Socially Innovative Company

For innovative solutions to social problems, i.e. social innovation

The Via Bona Slovakia 2022 award in the Socially Innovative Company category went to New School Communication.

We present the award in the category entitled the Socially Innovative Company to a company (or group of partners) that, in 2023, implemented an exceptional project or activities aimed at innovative solutions to social problems, known as social innovations. These are new ideas (products, services, models) that respond to societal needs while creating new types of connections and collaborations. Solutions in areas such as education, democratisation, the environment or the fight against poverty. If the company is part of a multinational company, the evaluation takes into account the adaptation of the global strategy in the Slovak environment and the quality of domestic activities. The independent evaluation committee assesses specifically the following aspects:

• potential for social change: the company’s innovative solution/project/product addresses people’s unmet social needs and generates positive social change;
• innovative approach: the company’s solution has the potential to significantly help address an existing social problem or innovates a product, service or business model to solve a social problem;
• partnership: an innovative solution transcends cross-sectoral boundaries. It involves isolated groups and individuals who bring a solution to a social problem. We search for examples of cooperation in which the public administration and/or the non-profit sector are important partners in solving a social problem;
• connection to the main subject of the company’s business: the project is in the strategic interest of the company, beyond philanthropy, it also brings economic value to the given company (e.g. new source of income, knowledge of the potential market);
• individual contribution of an individual or a team: the project is a creation of passionate and creative people who have the courage to bring about change in their organisation, the solution is the result of cooperation between several corporate departments, not just the CSR department or the communication department;
• potential for expansion and systemic change: the solution can be spread or disseminated further, represents a systemic change (e.g., the solution is adopted by the state or local government) or represents a significant change in the view of the given problem.

We present awards to projects with innovative potential, measurable goals and achieved results, linking the project with the company’s activities and overall strategy, the long-term sustainability of the project and the extent to which the company involves its partners (employees, civil society, public administration, customers, suppliers and shareholders) .