CEMBUREAU, the European Cement Association, invites you to its upcoming webinar – A Circular & Carbon Neutral Europe: Role of Co-processing – on 18 May at 11am-12:30pm. In order to join, please REGISTER HERE.
Co-processing is a process through which the European cement industry replaces fossil fuels by non-recyclable waste and biomass waste. As such, it offers a key opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions from cement production whilst using a fully circular approach to waste.
The webinar will focus on promoting the cement industry’s use of co-processing, how it works and what types of waste streams are covered, its benefits for Europe and the industry, and what policies – at both EU and national level – are needed to further encourage it.
It will provide an informative, interactive & dynamic panel discussion, led by experienced moderator, Katrina Sitchel, and will include the following speakers:
Sussan Pasuki, Senior Alternative Fuels Manager, HeidelbergCement
Dr. Renato Sarc, Montan University, Leoben, Austria
Sigrid Hams, Association for the Secondary Fuels and recycled wood (BGS), Germany
William Neale, Adviser for Circular Economy, DG Environment, European Commission (invited)
Koen Coppenholle, CEO of CEMBUREAU
We hope you can join us for what will be an engaging and timely discussion!
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ei.jpg503892Takacs Ivetthttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngTakacs Ivett2021-04-23 08:18:242022-09-19 12:39:09WEBINAR – Circular & Carbon Neutral Europe: Role of Co-processing – 18 May
The first V4 ESG conference, where international corporate, stock market and banking professionals will jointly explore the guidelines,challenges and impacts of socially responsible investments on the global market, is going to be a virtual event. In addition to some outstanding presentations, the one-day conference will feature roundtable discussions with dedicated corporate experts from all four countries.
In April, 2021 Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF) invites SRI (social responsible investment) and ESG (environmental, social and governance) leaders of the V4 countries, as well as market players who are in connection with the investment community to participate in a full day conference. The objective of the event is to understand today’s guidelines and challenges, and how these new investment formats move global markets.
HBLF aims to establish a well functioning forum in the V4 region, in order to foster social responsible investments (SRI). The V4 ESG Conference online event is the first step in this process, enabling corporate and stock market professionals and decision makers to share their experience and good practices on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) topics that contribute to sustainable development.
The English-language conference, to be held on April 27, 2021 is organized online due to the pandemic, but according to organizers this circumstance has created further opportunities. This way corporate decision makers from the four countries, as well as prominent international experts are both able to participate more easily. During panels important topics such as climate risk of investments, ESG research trends, the role of stock markets in the transparency of listed ESG companies and ESG regulations are going to be discussed.
“It is of crucial importance that we do not only exchange our experiences with each other within our country, but that we also learn from our neighbours, who are in a similar situation, yet, not in the same boat as we are. Sustainable development is in the interest of all countries and economic actors, which is why we urge to look at the topic from the most possible aspects. It is a great honour for us that the economic actors of the V4 countries are open to participate in a joint conference, which we hope to be a valuable experience for all parties involved “ – said Ákos Janza, Member of the HBLF Board of Directors.
The virtual conference is going to be opened by Zsolt Jamniczky, Chairman of HBLF and Member of the Board of Directors at E.ON Hungária Zrt., followed by Remy Briand, Managing Director and Member of the Executive Committee at MSCI ESG.
Jason Channell, Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Finance, Citi Global Insights
David Radermacher, Vice President Sustainability & Climate, at E.ON SE
Mirjam Staub-Bisang, Managing Director, Head of BlackRock Switzerland
Alastair Teare, Risk Advisory Business Leader at Deloitte Central Europe
Oliver Marchand, Global Head of ESG Research & Models at the Climate Risk Center, MSCI Inc.
Clark Anderson, Managing Director, Firm Risk Head of Country Risk and Climate Risk Management, Morgan Stanley New York
Laura Segafredo, PhD, Global Head of Sustainable Research, BlackRock ETF and Index Investments
Kevin A. Murray, Managing Director for Citi’s Central Europe Cluster
This professional conference organized by HBLF is an unprecedented event. HBLF is an organization comprising 100 Hungarian and international companies, as well as the most important leaders, decision makers and renowned experts of the business sector. The final program and registration for those interested is available on the V4 ESG Conference website.
