LPP and Santander Bank Polska with main prizes in the CSR Reports Competition

25 listopada 2019

Dotyczy firmy: BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Brown-Forman, Citi Handlowy, Deloitte, ING Bank Śląski, Kompania Piwowarska, LPP, Orange Polska, Santander Bank Polska,

6 companies received awards in the 13th edition of the Competition that seeks to reward the best reports on corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. The main category winners were: LPP the award for the best integrated report and Santander Bank Polska the award for the best CSR report. The award ceremony took place in the head office of the Warsaw Stock Exchange on 21 October. The competition is organized by the Responsible Business Forum Association and Deloitte Polska.

LPP, Santander Bank Polska, Benefit Systems, Grupa Energa, Kompania Piwowarska, Orange Polska – these companies submitted CSR and sustainability reports which received the highest rating in their respective categories of the CSR Reports Competition. The 13th edition saw a total number of 45 entries. They included 15 debuts, i.e. reports issued by organizations for the first time, 11 integrated reports, and 8 reports published by non-business institutions (including 4 reports by public administration bodies, 3 reports by non-governmental organizations, and 1 report by a school of higher education).

Full transparency of activities is growing in importance in the current socio-economic environment. In view of this, it is truly heartening to see the improving quality of the submitted publications reflecting companies’ commitment to social, environmental and corporate governance issues, as well as the high number of reports issued by non-business organizations. Non-financial reports are a valuable tool for evaluating such aspects as innovation, competitiveness or transparency of an organization – says Dominika Bettman, President of the Responsible Business Forum and the Main Jury President for the CSR Reports Competition. “It is also worth emphasizing that the reports increasingly recognize the significance of achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It means that companies have realized their influence on the fulfillment of the global commitments – adds Dominika Bettman.

THE RESULTS OF THE 13TH EDITION OF THE CSR REPORTS COMPETITION

The Best Integrated Report AwardLPP (“Global Brand, Polish Company,” http://bit.ly/2J1pzOK). Substantiation: An award for a well-thought-out report which is written in an accessible language, has an attractive graphic design, presents both positive and negative areas of the company’s influence, and is interesting even for people with no relation to CSR reporting. This year, LPP’s report is even better than last year’s submission (which received the best debut award) as it shows the development and growing aspirations of the entire company.

With this verdict, the jury also seeks to emphasize that CSR reporting cannot and should not be limited to the biggest companies. It is just as important that such reports are published by smaller companies from sectors seldom associated with reporting, which have no regulatory reporting obligations but choose to inform stakeholders of their activities and regard reporting as part of their efforts to strengthen their market position.

 The Best CSR Report AwardSantander Bank Polska (“2018 Corporate Social Responsibility Report,” https://raport.santander.pl/). Substantiation: An award for indisputably the best of the assessed submissions, which is clearly superior to other high-rated reports. For an interesting and reader-friendly format and significant progress in comparison with previous years. The jury particularly appreciated the comprehensive description of the company’s influence, and especially its environmental impact, as well as a fact-based approach to the preparation of the report. The jury also stressed that they would closely monitor the implementation of the important commitments set out in the report!

Integrated Report Honourable MentionOrange Polska (“2018 Integrated Report,” http://bit.ly/32IHstv). Substantiation: For a comprehensive and mature report, and in particular for the description of the business model and for consistently maintaining a high quality of their reports over the years.

CSR Report Honourable MentionKompania Piwowarska (“2018 Sustainable Development Report. Our Contribution to the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda,” http://bit.ly/31rp8U6). Substantiation: For a very clear and simple form of presentation and for providing essential information in a brief and accessible format. For the report’s educational value and courage in tackling the topic of the company’s negative impact on its surroundings.

The Ministry of Investment and Economic Development AwardEnerga Group (“Our Responsibility 2018,” http://bit.ly/2MZGP7T). Substantiation: For describing the company’s commitments in an open and transparent way, attaching importance to the provision of detailed data related to the operating activities, and properly understanding the company’s responsibility towards its employees, customers, society, and the natural environment.

The Stock Exchange AwardLPP (“Global Brand, Polish Company,” http://bit.ly/2J1pzOK).

The Journalists’ Jury Honourable MentionLPP (“Global Brand, Polish Company,” http://bit.ly/2J1pzOK).

The Journalists’ Jury Honourable MentionEnerga Group (“Our Responsibility 2018,” http://bit.ly/2MZGP7T).

The Online Community Award Benefit Systems (“A Non-Financial Statement of the Benefit Systems Group”, http://bit.ly/31wWEZi).
A report published by BNP Paribas Bank Polska was ranked second, and a report published by ING Bank Śląski was ranked third in terms of jury votes.

In the face of new challenges, it is increasingly important how Polish companies integrate new risks, e.g. climate change or diversity management risks, into their operations, and how they monitor and report any issues related to these areas. Each year, we can see an improvement in the quality of the reports entered for the competition, which increasingly respond to these new challenges. Compliance with the international GRI Standards is no longer a company’s distinguishing feature. Instead, companies’ maturity is now reflected in their readiness to show how they incorporate the climate change risk into their adaptation plans, asset valuation and strategies, how they integrate financial and non-financial data for management purposes, and which of the indicators they present have been verified by independent third parties – says Maria Ibisz, Manager at Poland and Central Europe Sustainability Team, Deloitte.

– The CSR Reports Competition is the only one of its kind in Poland. It consists of several stages and involves both experts and multiple stakeholders of the companies submitting their reports, who can take part in an online vote. Selection of winners is preceded by over a month of intense efforts by members of the main and journalists’ juries. We are very grateful for the contribution, opportunity to cooperate and, most importantly, annual rewards for the organizations which demonstrate in practice the importance of transparency in business and its environment – says Marzena Strzelczak, Director General, Responsible Business Forum.

The results of the 1st edition of the Diversity&Inclusion Rating were also announced during the event. This new tool developed by the Responsible Business Forum and Deloitte Polska enables the measurement of a company’s performance in the area of managing diversity and building an inclusive organization. The first edition of the Diversity&Inclusion Rating included the following entities: BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Citi in Poland, DNB Bank Polska, ING Bank Śląski, and NatWest Poland.

On the same day, too, Brown-Forman in Poland and ING Bank Śląski officially became new strategic partners of the Responsible Business Forum.

Running since 2007, the CSR Reports Competition is hosted by the Responsible Business Forum (FOB) Association and Deloitte.  For more information, visit: raportyspoleczne.pl