Employers’ organizations work towards improving the enabling environment for sustainable enterprises

Representatives of employers’ organizations from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, met in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 20-21 April 2015 at an ILO Sub-regional conference to discuss the Enabling Environment of Sustainable Enterprises (EESE).

“An enabling business environment that promotes enterprise competitiveness while respecting fundamental rights and promoting social dialogue is critical in any economy not least when transiting into more a market-based economy”, said Ms Rie Vejs Kjeldgaard, ILO Deputy Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia. At the conference the ILO presented a toolkit on EESE which has been specifically designed to help Employers Organizations identify main business constraints in their countries and to make proactively proposals to advocate for improvements. The toolkit will also enable Employers` Organizations to make more targeted inputs into social dialogue and thus enhance the outcomes of social dialogue. The sub- regional EESE conference was hosted by the Georgian Employers` Association (GEA). The Georgian Deputy Minister of Labour and Health, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development as well as President of GEA attended the opening of the Conference. Several ILO departments had joined efforts to organize and facilitate this event. According to Mr. Elguja Meladze, GEA president, ILO’s sub-regional conference is a step forward in creating and developing sustainable enterprises. “The Georgian Employers’ Association” is always ready to take part in projects that contribute to strengthening its member companies and maintaining economic stability. The work that we have started with business associations from 12 countries, will promote sustainability of the existing enterprises in Georgia and will contribute to creating new sustainable enterprises”, he said. All employers’ organizations have already made first plans to assess their business environment and defined priority areas for future advocacy action. The ILO will continue to work with them and provide expert support in the implementation of their action plans.