They operate in Eastern Slovakia and contribute to the sustainable development of the region. These are the kinds of companies and individuals who competed for the ESG Awards, organized by the Košice IT Valley cluster. The winners in the individual categories were Petra Nagyová, Banik & syn, and Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions Slovakia (DTITSO SK).
The awarded companies and individuals demonstrated outstanding achievements in the areas of Environmental, Social, and Governance aspects of business. The abbreviation ESG stands for three key areas: Environment, Social responsibility, and Governance. The goal of the ESG Awards is to highlight companies that prove business can be not only successful but also responsible, and based on values such as transparency, fairness, and sustainability. They are living proof that it is possible to build a business while making the world a better place.“We see that IT Valley is not just about us, the people who work for the cluster, or about the board or supervisory board. It is about the companies and the community. And we believe that among us are exceptional people, leaders, and companies. This evening is dedicated to them. We want to talk about the outstanding projects they implement, their unique approach to the environment and to their colleagues, and also how they tackle challenges and problems, which is very inspiring,” explained Miriama Hučková, Executive Director of Košice IT Valley.Turning unnecessary banners into workIn the Personality category, the expert jury together with the guarantor PwC Slovakia selected from among the nominees Marián Christenko, CEO of KOSIT; Petra Nagyová, director of the Odpadnesh project; and Anna Spoel from FPT Slovakia. The award went to Petra Nagyová for her activities that have significant impact beyond her own organization and bring positive changes to the wider community. She leads Odpadnesh, a project focused on recycling unnecessary advertising banners, which helps people from marginalized or at-risk communities build work habits and provides them with fairly paid jobs. Like the other winners, she received a unique award designed by students of the School of Applied Arts in Košice.“I am honestly surprised and touched. I have to emphasize that this is not just my award, but the award of all the people who are part of the eco-social project Odpadnesh, especially Števo Hric, the founder of the idea, as well as all the ordinary people who maybe didn’t have as much luck and the same starting position as others. Together, we create and give value to waste,” said the winner.Better understanding of the company, the city, and the stateIn the Small and Medium Enterprises category, companies that met at least two of the following criteria competed: annual turnover of up to 50 million euros, assets up to 25 million euros, or fewer than 250 employees. From the three nominated companies — Banik & syn, Pikolo, and Syntax Systems — the award went to Banik & syn. The company specializes in designing and installing energy-efficient technologies for heating, cooling, and air handling, with a strong emphasis on ecological solutions. In its own operations, it uses modern systems such as heat pumps, photovoltaics, and recuperation.“We are a small company from Vranov nad Topľou, with over 50 employees, and for 32 years we have been installing an average of 400 energy-efficient devices annually. In the S and G letters of ESG, we strive to reach consensus among all our colleagues — both project managers and those in work overalls. I hope ESG won’t become just a paperwork issue over time, but will remain a path toward better understanding of one’s own company, and thus of the city and state,” stated František Banik.Fertile ground for communitiesIn the Large Enterprises category — for companies with significant local and national impact — the nominees were Dynamik Holding, Tatravagónka, and Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions Slovakia. The winner was DTITSO SK, focused on IT services and digital solutions. The company operates according to a clearly defined ESG strategy, uses 100% green energy, supports community and educational initiatives, and emphasizes transparency, ethics, and responsible governance.The award was received by CEO Ľubor Žatko:“Next year, our company will celebrate its 20th anniversary, and the average age within the company is 37 years. Twenty years ago, when 4,000 young people came together, it was clear something would happen. Today, these people have children and families, and for us, the greatest motivation is to leave a legacy for them. That’s probably also why so many communities thrive within our company, and many of our colleagues are willing to invest huge amounts of creativity and free time to create something for us and leave this legacy. Our role as a company is to make this possible and support them. I want to thank them all.”The jury also decided to award a Special Prize for outstanding contribution and long-term local impact on the development of Eastern Slovakia to Tatravagónka.Business can helpJuraj Girman, Chairman of the Board of Košice IT Valley, emphasized that Košice IT Valley is not only about creating conditions for attracting investors and regional growth.“We believe that modern digital skills and industry can be a source of good life in Eastern Slovakia. For me personally, this competition means that we are not just thinking about ourselves and business, but that business can truly help, as the greatest leaders strive to do. This is about deeper meaning.”On this occasion, Košice IT Valley officially welcomed new members into its ranks. Joining the cluster’s 84 entities were First Line Software, Mathison Legal, Magic Soft, and the organization Aj Ty v IT.
