14 new recipients of Slovenian awards and certificates HORUS for social responsibility and sustainable development
(Maribor, December 16, 2022) Today, IRDO – Institute for the Development of Social Responsibility awarded 14 outstanding organizations and individuals with the HORUS 2022 awards, certificates and recognitions for social responsibility and sustainable development. The Strategic Integrity Award was presented to Lumar IG and Nova KBM. The award for the project was received by the companies Insights – the company for the discovery and development of potentials and the Public Company Komunala Slovenj Gradec, and the recipient of the finalist award was the Cultural and Event Centre Narodni dom Maribor. Among the individuals, the special Horus 2022 award was given to Ladeja Godina Košir, followed by other finalists – Urška Košica, Monika Holc Ivanić and Jurček Nowakk. For the first time this year, IRDO also awarded basic certificates to those organizations that have been successful in the process of assessing environmental, social and governance aspects. Certificates for strategic integrity were awarded to the Centre for Home Assistance Maribor and the Public Institute for Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Municipality of Ormož. Insights received a certificate for the project Za.Me – Inspire Me. The 2022 Strategist of the Year for Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development was Jasmina Roškar, an expert in the field of work for sustainable development at Pošta Slovenije, and Marko Razdevšek, Head of the Project and Process Management Sector and Head of the Sustainable Development Team at Engrotuš. The presentations of the finalists and winners are collected in the Horus 2022 Compendium on this project’s website.
Horus is one of the most recognizable professional awards in Slovenia in the field of social responsibility and sustainable development, with the longest history of awarding. Since 2009, more than 210 organizations and individuals have signed up for Horus Awards and Recognitions. This year, the applications of candidates in two rounds and different categories were evaluated by as many as 20 independent experts from various professional and partner institutions. To qualify as a finalist, candidates had to score at least 51% of all possible points. The evaluation committees focused primarily on a comprehensive approach to social responsibility and sustainable development, the activities carried out and the monitoring of effects.
The Chair of the Horus Award 2022 Evaluation Committee was Tatjana Fink, MBA, who said at the ceremony: “The main advantage of participating in the Horus Award competition is that it helps applicants systematically and comprehensively collect relevant data and prepare or upgrade a strategy in the field of social responsibility and sustainable development. I am pleased that every year Horus highlights examples of good practice and encourages individuals and organizations to further develop.«
Members of the evaluation committee for the Horus Award were: Breda Vodopija, Jana Petkovšek Štakul, mag. Natalie Cvikl Postružnik, Marko Kiauta, Jože Gornik, zasl. Prof. DDR. Matjaž Mulej, Karidia Toure Zagrajšek, Miro Mihec, mag. Danijela Kocuvan, mag. Marija Gale, Marko Razdevšek, Lan Wudler, Anita Kovačič Čelofiga, Vinko Nedelko, Monika Rajšp and Jasmina Roškar. Candidates who applied for certification additionally obtained an independent peer review, an analysis of activities and progress, and recommendations for improvements. The certification committee was led by Karidia Toure Zagrajšek, the other judges were Dejvi Ružič (TÜV Austria), mag. Natalie Cvikl Postružnik and Simona Roškar. Evaluation was carried out in separate evaluation groups according to individual categories. All assessors or reviewers had to self-isolate themselves in the assessment categories where a conflict of interest could arise.
Professor Emeritus, two-time Dr. Matjaž Mulej, Honorary Chairman of the Professional and Organizing Committee of the Horus Award, told the audience at the ceremony: “Horus is not just another award for social responsibility. It focuses on a holistic assessment of organizations and individuals, how and to what extent they realize interdependence as the foundation of socially responsible relationships, the integrity of consideration, the definition and realization of goals, and responsibility for their impacts on society and the environment.”
The call for the Horus Award was held for the 14th time this year and is supported by numerous partners, such as: the Slovenian Public Relations Association, the Slovenian Employers’ Association, the Manager Association, the Styrian Chamber of Commerce, the Slovenian Marketing Association, the Slovenian Journalists’ Association of Slovenia, the Slovenian United Nations Association for Sustainable Development, the Slovenian Association for Quality and Excellence, the Institute Centre for Information, Cooperation and Development of Non-Governmental Organisations, The Charter of Diversity of Slovenia, the British-Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and others. This year, the project is also co-financed by the Youth Office of the Republic of Slovenia. The partner of monitoring publications in the media is the company Press Clipping. The certification development partner is the international certification body TÜV Austria.
This year, for the first time, three certificates were awarded, and Karidia Toure Zagrajšek, Chair of the Horus 2022 Certification Evaluation Committee, said: “The Horus Certification is a strategic tool that helps organizations in key management steps by providing analysis and assessment of the situation, identifying strategic gaps, and making recommendations for further development in the field of social responsibility and sustainable development. As part of the process of obtaining the Horus certificate, the legal entity for strategic management and/or project allows external auditors to inspect and communicate with stakeholders and the relevant documentation that supports the claims of the legal entity written in the Horus questionnaire and further confirms the actual realization of them through the independent assessment of various experts.”
The organizers of the Horus 2022 call also demonstrated their commitment to cooperation, knowledge exchange and the fulfilment of positive values through the concept of this year’s event and support for socially responsible and sustainable behaviour. Thus, the event took place at the College of Hospitality and Tourism in Maribor, where, under the leadership of the director Dr. Tanja Aingleitner Sagadin and Mojca Polak, head of the MIC Academy of Culinary Arts and Tourism, they successfully integrate sustainable aspects into their operations and cuisine. This year, the winners also received unique works of art by Marko and Marika Pogačnik. The works symbolically convey positive vibrations and encourage the successful performance of the awardees. The Gallus Foundation enriched the event with the young guitarist Leon Ravnikar, and the gathered were also greeted by mag. Nena Dokuzov from the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia. She presented the importance of the Horus Award for Slovenia and the need for a green and digital transformation of the European and Slovenian economy, and thus of society as a whole.
Comprehensive presentations of the finalists and candidates, as well as other information about the competition and certification, are published in this year’s Horus 2022 e-compendium, available on the Horus website.