1. KRIB
sportal.bg – Hillary Clinton arrived in Bulgaria at the invitation of Kiril Domuschiev
Published: 18.05.2024/17/05 XNUMX:XNUMX
Hillary Clinton arrived in Bulgaria at the invitation of Kiril Domuschiev
"Even today, the voices of female entrepreneurs remain unheard, and the stories of female leaders in male-dominated industries are inspiring." This was stated by the owner of Ludogorets and chairman of the largest employers' organization KRIB Kiril Domuschiev during the meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) founded by Bill Clinton, quoted by novini.bg.
He is the host of the meeting, which is being held at the NDK, as well as the co-founder of Domuschiev Impact, which is a partner of CGI and was the lead sponsor of the initiative's 2022 and 2023 meetings in New York. Domuschiev is also a member of the Advisory Board of the initiative of the former President of the USA.
The meeting in Sofia is part of CGI's "Path to September" - year-round meetings to establish new partnerships and find ways to solve pressing global problems. The final of the meetings is in New York on the 23rd and 24th of September.
This year's forum theme, "Breaking Barriers: Investing in Women Entrepreneurs," is focused on supporting the global advancement of women leaders in the private and public sectors. Among the participants in the meeting are the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the President of Kosovo Vyosa Osmani, Cheri Blair - the wife of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the founder of the Cheri Blair Women's Foundation and others.
Domuschiev emphasized that today's event is a call for action, a call for diversity, a call for change.
"By ensuring that the voices of female entrepreneurs are heard, we are unlocking new opportunities. Closing the gender gap would boost the economy by $3 trillion. So let's pave the way to a better tomorrow together", urged Domuschiev at the opening of the forum.
And for former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who attended the event, said that with her dedicated service and her many achievements, she challenges the roads and paves the way for women without limitations.
"Bulgaria is ahead of many countries in terms of the number of women leaders, and with the directive "Women in the management boards" their number will only increase," Hillary Clinton said.
She thanked Domuschiev for his commitment, charity and that Domuschiev Impact does its best to provide opportunities to people in Bulgaria.
“CGI is extremely grateful to have a partner here. We know that many of the CGI participants are committed to opening the doors when it comes to gender inequality, but we still face pushback, there are forces that want to keep those doors closed, that don't see the benefits of women in public or private sector", said the former US Secretary of State.
Photo: Bulfoto
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https://sportal.bg/news-2024051813014997071
The article can also be read at:
https://www.dotbg.bg/article/17955248
https://politikata.net/571774/
https://www.24chasa.bg/biznes/article/17954681
https://novini.bg/bylgariya/obshtestvo/845722
https://www.168chasa.bg/article/17955523
https://www.24plovdiv.bg/novini/article/17955246
2. Employers
actualno.com - In more than half of the municipalities in Bulgaria, employment is around or below 50%
Published: 20.05.2024/13/45 XNUMX:XNUMX
More targeted regional policies are needed to deal with the imbalances of the regions in Bulgaria. This is one of the recommendations of the study of the Council for Economic Analysis (CIA) "Job multipliers in Bulgaria", prepared by Assoc. Prof. Plamen Nenov, secretary of the Council and Rada Pavlova, junior associate in it, which was presented today in the Council of Ministers .
The presentation was attended by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Stefan Belchev, as well as the director of the Strategic Planning Directorate, Radoslav Milanov, and representatives of employer organizations.
Regional imbalances
More: More companies in Bulgaria plan to hire new employees during the summer season
The study reports imbalances in the levels of employment and economic activity in Bulgaria, from which the conclusion can be drawn that more targeted regional policies are needed to deal with them, Nenov reported. He cited data on regional economic inequalities from the Employment Agency, according to which more than 1 million people in Bulgaria are inactive - they neither work nor study, Nenov emphasized. Employment is unevenly distributed in the environment and has a distinct regional profile.
