EU Funded Project Awards Best CSR Initiatives with First Meliora Award
On 13 December, the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) organized and held the Award Ceremony of Georgia’s Responsible Business Award Meliora within the EU-funded project “Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” 2018.
41 companies with 76 CSR projects/initiatives participated in Georgia’s Responsible Business Awards. The independent jury consisted of leading Georgian and international experts, among them eleven well-known international CSR experts from Great Britain, USA, Belgium, Denmark, Israel, Norway, Slovakia and other countries; and Georgian jury, who represented leading international and local civil society organisations and academia.
The event was launched by Eka Urushadze, Executive Director of CSRDG followed by presentation of CSR awards by honorable guests. Overall the ceremony was attended by 250 persons, including representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Georgian Government, national and international experts in the field and members of the Georgian business community and civil society.
Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union to Georgia Carlo Natale about Georgia’s Responsible Business Award Meliora: “Like elsewhere in the world, sharing corporate social responsibility is a very important part of economic, environmental and sustainable development of the society in Georgia. Therefore, publicizing excellent CSR practices of businesses through competition will develop this process even further, encourage other businesses to get involved in CSR and will have positive impact on the well-being of Georgia’s population”.
The independent jury awarded the following businesses in different categories:
1) The Best Responsible Large Company of the Year became MFO Crystal - the award was presented by deputy head of the delegation of the European Union to Georgia Carlo Natale;
2) Bank of Georgia was awarded in the Best Green Initiative category for the project “Gzad” - the award was also presented by deputy head of the delegation of the European Union to Georgia Carlo Natale;
3) In the same category, the small and medium company TRC was awarded for the project “Do not dump what can be recycled” - the award was presented by Anna Bolt, international jury member of Meliora.
4) Policy and Management Consulting Group PMCG was acknowledged in the category: Responsible Employer for its Employee Development Program - the award was presented by Tamila Barkalaia, Deputy Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia.
5) GPI Holding was named the best in the category: Responsibility in the Marketplace – for its support to small and medium businesses - the award was presented by Ekaterine Mikabadze, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.
6) TBC Bank was awarded as the best company in the category: Supporting Community, with its project “Tsereqartulad” (Write in Georgian) - the awards was presented by H.E. Ambassador of Sweden to Georgia, Mr. Ulrik Tidestrome.
7) Small and Medium Company ACT – was awarded in the same category for its support to social entrepreneurship - award was presented by director of Enterprise Georgia Mikheil Khidureli.
8) In the category: Cross Sector Partnership – Shared Responsibility, Natakhtari was awarded for its “Care about Future” project - Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Stefano Crescenzi.
9) Advertising company HOLMES&WATSON was acknowledged for the project #ARGAMBOLO in the best Creative CSR category - the award was presented by Pavel Hrica, Senior Manager of Pontis Foundation.
10) Palitra Media Holding project “Makuliteratura” was awarded in the special category of Waste Management Initiative - the award was presented by Ms. Lauren K.Russell the Deputy Director of Economic Growth Office at USAID Georgia.
Support
The Contest was supported by international and local business associations and Government of Georgia, including: Academy of the Ministry of Finance; Committee of European Integration of Parliament of Georgia; Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia; Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia; Tbilisi City Hall; Embassy of Sweden to Georgia; United State Agency for International Development (USAID); Association of Communication Agencies of Georgia (ACAG); CENN; Georgian Business Association (BAG); Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency; Georgian Microfinance Association; Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Enterprise Georgia; European Business Association (EBA); EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC); International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The special “Waste Management” category of Georgia’s Responsible Business Awards was supported by USAID-funded Waste Management Technologies in Regions Program (Phase II) implemented by CENN and the special category of “Creative CSR” was endorsed by Association of Communication Agencies of Georgia (ACAG).
Georgia’s Responsible Business Awards Meliora sponsors: Dugladze Wine company; Micro Business Capital, Sarajishvili, Tep, Holo and Holliday Inn. The Awards Ceremony was hosted and supported by Hotel Biltmore Tbilisi.
About the project ‘Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative’: Starting from January 2017 a consortium led by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in partnership with Georgian civil society organizations: Center for Strategic Research and Development (CSRDG), Civil Society Institute (CSI), Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC) and Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC), has been implementing the Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative (CSSIGE) in order to address key challenges of Georgian civil society sector. The project is funded by the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.
About implementing organizations: Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia which was established in 1995 has successful multi-year experience in the field of civil sector development in Tbilisi as well as in the regions of Georgia. CSRDG has been focused on results that can improve the lives of individuals and societies in general.