At an official ceremony yesterday BBLF announced winners of its 2017 Responsible Business Awards. 112 entries of 71 companies vied for the prizes in the six categories of the 15th edition of the prestigious CSR competition.
BBLF’s Awards seek to champion excellence in good business practices in the environment, education, human capital and the community at large. The ceremony enabled business peers to share ideas and experiences in sustainability and responsibility as it presented all entries before announcing the finalists.
The prize winners were selected by an independent jury comprising representatives of business associations, the public and NGO sector, the academia and the media. One of all entries, selected with the cooperation of the British Embassy in Sofia received the special Engage award that recognises employee commitment to a social good initiative.
The event was attended by over 200 guests: senior executives from BBLF member companies, companies that took part in the contest, jury members, partners from civic organisations, diplomats and the media. The awards were handed out by Emil Karanikolov, Minister of Economy; Biser Petkov, Minister of Labour and Social Policy; Doncho Barbalov, Deputy Mayor of Sofia; Denitsa Sacheva, Deputy Minister of Education and Science; Nikolay Kanchev, Deputy Minister of Environment and Water; Iravan Hira, BBLF Chairman; and H.E. Emma Hopkins, British Ambassador to Sofia.
„The huge number of entries this year indicates that a growing number of companies share the concept that in order to be successful in the long run we have to not only offer good products and services but also contribute to society ensuring a better future for generations to come. Businesses in Bulgaria lead the change in providing solutions that have a positive impact on today’s economic, social, and environmental challenges so we eventually make Bulgaria a better place to work and live in”, BBLF Chairman Iravan Hira said in his address at the opening of the ceremony, elegantly hosted by TV anchor Radinela Buserska of Bulgaria on Air TV.
Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov handed out the prizes in the Investor in Community category that garnered the record-breaking 35 entries. The statue, one of seven made by artist Nikola Enev for the event, was won by Raiffeisenbank’s charity campaign titled Choose to Help that supports social good projects. LIDL Bulgaria ranked second with the You and Lidl for a Better Life initiative and Telenor ranked third with its Safer Internet campaign.
L'Oreal Bulgaria won the title prize in the Investor in Knowledge category that saw 20 entries. The company was recognised for its For Women in Science 2017 campaign that provides grants to young female scientists. CEZ Distribution Bulgaria got to the second position with its Energy Technical Training Centre followed by Coca Cola Bulgaria and its Youth Empowered programme, a free career development online platform.
The winner of the Investor in the Environment category is LIDL Bulgaria with its Give Balkan Trout a Chance project. Dundee Precious Metals Chelopech’s Alternative Uses of Rehabilitated Land initiative ranked second and Humanita ranked third with its system for separate textiles collection. BBLF provides finalists in the environmental category with the chance to benchmark their CSR performance against those of their peers across Europe as they are eligible to run for the European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE). BBLF is EBAE‘s national coordinator in Bulgaria.
Telenor is this year’s Investor in Human Capital and Working Conditions with Open Mind Bulgaria, a programme for social integration and professional development of people with disabilities. It was followed by Nestle Bulgaria and Nestle Needs YOUth programme and dm Bulgaria with its sustainability training project.
The Cause-Related Marketing Award went again to Avon Cosmetics Bulgaria and its From Love to Life – Avon Against Breast Cancer campaign. Coca Cola HBC Bulgaria ranked second with its Hot Meal Christmas Charity Campaign in partnership with the Bulgarian Red Cross and the Fantastico supermarket chain. IKEA ranked third with its Time for Games and Good Things project.
The winner of the Best Social Policy of Small and Medium-Sized Company award is Questers through its Quality Education for Every Child in Bulgaria campaign in support of Teach for Bulgaria. Eurofootball’s Sports Talents Programme and AbbVie’s You Lead the Change campaigns earned them second and third place, respectively.
EVN Bulgaria scooped the special Engage award for employee commitment for its EVN for Bulgaria, a corporate volunteering programme: 770 EVN employees dedicated 6,000 man-hours to 104 community initiatives in 2017 alone.
