Covenant of Companies

In this edition, we are bringing you the latest updates from the CCCE community, insights into the SOTEU speech and why it matters to European companies, newly published CCCE country guides on how to optimise energy consumption, the list of upcoming events that you should not miss and much more, so let’s dive in!

We are thankful to these promising companies who are committing to reducing their carbon emissions, embarking on their decarbonisation journey and paving the way to a net-zero future.

Curious to find out more about them? Check the full list of pledgers in ‘Our community’ section on the CCCE website.

Regardless their level of commitment, their sector of business, their size, or the EU country where they come from, all enterprises in the EU can become pledgers and join the CCCE.

Not convinced yet? Let us remind you of the wide range of benefits that come along with making a pledge with the CCCE:

⚙️ Practical, free-of-charge, and one-to-one technical assistance to decarbonise your business

💶 Tips on how to save on your energy costs

📚 Access to masterclasses such as “How to prepare for an energy audit”

📉 Measurement of your carbon footprint

⚡ Advice on how to boost your sustainability measures and reach your goals

💬 Access to the Futurium platform to engage with like-minded companies and find key resources

🏅 Recognition for your climate action with a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Seal of Approval

Make a pledge and start your decarbonisation journey 

Technical Assistance will be available in English, as well as in Bulgarian, Dutch, French, German, Lithuanian, Romanian and Spanish. The pledging form and all related information materials are also available in these eight languages.

🗓️ But mind the deadline – applications for one-to-one technical assistance will be open until 31 October 2023, so make sure to make a pledge and apply before then!

If you are interested in all the other services and support materials, such as the masterclasses, you will still be able to apply for them beyond 31 October.

So, do not wait any longer! Your path to net-zero can start today – make a pledge with the CCCE and make it happen! 🚀

For more information, visit the Covenant of Companies website and stay tuned to #CovenantOfCompanies on social media.

These country-specific guides include Bulgaria, France, Ireland, Lithuania, Romania, Spain and Sweden. A guide from Belgium is also coming soon.

From an overview of the financial support schemes to research and innovation tools and capacity-building materials, these guides offer insightful information to companies and businesses organisations on how to optimise their energy consumption in their country.

Check them out here!

Delivered to the members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, her speech provided an overview of the current state of affairs in the European Union and underlined the Commission’s policy priorities and the key challenges and opportunities facing the EU.

But what parts of the speech were particularly relevant for EU companies navigating - or wishing to navigate - their clean energy transition? We’ve got you covered! 👇

General view of the European Parliament during the SOTEU 2023. Source: European Commission Audiovisual Service.

President von der Leyen’s speech highlighted critical aspects that concern European enterprises on their energy transition path. She emphasised the shift of the climate agenda towards becoming an economic driver, providing “a clear sense of direction for investments and innovation,” with European industries demonstrating readiness to embrace sustainable practices.

Proving how the sustainable growth strategy is delivering in the short-term, von der Leyen announced that the number of clean steel factories in the EU has grown from 0 to 38 in the last five years, and that the EU is attracting now more investment in clean hydrogen than the US and China combined. Impressive, isn’t it?

When it comes to how the EU is supporting European industry in accelerating the transition to climate neutrality, the Commission’s president flagged up the package of measures currently in place – from the Net-Zero Industry Act to the Critical Raw Materials Act. 

In this line, she also introduced the implementation of a series of Clean Energy Transition Dialogues, with the core aim of supporting every sector in making its business model suitable for decarbonisation. 

“We believe that this transition is essential for our future competitiveness in Europe,” von der Leyen said. At the Covenant of Companies, we are proud to be contributing to making this clean energy transition a reality by providing EU businesses with the right support and guidance to decarbonise their business, ensuring that no one is left behind.

The conference will bring together cities, financial institutions and key actors at the EU, regional and local level to exchange on good practices and successful solutions to common challenges. The event will also feature successful and pioneering initiatives boosting the energy transition across Europe. The Covenant of Companies will be present at the event, so come and meet us there!

Check out the agenda and register here.

Join us at the SME Assembly on Wednesday, 15 November, where the Covenant of Companies will be participating in a session on Europe's road to a net zero economy! More information will be available via the Promoting Enterprise blog, so be sure to check back in the coming weeks.

As the world's largest and most influential event for cities and urban innovation, this congress promises to be a hub of groundbreaking ideas and initiatives aimed at shaping the future of sustainable urban living.

The Covenant of Companies will be welcoming guests in its shared booth session called “Matching needs with solutions” with the Covenant of Mayors, the Smart Cities Marketplace, the European City Facility (EUCF), CIVITAS MUSE and the ENTRANCE project. 

If you are attending, don’t hesitate to pass by and say hi!

For more information about the event, programme details, and topics, check out the Smart City Expo World Congress website.

RE-source brings together corporate renewable energy buyers and suppliers to find common solutions to decarbonise industrial energy consumption.

“RE-Source Platform’s mission is simple: we want to make it easier for more companies to access the sustainability and hedging benefits of corporate renewable energy sourcing. Time is of the essence to accelerate Europe’s industrial energy transition and help companies out of the energy crisis. Through the CCCE and RE-Source partnership, we can find pathways for more and varied types of companies to source more renewables,” said our colleagues at RE-Source.

You can learn more about RE-source and all our partners in ‘Our Community’ section on the CCCE website. Also, you may be interested in joining RE-Source 2023, a key annual gathering in the renewables calendar. It’s the ideal spot to meet green corporate buyers and sellers, grow your contact base all over Europe and seal new deals. It’s happening on 26-27 October 2023 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. More info here.

They offer specialised support and advice to help SMEs navigate the challenges of turning their business greener and more socially sustainable. For instance, they published a list of 150 energy-efficient measures which can be implemented quickly by SMEs, without big investments. Also, they have compiled a catalogue of more than 70 intelligent solutions which can be adopted by private enterprises and public institutions to cover the most pressing energy needs.

More information on EEN’s Sustainability page.

The event gathered policymakers, national energy agencies, business associations and key stakeholders to discuss how to create and implement more effective energy efficiency policies for SMEs.

Moderated by CCCE Project Coordinator Karen Clements, the session dedicated to the CCCE dived into how the Covenant is guiding EU businesses on their decarbonisation journey. Viltė Kaminskaitė, CCCE Deputy Project Coordinator, gave the audience an insightful explanation of how the pledging scheme and the second call for technical assistance work in practice.

Watch the CCCE session (starting from 2:40:18) here: