The Bulgarian Diversity Charter joined the EU Platform of Diversity Charters Meeting

The Bulgarian Diversity Charter joined the EU Platform of Diversity Charters Meeting, which took place in Brussels on 14-15 June 2023. This event, hosted by the European Commission, served as a valuable forum for 26 European Diversity Charters to exchange experiences and share best practices for effectively promoting diversity in both the private and public sectors. The EU Diversity Charters Platform was established in 2010 through the initiative and funding of the European Commission, providing a dedicated space for European Diversity Charters to easily collaborate, exchange ideas, and learn from one another through platform meetings, expert workshops, and annual high-level forums. At the meeting, Maria Stoyanova presented the Bulgarian Diversity Charter, highlighting its contributions and initiatives.

During the event key topics were discussed as well as current EU policies that are currently shaping the diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I) landscape in Europe. Participants also examined the current EU policies that are shaping the DE&I landscape. In the concluding part, representatives summarised the valuable lessons learned during the EU Diversity Month 2023 and set the stage for enhanced collaboration within the network for the period of 2023-2024.

High-level opening event in Brussels 2023

On April 27-28, 2023, the European Commission hosted a high-level event on Diversity, representing a significant milestone in the pursuit of workplace diversity and inclusion throughout Europe. The event united representatives from companies and organizations across Europe and included the announcement of the European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Awards winners, as well as the official launch of the EU Diversity Month. The Bulgarian Diversity Charter, a collaborative initiative by CSD and the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF), played a role in the opening event, which this year focused on the mission of building bridges between organizations and areas of inclusion and diversity policy (race, gender, age, etc.). Maria Stoyanova represented CSD at the event. This year's theme of creating stronger connections within these areas highlights the objective of promoting collaboration and mutual understanding to foster diversity and inclusion in all European workplaces.

"Diversity at Work" awards earlier in March 2023

At the annual Responsible Business Awards ceremony on March 14, 2023, the "Diversity at Work" award was presented to a deserving recipient. The award was established by the Bulgarian Diversity Charter a year ago to encourage an inclusive work environment that values employees based on their skills and abilities, regardless of their gender, race, age, religion, sexual orientation, or physical ability. This year’s winners were Lidl Bulgaria which won the prominent first prize, HPE Bulgaria ranked second and Shell Bulgaria took the third position. Dimitar Markov, Director of CSD's Law Program, is a prominent member of the jury that determined the winners.

Diversity at Work: Best corporate practices webinar, 4 April 2023

As part of its broader effort to promote equality and inclusion, the Bulgarian Diversity Charter organized a compelling webinar that focused on best practices for creating a diverse and inclusive corporate environment. The event, moderated by Dimitar Markov, provided an excellent platform for exchanging ideas, practical experience, and success stories of the winners of the Diversity at Work category and other initiatives related to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace across the European Union. The discussion was joined by BBLF Chair Levon Hampartzoumian who noted that “Every little step along this way, every project or campaign that creates an equal and inclusive environment for the benefit of all, makes a huge difference“. Jana Kukuckova, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Officer with the EU Platform of Diversity Charters at the European Commission joined from Brussels. The webinar was attended by Prof. Dr. Ana Dzhumalieva, Chair of the Commission for Protection against Discrimination (CPD), the institution that monitors equality, equal treatment and non-discrimination.

The Bulgarian Diversity Charter is growing in members 

Today, less than three years since its establishment in September 2020, the Bulgarian Charter brings together over 50 signatories, mostly private companies but also NGOs providing more than 5,000 employees with the opportunity to encourage, promote, share and disseminate diversity management policies and best practice.  On May 12, 2023, the Bulgarian Diversity Charter held its annual members meeting with over 80 representatives of government institutions, business, and civil society, who reaffirmed the importance of joint efforts to promote the values of equality and inclusion. Official guests were Nadia Klisurska, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Ass. Prof. Dr. Ana Dzhumalieva, Chairperson of the Committee for Protection Against Discrimination, Elena Cherneva-Markova, Deputy Ombudswoman, Levon Hampartzoumian, BBLF Chair and Dimitar Markov, CSD Law Programme Director. The event doubled as an official ceremony where CEOs and senior executives of the 30 new Charter signatories received the certificates.   

New NICE initiative on Neutral and Inclusive Communication in Corporate Environments

The latest initiative of CSD in the field of diversity and inclusion is a collaborative effort with Diversity Charters from Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, and Romania called the NICE initiative. The aim of the NICE initiative is to promote inclusive and tolerant working environments through the development of new and innovative training and capacity building programs for the Charters signatories. As part of the initiative, the Bulgarian Diversity Charter is working towards fostering neutral and inclusive communication in corporate environments in order to combat diversity intolerance and discrimination in the workplace. The NICE initiative seeks to generate meaningful outcomes, such as valuable resources, activities, and consolidated knowledge, which will augment existing diversity management strategies by incorporating policies that promote neutral and inclusive communication. The initiative is co-funded by the European Union, aims to foster neutral and inclusive communication in corporate environments. Its official kick-off meeting took place in March 2023 and was hosted by the Center for Social Innovation in Nicosia, Cyprus

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