Under the theme “Building Resilience in a Changing World”, the regional ESG conference dedicated to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards was held in Skopje today, organized by the American Chambers of Commerce of North Macedonia (AmCham North Macedonia), and AmCham Serbia, in cooperation with AmCham Albania and Kosovo, with support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and co-financing from the European Union.
With this conference, the AmCham community from the four countries is laying the foundation for further regional cooperation in the area of ESG and contributing to strengthening the long-term competitiveness of the Western Balkans, by sharing good practices and common approaches to sustainable management.
The event was opened by Zivko Mukaetov, Member of the Board of Directors of AmCham North Macedonia, and Fatih Turkmenoglu, Head of the EBRD Office in Skopje, who emphasized the importance of the ESG approach for building long-term corporate resilience.
The conference began with a session consisting of three presentations that addressed the three core aspects of “ESG”, i.e. Environment, Society, Governance.
The first speaker was Dr. Sebastian Dannet from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), who spoke about how companies can assess and manage environmental risks, integrate biodiversity into their strategies and contribute to the restoration of ecosystems as part of their long-term value.
This was followed by a presentation by Dejan Valentinčić from the American-Slovenian Educational Foundation, who addressed the outflow of human capital from the region and the need for companies to proactively address social consequences through responsible HR strategies and investing in people.
The third keynote speaker, Katja Bechtel, Senior Advisor on Business Integrity, emphasized that the fight against corruption, transparency and ethical leadership are key to strengthening investor confidence and reducing risks in a complex geopolitical context.
The conference continued with a series of panel discussions dedicated to: ESG in the EU regulatory landscape, ESG leadership in environmental transition, the role of businesses in building strong communities, restoring public trust by ensuring responsible corporate governance and the role of financial institutions in supporting sustainable practices and decarbonization.
AmCham conferences dedicated to ESG standards continue to serve as a platform for connecting relevant national and regional stakeholders, directly supporting AmCham’s broader agenda for the period 2024–2028, which defines specific goals related to the green transition, human capital development, and economic integration.
