As part of the Best of the Best program, AmCham Slovenia this year also looked for the best business practices, those that bring new knowledge, approaches, products, processes, and business models into the Slovenian business environment in an innovative way, that employ creativity and energy to motivate not only company employees but the entire business community, and spread knowledge, experience, and optimism with their openness, cooperation, trust, and integration. Best of the Best 2017 was awarded to Pro Plus for project “Štartaj, Slovenija!”

As part of this year’s Best of the Best project, we presented and rewarded the best business practices in the enterprise sector for the fourth year in a row. We selected the winner from a group of three super finalists at the AmCham Business Breakfast titled “Talents in the Spotlight”. The winner was chosen by voting via Facebook, voting with SMS donations, and with the help of the audience at the event. With its Štartaj Slovenija!” project, Pro Plus collected the most votes via Facebook, the most votes via SMS donations, and was also given top spot by the audience at the event. The winner donated the total money collected by SMS donations to Hiša zavetja Palčic.

After winning, Aleš Muhič, marketing director, Pro Plus, said, “I would like to thank our partners, Spar Slovenija and Formitas, which helped us create this story. I can now say that our project turned into a true movement in the last two years, promoting entrepreneurship, and we now even have a TV show with high ratings. I would like to congratulate the other two finalists for equally inspiring stories and AmCham Slovenia for the prize.”

Ajša Vodnik, CEO, AmCham Slovenia, added: “Each year, we are impressed how Slovenian knowledge and creativity in companies, also foreign owned, creates new innovative business practices, which are then an inspiration and a reference not only on the Slovenian but also on the European and global level. I would like to congratulate the winners for their idea and implementation, for changing the mindset and presenting entrepreneurs as stars.  I am happy that the new investors in Pro Plus, company KKR, primarily emphasized the importance of Slovenian production, and will continue to support such projects, as well as Slovenian innovativeness and opportunities for Slovenia.”

Nina Marinšek, Membership and Partnership Manager, AmCham Slovenia, and Best of the Best project manager, added, “We are extremely happy that the Slovenian business community includes so many diverse and unbelievable projects that inspire not only the Slovenian but also the international environment. With their innovativeness, integration, openness, and passion, these projects serve not only as inspiration, but also as a role model and a change of mindset, while the teams, with their hard work and ideas, create a better tomorrow. And I believe that this is the greatest and sweetest reward.”

The finalists were winners of specific categories:

★ Innovation: Štartaj, Slovenija! by Pro Plus – a project that is changing Slovenia’s business environment in an innovative way.

★ Motivation: Together in Battle: Paralympic athletes and Lidl Slovenia, Lidl Slovenija – a story of inspiration and motivation, written by a company together with Paralympic athletes.

★ Openness: CEO for a Month, Adecco H.R. and ALPE-PANON McDonald’s DL – a story about connecting generations and experiences.

Special thanks for the Best of the Best program is extended to the general sponsors, Goodyear and KPMG, and program partners, STA Potovanja and Hotel Slon. We would also like thank the sponsor of the Innovation category, Abbvie, and the sponsor for the Motivation category, Zavarovalnica Triglav.

You can check out the photo gallery on our Facebook page.

The video of the event is also available on our Facebook page.

General sponsors of the Best of the Best: