THE PONTIS Foundation and the Business Leaders Forum, in cooperation with the Stratégie monthly, held the 7th International Conference on Corporate Responsibility on May 13.
More than 130 representatives from companies and organisations had the opportunity to meet and discuss the latest trends in corporate responsibility (CR), the Pontis Foundation wrote in its press release.
The introductory presentation by Colleen Fletcher of CSR Europe discussed the challenges in today’s corporate world and their impacts on CR. The economic crisis revealed the importance of responsibility in management.
After the introductory panel, the conference was split into two parallel sessions. The presentation of Patrick O'Meara from the organisation Business in the Community was concerned with the impact of the recession on the marketplace.
The experience of Business in the Community’s members suggests that sustainability issues remain a priority during the downturn. Companies are more aware of the need to reduce ineffective processes and waste, as well as to renew the loyalty and trust of their customers.
The question of responsible communication and its impact on the value of a company was the theme of the second parallel session.
Tony Campos from the FTSE Group explained that the FTSE4Good Index is a list of companies that meet certain environmental and social standards and can be used by investors to create and measure funds. For CR management it is a type of 'reputational badge'. The index lists approximately 900 companies which are in compliance with criteria in the fields of environmental management, countering bribery, supporting human and labour rights, and management of their supply chain.
As a part of the conference, the organisers prepared a Marketplace of Solutions offering 20 examples of corporate responsibility from 17 companies. Projects were presented in four areas: responsibilty towards the environment, community, and employees and responsible communication and products. Participants voted for their favourite project.
The winner of the award for Best CR Solution went to Slovenské Elektrárne, a member of Enel Group, with its presentation Energy for Nature, a programme focused on preserving biodiversity in the High Tatras.
