2. Inessa Matsulevich, Head of the Small and Medium Business Sector at
the Economy Research Institute of the Ministry of Economy:
“CSR is a new issues for our (belarusian) economy and for the private
sector, it is very relevant – this can be felt at all levels of government
and administration, so presumably, it will be promoted actively
enough. The Ministry of Economy, with the support of the World Bank,
is developing a medium-term strategy for small and medium business
development. Development strategies of the republic on the whole are
being developed: in particular, the National Strategy of Sustainable
Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus up to
2030 – where these issues are already included, but in a concise form,
because it is a general policy document. It is early to speak about the
development of CSR strategy as such but the governmental benefits
for business are already discussed: these can include tax preferences,
everything is at the stage of development, research and analysis”.
The Introduction
5 Steps To Building A Sustainable CSR Program
Build your
strategy
around your
company’s core
competencies.
Recognize
issues that
matter to your
customers.
Develop CSR
initiatives that
make your
employees
proud.
Measure the
ROI of your CSR
efforts for the
C-suite and
your investors.
Expand your
company’s
definition of
CSR.
3. Velcom has named as one of the most active in terms
of social responsibility. Viacheslav Smirnov, head of the
Velcom Mobile Network company’s (Minsk, Belarus)
corporate communications, believes that supporting
culture and art as part of CSR policy by organizing
exhibitions, musical meetings, festivals is a good bet for
any company, even a startup:
CSR is caring for the society in which we work. In
2015, Velcom set itself two areas of corporate social
responsibility. Firstly, “supporting national identity”.
This area includes supporting national cultures.
Secondly, helping children – talented, in need, i.e.
“help” in the broadest sense of the word.
Culture certainly occupies a significant place in the
theme of national identity. We try to implement
projects in different fields – history, art, music.
WHY DO WE CHOOSE VELCOM?
Justification for the choice of the company
4. The Earth Hour event
For three days of the action, which took place from March 27 to March
29 more than 5,000 people gave an “eco-promise”, receiving a magnet or a
postcard with appropriate inscriptions as a souvenir. To fulfill these promises,
it is enough to replace one habit with another, more beneficial to the
environment. About 500 people took part in the velcom final rally at Earth
Hour in Minsk.
Also were held “eco-lessons” on the topic of proper sorting of household
waste on interactive boards and tablets. Residents had the opportunity to
experience "electric bikes" to produce "green" electricity
“Contemporary art”
On the 10th floor of our office building, there is a contemporary artist
exhibition. The exhibition is rotated monthly.
EVENTS
CSR performance of the company
5. “1,000 Museums of Belarus”
Velcom had ordered the making of a cycle of 25
clips of the most popular and informative museums of
Belarus. Now the clips are broadcast on Channel One on
Belarusian television.
A project for children with autism
As part of this project, an application was created
for smartphones or tablets, “Communicator for children
and adults with autism”, to help children with the disorder
communicate.
Velcom incentivises its employees to take part in
non-profit social events and encourages them to do
voluntary work. This is not, of course, mandatory.
Our internal and external CSR policies are developed in
parallel. This is very good and right in my opinion since
this forms the company’s common values where around
1,800 people currently work.
EVENTS
6. Large-scale charity programs of assistance to children's medical institutions have
been underway for more than six years. Among the beneficiaries are:
• the Republican Scientific and Practical Center “Mother and Child”,
• the Republican Children's Surgical Center,
• the Traumatology and Orthopedic Department for Children of the “Scientific and Practical Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics”,
• the Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation of the Minsk Regional Children's Clinical Hospital,
• the Neurosurgery Department (for children) 3 at the State Institution "Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Neurology and
Neurosurgery",
• State Institution "Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Otorhinolaryngology",
• RNCP Pediatric Oncology and Hematology,
• Republican Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Center of the structural unit of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center "Cardiology",
• Republican Price Tr Pediatric Endocrinology at the State Institution “Minsk City Second Children's Clinical Hospital”,
• Republican Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Children,
• Minsk Regional Children's Clinical Hospital,
• Republican Center for Pediatric Urology in Minsk, operating on the basis of the “2nd Children's Clinical Hospital”,
• State Institution “Center of Pulmonology and Phthisiology”.
In total, within the framework of the action “Doing Good So Easy” and the auction
“Beautiful velcom numbers”, about 7.6 billion rubles were transferred to republican
medical institutions.
CHARITY
7. CHARITY
Velcom supports the Belarusian sport.
Velcom and HC “Yunost-Minsk” have for
more than 10 years been associated with
warm partnership.
Velcom has a long history (more than 15 years) of
rendering aid to children in need. There are
Christmas initiatives, such as charity actions, and
velcom is also dedicated to support educational
projects for talented Belarusian citizens. By
supporting these initiatives, velcom helps to secure a
better future for the Belarus. Velcom has been
initiating and implementing social projects and
programs, including the creation of a favorable
environment and urban infrastructure, support for
talents, and targeted assistance to socially
vulnerable people, especially children.
Velcom puts emphasis on the most
fundamental Belarusian artefacts such as
language, contemporary culture and nature.
Over 4,000 pupils from 30 schools and
gymnasiums in Minsk took lessons based on a
special program during the year 2015.
Children could take a closer look at modern
Belarusian literature and its works. MOVABOX
- a unique project in a totally different four
books have tried to tell about the wonderful
horizons of Belarusian literary universe
8. «Read in Belarusian with velcom» was considered as
best private initiative in the educational business.
Award for the initiative of the implementation of a
new corporate values system. Dozens of different
activities aimed at processing the new values to the
employees. Besides that, as a part of the internal
corporate responsibility politics, the key employees of
the company were involved in the development of
this new system of values. So, in 2015 velcom took a
leading position in the CSR business in Belarus among
all commercial brands.
In the beginning of 2016, velcom has already been
honored with the "Socially responsible brand"
nomination within the "Brand of the year" contest. It
also got recognized with a gold medal in the "Active
social position" category, and a diploma in "Brand
leader on social networks" was also presented to the
company. Previously velcom was awarded as «Most
ethical brand» within «Socially responsible brand»
nomination in 2010 and 2013.
AWARDS
9. As proposals for development, VELCOM can implement the “Care
beyond Borders” CSR program, within the framework of which it supports
subscribers who find themselves in a zone of natural disasters, emergency
events or terrorist acts.
Initiative: support for people with hearing impairment, namely,
long-term care of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of
Otolaryngology. Assistance to the institution will be expressed by the
necessary medical equipment, infrastructure improvement and provides
furniture.
Developing a CSR strategy
10. Developing a CSR strategy
Purpose: Hearing is a real gift in human life, thanks to which we not
only hear, but also learn about the world around us. And for a company
that unites people thanks to communication services, it is important that
all subscribers can find, explain themselves and hear the world around!
As a realization of this idea, it is possible: to unite with the
Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Otolaryngology and the
ambulance station in Minsk and open the short number “10003” for quick
access for the hearing impaired to medical services, as well as create a
special tariff called “World SMS” for communication hearing impairment.
