Moravacem, a member company of the CRH Group, is located in Central Serbia, in the village of Popovac near Paraćin, 160 km south of Belgrade. With its three cement production factories in the vicinity of Belgrade, in Krnjača, Dobanovci and Zemun, Moravacem also has a strong presence on the finished concrete market
This month we discussed Moravacem’s CSR projects and initiatives with Zorica Radovanović, its company coordinator for corporate social responsibility.
Could you tell us a little more about the current “Partnership for the Future” contest? How can organisations or institutions apply and what’s the deadline for applications?
This year, for the 13th consecutive time, Moravacem is organising its “Partnership for the Future” contest and calling on all non-profit organisations, institutions and civil society associations to submit their conceptual projects for participation in the competition.
The contest is open until 29th April, so I would like to take this opportunity to invite all those who are interested and have a good conceptual project idea to apply. All registered civil society associations, organisations and institutions headquartered in the municipality of Paraćin have the right to apply for inclusion in the contest, either independently or in partnership with one or more organisations. The results of the contest will be published on the website of our company on 1st June 2022. The total award fund for is 30,000 euros, and 10 projects will each receive an award of up to 3,000 euros each. The decision on which projects will be supported has been entrusted to an expert jury comprising representatives of Moravacem.
Which topics are being supported by this year’s “Partnership for the Future” contest?
When it comes to the selection of projects to be awarded, consideration will be given to the relevance of the project to the needs of the local community and the potential for sustainability, but also alignment with the topics that Moravacem supports through its Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy, which include: local economy for sustainable development (this includes initiatives aimed at developing employability, creating a stimulating environment for launching new businesses and supporting local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises), communities for sustainable development (initiatives that aim to improve the quality of life of citizens in local communities in various aspects, including culture, education, health and support for socially vulnerable groups) and the natural environment for sustainable development (initiatives in the community that contribute to improving the quality of the environment).
Priority will be given to projects that contain innovation in terms of ideas and approaches, partnerships and coalitions among organisations and institutions, schools, citizens and local government, followed by activities of educational nature, volunteer activities and more.
What can you tell us about other CSR activities that you have planned for the period ahead?
Alongside the “Partnership for the Future” contest, which is already among our traditional long-term CSR projects, this year we will realise significant cooperation with the National Association of Parents of Children with Cancer (NURDOR), while we also plan to organise preventative checks and mammography screening for women with the aim of the early detecting of breast cancer.
Your company also takes an active role in spreading awareness of the topics of inclusion and diversity. What are your plans on this front for this year?
We are this year continuing initiatives that aim to promote culture and raise awareness, both among employees and on a broader level, of the importance of the including of diversity and social inclusion in all business processes and culture. We organised two very successful panel discussions last year, at which we hosted eminent experts who spoke about these important topics. We are this year continuing to address the issues of inclusion and diversity by expanding the audience that we address, so we plan to organise a major national conference and, at the local level, we will also establish cooperation with local high schools. With the successful examples of our colleagues, our wish is to encourage young girls, high school graduates, and to show them that there are companies that nurture diversity and inclusion, as well as providing equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender, to advance and forge successful careers in heavy industries.