THE CIVICS Innovation hub Zagreb has organized the Second CIVIC SCOUTS AT WORK strategy workshop. The event was held on the 12th of December 2023 on the premises of Algebra University College, and it was organized by THE CIVICS Innovation Hub in partnership with Croatian Zaklada Znanje na djelu.
As part of the CIVIC SCOUTS AT WORK, the strategy workshops are one of the crucial components of the programme taking place in each of the four countries where the programme is implemented: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary and Germany. In each country, two strategy workshops have taken place to convene professionals from diverse disciplines. These workshops aim to provide a platform for participants to engage in discussions about innovative approaches for establishing the workplace as a new venue for civic education and lifelong learning.
For the Second CIVIC SCOUTS AT WORK strategy workshop, we invited civil society sector representatives to exchange ideas and discuss: “How can civil society encourage companies to be innovative places for enhancing civic skills and competencies to deal with major transformations of our time, such as climate change, migration or digitalization?
Based on the discussion, it has been concluded that several key actions can be taken by the civil society sector to encourage companies to be innovative places for enhancing civic skills and competencies:
- Proactive approach: the civil society sector should actively approach companies and urge them to support working environments to be more civic skills oriented.
- Find a common language: Understanding each other’s language is crucial. Firstly, civil society sector needs to understand the business language and vice versa and secondly, to establish a common language with the business sector to be able to cooperate more effectively.
- Integration of ESG: ESG principles can serve as pillars for responsible citizenship. The civil society sector can collaborate with companies to integrate these principles into their operations, fostering a shared commitment to societal well-being.
- Small steps: Encouraging companies to embrace small, incremental steps towards innovation is a powerful strategy.
- Innovation: The civil society sector can advocate for working environments that not only welcome innovation but also embrace it as a fundamental aspect of organizational culture, driving continuous growth and improvement.
By incorporating these principles into their work with the business sector, the civil society sector can play an active role in driving positive societal change.
THE CIVICS expresses its gratitude to all participants for their valuable contributions during the event.
The programme is supported by the German Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) and the Robert Bosch Foundation. Please find further information on the programme here.
