English summary

„Committed to CSR Excellence” 

A new era of effective measurement of CSR performance has started in Hungary. Eight organisations took part in the first “Committed to CSR Excellence” programme, starting in 2010. Participants used a self-assessment tool to measure and improve their CSR practices, sharing experiences and setting example for their peers.

The one-year programme, organised by Hungarian Association for Excellence (SzKKE) and Alternate Consulting, is based on the CSR Framework of the EFQM model, and the “Committed to Excellence” recognition.

Programme schedule

The programme has two main parts. During the first three months, participants are expected to assess their own performance, based on the nine criteria of the EFQM model. Their assessment is aided by a tool developed by the organisers, CSR expert cooperation, and benchmark visits to leading organisations in the field of CSR. These meetings give opportunity to learn about good practices and facilitate active conversation on the issues. During the development projects, further experience-sharing meetings are organised at the participants, discussing in more detail selected topics of CSR.

Based on their self-assessments, the participants prepare their application, containing at least three development projects. The programme is closed by the site visits (audits) and a conference where participants can share their results, experiences and further plans with other participants, and organisations who are interested in CSR and the “CSR Excellence Programme”.

Those organisations that successfully complete the three development projects, become aligible to for "Committed to CSR Excellence" prize, and the use of both the "CSR Excellence" logo and EFQM's "Committed to Excellence logo".

 

 

Self-assessment tool

The tool is an Excel-based questionnaire, based on the CSR Framework of the EFQM model. The 36 questions are organised in six blocks, around the five enabler criteria, and the results. Some of the questions are further divided into economic, environmental, internal social and external social sub-sections, to raise awareness of the complexity of CSR issues.

Assessment of the performance is based on how mature is that given process within the company (1-100%; 100% representing international benchmark) and also on how many aspects of CSR the company considers under that process (e.g. under economic sustainability, do they deal with responsible management, ethical issues, corruption, supply chain etc.; 0.0 – 1.0, where 1 is given if all major aspects are considered).

Assessment is aided by visualising the results with graphs and figures, making it easier to locate areas for improvement (see examples in the figures). 

 

Strengths of the programme

The one-year programme provides great opportunity for organisations, independent of their size, industry or ownership, to map their CSR performance, prioritise issues, and start development programmes. Moreover:

• improvement is compared to the organisation’s own performance;
• learning in groups, direct experience, benchmarking;
• interactive web-based site to share experiences and good practices;
• self-assessment tool helps to determine areas for improvement;
• continuous expert help provided by the organisers;
• at least three development projects – improvement secured;
• all successful participants receive a prize, they can use the “Committed to CSR Excellence” logo and the European level C2E logo.

The “Committed to CSR Excellence” logo

The logo expresses the unity and interdependence of the three dimensions of sustainability: economic, environmental and social sustainability. The perfectness of glass shows transparency and the pursuit for excellence that are the main values of CSR and the EFQM model. The triangle shape reflects the recognition levels of the model as well.