For BCSDH Members, they offer a 50% discount on individual tickets, which can be redeemed during armaments on their website with the following coupon code: V4ESGMEMBERS
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/V4_1500x500.jpg3411024Takacs Ivetthttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngTakacs Ivett2021-04-22 09:12:572022-09-19 12:37:45The First V4 ESG Conference to be Held Online
Our newest member is the National Mobile Payment Plc., which was founded in 2012. The number one leader of the company is Mihály Veres, their sales revenue in 2019 was almost 27 billion HUF, with 58 employees. Their core activities include providing mobile payment methods for public parking, vignette and tolls of the hungarian highways and roads, local and long-distance public transportation and for cultural facilities.
Their environmental responsibility is shown in the IT support of measures aiming to reduce their carbon footprint, such as the development of digital transport mobile tickets and the development of systems supporting the operation of the circular economy. In connection with their products, they have made calculations regarding their efforts on CO2 reduction, which they try to use for educational purposes. The organization respects the human rights of its employees. Their processes, measures and regulations (eg.: code of ethics, equal opportunities plan, data protection regulations) serve to eliminate negative impacts and risks affecting human rights. Particular attention is paid to individuals or groups who are more exposed to negative human rights violations due to their vulnerability or marginalized position. They prohibit discrimination and are committed to safe and healthy working conditions and the dignity of the individual. Transparent operation is ensured by the reporting system, the provision of data to their owner and the ministry and the display of public data.
By joining BCSDH, they would like to get into the mainstream of the mutual thinking about sustainability and use their developments to support domestic or even international sustainability efforts made by companies and institutions.
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Nemzeti-Mobilfizetesi-Zrt.png170450Takacs Ivetthttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngTakacs Ivett2021-04-21 13:22:362022-04-30 14:44:35Our newest member is the National Mobile Payment Plc.
With close to 50 participants, the first day of the Circular Economy Academy kicked-off with the presentation regarding the Circular Transition Indicator (CTI) and the Circularise software, which both ensure the transparency of the circular use of materials throughout the value chain and can be used for the measurement of circularity performance by businesses. The survey on the circular economic potential of Hungary conducted by BCSDH and the Bay Zoltán Research Institute in 2020 confirmed the need for innovation, sharing of business solutions and education. The Academy, modelled on last year’s Circular Economy Webinar series, was launched as a higher-level continuation of education. The three most important topics were identified considering lats year’s webinars, on which the Academy’s program is based. At the first event, an overview of circular measurement systems and practical examples were presented by domestic and foreign experts.
Irén Márta, Managing Director of BCSDH presented the activities of the Circular Economy Platform, as well as international and domestic collaborations, namely the CircularRegions project, the CIRCO project and the Hungarian Circular Economy Strategy. Afterwards, Bálint Horváth, Circular Economy Expert of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, presented the goles, dates and topics of the three webinars of the Academy.
WBCSD and KPMG’s Circular Transition Indicator (CTI) framework and related case studies were introduced to the wider audience by Arnoud Walrecht, Global Lead Circular Economy at KPMG and István Szabó, CEE Head in Sustainability Services, which included the specific metrics, key intervention points and the practical software itself. CTI application is already presently used by companies such as Philips and Microsoft, who used it to report on their level of circularity, and more similar examples are expected to arise.
Denisa Rasova, Manager of the Circular Economy Platform Slovakia presented their work regarding Circular Regions and Circularity measurment tools, namely Circularity Check and Circulytics. The previous one outweighs the latter in its attration of wider audiences, efficiency, and provides more rapid results and has a more specific purpose. While CTI is currently more applicable by larger companies, Circularity Check and Circulytics is a more popular self-assessment tool among smaller businesses.
