Natakhtari Best in 'Cross Sector Partnership – Shared Responsibility'
The awards ceremony of ‘Georgia's Responsible Business Competition Meliora 2018’ organized by the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) was held in Biltmore Hotel on December 13, within the framework of the EU supported project ‘Civil Society Development Initiative.’
41 companies participated in Georgia's Responsible Business competition with 76 projects nominated in the corporate social responsibility field. The jury revealed 10 winning companies with 10 projects in the various nominations.
The Natakhtari Company won with its project ‘Care for your Future in ‘Cross Sector Partnership – Shared Responsibility’ which was awarded by the Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Italy, Stefano Crescenzi.
"In the modern world, it is necessary to realize that a company is not just about maximizing profit,” said Natia Surmava, Brand Manager at Natakhtari Company. “It must create something valuable that is important for consumers and the public. In general, the Natakhtari Foundation aims to create exactly those values. We believe that strengthening abandoned/orphaned children and aiding their complete integration into society is beneficial for each of us. We thank the association ‘Our House – Georgia’ for its cooperation and also to the organizers of ‘Meliora 2018: Georgia Business Responsible Business Competition.’ This motivation is not only for us but for every company.”
Natakhtari Foundation has been helping abandoned/orphaned children towards independent lives since 2011. The sum is collected from November to February. More than 841835 GEL was collected in three years. Currently, 500 beneficiaries use the following services: psychological consultation, preparation in subjects, vocational education and driving license, purchase of equipment / materials for their professions, a scholarship (apartment rent, catering, road). The amount of money for each beneficiary is individually allocated according to need. The project is being implemented with the support and blessing of the Patriarch of Georgia and by the association Our House - Georgia. Transparency of the funds is confirmed by the international audit company PricewaterHouse Cooper.
The independent jury of the recent competition was composed of leading foreign and Georgian experts, including eleven international experts (from Great Britain, USA, Belgium, Denmark, Israel, Norway, Slovakia and other countries) and Georgian independent experts from international and local public organizations and academic circles.
The award ceremony was opened by Eka Urushadze, Executive Director of the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia. The audience was addressed by Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia, Carlo Natale. The welcoming speech was followed by awarding the winning companies in different categories by the honorable guests. 250 people attended the ceremony, including representatives of diplomatic corps, members of the Georgian government, local and international experts of this field and representatives of civil society and companies of Georgia.
By Mariam Merabishvili