At the ceremony for the presentation of the 2011 Solidaritest awards for the best projects and initiatives in the field of social responsibility, Dexia was for the second year running given a Best Practices Award for its commitment to the granting of micro-loans through Dexia Foundation Belgium.
Dexia Foundation Belgium received the award in recognition of its support for the granting of micro-loans, and in particular for making available volunteers – current and retired employees of Dexia – to mentor micro-entrepreneurs in the implementation of their business projects.
In 2010, 20 volunteers from Dexia Foundation completed a total of 169 assignments to help 48 micro-entrepreneurs on the ground.
By bringing their technical skills, their advice and their experience to bear, these 20 volunteers made a material contribution towards increasing the chances of these micro-businesses surviving.
In addition to the individual coaching provided by specially trained professional volunteers, Dexia Foundation also gives financial support to Crédal and Hefboom, the two operators that have historically been the main providers of micro-loans in Belgium, by granting them operating subsidies.
In 2010 Dexia won an award for organising a vast collection of warm clothes and blankets for the socially deprived.
Solidaritest
Set up in 2007 by the Belgian Red Cross, Solidaritest ® is an annual survey designed to measure the efforts of Belgian businesses (or the Belgian subsidiaries of international businesses) in the area of social solidarity. Carried out by Vigeo Belgium in collaboration with the Belgian Red Cross, the Ethibel Forum, the Centre for Economics and Ethics at the Catholic University of Leuven, the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School and the HEC-School of Management of the University of Liège (among others), this survey is based on nine parameters for assessing how companies involve themselves in CSR (corporate social responsibility) programmes. They can do so externally (by providing financial support to the disadvantaged, or making ethical investments, ...) or internally (by recruiting foreign or disabled personnel, ...).
Comprising representatives of universities, the voluntary sector and the world of business, the jury of Solidaritest ® is chaired by Professor Luc Van Liedekerke (Catholic University of Leuven and the University of Antwerp). As a supplement to the Solidaritest® Award, the Best Practices Awards were introduced in 2010 and are designed more particularly to reward innovative projects or initiatives in the field of social solidarity. |