CSR360

Posted: Thursday 4 February 10, 3.10pm GMT

The award aims to identify and celebrate examples of excellence from businesses that have positively impacted one or more of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The nature, interdependence and inequalities of our world have never been more evident than in the events of the recent months with the impact of the global financial crisis and economic recession impacting economies around the world, juxtaposed with the threats of environmental and humanitarian disasters.

Many businesses have customers, employees, operations, partners and supply chains in different countries often on different continents. It makes good business sense therefore, apart from anything else, to address the stark inequalities in health, wealth, education and opportunity generally. The MDGs provide a framework and a focus against which to measure and monitor developments against these inequalities.

I believe that the Coffey International Award will encourage applications celebrating examples of excellence from businesses that have positively impacted one or more of the MDGs, and I encourage businesses around the world to submit an application for consideration for this prestigious award.

Roger Olds
Managing Director, Coffey International Limited About the Award

Whilst the speed and degree of progress in addressing the MDGs is the subject of much debate, businesses have contributed to the progress there has been. Through their strategies and programmes, businesses are helping to address some of the root causes and the consequences of these challenges.

Businesses are helping to relieve suffering, have helped in rebuilding shattered communities and have otherwise helped advance a number of the MDGs. This Award is about identifying and celebrating such contributions to support progress against the MDGs.

Last year’s winners were IBM with their innovative World Community Grid which harnesses the spare computing capacity of 1.2 million computers in over 200 countries and makes it available for free to scientists engaged in not-for-profit, humanitarian research.

UN Millennium Development Goals

For reference, the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals are:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;
2. Achieve universal primary education;
3. Promote gender equality and empower women;
4. Reduce child mortality;
5. Improve maternal health;
6. Combat HIV, AIDS, malaria & other diseases;
7. Ensure environmental sustainability;
8. Develop a global partnership for development (in Aid, Trade, Growth & Global Partnerships)