VIOLETA JOVANOVIĆ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NALED
Dialogue Is The Best Path To Successful Reforms
What has enabled us to initiate major changes is the synergy we have created by bringing together companies, local governments and civil society, ready to dedicate their time and capacity to achieving the goals of our association, with the involvement of academia and the wider professional public
“I
n a society where many meddle in all trades, NALED is one of the rare organisations that does only what it knows best.“ In a sea of descriptions used for NALED, it is difficult to find one that sums us up better. Expertise, independence, innovation, integrity, courage, those are just some of the values we cherish. We are unwaveringly persistent because we use analysis and data to offer solutions for every shortcoming we point out. Owing to our approach, we have grown from 17 to over 310 members. We started out with one staff member only to have 80 now, and we have implemented over 160 projects to improve working conditions in Serbia. All that in just 15 years. Today, our
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organisation is a crucial partner of the Serbian government and institutions relevant to critical reforms of the business environment. We are members of over 50 working groups that draft regulations, and we have published over 550 research papers and similar publications that shed light on many areas that need change. The project ‘Public-Private Dialogue for Development’ particularly stands out among other successful projects. We understood the importance of this topic for future regulation and changes to the working atmosphere, and we set out to strengthen the ability of businesses, professional associations, other civil organisations and state institutions to cooperate and create solutions together. This is the kind of
reform we need most. The advantage and strength of NALED is precisely that it has learned the importance of dialogue within its own framework. We are still the only organisation in Europe that brings together private, public and civil sectors to create better working conditions. NALED members are crucial for our involvement in reform. They analyse data, comment on regulation or draft it, provide donor support, communicate with ministries and carry out activities. This kind of dialogue allows us to reach solutions beneficial for all sectors. Such solutions acknowledge their needs and interests and focus on the common good, rejecting individual wishes and intentions. That makes NALED’s suggestions valuable and
