Competitive through Sustainability 2030
The EU-funded project, “Competitive Through Sustainability 2030” owned by the North Sweden Energy Agency, explores how small companies can develop positive energy, climate, and sustainability actions in North Sweden.
Illustration : Project team visiting one of the companies in the project, Piteå Handel och Trädgård, a garden center. © Energikontor Norr
“Competitive Through Sustainability 2030” (Konkurrenskraft 2030), an EU-funded project owned by the North Sweden Energy Agency, places the issues of energy, climate, and sustainability in the main focus of small companies in the region, targeting their core business and competitiveness. Experienced business developers and energy experts meet the companies at their current level of sustainable development, helping them find their own motivation to take one or a few steps to increase sustainability through support and a business-oriented dialogue. The project recruited 35 smaller companies, all in different lines of business, for example local brewery, car painting company, hotel, restaurant, construction company and an architect office.
Through collaboration with Företagarna Norrbotten, Almi Företagspartner Nord AB and Luleå university of technology – Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Accounting and Control, the project team mainly performs sustainable, energy and climate analyses, which result in suggestions for an action plan, along with setting goals connected to the Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) as well as coaching and follow-up. These tools and the business-oriented dialogue model have been well received so far.
Running through the period of January 2019 – October 2022, the project is funded by European regional funds, the Swedish Energy Agency, Region Norrbotten, Almi Företagspartner Nord, Sparbanken Nord and North Sweden Energy Agency.
“All increased knowledge allows us to make better decisions”
“The project has also given us confirmation that we are already taking good action”
“If your business is to remain in the future, you need to work on sustainability”
Voices from participants
This best practice is issued from our publication Sustainable Regions in Action 2022. Read it now to discover many more best practices from FEDARENE members as well as an overview of our activities.
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