January have passed and day became longer. Once it has become brighter and the sun came out, it became clear that the spring is coming soon!

We need to make plans in the beginning of the year. Almost all SPIBA committees held working group meetings and set plans for 2011 and discussed new areas of activity, possibilities of obtaining information and providing other additional services. 

Starting from January 1st, 2011 members of the association may contact SPIBA office for nessesary information and advice on security, customs, immigration issues, real estate, etc. Why do we need it? We are all facing the fact that it is difficult to find reliable suppliers, to obtain the necessary recommendations, to find answers to questions. Many of our members want to receive answers quickly, as well as share information and their contacts. Questions will be answered by lawyers and other professionals in various spheres. SPIBA also is willing to provide its members with contacts of companies that can be potential service providers for business. We hope that in addition to rapid delivery of information SPIBA Hotline will become an instrument of greater involvement of its members in discussion and further development of the association. None of the received appeals, requests or suggestions will be ignored.
There are quite a lot of international manufacturing companies in our region. Right now SPIBA works with them more actively. The manufacturers have similar problems. It is easier to analyze and solve them together within business association. We intend to strengthen this work in 2011 by holding special events devoted to technical issues, issues concearning saving natural resources, ecology, training of manufacturing personnel, etc. SPIBA is currently researching those issues and suggestions in this direction. For example, thanks to JTI, recently there was a very interesting idea of sharing corporate visits, when a group of production workers of one company attends another enterprise. This will help to broaden mental outlook and gain new ideas for the implementation of a learning organization culture. We intend to offer this opportunity to our members. This idea has been already supported by Smurfit Kappa and Unilever. 
Association of Japanese companies JETRO referred SPIBA an excellent practical manual on the organization of production in Russia. It is prepared on the basis of the experiences of Japanese companies and is a great value for all those who plan to work in the North-West Russia. 
Administration of St. Petersburg in cooperation with the Association of Business Support offered SPIBA administrative and information support in all regions of Russia. We agreed to hold a special event dedicated specifically to these opportunities. 
On January 26th, 2011 General Consulate of Great Britain held a business breakfast concerning energy efficiency and energy saving which is currently very topical in Russia as well as in Great Britain There were invited CEOs of several Russian and British companies that could share their experiences in implementing energy efficiency programs. establish new useful contacts and discuss opportunities for further cooperation. There was presented a practice of company Unilever in reducing costs and preparing of energy saving passport, which is now required to have. The chief engineer of the company Fazer described experience of reducing consumption of steam and water through introduction of new British technology. 
Within of a newly established real estate committee SPIBA plans to hold an event on the theme of "green" standards in construction, combining so important today such things as investment, construction, energy conservation and ecology in one. 
On January 27th SPIBA held a business breakfast "Special economic zones in St. Petersburg - the status, opportunities, problems". It was attended by many SPIBA members and invited companies. All the participants highly appreciated the novelty of information and the opportunity to get a feedback from those who have already developed a business using a practical advantage of these special zones. There is much talk about innovation dream in Skolkovo, but everyone wanted to know about the reality in our region. This information is generally difficult to find as many things are changing in the course of development of legislation and its practical application. 
On the evening of January 27 SPIBA hosted a party for its friends in a warm and friendly atmosphere in James Cook Pub, where was announced formation of a new SPIBA committee named "Quality of life and social relations". Its initiators and leaders have become the most active members of SPIBA. We hope that this enhancement will help to deepen and expand networking direction. 
On January 31st SPIBA Marketing Committee organized a discussion “Networking as a business tool".  Even though it was a business meeting, there was also a warm and informal atmosphere. This means that this tool works effectively for business development under the condition of friendly trust.