The Galician Institute for Economic Promotion (IGAPE) announced the opening of the call for aid aimed at the implementation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria in Galician small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). This program is endowed with one million euros, and subsidies may reach up to €200,000 depending on the type of project and the applicant company.
The objective of this call, which will remain open until 2:00 p.m. on September 16, 2024, is to promote the development and implementation of solutions that promote the reduction and savings in the use of natural resources, water and energy, as well as the reduction in the generation of waste or byproducts. One of the main focuses is the transformation of waste into resources usable in other production processes. In addition, the call also includes actions aimed at developing corporate social responsibility and promoting advanced governance models in organizations.
All Galician SMEs are eligible for aid, regardless of their legal form, including self-employed workers, who have a work center in Galicia where the project will be developed. Projects may be presented in two modalities: individually, when an SME implements impact measures on ESG factors adapted to its field of activity; or collectively, in industrial symbiosis projects, in which a group of three or more independent companies work together to improve the use of resources and reduce environmental impacts or promote social impact actions.
It is important to keep in mind that this aid is incompatible with other public subsidies, as it provides for the granting of the maximum percentages allowed for subsidized projects.
For more information about the call and the specific requirements, you can consult the page of the Galician Institute for Economic Promotion dedicated to aid. The application must be submitted electronically in the IGAPE virtual office.