Corporate Responsibility, page 10
News on corporate responsibility and the NGO sector
Corporate responsibility during the crisis
WHILE the economic downturn has not changed companies’ commitment to meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards, it has challenged them in terms of how to use reduced funds more effectively and search for new ways to behave responsibly. Affected by the crisis, companies have started to refer more often to sustainability in their operations, production and usage of energy and raw materials.
Maintaining fundamental principles even in difficult times
HAVING a responsible approach to business remains a topical issue for many companies in Slovakia and the economic crisis did not change their perspectives. Quite to the contrary, the economic downturn brought new needs which key players in the corporate sector viewed as a challenge and their companies responded with innovative ideas.
Volunteering helps seniors stay active
VOLUNTEERING makes senior citizens more active and doing so helps them feel useful and important to society.
Every size of employer can engage in CSR
CORPORATE social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy is not something limited solely to large companies. But while in large companies or their affiliates the main strategy arrives from ‘above’, in small and medium-sized companies the main impetus to pursue CSR comes from the owners.
Family-friendly award granted
AT THE International Day of Family 2010, the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Ministry announced the results of the 9th year of its competition called Employers Friendly to Family, Gender Equality and Equality of Chances. First place was won by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The state secretary of the Labour Ministry, Emília Kršíková, told the SITA newswire that GSK won the award for creative and long-term support for the harmonisation of career, family, and private life for its employees of both genders, for supporting mothers on leaves of absence, and for the possibility of career growth during parental leave, as well as for the support and development of flexible work opportunities.
Some organisations active in CSR and philanthropy in Slovakia
- Business Leaders Forum, www.blf.sk
Respect is the basis for corporate responsibility
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.
VSE CITY RUN has a ‘triple play’ in 2010
A unique event that originated in the city of Košice combines sport, a healthy lifestyle, culture, entertainment and even has a charitable aspect. This is a joint project of Východoslovenská energetika, the Eastern-Slovak Energy Company which is the initiator and main partner, and Progress Promotion Košice which serves as the organiser. VSE CITY RUN has now held its third annual event in cooperation with the city of Košice and other partners.
A record 111 nominees are competing for the 2009 Via Bona Slovakia Awards
In the 10th year of the Via Bona Slovakia Awards, the Pontis Foundation received a record of 113 nominations. The evaluation committee will review 111 nominations. Two nominations – projects of Západoslovenská Energetika, this year's general partner for the awards - were excluded from the competition.
Via Bona nominations open
COMPANIES with a distinct approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) can enter the running to win a Via Bona 2010 award. These will be the tenth such awards, which are presented by the Pontis Foundation.
Visegrad Donors Look to Serbia
Coordinating donor assistance is no easy job. When representatives of the Visegrad Four (V4) official development agencies met last week at a workshop in Bratislava, significant discussions made their attempts to synergise aid to their southern neighbour come ever closer to reality.
Helping hands from NGOs
WHEN the countries of the Visegrad Group (V4) joined the European Union they accepted the obligation to render aid and assistance to developing countries. In addition to the official policies of the EU and individual governments, there are several initiatives which, working in synergy with official efforts, help to make the changes in target countries more lasting and consistent by provision of non-financial assistance.
Managers get down on their knees
ON JUNE 13, a rather unfamiliar sight was witnessed by people passing the Lepší Svet centre in Bratislava. General directors and senior managers of well-known companies and institutions, important businesspeople as well as ambassadors, some with garden instruments in hand, some kneeling, were working hard to make the surroundings of the centre a little nicer.
Venture philanthropy is for donors
FOR some donors just giving out money to charity is not enough: they want to get more involved in solving social problems and are ready to offer their business skills and experiences. For them, there is a relatively new model of philanthropy, venture philanthropy, which connects the world of venture capitalists with the non-profit sector.
Civil society amid the crisis
“NO INDIVIDUAL corporation or big business can prosper if society as whole does not prosper,” wrote Jerome L. Himmelstein in his business world-shaking book Looking Good & Doing Good some ten years ago. These words fit quite well to our current global turmoil. Perhaps twice over, if we accept the importance of the basic rule of trust among key players in the standard business environment.
Our Bratislava calls on volunteers
FOR the third time, corporate volunteers have the chance to join the annual Naša Bratislava (Our Bratislava) project and to help make their surroundings nicer. As of June 3, a total of 1,100 volunteers from 39 companies and organisations had enrolled in the event, scheduled for June 12 and 13. They will join 52 projects at 43 non-governmental organisations. In total they will donate to Bratislava more than 3,500 hours of work, the Pontis Foundation told The Slovak Spectator. The foundation has prepared the event in cooperation with the Engage group and Bratislava City Council.
Civil society amid crisis
“NO INDIVIDUAL corporation or big business can prosper if society as whole does not prosper,” wrote Jerome L. Himmelstein in his business-world shaking book Looking Good & Doing Good some ten years ago. These words fit quite well to our current global turmoil. Perhaps twice as much, if we accept the importance of the basic rule of trust among key players in the standard business environment.
Win-win in the banking sector
THERE ARE various ways for banks to be corporately responsible. The Spanish banking house Caja Navarra Savings Bank (CAN) has launched a business model called Civic Banking, which enables the bank’s customers to decide how the profits made from their money will be used. In this way the bank has created a social network, linking customers to social projects in the community and abroad.Teresa Sádaba, the director of international relations at Caja Navarra, attended the sixth Annual Conference on Corporate Responsibility organised by the Pontis Foundation and the Business Leaders Forum in Bratislava between May 13 and 14 and introduced the Civic Banking model. The Slovak Spectator spoke with Sádaba about it.
Volunteers help out in Košice
U.S. STEEL Košice, the biggest employer in eastern Slovakia, has continued its tradition of volunteer events helping the city and the local community. On May 15 and 16 a total of 400 volunteers helped eight local organisations in the third year of the U.S. Steel for Košice event.
Orange: Social responsibility is an inseparable part of our business
Each strong company should – apart from making profit – also focus on its social responsibility towards employees, customers, business partners and citizens. At Orange Slovensko, we are among the leaders in this field as we have been building our business on solid and reliable foundations for many years and our driving forces are responsibility and quality services.
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