CSR360

Posted: Tuesday 10 May 11, 10.00am GMT

Companies, which treat the liability as part of business strategy and market positioning against the competition, established a more strategic approach towards their involvement in such social projects.

Several major companies, including companies from the Treasury, decided to develop a long-term strategy of this CSR. Moreover, the corporate volunteering becomes one of the major areas of it. Still, the main areas of interest remain unchanged:

• Polish companies most often engage themselves in activities concerning social welfare, environmental protection and education.
• Major social problems they have to face is poverty, lack of adequate social conditions and children having difficulties with learning.
• The main beneficiaries of their activities are children, local communities and the disabled.

This was the major reasons for which a small number of entries to the EEVA was recorded, just 7 companies with 14 entries in 3 categories in total. The very tight focus on specific groups of beneficiaries, such as people with difficulties in the Polish labor market or the unemployed, meant that many companies, that carry out valuable projects, decided not to participate in the Awards.

Polish inspirers
An interesting trend, that has been noticed in the last year, is a growth of interest in employee volunteering among state institutions and public administration. Medical University of Lodz, Polish winner in the EEVA category of Newcomer and Innovation is an excellent example.

It was Poland’s first project implemented both by a university and public institution, which acted for the local community in a structured manner. The project was created for the people who are terminally ill and their families, as well as the families that have already been orphaned. It also aims at the university staff to help develop their social skills, gain additional experience or pursue hobbies. It involves the retired staff, but on the other hand, it encourages students to specialize in palliative medicine, a very scarce choice in Poland. But most of all, it is designed to change the stereotypes in thinking about hospices in the medical community, among policy makers and society in general.

This application definitely stood out among others because of the absolutely pioneering approach to the concept of an employee volunteer, which still remains the domain of international corporations with local branches such as Citi Handlowy – the winner in Large Company category- which provides one of the best patterns in Poland.

Since its inception, the CITI program has been unique in terms of the scale of its volunteer activities, the volume of its financial support, its professional management, and its numerous volunteer support instruments (insurance, cost reimbursement, extra days off for volunteer work, and specially designed IT tools).

The program also features innovative communication techniques -a group of volunteering program champions in the Bank, volunteering program screensavers on every employee’s computer, text messaging, special information films displayed on plasma screens at bank branches, newsletters, presentations held at regular employee/management meetings, special information modules included in the training program for new employees, dedicated websites, films documenting volunteer activities, and poster and leaflet campaigns). It has become an inspiration and model for other companies looking to launch their own employee volunteering programs.

Volunteer Centre and the Year of Volunteering
The Volunteer Centre was not only the first such initiative in Poland but also in the region. The primary objective of the Association is the promotion and development of civic society in local communities. Since 2002 the organization has been running a program addressed to Polish companies involved in developing employee volunteering. The program was the first in Poland and until now the only one, which provides long-term and structured support for employee volunteering enterprises. However, in recent years some other organizations promoting the concept of corporate social responsibility have begun expanding the spectrum of activities to mark out volunteering.

The Volunteer Center program is designed to promote good practice, support management engage employees in corporate volunteering and unite companies in common effort of bringing a real social change to life. Through consultancy, publications, open conferences and running particular projects and events, it proves corporate volunteering to be one of the most effective ways of local community engagement.

On the occasion of the European Year of Volunteering several projects and events has been developed. To mention the most important ventures of this year, the Volunteer Center set up an Employee Volunteering Leaders Academy, a series of lectures and workshops based on best practice presentations and experiences exchange. In June, the second edition of the Volunteering Festival will be organized. Also, within the EYV2011Tour, an employee volunteering day is planned.

The interest in volunteering in Poland is still growing. New legal solutions are developed in order to support upgrowth and improvement of volunteer activities in different environments and social groups such as students or seniors. An example of building a good climate for volunteering in Poland is an annual meeting of the volunteers with the most influential people in Poland. This year on March 31st the 10th Volunteers’ Gala was held at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. Bronislaw Komorowski the President of the Republic of Poland personally awarded the most active volunteers and the outstanding actions of 2010.