Social responsibility towards the environment is an essential part of the business model that guides the activity of ProCredit Bank Moldova, and the ProCredit group as a whole. An important aspect of environmental responsibility is the search for more efficient ways to use energy and resources. In this context, ProCredit Bank developed a series of seminars on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and how they can be financed. The seminars were aimed at business owners who are active in many different sectors of the economy.

 

The ProCredit Bank team, together with representatives of the Moldovan Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (MoSEFF) met with hundreds of owners of very small and small businesses from Comrat, Edinet, Balti, Soroca and Cahul, with the aim of providing complete, detailed and accurate answers to the participants’ questions. The meetings were organised as an open and pro-active dialogue, during which the participants discussed possible ways to lower the consumption – and the cost – of natural resources, and to reduce CO2 and other gas emissions. Moreover, the entrepreneurs found out how energy efficient methods and equipment not only help to protect the environment, but can also bring significant competitive advantages to their businesses by making their production processes more reliable, and improving workplace safety and general working conditions for their employees. And last but not least, the participants were shown the concrete steps involved in implementing projects aimed at introducing energy efficient technologies.

 

As a further incentive for business owners to invest in energy efficiency projects, ProCredit Bank, in co-operation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), is offering special promotional loans under the MoSEFF 2 credit line. These “Eco” loans are designed to enable very small and small enterprises to purchase energy efficiency equipment and/or convert to renewable energy sources, thus contributing to the sustainable and profitable development of their business. Each loan includes a subsidy of between 5% and 20% of the total project value, depending on the technology used, the amount of energy saved and the reduction in CO2 emissions.

 

In the future, similar seminars will also be organised in other parts of the Republic of Moldova, in order to inform entrepreneurs in Orhei, Ungheni, Chisinau and other cities about the advantages of investing in energy efficiency projects and the opportunities they can create.