The “ESG & Non-financial Reporting” Programme Organised by PwC’s Academy Starts on 29 May 2024

The programme “ESG & non-financial reporting” includes 4 interrelated modules that provide a comprehensive overview of sustainable development, non-financial reporting and the latest changes and trends in the ESG. The highly interactive modules allow you to get familiar with ESG regulations and lay out clear instructions on how to prepare ESG reports. 

The programme covers the following topics:

29 May 2024 – Module 1: ESG at a glance

5 June 2024 – Module 2: ESG reporting

11 June 2024 – Module 3: Preparing an ESG report – with an emphasis on the content

19 June 2024 – Module 4: Preparing an ESG report – with an emphasis on the process

The programme is suitable for anyone who participates in ESG activities and sustainability reporting in any role, as well as for anyone who needs to have an overview of ESG when working in the field of legal & compliance, HR, investor relations, procurement, environmental management, marketing or in any other area. 

Find more information about the training here.

Register for the programme now 

TELUS International Bulgaria announces with gratitude to all its team members the success of the Easter Charity Bazaars held across the company’s offices in Sofia and Plovdiv. The events saw an astounding response from team members who demonstrated enviable culinary skills and within only a few hours gathered over BGN 1,500. They brought homemade goodies or crafted items to sell among themselves and raise awareness about the charitable program for donation on the workplace #Stand4ACause. 

“Our team members have shown incredible generosity and compassion by actively participating in our CSR initiatives,” said Kristina Georgieva, Vice President of Operations for Bulgaria. “Their support has enabled us to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those in need within our community.”

In addition to all the good doing, they are constantly engaged as a team at TELUS International Bulgaria, the internal program #Stand4ACause is yet another beacon of hope for the communities where the company operates. Thanks to the program, for the past two years team members have supported organizations such as the Deaf Kids Power Foundation, Association ‘Parallel World’, and the Bulgarian Environmental Partnership Foundation, thus donating for a friendlier future for all. #Stand4ACause has received a Silver Honor Mark and external recognition during this year’s “Responsible Company – Responsible Employees” Awards by BCause Foundation. 

“We are excited to unveil the new organizations chosen by our team members and continue our tradition of giving back to the community,” shared Vladimir Kerelezov, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager. “The Easter Charity Bazaar is not a one-time event for our teams. They are constantly engaged in good-doing initiatives and we are so proud that they are setting the example of a giving culture.”

In addition to the funds raised, the company recently conducted a voting campaign, allowing team members to choose the new causes and respective organizations that will be supported in 2024/2025 through #Stand4ACause. The results of the voting were revealed during the Easter Charity Bazaar and the new three nongovernmental organizations are Association ZONO, Plovdiv and their valuable support to underprivileged talented children, Association Child’s Heart and their programs for children with congenital heart malformations, and last but not least  – the Wildlife Rehabilitation And Breeding Centre – Green Balkans, Stara Zagora.

Event Center Missia23 are thrilled to announce that recently celebrated its 5th birthday, marking five incredible years of fostering creativity, innovation, and community collaboration!

Since its inception, Missia23 has been a beacon for artists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries alike, they’ve had the privilege of hosting countless corporate gatherings, conferences, and special occasions. Each event has been a unique opportunity for them to showcase their commitment to excellence and dedication to exceeding their clients’ expectations. As they reflect on the past five years, they are filled with gratitude for the incredible journey and the amazing individuals who have been part of our community.

Join them at Missia23!

SeeNext Insights are excited to announce the release of our latest report focusing on the automotive industry in three Southeast European markets!

In the 2024 edition of our Automotive Industry in Southeast Europe report they have concluded a comprehensive analysis of the sector in three of the biggest economies in the region – Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia. There, the automotive sector reached EUR 39.5 bln in aggregate 2022 revenues.

The report covers major investments, significant M&A deals and the traditional financial analysis. They paid special attention to the uptake of electric vehicles and the deployment of the needed charging points.

The three countries definitely differ in their ambition and development strategies with regards to the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure. Let’s explore further!

Download your free copy now!

The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and that all-too-familiar itch to travel is back. Fear not, we’ve got the perfect remedy to your wanderlust, and it’s not just for you—it’s for your colleagues too!

Join us on an adventure with purpose, organised by The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Bulgaria (The Award). Imagine sleeping under the stars, inhaling the fresh scent of pine in the mountains, and sharing stories around a crackling fire with your team. All while gaining a deeper understanding of the transformative experiences offered by The Award and supporting young people in joining the programme.

Intrigued? Dive into the details in the attached file.

On the BTOM border controls to come in on 30 April , here on the rates of inspections.

1.       For information, the Engagement Team of DEFRA just published information regarding the inspection rates per product type as added on the respective DEFRA website. You are aware that in its blog on Friday, DEFRA had spoken about the border controls to start on 30 April and to be carried out – in a phased manner – on the highest risk goods first, and then the checks should be increased, however the time line was not clear. It was also not clear what “highest” risk products would mean, but DEFRA had confirmed that it meant checking goods across high risk products (which have a check rate of 100%) and of goods within the medium risk category (check rate 1-30%).

2.        In its latest outreach communication of today, DEFRA clarifies that the inspection rates depend on commodity and country (country means for the Rest of World, the EU is considered as a block). DEFRA adds the inspection rate into the tables that outline the risk categorisation of the product. I did not check the risk categorisation of the ROW countries again, but we should keep an eye.

3.       For animal products, you can find the inspection rate (e.g 100% for live animals, including acquatic animals, e.g. 1% on milk and 10% on diary products) here for animal products and for plant products here.

