23% increase in investor interest for 'Eko-Drzewo' in 5 months
We helped a medium-sized sawmill from Podlasie systematize environmental data and report it in accordance with ESG standards. Thanks to our actions, the company 'Eko-Drzewo' more effectively presented its sustainable business model, which translated into concrete interest from 4 potential investors. As a result, we recorded a 23% increase in interest, visible in the received inquiries.
Eko-Drzewo Sp. z o.o. is a medium-sized sawmill from the Białystok area. They had a problem showing that they operate ecologically, which blocked their access to new investors. Podlaska Symbioza Biznesu helped them organize ESG data and increase fund interest by 23% in five months.
The challenge
The company Eko-Drzewo operated ecologically but couldn't showcase it well. They lacked a consistent system for collecting and presenting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data. Consequently, despite real pro-ecological actions, they struggled to attract serious investors, who increasingly look at these indicators.
In 2023, they tried to raise capital from three investment funds, but each meeting ended similarly: investors saw no clear evidence of sustainable development. Their previous reports were incomplete, lacking concrete numbers regarding, for example, water consumption, CO2 emissions, or wood sources. This made them appear less credible than competitors.
The CEO of Eko-Drzewo, Mr. Antoni Wójcik, frankly admitted to us that they lost two promising transactions simply because they didn't have an ESG report prepared to European standards. It was frustrating because they themselves had been investing in certified wood and energy-efficient machinery for years. They simply couldn't 'sell' it well on paper.
Our approach
We began our work with a detailed audit. For the first two weeks, we met with the Eko-Drzewo team, including production managers and the accounting department. We reviewed how the company manages data on energy consumption, water, waste, and raw material origin. Specifics matter, so we checked every document.
Then, for the next three weeks, we conducted workshops. We showed how to effectively collect data for ESG standards and what exactly interests investors. We also taught how to view the company's operations through the lens of benefits for the environment and the local community. Our team, which included an environmental reporting expert and a financial analyst, worked closely with local employees.
Finally, together with Eko-Drzewo, we built a new reporting system. It wasn't just a dry list of regulations. We focus on action, so we introduced tools that facilitated continuous tracking of indicators and their presentation. The entire process lasted a total of 11 weeks. We also helped create the first, comprehensive ESG presentation.
The solution
The main result of our work was the creation of a consistent and transparent ESG report. This report contained all necessary data, from electricity consumption (a 3.2% drop in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023 thanks to new machines) to the number of OHS trainings for employees. We also introduced a carbon footprint monitoring system, which was previously estimated 'by eye,' and now relied on precise data from meters.
For the management board of Eko-Drzewo, we prepared a presentation template for investors. It showed how to use the collected ESG data to highlight the real value of the company. Instead of generalities, there were hard numbers and concrete examples of actions, such as recycling 94.6% of wood waste or supporting a local beekeeper association with 7,500 PLN annually.
What's more, we helped implement a simple spreadsheet for monthly data collection. Thanks to this, Eko-Drzewo will not have to start from scratch every year. No beating around the bush – they now have a ready-to-use tool that they can operate themselves. This made the process 6.8 times faster than previous manual information gathering.
Results
Thanks to our actions, Eko-Drzewo Sp. z o.o. quickly noticed a change. Their new ESG report and professional presentation opened doors to investment funds. After just the first month of implementation, they received inquiries from 4 funds, which was a record for them. This showed that profit from green responsibility is real.
Timeline
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January 2024Initial audit of Eko-Drzewo's processes and ESG data.
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February 2024Workshops with the client's team, training on ESG requirements for the wood industry.
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March 2024Building a data collection system and environmental reporting templates.
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April 2024Development of the first version of the ESG report and presentation for investors.
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May 2024Finalization of documents, preparation for meetings with potential investors.
"We always knew we operated with respect for the environment, but we lacked the tools to reliably demonstrate it. Thanks to Podlaska Symbioza Biznesu, we organized everything in 11 weeks and today we have 4 concrete inquiries from funds that we could only dream of before."