Оvergas, Microsoft, Job Tiger, Nestle, Danon-Serdika, Ideal Standart and Vidima Awarded with Business Leaders Prize

Overgas Inc., Microsoft Bulgaria, Job Tiger, Nestle Bulgaria, Ideal Standard-Vidima and Ideal Standard Bulgaria are the companies with best corporate social practices for this year was announced during the ceremony on the occasion of 2005 Annual BBLF Responsible Business Awards, held on November 16.

Danone Serdika received recognition for its Corporate Social Responsibility and was handed the ENGAGE  award of the International Business Leaders Forum of The Prince of Wales for successful involving all its personnel into the active corporate social initiatives of the company.

The jury was chaired by Ivan Stancioff, Cresta Marketing board member and ‘Karin Dom' Foundation head. It also included Dimi Panitza, founder of the Free and Democratic Bulgaria Foundation and former Managing Editor of Reader's Digest, Krasen Stanchev, Executive director of the Institute of Market Economy, Prof. Ivan Chernozemski, National Health Care Advisor, artist Greddy Asssa, Maria Shishkova, BBLF Deputy Chair and Managing Partner, AIMS Human Capital, Elitsa Barakova, Executive Director, Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation, Emmy Barouh, journalist, Andriana Sukova-Tosheva, Executive Director, Bulgarian International Business Association (BIBA) and Nikolay Mladenov, politician.

The jury had the task of choosing the favorites from among forty-five different projects of more than thirty companies. Participation was allowed to both BBLF members and non-member companies.

‘It is really nice that so many projects have joined the contest this year. Now that I am participating in the jury for two years I can say there are many strong projects and it is very difficult to prize only few of them. This means that the awards are accomplishing one of their main goals - to inspire the companies to implement socially responsible policy. And not only those in Sofia, but also the firms settled in the country', Ivan Stancioff underlined.

The Sevlievo companies Ideal Standard - Vidima and Ideal Standard Bulgaria swept the award in the category ‘Investor in the Environment category, thus paving their way to the European business awards for environment that will be handed out in 2006 in Vienna. The two companies will be the first Bulgarian candidates nominated by BBLF since the organization has become the National Coordinator for the EC prestigious awards this year. 

Second and third award in the category were handed to Cumerio Med for their restoration of the environment in areas influenced by the company's activity and to Ecopack Bulgaria that cleaned the non-concession beaches of Sozopol before start of the tourist season.
 
Microsoft Bulgaria was prized in the Investor in Education, which praised the company's work in the "Partners in education" project, which helped the teachers in the implementation of the new technologies in the educational process. Second were  Ericsson Telecomunications Bulgaria for equipment of a GSM Container or students at the Technical University in Sofia, third prize went to Todoroff Wine Cellar for the ‘Todoroff Gallery' contest and for the newly established fund ‘Gallery of Bulgarian Talents' supporting art and music students.

The forum for students work practice and career "Careers 2005 - Good career, Good life" brought the award in the ‘Investor in Human Capital' category to Job Tiger and Nestle Bulgaria. Second award was handed to First Investment Bank for their training and socialization project for children without parents in Haskovo, while the third place left for Kozluduy NPP for their personnel assessment and motivation  activities.

Overgas Inc swept the award in the ‘Investor in the Community' category, which praised its efforts invested in the ‘Overgas Basket' program, part of which are included in the calendar of FIBA Europe.   Second place was taken by Roche Bulgaria whose project ‘Colours of Hope' or renovation of oncological medical institutions around the country.  On third place were FM+ Group with the campaign ‘Kill the speed! Save the child!'

The Annual Responsible Business Awards are aiming at prove that the successful business goes together with the investment in society. Benefits to society, partnership with other organizations, engaging the whole company personnel in project implementation, consistency and sustainability of the initiative as well as appraisal by community were the major criteria, based on which the winners were identified.