Greece, HNCSR

February 2012 

Firstly, the Hellenic Network for CSR  would like to thank CSR Europe for inviting us to present our Network through your website. I would also like to thank CSR Europe for the excellent collaboration we have since our establishment.

When in 2000 the HNCSR was established, the door to CSR opened for the first time to the Greek business community. At that time, the concept and philosophy of systematic and strategic CSR was still unknown to the Greek society. Hence, our main aim was to raise awareness and effectively disseminate the concept of CSR to the Greek business community.1. In 2010, the Hellenic Network for CSR (HNCSR) published a ten year report for its first 10 years. Can you please tell us about the organization’s key milestones and how the private and public perception on CSR evolved within this period?

We had to promote the idea that we had entered into a new social, political and economic era, which was leading to a more complex and multi-leveled role for businesses, very different from what they were used to. A new approach of doing business was required, responding to the demands and expectations of their stakeholders.  

During the 11 years of HNCSR’s establishment the perception on CSR has evolved significantly:

  • In 2000 there was vagueness, lack of information, lack of commitment from management, existence of some CSR practices but of an ad hoc nature.
  • Today, a good number of companies have developed a CSR strategy, set priorities, appointed a CSR manager,  increased their communication on non financial performance and have adopted internationally recognized guidelines that allow them to measure and improve their performance on CSR.
  • The increase in the members of our network can be a characteristic indicator of the development of CSR during these years. Another indicator can be the publication of Social Reports.  In 2000 the companies that issued Social Reports were less than five whereas today this number is approaching fifty.
  • Furthermore, the awareness of CSR has also increased significantly among consumers. In 2004, only a 10,6% responded as being  willing to  reward socially responsible companies, while  today this percentage has increased to 52,6%. 

Key milestones of our network  have been:  the three big CSR conferences organized in Athens (2001, 2007, 2011) and the two in Thessaloniki (2008, 2010); the ten specialized thematic workshops, the three catalogues published,  with 171 good CSR practices;, the three large surveys on CSR, conducted in collaboration with three universities, etc.

Our active participation in CSR Europe’s initiatives and activities should also be underlined. One good example is the Responsible Supply Chain Management Portal, which we have translated into Greek and, as soon as some technicalities are solved, we will upload the translated version on the website.

 

Another milestone was the establishment of the UN Global Compact Network Hellas in 2008, for which we continue to coordinate its activities.

Moreover, a unique milestone of our network was the collective activity we organized with a number of our member companies, related to the catastrophic fires that afflicted Greece in the summer of 2007. More specifically, the HNCSR invited all its members to jointly participate in a project called “The day After” that was planned and implemented by the NGO “Praksis”. Thirty of them responded positively and participated both financially and through volunteer work of their employees. 

The “Hermes” program designed and implemented by the Hellenic Network for CSR aims to support SMEs in adopting and effectively implementing CSR practices. What have been the major challenges and achievements of the program?

“Hermes” was a project, co-financed by the European Commission, designed and implemented by our network for the dissemination of CSR values and principles among SMEs.

During the implementation of the program a number of challenges were encountered, such as: the low level of awareness SMEs had on CSR – though quite a number of them implemented some CSR activities without knowing that these could be included under the CSR umbrella;  the need for a wider dissemination of good practices especially those that focus on the supply chain; the need for building CSR mentality and structures in the intermediary bodies, which represent SMEs; and, of course, the significance of the public sector for which CSR was – and unfortunately  still is - an unexplored land.

Its 24 months duration allowed us to organize a variety of events all over Greece.  More than 1.500 SMEs were directly approached, as well as an unknown number through articles in SME newsletters, newspapers, business magazines, presentations etc.

Also, we conducted a survey on CSR among 300 SMEs, we organized a Marketplace, and issued a booklet with guidelines on the way SME’s can incorporate CSR in their everyday activities etc.  

Looking back and thinking of the opportunities given by “Hermes”, we could say that one of the major achievements was the establishment of stronger relations with regional chambers of commerce, business associations and confederations, which will permit not only an ongoing mainstreaming of CSR among SMEs, but also an ongoing exchange of experiences, practices and information about developments and trends on the issue.

The program also increased our profile as the focal point on CSR in Greece. 

In 2011, major political, economic and social adjustments and changes have taken place in Greece in 2011. In your view, how was this year affecting the Hellenic Network for CSR and its member companies?

Indeed, the current economic situation of Greece, has lead to radical political, economic and social adjustments that have created a negative environment for most of the Greek businesses and the 11.7 million Greeks. Economic activity has slowed down significantly, disposable incomes are decreasing, consumer demand and investments are declining and unemployment is rising to unprecedented levels.  

It is obvious that this environment has affected both our network and our members. The effort to create a clear connection between CSR and the possibility of a positive contribution in mitigating the many problems created has been a multi-sided and complex target.

We  have been  trying: (a) to promote employee volunteering in mentoring activities that provide vocational training to persons that need new skills and opportunities for employment, and (b) to cooperate with the public sector on issues that can only be faced with collaborative  actions, such as the elimination of poverty or increasing employment potential for the young. 

The direct effects of the current situation on HNCSR have been the loss of members and the uncertainty for the future, especially in planning our long term activities.

Regarding our members, we see some holding back on their CSR activities and, at the same time, we also see more strategic and focused CSR activities, depending on available sources.

In addition, the current economic situation has had a direct impact on our Enterprise 2020 collective project “Integrated Framework for Enterprises Energy and Environmental Policies”, which for the time being is still on hold.

What are HNCSR’s main targets in 2012-2013?

As I mention above, the current and the near future situation won’t be easy for us and does not allow for an ambitious program. Nevertheless, for this year we plan to create an Advisory Committee, which will help us in maintaining and strengthening our position within the Greek business community, as well as in disseminating CSR more widely, especially among SMEs.  

We will also take the initiative to promote to the Government the importance and need for the development of a National CSR Policy.

In March 2012, a new Board will be elected and will be responsible for finalizing the action plan for 2012 and beyond.

Indicatively some of the activities we are thinking to include:

  • A new catalogue of good CSR practices
  • The translation / subtitling of the Global Compact video on anti-corruption.
  • A collaborative action among our members re. socially weak groups of people (poverty mitigation & employability of young persons)
  • B2B meetings
  • Organization of workshops on specific issues
  • Development of a code of conduct
  • Proposal for the development of a national policy
  • Promotion of voluntarism among employees 

For more information about Hellenic Network for Corporate Social Responsibility go here.

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