On 3–4 September 2025, Brussels became the meeting point for European business leaders, policymakers, and researchers at the SME2B Business Forum Europe 2025 with the HÉTFA Research Institute represented by Anna Szentes and Laura Csóka. The event, organised by European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME, served as the stage for the final partner meeting of the Erasmus+ funded Net0Manager project, which over the past two years has pioneered new training tools to prepare small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the climate-neutral economy. HÉTFA is a partner of the Net0Manager project.
The Forum opened with reflections on the pivotal role of SMEs in Europe’s green and digital transition. Keynote speeches explored pragmatic pathways to achieving net zero by 2050, the European Union’s climate strategy, and the growing role of global carbon markets in building international alliances for climate neutrality.
The programme continued with a high-level panel on innovation policies for SMEs and mid-caps, debating how European frameworks can better support competitiveness and resilience. A landmark moment of the Forum was the signing of a memorandum of understanding establishing the EU–African SME Carbon Reduction, Removal and Compensation Alliance (EASME-CERRCA), signalling closer cooperation between European and African business communities in advancing sustainable growth.
A dedicated Net0Manager session showcased the project’s results. Partners presented how micro-credentials can help SMEs acquire the skills needed for carbon management, ESG compliance, and sustainable transformation. Best-practice cases from companies already progressing on their net-zero journey demonstrated that change is not only possible but already underway.
At the final partner meeting, the consortium reviewed its achievements. HÉTFA Research Institute’s colleagues, Anna Szentes and Laura Csóka, presented the project’s Policy Study on Micro-Credentials for Net Zero, along with the synthesis report of six national focus groups, which demonstrated the demand for flexible, skills-based training across Europe. Both publications will soon be accessible on the Net0Manager website.
Although the project has formally ended, the Net0Manager Training Platform remains open, providing SMEs with free, flexible learning resources to support their climate neutrality transition.
The Forum concluded with a clear message: SMEs are not just participants in Europe’s climate transition—they are essential drivers of it. By investing in skills, innovation, and new training approaches, European SMEs can lead the way towards a more competitive, sustainable, and climate-neutral economy.