In more than half of the municipalities in Bulgaria, employment is around or below 50 percent, according to the data of the Employment Agency. Plamen Nenov concluded, presented in the research, that there is potential to reduce inequalities and to increase the gross domestic product (GDP) in the country through an increase in economic activity, for which specific regionally targeted policies are needed. They must be effective, that is, information is needed on how the local labor market reacts to changes in labor demand, Nenov notes in the analysis. The role of local employment multipliers reflects this information, namely how the local labor market will respond if the labor force increases.
Plamen Nenov explained, quoted by BTA, that the multiplier represents the general increase in local employment as a result of the opening of one job. Each opening of a job leads to an increase in local employment by two employed, Nenov explained the multiplier mechanism. According to him, the higher this coefficient is, the greater is the effect of the increase in the labor force on total employment - the value of the local multiplier is the balance between three economic factors - the effect of local consumption, the agglomeration effect and the "clogging" effect . In the local consumption effect, workers increase consumption and create jobs. The agglomeration effect represents an increase in the productivity of other local enterprises, which further increases the demand for work, and in the third effect of "clogging", the housing market limits the overall increase in employment. The average local employment multiplier is 1,3, the study estimates. This means that for a typical municipality in Bulgaria, an increase in labor market demand by 10 jobs leads to a total increase in employment by 13 employed. For larger municipalities, the coefficient is 1,8, for smaller ones 1,1, announced Plamen Nenov. In larger municipalities, the effect of local consumption is stronger, he added.
The analysis also finds interesting, asymmetric effects depending on the increase or decrease in labor demand. For larger municipalities, with an increase in labor demand, the multipliers are higher. Smaller municipalities are highly vulnerable to negative shocks, said Plamen Nenov. An interesting finding from the study is that there are higher multipliers for municipalities with lower employment, which is due to differences in labor or housing market tightness. Also, multipliers are higher where the employment rate is lower, the study also reports.
More: The number of young Bulgarians who neither worked nor studied will decrease in 2023.
A main recommendation of the presented analysis is to follow a regionalized strategy for economic development, creating different policies for different regions compatible with the values of the multipliers. The implementation of real regional development policies is of great necessity. Small municipalities need diversification of local economies and better financing for organized long-term care for the elderly, Nenov pointed out. According to him, this will have a direct effect and indirect effects, because it will improve the possibility of activating the labor market of people who care for elderly relatives. Better access to entrepreneurial finance for small municipalities is also needed, as well as improving their integration. Investments in transport connectivity at the district level are also key, according to the research findings.
The registered unemployed exceeded 44 people in two months
flagman.bg - Why do civil servants in our country receive higher pensions
Published: 20.05.2024/13/35 XNUMX:XNUMX
Why do civil servants in our country receive higher pensions
Author: Flagman.bg
Total working Bulgarians, for whom the employers in our country they bring in insurance, at the end of the first quarter of this year they are 2
Civil servants in our country receive higher pensions, here's what this is due to, according to a report by the National Institute of Social Sciences.
Total working Bulgarians, for whom the employers in our country, they bring in insurance, at the end of the first quarter of this year there are 2, with over 252 million people insured for the third category of work, reports the site Pariteni.bg.
Of these, only 1960 people were born before 186. There are nearly 275 people working in the second labor category, and only 111 in the first. The civil servants working under the conditions of the third category are nearly 6362 people, and those with the first and second category - 44700.
The workers in the third category are provided with an average of BGN 1604, for the second - on BGN 1775, and for the first - on BGN 2337, the data of the National Institute of Statistics also show.
The amounts on which civil servants are insured are much higher - these third category of labor pay contributions on average of BGN 2198, for the first and second the average insurance income is BGN 2444. The amount of pension that a person will receive one day depends on the amount on which a person is insured.
At the same time, there are 156 Bulgarians who are self-employed and who pay their own social security contributions, with 217 self-employed self-employed being insured for pension alone. They are insured on average on BGN 61 or slightly above the minimum wage, which became BGN 611 as of January 993.
