This week Evolving Choice had the pleasure of interviewing the Head Specialist in a leading Czech Bank’s Sustainable Development Team. Sustainability is still a very new concept in the country and J makes it sound really exciting but challenging to start a Sustainability agenda and offers advice for other professionals who might be facing the same issues.
1) Tell us what you do in your role as Head Quality Specialist in Sustainable Development?
My main role is to participate in the implementation and realization of the sustainable development concept in (bank). It means to define the strategy and to take steps to support the concept in line with the strategy (e.g. to propose changes, to look for process improvements, to propose new procedures to be more environmentally friendly). And especially to change the perception, thinking, and behaviour of the people inside the bank and to convince them that it is important that they themselves begin to behave in line with this philosophy.
2) How does one become a Head Specialist in Sustainable Development? What is the path you took?
I can say for me it happened by chance. Because I studied quality management system at university, I dealt with implementation and audit of ISO standards for almost three years. The need to do something else – more active job led me to (bank) to a position of an internal auditor. Due to possibility to work in Quality Department, that it discovered more than one year ago, I got the opportunity to be at the launching of sustainable development concept implementation in (bank).
3) What skills do you need to have in order to succeed in this kind of role?
At first, you must be keen on this issue and be certain of this issue importance. An initiative, proactive and creative approach is the touchstone. You have to still try to find more and more new information on this topic and then use them for solution proposals. Good communication, presentation and debate skillsare necessary for efficient promotion of this issue and its successful implementation. The knowledge of company environment is relevant too.
4) What advice would you give to someone who wants to enter this field?
Do not give up, when the reaction to realised measures is not optimistic. Many people consider it only like a shortime “fashion” issue. Before starting you have to persuade company management about sustainable development importance and they have to support you. Then gradually implement sustainable development concepts into company politics, focus on clear communication leading to increase of employees awareness. Try to involve employees in working out actions.
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Thank you so much J for giving our readers an insight into the challenges facing Sustainable Development Specialists in the Czech Republic on a Daily basis.
If anyone out there has any more specific questions for J, please comment here and Evolving Choice will publish her responses in a follow-up post.
Bruce Gahir, the founder of the CSR Working Group at the British Chamber in Prague, fits the profile of a CSR practitioner to a T. Then of course, there is no typical CSR practitioner.
Bruce was first trained in Mathematics & Physics before specialising and graduating with a MSc in Theoretical Physics from Birkbeck College of the University of London. Of course, Bruce saw the need for a balanced perspective early and also graduated with a BA in Philosophy before flirting with the City as a Financial Analyst at HSBC for 4 years.
He now lives in Prague and lectures at MBA and Bachelor Programs while running his own ethics training firm, Ethics2Biz.
EvolvingChoice had the pleasure of a brief interview with Bruce.
Bruce, you are currently developing a CSR Portal for the British Chamber, isn’t this in a way competing with CSR-Online.cz, a portal created by the Business Leaders Forum?
Well, CSR is the Czech Republic has often taken the form of different people doing their own thing. It would be great if we just had one resource area. We did try to propose a co-developed Portal with the Business Leaders Forum but there was very little reciprocal interest. So its not competition, is just that things are not very well coordinated at this time.
What has been the role of the British Chamber with Czech CSR? I know that in Singapore, for example, they are very active in promoting the CSR debate.
In the past, one of they key elements driving the British Chamber’s CSR initiatives have been their communication of CSR issues, through their website, through seminars and through their FOCUS magazine.
Going forward, we are moving towards offering more seminars and training. We will also expand our outreach to get more people involved. The British Chamber is not alone though with the American and Dutch Chambers very active in the discussion as well.
What do you think needs to be addressed in the short term if CSR is to move forward in the Czech Republic?
Discussions into CSR in the country are often just that, discussion. Discussion that is not very concrete and is often repetitive. Like the recent article in the Czech Business Weekly published by a Big 4 Consultant, there was nothing “New” regarding CSR there, it was just repetition of globally known CSR mantras.
We need more implementation, active follow up and feedback. We also need conferences to present and discuss CSR results in an ongoing way as currently, events are often one off.
I am optimistic though as we are starting a seminar/ working group with the University of Northern Virginia to bring together academics and members of the business community, Ernst & Young and Vodafone for example, to discuss their findings/results.
Recently you were part of a project to translate the GRI into Czech, has the translation had much interest since it was launched?
