CSR @ Argos

CSR at Argos is built around ideas presented, discussed and agreed upon by employees. Furthermore, Argos Translations believes in Corporate Social Responsibility across all aspects of its business practices including staff/employee relations and community involvement. CSR at Argos is not a top-down, management imposed or a forced protocol. At its base is the individual’s ethical approach to business and the environment that is backed and encouraged by the company.

Argos believes that by supporting our employees’ drive to be socially conscious and by contributing to the cause, the company becomes a responsible member of its community. In effect, both the community and the business benefit.

ARGOS CSR EXEMPLIFIED

Eco-friendly Translation Company
Argos Translations tries its best to have a positive impact on its immediate environment by striving to be an eco-friendly company. Argos encourages employees to reduce paper waste by using electronic means of communication, such as email, by limiting printing of documents and by printing on both sides of a page and by storing and sharing information electronically.

Argos tries its best to be a “Green Company” by reducing waste, recycling and even paying attention to miniscule, energy-saving measures by installing motion sensors in hallways and bathrooms to reduce light and energy use.

Socially conscious
Argos Translations also aims to be a socially conscious company by being a contributing member of its immediate and broader community. Argos supports various charitable and non-for-profit causes that include:

  • Polish Red Cross (PCK)
  • Polish Humanitarian Organization (PAH)
  • Gift of Hope Foundation of Krakow’s University’s Children Hospital’s Transplantation Center
  • Children’s Aid Foundation
  • Krakow’s Animal Shelter
  • Translators Without Borders

Ethical business practices
Argos Translations also strives to champion ethical business practices inside and outside the company. Argos is an active member of various industry organizations (GALA, ATA, ALC) that develop best practices and industry guidelines. Argos also places emphasis on fair and moral treatment of both employees and clients, our subcontractors and freelancers on top of existing contractual obligations.

Employee initiatives’ sponsorship
Argos Translations sponsors internal employee-lead activities and initiatives. Our staff voluntarily offers to lead various charitable causes that include ad-hoc money pledges for victims of various natural disasters (incl. victims of the Polish flood, or the Haiti earthquake). In turn, Argos meets dollar-for-dollar every pledge made by an employee.

For obvious reasons, our staff is never forced or pushed into becoming a part of any voluntary activity. Argos does not either believe in creating an environment that pressures or coerces people to take part in any such social causes. We leave this all up to our employees and their own free will. Argos simply believes in making resources available and supporting any employee who cares enough to drive any such program.

We do this not because it looks good, but because we feel it is the right thing to do.

Simultaneously, elements of Argos CSR also work to improve job quality for employees by creating a friendly working environment for our main asset, our staff. To this end, Argos offers:

  • flexible work hours for employees,
  • ability to work from home if that does not intervene with the position’s requirements,
  • an available “play room” with a foosball table and a ping-pong table where employees can take a break during work to play,
  • extended options for working mothers (for which Argos has been recognized by Rzeczpospolita and is a two-time recipient of the “Best Company for Working Mothers” Award),
  • extra, company sponsored trainings for employees and translators.

CSR + Fun
CSR does not always have to be serious. For that reason, Argos supports employees who organize engaging and motivational activities within the company. In the past, Argos provided resources and assistance for employees who have created:

  • an Argos ping-pong league,
  • an Argos movie club,
  • a photography group.

To help organize, choose and contribute pledges to appropriate CSR related activities, Argos runs a suggestion box on its corporate intranet. Every Argos employee can make a suggestion, that is then discussed and evaluated during Motivation Teams’ meetings.

The Motivation Team has been specifically created to help drive and organize any and all internal initiatives that help build employee rapport. Once ideas have been submitted and presented at MT meetings, they are published on the intranet where all Argos employees can vote and choose the one/s to pursue.

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