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Guideline to support SMEs with decarbonization
Decarbonizing the economy is a key element in making Germany climate-neutral by 2045. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this means considerable challenges - both in terms of content and financially. A new guide from the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), the Association of German Public Sector Banks (VÖB) and the Business Network for Climate Protection (UNK) now offers support to systematically and systematically tackle the transition to a low-emission economy.
Challenges for SMEs
The transition to climate neutrality requires companies to align their business processes with significantly less carbon. SMEs are faced with a twofold task: on the one hand, they must precisely define their individual path to net zero emissions in terms of content, and on the other hand, they need a solid basis to finance the necessary investments. Many SMEs are not directly affected by the regulatory requirements for sustainability reporting, but are nevertheless confronted with requirements from business partners, customers or banks who are increasingly demanding transparency about their sustainability measures.Support from the guide
This is where the new guide “From transition to financing plan” comes in. It was developed as part of a three-month project by DIHK, VÖB, UNK and pilot companies from the field. The aim is to show SMEs a structured way through the complex process of transition and financing planning. The guide is aimed at companies that want to actively tackle decarbonization in order to prepare for discussions with financial institutions, for example.
With a combination of background information, definitions, checklists and practical tips, the guide offers comprehensive orientation. It takes you step by step through the requirements and provides companies with the tools to minimize uncertainties.
Biggest hurdles: Uncertainty and complexity
As the work on the guidelines showed, many SMEs are confronted with considerable uncertainty. These concern, among other things:
- The availability of suitable technologies
- The changing market environment
- Regulatory framework conditions, which are often complex and poorly adapted to the needs of SMEs
In addition, the reduction of emissions is methodologically demanding, and existing standards and specifications are usually designed for larger companies.
Conclusion
The guide offers SMEs valuable support in successfully planning the path to climate neutrality and securing the necessary investments. By providing orientation in a highly complex topic, it helps to ensure that smaller companies can also make their contribution to climate protection - and at the same time secure their competitiveness.
