In these years companies work to incorporate CSR in the heart of their business and organisation, and today it can be proved that companies that act sustainably make the greatest profit.
Companies that consider the environment, climate, their employees and supply chains and incorporate this mind-set in their business will obtain the best bottom line results. Sustainability is therefore of great importance to companies today – necessary for long-term success and to ensure that companies create value for society.
The world is in that transition process, and some frontrunners stand out from the crowd. They are the ones that Danida, the Trade Council and IFU would like to reward with the CSR Abroad prize. To apply for the award the company must have made a difference when it comes to sustainability and CSR in one or more operations in developing countries.
The company must be able to tell the story about the results achieved and its journey towards those results. This means that the business must be consolidated and products must have been introduced in the market. There must be a business case for the company to apply for the award.
All types of businesses and business models can apply: production, trading and service companies as well as customer/supplier partnerships etc., however, the results must be obtained in a developing country, and there must be a Danish component in the results achieved.
Criteria
Danida, The Trade Council and IFU have the following overall criteria for granting the award:
- The award is granted to a company that has made a special effort to promote companies’ social responsibility and sustainable development in a developing country or emerging market. It may be a Danish company, a Danish partnership/joint venture or collaboration between a Danish company and a supplier.
- The company has demonstrated that a sustainable and profitable business, strategic CSR and adherence to international standards for social and environmental development can go hand in hand.
- In practice the company is to “know and show” that it respects human rights, labour rights, environmental impacts and anti-corruption policies, referring to the principles of the UN Global Compact and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP).
- At the same time the company may have contributed proactively to the fulfilment of the UN development goals regarding poverty alleviation, the so-called Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
The company’s effort is assessed based on its size, business model and turnover.
A jury comprising experts will be charged with the task of selecting the winner of CSR Abroad. Companies may apply for nomination by completing the application form and forward it to csrabroad@um.dk no later than 15 July 2015.
The prize will be awarded during the CSR Award Show 2015 in Holstebro on 7 October 2015.
For further information, please contact:
Birgitte Bang Nielsen, IFU: bbn@ifu.dk or +45 33 63 75 26
Carl Christian Hasselbalch, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: carhas@um.dk or +45 33 92 00 96
Dan Thor Larsen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: dantla@um.dk or +45 33 92 12 70