3052 Bulgarians received a one-time death benefit in the first quarter of this year, with the average amount paid being BGN 219, according to the data of the National Institute of Social Sciences. 25 people received one-time assistance in case of death due to a work accident, and they received an average of BGN 243 each.
https://www.flagman.bg/article/321658
bia-bg.com - Health care unions are demanding a 25% average increase
Published: 20.05.2024/12/00 XNUMX:XNUMX
19.05.2024
According to the employers this creates a risk of hospital bankruptcy
Unions want 25% average salary increase in the health sector. According to the employers this creates a risk of hospital bankruptcy. The parties failed to reach an agreement and sign a new collective labor agreement, and the old one expired.
Here is an example of what new minimum basic salaries are requested in university hospitals and multi-specialty hospitals with over 51% state participation:
Doctor with one specialty - 2730 BGN;
Older sister - BGN 2015
The law obliges hospitals to pay salaries no less than those in the collective agreement, but only 51 medical facilities out of a total of 181 state and municipal hospitals have reached the levels in the old contract. And with the new one they want even higher ones.
Galya Petrova is a nurse in a hospital in Montana. The medical facility has reached the wages of the last collective bargaining agreement, but Galya wants an increase. "I think that this money that the unions are offering should be implemented and it is welcome for the medical staff," she says.
"They are difficult to implement, especially for state and municipal hospitals, since these proposals are not justified on the basis of any specific analyses," says the administrative director of the hospital in Montana, Vladimir Minchev.
Hospitals indicate that the increase in the cost of clinical pathways and procedures is between 8-10%. And the salary increase requested by the unions is between 25-30%.
https://www.bia-bg.com/news/view/32973/
trud.bg – 4-day working week is successful for everyone
Published: 20.05.2024/06/45 XNUMX:XNUMX
The concept of a shorter four-day work week is not new, but in the years around the pandemic and especially after it, it gradually began to turn from a dream and an experiment into a reality. The biggest proof that this new model of work is already starting to take hold is the already completed long-ago largest experiment of its kind in Britain, which CNN tells about. As part of this test, from June to December 2022, employees in 61 organizations and companies on the Island were allowed to work 80 per cent of normal working hours, provided they completed 100 per cent of their normal work. With the four-day working week, the hours of work per week drop from 40 to 32, but in principle, companies require that the volume of work done does not decrease. The concept is being tested not only in the UK but also in the US, Ireland and other countries. In the US, there are already congressmen who advocate the idea. Almost a year and a half after the end of the experiment in the UK, the majority of companies, or exactly 89 percent, that participated in it, still allow their employees to work in this way, and more than half (51 percent) have fully formalized this working model, according to a report from one of the organizers of the test. The study was recently released by the Autonomy think tank, which organized the test together with the non-governmental organizations 4 Day Week Global and the 4 Day Week UK Campaign and researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and from Boston College. The report unequivocally states that reduced working hours have been extremely beneficial for both employees and companies. At the end of the test period, employees felt better physically and mentally, enjoyed a better work-life balance, and were generally more satisfied. An apparently successful experiment will undoubtedly cause even more serious pressure on the employers to adopt more flexible working hours. And another study commissioned by Newsweek magazine and conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies among 4000 working Americans reached similar conclusions. 63 percent of them call for a move to a four-day working week, and 46 percent believe it will increase their productivity. Among the different age groups, young people are the strongest in favor of a shorter working week. 74 percent of them explicitly state that they would like to work only four days a week, and only 8 percent are against it. According to analytics platform Medium, although the average American works 8,8 hours a day, productive hours are estimated to be only 2-3 hours. The remaining 6 hours or so at work are wasted in procrastination or other unproductive activities. The ideal number of working hours per day is around 3-4 and the maximum is 6 hours. Given that the science supports the shorter workday, it seems counterintuitive the employers require their workers to spend more time at work. This is especially important given that so much work is now being done remotely, where "being in the office" is no longer a valid reason, according to Medium. The analysis notes that the "always on call" trend, where employees are available via cell phones and email, is not a good answer. In the end, it is worth mentioning that a century ago, none other than Henry Ford proposed the introduction of the 5-day working week, opposing it to the six working days, but did not change labor wages. Then it took 5 years to implement Ford's 14-day model and the necessary changes in US law. Therefore, experts are already making predictions that the new rules for a working 4-day week may become a reality in a decade.
btvnovinite.bg - Salaries in the health sector: Unions demand a 25% average increase
Published: 19.05.2024/21/35 XNUMX:XNUMX
Unions want 25% average salary increase in the health sector. According to the employers this creates a risk of hospital bankruptcy. The parties failed to reach an agreement and sign a new collective labor agreement, and the old one expired.
