I have known the Social Ecumenical Forum for 20 years, there when we met in 2002 for the talks given by Bernardo Kliksberg and Sturzenegger proposed a model of Social Balance in Buenos Aires. Later in Madrid, I was moved to listen to an Argentine like Bernardo in one of the many conferences I attended in Europe on Social Responsibility and Sustainability.
On December 2, the Social Ecumenical Forum and the Jorge Luis Borges International Foundation awarded the 2021 distinctions to organizations, initiatives and individuals for their valuable contributions. This wonderful award promotes social responsibility and peace in our country and in the world, especially in times as complicated as the ones we are experiencing..
The 2021 editions corresponded to the Award for the Best Social Report of Companies, in its local and Latin American version, the Award for the Solidarity Entrepreneur, the Calvez Award for Citizen Responsibility, and poetry and story contests and the Borges for Students project.
The event was opened by sister Theresa Varela, current president of the Forum and successor of the Jesuit priest Jean jacques calvez, who chaired the forum for 10 years. Born in Cape Verde, she is based in San Marcos Sierras, northwest of the Province of Córdoba (Argentina), in the Cruz del Eje Department. She has presided over the Fundación Misión Esperanza since 1997, and is a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize for her outstanding social work.
The Minister of Culture of the Nation Tristán Bauer, offered his opening remarks thanking those present and mentioning “the hope that we have to build”, citing a 1926 youth text by Borges rescued and edited by María Kodama in 1994 that said : “My argument today is the homeland. What is in it of the past, present and future and for the record that the future is never encouraged to be present at all without first rehearsing itself and that this rehearsal is hope. Blessed are you hope, memory of the future, little smell of the future, stick of God “.
He congratulated all the winners on the day, remembering the figure of José Luis Borges as someone who transcends all limits and mentioned that it was an honor to be able to meet in his name. “Humanity has gone through difficult and complex times and little by little we are moving towards a brighter future,” he remarked. Finally, he reported on the recovery of the Borges Cultural Center in Galerías Pacífico for the Jorge Luis Borges International Foundation, and the next repairs that will be made in the old library on México Street where the writer was director, giving shelter to his memory. Following this, he gave way to the awards ceremony.
THE AWARDED
All those present, juries and companies from the Forum were thanked for the economics webinars found in magazine number 13 (1) and to the cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi who could not appear, due to the initiative Court of the Gentiles (2), which since 2014 has been held in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, La Plata, Madrid and Salamanca.
The first to receive the award were proposed by Alfonso Gómez, Rector of the Catholic University of Córdoba and former president of the Social Ecumenical Forum.
The Calvez Award for Citizen Responsibility, 9th edition, was obtained in the Student category: Martha Díaz Villegas and Sara María Palacios.
The award was presented by nothing more and nothing less than Daniel Sabsay.
In the Leader category he won the award Eduardo Oderigo, creator of the NGO The Spartans, who obtained this distinction for the improvements achieved in people deprived of their liberty, not only teaching them to play Rugby, but more importantly, reintegrating them into society. Eduardo also obtained numerous awards and was received by Pope Francis for his work. He also won the award Jesus Maria Silveyra, author of various articles and books from the agricultural field, who since 1991 is dedicated to literature to defend value-based initiatives, performing until 2015 in business advisory tasks in commercial and operational areas. Between 2015 and 2019 he was undersecretary of Agricultural Markets of the Nation and is currently an advisor in international business. The award was presented by Luis Bameule, former president of the Christian Business Association (ACDE) and founding member of the Social Ecumenical Forum.
Finally, the award was given to the Institution to the Argentine Council of Religious Freedom (Calir) received by Juan Navarro Floria, delivered by Pastor Federico Schafer of the church.
THE COMPANIES
In the competitions for companies, the best in Argentina in terms of Social Responsibility stood out, creating a top 30 for their trajectory and commitment to society. The evaluation criteria covered various dimensions: Institutional, Economic, Environmental and Social based on the work that the economist Adolfo Sturzenegger and team prepared in 2002.
The winners of the Award for the Best Social Report of Companies in Argentina, 12th edition, have been: Naturgy delivered to María Betina Llapur; Banco Galicia delivered by Jorge Etkin, director of the administration career of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires and received by José Luis Ronsini, María Laura Tortorella, María Florencia Pereira and Mariana Saavedra; Andreani received by Guadalupe Terron and delivered by Martin Maslo, president of the Bet El community; Banco Hipotecario received by Jezabel Miyares delivered by Marcela Goldin, member of the jury; Banco Patagonia awarded to Rocío Huerta Escandón, Heather Feehan and Luciana Gutiérrez presented by Julio Bresso, professor at the Austral University and member of the Award Jury; Camuzzi received by Rodrigo Espinosa delivered by Francesca Ambrogetti, one of the authors of the notes that are published in the new book of the Forum. Francesca is a journalist for ANSA and for Vatican Radio. Enel Argentina received by Carlos Karamanian delivered by the State Center for Public Organizations (CDEOP).
