News

Zagreb, 29th September 2014 - As part of the project "Corporate Social Responsibility for All" co-financed by the European Union and implemented by the employers' organizations from Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Turkey, and with the support from the International Organization of Employers (IOE) ten prizes were awarded for the CSR best practice examples in Croatia.

In the presence of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Ivo Josipovic, the prizes were awarded for socially responsible practices in the areas of care for employees, community and the environment in the categories of small, large and medium-sized companies and CSR Grand Prix for a company that, following the proposed criteria, the most successfully applied CSR principles in all three areas. President Josipovic and this occasion argued for a stronger application of the principles of social responsibility in Croatia: "As it turned out, companies that implement corporate social responsibility show greater resilience to the crisis and have a long-term sustainable competitive advantage. He also pointed out that it would be good if the State would further promote these values and create a regulatory framework that would adequately value and encourage the practice of corporate social responsibility."

The organizers of the Summit100 are the Croatian Employers’ Association (HUP), Atlas Foundation, Serbian Association of Managers (SAM) and Managers' Association of Slovenia (ZMS).


This year’s Summit100 takes place on July 14 and 15 in Cavtat, Croatia. The main topic of this year’s conference is the improvement of economic opportunities and regional cooperation through recognizing the potentials in the fields of tourism, transport and logistics, food and beverage, ICT and services, pharmaceuticals , construction and energy.

Entrepreneurs' day is an annual gathering of employers, highest government representatives, NGOs, Trade Unions, foreign diplomats and other stakeholders interested in business and entrepreneurship and promotion of better entrepreneurial climate. Both President Ivo Josipović and Prime Minister Zoran Milanović were present - they opened the ceremony in the Zagreb Westin Hotel on 9th June 2014.

June 2nd 2014. -Ms. Lidija Horvatić, director of the EU Policies and International Affairs Department at the CEA was elected member of the governing body at the International Labour Organization.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the only tripartite U.N. agency with government, employer, and worker representatives. This tripartite structure makes the ILO a unique forum in which the governments and the social partners of the economy of its 185 Member States can freely and openly debate and elaborate labour standards and policies.

During his official visit to Croatia, Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oreharski visited the CEA premises on the occasion of the Croatian-Bulgarian Business Forum.
Minister of SMEs and Entrepreneurship- Gordan Maras, of Tourism - Darko Lorencin, President of the Board of HAMAG-INVEST- Darko Liović were present, together with representatives of the CEA Executive Board, Bulgarian officials and Croatian companies. Collaboration will definitely be strengthened by the introduction of a direct air service between Zagreb-Sofia, expected to begin operating in June this year.

The Croatian Employers’ Association and the Transparency International Croatia to collaborate in preventing corruption and promoting democratic values and fair competition​

 

The Croatian Employers' Association - Global Compact Croatia and UNICEF Croatia presented an initiative for corporate social responsibility directed towards respecting children's rights under the title „Children are everyone's business“. The initiative was created after numerous consultations with companies worldwide, and the aim is to support companies of all sizes in integration of children's rights in every day’s business and management.

An Agreement was signed establishing collaboration between the CEA and the UNICEF, regulating areas of common activities for benefit of children in the business sector. Speeches were given by the CEA president Ivica Mudrinić, vice-president of the Government Milanka Opačić, the Ombudsman for children Mila Jelavić and Head of UNICEF Office for Croatia Đurđica Ivković. Đurđica Ivković has invited all the companies and business leaders to invest in early development of children, which is also good for competitiveness in the long-run. She also reminded that respecting children’s rights is essential in building inclusive society of healthy, well-educated citizens, which is a condition of stable and prosperous business environment.

Since the outset of the European project, EU economic integration has had a positive impact on growth and employment, and therefore on European citizens‟ prosperity.
Business is the backbone of Europe‟s economy. The single market is its cornerstone, and the single currency its heart.
If Europe does not have a healthy heart, it will not have a promising future. Safeguarding the euro continues to be a top priority. Citizens are not suffering because of the Euro. They are suffering from bad past political choices, which the advantages of the Single Market and of the Euro contributed to hide.
If Europe does not have a strong cornerstone, it will not have thriving companies delivering growth and jobs. The single market has led to the creation of 3 million new jobs since its creation. It contributes significantly to reaching Europe‟s social objectives. Measures to further develop the Single Market are therefore essential.

The Croatian Employers' Association's proposal to the Croatian Constitutional Court to assess the constitutionality of the questionable provisions which prescribed retroactive taxation of dividends earned from retained profit prior to the law enforcement was found well-grounded.

Branko Roglić, owner of the Croatian company Orbico and a distinguished CEA member and one of the founders of the Croatian Employers’ Association, and Sumadi Kusuma, Global Putra International CEO ( transport and distribution Co.) signed an agreement on establishing a joint-venture Orbico Global, the first of three planned joint ventures, one Zagreb-based, two of them in Jacarta and Hong-Kong. Branko Roglić expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration he established with the Indonesian partner and pointed out good potential for investments in Croatia, despite some difficulties foreign investors might encounter.