AmCham Macedonia Spring 2018 (Issue 57) | Page 2

Spring 2018 / Issue 57 Spring 2018 / Issue 57 Dear AmCham Macedonia members and friends - I am delighted to introduce the spring 2018 edition of AmCham Macedonia Magazine dedi- cated to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Our members don’t only do well, they also do good. I am excited to see an increased recog- nition of the role the private sector can play in society and that our companies are stepping up to fulfill that role. Whether they invest in educa- tion and employee development or they take ac- tion to protect the environment and minimize their footprint, AmCham member companies understand that creating a better life for all is everybody’s business. For this issue we reached out to our mem- bers to hear what being a socially responsible business means to them and the actions they are taking to implement that vision. We also reached out to representatives of the United Nations agencies in Macedonia to learn how to approach solving societal problems in a strate- gic, thoughtful, and effective manner. They have also agreed to address our members to help us identify the pressing needs in the country and where to focus our activities for maximum impact. Stay tuned for these announcements through our weekly e-newsletter. Last but not least we bring you an account of our events in the first three months of this year: the series of events on the General Data Protec- tion Regulation (GDPR), our first-ever Young Professionals Networking evening (which was an absolute hit and will become a tradition), and the Executive Director’s trip to Washing- ton, DC and Chicago for the annual meeting of AmChams in Europe. Finally, I would like to thank all members who responded to our Opportunities and Challenges survey. The survey results were essential in in- forming the Board of Directors’ discussion on the strategic direction of the Chamber in 2018. The outcome of the discussion and the Board’s decisions will be publicized shortly. I have already met with 30 of our companies and will continue to visit the rest to hear about your needs, ideas, and suggestions on how to make AmCham work for you. In anticipation of meeting you all, Dijana Despodov Executive Director AmCham Magazine is a quarterly publication of AmCham Macedonia. No reproduction of any materials published in AmCham magazine is permitted without the explicit written permission of AmCham Macedonia. The articles in the magazine express the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of AmCham Macedonia, its members, board of directors or staff. While AmCham Macedonia makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all published information, AmCham Macedonia is not responsible for errors or omissions. The magazine is available on our web site: www.amcham.com.mk EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Dijana Despodov • EDITOR: Aleksandar Narashanov • COVER: Ljubo Stefanov/UNDP DESIGN: Zoran Inadeski • ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: [email protected] 2 AmCham Macedonia Magazine AmCham Macedonia Magazine 3