For plant inspections, DEFRA also referred to a list with the indicative fees for England and Wales. The fees cover – actual – inspection and physical check rates. Remember that currently fruit and vegetables are low risk and do not need to be inspected. You see that for the animal products, a lot of inspection rates are at the very lowest rate of 1%.

4.       Here you can see DEFRA’s updated list of common errors.

5.       In the picture down below are phone numbers of helplines

Photo credit: © Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

• denkstatt becomes part of the EY network in Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia and will be known on the market under the EY denkstatt brand in the future 
• EY denkstatt will provide comprehensive solutions on ESG and sustainability issues

Sofia, April 23, 2024. EY and denkstatt are joining forces to become one of the largest consulting and auditing firms in the field of ESG and sustainability in Bulgaria. The Austrian group, of which the Bulgarian office is a part, becomes part of the EY network in Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia, with a total of 170 employees, and will operate under the EY denkstatt brand.

The professionals from denkstatt will complement the existing expertise and services of EY in every aspect of ESG: audit, tax and legal, strategy and transactions. EY denkstatt will also contribute to expanding EY’s existing offerings in every aspect related to sustainability – from preparing or auditing ESG reports to transforming entire business models, creating sustainability strategies, technical expertise on regulatory issues, “green taxes”, and others. 

Work teams will be multidisciplinary and will be formed according to the specific needs of the client, providing personalized services and solutions. They will range from tax, legal, business and audit consultants, to environmental and resource management experts, climate modeling, corporate carbon footprint management, ESG reporting and biodiversity conservation

“By joining a leading consulting company on sustainability issues, we are expanding our consulting portfolio and significantly upgrading our competence and capacity in the field of sustainability services,” commented Nikolay Garnev, EY Bulgaria Country Managing Partner and South Cluster Leader.

“Our common goal is to contribute as much as possible to the sustainable development of companies, and thus to the society as a whole. In this configuration, we can address the problems of our clients individually and help them in every respect by providing comprehensive and specialized sustainability solutions for each industry. Together, we create an even stronger positive effect and added value for our clients, employees and the economy as a whole, which is in harmony with our goal at EY to build a better working world.” Garnev added.

denkstatt Group was founded in Vienna in 1993 and since then has become one of the leading sustainability consulting companies on the Austrian and European markets with around 170 employees and offices in five countries. With more than 30 years of experience, denkstatt offers a comprehensive range of services on sustainability topics, including CSRD and European taxonomy consultancy, sustainability assessments, circular economy and sustainable finance, as well as comprehensive climate and ESG strategies. In Bulgaria, denkstatt began operating in 2007 and quickly established itself as a leading consultant in the field of ESG. Its joining the EY network creates important synergy which will fully support and provide valuable guidance to businesses and society on all sustainability-related issues and challenges of the day.

“We are not afraid to look far and wide. Together with EY, we are expecting a larger scale of business using our knowledge and skills globally. We want EY denkstatt to support its clients – both companies and institutions – so that the path to a green future makes them stronger and more successful,” commented Boyan Rashev, Partner, EY denkstatt.

“The acquisition of denkstatt is a compliment to us. We started with two people and created the niche for corporate sustainability services in Bulgaria. Today, we have a team comparable to far more developed European countries, and we are confident enough to measure ourselves against global companies. We believe that the combination of international presence and EY’s experience will allow us to develop this capital,” shares Klimentina Rasheva, Partner, EY denkstatt.

EY has been providing sustainability services for almost 20 years and in 2021 the portfolio of sustainability services has been significantly expanded with additional services such as strategy, tax, mergers and acquisitions, subsidies, as well as implementation of the European Taxonomy, CSRD or CSDDD regulations . All of these EY and denkstatt services will now be combined under the umbrella of EY Sustainability.

Summary

You can follow all news and information about EY denkstatt services on our website EY denkstatt, and from here you can subscribe to EY and EY denkstatt news and events: Subscription Preference Form

On 18th of April, Forbes Bulgaria held it’s annual Business Awards. For a 13th consecutive year, Forbes has been praising the champions of entrepreneurship and encouraging more business success stories. Over 200 guests attended the ceremony which took place at Hyatt Regency Sofia. 

A special shout out to our members who were deservedly recognised: 

• Ampeco for Business deal of 2024 for their investment round with BMW i Ventures
• SiteGround for being awarded Best Employer of 2024 and Socially Responsible Company of 2024 
• Astra Zeneca for winning the newest Healthcare category award. 
• Dental Clinic Petar Duchev for taking the honorary second place in the same category. 
• Businessmap for being awarded best ICT company of 2024. 

We would like to congratulate all the nominees and winners and encourage them to keep setting an example for dedication and innovative ideas. 

View the full list of winners here.

On April 16, BBBA valued member Fama Consulting celebrated its 15th anniversary. BBBA wished them many more years of successful projects, fruitful business connections, and inspiring partnerships. 

Fama Consulting is an independent company offering services in the field of public affairs, parliamentary advocacy and government relations. Fama avails of long-standing local expertise and international client experience. Politically unaffiliated, Fama focuses on maximising clients’ leverage while also containing business risks stemming from the political and regulatory environment through the application of proprietary methodology and hands-on political and institutional landscape know-how. Client areas cover, among others, financial services, fintech, Big Tech, FMCGs, pharma, tobacco industry, energy generation, food vouchers, mining and metallurgy, utility sector, transport, waste recovery, etc.

May the next 15 years be even more prosperous!