Mesbah Sabur, founder of Circularise presented their groundbreaking and much needed work, on bringing transparency to another level regarding supply chains, while empowering businesses to take steps towards the transition to a circular economy. Circularise uses a public blockchain system to mimic the physical bounderies of materials regarding production and the supply chain as a whole. All this, while maintaining privacy. For example in collaboration with Porsche, customers have been granted a tool to be thoroughly informed about the sources of the materials used in the products purchased.
Special thanks to our Sponsors:
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/linkedinposzt-6.png450810Takacs Ivetthttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngTakacs Ivett2021-04-21 12:33:582023-02-27 00:57:50“How circular is your company?” – The Circular Economy Academy has been launched
The retail chain joins the “Feed the Doctor 3” project organised by the Etesd non-profit organisation, once again this year. SPAR Hungary supports healthcare workers fighting on the frontline against the virus through the donation of sandwich products.
’’During the COVID19 pandemic, the cooperative efforts of civilians, business professionals, and government bodies can help frontline health workers, doctors, nurses, and professional associations to great effect. For the second year SPAR joins one of these charitable initiatives named ’Feed the Doctor 3’ a project by the Etesd non-profit organisation. Similarly to last year’s food and financial donations, the company again provides healthcare workers with food donations,” said Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR.
Starting on 30 March, the company provides healthcare workers with 1000 sandwiches per week for free prepared in their SPAR enjoy. facilities. The plant based in Üllő will provide a variety of different catering products over an indefinite timeframe.
The company supported the work of the “Feed the Doctor!” civil society initiative in spring 2020 with sandwiches and a donation of 1.5M HUF, which was used to fund free lunches for more than a hundred healthcare workers a day.
The company does not differentiate between employee salary packages based on gender. It is leading by example; disclosing salary information by gender for the most common employee roles, to meet their previous commitments.
SPAR Hungary is joining Amnesty International Hungary’s equal pay campaign and calls on other members of the Hungarian business community, especially those in the small business sector to follow their lead. The civil rights organisation’s #EgyLépésselKözelebb (#OneStepCloser) campaign aims to achieve transparency over the salaries of both genders to help close the pay gap. The purpose of the campaign is to encourage as many companies as possible to take steps to close the gender pay gap by making their salary information publicly available on International Women’s Day this year.
“The power of the SPAR community and the business achievements would not have been possible without our female colleagues. One of the two managing directors, and 12 of the 25 members of the management team are female. The ratio of women to men working at our headquarters is 60:40, 82:18 in supermarkets, and 48:52 in the food production department which is typically more physically demanding work. In the logistics department, the ratio is 18:82. With these numbers in mind, what is more important is that salaries are not determined based on gender. Male cashiers make 0.4% less than their female colleagues, while there is zero difference in pay between men and women working in specialised shop assistant roles. This year we decided to join Amnesty International’s fight for equal pay for women. On International Women’s Day this year we are fulfilling the commitment we made in 2020 and are leading by example to reach workplace gender equality,” said Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR.
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/spar.png170450Takacs Ivetthttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngTakacs Ivett2021-04-12 10:41:482022-09-16 10:49:11SPAR leads the way in closing the gender pay gap
During its 30-year old history in Hungary, active participation in the domestic social life and unselfish partnership have always been important for the company. SPAR participates actively in making everyday life better: she promotes support organisations being in connection with health and social issues and among others in the field of education, culture and sport. These endeavours and initiatives are organized into a common frame and made efficient by the programme „SPAR – for a sustainable future”.
„During pandemic and forced closure, the empathic helpfulness of people towards each other is particularly appreciated. It is a great pleasure and pride for us to have had the chance to experience the exceptional sacrifice of our customers. Thanks to them too, our company spent last year more than HUF 186 million to social sustainable issues during its various community charity initiatives and social actions covering numerous fields of life. The personal character of our support programmes realized by the contribution of our strategic partner, Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta touched the customers in the year 2020 being full of challenges, which is really promising and encouraging for the future” – said Márk Maczelka, Head of Communication.
