The workshop for employers titled “Achieving Workplace Equality,” held in Novi Sad, marked the beginning of a series of training sessions organized by the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality in cooperation with the German organization for international cooperation, GIZ Serbia. The aim is to help companies enhance their knowledge of discrimination prevention and protection.
“Running a business without discrimination benefits everyone—it increases employee satisfaction and brings greater productivity and team spirit to employers,” stated Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, during the event’s opening. “A company’s success is not measured solely by numbers and profits but also by its responsibility toward employees, collaborators, the environment, society, and the values it upholds. It is crucial to foster work environments free from discrimination. Integrating ESG principles into business strategies is becoming a necessity and a vital factor in building sustainable business success for all companies,” the Commissioner emphasized.
Opening remarks were also given by Sanela Bahtijarević, Advisor at GIZ Serbia; Vladimir Lalošević, President of the Employers’ Union of Vojvodina; and Robert Čoban, Director of Color Media International. IKEA shared examples of best practices, highlighting its internal policies for the prevention of discrimination and human rights violations. IKEA has been a signatory of the Partnership for Equality with the Commissioner since 2017.
The workshop presented the revised and updated guidelines for developing anti-discrimination policies for employers in Serbia—the so-called Equality Code, an effective internal mechanism for identifying and preventing potential cases of workplace discrimination. These workshops also provide an opportunity for employers to familiarize themselves with regulations and examples of good practices, as well as to sign the Partnership for Equality Charter.
The workshops are part of the project “Advancing Workplace Equality – A Joint Initiative for Workplace Equality,” implemented in Serbia as part of the “Initiative for Global Solidarity” by GIZ Serbia and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The project also focuses on expanding the network of companies and strengthening their capacities through the Partnership for Equality, initiated by the Commissioner in 2017.
