Committees

• Customs & Transportation
  Formed in 2005, the Customs & Transportation Committee has proven that it is an effective tool in advocating AmCham members’ business interests. The Committee members meet with the Federal Customs Service and Northwest Customs representatives, who brief them on customs regulations and answered AmCham members’ questions on matters affecting day-to-day business operations. Close working relationship with St. Petersburg Committee for Transport & Transit Policies and St. Petersburg Directorate of Traffic Organization allows cooperating on transport infrastructure development and resolving member companies' logistic issues.
• Human Resources
  The HR Committee is one of the most active of the nine committees of the St. Petersburg Chapter and its monthly meetings continue to draw the largest number of participants. In 2005, the Committee was first to voice the shortage of blue-collar workers in the region, then having been actively participating in many initiatives aimed at resolving the issue in terms of personnel training and retraining, cooperation with educational institutions, labor migration and housing—in close cooperation with relevant federal and regiona authorities: Federal Migration Service, Federal Labor Inspection, employment committees, etc. The annual Labor Market seminar is a reputable forum that brings together AmCham member companies' executives, HR directors, recruitment, legal and consultancy professionals and public authorities to discuss latest trends and developments in the labor market, related legislation and implementation, as well as brainstorm solutions to the market challenges.
• Information Technologies & Telecommunications
  The IT & Telecommunications Committee unites AmCham member company representatives from companies such as Alcatel-Lucent, Corning, DataArt, Exigen Services, Intel, Luxoft, Motorola, Quest Software, Reksoft, Sun Microsystems, and Technopolis. Monthly meetings of the committee cover a wide range of issues, including advanced approaches and techniques in IT management and development. As a result of the IT boom in St. Petersburg, the committee is focusing on the IT labor market and education of IT specialists. It seeks to improve cooperation between IT companies and local universities with IT programs. It is also actively involved in the development of the federal law on Special Economic Zones and its implementation in St. Petersburg. Recently, as St. Petersburg is trying to become one of the innovations centers of Russia, the St. Petersburg government request the IT committee’s expertise on the experience in other countries, which IT committee members provide.
• Investment & Legal
  The Investment & Legal Committee is committed to improving the business and investment climate in Northwest Russia. This committee maintains strong lines of communication with local officials in order to be kept up to date on the very latest developments in local legislation and advance its members’ knowledge of the Russian Northwest. The committee maintains working relationship with legislature and judicial bodies to follow latest legislative developments and application practices. One of the committee's focuses has been on lowering bureaucratic burdens and administrative barriers in Northwest Russia. Based on a position paper with an overview of existing burdens compiled by the committee, late in 2007 St. Petersburg Government created a Council for Entrepreneurship Development chaired by Vice Governor M. Oseyevsky. AmCham was immediately invited to join and has been actively participating, helping regional authorities to identify and resolve issues of excessive administrative burdens.
• Manufacturing
  The Manufacturing Committee was formed in June 2007 to represent the interests of AmCham member companies with manufacturing operations in Northwest Russia. Creation of the committee followed the boom of international manufacturers’ investments in the region owing to the development of regional government policy aimed at establishing a number of industrial clusters that would bring cutting-edge technologies. Initial topics identified by committee members for analysis include the processes involved in establishing and operating manufacturing facilities in Russia, issues of supply base development, issues of standards, norms and regulations for equipment, land conversion and issues related to construction, technical and sanitary inspections.
• Automotive
  With the number of AmCham member companies representing the automotive industry having significantly grown, it occurred to the Chapter that their common issues should be resolved by a separate Automotive Subcommittee within the Manufacturing Committee.
• Environment, Health & Safety

  Started as lately as in December 2008 as a working group on waste management that immediately proved to be worth converting into a permanent subcommittee on environment, health and safety issues within the Manufacturing Committee, by the end of the year developed into a full-scale committee attracting member companies’ leading experts and top-level officials. In 2009, held five meetings on hottest issues on the agenda, advocated a couple of important EHS-related legislative challenges in the labor protection (with the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development) and Waste Disposal (with Rospotrebnadzor). Established good working relationship with the relevant authorities...

• Public Relations
  The PR Committee is committed to developing the image of Northwest Russia as a secure investment destination. The committee also seeks to maintain contact with the local press community to promote the work of the Chamber and provide consultancy and support for AmCham’s social events. On a monthly basis, the committee members meet with key players in St. Petersburg’s media market, discuss improving internal communication within companies and using PR in trade union relationships, as well as charity projects in Northwest Russia.
• Taxation
  The Taxation Committee works closely with the St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast authorities and monitors federal and regional tax legislation. The committee consults with local administration officials concerning changes to regional legislation and the creation of new tax incentives for existing and prospective investors. From the very moment of its creation, the Taxation Committee has participated in drafting St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast legislation and amendments on tax incentives for investors. On a regular basis, the committee monitors tax legislation and application practices and meets with regional authorities and Federal Taxation Service to discuss various issues of taxation and tax administration.
• Safety & Security (ad hoc)
  The ad hoc Safety & Security Committee deals with a broad range of security-related issues facing member companies operating in St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast. AmCham works closely with GUVD and the city administration on these issues.
• Tourism & Hospitality (ad hoc)
  The Tourism & Hospitality Committee liaises with the St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast authorities to develop the region’s tourist infrastructure and to promote the city and oblast as a tourist destination. Working in unison with the city’s top hotels, medical and insurance companies, travel agencies and airline representatives, the Tourism & Hospitality Committee not only forms ambitious initiatives, but also implements them. The committee also advocates the international tourism industry’s top priority issues, namely: visas, transportation, safety and security.