Mid-Market Climate Transition Barometer

While being central contributors to both GDP and greenhouse gas emissions, medium-sized enterprises are often perceived as a blind spot in climate action. According to the European Commission, their GHG contribution could represent up to two thirds of the total European emissions. As of today, the mid-market ecosystem is far from being ready to comply with the already-voted European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which will demand businesses with over 250 employees and €40m turnover to disclose their impact on climate, including scope 3 emissions, with a full-year reporting period starting on Jan 1st, 2026.

In light of this observation, have SMEs truly grasped the extent of the transformations required? Are they actively engaged in decarbonizing their activities? What obstacles must they overcome, and what opportunities does decarbonization present? To address these critical questions, Argos Wityu and BCG are proud to unveil the first edition of a barometer designed to evaluate the progress of European SMEs in their decarbonization efforts.

This study involved surveying 700 SME leaders in July 2023, across six European countries (France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg).