives from 7 European countries, including regions with a high degree of experience in such policies and regions who wish to advance in the development of new policies. The innovative component of the project is to address the issue from a holistic perspective. The responsible company is one that performs actions based on the three pillars of sustainability: Profit, People and Planet while at the same time maintaining the balance between all three. Without economic benefit (Profit), it is not possible to perform actions on the other axis. Without motivated personnel (People), a company will be less successful. Without caring for their environment (Planet), it cannot be said that the company achieves good results. The activities to be developed throughout the project will achieve the exchange of experiences, knowledge and good practices in policies through the collaboration of the participating regions. Activities will be developed to train staff members so that specific good practices in policies and tools can be transferred to their region; such as innovative public procurement, tax relief or public recognition through labeling or award schemes. The transfer will be ensured through the preparation and production of Implementation Plans for each region. Furthermore, the results and findings of the project that may also be of interest to other regions will be disseminated, as a guide of Good Practices and Recommendations. The improved policies as a result of all these activities will contribute to the local or regional level of compliance of the objectives the EU 2020 Strategy, to become a smart sustainable and inclusive economy.

Achievements (EN):

DESUR (Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SME’s) is a European Funded Project co-financed by the (INTERREG IVC), which aims to promote responsible innovation in SMEs throughout the exchange of experiences among all the partners, based on the triple bottom line: PEOPLE-PROFIT-PLANET.The project will address the difficulties that SMEs encounter when trying to incorporate social responsibility into their business model. The main objective of the project is to improve policies, instruments and methodologies to promote responsible and sustainable innovation in SMEs. The DESUR partnership is composed of local and regional representatives from 7 European countries. The first semester of DESUR Project has been focused on establishing basis of the project for the next two years: After the Kick Off Meeting in 12th March in Badajoz (Extremadura. Spain), the DESUR partners signed the Partnership Agreement during April, the management and coordination procedures were established, and the standards for the development of the technical work (technical glossary, methodologies, and other technical material such as schemes for interviews, etc.) was developed. In these sense, the activities developed for the exchange of experiences and the identification and analysis of good practices in the promotion and development of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in SMEs were the followings: - A glossary with the main definitions and terms was developed to be used during the project implementation regarding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). - During this period, it was defined a methodology to develop the benchmarking study in each involved region. - There were also defined the methodology and the tools to carry out the interviews with SMEs and other institutional representatives involved in the promotion of CSR in companies. - It was developed a draft version of the benchmarking Study “Practices in promoting sustainability in the SMEs and existing gaps”. - Many partners also identified the companies and agents to be interviewed during the next semester. Moreover, the graffic identity of DESUR was defined and the referent information regarding the project (upcoming activities, latest news, information about partners, etc.) and Corporate Social Responsibility is still available at www.desur.eu, were SMEs and other referent agents and stakeholders can access to the material developed in the DESUR Project.

Website: http://www.interreg4c.eu/

Thematic information

Social inclusion and equal opportunities SME and entrepreneurship

Partners (7)

Lead Partner: Fundación FUNDECYT Parque Científico y Tecnológico

Address: Avda. Elvas S/N, 6071 Badajoz, Spain

Legal status: n/a

South West Regional Authority

Name: South West Regional Authority

Address: InnishmoreBallincollig, Co. Cork, Ireland

Legal status: n/a

Pannon Gazdasági Hálózat Egyesület

Name: Pannon Gazdasági Hálózat Egyesület

Address: Gesztenyefa u. 4., 9012 Győr, Hungary

Legal status: n/a

Περιφέρεια Δυτικής Μακεδονίας-Region of Western Macedonia, European Programmes Office

Name: Περιφέρεια Δυτικής Μακεδονίας-Region of Western Macedonia, European Programmes Office

Address: Z.E.P. Kozanis, 50100 Kozani, Greece

Legal status: n/a

Provincia di Bologna

Name: Provincia di Bologna

Address: Via Benedetto XIV, n.3, 40126 Bologna, Italy

Legal status: n/a

Kauno technologijos universitetas

Name: Kauno technologijos universitetas

Address: K. Donelaicio str. 73, LT 44029 Kaunas, Lithuania

Legal status: n/a

Sklad dela Zasavje, ustanova za izvajanje aktivne politike zaposlovanja

Name: Sklad dela Zasavje, ustanova za izvajanje aktivne politike zaposlovanja

Address: Podvine 36, 1410 Zagorje ob Savi, Slovenia

Legal status: n/a

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

South West Regional Authority

Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Partners and Projects info

Fundación FUNDECYT Parque Científico y Tecnológico

Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Partners and Projects info

Pannon Gazdasági Hálózat Egyesület

Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Partners and Projects info

Περιφέρεια Δυτικής Μακεδονίας-Region of Western Macedonia, European Programmes Office

Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Partners and Projects info

Provincia di Bologna

Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Partners and Projects info

Kaunas University of Technology

Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Partners and Projects info

Sklad dela Zasavje, ustanova za izvajanje aktivne politike zaposlovanja

Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Project acronym: DESUR

Project start date: 2012-01-01

Project end date: 2014-09-30

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 392 020.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 102 583.60

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2007 - 2013 Interreg IVC

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2015-09-01

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

204 / 204 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

2 250 / 2 250 (100%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme

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Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs

Description

Thematic information

Partners (7)

Partners map

Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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