Demand for environment friendly goods and services is the future of economic development. Greece can fully benefit from its natural location and natural advantages to develop environment friendly economy that will produce high added value and will be energy efficient in compliance with the European standards. This said the president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kostadinos Mihalos at the Second Sustainability Summit The green agenda after Copenhagen. Organizer of the forum is the Economist magazine.
"The more the price of energy grows and natural fuel sources are depleted, the more the need for new methods of production will grow," he stressed. The businessman explained that countries like Greece are in a difficult position today because they have lost their competitiveness and tackle the economic crisis. One of the most effective ways to return to positive economic development is through new business practices based on environment protection, recycling and energy saving. "It is no coincidence that all major enterprises from the light industry to the banks continue to develop new products and services based on healthy lifestyle and environment protection," said Kostadinos Mihalos. Local companies should follow this example to secure a place in the market in the future.
However, before talking about a new type of economy, the Greek government should take care to keep the local business ‘alive’. According to him, the state should provide the right legal framework by reducing the tax burden of the companies and providing incentives for entrepreneurs. Another important condition is to simplify the operation of the administrative system so that not to suffocate the initiative in paperwork and unclear procedures. Last but not least is the modernization of education in a way to produce adequate human resources to be the driving force in implementing innovative practices in the country.
A good example of green business practices were presented by the Director of Eurobank EFG Teodoris Kalantonis. He announced that the bank aims to develop in three main scopes - licensed environment friendly management, corporate social responsibility and preparing a series of products and services that are directly related to green practices. Eurobank EFG is licensed since 2004 to systematic environment friendly operation and is registered in the lists of Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) since 2009. All contracts signed with suppliers of the bank contain clauses relating to environment protection and energy saving. Eurobank requires the same suppliers to supply goods that are the result from recycling or of green production methods. They themselves recycle 60% of the paper used in their administration and provide 9000 cartridges of printing equipment a year for processing. The bank conducts trainings to its staff on the techniques of energy saving and recycling.
"Greece is going through a very difficult economic period, which will surely continue in the next two years," said Teodoris Kalantonis. According to him, the idea of economic development based on environment protection will remain only a theory until the end customer is not supported with specific benefits in the short term. He explained that changes should imply financial incentives, especially now when the market is suffocating and households and businesses in the country are experiencing liquidity problems. This is the base of the banking products of Eurobank EFG concerning the green economy – preferential credits for renovation of old buildings and installation of solar collectors. Their lending share on this market is 50 percent and according to the banker this is the only sector in Greece that is prospering at the moment. “From 55 applications for green credits in the beginning of the year, today their number has risen to 2200 and the trend is only increasing," said the representative of Eurobank with content. According to him, renovation of old buildings could gain up to € 4000 per year by saving electricity for household needs.
Isidoros Sideridis, the manager of Sieben, talked about the software product of his company, which provides the opportunity to held ordinary business conferences online. Properly adjusted interface allows users not to go to their workplace by car or public transport. "The best option is to do our job from the comfort of our home," said Isidoros Sideridis. It makes it possible to exchange information and documentation and everything can be saved at the same time to verify the information in the future. Trainings, meetings and exchange of experience can be completely virtual, and the only energy consumption is from the working computers. The company experience revealed that the total cost of telecommunication is only € 1,500 per year for a small company of 10 people, which is tens of times less than the staff’s going to office for business meetings by car or public transport.
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