“Diversity is not an obstacle, but a strength, and equality is achievable if we work on it together. Our daily efforts and successes change the work environment and society as a whole, and that is why our anniversary, as well as this conference, is dedicated to all of you who do not see equality only as a legal obligation but as a value you live by and nurture — especially when it’s not easy,” said the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, at the opening of the conference “Partnership for Equality: Building a Better Work Environment Together,” which marked 15 years of work of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality of the Republic of Serbia.
Commissioner Janković emphasized that the institution of the Commissioner has faced numerous challenges since its establishment, but that, thanks to continuous and dedicated work on protecting the rights and dignity of every individual, it is now recognized as an institution of trust. She stated that the fact we are marking the anniversary together with the business community sends a message that all social actors and institutions should cooperate and be a force that constantly pushes boundaries and builds a society that respects equality and human rights.
The first Commissioner, Professor Nevena Petrušić, recalled the very beginning of the institution’s work and the enthusiasm involved in establishing anti-discrimination practices. Today, people understand that the story of discrimination is not a story about equality, but about diversity and how different people can be treated equally, Petrušić emphasized.
At the opening, the Head of the Economic Cooperation Department of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Judith Hoffmann, also spoke. She congratulated Commissioner Janković on the anniversary and emphasized that Germany remains a reliable partner in the promotion of human rights, equality, and the development of an inclusive work environment.
The conference presented the achievements to date of the Commissioner’s institution’s “Partnership for Equality,” which has so far been joined by several hundred companies, chambers of commerce, and business associations committed to implementing anti-discrimination policies and ESG principles in their operations.
Representatives of leading companies in Serbia and the region participated in the event and, through the panel “Inclusive Business Policies and ESG Principles – From Implementation to Success”, shared experiences and presented their views on how a healthy, discrimination-free work environment contributes to employee satisfaction and motivation, as well as to business results. The panelists were Nikola Vuletić, President of the Executive Board of UniCredit Bank; Judith Albers, CEO of A1 Serbia; Ronald Seeliger, CEO of Hemofarm Group; Marijana Davidović, CEO of Nestlé Serbia; and Darko Popović, President of the Executive Board of Banca Intesa. The panel was moderated by Radojka Nikolić, Editor-in-Chief of the “Business” magazine.
In the second panel, which focused on the role of chambers of commerce in supporting companies in applying responsible business practices through the Partnership for Equality, the speakers were Marko Nikolić, President of the Board of Directors of the Canadian-Serbian Business Association (CANSEE); Hugo Van Veghel, President of the Belgian-Serbian Business Association; Irena Brajović, Director of the Association of Italian Industrialists in Serbia (Confindustria); and Tanja Lindal from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. The panel was moderated by Katarina Đulić, Associate Professor at the FEFA Faculty of Metropolitan University.
The project “Advancing Equality in the Field of Work and Employment – A Joint Initiative for Workplace Equality” is being implemented by the institution of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality with the support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMZ), through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
