The broadly understood cooperation between business and its social environment was the leading theme of the 7th CSR Marketplace in Poland held on 12 April in the PGE National Stadium in Warsaw. The exhibition and conference formula facilitated the exchange of knowledge and experience in this area. The key items of the agenda included publication of the “Responsible Business in Poland 2017. Good Practices”, a discussion panel devoted to delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals and selection of winners of Poland’s first #SustainHack competition.

On 12 April 2018, CSR Marketplace in Poland was held in Warsaw. Organised by the Responsible Business Forum already for the 7th time, this is Poland’s biggest event dedicated to the corporate social responsibility. For the third time, the event took place in the PGE Narodowy Stadium. 77 exhibitors presented their projects, initiatives, services and products related to corporate social responsibility in the gallery of the stadium. In addition to companies, the exhibitors included non-governmental organisations, social cooperatives, the media, an organisational unit of the provincial local authority and a university.

Participants of the 7th CSR Marketplace in Poland could use the attractions prepared by the exhibitors. For example, Siemens presented a business mixer for energy efficiency of buildings. Ergo Hestia showcased and allowed visitors to try out the most modern device for system-assisted walking – a powered exoskeleton, which is typically used in rehabilitation of accident victims. Jeronimo Martins Polska staged a store which was socially responsible in its entirety, and Polpharma made it possible for visitors to conduct spirometric tests to help diagnose respiratory system diseases.

“Corporate social responsibility manifests itself in conscious actions for sustainable development. At the time of the 4th industrial revolution, it’s all about exerting real influence on the quality of our products through innovation. This is enabled by an extensive cooperation, also within the organisation. Synergy and cooperation means that we can do more across any existing divides. Such an approach can be observed not only at Siemens, but also at an increasing number of exhibitors and participants of the CSR Marketplace in Poland. The approach became a symbol of change in the Polish reality,” says Anna Grosiak, business development director at Siemens, the main partner of the 7th CSR Marketplace in Poland.

The conference part

The 7th CSR Marketplace in Poland was accompanied by conferences discussing a variety of topics. In total, 15 discussion panels and workshops were held. The main panel was devoted to the role business in delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. The panelists were: Agnieszka Clarey (Ministry of Investment and Economic Development), Robert Korzeniowski (UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador), Łukasz Otta (Siemens Poland), Izabela Rakuć-Kochaniak (Veolia Poland), Marzena Strzelczak (Responsible Business Forum), Katarzyna Teter (Bank Zachodni WBK). The discussion was moderated by Michał Szułdrzyński from the Rzeczpospolita daily.

“The UN Sustainable Development Goals have set the course of action for states and businesses, especially for socially responsible firms. The involvement of business in implementation of ambitious plans may benefit both firms and their environments. This is what is increasingly often expected by their employees and clients. Sustainable development requires cooperation, forging broad coalitions and partnerships. The 7th CSR Marketplace in Poland was supposed to emphasise the importance of cooperation in building a better world, and to inspire to joint action, to seek alliances and innovations. The Responsible Business Forum has once again prepared a wide space for the presentation of CSR in theory and practice in a friendly, marketplace formula”, says Marzena Strzelczak, Director General of Responsible Business Forum, organiser of the 7th CSR Marketplace in Poland.

New publications and competition results

On 12 April this year, the report “Responsible Business in Poland 2017. Good Practices” was released. This is the 16th edition of the publication, which this time provides an overview of responsible business in 2017. The latest issue presents an all-time high number of CSR activities reported by 177 companies. For the first time in history, the sum of new and long-term practices exceeded 1,000 (to find out more, go to: http://odpowiedzialnybiznes.pl/aktualno%C5%9Bci/coraz-wieksza-skala-dzialan-csr-w-polsce-premiera-16-raportu-odpowiedzialny-biznes-w-polsce-dobre-praktyki/).

During the event, results were announced of Poland’s first #SustainHack, an Idea Challenge competition, which aimed to find solutions for the challenges of sustainable development set by Bank BGŻ BNP Paribas and Kompania Piwowarska (to find out more, go to: http://odpowiedzialnybiznes.pl/aktualno%C5%9Bci/pierwszy-w-polsce-sustainhack-rozstrzygniety-kreatywne-spolecznosci-poszukiwaly-rozwiazan-dla-zrownowazonego-rozwoju/). The participants could also get to know the best articles of 2017 on corporate social responsibility and sustainable development awarded in the competition “Pióro odpowiedzialności” (“Quill of Responsibility”) (to find out more, go to: http://odpowiedzialnybiznes.pl/aktualno%C5%9Bci/dla-kogo-pioro-odpowiedzialnosci-poznalismy-autorow-najlepszych-tekstow-o-csr/).

While emphasising the role of business cooperation, during the 7th CSR Marketplace in Poland the Responsible Business Forum thanked the companies associated in the Partnership Programme for their long-term cooperation, and expanded that group to include new entities: 3M in Poland, Aasa Polska, ANG Spółdzielnia, ABC-Czepczyński, Grupa ERGO Hestia, LPP, PZU, Rossmann Supermarkety Drogeryjne Polska, VIVE Textile Recycling (to find out more, go to: http://odpowiedzialnybiznes.pl/aktualno%C5%9Bci/kolejnych-9-firm-stawia-na-wspolprace-w-programie-partnerstwa-fob/).

The CSR Marketplace is the largest corporate social responsibility event in Poland. It has been organised by the Responsible Business Forum every two years since 2005. The aim of the event is to showcase the activities and practices of socially responsible companies, and to promote services in this area.