21/08/2026
Local knowledge: a strategic asset
If Arctic defence capabilities are to be strengthened, cooperation, Greenland-based companies and the knowledge of peopl...
For Eva Dam, who runs the accounting firm Tamalaat ApS with three employees, membership of the Greenland Business Association provides access to legal advice, professional guidance and a network that is particularly valuable for smaller businesses.
By Rasmus Barud Thomsen
When running a small business, there is not necessarily an HR department or a legal adviser to turn to when questions arise about rules and rights.
Eva Dam, who runs the accounting firm Tamalaat in Sisimiut, knows this well. She has around 20 years of experience in accounting and currently runs a business with three employees, with plenty of work to keep them busy.
“We certainly don't lack work. In fact, we're so busy that we sometimes have to turn down assignments,” she explains.
Tamalaat provides accounting and payroll administration services for other businesses, among other things, which makes access to the right advice particularly important.
For this reason, Eva Dam has been a member of the Greenland Business Association for many years — first as a shop owner and later through Tamalaat.
“It's about making sure we're not left on our own if disputes arise. And, of course, it's also about having a strong network where we can exchange ideas and get advice,” she says.
As an employer, you may need assistance understanding your obligations and rights in relation to employees. But for Eva Dam, the need for guidance extends beyond her own business. Tamalaat also handles payroll and accounting for approximately 20–30 other companies, where questions about collective agreements and regulations regularly arise.
“We refer to collective agreements again and again. We constantly encourage businesses to follow them because they protect everyone involved — both employees and employers,” she says.
These questions may concern holiday pay, additional allowances or provisions that require further interpretation.
While she previously had to spend time finding the answers herself, she can now seek advice from the Greenland Business Association.
“It's been really helpful to have someone to discuss these matters with, rather than having to search through different websites to find all the answers yourself. You also get advice on what options are available to you,” Eva Dam explains.
In addition to the advisory services, Eva Dam highlights the network of fellow business owners as an important benefit of membership in the Greenland Business Association (GE).
“Instead of seeing each other only as competitors, we can also see each other as colleagues,” she says.
She explains that, through the Greenland Business Association, she and other business owners can meet, share experiences and learn from one another.
This is particularly valuable for smaller businesses, which often have to handle matters relating to employees, contracts and daily operations on their own, she explains.
However, precisely because she sees such great value in this professional community, Eva Dam also believes it should be easier for businesses outside Nuuk to participate.
She therefore calls for more local training courses and professional events, particularly for smaller businesses and skilled tradespeople in towns along the coast.
“We have so many incredibly skilled tradespeople, but there is a huge need for continued training and skills development. I would really like to see many more opportunities to attend courses locally in our towns,” she says.
These could include courses on contracts, collective agreements and the regulations that self-employed business owners need to understand.
Although she would like to see greater attention given to businesses along the coast, Eva Dam has no doubts about the value of membership. On the contrary, she believes it is especially important for the smallest businesses.
“I would encourage everyone to join. Because the smaller your business is, the greater your need for support actually becomes. You're in quite a vulnerable position when you're on your own, but you're much stronger when you're a team of ten or twenty,” she says.
For smaller businesses, membership also provides access to legal and professional expertise that they would otherwise have to find and pay for themselves.
“Being a member of the Greenland Business Association has been really beneficial for me. I've received a great deal of valuable input, and overall, it gives me greater confidence and peace of mind when running my business,” Eva Dam concludes.