Here is an example of what new minimum basic salaries are requested in university hospitals and multi-specialty hospitals with over 51% state participation:
Doctor with one specialty - 2730 BGN;
Older sister - BGN 2015
The law obliges hospitals to pay salaries no less than those in the collective agreement, but only 51 medical facilities out of a total of 181 state and municipal hospitals have reached the levels in the old contract. And with the new one they want even higher ones.
Galya Petrova is a nurse in a hospital in Montana. The medical facility has reached the wages of the last collective bargaining agreement, but Galya wants an increase.
"I think that this money that the unions are offering should be implemented and it is welcome for the medical staff," she says.
"They are difficult to implement, especially for state and municipal hospitals, since these proposals are not justified on the basis of any specific analyses," says the administrative director of the hospital in Montana, Vladimir Minchev.
Hospitals indicate that the increase in the cost of clinical pathways and procedures is between 8-10%. And the salary increase requested by the unions is between 25-30%.
economic.bg - Internship - a valuable currency on the labor market
Published: 19.05.2024/12/15 XNUMX:XNUMX
Internships are the currency with which businesses 'buy' pupils and students in search of career development. The European Union is looking for a way to ease their supply to reduce turnover and retain talent, especially among 15-29-year-olds.
The reason is that there is a serious "neither" generation (that neither works nor studies), although it will decrease to 11,7% in the EU in 2022. But due to the aging population, high digitalization and high demand, the supply of internships is more challenging. The number of paid internships with social benefits and with marketing hype is increasing, but we can talk about the quality and benefits of it when actually starting work or when returning to the company that provided this opportunity.
A frequent requirement of the employers is that applicants have previous experience and this is a difficulty for young people. A solution to this problem is internship programs, whether in private companies, non-governmental organizations or in the administration. This option is beneficial for both parties – students and learners get the practical experience and recommendations they need, and the employers find enthusiastic employees at a relatively low (or even no) cost. An internship is a good opportunity for companies to train new employees and test their abilities before hiring them full-time - ie. a kind of trial period. After completing successful internships, many young people remain employed and are immediately a valuable addition because they already know the team, the work environment and the requirements of the position.
Statistics show that nearly 90% of companies in Bulgaria offer or have offered internships, with about 30% having their own internship programs, and more than half accepting interns even without special programs. The shortage of qualified and even unqualified personnel makes more and more companies turn to educational institutions in search of new personnel. The internship is the first step in the process of creating good employer-employee relations.
According to a Eurobarometer survey from April 2023, four out of five young people surveyed had completed at least one internship, and for one in five it was their first professional experience. 68% found a job afterwards, with more than half of them signing a contract with the same employer. The share of young Europeans with internships in another country is growing - 21%, compared to 9% in 2013. More than half of the interns received a salary. In March 2024, the European Commission proposed to improve working conditions for trainees, including for "fair pay", but there is still no decision on how to ensure longer traineeships (over 6 months), which is also a condition for more probable detention.
This challenging context is even more dramatic in Bulgaria, where, according to the NSI for 2023, in the 15-29 age group, inactive youth are 13,8%. According to data from the Employment Agency for the period 2021 - 30.06.2023, internships are most often provided in the sectors "Trade; Automobile and Motorcycle Repair', 'Government', 'Manufacturing Industry' and 'Professional Activities and Research'. About two-thirds of the youth were employed in them. In 2022, 3876 young people are included in state programs and measures for employment and training.
Human capital management professionals are looking for new solutions to attract employees. Here are the opinions of three of them:
Tsvetelin Nikolov: A good springboard for active young people
Photo Personal archive
Tsvetelin Nikolov is the co-founder of Pleggi - a recruitment platform. Actively works with HR professionals and students at over 6 universities and several schools
Mr. Nikolov, why and how did the "price" of internships go up?
