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Summer School “Corporate Social Responsibility in the light of EU –  Georgian Association

Agreement –  new challenges and new opportunities for Georgian business”  

Concept Paper

Background information:

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an issue of global relevance in the modern world. Particular

attention is paid to the development of corporate social responsibility in EU. European Commission sees

CSR as a part of the business contribution to sustainable development, as CSR has the potential to

contribute to various common goals, such as social cohesion, economic competitiveness, poverty

eradication, creation of jobs, improvement of working conditions, guaranteeing of the rights of

employees, and a more rational use of natural resources. Thus, CSR is high on the EU agenda. The

European Commission and European Parliament implement active and effective policies for endorsing

and further developing CSR.Georgia’s general vector for Euro-integration, which urges us to more actively comprehend and

implement European models and activity standards, inevitably leads to increase of the importance

assigned to CSR.

On 27 June 2014 the EU and Georgia signed an Association Agreement, which aims to significantly

deepen political and economic ties between the signatories with a long-term perspective of closer political

association and economic integration. This imposes new obligations and also opens the whole range of

new opportunities to the country as a whole and business sector among others, as to one of the major and

most influential players in Georgian economy. At many instances these new challenges and opportunities

for business companies will be strongly linked to further development and sophistication of their

corporate social responsibility (CSR) and adhering to international standards of responsible businessconduct.

Requirement to encourage responsible business practices and foster development of CSR as a tool for

achieving sustainability goals is addressed in several articles of the Association Agreement. Besides, the

separate themes, such as environmental protection, consumer rights, labour standards and employment

relations, which constitute the main elements of corporate social responsibility, are treated independently

in several chapters of the Agreement.

Therefore EU- Georgia association agreement constitutes a new and a powerful driver for Georgian

companies to more actively embed CSR standards into their business strategies. Addressing new

challenges and opportunities provided by the further integration of Georgia into EU internal market (in

line with preferential trade regime introduced by the Agreement) will be fundamental for the Georgian

companies to achieve sustainable growth and success in the coming years.

The present summer school has been designed with the view of the above situation. The organizers would

like this program to contribute to proper understanding of implications of the Association Agreement for

the private sector, and understanding of concept and importance of CSR in this context, as well as make

strong impact on the development of CSR practices in Georgia.

Organizers: The Summer School is organized by the Centre for Strategic Research and Development of

Georgia (CSRDG) and Nadacia Pontis, in frames of the international project: Enhancing Sustainability

and Engagement of Civil Society in EaP and V4 Region through CSR Agenda. The project is implemented

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8/16/2019 CSR Summer School ENG Concept Paper

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in six countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Georgia and Belarus) with the financial

support of International Visegrad Fund.

Main objectives of the Summer school

The objectives of the Summer School is to enable professionals from both local and international

companies operating in Georgia to:

  understand and better manage the challenges and opportunities opened by EU-Georgia

Association Agreement as related to CSR development;  maximize the benefits of CSR in ensuring long term success and sustainability of the company

  create additional value for their companies by mastering development of responsible business

 practices and making CSR a part of the company’s core business strategy 

  exchange experience from practical implementation of the responsible practices and provide case

for the economic benefits of CSR

The Summer School will present experience of the new EU member states from Central and Eastern

Europe, which have accessed European Union in a relatively recent past (and being countries transitional

economies, have much more in common with Georgia), as well as experience of well-developed western

European countries, where CSR culture is flourishing for decades.

Format: the summer school will encompass the series of practical, result-oriented workshop sessions,

combining lecture format with practical tasks and discussions.

Speakers/trainers: eight high profile speakers from Georgia and EU countries (Slovakia, Poland,

Hungary, UK) with general knowledge in the area of CSR as well as in specific issues (labour,

environment, consumers’ rights, transparency and reporting).

Audience: The Summer School will involve around 18 participants, representing local and international

 business companies (medium and large enterprises) operating in Georgia and few representatives of

specialized media.

The applicants are requested to submi t the fol lowing:  

1.  Completed application (application form is attached)

2.  Letter from company’s CEO / supervisor, nominating applicant for the training, and attesting that

he/she will be present for the full length of the training and implement the knowledge in

company’s communications (draft letter attached). 

Participants will be selected by international board based on submitted applications. The company’s

current and potential engagement in CSR issues will be the principal criterion for the selection.

One person per company may apply.

Venue: The Summer School will be held in Georgia, Lopota Lake Resort. All the participants’ costs

will be covered, and transportation will be provided.

Dates: July 1-2-3, 2016.

Working languages: Georgian and English (simultaneous translation will be provided).

The deadline for submission of applications is June 15, 2016.