Business Model Instead of Charity: Via Bona Recognises Companies Transforming the Way Business Is Done

The awards were granted to companies that create employment opportunities for people with a history of incarceration, companies that build their businesses on the principles of the circular economy, contribute thousands of hours of professional expertise to non-profit organisations, and address issues that the corporate sector had until recently largely avoided. 

“Instead of focusing on one-time projects, companies are looking for ways to address societal challenges directly through their products, services, employment practices, or business models. The question is no longer whether they should pursue social impact, but how to do so in a credible way, long-term and as a natural part of doing business,” said Michal Kišša, Co-CEO of the Pontis Foundation. 

A Second Chance for People, a Second Life for Textiles

The Inclusive Employer Award went to Gekkon, a company specialising in the sale and servicing of material handling equipment. Its Second Chance project intentionally integrates people with a history of imprisonment or addiction into the workforce. The company provides employees with personal mentoring, housing assistance, and psychological support, and reports an almost zero reoffending and relapse rate. 

In the category focused on the climate crisis, Lindström was recognised for building its business around the principles of circular economy. The company provides rental, regular maintenance, and laundering services of workwear and mats, which are recycled at the end of their life cycle. Its Slovak branch now runs entirely on renewable electricity, and last year the company succeeded in recycling all its discarded textiles.

What Makes a Brand Courageous?

One of the highlights of this year’s awards was the Freedom Is Yours campaign by Slovenská sporiteľňa. The campaign sparked a broader public conversation about freedom, trust, and shared values. It was launched in response to recent attempts to question the significance of November 17. The company’s foundation supported the construction of the first memorial to the Velvet Revolution in Bratislava, while the bank gave its employees a day off and encouraged other companies to join the discussion about the value of freedom. “The campaign showed that companies are increasingly engaging with issues that go beyond traditional product communication. In the past, brands tended to avoid such topics for fear of controversy or reputational risk,” added Michal Kišša. The project received the Responsible Campaign Award. 

15 Times Better Thanks to an App

The Positive Change in the Community Award was given to Accenture. Last year, the company invested more than 5,700 hours of professional expertise, worth €170,000, in consulting and digital solutions for non-profit organisations. “This included, for example, a CRM system for the Vagus civic association, enabling it to manage data on more than 2,600 clients, and an application for the Way Out organisation, which increased the number of children from marginalised communities participating in its Omama programme by more than fifteen times. This approach also reflects the growing trend of companies applying the expertise they have developed through their core business activities to address specific societal challenges,” explained Michal Kišša. 

Teaching Healthy Cooking to Children

Each year, Via Bona Slovakia recognises one large and one small or medium company for their long-term and systematic approach to responsible business. This year, the award in the Responsible Large Company category went to Kaufland, which has a long-standing commitment to volunteering, recycles more than 95% of its own waste, and actively promotes children’s health and obesity prevention. The company supplies schools and kindergartens with tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables and supports children’s cooking clubs. 

The fact that responsible business is no longer the domain only of large corporations was proved by IBL Software Engineering. The company develops software for meteorological services in more than 80 countries, with its technology even being used in Antarctica. IBL received the award in the Responsible Small/Medium Company category for combining business growth with environmental responsibility and support for the local community. The company helped establish a local offset programme in cooperation with the city of Bratislava and the City Forests in Bratislava. 

Over its 26-year history, the Via Bona Slovakia Awards have recognised 189 companies and projects that are helping make Slovakia a better place.