ESG today is much more than a regulatory obligation – it represents an opportunity to enhance competitiveness, strengthen local economies, and empower communities. This was the key conclusion of 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 of 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 segment of the conference, representatives of the diplomatic, business, and philanthropic sectors addressed the audience. “Growth must never come at the expense of dignity and equality. Businesses that embrace ESG and social responsibility are not just meeting standards – they are driving innovation and building resilience for the long-term,” 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 grounded in responsibility, collaboration, and a clear understanding that development must be inclusive and that additional investment in empowering local communities is essential.”

The conference was also opened by Violeta Jovanović, Executive Director of NALED, and Neven Marinović, Director of Smart Kolektiv and Executive Director of the Responsible Business Forum, who highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration in achieving better social conditions and advancing sustainable business practices.

Two key panel discussions were held during the event. The first panel explored how companies contribute to the growth of local economies and strengthen business-driven social impact by purchasing from social and impact enterprises. The second panel focused on ESG criteria and the regulatory framework as both 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 practical solutions and responses to sustainability challenges assigned to them by their mentors.

The conference concluded with the CSR & ESG Forum Awards ceremony, recognizing companies, leaders, and initiatives with the greatest social, environmental, and inclusive impact. See which socially significant initiatives received this year’s awards!

The CSR&ESG Forum is organized by Smart Kolektiv and the Responsible Business Forum within the project “Resilient Communities: Nurturing Social Enterprises for Local Development” implemented by Smart Kolektiv in partnership with Evrokontakt Kruševac and the Kolping Society of Serbia, with the financial support of the European Union. This year, the Forum is also supported by of the SIDRO Foundation and supported through the project “Enhancing competitiveness through more effective public procurement and sustainable supply chains (ESGs)”, financed by Sweden and implemented by NALED. The friends of the conference are Coca-Cola HBC, Elixir Group, Lidl, and Delhaize through the “Buy Social” line of social enterprise products. The media partners of the event are CorD, BizLife, Održi me, Nova ekonomija, Bonitet, Diplomacy & Commerce, InStore, and Daily Green.