B92 wins Virtus corporate philanthropy award

BELGRADE B92 has won the main Virtus Corporate Philanthropy Award for the contribution of its Battle for Babies campaign on the national level in 2012. The campaign raised more than EUR 2mn for the purchase of new baby incubators for health institutions across Serbia. B92 wins Virtus corporate philanthropy award The awards of the Balkan Community Initiatives Fund (BCIF) were presented in Belgrade on Saturday. The awards were given in eight separate categories and the main award, won by B92, was presented by Regional Development and Local Self-Government Minister Verica Kalanovic. B92 Fund Board of Directors’ President Veran Matic said that the incubators had been donated to health institutions in more than 60 towns in Serbia and that money for 37 incubators had been raised in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He stressed that mortality rate of prematurely born babies had been reduced by 30 percent last year thanks to the Battle for Babies campaign. Matic added that six maternity wards had been renovated in 2012 and that around EUR 800,000 had been raised since the beginning of the year for new equipment needed by three important hospitals in Serbia. Kalanovic said that a growing awareness of corporate philanthropy in Serbia was a proof that we had a better future ahead of us. She stressed that the development of the corporate philanthropy in Serbia was important for future generations and that Serbian citizens should have good life in all parts of the country. “I am happy to see that philanthropy is not forgotten in Serbia,” the minister noted. U.S. and British Ambassadors to Serbia Michael Kirby and Michael Davenport said that Serbia made great progress in the economy and social responsibility despite economic hardship if faced. Kirby stressed that such companies encouraged economic and social progress in Serbia “that will get closer to the EU by making economic progress”. Davenport noted that he was impressed with such a high level of corporate philanthropy awareness in Serbia, given economic issues in the country, adding that Serbia had a great potential in the field. He added that it was important to secure a legal framework for the encouragement of the economy to be more involved in helping the poorest citizens, especially in the field of education and health care. The award for the contribution to the local community went to Lafarge BFC Srbija for their continuous investments in the community’s infrastructure, Beocin business park and attraction of investments. Bozic and Sons company won the award in the small- and medium-sized companies category for its contribution to ecology. Societe Generale Bank Srbija won the award for its support to the most inovative project of the year – “The Place I love”, which made a map of 1,300 locations important for Serbia’s cultural and historical heritage. Forma Ideale won the award for its contribution to social inclusion and employment of disabled persons, Roma, refugees and internally displaced persons. Societe Generale Bank Srbija also won the award for providing help to disabled persons. eKapija.com, which promoted corporative philanthropy with more than 1,200 articles, won the award for the media contribution. The Virtus award is an annual award given to companies that backed and joined humanitarian campaigns in the previous year in the most responsible manner. They are awarded by BCIF in cooperation with the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Team of the Republic of Serbia, USAID and the Institute for Sustainable Communities. Verica Kalanovic and Veran Matic (Dragan Kujundzic/BCIF) B92

B92 wins Virtus corporate philanthropy award

The awards of the Balkan Community Initiatives Fund (BCIF) were presented in Belgrade on Saturday.

The awards were given in eight separate categories and the main award, won by B92, was presented by Regional Development and Local Self-Government Minister Verica Kalanović.

B92 Fund Board of Directors’ President Veran Matić said that the incubators had been donated to health institutions in more than 60 towns in Serbia and that money for 37 incubators had been raised in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He stressed that mortality rate of prematurely born babies had been reduced by 30 percent last year thanks to the Battle for Babies campaign.

Matić added that six maternity wards had been renovated in 2012 and that around EUR 800,000 had been raised since the beginning of the year for new equipment needed by three important hospitals in Serbia.

Kalanović said that a growing awareness of corporate philanthropy in Serbia was a proof that we had a better future ahead of us.

She stressed that the development of the corporate philanthropy in Serbia was important for future generations and that Serbian citizens should have good life in all parts of the country.

“I am happy to see that philanthropy is not forgotten in Serbia,” the minister noted.

U.S. and British Ambassadors to Serbia Michael Kirby and Michael Davenport said that Serbia made great progress in the economy and social responsibility despite economic hardship if faced.

Kirby stressed that such companies encouraged economic and social progress in Serbia “that will get closer to the EU by making economic progress”.

Davenport noted that he was impressed with such a high level of corporate philanthropy awareness in Serbia, given economic issues in the country, adding that Serbia had a great potential in the field.

He added that it was important to secure a legal framework for the encouragement of the economy to be more involved in helping the poorest citizens, especially in the field of education and health care.

The award for the contribution to the local community went to Lafarge BFC Srbija for their continuous investments in the community’s infrastructure, Beočin business park and attraction of investments.

Božić and Sons company won the award in the small- and medium-sized companies category for its contribution to ecology.

Societe Generale Bank Srbija won the award for its support to the most inovative project of the year – “The Place I love”, which made a map of 1,300 locations important for Serbia’s cultural and historical heritage.

Forma Ideale won the award for its contribution to social inclusion and employment of disabled persons, Roma, refugees and internally displaced persons.

Societe Generale Bank Srbija also won the award for providing help to disabled persons.

eKapija.com, which promoted corporative philanthropy with more than 1,200 articles, won the award for the media contribution.

The Virtus award is an annual award given to companies that backed and joined humanitarian campaigns in the previous year in the most responsible manner. They are awarded by BCIF in cooperation with the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Team of the Republic of Serbia, USAID and the Institute for Sustainable Communities.