Internships have become a valuable tool in the process of attracting new staff and a springboard for proactive young people. This is a natural change caused by several factors. GenZ is the newest generation on the job market and comes with its GenX parent-raised expectations and preferences for growth and development. Companies with internship programs that provide an opportunity to learn practical skills from an early stage and are responsive to the needs of the new generation are preferred. Internships are a means of positioning yourself among people without experience.
More and more companies from different fields are fighting for the same candidates. Internships enable companies to stand out by attracting proactive and talented young people right out of university. They are no longer "carrying coffee", but enable inclusion in real processes. Employers assess the behavior of their trainees in a situation and their potential for development.
What makes an internship offer attractive?
The new generation demands a balance between work-education and personal life and is extremely brave in risking a potential opportunity before losing the balance. Candidates want to know what is expected of them, be able to easily identify themselves and know what skills they will acquire. The internship should offer an opportunity to develop new skills, knowledge and a possible career ladder. Applicants seek support from a mentor. Internship is no longer free labor and candidates expect remuneration NOT always commensurate with their responsibilities and experience, but rather with competitive offers (maybe substitutes) for the unit of time.
A lot of employers they won't like what's written, but nothing that happens is bad. There is a huge gap both between "educational institutions and learners" and between "learners and employers”, but this does not mean that there is no way out of the situation. The way is related personalized communication to the audience, acceptance of needs and adaptation of approaches and processes.
From your experience as a talent acquisition platform, what are the most successful candidate acquisition strategies?
Young people are active online, but the most preferred means of communication for them is live contact. Collaborating with universities allows companies to reach a large pool of potential candidates, but don't be fooled into thinking that showing up at one or two career events a year will generate interest. There are many youth non-governmental organizations of local, national and even international character that attract alert young people. Interest clubs are a good option for reaching proactive youth with an obvious filter. Internships should offer applicants the opportunity to work on real projects to develop real-world habits, skills and valuable experience.
What does the ideal intern look like?
Who responds with his skills and competences to fulfill the requirements of the position, who finds a common language with the team and professes the company's aspirations.
Will the new European regulations on internships make them more expensive? How will they improve their quality?
New European regulations aim to ensure that internships are of high quality and provide valuable experience. These offers may lead to higher rewards. Companies may need to improve the quality of their programs. But some may decide to reduce the number of internship positions offered to avoid costs.
Stiliana Todorova: Social benefits are valued
Photo Personal archive
Stiliana Todorova is an International Relations expert at ETN International, a network of training agencies in Italy, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Portugal, Greece and Bulgaria. The agency manages projects within the Erasmus + program, the educational mobility of students, teachers, teaching staff, students, etc.
Mrs. Todorova, why are internships becoming an increasingly valuable "commodity" in the preparation and attraction of new personnel?
Unfortunately, a large number of educational institutions do not practically prepare their pupils/students well due to a lack of personnel who are up to date with new trends or due to outdated material base. The relationship with the business is difficult to maintain, he is busy and cannot "waste time" with schools, for example. But at the next stage he faces the unprepared finishers and the "ball" is again in his possession. Internships allow the screening of the best personnel, on the one hand, and those who best fit the team, work dynamics and environment, on the other.
Internships abroad in the framework of mobility projects have many benefits. Often they are in companies that use advanced technologies, machines that cannot be accessed in Bulgaria. Erasmus+ mobilities have added value in terms of increasing employability. They are often in sectors where quality internships cannot be provided here. Added value is the improvement of language skills, self-reliance, confidence, adaptability and others that make young people more suitable for the labor market.
What makes an internship offer attractive? Where do they meet? the employers and the youth?
The closer the internship offer is to the intern's desires and interests, the more attractive it is. Although it sounds a bit discriminatory, when the team is young and the intern is involved in company life, then he is more committed and successful. A meeting is where both parties benefit each other.
How do internships retain talent?
