Recognising the professional work and experience of Irén Márta and the BCSDH, an honourable invitation to join the Corporate Advisory Board of Faculty of Business Administration in Corvinus University was received. BCSDH accepted the proposal of the two year membership.

It is an essential element of the mission of Corvinus University of Budapest to coordinate and develop relations between the highly educated students and the business and institutional sector.  In accordance to this the Corvinus Business School set the target to establish a corporate advisory board in 2016.

This small board meets twice a year and supports the work of the Dean directly by providing advice regarding the business requirements on education, the closer cooperation with the business sector and the with regards to the domestic and international accreditation activities.

BCSDH launched the 3rd year of „Future Leaders” Talent program participating 26 talented, young leaders at the opening ceremony held January, 21.

Siemens Zrt. hosted the opening event January, 21. 2016, where the 26 talented young professionals had the opportunity to meet the mentor companies and the mentors supporting the program for the first time. During her opening speech Managing Director Irén Márta, appointed last year, highlighted the international success of the Hungarian talent program of the „Future Leaders” initiative, as it was presented to representatives of 70 countries in Paris recently. István Salgó, president of BCSDH emphasized the seven principles of the ‘Recommendation for business leaders’ that provides the best possible structure of the program, covering the most important business aspects of sustainability a company leader must have on his/her agenda.

The significance of the program is not only in its forward looking from macroeconomic point of view, host Dale A. Martin, CEO of Siemens pointed out, but the company Siemens itself recognizes the benefits in its own business too, having participants delegated to the program for years.

Mandy Fertetics, Head of corporate programs of BCSDH presented the details of the program and introduced the participants. The concept and practice of business sustainability is expanded in the program in group basis using various methods. Factory visit, case studies, discussions, CEO interview, professional presentations and interactive exercises foster learning and development.

Participants of the 2016 program are delegated by the following companies: Acnecom, Allianz, Alteo Group, BASF, Budapest Airport, Busch-Hungária, Coca-Cola, eisberg, E.ON, Generali, Grundfos, KPMG, MagNet Bank, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Provident, SCA, Shell, Siemens, Syngenta, Unilever. Another participant was selected through the scholarship program launched for university students; Attila Ónody is an MsC student of Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

Irén Márta stated that the success of last years is also proved by the fact that some of the previous participants are taking on mentoring tasks today.

The most important mentor companies of this year are: Alteo, Budapest Airport, Coca-Cola HBC, Drehet Breweries, E.ON, eisberg, Grundfos, Inest, KPMG, MagNet Bank, McDonald’s, MOL, Nestlé, Richter Gedeon, Siemens, SCA, Shell, Telenor, Unilever.

Further pictures are available at: http://bcsdh.hu/kepgaleria/a-jovo-vezetoi-tehetsegprogram-nyitoesemenye-2016-januar-21-siemens/

If you like to know more about the program, take a look at the movie of 2015 or click here: http://bcsdh.hu/topics/future-leaders/

40 companies already joined the Action 2020 Hungary Program and 20 specific business solutions were already introduced for the most imminent sustainability problems.

Unemployment is almost 20 % among the youth, each year 1.8 million tons of food waste is generated and the 2°C warming up forecast for 2050 can already be sensed in Hungary. These are facts that necessarily incent companies adopting responsible and long term thinking for taking immediate actions.

‘The business sector already has solutions’. These were the introductory words of István Salgó, head of ING Bank and President of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Hungary (BCSDH) – comprising the leaders of companies that  generate almost 30% of the GDP – to the new chapter of Action 2020 Hungary, held in Budapest on November 19, 2015.

‘The science is unequivocal and we are beyond the point of debate. The climate is changing. But neither business nor government can solve this critical challenge alone – we must work together. I believe business can take the lead and implement solutions that will help our society make the urgently needed transition to a low-carbon economy. Ambitious climate action is the biggest business opportunity for the foreseeable future.’– said Peter Bakker,  President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in his presentation.
It was his first time in Hungary, meeting with corporate leaders, spearheading the Hungarian program as change leaders. His visit in Hungary is especially remarkable now that the world keeps its eye on the Paris climate summit organized in December, where as chairman of WBCSD he represents the business world – more than 200 global companies and numerous local member councils – at the negotiations.

The short summary of the achievement of Action 2020 Hungary within almost 2 years: active participation of 150 scientific, NGO and corporate experts as well as CEOs, 10 expert workshops, 8 CEO roundtables, 20 macro level objectives, 77 impact measurement indicators and 40 formally joined companies, 20 business solutions worked out. The process has started, new companies join continuously and the scope of business solutions – inspiring other companies – constantly increases.

‘The Action 2020 Hungary program has multifold effects. Sustainability is not only fostered through the identified business solutions and the results of the practices of member companies, but through the process of the program itself which is based on dialogue, shared thinking, scaling up and continuously challenging ‘business as usual’.’– said Attila Chikán Jr., CEO of ALTEO Group and head of the Action 2020 working group.

