Telenor Serbia wins the Virtus award

Telenor Serbia has been awarded this year’s winner of the VIRTUS Award for long-term partnership between the business and non-profit sector, at a ceremony organized in the National Parliament of the Republic of Serbia. This prestigious award is granted in several categories for five years now, to companies which have most effectively contributed to the common good. Telenor has received the Award for its “Povezivanje” project, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia and UNICEF in Serbia.

Owing to the “Povezivanje” project, work of Roma health care mediators, education of Roma families in Serbia and support in achieving their rights in the area of health care and health insurance have been improved.

“The VIRTUS Award has a special value for us, since it reflects our efforts in initiating positive change in our environment through long-term partner cooperation, knowledge and resources. The cooperation with the Ministry of Health and UNICEF has resulted in combining experience and know-how with telecommunications technologies, contributing to the improvement of the position of socially vulnerable groups. The Povezivanje project has provided clear, measurable and valuable results of the cooperation between the state, non-governmental and business sector,” says Sandra Štajner, Chief Communications Officer of Telenor, upon receiving the Award.

The VIRTUS Award contest has been organized for the fifth consecutive year by the Balkan Community Initiatives Fund (BCIF), with financial support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and in partnership with the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC). In addition to the Award received by Telenor, the VIRTUS Award has been granted in five more categories: for contribution at the national level, for small and medium size enterprises, for contribution to the local community, for support to the most innovative project, and for volunteering. Beside Telenor, this year’s winners are Erste Bank, Holcim, Sunce Marinković and Radio Broadcasting Company B92.

This is the second VIRTUS Award that Telenor has received for its CR activities. The first one was granted to Telenor in the category of special contribution at the national level in 2008.