Award Ceremony for the Most Inclusive Employers Held

The Forum for Responsible Business and the Smart Collective, with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), awarded the Awards for the most inclusive employers for the second time to companies that are focused on creating a working environment in which all employees have equal opportunities for advancement and feel included and accepted in all spheres of work

The companies Generali Osiguranje and Erste Banka, as well as the companies INAK and Uspon, were declared the most inclusive employers for 2024. Also, the award for special contribution to the employment of persons with disabilities in the category of large companies was awarded to the insurance company Generali Osiguranje, while in the category of small and medium-sized companies, the award went to the company INAK d.o.o.

The awards ceremony for the most inclusive employers was organized as part of the fifteenth Forum on Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility and the Integration of Environmental Criteria, Social and Management Issues in Business and Investment Decisions (CSR & ESG Forum), where the gathered experts for sustainable development and socially responsible business presented current solutions and trends in these areas, while the emphasis of the conference was on inclusion, as well as environmental standards and social and governance issues (ESG) and sustainable development goals.

The official opening of the conference was addressed by representatives of USAID, the Embassies of the Federal Republic of Germany and Switzerland in the Republic of Serbia, as well as representatives of the Forum for Responsible Business.

“I want to praise the member companies of the Forum for Responsible Business and the Network of Employers for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities, because those companies, among which are some of the largest employers in Serbia, demonstrate a strong commitment to the employment of persons with disabilities and the creation of a more inclusive and fair working environment.” This is important because close to 11,000 people with disabilities in Serbia are unemployed, and it is estimated that 70 percent of them live in poverty, and more than half depend on social benefits,” said Naida Zečević-Bin, director of the Office for Democratic and Economic Development. USAID.

“From Germany’s perspective, we see the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals as a roadmap for inclusive and sustainable economic development, and the ESG criteria as a framework for businesses to align their operations with these goals.” These two approaches are not separate, but complementary, and we hope that they can contribute to achieving the change in mindset that we need. This means that sustainable business practices are not a challenge but an opportunity for growth and innovation,” said Per Krumrej, head of the department for labor and social affairs, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Republic of Serbia.

“I am pleased to welcome the guests of the CSR&ESG Forum, an event that is key to establishing dialogue and new initiatives for a sustainable future among representatives of the business, public and civil sectors,” said Rihard Kohli, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland in Serbia and added that ” Switzerland supports the business sector in Serbia and activities that support inclusion, diversity and equality in the workplace”

Neven Marinović, director of the Forum for Responsible Business, expressed his satisfaction that more and more people are talking about sustainable business and ESG: “As pioneers in this field, we want to emphasize that ESG is not just standards or certification, but a change in business that integrates the interests of society , environmental protection, inclusion and transparency. We are particularly pleased with the focus on inclusion and employment of vulnerable groups with partners such as the Forum of Youth with Disabilities, as well as the key topics we address through the Sustainable Development for All platform, such as the private sector’s relationship to biodiversity, access to financing and many others,” said Marinović.

Within the “Most Inclusive Employer” award, special recognition was given to the employment of persons with disabilities, with the aim of emphasizing the importance of creating equal opportunities for employment on the labor market that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities, which is also the key goal of the Bespoke Job project , within which this award was launched.

“This award is a confirmation that we are on the right path, but also an incentive to continue, because inclusion is not a goal, but a process that improves us all”, said Ivana Mulić, manager for organizational culture at General Insurance Serbia, during the presentation of the award.

Nevenka Kostadinova, entrepreneur and owner of the INAK company, emphasized that “this recognition is proof of our company’s strategic commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, which contributes to the business community and a fairer society.”

The award for the most inclusive employer this year was awarded to companies and small and medium-sized enterprises, in order to further highlight their contribution to the promotion of inclusion and equality in the workplace.

“Together we initiate changes and build a culture of equal opportunities for all our clients, employees and society as a whole,” said Sonja Konakov Svirčev, manager for socially responsible business, diversity and inclusion at Erste Bank Serbia.

Vladimir Krstić, co-owner and general manager of Uspon expressed his gratitude that the award recognized their corporate values ​​such as the importance of inclusion and equal rights of all social and social groups and added that it was awarded to their greatest value – all employees.

The main session of the event was dedicated to the inclusion of people with disabilities and its positive impact on innovation and organizational culture. Last year’s winners of the “Most Inclusive Employer” award stood out among the participants, who shared concrete and practical solutions for improving policies, practices and support programs for employees with disabilities in companies.

The CSR&ESG Forum and the awarding of the “Most Inclusive Employer” Award were realized as part of the project „Posao po meri: Ekonomsko osnaživanje osoba sa invaliditetom“, financed by the American Agency for International Development (USAID), and implemented by the Forum of Youth with Disabilities. Other partners in the project are Caritas of Serbia, Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, Smart Collective and the Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities of Serbia. Support was also provided by the platform „Održivi razvoj za sve“ funded by the governments of Switzerland and Germany, and implemented by the German Organization for International Cooperation (GIZ). Friends of the conference are Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, Elixir Group and Maxi, while media partners are BizLife, Održi me, Nova ekonomija, Diplomacy & Commerce, In Store and Daily Green.

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