This report illustrates the rationale and structure of a survey aimed at investigating the resilience of Italian firms to climate change. 

The survey aligns with the main objectives of the ‘Growing Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable (GRINS)’ project, specifically Work Package 1.4, ‘Migliorare la produzione di valore dei territori supportando la sostenibilità del business’ (‘Improving territories’ value creation by supporting business sustainability’).

The questionnaire aims to collect data on the readiness level of Italian SMEs to address climate change risks across the following areas of investigation: Risk perception; Green investment; Emissions; Sustainability reporting, committee and remuneration; Green finance; Environmental programs; Ownership and legal form; Biodiversity.

Data from the questionnaire will allow the identification of different strategic postures among Italian SMEs, which will be further investigated for firm-level determinants in the second phase of the project.

This report serves as a theoretical background to the themes explored in the questionnaire. First, it presents the research context, framework, and conceptual framework. Next, the methodology is described. The subsequent sections focus on each area of investigation. The full questionnaire and its glossary are included in the Appendix.