The translation was only completed a month ago, and unfortunately there has been no expressed interest in it in that short period of time. Today, only Czech Coal has been using some of the GRI’s reporting frameworks but they were using this before the translation.
The next stage of the translated GRI’s launch will involve an event where we will provide interested companies with a US-based training partner and target Small-Medium Enterprises, as larger multinationals often have their CSR policies dictated by their global head office.
Thank you so much for your time Bruce, it definitely has been tremendously insightful. We wish the development of Czech CSR all the best!
Professor John Camillus of the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business is currently engaged in a study in the Czech Republic which hopes to prove that ”corporate humanity and social responsibility in business is absolutely essential for the economic success of companies”.
In an interview with Czech newspaper Hospodářské noviny, he highlights Vodafone, alongside EMCO, as companies which are benchmarks for CSR in the Czech Republic.
John Camillus, Professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Business School
Excerpt of the Interview:
At this moment, you are in the middle of collecting data for your case study and have come into contact with many Czech companies. What is your opinion of Czech managers? Is their policy humane and socially responsible vis-à-vis customers? How would you assess their strategies towards employees?
The University of Pittsburgh has been operating in the CzechRepublic for almost twenty years. It also cooperates closely with the U.S. Business School Prague. Thanks to this fact, we are able to find many excellently managed Czech companies here, which may serve as prime examples of the approach we study.
The two Czech companies we are focusing on in the first stage of the case processing are EMCO and Vodafone. These are two brilliantly managed Czech companies, which may serve as global benchmark for economically successful and human-oriented companies. Both have solid values which are incorporated in their business decisions, both are very attentive to the wellbeing of their employees and customers, both use innovative and diverse approaches in management and the managements and employees of both companies are proud to be a part thereof. This has a positive effect on the benefit their companies generate. In the case studies, we will describe in detail their philosophy, management procedures and decision-making processes.
How are companies taking to CSR in the Czech Republic?
What does the future hold for CSR in this Central European economy?
We ask Tomas Nejedlo, Executive Director of the Business Leaders Forum, a champion of CSR in Prague.
Tomas, what is the Business Leaders Forum’s mission?
When we first started out, our broad mission was to promote ethical business, when activities of the like were termed ‘corporate citizenship’.
Now after being established for a while, our specific mission is to bring Czech business leaders together to share their experiences and knowledge with each in the field that is now called Corporate Social Responsibility.
That’s great, but what specific activities does BLF engage in?
A key, long-standing program we are particularly proud of is our ‘Manager Shadowing Program‘ where we connect talent from universities with managers in business.
With universities, we also offer their faculty guidance in and encourage them to communicate and offer their services to businesses.
Education is also a focus of our activities, towards this we have produced a variety of booklets, conferences and even a dedicated website at CSR-Online.cz which publishes both theory, real-life practical applications and a diary of relevant activities.
To recognise leaders in the field, we administer a health, safety and environment award and nominate outstanding business projects to the European Commission for a European award.
Finally, to provide a globally accepted framework of measurement to Czech business, we have recently completed the translation of the Global Reporting Initiatives guidelines.
Tomas Nejedlo, Executive Director of Business Leaders Forum
From your experiences, what do you think Czech companies believe CSR is?
With so many ‘expert opinions’ no one really has a universally accepted definition of CSR. One popular view, which in my opinion is nonsense, is that CSR is ‘doing good for society’ (i.e. foundations & philanthropy). This is the view championed by the Czech Donors Forum.
From the beginning, we have presented CSR as being about about business, about management. We are pleased that this view is growing in popularity.
But specific priorities are even more diverse and company dependent, with many Czech companies’ focus on Work Life Balance and their Environmental impact but, for example, Skoda Auto’s focus is about their Supplier & Sub-Contractor relationships.
We also cannot forget the strong tradition of responsible business in the Czech Repubic, 1st brought to international attention by the efforts of Tomas Bata, this tradition has made many managers come to me asking why we are calling it CSR when it really is just ‘normal activity’. I tell them that it is important to recognise these activities and approach them with the same language as the global economy via, for example, the Global Reporting Initiative.
Are there any companies that are truly leading the way in the Czech Republic?
I really love Kovohutě Příbram, which is a medium organisation in central Bohemia engaged in the recycling of old batteries and selling the Lead from them to companies.
I’d also like to highlight O2, which has really surprised me, their presentation and activities have been outstanding in the last year.
There has been significant concern that due to the economic turmoil, CSR activities will suffer, so you believe Czech companies will cut down on their activities?
My personal feeling is that CSR is not just about costs so I actually think that this is a good opportunity for companies to develop new methods and new activities which will benefit the company without any extra cost.
America’s new President has just been inaugurated, his speech at the event highlighted his desire for both sustainability and accountability to be key priorities for his administration in the coming years, what do you think this means for CSR in the Czech Republic?
To be honest, I have no idea. The question is how will his influence, in turn influence our region. This effect could be strong with many firms here not engaging in CSR for CSR’s sake but to fulfill the demands of their clients.
Yesterday, while presenting the idea of CSR at a Sponsorship conference, participants reminded me that in an open economy like ours, our customers are often international, with products that are likely sold in the west, where customer concern for CSR could grow significantly.
So again, the influence of the new US administration will not be a direct one, but an indirect one through the supply chain.
What do you think will be the key challenges for CSR in the Czech Republic in 2009 and how do you intend to address them?
I believe one of our key challenges will be the adoption of globally accepted frameworks for CSR and will work towards encouraging discussion about measuring & reporting in the business community. But we have to first find partners and companies who are both willing and suitable.
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Czech Business Weekly have also recently published a Great Article by Lenka Česenková, CSR Consultant at Ernst & Young CZ: Link Here
What part does CSR play in your company?
A very important one, we started with a responsible approach towards our business in 2005, since then we have worked to ensure that CSR becomes a vital part of our company culture. Naturally it is long journey, but judging by the reaction of our employees and community, we are doing fine so far. The people in our company accept the fact that CSR is an important part of business in T-mobile.
Does CSR contribute to higher earnings or customer satisfaction?
According to various studies, research and experiences around the world, CSR certainly leads to improved company performance, that is without question. But the truth is, some aspects of success are hard to measure (mentioned in: Do the Math on CSR). I’ll give you an example, in companies that are running CSR programmes, employees feel much better, their work, which now comes with a greater sense of purpose, brings them higher satisfaction. So it’s not only about numbers.
What results is that employee efficiency increases, something that is hard to measure. This is representative of the situation in T-mobile. CSR obviously has had a very positive impact but in order for me to present concrete numbers about revenue or profit I would have to conduct detailed research.
Jitka Chocova, CSR Manager, T-Mobile
What belongs to the Job Description of a CSR Manager? A CSR Manager is a person who, in cooperation with company management, creates the entire CSR strategy and is responsible for its integration into the everyday work of the company. It encompasses a wide portfolio of activities that include philanthropy for regions where we are active (T-mobile fund), projects focussed on employees, “one day for your good deed”, protection of the environment and representation of the company in associations and professional groups.
What do you consider your biggest success since assuming your position?
Definitely, it would have to be the fact that since 2005 the CSR budget has quadrupled. The 2nd biggest success is that CSR has become a part of the culture in T-mobile, people know about CSR and it’s an integral part of our everyday life. For example, I refer to our volunteer programme, “One day for your good deed” where more and more people have gotten involved (in 2005 it was 109, this summer it was 369), this year all our directors participated as well.
I’m also really glad that I have had a chance to participate in the DMS project (SMS charity giving), it’s a very unique project that managed to help NGOs raise around 200 million.
The Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (or MoLSA, its hip new Acronym) Website is a wonder.
It communicates that the Ministry believes that CSR asserts itself in the Labour Law in the form of… Collective Agreements! These uncanny instruments that allow for employees and employers to agree upon obligations “above the statute-given minimum”.
Weeks ago, I had the pleasure of delivering a lecture to a group of students at VSE, the country’s most prestigious business school, on CSR and remember a lament by a professor.
“CSR around here, is sadly too often corporations grudgingly complying with regulations set by the Government… and now, the EU” – VSE CSR Professor
How long will it take for business owners in the region to see that CSR makes strategic sense?
How long will it take for the notion that profitable & responsible business is not an oxymoron.
I have found the above one of the hardest things to communicate in a society where corrupt politicians are viewed to be a given, a matter of course.
Endnote
Click MoLSA Information’ on its front page, you will be presented with 3 items, 3 pieces of information which the Ministry apparently believes is all you need to know about them.
1. Contact Information (fair enough)
2. Basic Indicators in the Czech Republic 2002 (and they do not mean FROM 2002)
3. Petr Nucas – Curriculum Vitae (This is the current Minister’s CV, should anyone be in the market for one)
Roma – often portrayed in fiction as mystics and fortune tellers, sometimes even Egyptians (The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Victor Hugo)
Kicked off with a keynote speech by speculator & philanthropist extraordinaire George Soros, over 400 Government (EU and National) and Civil Society Representatives gathered in Brussels for the European Commission’s (EC) first ‘EU Roma Summit’
Although Roma inspired the French term Bohemian, this meeting was not to discuss the future of the Boho-look which will no doubt have its influence on some runways at Milan’s Fashion Week, which was held immediately after the summit.
Often shunned and stereotyped in their adopted lands, issues facing the Roma population of 15 million (roughly equivalent to that of Belgium or Greece) are regularly ignored. This summit aims to put a spotlight on these issues and allow for sharing of initiatives that have proven effectivity with panel discussions such as:
Time to Act – Building a Strong Partnership for Roma Inclusion
Global Responsibility
Policies that Work: A Can-Do-Approach to Inclusion
Rights Based Perspective
The Way Forward – Towards Concrete Steps for Improvement
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Why Now?
With the enlargement of the European Union in 2004 and 2007, the Roma are now the EU’s largest ethnic minority with a history of over 7 centuries on the continent.
Roma in Bulgaria
In 2004, the ascension of Slovakia with 550,000, Hungary with 450,000 – 1,000,000, the Czech Republic with 220,000 – 300,000 and Poland with 15,000 – 50,000 brought an estimated total between 1.25 million to 1.9 million Roma into the EU.
Shortly after in 2007, Romania and Bulgaria, also with high Roma populations, brought an estimate of between 1.4 million to 3.3 million into the union.
Responding to a report on the Roma published in July 2008, this summit represents the EU’s best concerted effort thus far to address this ‘missed economic opportunity’ (as termed in a BusinessWeek feature).
Eurobarometer
If evidence from a Eurobarometer Report “Discrimination in the EU” published in July 2008, the represenatives at this summit definitely have their work cut out for them, at least when it comes to addressing popular prejudices.
The adjacent table is an extract of the results of a survey where participants were asked how comfortable they would feel with a Roma neighbour with 10 being extremely comfortable and 1 being extremely uncomfortable.
Polish participants coming in above famously liberal Sweden exhibited the most tolerance towards a Roma neighbour with an average response of 7.5, significantly above the EU average of 6.0.
On the bottom of the table are Italy and the Czech Republic returning average responses of 4.0 and 3.7 respectively.
Furthermore, in both Italy and the Czech Republic, 47% of participants were uncomfortable with a Roma neighbour (answering 1, 2 or 3).
Italy
Home to Milan Fashion Week but also home to a government accused by the European Parliament on the 10th of July as initiating a clear act of racial discrimination.
In a claimed reaction to 700 gypsy gamps surrounding Roma, Milano and Napoli, the Italian government declared a state of emergency and began fingerprinting its Roma populationamong other activities. Roberto Maroni, Italy’s Interior Minister, in defence of the European Parliament’s accusation insisted that his government’s actions were necessary to combat crime and identify illegal immigrants for expulsion.
Holocaust survivor joins a petition against plans to fingerprint Roma. Source: Reuters
Czech Republic
While the Nazis murdered 200,000 – 800,000 Roma during World War II in an attempted genocide known as the Porajmos. The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia succeeded in totally eradicating the Bohemian Romany language by exterminating all its speakers.
Following this, in Communist Czechoslovakia, Roma women were routinely sterilised as part of state policy to reduce their population. This was also reported in Norway, albeit on a smaller scale.
The current Czech government has not totally shaken this legacy, recently losing a case brought against it at the European Court of Human Rights.
The Court ruled in favour of Berta Cervenakova, a resident of Ostrava in the Czech Republic, mother of four and Roma. 8 years after first initiating this lawsuit against the Czech government however, nothing has changed for Berta and her children who live in a condemned tenement building.
Berta Cernakova & Family
Berta’s daughter Nikola was at the centre of this case. When Nikola was enrolling into school, Berta was made to sign documents, which she did not understand, declaring her daughter to be mentally retarded, allowing officials to whisk her off to a special school for mentally disabled children.
Nikola, now 18, cannot Read, Write or Count.
“I blame the parents. They don’t read to their kids. The Roma have no appreciation that you have to apply yourself to get on. They just live for the day” – Headmaster of a reformed Special School
These views are prevalent throughout the teaching community, something the Czech authorities are finding a major challenge to tame.
“We can’t say to those who teach like this: you have to go. That would lead to a collapse of the school system” – Ondrej Liska, Czech Education Minister
But of course, there’re always two sides to a situation.
“Czech people are racist and xenophobic. But many Gypsies are worse. They don’t send their kids to school because they don’t want to be white” – Radek Bhanga, Roma rapper of Gipsy.cz (video featured below)
Jiri’s Plan
Maybe Radek’s words describing Czech people to be ‘racist and xenophobic’ are extreme but consider the Czech Local Development Ministry’s latest plan to address the “Roma Problem”.
They are to be divided into three groups:
Independant (almost) of Social Allowances
Abusing Social Allowances
Have to be under Constant Supervision
And be faced with regulations like the following:
Type 3 Roma are to be moved to Hostels under Social Workers’ Supervision
Social Allowances will only be granted to Roma working for Municipalities
Rent Defaulters will work to cover their Debts
The program also includes incentives like being moved to ‘a better part of town’ if members of a family get a job and send their children to school (hopefully not a special school).
What is truly worrying about the program is how it contains statements that stress the importance of weakening ties within Romany family clans by measures like allowing a maximum of two related families in the same house.
Jiri Cunek - Leader of the Christian Democratic Union
Those who have followed the current Local Development Minister, Jiri Cunek, have not been surprised at his ministry’s plan. After all, Mr.Cunek, while mayor of Vsetin, was (in)famous for moving several Romany families out of town.
‘Hostels’ under constant supervision, moving families into ‘another’ district, I don’t know Jiri… You’re reminding this writer of a character with a creepy moustache.
[For more on Roma issues in the Czech Republic: Romea.cz]
A Bargain Special for some but a Fundamental Breach of Principles for others?
Only introduced in January 2008 as part of a reform of the health sector, the Czech Government started requiring patients pay a fee of 30 crowns ($1.85) on each visit to their doctor. Already however, the reform has many Czechs, who see it as a matter of principle that healthcare should be free, demanding that they be repealed.
Already, the Prime Minister, Mirek Topolánek, has been brought before a constitutional court considering overturning the reforms. The court will rule on Wednesday (28/05) if the reforms contradict the constitution which explicitly states that “citizens have on the basis of public insurance the right to free medical care and free medical aids under the conditions defined by the law.”
If regional history holds, these reforms could very well be short-lived with neighbouring Slovakia and Hungary both having introduced similar reforms in recent years only to have them repealed soon after in the face of popular opposition.
In the case of Hungary, After a popular referendum where 80% voted against fees, the Parliament voted overwhelmingly (199-1) to repeal them a week later.
A victory for the people it seems but not without cost, in an immediate response to the referendum as an indicator of slowing fiscal reform, ratings agency Standard & Poors downgraded Hungary’s credit rating outlook from Stable to Negative. An outcome a Czech Republic just upgraded to an A-1 rating by the same agency would want to avoid.
Looking outside the region though, the case for opposition to these reforms can draw support from an unlikely source, China. Where healthcare reforms, which began in 1992 (when the government covered 90% of costs), have become prohibitively costly for a large portion of the country’s citizens where treatment for minor ailments costing 200-300RMB ($29-43) is not unheard of. A startling amount in Beijing where workers (in the textile or agriculture industry) earn an average of 1600RMB ($230) per month.
A situation which many Czechs, who pride themselves in their solidarity with the poor, see healthcare fee reform as a dangerous first step towards.
Maybe the world should consider healthcare reform in the image Mao’s Barefoot Doctors, after all, a common cold or an upset stomach really should not be conditions that require getting out of bed just to see a physician. Or if being treated by a minimally trained Chinese farmer is not your thing then maybe a French solution? SOS Medecins is service which provides on-call doctors round the clock who, drive to your home, diagnose you and leave you with the medication you need. Now that’s healthcare! (if only it did not cost more than $1.85)
1) Tell us what you do in your role as Head Quality Specialist in Sustainable Development?
4) What advice would you give to someone who wants to enter this field?
How are companies taking to CSR in the Czech Republic? 
America’s new President
