CSR in Romania: Beverage multinationals take the lead

Newsroom 26/05/2016 | 16:05

According to the Romania CSR Index 2015, among the companies in Romania which are most socially responsible are multinationals active in the beverage sectors, be it non-alcoholic drinks or beer producers.

The companies in this domain which have published CSR reports are generally concerned with issues such as protection of water resources, energy efficiency, the development of communities and training of employees.

Next in line are companies working with building materials and oil&gas. These companies are mainly interested in minimizing the negative impact on the environment, health and safety in the workplace and community development.

At the other end of the line, companies which are least interested in communicating about sustainability are active in pharma, cigarettes and distribution. When it comes to CSR categories touched upon the least, environment, human rights and anti-corruption policy take the lead.

Romanian companies are underrepresented in the index, says The Azores Sustainability and CSR Services, the company that put together the study. Local companies tend to operate mostly as a traditional organizational structure and usually do not include CSR in their business strategies.

If we look at the situation in Romania at the moment regarding CSR, we have over 90 percent of companies that have CSR campaigns or philanthropic types. But if we look at the definition given by the European Commission, CSR refers to companies who assume responsibility for the impact they have on society and the environment, bringing benefits related to risk management, cost savings, access to capital, customer relations and human resources management.

We wanted the index to highlight the fact that CSR is more complex. Things must change and Romanian companies need to attach importance to these actions, which impact all of us and the planet on which we live together,” concluded Alina Liciu, founder and managing partner of The Azores.

On average, only 5 percent of companies publish data about their responsibility with regard to suppliers, whether it relates to social and environmental risk identification, or to measures to minimize these risks.

Regarding the environmental impact, only 6 percent of companies include in their communications performance indicators such as the amount of direct or indirect emissions of greenhouse gases, consumption from depleting and green energy sources or waste recycled.

Of all companies evaluated, 30 percent do not publish any information about the impact they have on society and the environment.

Natalia Martian

BR Magazine | Latest Issue

Download PDF: Business Review Magazine March (II) 2024 Issue

The March (II) 2024 issue of Business Review Magazine is now available in digital format, featuring the main cover story titled “BAT DBS Romania Hub: A Vibrant New Office For An Employee-Centric
Newsroom | 27/03/2024 | 17:32
Advertisement Advertisement
Close ×

We use cookies for keeping our website reliable and secure, personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used.

Accept & continue