BCSDH is convinced that effective sustainability solutions – initiated and implemented by these important change leaders – result in positive changes.

Five of them participated at the round table discussion held within the event:

• Ágnes Fábián Dr., Managing Director, Henkel
• Dale A. Martin, President & CEO, Siemens
• Zoltán Gazsi, Managing Director, eisberg Hungary
• Anita Simon, COO, Biofilter
• László Török, Managing Director, Grundfos Hungary

They all agreed that joining the Action 2020 Hungary Program reflect both their personal, and their companies’ commitment towards sustainability, both externally and with regards to the companies’ employees.

Outlining the business solutions of their own companies, they all emphasized that developing solutions ‘going beyond business as usual’ takes substantial time and efforts, however it is rewarded as they bring about creativity and new solutions that definitely offer competitive market advantages to the companies.

More details are available in the publication handed out at the event introducing the Action 2020 program, as well as at: www.action2020.hu

Peter Bakker’s presentation: Hungary Final Version

Photos of the event you can find here.

To the Gran Prize Officially established On December 12, 2012 by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hungary.

Annual prize awarded for outstandingly innovative solutions, papers and projects in response to the most pressing issues of our planet, in the field of environmental protection, sustainable development, design, medicine, health preservation and development and education.

The SCCH has taken into consideration that persons, students and student groups might not yet have official publications which can be evaluated by the professional associations invited to participate in the Gran Prize award process and on the judging panel of the Gran Prize. Having taken this into account and in accord with the professionals and associations participating in the judging panel of the Gran Prize, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce hereby announces an open call to entry to the Gran Prize Innovative Interdisciplinary Award, with the following conditions:

Entries will be judged with the participation with the persons appointed by the professional associations serving on the judging panel of the Gran Prize.

Deadline for entries : April 15, 2016

Entry requirements:

• Professional resume

• Exact description of the entry and it’s beneficial, in particular innovative aspects

• Maximum length : 10 pages, not including attachments

• Auxiliary documentation of the entry, relevant for the judging of the entry

GRAN PRIZE INNOVATIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY AWARD

Submission:

Please upload the applications to www.swedishchamber.hu (Gran Prize submission / pályázat feltöltése) in the following file formats: Word, Excel, pdf and jpeg.

Criterias of evaluation:

• Novelty ( innovative performance, original idea )

• Social responsibility

• Sustainability

• Environmental aspect

• Potential of economic utilization

• Technological aspect

Further information:

Tel: : +36 309/708/433

Email: swedishchamber@swedishchamber.hu

Web: www.swedishchamber.hu

The Board of Judges will shortlist 5 projects to the shortlist. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted and scheduled for an interview of 10 minutes.

The background and aims of the GRAN PRIZE Interdisciplinary Innovative Award established by the SWEDISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HUNGARY

In October, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hungary (SCCH) decided to establish a prize to stimulate innovative thinking aimed at improving the quality of life.

The SCCH chose a popular Swedish symbol, the pine tree, as the emblem of the prize. For most of the planet it represents Christmas as well as being a metaphor for Nature.

Ancient philosophers discussed happiness and living in harmony with nature and this aspiration is becoming vital to modern man.

GRAN in Swedish means pine tree, pointing to the characteristics of this award, as focused on sustainable development and environmental protection. The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hungary’s aim with this prize is twofold, firstly to support and award outstanding innovative achievements and to facilitate GRAN PRIZE INNOVATIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY AWARD intercultural communication.

In the spirit of the open, consensus-based thinking that is such a vital part of Swedish society and with the aim of furthering Swedish-Hungarian cooperation, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hungary has opened entry to the GRAN PRIZE to every progressive company and private person in Hungary.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAN PRIZE

The prize can be awarded to private persons, groups, companies, associations, organisations, institutions, students or student teams as decided by the judging panel of the GRAN PRIZE. The judging panel has the right to invite persons, associations and companies to submit applications for the competition.

The prize is in response to the most pressing issues of our planet, annually awarding outstanding, innovative solutions and projects in the area of environmental protection, sustainable development, design, medicine, health preservation and development, as well as education.

The members of the judging panel of the GRAN PRIZE might change from year to year, the permanent members being 3 directors from the SCCH. Members of faculty from institutions of higher education, as well as representatives of professional associations will form the judging panel of 2014. The SCCH announced to the press and public that it will set aside HUF 5 million from its capital to finance this innovative prize from the annually accrued interest, and it will invite other progressive decision makers and private individuals to participate with their sponsorship.

The annual award gala of the GRAN PRIZE will take place in May. The award will be in the shape of a pine tree, and it is currently being created by the Swedish artist, Anna Lundin. Each year, in the week following the award gala, the so called GRAN WEEK, the winner of the award will present the winning entry and members of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hungary will hold presentations for university students.