Italian medium-sized firms plan major green and digital investments despite financing hurdles

A recent Argos‑BCG Climate Transition Barometer shows that 87% of Italian small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) view decarbonisation as an opportunity, with 47% already accelerating their efforts. Between 2026 and 2028, 76% of these firms intend to invest in digital technologies and 73% in green initiatives, according to a Unioncamere‑Mediobanca‑Tagliacarne report. However, three‑quarters of the companies face at least one obstacle. The most cited barrier is high upfront costs (41.2%), followed by regulatory uncertainty (34%) and competing priorities for resources (32.5%). Financing remains the primary constraint, limiting the ability of firms to turn climate goals into competitive advantages. About 56% of SMEs report that climate actions already deliver benefits such as energy‑cost savings, market access and better financing terms. Skill shortages affect 25.3% of firms, prompting 73.9% to rely on external consultants, while 53.3% involve suppliers and customers in their sustainability projects. Gaetano Fausto Esposito, director of the Centro Studi Tagliacarne, stresses that targeted policy support is needed to sustain the momentum of Italy’s “fourth capitalism”.