An award for SMEs that combine growth, innovation and responsibility

The fifth edition of the Sustainable Business Award is now underway – an initiative promoted by *Il Sole 24 Ore* that recognises Italian small and medium-sized enterprises capable of combining growth, innovation and responsibility. This award is dedicated to organisations that are leading the transformation of the production system by integrating environmental, economic and social sustainability into their development models. Entries are free and open until 23 September on the website ilsole24ore.com/pis2026.

In a context where the digital and ecological transition is becoming an increasingly strategic driver, Italian businesses are called upon to develop models capable of generating lasting value, with a focus on human, environmental and economic capital. The Sustainable Business Award, organised in collaboration with Piccola Industria Confindustria, fits into this context as a platform for best practice, recognising SMEs that stand out for their capacity for innovation, resilience and long-term vision, whilst promoting projects in line with the European Union’s green taxonomy, the objectives of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the development of new sustainable supply chains.

SMEs may apply in one or two of the three categories provided: environmental sustainability, with projects relating to the circular economy, energy efficiency and decarbonisation; economic sustainability, with models focused on value creation, employment and regional competitiveness; and social sustainability, with initiatives dedicated to inclusion, well-being at work and community support.

Entries will be assessed by a panel of experts chaired by Fabio Tamburini, editor-in-chief of *Il Sole 24 Ore*, who will select the winners on the basis of innovation, originality, impact and tangible results. The panel comprises Marina Brogi, lecturer in the Economics of Financial Intermediaries at the University of Milan-Bicocca; Margherita Perretti, President of Piccola Industria Confindustria Basilicata and a member of the Central Council of Piccola Industria Confindustria; Maria Carmela Colaiacovo, President of the Il Sole 24 Ore Group; and Edoardo Garrone, President of Erg.

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 29 October 2026 in Rome, as part of the Sustainability Forum 2026, a key event for dialogue between businesses, institutions and stakeholders on sustainability issues.