Companies that take into account the equal representation of women and value diversities in management, certainly make higher profits and are leaders in innovations, said Commissioner for Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic at the Kopaonik Business Forum 2020.

Moderating the panel “Gender Equality as a Precondition for Sustainable Development at the Local Level”, Jankovic highlighted that it will take a long time to achieve full gender equality, especially having in mind the latest report of the World Economic Forum on the gender estimating that it will take 257 years to close the gap that exists between the economic participation of women and men.

The Commissioner stressed as encouraging the fact that about 21% of women participate in this year’s forum, but that the number should be much higher, as well as that gender equality is directly related to the economic development of the Balkans, having a key impact on whether society will prosper, given that half of the population are women.

Jankovic also reminded that the data speak in favor of the fact that women are more interested in preserving the environment and the development of their city and community, which was, among other things, proven by the research of last year’s Nobel Prize winners for the economy.

The panel was attended by Francois Jacob, UN Coordinator for Serbia, General Director of Hemofarm Ronald Zeelinger, Regional Manager of MasterCard for Serbia, BiH and Montenegro Jelena Ristic, President of the Women’s Association from Priboj “Let’s Save the Village” Malina Stanojevic and Mayor of Medvedja Nebojsa Arsic.