VOL. 31. NUMBER 3 | FEBRUARY 10 – FEBRUARY 23, 2023
HUF 2,100 | EUR 5 | USD 6 | GBP 4
HUNGARY’S PRACTICAL BUSINESS BI-WEEKLY SINCE 1992 | WWW.BUDAPESTBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPECIAL REPORT INSIDE THIS ISSUE
ESG Hungary Among Front Runners in ESG Regs With the EU pushing its European Green Deal, Hungary is proving itself among the frontrunners in the process to speed up the green transition with the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) leading the charge. 13
Magyar Bankholding Pushing Sustainable Finance Agenda András Puskás, the chief advisor to the president of Magyar Bankholding, talks to the BBJ about the leading role the lender wants to carve out for itself in the forefront of the ESG transition. 16
SOCIALITE
1st Time Release Outside Hungary for Cult Zalatnay Album On the 50th anniversary of the original album release of Sarolta Zalatnay’s cult hit “Hadd Mondjam El” (“Let Me Tell You”), Finnish label Svart Records has put out a digitally remastered edition. 21
Charting the ESG way Forward NEWS
Automotive Industry Driving the Way Forward The performance of the Hungarian industry in 2022 was a positive surprise; however, it was mainly the automotive sector driving the improved output. The energy crisis and the war in neighboring Ukraine still pose significant risks. 3
SPECIAL REPORT
What makes ESG so important? What opportunities does it represent for businesses? What are the risks of failing to consider it in the short-, medium- and long-term? Gergely Ferenczi, director of Opten’s Company Information Division, gives us his take. 15 BUSINESS
Hungarian CEOs not Planning pay Cuts or Layoffs Some 85% of Hungarian CEOs predict the local economy will decline in 2023, while 76% think there will be a global slowdown. PwC’s 12th annual Hungarian CEO Survey, launched on February 8, ranks the energy crisis the top threat to economic growth. 10