The Belgrade Open School (BOS) presented a Guide for cooperation cetween the cusiness and civil sectors, which aims to encourage as many companies and civil society organizations as possible to take active steps and achieve long-term cooperation. The guide entitled "Sustainable Future Initiatives - Innovative Approaches to Civil-Business Cooperation" contains concrete guidelines and frameworks in which the partnership of these two sectors can be achieved.
Almost 80% of projects in cooperation between the business and civil sectors have a philanthropic character, so there is space and need to develop programs in other areas. Areas identified by the representatives of these two seemingly incompatible sectors as those of common interest are: improving the business environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, improving youth employability and protecting the environment.
"The path to a more humane society is through connecting and exchanging experiences and ideas. We are focused on corporate projects and through them cooperation with civil society. Our ultimate goal is not profitability, but far more important - the well-being of the entire society, "said Milena Mićanović, Communications and Public Relations Manager of OTP Bank Serbia at an online conference organized to present the guide.
Representatives of the civil and business sectors, despite numerous challenges, recognize opportunities to work together to support members of the community in which they live and work. During the coronavirus pandemic, joint action proved particularly necessary.
"As it has been the case many times so far in its decades-long work, the Belgrade Open School is launching innovative, pioneering activities, this time to provide support for systematic cooperation between the business and civil sectors. We assessed that the situation in both sectors is ripe for improvement in the quality and scope of cooperation, to that extent that our future projects will have a component of support for the partnership between the civil and business sectors, "said Milena Vujović, Coordinator for Cooperation with the Business Sector at the Belgrade Open School.
One of the pioneers in successful cooperation with the business sector, the Uzice Center for the Rights of the Child (UCPD), recognizes the importance of associating with the corporate community, all for the sake of a higher goal - safety and protection of children from violence. Through the support provided to private institutions by the UCPD, all employees of one collective who work with children can find out what the standards are for preserving the safety of children and checking the extent to which they meet them, explained Jelena Žunić Cicvarić from this organization.
BOS has created a guide following the current trend of inter-sectoral cooperation in Europe and the world and with the desire to encourage and strengthen this type of partnership and contribute to building a better society, based on knowledge, responsibility and public interest. The guide is available at the following link.