The 25th Annual Via Bona Slovakia Awards Announces Its Winners

This year, 51 large, medium, and small companies competed for the Via Bona Slovakia awards. Independent evaluation committees, composed of experts from the business, non-profit, and public sectors, selected the winners from among 21 finalists in seven categories. 

“Responsible business is not about one-time donations or flashy PR that outweighs the actual acts. We are seeing more and more companies systematically integrating the principles of sustainability, diversity, and community support into their daily operations. The companies we awarded this year demonstrate that it is possible to achieve business success while positively transforming the world around us,” said Michal Kišša, co-CEO of the Pontis Foundation. 

This year’s Via Bona Slovakia awards introduced not only a new visual identity but also a new category: the Responsible Campaign Award, focused on external and internal corporate campaigns that address current social issues. “A responsible campaign should bring real value to society. It should be authentic, transparent, and built on a deep understanding of the needs and challenges it deals with. It is also crucial that the campaign is ethical — without manipulation, false claims, or the exploitation of sensitive topics for self-promotion,” said Miroslava Remenárová, the Head of Public Affairs and External Communication at Slovak Telekom, the general partner of the 25th edition of the awards. 

Via Bona Slovakia Winners 

In the Inclusive Employer Award category, the prize went to the project of Wolf Syrups and HANY Ulič for their exemplary approach to employing Roma women in a region with limited job opportunities, creating a positive impact on the community and the lives of families. 

Based in the Poloniny region, this company has had a long-term focus on creating job opportunities in a region with low employment rate, especially for women. For newly created positions, the company has set a goal of hiring Roma women, who now make up 28% of the total workforce. These women showed to be loyal and productive employees. Stable employment in the place of their residence makes their life situation easier and contributes to their social inclusion. The project is built on open communication and principles of equality, where all employees are treated as equals without prejudice.  

The Climate Responsibility Award was granted to Kaufland for its exemplary and long-term implementation of a corporate strategy, certified and carried out through local solutions. 

Through the Road to Zero Waste project, Kaufland has committed to significantly reduce the mixed waste and maximize recycling. Currently, it recycles an average of more than 94% of its own waste. Key activities include recycling contaminated plastic packaging via insects and using reusable packaging for fruits and vegetables. Kaufland continuously improves its processes, trains its employees, and increases the share of recycled materials. The aim is to minimize the waste ending up in landfills or incinerators.

In the Social Innovation Award category, Lab.cafe was awarded for creating opportunities to develop technical skills, support creative thinking among young people, and build an active community. 

Lab.cafe is a dynamic space — a community hub — for education, experimentation, and creation. It was established in response to the lack of accessible spaces for creative people in Slovakia. It combines a makerspace, a coworking area, and a café. Its goal is to allow the public, regardless of experience, to learn hands-on, develop new ideas, and access technologies which would otherwise be unavailable to them. It offers access to modern manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing, CNC milling, and laser cutting. It builds a community of creative minds and supports startups and innovators in testing their ideas, while also organizing workshops for the public, schools, and companies.

The Positive Change in the Community Award was given to Tesco Stores SR for sensitively and respectfully breaking the taboo around period poverty and improving access to menstrual hygiene products. 

Tesco decided to address the issue of period poverty in Slovakia through an extensive initiative. The company has long reduced the price of its own-brand menstrual products by the value of VAT, making them more accessible to a wider range of women. The chain also introduced discounts on menstrual products for employees and placed period boxes in stores. In 2024, Tesco launched an educational campaign to raise awareness about this issue, which also includes providing free menstrual products at schools and workplaces. The long-term goal is to set a public debate about period poverty and reduce the financial burden of women who face this challenge.  

The first-ever Responsible Campaign Award was bestowed to Orange for its thoughtful reflection on the current issue of cyberbullying through the Influendcérky campaign, part of the company’s long-term efforts to promote online safety. 

The campaign addresses the issue of cyberbullying among children and young people. It features powerful emotional stories from mothers of well-known influencers who shared their daughters’ real experiences with hateful online comments. Through this campaign, Orange introduced its awareness program beznastrah.online (safely.online), which aims to help parents protect their children in the online space. The campaign was especially successful online, with 1.8 million video views in the first 48 hours and a 420% increase in website traffic. Public discussions with experts on digital safety, which became a permanent part of the program, were an important feature as well.  

The award in the main category Responsible Small/Medium Company went to the family construction firm DYNAMIK HOLDING for transforming a family business into a construction company with high added value, built on strong ethical standards, sustainability, and exceptional employee care. 

DYNAMIK HOLDING has been operating in the Slovak market since 1990. It specializes in comprehensive preparation of construction projects, development, implementation, and general contracting. Its core business is complemented by a building material store with a bathroom showroom and its own concrete plant. The company is guided by values of transparent, long-term sustainable, and responsible business. It invests in green technologies such as renewable energy and energy efficiency in its projects to minimize the carbon footprint. Based on a life cycle analysis of concrete, it identifies and improves the environmental aspects of its production and use. In 2024, the corporation voluntarily prepared and published its 2023 Sustainability Report. 

In the Responsible Large Company category, the winner was Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions for its long-term presence in Eastern Slovakia, where it significantly contributes to the development of the IT ecosystem, prevents the brain drain, educates, and connects the company’s know-how with the social needs of the region. 

Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions Slovakia (DTITSO) provides comprehensive solutions in information and communication technologies and business processes outsourcing. With over four thousand employees in Slovakia, DTITSO is a leader in IT services. The company focuses on innovation, quality, and transparency in all its processes, continuously investing in new technologies and service improvements. Environmentally, its priorities include minimizing its carbon footprint, promoting recycling, and using renewable energy sources. The company emphasizes diversity and inclusion, creating an environment with equal opportunities for all. It actively supports local communities and participates in various charitable and volunteer activities, contributing to the development of the Eastern Slovak region.