Social Platform

Background

The Social Programme of the Institute is designed to be a catalyst for action and innovation. In order to fulfil these objectives, one of the activities envisaged is the establishment of a social network/platform that aims to facilitate the involvement of (current and retired) EIB/EIF staff in social activities and to help develop new initiatives in this domain.

Objectives

The objectives of the network are:

  • Clearinghouse. To act as clearinghouse facilitating the matching of demand and the supply of staff´s time for social services. For example, the Institute will create on its website a platform dedicated to the network, where for example members can advertise specific “jobs” looking for volunteers.
  • Knowledge-sharing. The platform will facilitate the exchange of ideas, experiences and challenges among those members actively involved in social activities.  
  • Corporate Social Responsibility. To inform the EIB community and the local social community at large of the EIB’s involvement in these types of activity.

At a later stage, this networking may also be expanded to a “meta” level by:

  • Bringing together NGOs working locally (Luxembourg and possibly the “Grande Région”).
  • Bringing together similar institutes/networks at a European level.

Governance

Mr. Robert Wagener will be the first Chairperson of the Social Platform. All the members of the Social Platform automatically become members of the Friends of the Institute. The EIB Institute will act as a facilitator of the network.

Activities for Year 1

Activity 1: Establishment of a Database. EIB Group staff can take credit for a number of successful social initiatives. The first activity to be undertaken is the establishment and maintenance of a record of the on-going social activities pursued by (current and retired) EIB staff as the starting point for a network/platform as well as a list of staff members that would be interested in the future in contributing part of their time to social activities (activity is underway).

Activity 2: Meeting of the Platform. A first meeting of the platform took place on March 28, 2012.  The objectives of this brainstorming meeting were to discuss, among other things, the scope of the activities of the platform, the governance structure, modis operandi, and to decide who will draft a business and implementation plan, etc.  The meeting was chaired by Mr. Robert Wagener, first Chairperson of the Platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of activities? Although it is impossible to describe in detail all those activities that we are targeting.  In general we are looking for people’s private activities in favour of not-for-profit activities with a social aspect. For example charity organisations and cultural activities[1] if they have a social aspect would be eligible.

Who can join? We are initially targeting active and retired EIB staff, as well as their spouses, although not excluding other people with strong connections to the EIB. We believe this is necessary to create an identity during the take-off phase. In a second phase we would aim to open it up to the volunteering world at large.

What is the geographical scope? Although the majority of the activities of the Institute will focus on the EU Member States, there are no restrictions at priori for the platform since it does not involve any financial flows.

 

 


 

 

[1]One example of such a cultural activity would be the “Fondation  EME:  Écouter pour Mieux s’Entendre” (www.fondation-eme.lu).