Merry Christmas for ten thousand families
With its „Giving is Joy!” Christmas fundraising initiative, SPAR helps for more than 20 years the people living in difficult circumstances. During the fundraising campaign realized by the coordination of Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, the customers helped their fellow humans in December 2020 by buying donation cards worth of HUF 18 million in 105 designated SPAR and INTERSPAR stores and in the SPAR online shop as well. Thanks to the donations, the organization could deliver food packages to ten thousand families and elderly people living alone even before the holidays. The store chain has increased the success of the initiative by an irregular contribution: it doubled the value of the donation offered by the customers, thus the last year’s “Giving is Joy!”ended with HUF 36 million donation.
Products of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta on the shelves
In the framework of another initiative of SPAR and the Charity Service, the canvas bags of the sewing shop of the organisation in Tiszabura are sold in the INTERSPAR-network. The sales help the women and mothers working in the disadvantaged settlement, while they offer perfect environmentally friendly solutions for the shoppings. Another common undertaking is the distribution of food products of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta for a year now in the designated stores of the store chain in Budapest and in the countryside. The sales of hibiscus tea, sauces with special or traditional flavour, vegetable pastes or marmalades mean a living for those disabled, marginalised people who work in the manufactures of the charity organization in Páty and Gyulaj. The articles are in demand and popular in the stores of SPAR-group, this shows the efficiency of the model. The main effect – social benefit – is that the people participating in the project carry out today value-creating work which has also changed the life of families fundamentally.
Support of the catering of epidemiological and child protection workers
In the framework of the „Feed the Doctor!” civil movement, the store chain has provided free of charge pre-packaged sandwiches prepared in the SPAR enjoy. convenience plant in Üllő for nurses and doctors working in the first line of the virus defence. The company has also supported the initiative with a donation worth of HUF 1.5 million by which the hot lunch of more than 100 healthcare workers was ensured daily – without compensation.
Furthermore for the call of UNICEF Hungary, SPAR has provided financial support and sandwiches to children living in child protection care and people working in the child protection system. The store chain has supported with HUF 2 million the work of the organization which helps night and day the disadvantaged, ill children being in difficult situation during the period of epidemic as well, moreover, it has also contributed with sandwiches to the catering of children living in child protection institutions and the experts dealing with them.
Support for starving children
The Feed the Children Foundation helps since 1993 the undernourished, invariably eating children living in poverty to get food in appropriate quantity and quality. The organization has cooperated with the store chain for 8 years and it collects donations for this purpose in more than 100 stores. In 2020, the customers donated HUF 2.5 million for this important issue. The foundation has supported from the donation given by SPAR customers such families that got into in a hopeless situation because of the coronavirus pandemic: almost 700 children of 300 families got help to grew up healthier and not to starve. The people in need also received fresh fruits and vegetables besides basic foodstuff.
Fighting against the illnesses of children – one balloon, double joy
The cooperation of SPAR Hungary and Do Something for Children and People with Leukemia Non-profit Foundation has a decade of history. The store chain provides place in its stores for fundraising – stand for balloons to fold – and it supports the summer camping of families with leukemia. By the support, the organization can continuously help families affected with leukemia, other blood system disease, bone marrow transplantation: the foundation could help in the last 11 years nearly 1000 families which means approximately HUF 120 million of patient support.
Care of disabled people with changed work capacity
SPAR, being dedicated to equal opportunity, works together with Janka Tanya in Tótvázsony from 2017. The purpose of the non-profit organization is to realize such daily occupation which enables to achieve success and contributes to that our autistic fellow humans can become creating part of the society. During the cooperation with the civil organization, two or three times a week, the INTERSPAR employees in Veszprém welcome the youngsters who carry out different – self-stacker and storage – tasks there by the coordination of their developing pedagogues. Ornaments and commodities made by them can also be purchased at the annually organized Christmas and Easter markets in the centre of the company.
