At the initiative of the Global Compact Network Georgia, with the support of the Swedish Government, in cooperation with USAID and the European Union, the competition “Corporate Responsibility Award 2021 – Business for Sustainable Development in Georgia” was held for the fourth time. From various competitions, this is the sixth award for “Efes Georgia” in the category of corporate responsibility.
Clearly defined priorities and relevant activities of the company ensured the victory of “Efes Georgia’s” in the category of “Partnership for Sustainable Development.” In terms of corporate social responsibility, “Efes Georgia” pays special attention to partnership projects like the Natakhtari Fund. The foundation supports young artists in the pandemic, as the company believes that collaboration between different sectors has a significant impact on project effectiveness.
The Natakhtari Fund was established by “Efes Georgia” in 2011, to empower youth without parental care and prepare them for independent living. Till today, the fund has provided 1 million GEL to over 600 beneficiaries. Over 300 people were employed, more than 270 young people received professional education. The Natakhtari Fund delivers resources to individuals based on their specific needs.
During the pandemic, support for young artists and cultural organizations/platforms was crucial as well. An outstanding project in this regard is the beer Karva music competition, which covered the whole of Georgia. Karva helps the beginner musicians to gain popularity and release their first music video. The gift for the winners of this project was the music videos and its promotion through the communication channels of the company.
Within the framework of the ‘Ganikarve Shin’ (Relax at Home) campaign, official pages of Karva broadcasted live concerts. Music lessons led by musicians through the brand Karva taught a wide audience the basics of playing various musical instruments. In addition, Karva supports new music platforms as well.
Furthermore, the partnership projects by “Efes Georgia” support bartenders, as the restaurant business is still one of the most affected sectors during the pandemic. As a result of the consultation with partners and NGOs, “Efes Georgia” decided to provide food vouchers to help up to 500 unemployed bartenders.
“It means a lot when a competent jury chooses you out of the huge amount of interesting and valuable projects. Thanks to the organizers and each member of the jury for the recognition. This corporate responsibility award proves that our business is progressive and its activities are based on high standards. We continue to work on sustainable development and bring long-term benefits to both the company and the community. We are proud to stand next to so many responsible Georgian companies and it is a great honor for us to receive the award,” – says Nikoloz Khundzakishvili, Director of Corporate Affairs at “Efes Georgia.”
About 50 companies participated in “Corporate Responsibility Award 2021” competition. It aims to develop a culture of corporate responsibility in the country and encourage business involvement in the implementation of the sustainable development agenda. The winning companies were identified and awarded by international and local jury members.
The winners of the “Corporate Responsibility Award” were awarded for the first time in Georgia in 2018. In 2018, the company “Efes Georgia” also won in the category of “Best Environmental Project.” The cooperation project of “Efes Georgia” and the non-governmental organization “Our House – Georgia” by “Natakhtari Fund” was named as the best in the category “Partnership for Sustainable Development” in 2019. “Efes Georgia” took first place in the category “Decent Work and Economic Growth” in 2020.
