We are proud to have been among the best for many years and to have our efforts in achieving sustainable business recognised – Mislav Vučić
The award ceremony was held on 1 July 2024 as part of the 19th Croatian Exporters’ Convention, sponsored by the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The panel of experts deciding on the nominees and winners consisted of representatives from Croatian Exporters, HBOR, HGK, HUP, FINA, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Customs Administration, HAMAG-BICRO, HRT and CRANE. The other companies competing in this category were Feroimpex automobilska tehnika d.o.o. and Klimaoprema d.o.o.
“It goes without saying how crucial Croatian exporters are to our country’s economy, and we are proud that JGL has been part of this esteemed group for many years. Our commitment to investments in innovation paves the way for a better future, and we are pleased that these efforts have once again been recognised. Congratulations to all the winners as well as the nominees, since exporters play a crucial role in our economy and may be the only drivers of significant change,” emphasised Mislav Vučić, Chief Executive Officer of JGL, who received the award and took part in the panel discussion “Export in an Environment of Geopolitical Risks”, introduced by Christian Hellbach, the German Ambassador to Croatia.
“Despite exporting companies representing only 16 per cent of all companies, we employ approximately 50 per cent of Croatia’s workforce and generate nearly 60 per cent of the country’s total profit. Most importantly, this 16 per cent is responsible for approximately 66 per cent of total investments and 77 per cent of investments in development," said Davor Baković, the president of Croatian Exporters. He added that Croatia lacks a comprehensive strategy for developing its domestic industry, which is crucial for creating greater added value and improving the qualitative structure of the economy. This strategy should focus on exporting products based on knowledge, capital, and technological development.
The adoption of the Declaration of Croatian Exporters during the ceremony highlighted the importance of Croatia’s new industrial strategy and smart industrial specialisation. These initiatives should be adopted as key economic priorities for the new Government. They aim to bolster previous and future efforts aimed at reducing tax, administrative, regulatory, and other cost burdens on entrepreneurs and exporters, thereby enhancing their price competitiveness.
This represents the ninth “Golden Key” for JGL, having won in the Most Innovative Exporter category in 2017 and 2021.