SIPPO introduces the “Sustainable Market Access” intervention with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS)

“The goal of these training courses was to inform employees of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia on the concept of sustainability, business models of circular economy, as well as to transpose the elements of the newly adopted Agenda at the level of business entities”, the report states. Another goal was to take an active role in the preparation of a Draft Strategy and Action Plan on sustainability concepts. SIPPO has collaborated with CCIS since 2017.

 SIPPO developed seven Guiding Principles for Sustainable Trade
"It is a great moment for SIPPO that with CCIS one of the partner BSOs who has been a member of UN Global Compact since 2008, is continuously taking concrete steps to integrate sustainability into the business operations of their members," says Jacqueline Salamí, Sustainability Lead in SIPPO's Global Services Team. The UN Global Compact Principles (see more details here: UNGC Ten Principles | Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein) are an important reference framework for SIPPO’s seven Guiding Principles for Sustainable Trade that are contextualized to each of the six sectors in the SIPPO Programme. (You find more details about the Seven Guiding Principles here.) SIPPO's seven Guiding Principles form the overall framework for the implementation of international responsible business conduct. They ensure that BSOs integrate sustainable production and service delivery as an integral part of their services to companies.

Embedding the Seven Guiding Principles into the BSO practices
"Sustainability is in the core of the SIPPO support to our partner BSO – the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. Most of the activities implemented are focused on embedding the SIPPO Guiding Principles for Sustainable Trade into the BSO practices and its export promotion service.," confirms Natalija Puntevska, SIPPO's Regional Representative for the Balkans.

This is not least due to the fact that the programme is designed as a model for structural and sectoral approaches at several levels, as the CCIS report explains in detail. This includes

• building capacities for management teams (horizontal organization units)
• raising awareness and building capacities for representatives of business associations (vertical organization units)
• raising awareness and building capacities for CCIS members.

Example of a sustainable business model for members of the CCIS
“The intervention ‘Sustainable Market Access’ should serve as an example of a sustainable business model to members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia from the previously selected SME sectors, which would be based on incorporation of priority goals of sustainable development into business operations of members on a regular basis, with special focus on export activities (export preparedness of company; export preparedness of products; testing stage, standardization, and certification)”, the report continues.

And it adds: “The goal of the training courses was to inform employees of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia on the concept of sustainability, business models of circular economy, as well as to transpose the elements of the newly adopted Agenda at the level of business entities. Upon it, businesspeople will be informed about benefits of new transformative business models and capacities of employees to provide members with services will be improved.”

High visibility for Serbia’s sustainability efforts at Biofach 2023
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) and Development Agency of Serbia (RAS), in collaboration with the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) and National Association Serbia Organica, traditionally, for the fifth time in a row, have organized the appearance of domestic companies at the International Organic Food Fair “BIOFACH” 2023. The title of the Serbian pavilion was a clear statement in favour of sustainability: “We Speak Organic – Organic Products from Serbia – Tradition Transformed into Innovation“. The Biofach 2023 exhibition was used as a showcase to demonstrate how the principles can be integrated and respected. During Biofach 2023, SIPPO Serbia also supported the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in establishing the "Partnership for Sustainability" concept, which aims to promote multi-stakeholder partnerships and international sector initiatives for cooperation and exchange of expertise in the organic sector with a focus on sustainability.