On 14/10/2025 in Tešanj, the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of BiH (PKFBiH), with the support of the project “Improving the Adoption of Industry 4.0 and Introducing International Sustainability Standards” implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held a training aimed at improving the competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs through capacity building in line with Industry 4.0 principles and ESG standards, with a special focus on global UN initiatives such as the Business and Human Rights Principles and the UN Global Compact. The participants were representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises from the textile, chemical, metal, food and plastics industries.
Through the Industry 4.0 thematic module, the training offered insight into the basics of digital transformation, automation and digitalization using AI tools, IoT and data analytics, presented by Mr. Almin Mališević from the Industry Sector of PKFBiH. Through a practical workshop, expert Mr. Nedim Muhamedagić, Head of Solution Architecture at Bloomteq, introduced participants to the practical use of AI tools in industry.
We had the honor of having the introductory part of Module 2 opened by the UNDP Resident Representative in BiH, Mr. Renaud Meyer, who in his address to participants highlighted the role of UNDP in supporting various development processes at the local, entity and state levels. He particularly emphasized the current changes in regulatory frameworks coming from the European Union, which directly affect the operations of domestic companies, and pointed out the importance of timely adaptation to new requirements in order to maintain competitiveness, preserve existing market positions and open opportunities for cooperation with new customers. Speaking on this, Mr. Meyer highlighted the importance of training and continuous capacity building of economic entities, as well as the role of the Chamber as an important partner in this process. This was also an ideal opportunity for a direct conversation with business representatives, who shared their experiences and the challenges they face in business, as well as proposals for solutions and support that would contribute to easier alignment with new regulations and improved competitiveness. The discussion was extremely useful, and company representatives thanked UNDP and the Chamber for the opportunity to openly discuss current topics of common interest.
The second module, ESG standards and gender-responsive leadership, presented the basics of sustainable business, reporting obligations under EU regulations, the process of creating an ESG strategy and report, presented by Ms. Jasmina Zejnilagić from the Industry Sector of PKFBiH and ESG expert, and Mr. Almir Bajtarević, Quality and Environmental Management Manager at Heidelberg Materials Cement BiH – Kakanj.
A special part of the training was focused on global UN initiatives such as the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and UNGC. The importance of adopting and integrating these principles into company policies, reporting, and the opportunities for SMEs from BiH to position themselves within the global network of reliable partners under the UNGC initiative were emphasized. For training participants who express interest in joining the UNGC network, PKFBiH will provide support in the application process.
