The FINANCIAL — The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) Georgia is the largest charitable donor in Georgia, having given around USD 10 million in 2011.
The FINANCIAL — The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) Georgia is the largest charitable donor in Georgia, having given around USD 10 million in 2011.
During the first eight months of 2012 the company donated USD 2 million. A representative of the company said that “it is hard to foresee whether the charity fund of the current year will exceed the amount given in the previous year”. Next to SOCAR Georgia Aversi Pharma LTD and TBC Bank were the largest charitable donators of 2011 whose donation exceeded GEL 1 million.
The FINANCIAL enquired after 40 leading Georgian companies out of which only 7 responded.
“The representation of SOCAR in Georgia has been implementing charitable activities since the very days of its establishment. Namely, in the sphere of financing talented students and giving help to people who need medical aid. SOCAR Georgia works in many different charity directions, including the sponsorship of sport, scholarships, social activities – health issues, orphanages and the support of cultural events and other projects,” the representative of SOCAR Georgia told The FINANCIAL.
Aversi-Pharma LTD spent GEL 1,121,209 on charity in 2011.
“During the first eight months of 2012 Aversi spent GEL 952,936 on charity. We do not have the exact figures of how much will be spent by the end of the current year. As a pharmaceutical company we try to sponsor projects connected to health issues. We also finance different charity projects, like free meals at Catharsis home for the elderly, cultural events for homeless children, orphans and others,” said Lali Bregvadze, Head of the Advertising and PR Department at Aversi-Pharma Ltd.
In 2011 TBC Bank spent GEL 1,030,000 on charity projects. By the end of 2012 its charity expenses should reach approximately GEL 1 million. The sum will not include the Maecenas-cultural projects that are presently under development.
“In the eight months of the current year GEL 860,000 was spent on the charity activities of TBC Bank. In addition, the Bank has financed several Maecenas projects, which aim at the development of Georgian culture – Young Filmmakers of a feature film are encouraged to shoot a 20/12 feature film, to create and finance online TV – Artarea, focused on culture, electronic book house Saba and many others which in total adds up to a much greater amount of finances than the cost of exact charity projects,” said Maia Dzirkvelishvili, Head of the Public Relations Department at TBC Bank.
During the eight months of 2012 Bank of Georgia issued GEL 430,000 to its charity fund. In 2011 BOG invested approximately GEL 400,000 in this direction. Sophie Balavadze, Brand’s PR Unit Head at Bank of Georgia, said that the sum includes environmental and social cases, financing of Borjomi-Kharagauli Park and socially disabled people. “The Bank also supported participants of the TV show Nichieri,” she added.
“The company Silknet pays an important role in CSR activities. The amount of its charity expenditure is confidential. The company annually provides various categories of benefits. We provide a 50% discount on phone service and free airtime. Their number exceeds 7,400 – made up of single pensioners, disabled, the blind and persons disabled since childhood. Such a social project is unprecedented in the telecommunications market. The company annually spends GEL 315,000 on this project.
“We constantly work with and support the charitable foundation Iavnana,” said Nino Daraseli, Head of the PR Department at Silknet.
Daraseli said that Silknet is an active supporter of school education. Silknet uploaded the special free programme Domestic School for pupils on to the Silk TV menu. The menu includes audio lessons of: Georgian language and literature, mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, geography and history from 1st to 12th grades.
“Students of Georgian Technical University receive professional internships at the largest telecommunications company Silknet; in accordance with vacancies we offer them employment.
Silknet donated its own apartment in Sviri village, in the Zestaphony region, for the opening of a kindergarten. Before then there was no kindergarten functioning in this village,” she added.
Wissol feels a responsibility for the protection of the environment and undertakes social investments, does charity and implements community projects for the social well-being of society at large. Thus Wissol shares GC principles and furthermore, it is an honour for me personally to serve as the Chairperson of the GC Local Network in Georgia,” said Dr. Samson Pkhakadze, Chairman of the Wissol Board of Directors.
Wissol tries to involve its staff in the company’s social projects and sports activities. Within the charity project of the Iavnana Foundation Wissol allocated GEL 30,000 for the construction of the monastery of Iveria Mother of God on Makhata Mountain. Furthermore, company employees will be donating a certain amount of money from their monthly salaries till the end of the construction of the monastery.
Wissol has been an active supporter of Iavnana Foundation since its establishment in 2004. With the help of the joint projects 62 families have been granted residential apartments, meanwhile 800 children now have the opportunity to grow up in a family environment.
“BP focuses its efforts towards the big-scale Sustainable Development Initiatives in Georgia. This includes Community Development Initiative, Energy Efficiency and Enterprise Development. In addition, BP in Georgia implements small-scale educational projects under BP’s sponsorship programme. We do only a few things for charity as the main focus is on sustainable development,” Tamila Chantladze, Communications Team Leader at BP Georgia, told The FINANCIAL.
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