The final event of the Scale UP event: Big for Small, held on January 23, 2026 in Zagreb, concluded the LEAD project, a twelve-month regional initiative dedicated to strengthening capacities for the application of ESG principles and developing practical digital tools for small and medium-sized enterprises. LEAD was implemented as a joint venture of partner organizations from Montenegro (Alicorn), Croatia (PRO-MAP) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (PRIME Communications). thanks to the support of the EmBRACE project for improving the competitiveness of micro and small enterprises implemented by HAMAG-BICRO, the Croatian Agency for Small Business, Innovation and Investment, with the aim of moving ESG from an abstract regulatory framework into the domain of applicable business practice.
Through research, education, platform and application development, and a series of regional events, the project responded to a key challenge for the region: filling the gaps in the lack of knowledge, tools, and a common language when it comes to sustainable business.
"We are extremely proud to be able to participate in the final event of the LEAD project, which was funded under the 1st call of the Small Projects Fund. Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro , which is being implemented with the assistance of the HAMAG-BICRO agency. I am convinced that all contracted projects such as the LEAD project represent examples of good practice that provide added cross-border value and strong evidence of integrated, sustainable and inclusive growth in the program area - improving the sustainable growth and competitiveness of micro and small enterprises. The Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds of the Republic of Croatia, as the Managing Authority, remains a reliable partner to all stakeholders, applicants and beneficiaries of the program", emphasized Stela Arneri, Director of the Directorate for European Territorial Cooperation at the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds in her introductory speech, and the name of Minister Nataša Mikuš Žigman.
The most concrete result of the project was presented as ESG Coach, a digital platform and application designed for the needs of small and medium-sized businesses that want to understand ESG principles, but without complex procedures and high costs. The platform combines self-assessment, education and personalized recommendations, allowing companies to easily review their ESG status and plan their next steps.
A special focus during the final event was placed on the way ESG Coach was developed and adapted to users.
"The greatest value of the ESG Coach platform lies in its accessibility, that is, in the way it is designed to fit into how people today actually learn and acquire knowledge. We focused on simple language, short formats, and content that stems from real-life situations in everyday business. The goal was not just to inform users, but to motivate them to take a step forward and start applying ESG principles in practice," emphasized Sanja Gardašević Janion (Alicorn).
The overall event program focused on the broader context of partnerships, the role of knowledge and trust in business growth. Scale UP in practice was presented by Marko Emer (Electronic Invoices) and Ivan Brčić (Alagrom) with a discussion on how fiscal discipline, digital tools and partnerships with large systems are becoming a prerequisite for serious business scaling.
Dragan Močević gave an overview of the challenges of family businesses, as well as solutions to make them sustainable, and how ESG can become a tool for strengthening competitiveness, rather than an additional administrative burden. The interest of the business community in practical solutions and regional cooperation was absolutely confirmed by this event.
Speaking about the practical application of ESG principles within organizations, Mirela Glavaš (PRO-MAP) emphasized that the ESG Coach and self-assessment tool encompass key business processes and strengthen all levels of the organization – from top management to every employee.
"Through ESG Coach, we strengthen the understanding of ESG fundamentals, the development of strategies and sustainable business models that include finance, procurement, sales, logistics, human resources, marketing and other key functions. We view ESG as a joint step forward for the entire organization, not as an individual or exclusively legal obligation, relying on practical examples and existing tools and certificates available on the market that are interconnected and applicable to companies," said Glavaš.
Dobrila Močević (PRIME Communications) reflected on the end of the LEAD project and its long-term significance, emphasizing that ESG should not be viewed exclusively through the prism of regulations.
"The need to operate in accordance with ESG standards is not a matter of regulation, but of fundamental business and social literacy - financial, social and managerial. I wish I had such structured and easy access to the knowledge and tools that we share at the time of founding the company. LEAD has fulfilled its mission in every sense: it has empowered our three organizations with new knowledge and partnerships, promoted ESG principles through communication activities, online and through events like this, and educated the wider public. A particularly important result is the ESG Coach platform and application, tools that can help any newly established and existing craft, business or organization to simply reassess itself, and then strengthen it in an accessible and practical way," said Močević.
The completion of the LEAD project completes a development cycle, but with a lasting result. ESG Coach remains as a common regional tool intended for everyday business practice, further learning and strengthening the competitiveness of companies that want to grow in line with European and global standards, in a manner adapted to the local context.
More information is available at: esgcoach.me.
Partnerships established during the implementation of the LEAD project are a space for the exchange of good practices and include the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the Women and the Wheel conference, Lika Club, Women Yacht Club, Eduza.hr, the Chamber of Commerce of the Republika Srpska, the esgkorisno.ba platform, and the Center for Finance and Strategies.
LEAD is being implemented thanks to the support of the EmBRACE project for improving the competitiveness of micro and small enterprises implemented by HAMAG-BICRO, the Croatian Agency for Small Business, Innovation and Investment. The project is co-financed by the Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021-2027 Programme. The contents of the LEAD project were developed with the assistance of the European Union.
All content created within the LEAD project is the sole responsibility of the consortium consisting of Alicorn (CG), PRO-MAP (HR) and PRIME Communications (BiH) and can in no way be considered to reflect the views of the European Union.
You can follow the LEAD project online and on social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/esg.coach/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/esg-coach/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574549316304 Web - www.esgcoach.me
