Hosted by Generali in partnership with the UNDP Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF)

Wednesday, December 6th 2023 ︳11:30 – 13:00 (GMT+4) ︳Italian Pavilion (Blue Zone) Watch the Livestream

With the objective of sparking conversation around the topic of SMEs journey to climate resilience, this event aims at creating awareness and enable a solution-focused discussion with Italian, EU and International institutions to drive sustainable development and climate adaptation for SMEs around the world, and mostly for those of most vulnerable countries. This event is designed to spur further thinking and action in countries around the world on different ways in which resilience to climate change can be promoted.

Key event themes:

• In most countries, the private sector accounts for more than 60% of GDP, and SMEs in developing countries provide around 60% of all employment, supporting the livelihoods of billions globally.
• We need to draw attention to SMEs in times of such growing threats from climate change and climate-related risks and spread public and private awareness that both sectors have an important role to play in safeguarding vulnerable communities and helping to develop SME capacities to manage risks.
• In a first step, the risks SMEs are exposed to, especially in developing countries, should be highlighted. How does climate change impact their business activities? Are SMEs - in an international comparison - more likely to be threatened by property damage or by business interruption due to climate change etc.?
• Understanding needs to be created on what SME resilience to climate risks means and why an integrated approach (e.g. Integrated Climate/Disaster Risk Management - ICDRM) makes sense.
• Actions and programs that are undertaken by the public sector (EU Commission and Italian ecosystem), by international institutions (UNDP) and by the private sector (Generali) to create the right incentives for the promotion of new, resilient economic opportunities should be presented.
• Through these types of engagements, the public and private sectors can become more active agents of change in advancing resilience in SMEs development process.
• In the end, a comparison with the climate risk-resilience of SMEs in developed countries can stimulate further discussion on transferring experiences and learnings to developing countries.

Speakers:

Read more: 

• UNDP and Generali partner to develop insurance and risk finance solutions
• Innovation challenge to support business resilience in Malaysia

About UNDP:

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

About UNDP’s Insurance and Risk Finance Facility:

UNDP’s the Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF), is a flagship initiative housed within the organization’s Sustainable Finance Hub. It is currently working in more than 20 countries and will move to 50 countries by 2025. All of the IRFF work is aligned to the goals of the InsuResilience Vision 2025 which aims to cover 500 million people with insurance solutions in developing countries in the next three years.

About the Generali Group:

Generali is one of the largest global insurance and asset management providers. Established in 1831, it is present in over 50 countries in the world, with a total premium income of € 81.5 billion in 2022. With 82,000 employees serving 68 million customers, the Group has a leading position in Europe and a growing presence in Asia and Latin America. At the heart of Generali’s strategy is its Lifetime Partner commitment to customers, achieved through innovative and personalised solutions, best-in-class customer experience and its digitalised global distribution capabilities. The Group has fully embedded sustainability into all strategic choices, with the aim to create value for all stakeholders while building a fairer and more resilient society.