On October 29, 2025, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa hosted the kick off partner meeting of the RESPONSE project – “Reporting on ESG and Sustainability Performance Oriented to the Needs of Small Enterprises,” funded under the Erasmus+ Programme.
The consortium includes five partners from four EU Member States, bringing together complementary expertise to ensure the successful implementation of the project. The initiative aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in improving their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting practices by providing targeted support and training for entrepreneurs, managers, and SME employees.
As the lead partner, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa is responsible for the overall management and effective implementation of the project, coordination among partners, and the timely execution of activities to achieve the planned indicators and results. Among its key tasks is the development of pilot instruments and a set of practical tools — the ESG+ Toolbox — designed to assist SMEs in strengthening their ESG performance.
During the meeting, partners discussed the project’s management structure, the main activities under each work package, and the communication and dissemination plans. The next steps in the implementation include conducting an analysis of ESG reporting among SMEs, mapping of EU projects and results related to ESG reporting for SMEs, and an analysis of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) to identify key information relevant to small enterprises.
The RESPONSE project will run until February 2028 and is expected to enhance SMEs’ awareness of ESG issues as well as the competencies of entrepreneurs and employees regarding ESG regulations and reporting.
Learn more about the project here.
