In a virtual award ceremony three companies received the FDI Award Slovenia 2021: Ljubljanske mlekarne d.o.o. in the green category, Comtrade programske rešitve d.o.o. in the important regional employer category and Papirnica Vevče proizvodnja d.o.o. in the long-term presence category.

The keynote speaker at the event was Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Economic Development and Technology, who emphasised the importance of foreign investors for the Slovenian economy. “Through a proactive and dynamic approach in the past five years we have succeeded in increasing the inflow of foreign direct investment by EUR 3.6 billion, which is a total of EUR 16.6 billion or 35.3% of GDP. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign direct investment in Slovenia increased by 2.4%. Slovenia has a clear vision concerning attracting foreign investors and strategic and objective-oriented support. We are striving to attract socially responsible and sustainable foreign companies with investment projects that have a higher added value. This is why future measures will also be based on consolidating Slovenia’s reputation as an attractive environment for green, creative and intelligent investments.” Investors will soon have access to financial incentives in compliance with the Investment Incentives Act and as part of the Climate Change Fund and green financing, Minister Počivalšek announced.

By conferring prizes on the best foreign investors, the Slovenian government wishes to highlight the exceptional contributions made by foreign investors to the Slovenian business environment. Tomaž Kostanjevec, director of SPIRIT Slovenija, said the following: “Foreign direct investment is an important factor in the economic growth of each country, as it ensures their competitiveness and efficiency. Foreign investors bring excellence, advanced technologies and a wealth of experience to our country, and therefore make up a vital and strategic part of the Slovenian business environment. Slovenia’s economy is oriented towards sustainability, green technology and the social responsibility of companies. It is committed to reducing its carbon footprint, and cares for the natural and social environment. This year’s award-winners increasingly perceive sustainable business as the primary and unconditional guiding principle for their operations, which they consistently prove with their green approaches and the development of intelligent and sustainable products and solutions.”

The winner in the “green” category is the company Ljubljanske mlekarne, d.o.o. from Ljubljana. It won the prize for its focus on preserving nature and a clean environment.

The winner in the “important employer” category is the company Comtrade programske rešitve, d.o.o. from Ljubljana. It won the prize because it is the largest ICT company in Slovenia, which not only develops its own business, but also has an influence on the development of the whole market and industry, while being aware that people are its greatest asset.

The winner in the “long-term presence” category is the company Papirnica Vevče proizvodnja d.o.o. from Ljubljana. It won the prize because its foreign owner has been present in Slovenia for more than three decades, and under its management Slovenia’s second oldest paper mill is now Europe’s leading manufacturer of paper for labels and flexible packaging.

The expert committee, which has for the sixteenth year running chosen recipients of the FDI Award Slovenia, this year shortlisted companies that met the following criteria: at least 10% foreign ownership in the past year, added value per employee above the Slovenian average, profitable operations and at least ten employees. The companies must also have settled their liabilities to the financial administration and must not have won an FDI Award Slovenia in the past.

The awards have been given out by SPIRIT Slovenia since 2006, and they complement the broader Slovenian strategy of attracting foreign direct investment, which is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology and of the Slovenian government as a whole.