Information about the Conference
Why attend this conference?
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a global movement to ensure that economic growth is sustainable and inclusive. While the aim is clear, many companies in the new EU Member States still face challenges in integrating CSR into their core activities because:
• Businesses still associate CSR with philanthropy and public relations
• Firms are slow to integrate CSR principles into core business strategies;
• Governments have placed varying levels of emphasis on CSR;
• Civil society is not ready in some countries to hold the private sector accountable.
What are the conference objectives?
• Present results from a major new analysis of CSR efforts in Eastern and Central Europe;
• Discuss opportunities and challenges in CSR for companies, governments and NGOs;
• Exchange good CSR practices and cooperate with partners in the region;
• Discuss how CSR developments can benefit EU harmonization, social cohesion and enhanced competitiveness and how this compares with EU-15 experiences.
Who should attend?
• Business representatives: To learn about the benefits of CSR and how to implement it;
• Government officials: To exchange ideas on what kind of national support is needed;
• Wider stakeholders (NGO representatives, community leaders, scholars): To participate in the debate and identify opportunities for cooperation.
What is the agenda?
• Introduction by the European Commission;
• A keynote speech on sustainability and the importance of CSR in the EU, presented by a leading figure in the field;
• A presentation and discussion of analysis on the state of CSR in new EU countries and candidate countries;
• Thematic workshops for Government officials, business representatives and NGO leaders facilitated by experts to exchange practices and develop proposals on how to accelerate CSR;
• Cross sector dialogue between government officials, business representatives and NGO leaders facilitated by a professional moderator and partnership expert in order to agree on next steps and the needs of the region;
• Selected good practices presentation from different sectors (government, business, civil society) and discussions.
What is the project?
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is implementing a multi-country project funded by the European Commission to accelerate CSR in the new EU Member States and Candidate countries in order to harmonize practices, boost competitiveness, and increase social cohesion. An extensive national baseline analysis is being conducted for the first time in eight of the new EU and Candidate countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia and Turkey). This will result in a comprehensive analysis of CSR features and trends in Eastern and Central Europe.
How do I take part?
Registration will begin on 15 May at: www.acceleratingCSR.eu. Around 150 participants from the New Member, Candidate and EU-15 states are expected to attend. Financial support will be available for a limited number of participants from New Member and Candidate countries. The venue for the conference will be announced on the website.