CSR Report

8 members reach several categories in InCSR

The Sustainability Index 2023 acknowledged 8 AmCham including SEB and Swedbank (Diamond category), Coca-Cola (Platinum), airBaltic and Luminor (Gold) and Citadele, Cognizant and RISEBA (Silver). Furthermore, Swedbank has been honored with a prestigious Gender Equality Award in recognition of its successful implementation of gender equality principles. The Institute for Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility has been assessing corporate sustainability and responsibility practices in Latvia for 14 years. The objective of the index is to evaluate corporate sustainability and responsibility in order to recognize companies that strengthen the Latvian economy. Read more

Delna publishes guidelines for handling alarm reports

Delna has recently developed "Guidelines for handling whistleblower reports" explaining what responsible persons in institutions, companies, and organizations should consider when reviewing whistleblower reports. The guidelines are available HERE (in Latvian). One of the most important objectives of the Whistleblowing Law is to ensure adequate protection of whistleblowers. Read more

How to build and maintain company's reputation?

Damage to the reputation of companies is not uncommon. Companies surveyed by Delna, almost all said they had experienced reputational damage, with a third agreeing that it was a big problem. In spring 2023 Delna organized a discussion to promote this topic by explaining that it is crucial to make a first step and develop a crisis management plan.  Read more

Transparency Watchdogs to increase intolerance against corruption

From September to December 2023 Delna is implementing a project "Transparency Watchdogs" to promote public awareness of how corruption and lack of transparency hinder the development of democracy and involve the public in demanding transparency and responsibility from decision-makers. It will strengthen the anti-corruption community in Latvia as well as increase intolerance of various groups of society against corruption. Read more

Future Hub Climate initiated by Helve for Baltic climate tech startups

Climate topics are becoming ever more relevant with increasing urgency. That is why Helve with the support of the Investment and Development Agency and Riga City Council has launched a new pre-accelerator Future Hub Climate aiming to help early-stage climate startups develop their products and immediately test them with established enterprises. The program aims to select eight promising teams to support them with up to EUR 5000 for product development and to partner with them in order to validate the product in 10 weeks. Read more

Expanding solar panel park with new solar panels

SIA Troja, a plywood processing company affiliated to Latvijas Finieris, plans a major expansion of its renewable energy generation capacity by installing more than 400 new solar panels, adding a total of 164 kW to the existing capacity at its Riga mill. The solar farm will prevent 15,221 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. The project is co-financed by the Altum Development Finance Institution as part of an EU Recovery Fund program. Read more

Cognizant keeps sustainability at forefront

Cognizant recently announced a Climate Education challenge, a gamified competition, for employees amongst teams in the Baltics aiming to provide a basic understanding of such climate issues as the greenhouse effect, the consequences of global warming as well as in-depth learning on climate and biodiversity. In addition, the Sustainability Magazine has included CEO of Cognizant, Ravi Kumar among the top 10 CEOs of the world’s largest companies, making a positive impact on the planet and driving sustainable change.  Read more

McDonald's puts efforts into recycling and waste management

To keep the Riga city and parks around McDonald’s clean, this year the company has joined forces with “Rīgas Meži” by placing new smart waste bins in Bastejkalns, Vērmanes dārzs and Opera square thus offering a modern and convenient solution for waste disposal and encourage people to take care of both McDonald’s packaging, as well as other waste. McDonald's also supports events, activities and projects that help Latvian families and children by helping Ronald McDonald House Charities Latvija already for more than 12 years. Read more

airBaltic offers 200 jobs

As the company continues to expand, airBaltic has already recruited 347 employees during the first half of 2023. Thus, the total size of the team has exceeded more than 2360 skilled professionals. Looking ahead, it is planned to attain the mark of approximately 2,500 employees by the end of 2023.  Read more

AmCham members among top employers

Many of our members have been named as Top Employers of 2022 according to a survey conducted by CV-Online. We are proud of all our members who have gone the extra mile by taking care of their employees and businesses: Swedbank ranked as Top Employer 2022 and the best employer in the financial sector. Other top banks in the finacial sector included SEB bank, Citadele banka and Luminor. airBaltic was named the 3rd best employer in the transport and logistics sector. Premier Restaurants Latvia (McDonald's) was declared the 8th best employer in the public catering sector. Latvijas Finieris was the 6th best and MikroTik was the 7th most popular in the manufacturing sector. Accenture ranked the 2nd best in two categories - IT and telecommunications and international business. Riga Stradins University was announced best employer as a state-funded university for the 1st time. Read more

COBALT receives Diversity Award 2023

On 1 June 2023, COBALT received the Diversity Award in the "Pioneers" category at the Riga Pride 2023 Diversity Award Latvia ceremony. The Diversity Award is presented to companies that have been nominated by experts in the fields of diversity, anti-discrimination, and sustainability. COBALT legal experts have been actively involved in the drafting of the Civil Union Law, ensuring legal protection for unmarried couples in the areas of health, pensions, taxation, inheritance, etc. Read more

EY introduces work environment-based learning pilot project

BA School of Business and Finance and EY have concluded the first work environment-based learning pilot project in Latvia, within the framework of which students received practical training in the professional environment of EY Latvia for three months in the areas of audit, tax, compliance, and sustainability activities. 20 EY professionals worked with the students, engaging them in real work tasks and introducing them to the required knowledge and challenges of each field. Read more

SEB invests in employee training

As in previous years, SEB bank is offering five employees and an employee of SEB Life & Pension scholarship of up to EUR 2,000 each to encourage them to continue their education. The SEB Employee Study Scholarship Program aims to promote the professional development and growth of employees, thereby enhancing both customer service and internal collaboration with colleagues. Read more

Sorainen educates young generation of legal experts

Sorainen supports the young generation of legal experts and businesspeople with various activities. For the 11th year, the Sorainen Student Academy took place, gathering 20 students in Latvia. Sorainen experts joined a free pan-Baltic legal clinic for startups offering personalized advice from lawyers. They also participated in the 24th K. Dischler moot in constitutional law and conducted lectures on the LU Open-Minded platform. The Tax team advised the Law students of the University of Latvia by providing practical consultations. Read more

Luminor among family-friendly workplaces

On May 19, the Society Integration Foundation in Latvia announced Luminor joining the foundation's "Family-Friendly Workplace" program. To receive the status, Luminor was assessed in various areas including workplace and environment, benefits, personal growth support, and education. In total, 205 companies from both the private and public sectors in Latvia have already joined the program, which provides advisory and information support to organizations in promoting work-life balance in society. Read more

Latvijas Finieris supports the Song and Dance Festival

Latvijas Finieris was among the sponsors of the XXVII Nationwide Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festival by providing birch decorations and considerable financial support to the film “The Land that Sings”, while the company’s birch plywood products were widely featured in nine scenography projects across the city - from signboards and décor to stage floors and acoustic structures. The company also donated 68 free tickets to SOS Children’s Villages Latvia thus offering children an opportunity to join the event in person. Overall, Latvijas Finieris’ contribution to the Song and Dance Festival exceeded €100,000. Read more

Swedbank to invest €10 mln in education

In continuation of Swedbank's tradition in Latvia and Sweden of supporting education-related change, the bank will establish a new foundation related to supporting education, thereby promoting growth, financial literacy and financial health in society. The initial investment of EUR 10 million in establishing the foundation makes it one of the most significant private sector initiatives to strengthen the educational community in the modern history of Latvia. Read more

Helping Ukraine, supporting innovations and donating to charities

Sorainen has been involved in numerous social responsibility activities throughout the year starting from clean-up day and such volunteering activities as providing pro-bono advice to Ukrainian companies planning to relocate their business, as well as NGOs and people in distress. The law firm joined an annual pro-bono program supporting innovative and strategic projects in the Baltics and donated to numerous charities and campaigns for the Children’s Hospital Foundation, Dod 5, the mental health support foundation ESI, and the Entrepreneurs for Peace activity group. Read more

BluOr Bank engages in educational and health projects

This year BluOr Bank has supported numerous projects including Imants Ziedonis' 90th-anniversary museum program, Ronald McDonald House Charities Latvija project “Care Mobile” and Baltic IT leadership bachelor's program "Computer Science and Organizational Technologies”. The bank also renewed and improved the recreational area in Lucavsala for people with visual impairments and provided support to the charitable fund BeOpen in the amount of over €400,000. Read more

€6250 raised to support charities

In the first half of 2023, AmCham raised more than €6200 for charities through the Chamber's events: Children's Hospital Foundation, Latvian Foster Family Association, Pink Train Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities in Latvija, and SOS Children’s Villages. As a result of members' donations, the charities we support will be able to promote healthy development of Latvia's children and their rights to grow up in a family environment as well as support women who are affected by breast cancer. Let's continue supporting them! Read more

Help kids of SOS Children Villages get ready for school

For the  9th year in a row, SOS Children's Villages and famous Latvian chefs invite you to join the charity campaign "Take your beloved ones to a restaurant and help others to get to the school" on September 1st by having a lunch or dinner at over 30 Latvia's restaurants. Check out the list of restaurants and bring your family to one of them by helping children get ready for school! Read more

338 foster kids need school supplies

This year Latvian Foster Family Association, which takes regular care of numerous families with many children, is organizing its annual charity campaign "School children must go to school" to help prepare 338 foster children for the new school year. They need backpacks and other necessary school supplies. Companies are welcome to prepare personalized backpacks for kids who are getting ready for the upcoming school year. Read more

Bettering life for little patients

Children's Hospital Foundation, an organization taking care of children's health through raising help from the general public, is looking for donations for the new campaign for furnishing and equipping the new building of Epilepsy and Sleep Medicine Center of the Children's Hospital as well as for “Boxes of Bravery” containing small gifts to be given to hospital patients after overcoming medical examinations or other procedures. Read more

The Care Mobile continues to serve children

Over the last 7 months, Ronald McDonald House Charities Latvija (RMHC Latvija) "Care Mobile” program team has made 66 trips and provided 2,890 medical consultations to 2,465 children in 41 different locations across Latvia.105 medical consultations have been provided to 79 Ukrainian children currently residing in Latvia. To continue helping children all over Latvia they are looking for both financial and in-kind donations (3 PC's and multifunction printer) of services and goods. Read more

Make an impact for women fighting breast cancer

Since its creation in 2014, the Pink Train Foundation has helped over 1000 women during this difficult period in their lives and the number of women helped remains steady every year. The main aim of the foundation is to provide support for women in Latvia suffering from breast cancer, covering the costs of individual counseling following diagnosis and during treatment or after treatment has ended, as well as physiotherapy following operations related to this disease. The foundation would appreciate financial support on a more permanent and regular basis either with individuals or companies. Read more