ESG today is much more than a regulatory obligation, it represents an opportunity to enhance competitiveness, strengthen local economies, and empower communities, concluded the CSR & ESG Forum held today for the 16th time in Belgrade
The CSR & ESG Forum, the largest conference on corporate social responsibility in Serbia, brought together representatives from the private and public sectors, international organizations, and experts in sustainability and responsible business to reflect on current issues and trends in these fields. In the opening part of the conference, speakers from the diplomatic, business, and philanthropic sectors addressed the audience.
“Growth must never come at the expense of dignity and equality. Companies that are truly guided by ESG principles and social responsibility not only meet standards – they drive innovation and build long-term resilience,” emphasized Charlotte Samelin, Ambassador of Sweden.
Jelena Savanović, Manager of the Sidro Foundation, stated: “The role of this Forum is of great importance. It brings us together to jointly create an economy based on responsibility, collaboration, and a clear understanding that development must be inclusive and that additional investments are needed to empower local communities.”
At the conference opening, Violeta Jovanović, Executive Director of NALED, and Neven Marinović, Director of Smart Collective and Executive Director of the Forum for Responsible Business, also spoke, highlighting the importance of cross-sector cooperation in achieving better conditions for society and promoting sustainable business practices.
During the event, two significant panel discussions were held. The first panel focused on how companies contribute to local economic growth and enhance the social impact of business by purchasing from social and impact enterprises. The second panel focused on ESG criteria and the regulatory framework as support and opportunity for improving business processes and social impact.
A special segment of the conference was dedicated to young participants of the Sustainability Starter program, who presented their practical solutions and responses to sustainability challenges assigned to them by program mentors.
The conference concluded with the presentation of the CSR & ESG Forum Awards, recognizing companies, leaders, and initiatives with the greatest social, environmental, and inclusive impact. Check out which socially significant initiatives received this year’s awards!
The CSR & ESG Forum is organized by Smart Collective and the Forum for Responsible Business and is part of the project “Sustainable Communities: Strengthening Social Enterprises for Local Development”, implemented by Smart Collective in partnership with Eurokontakt Kruševac and Kolping Society of Serbia, with financial support from the European Union. This year, the Forum is supported by the Sidro Foundation and the project “More Efficient Public Procurement and Sustainable Supply Chains (ESG) for Competitiveness Improvement”, funded by the Swedish Government and implemented by NALED.
Friends of the conference include Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, Elixir Group, Lidl Serbia, and Delez Serbia through the “Buy Well” package of social enterprise products. Media partners of the event are CorD, BizLife, Održi Me, Nova Ekonomija, Bonitet, Diplomacy & Commerce, InStore, and Daily Green.
