Bulgaria reports progress and the presence of good practices in Bulgarian companies, but our country still lags behind international standards for equality in the workplace, states a report by the Bulgarian Foundation for Business and Human Rights (BFBH), entitled “Power in the Shadow: Equality as a Driver of Sustainable Business“.
The study is the first of its kind in Bulgaria and analyzes the extent to which corporate commitments to sustainable practices are translated into real actions for gender equality – not only within companies, but also in their supply chains and relationships with stakeholders.
Companies fall below international standards
According to the report, none of the companies analyzed fully cover all key gender equality indicators. The main gaps are the lack of a systematic approach, public accountability and strategic understanding of the importance of equality as part of a sustainable business model.
“Every change starts with the courage to see the invisible and the responsibility to act on it. The report “Power in the Shadows“ is a first step towards systematically collecting evidence and setting common standards for employers committed to the rights of women and girls in Bulgaria“, comment the authors Dr. Milena Statteva, Olya Peneva and Diana Georgieva.
Harassment and violence – „in the shadows“
The report also draws attention to the lack of policies against harassment and gender-based violence. In most companies, mechanisms for reporting, protection of victims and support for employees who have experienced domestic violence are absent - such as additional leave, confidential help or partnerships with specialized organizations.
These gaps undermine efforts to build a protected and equal work environment, especially for vulnerable groups.
Low representation of women in management
Discrepancies are also observed in the pay and participation of women on management boards - key indicators of equality. According to the BFPHR, full equality is achieved in too few companies, which reveals the need for a deep transformation of corporate culture and leadership in organizations.
There are also positive trends
Despite the criticism, the report also notes real progress - a number of companies are already developing diversity and inclusion programs, organizing employee training and implementing more transparent practices in interaction with suppliers and stakeholders.
There is also increased activity in publishing sustainability reports, which improves accountability and trust in the corporate sector.
Among the good examples are initiatives to support neurodiversity, clear whistleblowing mechanisms and commitments to transparency. Although partial, these practices show that positive change has already begun.
Recommendations and next steps
Among the main recommendations of the Bulgarian Foundation for Human Rights are:
strengthening training and building internal capacity for equality management; introducing accessible complaint mechanisms; closer cooperation with suppliers in supply chains; integrating equality into companies' ESG strategies. The Foundation also calls on Bulgarian institutions to ratify Convention No. 190 of the International Labor Organization of 2019, which concerns violence and harassment in the workplace.