Sustainability good practices in Baranya | Beyond Zero roundtable discussion

In the introduction to the screening, Tomas Svoboda, co-founder and CEO of SUSTAINOVA , a global business sustainability platform, welcomed the participating SME leaders and students. He highlighted the impact that even one person can have on the environment. He introduced the book “The Ecology of Commerce,” which appears in the film , and which started Ray Anderson , founding chairman of Interface, on the path to sustainability that the film is about. As part of the Design Pécs program series and the CURIOST project’s sustainability awareness campaign, the unique documentary film “Beyond Zero” was screened on October 10, 2024 at the Apollo Cinema. In the introduction to the screening, Tomas Svoboda, co-founder and CEO of SUSTAINOVA , a global business sustainability platform, welcomed the participating SME leaders and students. He highlighted the impact that even one person can have on the environment. He introduced the book “The Ecology of Commerce,” which appears in the film , and which started Ray Anderson , founding chairman of Interface, on the path to sustainability that the film is about. The participants of the roundtable discussion following the screening were: – Csaba Vér, PTE MIK , research assistant, moderator – Judit Turbéki, Holcim Hungary Ltd. , communications director – Gergely Pethő, EON Hungária Zrt. , operations management and telecommunications manager – Klára Cserna, ProInterier Ltd. (the exclusive Hungarian distributor of the Interface carpets featured in the film ), commercial director – Dr. Attila Pánovics , PTE Green University Program / PTE ÁJK, Adjunct Professor

What does it take to go beyond zero—to not only reduce our environmental footprint but to give back more than we take? This was the central theme of a lively roundtable in Pécs, where businesses, universities, and energy experts shared how they are reshaping everyday operations with sustainability at heart.

From the flooring under our feet to the energy powering our homes, the stories were both practical and inspiring. ProInterier Kft. presented Interface carpets, chosen by office investors and tenants not just for quality, but for the promise of carbon-negative production—a bold vision where manufacturing leaves a positive mark on the planet.

At the Királyegyháza cement plant, Holcim Hungary showed how even one of the most traditional industries can change course. By replacing fossil fuels with waste-derived alternatives, going paperless in daily operations, and swapping plastic bottles for reusable jugs, the factory is proving that sustainability can be built into both technology and culture—with the ambitious goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2040.

The energy sector brought its own challenges and opportunities. E.ON Hungária highlighted how digital technologies and smart homes are transforming the way we use electricity. Solar panels, batteries, and dynamic tariffs can turn households into active players in balancing the grid—making smarter choices instead of just building “thicker wires.”

Meanwhile, the University of Pécs—recognized as Hungary’s greenest university for the fourth year in a row—showed how education, research, and student engagement create ripple effects far beyond campus. With new projects like the “energy community,” the university is motivating thousands of students and staff to rethink daily habits and work toward climate neutrality.

What tied all these examples together was a shared belief: real change begins with leadership by example. Whether it’s a factory manager, a university rector, or a company’s senior team, visible commitment inspires people to act, not just comply. And when institutions join forces—on energy, mobility, or awareness—the path to a greener future becomes a collective journey.

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