23/05/2025
European CONFESS Project – Sustainability of SMEs in the Clean Energy Sector
Circular S.r.l. participated in the European CONFESS project (Clean Energy Certification for SMEs), funded by the European Union under the LIFE Programme, with the aim of facilitating the environmental sustainability assessment of small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the clean energy sector.
The project aimed to develop a harmonised assessment and certification system based on the EU Taxonomy, complemented by additional energy and environmental indicators. The initiative sought to simplify the collection and verification of sustainability data, improve corporate transparency, and facilitate SMEs' access to sustainable finance.
The European Partnership
The CONFESS project was coordinated by Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (RWTH Aachen University), based in Germany, and brought together an international consortium consisting of:
- RWTH Aachen University (RWTH) – Germany, Project Coordinator;
- Ingmar Jurgens & David Rusnok Advisor (ClimCom) – Germany;
- International Sustainable Finance Centre (ISFC) – Czech Republic;
- Czech Technical University in Prague (CVUT) – Czech Republic;
- Circular S.r.l. – Italy.
Circular's Contribution and the Clean Leap Tool
As part of the project, Circular contributed to research, analysis, and testing activities, supporting the application of EU Taxonomy criteria to SMEs operating in the energy sector.
One of the project's main outcomes is Clean Leap, a digital tool designed to help SMEs assess and communicate the alignment of their economic activities with European environmental criteria.
The tool simplifies the sustainability assessment process, making EU Taxonomy requirements more accessible to companies with limited technical and organisational resources.
Through Clean Leap, the CONFESS project helps strengthen dialogue between businesses and financial institutions, promoting greater transparency in environmental reporting and supporting the transition towards a low-carbon economy.
https://www.confess-life.eu/it/confess-project-it/ https://www.confess-life.eu/it/clean-leap-it/
