LocationsMore than an award
This year’s winners are building more sustainable ways of doing business in BiH
July 9, 2026
For the eighth generation of the SDG Business Pioneers Award in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 443 companies from across the country applied, a strong indication that sustainability is increasingly shaping how companies think about growth, people, markets and resources.
This year’s winners show that sustainable business in Bosnia and Herzegovina is developing in technology companies and the food industry, natural cosmetics and production, in small teams and large systems, among companies focused on people and those reducing their environmental impact.
The overall winner for 2026 is Lactalis BH d.o.o., which was also recognised as the best large company in both thematic areas, “People” and “Resources & Environment”. For the company, this recognition confirms that sustainability is lived through everyday work and the decisions made in production, quality control, logistics and other segments of business.
Lactalis BiH
“At Lactalis BiH, we truly live our slogan ‘Feeding the future’ and we are proud and grateful that our values have been recognised in the community in which we operate".Lactalis BiH
The company bases its operations on three key pillars: commitment to people and the community, the offer of healthy, high-quality and accessible products, and responsible management of resources and environmental protection. As part of the Lactalis Group, the company emphasizes that it applies the highest standards at the local level, using the knowledge, tools and support of the group to further strengthen its contribution to sustainability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Data from this year’s finalists show why such examples matter. Almost three quarters of finalists reported that between 90 and 100 percent of their employees took part in various forms of training and professional development during 2025. More than half of finalists provided over 90 hours of training per employee, while almost half exceeded 100 hours. In other words, for leading companies investing in sustainability, people development is increasingly becoming part of competitiveness.
This is also the story of Softhouse Balkans d.o.o., winner in the “People” thematic area among small companies. For a technology company, recognition is particularly valuable when it does not come for one product or one delivered project, but for the way the company is built.
Technologies change, products evolve, and projects have their beginning and end. What remains are people and the values on which an organization is built. At Softhouse, sustainability is seen as the way business results are achieved, through trust, shared responsibility, initiative and an environment in which people can grow.
Softhouse Balkans
“Sustainable business does not emerge through individual initiatives, but through consistency. It is built every day, through the decisions we make, the relationships we nurture and the values we do not give up on, even when no one is watching".Softhouse Balkans
For Gorsen d.o.o., winner in the “People” thematic area among micro companies, the award confirms that responsible business and investment in people pay off in the long term. As a producer of COSMOS-certified natural cosmetics, Gorsen connects sustainability with the quality of raw materials, responsible use of resources, reduced environmental impact and compliance with international standards.
An equally important part of their sustainability concerns people. The company continuously invests in employee education, professional development, occupational safety, open communication and good manufacturing practice. It is also proud of its cooperation with the University of Mostar, where it serves as a teaching and scientific base, contributing to the education of future experts and connecting academia with industry.
Gorsen
“This award is a great recognition for our entire team and confirmation that people, knowledge and responsible business are the best foundation for sustainable development. We will continue investing in our employees, product quality and environmental protection, with the goal of building, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a company that successfully operates in European and global markets".Gorsen
This year’s finalists also show that innovation is becoming an increasingly important part of sustainable business. More than half of finalists invested more than four percent of their revenues in innovation development over the past two years, while more than one third invested over five percent of their revenues. The results are visible: almost 87 percent of finalists developed three or more new or significantly improved products or services during the same period.
For Atlantic Argeta d.o.o., which was recognised in both thematic areas among medium-sized companies, sustainability is part of a long-term strategic commitment. The company sees the award as recognition for the entire team, which shows every day that business success and sustainable development can go hand in hand.
In the area of care for employees, Atlantic Argeta highlights its Equal Pay certificate, which confirms its commitment to the principle of equal pay for equal work and to systematically reducing pay gaps between women and men. Its commitment to gender equality is further confirmed by the high share of women in management and leadership positions, reflecting an inclusive approach to management and leadership development.
In the area of environmental protection, the company is focused on energy transition and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At its location in Hadžići, a photovoltaic power plant has been put into operation, and a contract has been signed for the purchase of electricity from renewable sources. Additional energy-efficiency measures and process optimization are being implemented in parallel, with the aim of more rational energy consumption and reduced emissions.
Atlantic Argeta
“We see this award as recognition for all our employees who contribute every day to creating more responsible and sustainable business. It inspires us to continue with the same commitment to developing innovation, caring for people and the environment, and contributing to sustainable development in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region".Atlantic Argeta
The broader picture among finalists also shows encouraging progress in gender equality. In more than half of finalist companies, women make up more than 55 percent of management structures, while two thirds of finalists reported that women make up more than half of their governing bodies. These data show that more inclusive leadership is becoming an increasingly important part of how successful companies organize work and make decisions.
In the “Resources & Environment” thematic area, Smrčak d.o.o. was recognised among small companies for practices focused on reducing waste and expanding the use of renewable energy. The company describes its products as gifts of nature, which is why its key principle is to reduce waste to the lowest possible level, while ensuring that almost everything generated in the production process finds a use.
Smrčak has also invested significantly in solar energy. According to the company, around 90 percent of its facilities have already been covered with solar panels, after which it began building ground-mounted solar power plants, with the aim of contributing to decarbonization.
Smrčak
“This award is confirmation that we are on the right path and additional motivation to continue working even more strongly on the Sustainable Development Goals. Our principle is to reduce waste to the lowest possible level and make greater use of energy from renewable sources, because we believe we have a duty to leave future generations a better planet than the one we found".Smrčak
Sustainability is also visible in everyday operational decisions. Among this year’s finalists, more than 40 percent of companies reduced paper consumption by more than 15 percent compared to the previous year, while one quarter of finalists reduced paper consumption by more than 25 percent. Together with investments in training, innovation, renewable energy and better workplace practices, these data point to a broader shift towards more efficient and responsible business.
Together, this year’s winners tell a broader story about how the meaning of business success is changing. Sustainability includes reducing environmental impact, but also the way companies treat employees, build trust, use knowledge, cooperate with communities, prepare for international markets and create value that lasts beyond short-term results.
The award is implemented under “Accelerating Agenda 2030 through Governance and Sustainable Growth” (SDG 2030 BiH), a Joint Programme of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina funded by Sweden and implemented by UNDP, ILO, IOM and UNICEF, under the coordination of the UN Resident Coordinator. The official partner of the award is the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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