The BLF, which is connected to the Pontis Foundation, increased to 35 members at the beginning of the year. In March three new companies joined its ranks: Colliers International, the international leader in the field of commercial real estate services; the consulting company Deloitte;and Samsung Electronics Slovakia, a technological giant in the world electronics market. By signing the BLF Memorandum, the new members undertook to strive for sustainability; take a responsible and ethical approach to their employees, suppliers, customers, and the surrounding community; and to have a positive influence on the environment and society as such.

“The BLF started eleven years ago with eleven founding members. Today, we have 35 members, and these are not small companies, but rather influential market players. We are very happy to have expanded at the beginning of this year with new companies that want to provide a leading example in their business conduct. The more companies commit to carrying on business in an ethical and responsible way, the quicker the BLF will manage to accomplish its vision of achieving sustainable development and prosperity in Slovakia through a responsible approach,” said Michal Kišša, the BLF Executive Director and the Senior Programme Manager at the Pontis Foundation.

Smaller companies can also serve as an example and an inspiration

The Slovak branch of the leading international company Colliers International has been active in Bratislava since 2003 and currently employs 25 passionate professionals. With its philosophy that “a small group of people can also make a big change”, the company busts all the myths saying that a responsible business is only a matter for large companies. As a market leader in the provision of services in the field of commercial real estate, the company has a responsible approach to the environment. They are trying to change the way people think about the planning and construction of buildings by means of consultancy (the LEED certificate). However, this is not only about green buildings, but also about waste separation, raising awareness about environmental themes, and encouraging employees to ride their bikes or take public transport to work. The main priority of the company is also the employees, whose prosperity and progress are supported in various ways, including motivational teambuilding and workshops, Colliers University, and tailored offices where employees can fully use their creativity in their formation. Thanks to the “fun, fun, fun” concept which Colliers has promoted in the workplace, it has been characterized by an atmosphere of confidence that significantly influences the social involvement of its employees. On their initiative, Colliers has actively supported the Andreas Autistic Centre, for which Colliers employees organized a big charity event full of ice-hockey celebrities. In the spirit of the motto “Good Management Makes Good Business”, this is an example of how a relatively small branch of a company in Slovakia can be an inspiration for giant companies as well.

We create values that really matter

The company Deloitte in Slovakia provides services in the field of auditing, taxes, law, business and transaction consultancy to clients in many fields of the public and private sectors. The main goal of Deloitte and its employees is “to create values that really matter”. The company’s main themes of corporate social responsibility include education and cooperation with universities and student organizations, supporting disadvantaged groups, and company volunteering. The company offers its employees a large range of benefits, such as regular training and education, health days, and teambuilding activities. The company received the Healthy Company award for 2015 for taking care of its employees. Through a large range of activities, employees at Deloitte try to support the surrounding community. They organize Impact Day, regular blood donations, and a music academy, and they are currently planting a fragrant garden bed – a concept of an interactive garden for partially blind and fully blind children. Deloitte also pays significant attention to having an ethical approach and transparency, which manifests itself in the approach of the company to its suppliers, customers and competitors.

Samsung wants to create a better future for the world

Samsung Electronics Slovakia, which is part of a global network, is a technological leader trying to open new possibilities for people around the whole world. The vision of the company is “to inspire the world and take part in the creation of the future”, a concept which has been significantly present in the company’s activities in the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR), which it actively engages in. The company wants to mainly achieve positive change in the fields of education, health care, and the creation of new job opportunities, and support communities and environmental protection while also developing the CSR agenda into the concept of corporate citizenship. Jaroslav Juriga, who is the Corporate Citizenship Coordinator at Samsung Electronics Slovakia, says, “We are a large company. Therefore, people expect a good CSR strategy from us. This is also why we invest significantly and purposefully in education and solutions for the future. We place an emphasis on talent and opportunities for young people, and we create opportunities for disadvantaged groups. As a part of the global network of Samsung Electronics, we expressed a commitment to the European Commission that by 2019 we would provide access to IT skills to more than 400,000 young people in Europe.” When it comes to education, the company does not just focus on students but also on children in kindergartens and on teachers as well by teaching them innovative methods of learning. Samsung Electronics also tries to connect educational institutions with their participants, thus reducing administrative costs and the use of resources. The company also supports hospitals in Trnava, Galanta, Nové Zámky and Nitra by modernizing technological equipment, and it is significantly involved in community issues (the development of sport for youth and the integration of disadvantaged people into society) and in the protection of the environment by organizing events such as Water Day and Tree Day.

The BLF is a training platform for companies

The members of the BLF are engaging in many fields; this can also be seen in the activities of its new members, which is of great benefit. Michal Kišša said, “We are creating an environment where particular companies (even competitors) can learn from one another and mutually share examples of positive change. Therefore, we are very pleased that smaller companies, which can learn a lot from the older members, are also interested in becoming members. At the same time, they can bring a wind of change and inspiration with their own examples of corporate social responsibility.”