The Business Association of Portugal (AEP) launched a new business sustainability support program aimed at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the North, at a time when the criteria ESG Environmental, social, and governance issues are gaining increasing weight in decisions regarding financing, investment, and trade relations.
The initiative, designated “New Direction to the North – Towards SustainabilityThe plan aims to support approximately 500 companies by 2027 through free ESG diagnostics, webinars, training programs, and the dissemination of best practices, seeking to accelerate the adaptation of the regional business sector to new regulatory and market demands.
The project emerges in a context where the Northern region is reinforcing its economic relevance, concentrating 522 companies, a figure that represents about a third of the national business fabric, more than 1,6 million workers and almost €26,7 billion in exports. The region also accounts for 33,6% of Portuguese goods exports and about 29% of the national turnover.
Despite this economic weight, significant internal inequalities persist. The Porto Metropolitan Area concentrates more than half of the regional economic activity, while territories such as Tâmega e Sousa, Alto Minho, or Terras de Trás-os-Montes continue to show levels of productivity and wealth below the European average.
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