SITUATION/PROBLEM:
British American Tobacco Poland (BAT) is a company manufacturing tobacco products. Despite operating in a very controversial tobacco industry, it does its best to be the company which realised the social responsibility goals through the dialogue with the wide group of social partners. BAT wants to build the image of the company sensitive to social needs, reacting to them and getting involved in solving them. One of the projects helping to achieve those goals is Augustów Academy.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION/SOLUTION:
The objective of the Academy is to increase the chances on the work market of the young and the unemployed from Podlasie region where the problem of unemployment is very widespread.

The project is realised in four topical blocks:

Academy of Entrepreneurship – trained lecturers help young people in learning the principles of the free market through e.g. simulation of running one’s own company.

Academy of Abilities – activates socially and professionally unemployed young people under the age of 26. During workshops and internship young people gain knowledge useful in understanding the work market.

Academy of Work – is a form of support for employers from Augustow, helping them in analyses of the work market and the use of opportunities related to access to the UE, (e.g. EU funds). Local entrepreneurs will have it easier finding qualified candidates to work.

Academy of Knowledge - prepares students of  Wyższa Szkoła Finansów i Zarządzania in Białystok to take up jobs in local companies. Experienced managers from BAT Polska, Bank BPH and other companies in Augustów share their knowledge with the last year students.

Academy reaches its objectives through:

• Organising trainings for graduates and the unemployed;
• In cooperation with the Job Centre in Augustów and other local entrepreneurs BAT organises internships for graduates and other forms of alternative; employment for people finishing their training in the Academy;
• Competition for “the best teenage mini-business”, promoting the ideas of entrepreneurialship in secondary schools;
• Scholarship program for students from Augustów powiat studying at Wyższa Szkoła Finansów i Zarządzania in Białystok;
• Cyclical lectures for WSFiZ students run by BAT managers;
• Providing managers with up-dated information on legal framework of their business and possibilities of having alternative sources of financing for the SME sector;
• Initiating voluntary activities;

Augustów Academy has its office employing two people working for the Foundation for Development of Entrepreneurship (FRP) in Suwalki, which is in charge of the entire Program. Employees prepare grant applications, realise current projects of the Academy and coordinate cooperation with other partners. FRP is also responsible for organising trainings, lectures, workshops and internships within the framework of the Academy. The Program has its own Council charged with counselling and supervision over the right progress. The Council is composed of representatives of local companies, non-governmental organizations and the local government.

BENEFITS:

• BAT is perceived in Augustów as the firm which is active and sensitive to local social needs, which is documented in the numerous press articles about the Academy;
• Being a trusted partner of the local authorities of Agustow who are also the partner of the social program;
• The company is deeply rooted in the awareness of the local community and can count on getting inhabitants' goodwill;
• The increase of trust among the company’s employees, especially from the Augustów region;
• Raising standards of conduct towards its stakeholders;

CHALLENGES:

• Finding new partners to carry out a comprehensive enterprise relating to the expectations of the local community.

WORTH REMEMBERING:

• It is fundamental to learn about the needs of the local environment  - local social partners;
• Identifying local needs, it is best to cooperate with local institutions and ngo's.