CSR Certificate scheme developed in Slovenia

In 2016, Ekvilib Institute launched a new product – Socially responsible Company Certificate (CSR certificate). Certificate was developed as part of a pilot project involving six Slovenian companies. The project lasted from September 2015 to September 2016, when the analyses were completed, and officially ended in October with the awarding of certificates.

CSR Certificate is an analytical-consulting process based on a socially responsible principle of corporate governance. The certification process is based on gap analysis in key elements of socially responsible business in accordance with the ISO 26000 Guidelines for Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indicators. It helps companies understand and implement corporate social responsibility.

The benefits of going through the certification scheme are:

•          Increase in transparency
•         Better understanding of stakeholder needs
•          Increased reputation
•          Gap analysis
•          Improved risk management

The certificate is awarded for individual areas - employees, environment and society, with organizational management as a horizontal, mandatory field for all companies. Each aspect is analysed from three sides: company, company's stakeholders and Ekvilib Institute as independent observer. Each stakeholder comments on each question. Based on the scores we calculate the size of the gap for each question or activity.

Levels of certificate

Company acquires CSR certificate level C when achieving minimal standards and CSR certificate level B or A when achieving the highest standard. When the company does not achieve level C standards, we suggest corrective measures to fill the gaps. When the company wants to progress from level C to level B or level A, we suggest the measures to fill the gaps.

The certificate is intended for companies and organizations that already operate socially responsible and want to upgrade and validate their operations in the form of a certificate, as well as to those that have only started to introduce principles of corporate social responsibility, and can help them in this process.
It is suitable for businesses and organizations regardless of size, legal form and type of business.

Author: Petra Hartman (Ekvilib Institute)