News archive
August 15th 2007
August, 15: Yesterday, Carpathian Foundation launched www.thewayitworks.org site with the aim to keep the reader updated about the project The Way It Works financed by the European Commission.
The project is implemented in four of five countries of the Carpathian region: Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. Its main goal is to contribute to dissemination of information and implementation of existing practices of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and so to maximize positive and to minimize negative impacts of business activities within the Carpathian region. Corporate social responsibility represents one of the most progressive practices leading to economic development and social cohesion, by expanding the involvement of the corporate community in building a civil society, and responding to environmental issues.
„We have decided to present and implement this project as we believe that the concept of corporate social responsibility is one of the effective instruments that contribute to better economic development and quality of life increase by stronger concern of companies about the solution of economic, social and environmental problems within the society“, Carpathian Foundation Director Laura Dittel said.
One of the most important project activity is raising awareness and improving knowledge about CSR and its impact on society among businesses, governments, education institutions, civil society organizations and other stakeholders. A part of the project is developing expertise and exchange of information on CSR and its existing instruments and practices, but also constructing transferable models of CSR practicefor new Member States of the European Union and the candidate countries.
The beginning of the project was dedicated to baseline research with the objective to measure experience and good practices on CSR in the Carpathian Region. The research involved semi-structured interviews and multi-stakeholder discussion fora (focus groups) in every of four involved countries. Slovak respondents involved in the research understand corporate social responsibility as ethical and fair behavior, ambition to share the profit and ambition to form partnerships with other stakeholders and so to help their community. The research study will provide the comparison of transnational level of CSR practices and existing experience, as well as identified barriers and opportunities in rural regions.
The international conference held in Prešov in September 26-27, 2007 will serve for discussions of the themes mentioned above and for presentation of best practices. It is expected that the conference will help to form cross-border platform for cooperation in the field of CSR. All important conclusions and recommendations of the activities mentioned above (research, regional multi-stakeholder discussion for and international conference) will be published in a printed publication as well as on the website www.thewayitworks.org and will be available in 5 languages: English, Slovak, Hungarian, Polish and Romanian.
After the project conclusion the web site will provide a virtual platform for maintaining and sharing all the available and up-to-date information about CSR including presentation of best practices from the Carpathian Region as well as direct connection to other important sources from the region, but also Europe and overseas.
