PRESS RELEASE

Eurasia Foundation
4 Demirchyan Str., Yerevan 0019, Armenia
Contact: Alisa Alaverdyan
Tel/Fax: (374 10) 58-60-59
E-mail: alisa@eurasia.am
Web:

Eurasia Foundation Promotes Strategic Social Investment Practices by
Armenia’s Businesses

Yerevan, Armenia – Over one hundred representatives of Armenia’s
business sector, government, civil society organizations and media will
convene on November 10 for a roundtable discussion on current social
investment practices in Armenia. The event marks the launch of Eurasia
Foundation’s (EF) program for the promotion of social investment in
Armenia. The program will build partnerships between civil society,
government and the private sector to more effectively leverage the
social investments of businesses in addressing the country’s social
problems.

At the roundtable, Gagik Sahakyan of Ameria Consulting Company will
present the results of their recent assessment of current social
investment practices among medium and large-sized businesses in
Armenia. Following the presentation of the report findings, Arsen
Ghazaryan, President of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen
of Armenia, and Marguerite Baker of Eurasia Foundation, will provide
overviews of the experiences of UMBA and EF in promoting corporate
social investment in Armenia and other NIS countries.

Most social investments made by businesses in Armenia are one-time
corporate donations rather than part of a longer-term investment
strategy. According to Ara Nazinyan, EF Country Director in Armenia,
"The business sector in Armenia needs to take more responsibility for
building strong communities in partnership with the government and
NGOs. Eurasia Foundation believes that by helping businesses develop
strategic approaches to corporate giving, the philanthropic activities
of Armenia’s businesses can result in positive, long-term changes."

In contrast to traditional charity actions, social investment
incorporates the company’s mission, business plan, resources and
philanthropic interests to simultaneously benefit the community and
add value to the business. More information on EF’s strategy for
promoting social investment in Armenia as well as electronic versions
of Ameria’s recent assessment in both Armenian and English can be
found on EF Armenia’s website at