Outcomes, Lessons, and the Future of Social Dialogue in Odesa Region

10/ 04/ 2026

On April 9, 2026, the forum “Outcomes, Lessons, and the Future of Social Dialogue in Odesa Region” took place in Odesa. The event served as a platform for open discussion of key challenges and prospects for the development of social partnership in the region, bringing together representatives of business, government, trade unions, the expert community, and international partners to jointly seek solutions in wartime conditions. Kateryna Morozova, Head of the Southern Ukrainian Office of the EBA, joined the first panel discussion titled “Realities of Social Dialogue in Odesa Region: Challenges, Transformations, and Prospects” as a speaker. Other participants in the discussion included Mykyta Koreniev, Director of the Odesa Regional Employment Center; Kostiantyn Zhuravel, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Employers’ Organizations of Odesa Region; and Oleksandr Bufetov, Head of the Odesa Regional Organization of the Trade Union of State Institution Employees. The panel was moderated by Olena Ivanova, Strategic Planning Expert and Head of the Communities Engagement Office at the Odesa Regional Development Agency. Participants discussed the transformation of social dialogue during wartime, key barriers for businesses, and the role of partnership between the state, business, and society in ensuring the economic resilience of the region. Special attention during the event was paid to the role of business in current conditions. In her speech, Kateryna Morozova emphasized that today business in Ukraine plays a much broader role than traditionally perceived: it is not only an employer and taxpayer, but also a partner of the state, a source of expertise, and a guarantor of economic resilience. She highlighted that social dialogue has evolved into a practical tool for solving specific issues — from tax administration to labor shortages. Particular focus was placed on the critical situation in the labor market, challenges for businesses in frontline regions, and the need for systematic support for enterprises, including the development of war risk insurance instruments, access to financing, and support for human capital. The second panel discussion, “From Results to Change: How the Project Transforms Social Dialogue,” was moderated by Oksana Turchyna, Director of the Human Capital Department at the Association of Employers’ Organizations of Odesa Region and CEO of the HR agency “Center of Career.” The panel speakers included Mykola Zhuravel, Private Notary and PhD in Law; Liudmyla Kornuta, Doctor of Law and HR Coordinator at the NGO “Prohresylni”; and Anna Shevchenko, Deputy Head of Retail Banking Department of the Odesa Regional Directorate of JSC “Oschadbank.” The discussion focused on the practical results of implementing social dialogue projects, as well as their impact on the labor market, HR practices, and stakeholder engagement. The event was organized by the Association of Employers’ Organizations of Odesa Region within the framework of the International Labour Organization Ukraine project “Supporting Job Creation and the Development of Social Dialogue in Mykolaiv and Odesa Regions,” funded by the Embassy of Denmark in Ukraine. The forum became an important platform for summarizing results, exchanging experience, and shaping a shared vision for the further development of social dialogue in the Odesa region. The European Business Association expresses its gratitude for the invitation and believes that only through open dialogue, mutual responsibility, and consolidation of efforts is it possible to build a resilient economy and an effective labor market even in times of challenges.

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Kateryna Morozova, Head of the Southern Ukrainian Office of the EBA, joined the first panel discussion titled “Realities of Social Dialogue in Odesa Region: Challenges, Transformations, and Prospects” as a speaker. Other participants in the discussion included Mykyta Koreniev, Director of the Odesa Regional Employment Center; Kostiantyn Zhuravel, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Employers’ Organizations of Odesa Region; and Oleksandr Bufetov, Head of the Odesa Regional Organization of the Trade Union of State Institution Employees. The panel was moderated by Olena Ivanova, Strategic Planning Expert and Head of the Communities Engagement Office at the Odesa Regional Development Agency. Participants discussed the transformation of social dialogue during wartime, key barriers for businesses, and the role of partnership between the state, business, and society in ensuring the economic resilience of the region.

Special attention during the event was paid to the role of business in current conditions. In her speech, Kateryna Morozova emphasized that today business in Ukraine plays a much broader role than traditionally perceived: it is not only an employer and taxpayer, but also a partner of the state, a source of expertise, and a guarantor of economic resilience. She highlighted that social dialogue has evolved into a practical tool for solving specific issues — from tax administration to labor shortages. Particular focus was placed on the critical situation in the labor market, challenges for businesses in frontline regions, and the need for systematic support for enterprises, including the development of war risk insurance instruments, access to financing, and support for human capital.

The second panel discussion, “From Results to Change: How the Project Transforms Social Dialogue,” was moderated by Oksana Turchyna, Director of the Human Capital Department at the Association of Employers’ Organizations of Odesa Region and CEO of the HR agency “Center of Career.” The panel speakers included Mykola Zhuravel, Private Notary and PhD in Law; Liudmyla Kornuta, Doctor of Law and HR Coordinator at the NGO “Prohresylni”; and Anna Shevchenko, Deputy Head of Retail Banking Department of the Odesa Regional Directorate of JSC “Oschadbank.” The discussion focused on the practical results of implementing social dialogue projects, as well as their impact on the labor market, HR practices, and stakeholder engagement.

The event was organized by the Association of Employers’ Organizations of Odesa Region within the framework of the International Labour Organization Ukraine project “Supporting Job Creation and the Development of Social Dialogue in Mykolaiv and Odesa Regions,” funded by the Embassy of Denmark in Ukraine. The forum became an important platform for summarizing results, exchanging experience, and shaping a shared vision for the further development of social dialogue in the Odesa region.

The European Business Association expresses its gratitude for the invitation and believes that only through open dialogue, mutual responsibility, and consolidation of efforts is it possible to build a resilient economy and an effective labor market even in times of challenges.