The Chamber of Commerce and Services of Uruguay (CCSUy)the Eurochamber Uruguay and the Delegation of the European Union to promote sustainability in small and medium-sized enterprises in Uruguay They presented the study Inspyrame 2.0, on access to financing for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
The study of sustainability arises from a comparative analysis of the legal framework of the European Union and Uruguay, the process of the SMEs towards sustainability, and national practices and instruments. In addition, research was conducted on sustainable financing, including a survey of opportunities and the available supply of this type of financing.
“When we talk about sustainable companies, “What we are thinking about is incorporating the environmental, social and governance variable in the company, no matter the size it has. Seeing what its impact is on the community and on environmental and social issues, what its contributions are. This does not mean that companies do not think about profitability, which is the core and is generally the motivation of companies, but they will see from which side they can contribute to this environmental and social component, whether from an improvement in waste management, in energy efficiency in the resources they use, in empowering women, which has to do with incorporating the gender variable into companies and many other lines of action in which this impact can be seen,” she said. Anabela Aldaz Scope, Vice President of CCSUy.
The investigation carried out detected the access to finance as the main problem that companies currently have in promoting plans linked to sustainability.
“There is no specific financial instruments to address this problem and, therefore, by being left out of the financing circumstances, these companies may stop being active in the market and disappear precisely because of the lack of access to financing,” said Aldaz.
In line with suggesting solutions to this situation, the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce explained that “the financial sector has to develop with appropriate regulation, which will be the central bank whoever dictates it, the instruments so that small and medium-sized companies can access financing in a systemic and organic way.” “Our objective is to highlight the entrepreneur who is working in the sustainability lines so that the financial sector, which in turn has its own mandates regarding incorporating this perspective and these sustainability standards, finds in these medium and small companies that are making this effort, the appropriate recipient for these new instruments that must be designed,” he added.
The study focused on a pilot in two specific areas: tourism, on the one hand, and the trade and services sector, on the other.
“We know that actions are being worked on in other lines and other areas. In the sector tourism There are many successful experiences that are associated with local, nearby commerce, highlighting the attributes of the tourist places we have, the wealth that it has. Uruguay, protected natural areas, rural tourism, catering to a consumer who is more demanding and willing to pay more for these experiences linked to nature and sustainability,” concluded the spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce.
The event featured the opening of Julio Lestido, President of the CCSUy, and Markus Handke, Head of Section Cooperation of the European Union in Uruguay.
Source: Ambito
