Georgian Responsible Business Competition ‘Meliora 2024’

CSRDG established the Meliora competition in 2018. Over the years, the competition has had more than 30 sponsors and about 20 media partners. In 2018-2022, 120 companies with about 300 projects participated in the competition.

This year, the competition is held again, within the framework of the “Civil Society STAR Initiative” project supported by the European Union, in cooperation with many international and local expert organizations, business platforms and government institutions. Meliora 2024 will identify and reward those companies operating in Georgia that implement inspiring and exemplary projects and initiatives in the field of corporate social responsibility.

For six years already, the Meliora competition has been a source of inspiration for significant changes, business success and corporate responsibility throughout the country.

Categories

The award is given in the following categories:

• Six thematic categories covering all major areas of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):
  • Green initiative
  • A responsible employer
  • Honest activity in the market
  • Community support
  • Partnership of sectors – shared responsibility
  • Transparency and reporting
• Special category:
  • CSR manager of the year
• The highest award (Grand Prix) – the title of responsible business of the year, which will be awarded to a separate large and separate small/medium-sized company.
  • Responsible large company of the year
  • Responsible Small/Medium Company of the Year

Reasons Why You Should Participate?

• The competition offers a unique opportunity for business companies to introduce their CSR-initiatives to the public and gain recognition for the best achievements;
• The competition offers an inspiring, creative environment and the opportunity to learn and share your experience with many different organizations;
• All companies involved in the competition contribute to raising awareness of corporate social responsibility and establishing high standards of sustainable development;
• The diverse categories of the competition cover all the main areas of CSR. Therefore, you can easily select the appropriate category for your CSR-initiative.
• The independent jury of the competition consists of leading Georgian and foreign experts, which guarantees the high reliability of the evaluation process.
• Large, medium and small-sized companies can participate in the competition, they will have an equal chance of winning, because the projects will be evaluated not by comparing them with each other, but by evaluation criteria that consider the scale of projects and results in relation to the size of the company; In each category, in addition to a large company, an award may also be given to a small/medium-sized business.
• The terms of the competition are quite flexible – you can present a separate project or initiative that will be focused on one specific issue (for example, reducing environmental pollution or promoting education in one or another community) and win in the thematic category; You can present your activities and approaches according to all the main directions of CSR and deserve the highest award (Grand Prix) of the competition – the title of responsible business of the year; Finally, you can nominate your company’s CSR manager (or, if you don’t have this position in the company, another employee responsible for CSR activities) who has demonstrated high motivation and exceptional commitment to the competition, and win the CSR Manager of the Year award.
• The competition concept, categories, evaluation criteria and procedures were developed in cooperation with experts from the leading European organizations in the field of CSR (Pontis Foundation, Slovakia and Business in the Community, the Prince’s Responsible Business Network, UK), who have many years of experience in conducting this type of competitions; Therefore, the competition corresponds to the best international standards.
• Finally, the awards ceremony provides an opportunity to gather, unite, encourage and showcase the most progressive companies and ambitious business professionals who do not want to remain in the traditional framework of business, focused only on income, and strive to achieve more valuable results by making positive changes in society.

Who can participate?

• Both large and small/medium-sized companies registered in Georgia can participate in the competition. “Private companies” means companies that earn income through the provision of goods and services.
• Civil organizations, public sector agencies or state-owned enterprises will not be admitted to the competition (the category of state-owned companies includes those enterprises and organizations whose share or stock package is 50% or more owned by the central or local government, or their subsidiaries, and/or companies whose control is carried out by the state – for example, which has a special manager appointed by the government).
• Companies that belong to sectors with a negative impact on society and the natural environment, namely one of the sectors listed below, are also not allowed to participate in the competition: gaming industry (gambling, including online games, casinos and similar establishments); tobacco production or trade; Arms production or arms trade; Also companies engaged in business activities prohibited by Georgian legislation or international conventions and agreements.
• Small and large companies will have an equal chance of winning, because the applications of the participants will be evaluated not against each other, but according to special evaluation criteria. The scope and results of the activity will be evaluated in relation to the size of the company.
• In each category, two parallel awards can be granted: one for a large company and one for a small/medium-sized company.
• A participant of the previous year’s competition can submit the same project (which he submitted the previous year) to the competition only if he shows significant improvement, new results and achievements compared to the previous application. It is not allowed to import the same project unchanged.
• The Grand Prize winner of the previous year’s competition will not be eligible to participate in the same category the following year. He can apply in any other category.
• The winner of the thematic or special category of the previous year’s competition has no right to submit the same project (which won the previous year) to the competition the following year, no matter how important innovations, improvements and new achievements it may have.
• The winner of the thematic or special category of the previous year’s competition can submit another project for competition in the same category in which he won last year, or in any other category.

For more information, visit CSRDG.