Lenka Mynarova, Head of the Circular Economy Working Group at the Czech Business Council for Sustainable Development (“CBCSD”), spoke in a podcast on the „Zdroje tu jsou“ platform (Resources Are at Hand“) on the topic of the relationship between sustainability, resources and business. The podcast is available at this link www.zdrojetujsou.cz.

The debate focused on the increasingly sharp line between a real change towards sustainability and “greenwashing” in the marketing of products and services. Lenka explained why “greenwashing” is increasingly risky for companies: it is no longer just about reputation, but also about specific legal liability with significant financial consequences in case of underestimation. At the same time, the podcast focused on what companies and the public are confused about in relation to the European Green Deal, and why sustainability is shifting in the reality of many markets from ideological disputes to a hard business topic of competitiveness and survival of companies, in the context of Europe’s global technological competition with the USA and China. It also shows the sluggishness and misunderstanding of changes in the markets by many Czech companies, which is reflected in a reactive approach and an unfounded idea that changes in EU legislation will not ultimately be implemented in the markets. This increases their risks and misses opportunities.

On a practical level, the podcast also opens up the role of financial institutions in ESG issues and access to capital, as well as the challenges of the digital economy (e.g. the topic of digital product passports), as well as the new obligations of companies in supply chains. It emphasizes that marketing claims without substantiated data are no longer enough and will be dangerous for companies. The basic message is aimed primarily at managers and members of statutory bodies of companies who are entrepreneurs and want to understand sustainability as a measurable practice, not just as a pleasant communication framework for exaggerated marketing slogans. Real sustainability can be a source for their innovations and better longer-term business results.