The CSR Working Group seeks to engage policymakers and businesses on how to best mobilize social capital in Kazakhstan. A guiding principle of its work is improving CSR practice in Kazakhstan, in particular loosening government mandates on CSR limitations and promoting best practices in socially responsible giving.

A major initiative of the Working Group is the CSR Journalism project, implemented by the EFCA and funded by Exxon Mobil, USAID, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The project seeks to improve the quality of CSR-related news coverage by training journalists in reporting CSR issues. Another focal point over the past year has been the development of a CSR website (www.csrkz.org) to promote corporate social responsibility and sustainable business in Kazakhstan. The website, which is being implemented by the EFCA, was initiated by the Almaty CSR Working Group to connect the various actors in CSR across Kazakhstan.

AmCham launched its Atyrau Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Working Group in May 2010 under the leadership of Linsi Crain, Tengizchevroil. The group aims to raise awareness of CSR issues and initiatives in the Atyrau business community.  In addition to partnering with the Almaty CSR group on projects such as a guide to Best Practices in Socially Responsible Giving, the group will study the practice of CSR in the Atyrau region in order to identify common themes, lessons learned, overlapping sectors, etc. By sharing information and collaborating on projects, the group aims to increase the impact that their programs have on the local community.

The Foreign Investment Working Group's mission is to represent the interests of the business community in Kazakhstan, identify problems encountered by investors and proactively work with senior officials in the Kazakhstan government to address these issues. Topics on the agenda vary with suggestions from participating members. Meetings in the past have included updates from the Commercial Section for the U.S. Embassy, discussions on Kazakhstan's anticipated WTO accession and the draft Law on Procurement. More recent meetings have included discussions on cross-border trade, the impact of the new tax code and cooperation with the Foreign Investors Council.

The Astana Foreign Investment Working Group is AmCham's newest Working Group and launched in July 2011 with the mission of representing and supporting the interests of the foreign business community in Kazakhstan. As with the Almaty Foreign Investment Working Group, the Astana group seeks to identify and address problems encountered by foreign investors and to collaborate with relevant government agencies to improve the investment climate in Kazakhstan. The group will serve as a forum for members to share information, raise concerns, and learn about the latest legislative developments.

The monthly working group is well-attended by a variety of HR specialists from law, oil & gas, consumer products and telecommunications firms. The group will continue to raise the profile of HR management through group initiatives focused on meeting compliance with legislation, talent attraction and recruitment, performance management and retention. The group will also work with legal advisors and labor authorities to ensure improvement of legislation and administrative procedures while sharing information on the implementation of best HR practices.

The Atyrau Human Resources Working Group meets quarterly and is attended by HR specialists primarily from the fields of oil and gas. Headed by Derek Toffer of FLUOR, the group met for the first time in May 2010. They will focus on HR issues affecting member companies in Atyrau with the goal of better understanding common HR policies, legislation, talent attraction, and performance management. Local content requirements will also be a key topic in the Working Group as the issue has had an increasing impact on companies in the extractive industries.

The ICT Working Group seeks to promote the development and improvement of Kazakhstan's technological infrastructure by facilitating interaction of both market players and their customers, sharing information, coordinating activities, conducting research and most importantly, helping members increase their customer base. The group includes member companies specializing in everything from tax and legal consulting to education, not to mention the IT and Telecom companies themselves. Additional functions of the group include:

• Promoting ICT best practices through information sharing
• Helping AmCham members expand sales of ICT goods and services
• Assisting in the development of member companies new to Kazakhstan's ICT market
• Discussing and formulating common positions on policy and regulation
• Acting as a forum to discuss and review ICT developments in industry and government

With the Kazakhstan tax code currently undergoing important changes, the Tax Working Group aims to be at the forefront of these and other important issues regarding taxation. The group meets on a monthly basis to discuss legislative amendments and issues of practice and application of tax legislation. Topics discussed over the past year include deductibility of provisions, transfer pricing, holding company regimes and challenges to foreign investment created by tax treaties. In the coming year, the group will work to submit relevant recommendations and proposals to the public-private sector dialogue on taxation.

The Astana Tax Working Group aims to be at the forefront of major tax developments and other important issues regarding taxation. The group will meet on a quarterly basis to discuss legislative amendments and issues of practice and application of tax legislation. The first meeting, which took place in April 2009, examined the opportunities and challenges brought forth by the new Tax Code, as well as the overall fiscal environment, which in the coming period may lead to increased frequency and focus of tax audits. Over the next year, the group will also work to submit relevant recommendations and proposals to the public-private sector dialogue on taxation.

As in Almaty and Astana, the Atyrau Tax Working Group aims to be at the forefront of major developments and other central issues regarding taxation. The group, which was recently re-launched under the leadership of Tomas Balco, KIMEP, intends to serve as a forum for companies in this region to share knowledge and discuss tax related issues unique to the oil and gas industry. Thus far, discussions have centered on draft amendments to the tax code and their impact on subsoil operations. The group will also play a role in policy advocacy by aiding the Almaty and Astana Working Groups in drafting tax recommendations for the Government of Kazakhstan.

The Trade & Customs Working Group provides members with the opportunity to discuss major trade barriers and customs regulatory issues while working to promote greater cooperation with the Kazakhstan customs administration. As the new Customs Union between Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus changes the nature of trade in the region, the group has focused most of its efforts over the last year on staying abreast of changes in the customs code and analyzing the impact that the union will have on logistical concerns such as tariff levels, required documentation, and compliance. Other focus areas include trade facilitation, e-customs, customs valuation, WTO ascension, and local content development.

The Trade and Customs Working Group will host its first Astana meeting in Fall 2010 in order to better engage our Astana members and take advantage of the city’s close proximity to the Government of Kazakhstan. Given the reach and variability of the Customs Union, the new Working Group will serve as a forum to educate members and discuss changing legislation and regulations. The group will collaborate with the Almaty Trade and Customs Working Group on overlapping issues and advocate on behalf of AmCham members to relevant agencies within the Government of Kazakhstan. Other topics of consideration will include local content regulation and creating business linkages between companies in the United States and small and medium-sized enterprises in Kazakhstan.