National
Development Agency

Programme to promote the employment of persons with reduced work capacity, Fair Business e-commerce service rating, training to perfect client service for persons with sight impairment, voluntary programme to promote the integration of the mentally disabled, project to create a family-friendly workplace, voluntary training – these are only a few of the services which have found a corporate partner and a buyer at the Civil Auction held on 17 November. “The objective of the event is to approximate the for-profit and the non-profit sectors; to present the market opportunities inherent in the other side, and raise awareness of the fact that NGOs are in possession of innumerable best practices representing market value also for profit-oriented companies”, Gyöngyvér Kiss, Spokesperson for the Civil Auction said. “At the bidding, nine services were sold at a total value of almost HUF 2 million, which is indicative of the fact that such partnership relations with civil actors are important also for the companies. It demonstrates, furthermore, that apart from charity and donations, the representatives of the two sectors may also conceive of one another as business partners, and this may represent the basis for long-term sustainability, the Spokesperson added.

Bridge between the for-profit and the non-profit sector

The hostess and host of the auction were Nóra Winkler and Péter Novák, respectively, while Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics acted as main patron and President of the National Development Agency Zoltán Petykó as patron. “The mission of the Civil Auction is to act as a bridge between the for-profit and the non-profit sector, that is, to create a forum where activity in the interest of the common good is realised through the co-operation of NGOs and enterprises, Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics said in his opening speech. He added: “The role of the state in this co-operation is exactly to bring the parties together, and to support their joint work which will be profitable in practice. The activities of the NGOs and the enterprises not only complement one another: they can also rely on each other’s experiences, and open the way thereby for continuous innovation and development realised under the signs of sustainability, tolerance and equal opportunities.” The National Development Agency has contributed to the organisation of the auction and the accompanying event as professional supporter since 2008, and it takes an active part also in the introduction of the event to the public. “The Government has involved NGOs in the creation of the New Széchenyi Plan from the beginning of the planning process, regarding them as partners”, Zoltán Petykó, President of the National Development Agency said. In the period since 2004, EU support of around HUF 87 billion has been extended to 1875 non-profit organisations”, Petykó added.

The representatives of almost 30 companies were present at the Civil Auction, and although not every service was sold, the programme has been deemed a success. “The Civil Auction is a business opportunity and yet another way to reach the other for the for-profit and the non-profit sector, Gyöngyvér Kiss said. “The success of the Civil Auction is measured not only by the number of services sold during the auction, but also by the quantity of potential new business options, relationships for which a business forum like that gives an opportunity. This is witnessed by the fact that we know of many business transactions which were concluded at a later date by parties which got acquainted at this forum. This is the long-term sustainability mission of the Civil Auction, and this is the reason why we would like to organise it with even more corporate participants, bidders, next year, the Spokesperson added.