STAGE SUSTAINABILITY TRANSITION PROGRAMME

The STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme is an EU initiative aimed at supporting European industrial SMEs in their transition towards sustainability. The programme is currently open for recruitment and offers various forms of support including sustainability assessments, training, and advisory services, but does not provide direct funding in this initial call. The call began on July 17, 2023, and will close on May 31, 2025.

Eligible applicants must be European SMEs defined as legal entities with fewer than 250 employees and an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. The geographic scope includes all EU member states and eligible Horizon Europe countries such as Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, among others. The purpose of the programme is to help SMEs develop sustainability transition plans, enhance their investment readiness, and attract private finance.

The programme operates in three phases: first is a Sustainability Assessment, which includes evaluating an SME's carbon footprint and readiness for investments; second is the Training and Capacity Building phase, which provides essential training modules to assist SMEs; and third is the Advisory Services phase, where selected SMEs can work on developing investment project plans and apply for financial grants.

While the current call does not offer funding, it lays the groundwork for participation in a future STAGE Financial Grant Programme where up to 100 SMEs may receive grants of up to EUR 50,000 through separate applications. There is no co-funding requirement at this stage, and the admission process follows a first-come, first-served model. Up to 2000 SMEs can receive guidance, with about 500 SMEs participating in training, and only a limited number eligible for grants.

Overall, the STAGE Programme seeks to create a supportive ecosystem for industrial SMEs striving for sustainability, encouraging them to engage in practices that align with EU sustainability indicators and goals.

The STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme is a recruitment call open to any European industrial SME. The programme aims to identify and work with SMEs to help them develop sustainability transition plans, become investment ready, and attract private finance. The opening date was July 17, 2023, and the deadline is May 31, 2025, at 01:00 Brussels time. The call is currently open for submission. The total funding available is 0.00 EUR for this specific recruitment call. The project acronym is STAGE, and the full name of the EU funded project is Sustainable Transition to the Agile and Green Enterprise. The grant agreement number is 101058693. The topic is HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01-29 - 'Innovate to transform' support for SME's sustainability transition (CSA).

The call process requires completing an inquiry form on the STAGE Platform, powered by GND, accessible via https://gnd.one/operator-inquiry?_ga=2.29332922.761682221.1684482252-2034921708.1684482252. After registration, SMEs must log on to the platform and complete the Initial Assessment online. An initial eligibility check is performed based on the information provided in the Initial Assessment form. All companies meeting the eligibility criteria can benefit from advisory support under the STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme. A separate call aims to attract Sustainability Advisors to the STAGE ecosystem, available at https://stagepartners.eu/call-for-advisors.

Eligibility rules:

1. The company must be an SME, complying with the European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC and the SME qualification guide: https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2873/255862. An SME employs fewer than 250 persons, with an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million.

2. The company's headquarters must be in an EU member state or an eligible Horizon Europe country: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Eligible SMEs can benefit from the STAGE Programme's sustainability assessment, training, and advisory services and apply for grants under The STAGE Financial Grant Programme (separate calls are published). More information is available at: https://stagepartners.eu/call-for-enterprises.

Admission to the STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme is on a first-come, first-served basis. Up to 2000 SMEs will be guided by Sustainability Advisors to benefit from sustainability transition assessment tools and develop a Sustainability Transition Plan. Up to 500 SMEs will benefit from STAGE sustainability training courses. Up to 100 SMEs will be awarded a financial grant to develop their investment projects (separate open calls are published). Up to 20 SMEs will receive additional financial advisory support.

Questions can be directed to info@stagepartners.eu. Further details are available at https://stagepartners.eu/call-for-enterprises.

The STAGE program is divided into three phases:

PHASE 1: Sustainability Assessment, including Initial & Performance assessment, Carbon Footprint assessment, and EU Taxonomy assessment. Transition roadmaps and Sustainability Transition Plans will be developed for at least 500 SMEs completing this phase.

PHASE 2: Training and capacity building. Training modules in 4 Pillars have been created by the STAGE partners to help with SMEs’ sustainability transition.

PHASE 3: Advisory services to develop investment project plans and attract private funding. 100 SMEs shall be granted up to EUR 50 000 through the STAGE Financial Grant Programme via separate calls and additional application process. The best performing 20 companies shall receive dedicated financial advisory.

