American, Slovak and other international businesses have been cooperating and collaborating with AmCham to address economic, political issues and challenges, shaping business conditions in Slovakia and advocating for a transparent, ethical, predictable and sustainable environment. Today, AmCham serves as one of the most active foreign Chambers of Commerce in Slovakia.
I believe that one of the main reasons our members are engaged with us is because of our reputation as an organization with integrity. Doing the right thing is one of the best ways to win and keep business. So it’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. No matter the pressure and no matter what’s being asked of us, it’s critical that we continue to act with the highest level of ethics and integrity. We should never feel pressured to cut corners or do something in a way that undermines our integrity or reputation.
Every visit, meeting and every conversation remind me of why AmCham is so special. It’s each and every one of our members. I always come away from these conversations reinvigorated and impressed by candor, energy and enthusiasm for the work our members do in our communities across entire Slovakia. They are continuously exploring ways to work together. Our members roll up sleeves and get out on the front lines addressing local issues and challenges. As AmCham we are committed to support real possibilities for working together to make a difference in people’s lives.
We may never become legends or icons, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make our own mark in business and personal life. If what we do impacts someone or something in a positive way, then we’ve made a difference.
One of the biggest threats to our ethical culture is when members don’t speak up. Voicing your opinions, suggestions and concerns will make us a stronger organization and will further strengthen our ethical culture. The most important part of the member experience is feedback — sharing it, addressing it, and making changes to improve.
Your feedback is critical to the future of AmCham, and it only helps if you’re direct and specific. I believe real success needs an open mind, the ability to listen and act on what others share with us, and the courage to take risks.
We will continue to build on our solid foundation and legacy created over the years. The four pillars of our strategy (Rule of Law, Human Capital, Innovation, Regional Development) help us transform AmCham into a modern and agile organization which is able to continue to drive important changes and focus on critical challenges of this year and the years beyond that.
Connecting business with academic and research organizations opens possibilities for AmCham members to utilize the skills, knowledge, energy, passion, enthusiasm and drive that the workforce in Slovakia offers. Technology and human capital development, as well as local or global challenges, create opportunities for more intensive collaboration between businesses and academic institutions.
As Slovakia is getting ready for the upcoming parliamentary elections in early 2020, the rest of this year will bring additional opportunities to organize meetings and discussions for our members with a great variety of representatives of the political and business spheres from Slovakia and abroad. My thanks to the AmCham team for putting in the effort every hour of every day. Their work is key to our strategy and mission.
We’ve set out to do much more – innovating with purpose and changing lives through strategic activities and initiatives. We’re going to step up to the challenge, with our values, mission and strategy as guides.
I hope you all had a happy and relaxing summer holiday, and you’ve come back refreshed and ready for the changes and challenges that undoubtedly lie ahead.
Gabriel Galgóci, President of AmCham Slovakia
Follow us