Impact Hub Vienna’s Post

Only 5% of startups have a plan to achieve net zero carbo emissions. It’s about time for startups to improve their ESG practices, especially with the growing focus on the climate crisis. This report explores ESG trends in the VC industry based on research from 2023, analysing data from over 450 companies in the UK and Europe. Here are some key takeaways that stood out to me: 🔶 Companies are not doing well on environmental issues compared to social and governance matters. This shows the need for more support and education in this area. 🔶 60% of businesses are focusing the mental health and well-being of their employees by having a policy in place. 🔶 SaaS companies lead other sectors on social issues like DEI training and parental leave. 🔶 Female presence in leadership roles is still quite low with about half of the companies surveyed showing no women on start-up boards. 🔶 Start-ups need to focus more on using AI, as only a fifth of them provide staff codes of conduct in this area. 🔶 Governance is a good starting point for companies to apply ESG policies and make sustainability a priority at the board level. It's encouraging to see the industry taking ESG seriously. But we need to see more actions on the environmental level. #Fintech #ESG #VentureCapital

Are you ready to take your company's sustainability to the next level? Sign up for Green at Heart! We designed a very straightforward tool to help social SMEs (incl. startups) embed all aspects of sustainability into their business while prepping for incoming regulations on ESG reporting. Green at Heart is free and includes access to the ESG tool and 3 expert guidance webinars. The tool takes as little as 1.5 hours to fill in, which you can do in your own time. It gives you concrete recommendations that you can turn into an action plan to optimise your sustainability practices. The 60 companies with the best plans will receive up to EUR 8,000 to put it into action. All eligible SMEs will receive access to the tool. Signing up takes 2 min. → https://lnkd.in/dSwUJsv9 Green at Heart was co-funded by the European Union and designed by Impact Hub Vienna, Impact Hub Madrid, and Impact Hub Amsterdam, in collaboration with Amsterdam Impact, OekoBusiness Wien, and Impact Hub Network.

Are you encountering obstacles in advancing sustainability initiatives within your company? Are you seeking practical solutions to bridge the gap between intention and action, driving genuine change? Mark your calendars for an insightful online roundtable on April 24th from 16:00 to 17:30 (CET). Join us for an exclusive discussion, brought to you by Ashoka and Unblock where we confront a common truth head-on: many companies set ambitious sustainability goals, yet face barriers and outdated practices that hinder progress towards meaningful change. This event offers a unique opportunity to explore practical solutions and gain insights to catalyze real progress in sustainability and social impact efforts. At Ashoka Changemaker Companies and Unblock, we recognize the challenge of translating sustainability aspirations into tangible outcomes. Despite setting ambitious goals, entrenched barriers such as organizational inertia, bureaucratic red tape, and rigid structures often impede progress, hindering our collective journey towards a sustainable future. In this session we'll explore what lies behind the Intent/Action Gap. Together, we'll cover: ✅Overcoming organizational inertia and bureaucratic hurdles ✅Embracing innovation and research with a triple-bottom-line focus ✅Crafting adaptable strategies to address evolving societal challenges ✅Empowering employees to champion sustainability initiatives Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain valuable insights and strategies for driving sustainable transformation within your organization. Secure your spot or learn more about the event https://lnkd.in/dyN7zgSU #Sustainability #NetPositive

Are you a startup in the green-tech ecosystem, focused on making a positive, profitable impact in the sustainability economy?🌍💪🏼 R-evolution and R-ventures are constantly on the lookout for disruptive innovations that can demonstrate a positive impact on the planet. ‘We believe that innovation, collaboration, and pioneering partnerships will open new doors to embracing a sustainable future.’ – Fredrik Andersson Guldkula Learn more >>> https://lnkd.in/gtpBTkwK 🌱 #revoplanet #GreenTech #Innovation #Sustainability #ClimateAction #Impact investing #Collaboration #Technologyinnovation**

Scaling for Impact: Scaling an innovation is about more than just increasing its reach; it's about maximizing its impact. 🌟 Visit https://lnkd.in/ebvKEbTa now FOR MORE INFORMATION! #Innovation #Impact #ScaleForGood #MaximizeImpact #FutureOfInnovation #MeverlyAdjhei #MeverlyAdjheiBenjamin

💪 How can ESG strengthen both VC firms and portfolio companies? Today we share a progress update from Earlybird Health following the inaugural 2022 Impact & ESG Report published last year. 🛠️ The update features real impact stories from Earlybird Health portfolio companies, Argá Medtech SA and Ariceum Therapeutics, and the significant improvements made in ESG across the portfolio in 2023. 💸 On the VC side, the report highlights climate protection projects to offset the 2023 carbon footprint, new D&I training sessions, networking events for women in healthcare investing, and changes in employee benefits to encourage better health and work-life balance! Thanks to journalist Lucy Adams for contextualizing this approach. See her article below and feel free to download the update from our website. 📰  Read the news from Tech.eu https://bit.ly/3QdBECT 🔗 Get the updated report as a PDF: https://lnkd.in/dwfYt8x 🌍 Happy Earth Day 2024! We hope this inspires further changes across our ecosystem. cc: Lionel Carnot, Thom Rasche, John Yianni, Florent Gros, Rabab Nasrallah, PhD, Dr. Christoph Massner, Junkai Z., Kian Rokni, Elena Marchesi, Valeriya Leshukova, Elisheva Marcus & more #EBVC #Health #VC #Europe #ESG

To meet the challenges of our time, the solutions of the future proposed by impact companies will have to be massive and generalizable in order to make the necessary shift to transform our ways of producing and consuming. While the emergence of 29 French unicorns was possible thanks to strong political will, the new #IMPACT40120 index aims to highlight and support the : 👉 #40 most promising impact companies to become impact unicorns 👉 #120 companies to be closely monitored and supported in their acceleration. What is an Impact Unicorn? : see the study carried out by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Mouvement Impact France and ESSEC Business School) https://lnkd.in/eMEuMVj2 Kudos to the FF's portfolio companies 900.care Zenride BIBAK La Fourche which are part of the list released last night at ChangeNOW 👏♻️👏♻️👏 #ProudInvestor #Impact #TechforGood

In today's fast-paced landscape, understanding and reporting your sustainability credentials is paramount for Startups, SMEs and larger businesses alike. Whether you’re writing tenders, communicating to stakeholders, looking to secure investment, or keeping up with regulatory compliance, the demand to showcase your sustainability efforts is ever-increasing. FuturePlus is your key to future-proofing your positive impact, helping you integrate sustainable practices into your operations, communicate your intent, and report on your progress. ➕ Find out how FuturePlus can help your business make a positive impact 👉 https://lnkd.in/dvxv8ggG - #Sustainability #SustainabilityReporting #ESG #ESGReporting

Sustainability and responsible business practices are more crucial than ever. 🌎 Companies utilizing open innovation show a remarkable 20% improvement in their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) performance metrics, driven by the adoption of innovative and responsible business practices. 🌱✨ Open innovation is not just a trend; it's a strategic approach to tackling global challenges. Through collaborative efforts, companies can develop cutting-edge solutions that enhance their ESG impact while driving growth and competitiveness. From reducing carbon footprints to improving social inclusivity and strengthening governance practices, the benefits are substantial and far-reaching. We've seen firsthand how these partnerships lead to tangible results. Corporates gain access to innovative technologies and fresh perspectives, while startups benefit from the guidance, scale, and the market reach of established companies. It's a win-win scenario that accelerates progress and drives meaningful change. Ready to learn more about the possibilities of open innovation and join us on this exciting journey? 🤝 https://lnkd.in/gHtTg7rZ #OpenInnovation #ESG #Sustainability #Startupbootcamp #Innovation #ResponsibleBusiness#SDGs #ESGgoals #innovationwillsavetheworld

As we witness the (continuing) rise of Environmental, Social, and Governance goals on the corporate agenda, light has been shed on innovation's essential role in reaching them. So, how can corporate leaders achieve such important goals? During this session next week as part of our current series of Learning Labs, leaders at Agorize and Société Générale explain how they do it. Yohann Melamed and Justina Shpota Agorize, leader in innovation management software fueled by a community of 10 million innovators, and Xavier DUBOS from Société Générale, leading European financial services group, will take you along their journey and discuss the following topics: - Why and how innovation serves ESG needs across industries and departments - Société Générale's path to ESG-driven innovation - What it takes to source implementable solutions from startups - Case study: Société Générale's open innovation challenge to eliminate single-use plastic from food distribution Will you join the conversation? #openinnovation #sustainability #innovationmanagement #corporateinnovation