Although it is more difficult to retain foreign talent, we can boast of such cases. The environment has a stronger influence - the big city, our positive attitude, the entertainment opportunities for young people than the particular company. The salary offered is also very important. And in Sofia, given the many outsourcing companies, people with a foreign language as their mother tongue are highly valued and the remuneration offered is attractive. Social benefits are definitely a "hook" for young people.
What does the ideal intern look like?
The ideal intern is motivated, proactive, inquisitive and proactive. The most common mistakes of the employer are to give more than the particular trainee is motivated to "take". But also sometimes the employer forgets that internship work under the Erasmus+ program is free and cannot expect the same treatment as its paid employees.
Georgi Todorov: Personal stories attract the most
Photo Personal archive
Georgi Todorov has 15 years of experience as a consultant and manager of "Human Resources" in the implementation of organizational development projects, trainings, selection, formation and development of teams in organizations with different fields of activity.
Mr. Todorov, why are internships becoming an increasingly valuable "commodity" in the preparation and attraction of new personnel?
The lack of personnel directs human resources specialists to practices with which to attract alert young people with a desire for development in Bulgaria. Not every company offers internship programs. They are more of an image and marketing value, with a potential effect after 3-4 years, when someone would remember and choose the company for their first serious job. If there is value, it is for candidates to see things from the "kitchen".
When does an internship "work"?
Internship becomes effective when there is someone involved and involved in the process, not just when the youth are dumped somewhere with the most boring tasks. It is necessary for the company to have a real idea of what to include them in. A modern work environment of a more inclusive type would help create productive relationships and results.
What are the most successful strategies for attracting the right candidates?
With personal stories. For example, former interns attract new ones by telling about the path they have gone through. These strategies succeed when they are developed by people who are involved in the training and mentoring process.
The text is part of no. 120 of the magazine "Economics". It is published in Economic.bg by virtue of a partnership agreement between the two media. The topics and opinions are selected by the magazine team and do not necessarily coincide with the editorial policy of Economic.bg.
https://www.economic.bg/bg/a/view/stajyt-cenna-valuta-na-trudovija-pazar
economic.bg - Over 1 million Bulgarians do not want to work or study - what should we do?
Published: 19.05.2024/09/40 XNUMX:XNUMX
Among the more interesting news of the week was the new estimate by the Employment Agency of the total number of inactive people of working age – over 1 million people. Although a full analysis of inactivity and its characteristics of AZ is not yet available, we can highlight several directions for reforms that could help with the activation of this large group, which seems increasingly important against the background of low unemployment and increasingly the harder to find shots.
NSI data allow a relatively detailed look at people outside the labor force. Among them - a total of 1,05 million people between the ages of 15 and 64 - more than half have a secondary education, and of them - 200 thousand people have a professional, which means that they have at least the necessary base and sufficient literacy to be trained in skills relevant to the needs of the labor market. However, for another almost 450 thousand people, the education is basic and lower, which means that their activation also implies an element of further education. The serious preponderance of women – 594 thousand people – is striking, which reflects their role in the family, raising children and household work. From the point of view of urbanization, the large number of inactive people – 713 thousand – are in the cities, where almost all new and vacant jobs are concentrated.
The bad news is that among those over 1 million people, 928 thousand are unwilling to work. The main reason for this is participation in some form of education, with 423 thousand people in this category. To the extent that those currently inactive will enter the labor market in the near future, with higher or at least secondary education, special measures and approaches to them are probably not necessary. Illness or incapacity prevent 140 thousand people, and this is the group for whom the Bulgarian labor market remains extremely difficult to access. Family work and personal reasons deter 235 thousand people, more than 2/3 of them are expected to be women.
The characteristics described in this way clearly demonstrate that a unified approach to the inactive is impossible, and that activation seems almost impossible for some of them - such are, for example, housewives in high-income households. However, this does not mean that there are no measures that could at least to some extent reduce inactivity and direct additional human resources to the labor market. First of all, the inactive must be found and identified, and in this direction is the register of the inactive, which contains their characteristics, peculiarities and individual needs, proposed by the Employment Agency.
