Into the world of CSR at Forvis Mazars in Romania

In today’s business environment, where Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) became more and more important for the majority of companies, within Forvis Mazars in Romania, these pillars act as a base layer for each action we take. Thus, it is essential for us to give back to the environment that enables our growth, with a particular focus on initiatives that place education and school dropout prevention at their core.

Given our wish to share our passion for CSR and to also offer clarity and transparency regarding the purpose of CSR initiatives, especially for the young generation of future professionals, we have designed the following interview featuring Carmen Boz, Digital Marketing, Events and CSR Coordinator at Forvis Mazars in Romania. In the paragraphs bellow, Carmen unfolds the definitions of the concept, CSR traditions within the company, future plans, as well as some essential pieces of advice for the future generations.

Let’s start from the beginning: How would you define the term CSR and what does your role at Forvis Mazars in Romania entail from this perspective?

CARMEN: CSR, or Corporate Social Responsibility, reflects a company’s commitment to the society and environment. This fact implies that the company is not solely focused on financial performance but actively participates in improving people’s lives. At Forvis Mazars, corporate social responsibility is an integrated part of our fundamental values. We are dedicated to making a positive impact in our community and responsibly addressing social and environmental issues.

In my role at Forvis Mazars, I coordinate these CSR activities alongside a passionate team of ambassadors. Together, we develop and implement creative initiatives, meant to bring a significant impact. We organise events and volunteering projects for our colleagues, where they have the chance to donate their time and abilities for helping those in need. We are constantly keeping an eye out for opportunities to get involved and collaborating with a multitude of NGOs, with the purpose of bringing a real contribution to the community. From our Christmas campaign, during which we are joining forces to bring a little bit of joy on the children’s faces, to our active participation in marathons and other charitable events, we are committed to make a positive change and to inspire others to do the same. With each initiative, we wish to showcase that we can create a significant impact within our community in a fun and motivating way for us and all our colleagues.

Also, we are flexible and open to accommodate the needs and passions of our colleagues. This ensures that each of them can meaningfully contribute to the causes they are most drawn to, offering them opportunities to get involved in different volunteering actions.

Tell us about a CSR project in which Forvis Mazars was involved in, what were the selection criteria? 

CARMEN: One of the CSR projects in which Forvis Mazars has been involved, and one that I’m particularly fond of, is Forvis Mazars Community Day - an annual volunteering event. This project aligns with our strategy to facilitate an optimal educational environment for children in the disadvantaged communities and to support their access to high quality education. In the past two years alone, our colleagues contributed to the renovation of two schools, dedicating their time and energy to make this possible. The renovation of these two schools involved a series of complex activities, including the painting of classrooms, varnishing the desks and chairs, refreshing the fence protecting the sports field and taking care of the front garden. Also, we planted trees, painted the flower bowls, and placed new benches in the garden for recreation. Through their active involvement, our colleagues had the chance to work together as a team, to develop their practical abilities and to directly see the positive impact they can bring when working together. As far as the selection criteria are concerned, we focused on schools in the rural areas, where this type of refurbishment is necessary and can bring a significant impact. We wanted to make sure that our efforts met the biggest, most urgent needs. We have also carefully selected the partners with whom we’ve collaborated, managing to reach our goal and to bring a smile on the faces of 400 children who started the school year happy and well equipped.

What’s next? What initiatives and projects do you have in the works for the winter holidays?

CARMEN: As is our tradition every year, we have some special initiatives planned for the holidays, and Letters to Santa is one of them. The project consists of receiving letters written by children of all ages, asking Santa Claus to bring them their most wanted gifts. Our colleagues made an extraordinary effort and chose each of them a letter (some of them even more than one) and bought the gifts the children have wished for. I’m proud that we managed to bring a lot of joy to the children and it’s heartening to see the dedication of our colleagues, who have constantly participated in in this activity year after year, making the wishes of these kids possible, by carefully going through their lists.

Moreover, in December 2023, we organised a Charitable auction in partnership with a local NGO, Ana si Copiii, during which we sold Christmas decorations, handmade by the children they host in their daycare centers. The money raised in the auction were fully redirected to the NGO, contributing to their future projects. We chose to collaborate with Ana si Copiii given our shared values concerning the importance of education and the creative development among children.

This action not only brings happiness, as well as the festive spirit in our office, but gives us a fun occasion to do a good deed together. We set ourselves up to transform this experience into a cozy afternoon at the office, filled with joy and Christmas carols, but most importantly, into an opportunity to contribute to the well-being of children in need.

What advice would you give to young people wanting to start a career in CSR?

CARMEN: I would recommend them to be curious and dedicated, while choosing a direction that inspires them and makes them feel connected to their values. Whether we talk about a social or an environmental problem, identify the causes that fuel your passion and approach them directly and creatively. Before joining Forvis Mazars in Romania, I worked in an NGO where I’ve discovered my passion for volunteering and where I enjoyed many happy moments that made me feel like I was making a significant change within the community. I have always known that, when the time came for me to start a job at a company, I would choose a responsible business that shares my values and provides me with the platform to continue participating in volunteering actions.

At Forvis Mazars, our involvement in volunteering and CSR actions is not an obligation or a checkbox for a responsible company, but rather an integrated part of our identity. Doing good and contributing to the community is not something we do because it’s fashionable, but because it reflects our organisational culture and fully represents who we are.

Engaging in CSR activities can be incredibly fulfilling and can bring a positive change in the world. With passion, dedication, and commitment, each of us can play an essential role in building a better future for everyone.

We are all equally responsible for the future we are gradually building day by day. We hope this article offered you some clarity, as well as the necessary inspiration and motivation to make a change, no matter how small.

We offer our many thanks to Carmen for opening up to us and generously sharing information during the interview. If our discussion inspired you, come write the rest of your story with Forvis Mazars – you’ll make good friends along the way!