Besides the patronized people of Janka Tanya, the store chain helps the youngsters of its other two partner organisations: thanks to the company, the patronized people of Rain Man Foundation for the Autistic People of Vas County and the Foundation for Autistic Children of Zala County also get the chance to integration. Beyond helping the youngsters of Tótvázsony, Vas and Zala counties, the company pays a great attention to the integration and long-term employment of its colleagues with changed work capacity: it organizes awareness-raising trainings for the employees and applies an equal opportunity rapporteur. The store chain provides for more than ten years sales points to Szerencsejáték Zrt., by which lottery tickets can be bought in almost a hundred super- and hypermarkets from people with changed work capacity.
The company received firstly in 2010 the Disability-Friendly Workplace recognition, since then, it was awarded with the recognition at every turn.
Helping the market entry of Hungarian farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs and food industry producers
The initiative being realized within the professional cooperation of SPAR and Agricultural Marketing Centre is exceptional in the domestic trade, which initiative supports the Hungarian product innovations. In the Hungaricool by SPAR competition, the organizers searched for creative food products that also consider sustainability. The new and creative products with original flavour combinations are available from the end of March 2020 in the selection of all of the current 34 INTERSPAR hypermarkets and in the SPAR online shop as well. This support has an increased importance for domestic businesses endeavouring to the market in the period of coronavirus pandemic.
In 2021, the store chain continues its product competition by joining to the prime time popular business show „Among Sharks” of RTL Klub, in which internationally recognized investors will evaluate the innovations.
Fundraising and collecting pet food for animals
SPAR Hungary offers food products of its super- and hypermarkets that become superfluous, cannot be placed on the market anymore or are withdrawn from the market to such organizations, associations, zoos and wildlife parks that deal with the caring and saving of animals. In 2020, it gave such products in a quantity of 2500 tonnes to more than 100 organizations.
In addition to the issues above, the company also supports civil organizations working for pets, in which its main partner is for nearly a decade the National Animal Protection Foundation. In the coordination of the foundation, almost 60 animal protection organizations collect food for pets in the SPAR and INTERSPAR stores nationwide. The customers donated last year for dogs 8046 kg of dry dog food, 4507 pieces of canned food and 259 pieces of salami, and for the cats 1361 kg of dry cat food and 7415 pieces of canned food. The cats can be particularly happy: the quantity of canned and wet food purchased for them has doubled compared to the previous year.
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/spar.png170450Takacs Ivetthttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngTakacs Ivett2021-04-05 10:22:342022-04-30 14:46:05SPAR Hungary supported important social issues with more than HUF 186 million in 2020
SPAR gives a helping hand by a health protection guide made with the involvement of experts to its more than 13 000 employees in order to protect their health. The guide provides advice to be considered and basic practical tasks.
„SPAR Hungary, as one of the largest employers of the country, helps its more than 13 000 employees in the period of pandemic as well. In order to protect the health of our employees, we provide continuously from the first days of the spread of coronavirus masks, gloves and disinfectants and we also pay the attention to precise information in connection with the pandemic. We send to all of our employees our guide called „To protect our health”, which contains the most important information. Doctors and specialists in mental hygiene participated in the compilation of the guide in order to guarantee the authenticity of its content” – said Márk Maczelka, Head of Communication at SPAR.
The safety of employees is essentially important to the retail chain also during the period of coronavirus-epidemic, for which it took and will take all measures that can be expected. Beyond providing protective equipment – masks, gloves, disinfectants – the company has installed plexiglass to the cashdesks against breath, separated the shifts from each other in its production plants, multiplied the number of daily cleanings and disinfections, moreover, where it was possible, it provided the opportunity of work in home office regarding employees in the centre. Parallel to the practical protection, precise and professional information is similarly important. The 32-page guide „To protect our health – useful advice during an epidemic” was made with the involvement of experts specialized in the field of epidemic, doctors and specialists in mental hygiene by relying on facts and authentic research results.
The clear informational guide contains all of the necessary information from the basic information about the coronavirus, through the most important things to do in case of a possible infection, until the most essential tasks of health protection.
https://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/spar.png170450Takacs Ivetthttps://bcsdh.hu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/bcsdh-logo.pngTakacs Ivett2021-04-01 08:48:442022-04-30 14:47:06SPAR helps with useful advice the health protection of its employees