In summary, the STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme aims to recruit SMEs and provide them with support to become more sustainable and attract investment. This support includes sustainability assessments, training, and advisory services. The program is structured in three phases, starting with an assessment of the SME's current sustainability practices, followed by training and capacity building, and culminating in advisory services to help the SME develop investment project plans and attract private funding. While this particular call does not offer direct funding, it serves as a gateway for SMEs to access various support mechanisms, including potential financial grants of up to EUR 50,000 through separate calls. The program is open to SMEs based in EU member states and eligible Horizon Europe countries, and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant type is any European industrial SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise). An SME is defined as a legal entity employing fewer than 250 persons with an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million, or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million, in accordance with the European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism for this specific call is advisory support and training. However, the program also mentions separate calls for financial grants. This initial call focuses on recruitment for the STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme, which provides sustainability assessments, training, and advisory services. Later, a subset of participants can apply for financial grants under the STAGE Financial Grant Programme through separate calls.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity is for a single applicant, specifically an individual SME.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and eligible Horizon Europe countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Target Sector: The target sector is broad, focusing on the sustainability transition of European industrial SMEs. This encompasses various industries aiming to become more sustainable and competitive. The program targets SMEs needing support in sustainability assessment, training, and attracting private finance for green investments.

Mentioned Countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and all EU member states.

Project Stage: The project stage targets SMEs that are looking to develop their sustainability transition plans, become investment-ready, and attract private finance. This suggests a focus on development and validation stages, moving towards commercialization through sustainable practices.

Funding Amount: The initial call does not offer direct funding. It provides access to sustainability assessment, training, and advisory services. However, it mentions that 100 SMEs will be granted up to EUR 50,000 through a separate STAGE Financial Grant Programme. The total funding available for this initial call is listed as 0,00 €.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with admission to the STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme being done on a first-come, first-served basis. The call requires completion of an inquiry form on the STAGE Platform, followed by an online Initial Assessment.

Nature of Support: The initial support is primarily non-monetary services, including sustainability assessments, training courses, and advisory services. Selected SMEs may later be eligible for monetary grants through separate calls.

Application Stages: The application process involves multiple stages:
1. Completion of the inquiry form on the STAGE Platform.
2. Completion of the Initial Assessment online.
3. Initial eligibility check based on the Initial Assessment.
4. Participation in the STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme (for eligible SMEs).
5. Potential application for the STAGE Financial Grant Programme (through separate calls).

Success Rates: The success rates vary depending on the stage. Up to 2000 SMEs will be guided by Sustainability Advisors. Up to 500 SMEs will benefit from training courses. Up to 100 SMEs will be awarded a financial grant, and up to 20 SMEs will receive additional financial advisory support. This indicates a decreasing success rate as SMEs progress through the program phases.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement for the initial STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme. However, it is implied that attracting private funding is a goal, suggesting that co-funding or investment will be relevant in later stages, particularly for the investment projects.

Summary:

The STAGE Sustainability Transition Programme is an EU-funded initiative designed to support European industrial SMEs in their journey towards sustainability. This particular call focuses on recruiting SMEs for the program, offering them access to sustainability assessments, training, and advisory services. The program is structured in three phases: Sustainability Assessment, Training and Capacity Building, and Advisory Services to develop investment project plans and attract private funding.

The initial application process involves completing an inquiry form and an online Initial Assessment to determine eligibility. Admission to the program is on a first-come, first-served basis, with a target of guiding up to 2000 SMEs. While this initial call does not provide direct financial grants, it serves as a gateway for SMEs to receive valuable support in developing their sustainability transition plans and becoming investment-ready. Furthermore, a subset of these SMEs will have the opportunity to apply for financial grants of up to EUR 50,000 through separate calls under the STAGE Financial Grant Programme. The best performing 20 companies shall receive dedicated financial advisory.

The program is open to SMEs based in EU member states and eligible Horizon Europe countries. It aims to transform these companies into competitive and sustainable leaders within the European industrial community by helping them with carbon footprint assessment, EU taxonomy assessment, and overall sustainability transition. The deadline for this call is May 31, 2025.