Another of the organizations that won was Holcim and was delivered by David George; Mercedes Benz received by Josefina Furlong and Verónica Niemann and delivered by Rabbi Daniel Goldman; Profertil given to Viviana Baena Lauschus by Jorge Etkin; Grupo San Cristóbal delivered to Exequiel Arangio and Silvia Batilana by Luis Bameule; Telecom, delivered to María Victoria Vuolo, Maria Emilia Vanin and Maria Constanza Ferrer, delivered by Pastor Tomás Mackey; Toyota received by Mariana Jourdan and Fernando Lema, delivered by Pastor Federico Schafer; HOMU received by Carla Ferrari and Julieta Vázquez awarded by Marcela Goldín; La Serenísima-Mastellone Hnos received by Natalia Bernasconi and delivered by Gabriela Vázquez, professor at the University of the Merchant Marine and member of the jury and Airports Argentina 2000 received by Manuel Aubone, Carolina Dal Bo, Julieta Scaramella and Marina Ray.
They received the Latin American Award for Corporate Responsibility: Naturgy, and mentions: Arcos Dorados received by Mariana Socolinsky and delivered by Gabriela Vázquez and Tenaris received by Alejandro Trinidad Rodríguez delivered by Luis Bameule.
THE PANDEMIC
The companies, NGOs and initiatives that obtained distinctions from the Solidarity Entrepreneur Award, 20th edition, for their programs that respond to the pandemic were: Banco Galicia for continuing to provide a rapid response to the Covid-19 health emergency, readjusting improvements in hospitals and health centers adapting the health investment strategy to the new context; In the food category, it was Basf with Volkswagen Food Bank and other actors in the value chain for their food rescue program, to mitigate food security. He was received by Joaquín Torres Rohan and Gonzalo Caldiz.
In the category of caring for the environment, San Miguel Global won for its activities with the NGO ProYungas, it was received by María Paula Marincioni; Arcor Foundation for the Educational Portal program, received by Eugenia Soraide and delivered by Rabbi Goldman; Axion Energy, received by Roberto Dabusti and delivered by Father Vicente Llambías of the Bishopric of San Isidro.
In the category integration with the community, she obtained the MetroGas award for the Solidarity Installations program, received by Viviana Barila and Mariela Schpilman and awarded the Gabriela Vázquez diploma; Loma Negra in the work category, was received by Jimena Guzmán Bengolea and Agustín Escofet and was awarded by Carlos Custer, former secretary general of the World Confederation of Labor, former member of the Pontifical Council and Justice and Peace of the Vatican and former Argentine Ambassador to the Holy See .
Another award was given to Banco Comafi for its Practical Finance program. It was received by Laura Gianazza and Carolina Buzzurro Palermo delivered by Francesca Ambrogetti; Prudential Seguros received by Santiago Ottamendi and Nora Meleiro and delivered by Pastor Macchi to his corporate volunteer program.
SCHEDULE
In the NGO category, Eidos won and María Eugenia Carracedo and María de los Ángeles Mila received the distinction from Julio Bresso. Another award was given to AgendaRSE for the dissemination of Social Responsibility issues and actions since 2010, when Wayne Visser came to Argentina, first with a training event that took place in the Argentine Swiss Chamber and the British Argentine Chamber, collaborating as a jury in Awards such as that of the Franco-Argentine Chamber, with presentations in Universities such as the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana de Medellín in Colombia, in companies and presenting a book on sustainability in different Embassies such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Greece and Mexico, as well as the Navarro Viola Foundation. Also through opinion columns in Argentina, Mexico and Spain, as well as for institutions such as ACDE; the distinction was given by Father Vicente Llambías of the San Isidro Bishopric.
Mundo Sano also won for its program of surveillance and control of sanitary wind vectors in rural homes; It was received by Marcelo Abril, Viviana Gómez Bravo and Mariana Porta and delivered by Priest David George. The next award went to the Forum of Ambassadors for Disability for the debates and initiatives carried out on the matter. He was received by the ambassadors of Morocco, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and Peru among others; María Kodama awarded the distinction. The volunteer work of the Catholic University of Córdoba also won, and was unable to be present to receive the award; Pan American Energy, for its actions together with the Organization of Ibero-American States, FUNCEI, and Fundación Trauma y Naturgy with its Eco House program.
BORGES FOUNDATION
The Jorge Luis Borges International Foundation awarded distinctions to the Minister of Culture of the Nation, Tristán Bauer, to Rabbi Daniel Goldman for his valuable contribution to the work of the writer, contributing to his knowledge and promoting his interpretation, founder of the Ecumenical Forum and president of interreligious dialogue . Nacha Guevara, who participated in the Borges for Students project, was surprised by the award and clarified that at the time she was distanced by ideological issues in the 1960s, but that through Maria Kodama she discovered her wisdom, understanding her greatness and deep thought as a spiritual teacher; Rosendo Fraga, Julio Crivelli, Lucas Adur, to the Filocyt Scriptures of God Team. Borges and religions (Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the UBA) and Pablo De Vita. He also gave awards to students who participated in the poetry and short story contests.
Finally, it should be noted that the Ensemble of the Borges Foundation performed, with Lucía Herrera, Alejandra Sartore, with the production of Adrián Burset.
To know more about the award you can visit www.foroecumenico.com .
* The author is the director of AgendaRSE.
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Solidarity Entrepreneur Award