Ljiljana Vukosavljevic Project Expert Associate, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Belgrade University The Czech Chamber of Commerce, Prague, November, 2013 CSR of SMEs Serbian Viewpoint Sustainability

 In the early development phase;  The most important CSR issues are: Poverty, Unemployment, Environment.  Some of organizations are active only in the projects related to: philanthropy/donations, projects of national importance;  Rarer engagements in: Introducing CSR related standards, Partnerships with local governments, The participation of employees in the decision making process, and Programmatic activities that would stimulate entrepreneurship, employment and independent development of individuals within socially vulnerable groups; 2 CSR in Serbia

Sustainability  80% have instituted a permanent dialogue with employees;  Still uncommon for companies to enter into a structured dialogue with other stakeholders;  Less than 1/2 of the surveyed companies have special programs aimed at promoting CSR practices among their suppliers;  The weakest point in the CSR system of companies is the reporting on non-financial aspects of doing business (impact on the environment and the social milieu);  According to the National CSR strategy, 22% of companies, report on their CSR activities, and 18% of them are using some standardized form of reporting;  The major obstacle to CSR initiatives in Serbia is the lack of awareness of the importance of this concept. Synovate_October_ CSR in Serbia

Sustainability  SMEs represent : Real giants of the Serbian economy ! (99.4% of all registered businesses); Important providers of jobs and growth  SMEs are better integrated in the local communities than the large entities;  Perform a variety of CSR activities in the local communities without being adequately recognised as such;  These activities, in most cases, reflect the ethical principles of their owners rather than the notion that they could bring business benefits and advantages to the owners;  Main obstacles for CSR practice are: Lack of awareness and the lack of resources  It is obvious that SMEs: Need solid, practical support - NOW ! 4 CSR of SMEs EU_SBA_fact_sheet_report_2009

Sustainability  Major CSR Issues: Environmental awareness remains quite low; Human rights are not perceived as a business priority; However, labor-related rights are currently becoming more present in the public opinion; None of the minorities are addressed, neither by the Government nor by businesses; Women rarely occupy high management positions and they traditionally earn less than men working in the same positions; ‘The law on employment of disabled persons’ has been reinforced in May 2010; Many companies strategically support towns or regions in which they operate; The most popular form of community engagement in the last few years has been employee volunteering; There are a few SMEs offering sustainable products or services.  Having in mind the upcoming process of EU integration there is: On one hand, Increasing opportunity for Serbian enterprises to improve their access and presence to the common EU market ; On the other hand, they face expectations of consumers, regulators and investors regarding the implementation of CSR practices. 5 CSR Issues

Sustainability  Serbian administration has made substantial efforts over the past few years to: Encourage entrepreneurship, Support SMEs so that they can grow and thus create employment.  Main Challenges: The government has to adopt more strategic approach to CSR; Raise awareness of CSR among small and medium enterprises and the general public; Enhance consumer's role in the development of the concept.  Still there is much to be done !  Essential ingredients are already in place !  This vision can be quickly brought to life with the support of the Serbian academia and the Serbian government ! 6 CSR Improvements and chellenges in Serbia

Ljiljana Vukosavljevic Project Expert Associate, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Belgrade University The project “Project Management and Socially Responsible Business of SMEs” funded by the Czech Republic Development Cooperation, programme AID FOR TRADE and implemented by the Czech Chamber of Commerce in co-operation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia The Czech Chamber of Commerce, Prague, November, 2013 THANK YOU ! Sustainability