Sustainability is an integral component of business success.

It is, any action aimed at making the business a value multiplier for all current and future stakeholders.

Businesses are required to respond to multiple challenges, such as climate change factors and impacts, social inequalities and corruption, alongside achieving economic growth and sustainability.

By using ESG criteria ( environment(E), society(S) and corporate governance (G) ), companies integrate, these challenges into their business strategy and culture for sustainability.

Besides, companies that incorporate ESG criteria have an advantage in the marketplace as they attract investors seeking long-term value and sustainability.

The implementation of ESG is not only limited to large companies, it extends to SMEs as it is a necessity for their long-term survival and success. Companies that ignore ESG criteria risk being isolated from the market and face legal, regulatory and communication challenges.

The adoption of ESG policies and reporting is an indication of companies' evolution in relation to market requirements. However, this is not enough. It requires an investment in resources and above all time to change the culture . The phenomena of green washing and social washing are not accidental. In fact, they are indications of the need to adopt criteria, but they are managed laxly, carelessly and in some cases, unfortunately, fraudulently.

Integrating ESG into business culture is about the diffusion of principles from top management to all employees as well as throughout the value chain. This is an undertaking that requires a robust commitment from management in the first instance.

International management standards (ISO), are valuable tools for aligning companies with ESG criteria.

ISO international standards, provide a framework of best practices by empowering companies to define specific objectives and processes for sustainability, social responsibility and governance.

First for the environment (E Environmenet), certification to ISO 14001, EMAS, ISO 50001, ISO 50001, ISO 14064-1 and -2, ISO 46001, demonstrate that companies have established in their organization and operations processes and measure their environmental performance for managing waste, energy, greenhouse gas emissions for their operations and products, and water resources.

In particular for the criteria relating to Society (S-Social), the international standards ISO 45001, ISO 39001, SMETA/SEDEX, ISO 22000, ISO 13485, ISO 30415 and a number of other standards, by their adoption, demonstrate the responsibility of companies to take appropriate measures for the health and safety of all stakeholders in their value chain and to comply with non-discrimination and inclusion policies.

Finally, governance (G Governance) refers to management's own tools: ISO 9001, ISO 37301, ISO 37001, ISO 22301, ISO2 7001, ISO 27701, which ensure risk management, target setting and achievement, continuous improvement of operations, regulatory compliance and adoption of anti-bribery procedures, business continuity, security of corporate and personal data.

Implementing these standards - which cover an extremely broad range of ESG criteria - is an investment for a company to embed the principles of sustainability and social responsibility in its culture.

Sustainability is the same way of thinking and acting as applying International Standards - it is, a business's decision to take responsibility for building a better future.

TÜV HELLAS (TÜV NORD) , a helper of businesses in their long-term sustainability strategy, offers services of an independent accredited Certification/Verification Body and Training to achieve their ultimate goals.

The choice of TÜV HELLAS (TÜV NORD) as an internationally recognized, reliable impartial, partner, creates confidence in investors, customers, stakeholders and citizens.