About us

Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Crafts of the Czech Republic (AMSP ČR – Asociace malých a středních podniků a živnostníků ČR) was founded in 2001 upon three fundamental pillars: INDEPENDENCE, EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE. AMSP ČR provides an open, apolitical platform for small and medium-sized enterprises, self-employed persons and their organisations across the Czech Republic. It is a legal entity, specifically an association registered at the Municipal Court in Prague under filing number L 12282.

 

 

The number of members and the overall influence of AMSP ČR has risen significantly in the recent years. Most of its members operate in the following fields: transport telematics, marine industry, metallurgical and machinery industry, plastics and rubber manufacturing, electrical engineering, textile industry, construction industry, crafts, services, and other fields of business. Members do not need to meet the SME criteria stipulated by the EU, i.e. a company of up to 250 employees – the association welcomes larger enterprises as well. Members include also various banks and financial institutions partially operated and funded by government authorities (National Development Bank, Czech Export Bank, Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation - EGAP), several high schools and universities, minor associations, unions, guilds etc. Some of our members rank among the most successful Czech companies and winners of various awards (Family Business of the Year, e-Businesswoman, Manager of the Industry etc.). Besides the traditional industries represented by various members the Association also supports new, trendy industries such as bio, nano, aerospace, photonics, biomedicine etc. AMSP ČR is governed by its own Code of Business Ethics.

 

Primarily, the Association provides its members with information services focused on the segment of small and medium-sized enterprises – news regarding subsidy offers, banking products, education, support of export, research, development and innovation, information regarding the EU, statistics, legislation etc. In cooperation with important companies and partners AMSP ČR offers discounted bundles of products and services to its members.

The Association also organises its own projects, most notably the following:

1 - My Way-Young Business, supporting beginners in the business world.
2 - Family Business, supporting successorship and successful generational transition.
3 - Business Savvy Woman, supporting women beginning their own business, particularly mothers with children and women aged 50+.
4 - Rooting for the Crafts, supporting the construction and agricultural/food processing crafts and the local producers.
5 - Small Business, focused on small restaurants, pubs, beer parlours, retail, and hotels, particularly in the countryside.
6 - Silver Business, supporting business activities of people aged 50+.

Every year, the association announces the main project of the year (craft, rural entrepreneurship, generational change, digitalization, new technologies, business transformation, etc.

The Association initiates or organises its own awards such as the Business Savvy Woman of the Year, Family Business of the Year, Get Started and other activities connected with some sort of financial reward.

Other priorities of the Association include the acknowledgement of the work and results of small and medium-sized companies and self-employed persons, which is why the Association provides auspices over various business competitions and awards. Furthermore, the Association is one of the founding members of the Alliance for Transparent Business.

The association organises many informational and educational events for its members, either for free or at a reduced price, and offers various consulting activities, networking meetings, participation in foreign missions, and a number of other services. In general, the Association promotes the interests of small and medium-sized companies and self-employed persons in relation to the government and other institutions in all areas of its activities, particularly in the media, during the comment procedure regarding new legislation on small and medium-sized enterprises, and also via its active participation in advisory boards of various ministers, in evaluation commissions, and in expert committees. The priorities of AMSP ČR include also the advertising of its members, among the other members as well as publicly through media.

Internationally, AMSP ČR has a significant position within the related European organisations. It is a member of European Entrepreneurs CEA-PME and it has concluded a number of long-term cooperation agreements with partner organisations from the Czech Republic and abroad, particularly from the Visegrad Group.

AMSP ČR participates in key discussions with the ministries regarding new laws on the business environment. It submits essential opinions and comments on behalf of the small and medium-sized enterprises segment within the expert teams of the individual ministers. The opinions of AMSP ČR are based particularly on statistical data analysis, comments and recommendations of members drawing on real-life experience, and also on the results of independent surveys performed for specific topics by a market survey agency, with methodology guaranteed by the Czech Statistical Office. AMSP is the official comment point on the new legislation.

The Association cooperates with leading Czech companies and institutions, and participates in a number of national as well as international projects.

AMSP ČR has developed its own sustainability strategy.

The interest shown by significant media has risen rapidly, and AMSP ČR is often cited on current matters (newspapers: Hospodářské noviny, MF Dnes, Lidové noviny, and Právo; magazines: Ekonom, Profit, Euro, and E15; Czech Television, PRIMA TV, the ČRO 1 Radiožurnál radio station, the Impuls radio station etc.).

AMSP ČR demands that government authorities demonstrate permanent and continuous interest, effort and professional ability to create a realistic strategy for a developing and viable business environment, and ensure favourable conditions for enterprising activities in the Czech Republic.

Dear readers,

 

Is small and medium-sized business sustainable? Yes! Today’s advantages are speed and the ability to adapt. Those who have stood still for a while are standing aside. And it is the small businesses and sole traders that are lightning-fast able to do this, unlike large corporations. That is why innovation is also born in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are able to make quick decisions at one table and adapt to customer and client demands.

 

Until recently, the abbreviation “CSR” and the issue of sustainability were relatively unknown terms in the SME segment. However, visionary entrepreneurs have naturally started spreading them. The rapid economic dynamics of the last two years have resulted in very good economic results for both corporations and the SME segment. However, a major global blow to business was dealt by the new coronavirus in early 2020, completely changing the business environment. SMEs and sole traders have become the most vulnerable group.

SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY AMSP ČR can be downloaded here: