Environmental Impact Can Be Reduced by Cutting Costs

Hungarian medium and large enterprises are aware of the importance of sustainability requirements, but in the unfavorable economic environment, companies are primarily focusing on reducing their costs, which indirectly reduces their environmental impact, according to a research based on the K&H Sustainability Index, the results of which were released to MTI on Wednesday.

Around 60% of companies have already implemented selective waste collection and a further 32% plan to do so. The environmentally friendly management of hazardous waste lags somewhat behind. Reductions in paper use have already been implemented or are planned in the near future in 40-40% of cases.

There is a similar distribution between reducing energy use and increasing energy efficiency due to energy cost savings. However, only 3% of companies can afford to buy so-called ‘green’ energy – i.e. energy from certified renewable sources, which is also more expensive – and only a further 4% are considering doing so.

Since 2022, K&H has carried out a comprehensive survey on sustainability among Hungarian companies twice a year, in spring and autumn. 360 sustainability representatives of medium and large companies with annual sales of more than HUF 300 million were interviewed by phone.