Vlad Andriescu
Companies around the world start paying more attention to the importance of sustainability and investors start taking into account non-financial indicators related to the environment, social responsibility and corporate governance (ESG). Taking these factors into consideration, InternetCorp is launching the Green Start-Up platform, a bilingual media website that aims to offer essential information regarding sustainable business practices to both Romanian and English speaking audiences.
Green Start-Up is more than a new editorial project: it is a manifesto of support for green and responsible businesses in Romania and Europe. The new website is meant as a part of a new ecosystem, dedicated to developing sustainable projects based on the latest technological innovations and management processes.
49% of global investors say they would refuse to finance companies that do not have enough environmental, social or corporate governance initiatives. That is why Green Start-Up aims to serve as a “best practices” guide for large and small businesses alike, gathering the most impactful initiatives from European companies and the innovations that make the planet a better place, under the same roof .
Green Start-Up is developed by start-up.ro, the go-to media website for news and stories about the Romanian entrepreneurial and startup ecosystem. Green Start-Up can be accessed by English speaking audiences at https://greenstartup.tech, and the Romanian version is available at https://green.start-up.ro/. The project is an integral part of the general sustainability support initiatives of the pan-European group Primavera Digital Group, the sole shareholder of InternetCorp.
This initiative is launched with the support of Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR), part of Erste Group, the website’s main partner for 2022, but also a recognized partner of businesses and entrepreneurs that work towards building a better future.
Octavian Palade, Content Strategy Manager, InternetCorp, says: ”The idea behind Green Start-Up was conceived out of our desire to support green and fair businesses, but also out of the ecosystem’s need for information regarding sustainable technologies and responsible practices. The pandemic has highlighted the need to focus on environmental issues and social needs, and while there are more and more conversations regarding sustainability and social responsibility, we believe that we still don’t talk about these subjects enough, that we certainly don’t take sufficient action. And by offering relevant information and by shining a spotlight on those who are worth following, we can determine industry-wide action and relevant change.
In order to popularize Romanian startups and businesses and offer them international exposure, we’ve conceived Green Start-Up as a bilingual platform. Catering to an English speaking audience offers the local entrepreneurs the chance to attract more customers and investors. This decision was also influenced by the fact that social and environmental issues affect us all - no matter the country we live in or the language we speak. And with the support of our partners in Primavera Digital Group, but also with the involvement of other local media outlets from the InternetCorp portfolio, we are more than confident that this project will have a major impact in a very short time”.
Vlad Andriescu, editor-in-chief of start-up.ro, states: “The importance of sustainability-driven growth of companies in Romania and Europe is also demonstrated by the interest generated by the development of Green Start-Up. Thus, the first partner of the project will be Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR), a dedicated partner for the entire Romanian business ecosystem, but also a supporter of sustainability and socially conscious growth.
BCR has proven that the environment, the respect for human capital and the fairness of business in general, considering all factors, has become a priority for the whole world and that there is a way to invest sustainably, for the better of future generations”.
Ilinka Kajgana, Executive Vice President of Risk Management, BCR, says: "ESG plays an increasingly important role for every citizen and shapes the resilience of companies, the whole economy and our planet. Regardless of the scale of our sustainable commitments, there is still a serious need at this time to raise awareness and understanding of our impact in the communities in which we operate. That's why we're proud to support Green Start-Up, a media initiative that inspires action and opens up the conversation about sustainable principles, from goals and how to achieve them, to proper management, technological innovations and best practices. At the same time, this collaboration aims for positive and sustainable change in our society through education and fits with BCR's integrated approach to doing business responsibly. I encourage you to include Green Start-Up on your daily reading list, as we need more information about how we can shape a better future, and more companies ready to implement sustainability principles."
About InternetCorp
Green Start-Up is developed by the journalists behind start-up.ro, a team of people with more than 40 years of total experience in the Romanian media landscape. InternetCorp is one of the biggest players in the Romanian online publishing sector. With a team of over 50 employees and with more than 15 years of experience in the online media and events industries, InternetCorp has launched several highly regarded media products that address different audiences: Wall-Street.ro (financial & business), start-up.ro (entrepreneurship & tech), kudika.ro (women’s lifestyle), futurebanking.ro (fintech & banking), 9AM.ro (general news) and retail.ro (retail & FMCG)
About BCR
Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR), a member of Erste Group, is the most important financial group in Romania, including operations of universal bank (retail, corporate & investment banking, treasury and capital markets), as well as specialized companies on the leasing market, private pensions, housing banks and banking services.
BCR provides a full range of financial products and services, through a network of 18 business centers and 16 mobile offices dedicated to companies and 327 retail units located in most cities across the country with over 10,000 inhabitants. BCR is the No. 1 bank in Romania in the market of bank transactions, BCR customers having available the largest national network of ATM and multifunctional machines- almost 1,800, around 11,300 POS and complete services of Internet banking, Mobile banking, Phone-banking and E-commerce.
