The Serbian SME sector has produced numerous champions – export-oriented, innovative, and competitive companies with the potential for even faster growth and contribution to Serbia's sustainable development in the next decade. By improving the business environment, it is possible to open doors for new, emerging champions. Unlike 10 years ago, when unemployment was the focus, companies today highlight finding and retaining an adequate number of quality people as the number 1 problem. To support the further strong development of the SME sector, point out the challenges it faces, and propose appropriate institutional solutions, the Center for Advanced Economic Studies (CEVES) has launched the SME100 Expo initiative, within which the conference SME100 Expo: People are Success was held at the Science and Technology Park Niš.
President of the Management Board and Chief Economist of CEVES, Kori Udovički stated that today's MSP100 EXPO conference is dedicated to the most successful domestic small and medium-sized enterprises, and an exhibition is also part of the event, as these are champions that need to be promoted. „They are champions, and our goal is to show that small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia are not only the backbone and heart of the economy, but also a nursery for companies that can become champions, grow, represent us in the world, and drive development forward. However, for them to become all of that, and for Serbia to benefit from it, dialogue with the state is necessary – to understand what their needs are,“ said Udovički, adding that they do not need help, because they have reached where they are without it, but they need cooperation, especially in times of crisis, and it is necessary for the policies pursued for Serbia's development to create the environment they need.
Director of the Science and Technology Park Niš, Milan Ranđelović said at the opening of the conference that three pillars are developing in parallel in the Serbian economy – foreign investors who operate successfully; domestic companies that were founded, grew, and developed in Serbia; and an innovative startup ecosystem that is developing well. „I think that not enough is being done on synergy and the joint growth of these three sectors. But, this problem actually represents an opportunity to further accelerate the development of the economy through their better cooperation,“ said Ranđelović.
Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia, H.E. Urs Schmid, stated that small and medium-sized enterprises, which employ 99 percent of people, form the backbone of the economy. „Today, more than ever, it is a challenge to retain talented and motivated people, which is a problem faced by small and medium-sized enterprises. Switzerland has several projects in Serbia dedicated to fostering human capital development. Through the Education to Employment (E2E) project, we develop young talents and support their education for the labor market, while through the SME Hub project, small and medium-sized enterprises receive support in modernization and transformation necessary for integration into global supply chains, especially in the area of meeting the standards and requirements of foreign markets,“ said the Swiss Ambassador.
Director of the Office for Democratic and Economic Development, USAID Serbia, Naida Zečević Bin said that USAID proudly supports small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia, as they are the driving force of innovation and a key element in accelerating economic growth. „Although they face numerous business challenges, some of these companies that are our partners are very successful in connecting Serbia with the world, in introducing innovations into business, in placing their products on markets around the world. Through our project “Big Small Business' and in cooperation with CEVES, we have created the SME Compass tool, designed to measure the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises. We believe that by using and analyzing high-quality data, progress in business can also be achieved. Therefore, we hope that all interested companies, as well as the media, civil society organizations, representatives of institutions, and other donors and projects, will use this exceptional tool," said Zečević Bin.
Presented at the event was MSP Compass, a free interactive portal that provides detailed insight into the sector's competitiveness and the factors influencing it. Based on concrete analyses and open data, all those engaged in activities aimed at SME development, from development agencies, state institutions, donors, media, to the companies themselves, will be able to more effectively create development strategies and support programs. Companies can now assess their competitive position on over 30 points (profitability, productivity, wages, indebtedness, digitalization level, staff qualifications, etc.); and all users can search through over 20,000 companies and identify those that meet their key business criteria.
Within the conference, the exhibition „Development and Achievements of SME100 Champions” was also presented, showcasing companies from the SME100 list – the best and most successful small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia according to carefully set criteria of revenue, export to sophisticated markets, impact on the local community, fair business practices, innovation, etc.
Within this year's SME100 Expo, a free training on green transition, prepared and conducted by the EBRD, was also held. The one-day training "ESG Basics for SMEs" was designed to raise the knowledge of SMEs in Serbia about ESG and encourage timely positioning of companies in local and international markets, especially considering environmental protection issues that already affect their business. During the one-day course, the most successful domestic small and medium-sized enterprises had the opportunity to learn about the ESG concept, regulations and standards, upcoming obligations regarding non-financial reporting, as well as to gain insight into best practices for ESG investment and integrating sustainability principles into their business strategies.
The organizers of MSP100 Expo are CEVES and the Science and Technology Park in Niš, and the partners are the USAID-funded Big Small Business project, implemented by ACDI/VOCA, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as the From Education to Employment, E2E project supported by the Swiss Cooperation Office and implemented by NIRAS IP. The conference friend is the „Sustainable Development for All“ Platform, supported by the governments of Switzerland and Germany, and implemented by GIZ.
