A formal awards ceremony was held at L'Europe restaurant in the Grand Hotel Europe for participants of the city's fourth Social Responsibility in Government and Business competition, which is held every year by the Doctors for Children social organisation. This year, the competition's commission selected the Grand Hotel Europe as the winner of the Corporate Social Responsibility category.
The Social Responsibility in Government and Business competition aims to support the state, businesses and non-commercial non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in tackling social problems.
Every year, participants are nominated for awards in two main categories: Socially Responsible Government Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Nineteen NGOs and state social work organisations nominated 24 commercial enterprises and three state structures to take part in the competition.
The competition's commission assessed candidates on four main criteria: The significance, innovation, scale and effectiveness of their contribution to society.
The competition was brought to a close on 6 April with a formal awards ceremony held at the Grand Hotel Europe's L'Europe restaurant — one of the best restaurants in St. Petersburg.
This year, the winner of the Corporate Social Responsibility category was the Grand Hotel Europe, which was nominated by Children's Village – SOS Pushkin.
The award was presented to Yulia Pashkovskaya, the Grand Hotel Europe's manager. In her acceptance speech, she emphasised the importance of charity work for the hotel.
The hotel has been working with the Children's Village – SOS Pushkin non-governmental educational establishment since 2008.
The hotel operates a unique scheme in which it offers young people from the Children's Village – SOS Pushkin and the Ostrov (Island) centre for children and teenagers from social risk groups the chance to work at the hotel. The programme aims to help young people from these two institutions establish themselves in society and lead a normal life.
In 2009, the hotel took the decision to provide financial support to one of the SOS families from the children's village in Pushkin for a year.
The Grand Hotel Europe has given children from the two sponsored organisations the opportunity to take part in events like the annual charitable Nutcracker Ball for children held in the Pavlovsk Palace, the Plant a Tree initiative, and the Join Andrei Arshavin's Football Team event.
The hotel also provides the children and staff of the Children's Village with tickets to the theatre and circus, and arranges coach excursions for them.
The hotel's management plays an active role in attracting partners — to the Friends of Children's Village – SOS Pushkin programme; the media — to giving coverage to the success stories of public organisations; and the global business and cultural community — to getting involved in the welfare of children from the Children's Village – SOS Pushkin.