Finding involves an active approach – while the unemployed direct themselves to the employment offices, the inactive need a nudge towards additional qualification or job search. It will take extra effort from both the employers, who fail to find the required workers, as well as from the state - for mediators, information campaigns, trainings. For this reason, it is appropriate to consider both shifting the focus of active labor market policies from creating subsidized employment to career guidance and training, as well as incentives for employers, tend to train workers and inactive.
Increasing the flexibility of the labor market is of key importance - as we have seen, a significant part of the inactive are housewives and people with disabilities. These groups can benefit most from the creation of more part-time and telecommuting opportunities that allow them to combine employment with their other life roles. For now, Bulgaria remains at the bottom of the EU in terms of advocating these work models. Working fewer hours could also lead to the activation of part of the students and pupils, who form almost half of the inactive today. As an encouraging change, we can accept the increase in the number of employment permits for persons up to the age of 18, issued by the General Labor Inspectorate in recent years.
The regional approach to activation is no less important - the profile of the inactive in different parts of the country differs, and it is possible that the employment they desire can be found elsewhere. We cannot fail to mention the failed integration of the Roma, who make up a significant part of the inactive, and face one of the most serious obstacles to finding a job in the light economy.
Finally, it is not impossible for some of today's inactives to enter the labor market without outside help. This would be a logical result of the growth of wages and the improvement of the standard of living of the workers, in the course of convergence with the average European level of economic development. The creation of more well-paid jobs is among the factors that can "by itself" generate more supply of labor for which the "right" price has not yet been reached.
https://www.economic.bg/bg/a/view/nad-1-mln-bylgari-ne-iskat-da-rabotjat-ili-uchat-kakvo-da-pravim
3. Business
investor.bg – Smart Lady and Sherry Blair discussed the future of sustainable business
Published: 20.05.2024/14/25 XNUMX:XNUMX
Women whose companies are financed by Fibank's program to support women entrepreneurs and participants in "Mentors BG" met with the creator of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
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Cherie Blair Foundation for Women founder Cherie Blair, its executive director Divya O'Connor and Ivaylo Dimitrov, senior partner at Cherie Blair's law firm (Omnia Strategy LLP), were special guests at a working lunch initiated by Smart Lady - the program of Fibank in support of women entrepreneurs in Bulgaria. The meeting brought together ladies with businesses financed by Smart Lady and participants in the national program "Mentors BG". The topic discussed at the capital's Residence Exclusive Club was "Encouraging women to develop sustainable business".
“It was such a pleasure to meet the Smart Lady community and learn about their amazing stories! I congratulate First Investment Bank for this wonderful initiative driven by innovative thinking," said Sherry Blair, an internationally recognized attorney and social entrepreneur.
An acclaimed human rights advocate, she founded her foundation in 2008 and since then, with her partners, they have changed the future of over 250 women from more than 000 low- and middle-income countries. Through its global mentoring platform, educational mobile app HerVenture and training programs for women, the Cherie Blair Foundation drives women's success in business and its positive impact on local communities, economies and the environment.
Photo: Fibank
The mission to develop the potential of female entrepreneurs through access to funds, technology and know-how brings them as close as possible to the philosophy of Smart Lady, whose community includes more than 1100 Bulgarian women with start-up or already existing companies. Fibank - one of the largest banks in Bulgaria with majority shareholders Ivaylo Mutafchiev and Tseko Minev, has invested over BGN 120 million in Smart Lady with a focus on the development of women in business. In addition to banking products with preferential terms, the program also provides them with access to mentoring sessions and training. Supporting businesses with a sustainable production cycle is another value that connects Smart Lady and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. Through the Sustainable Lady Fund created in 2021, First Investment Bank's program has stood behind 12 ladies whose projects range from aviation and trade, through social services and agriculture, to eco-livestock.
“The goal of the Smart Lady program was to become a confidant business partner of women entrepreneurs. In the early years, our focus was on encouraging women to start up and grow business, giving them not only the perfect product, but also the support they need in the form of women's clothing business community, educations and trainings. In recent years, we strive to stimulate female entrepreneurship, often for a sustainable transition to a circular economy, increasing digital and business skills of women entrepreneurs to transition to sustainable business”, comments Ilona Staneva, Director of Marketing and Advertising at Fibank.
