The Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro (PKCG): an Energy Efficiency Board established

On November 23, 2009, the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro (PKCG) held a founding session of the Energy Efficiency and Environmental Protection Board. Mr. Budimir Škuletić, a director and owner of Termomark company was elected as the Board's president, and Ms. Biljana Gligorić, a representative of the NGO Expeditio, as its vice president. The Board was created as an expression of the needs and demands of the Montenegrin economy and the PKCG's members, with the aim to integrate, in an organized, efficient and effective way, numerous, until now, segmented activities that treat the field of energy efficiency and environmental protection. In accordance with the primary mission of the Chamber, the Board, in areas within its activity and competence, represents the interests of the economy before the state authorities and bodies, assists in establishing connections with international companies and organizations, initiates and assists in the implementation of energy efficiency projects and "environmental " projects and programs, informs all interested parties about issues related to energy efficiency, the environment and sustainable development, promotes new technical and technological solutions, provides professional assistance to its members and so on. Through its activities the Board promotes the following basic values: good corporate governance, ethical conduct and awareness raising about the needs to preserve natural resources, environmental protection, corporate social responsibility and the achievement of sustainable development goals. The Board members are companies in various branches of economy, representatives of the state institutions and other parties dealing with the mentioned topics.

The Board implements the following tasks:
- Launching initiatives, providing expert opinions and proposals of laws and regulations that are in the interests of its members and in the interest of economic development, and resolving key problems in the areas of energy efficiency and environmental protection;
- Planning, designing and implementing projects related to energy efficiency and environmental protection and sustainable development (internally and externally), which are of interest to the Board members and the economy as a whole. Interest is expressed by the economy through the Board sessions work and through its associations, but it is also determined by identifying the needs of the economy through professional services;
- Informing the economy sector about the legislation, regulations, standards, rulebooks and other acts, as well as about the current news and events related to energy efficiency and environmental protection;
- Organizing thematic business meetings, study visits, professional trade shows
- Implementing specialized training programs, educational seminars and courses for different levels of managing staff and employees in companies
- Advisory activities and professional assistance regarding regulations, environmental programs, energy efficiency programs, funds for environmental projects and projects for sustainable development /ISO 26000 standards, environmental management systems (ISO 14000 standards, etc.)/.

The Energy Efficiency and Environmental Protection Board supports and promotes the following programs and /or projects:
- Energy efficiency in all activities
- Addressing the problems of waste management (industrial waste, recycling, etc.).
- The introduction of "cleaner production" and "clean technology"
- The effects of the integration of Montenegro into the EU - continuous monitoring
- Promotion of corporate social responsibility in companies
- Specialized seminars, courses and trainings for the economy participants (ISO 14000, OHSAS, EMAS, integrated management systems, eco-labelling of products, sustainable economic development, corporate social responsibility, regulations, etc.).
- Planning and development of new services of the Chamber
- Monitoring and continuous improvement of the results of implemented projects, both internal and external
- Other projects of interest to the PKCG members

At the founding session, the Board's Rules of Procedure were adopted and its president and vice president elected. As the Board's president Mr. Budimir Škuletić, a director and owner of Termomark company, was elected and as its vice president Ms. Biljana Gligorić, a representative of the NGO Expeditio.