With the footprint of business on the environment in mind, female candidates are also trained in the current National mentoring program - "Mentors BG", supported by Smart Lady. Since its launch in 2023, it has been a center of attraction for the training of over 110 participants, including three ladies from Yemen, Afghanistan and Ukraine, selected to be trained in the program by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Bulgaria.
pbnovini.com - First company from the gambling business leaves Bulgaria
Published: 20.05.2024/14/10 XNUMX:XNUMX
First gambling company business ceases its activity in Bulgaria. According to the terse message on betway's website, the freeze is likely to be temporary and the decision is described as "difficult". The bookmaker is shutting down on May 27 and is currently sending information emails to its customers.
This is a direct consequence of the legislative change voted in the last days of the 49th National Assembly. It prohibits the advertising of gambling in the media. Only outdoor advertising is allowed on billboards located at a distance of not less than 300 meters from schools, kindergartens, universities, on gambling halls themselves, as well as on sports equipment and equipment, except for children. The argument of the importers GERB and DPS was that in this way they would affect people who gamble and have reached the point of addiction. For several years, the NRA has maintained a register of gambling addicts in our country, and over 36 Bulgarians appear in it, and their number is growing exponentially. The entry in this register is, however, voluntary, by the person who has realized his addiction.
Gambling company betway was founded in 2006 with headquarters in Malta and offers sports betting and online casino. Betway also has offices in London and South Africa.
The company received a license from the NRA at the beginning of 2022, which is valid until the beginning of 2027, according to a reference by Economic.bg in the Agency's registers.
Besides being popular for online sports betting, Betway sponsors local and international sports teams, including West Ham United of the Premier League./Vestnik Maritza
https://www.pbnovini.com/balgariya/2024/parva-kompaniya-ot-hazartniya-biznes-si-tragva-ot-balgariya/
iskra.bg - Both business and the state win if they invest in integrity
Published: 17.05.2024/23/35 XNUMX:XNUMX
"Investment in integrity creates much more value than spending money on bribes."
With these words, François Valerian, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Transparency International, opened the forum "Sustainable Development and business integrity", organized in Sofia by the Ministry of Economy and Industry and the Association "Transparency without Borders".
"Investors today highly value companies that put money and effort into integrity. These investments bring better income and reduce costs," explained François Valerian.
He was adamant that countries and governments also benefit when they invest in integrity – from reduced sanctions, from attracting investors, from a higher rating.
Bulgaria's progress in the process of joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was among the main highlights of the forum.
Bulgaria's accession to the OECD is a national priority that is not influenced by political dynamics. The Ministry of Economy and Industry is among the institutions most involved in this process. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Nikolay Pavlov during the opening of the forum. He emphasized the importance of Bulgaria's decision to join the OECD:
"This is a decision for the future, but also an important decision for the present, because the reforms we need to make, apart from membership, will also give us a more competitive economy."
The OECD's Global Report on Corporate Sustainability for 2024 was presented in Sofia by Dr. Hendrik Bosshamer, economic analyst at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What are the international standards for business integrity and what are good practices in the context of the global framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European regulatory framework for sustainability accountability was the topic of the first panel of the program.
The second panel discussion focused on the importance of new requirements and regulations for a sustainable investment and financial climate. It was attended by national and international experts, representatives of business, the financial sector and the academic community.
"It is about specific European regulations that are transformed into Bulgarian laws," explained Kalin Slavov, executive director of "Transparency without Borders".
According to him, the rules have quite pragmatic dimensions and refer not only to our membership in the OECD, but also to the EPA and to our agreement with the EC for the current financial period.
If these criteria are not met, the Bulgarian business will lose competitive advantages, will be excluded from the possibility of partnerships with foreign companies that will meet the requirements. What's more: if the accepted criteria are not met and the legal norms are not met, the banking sector will not provide financing, warned Slavov. The introduction of integrity pacts must be done with joint efforts: of business, government and the public sector, he is categorical.
"Our future doesn't start tomorrow, it's already here and we don't know," said the executive director of Transparency Without Borders.
https://www.iskra.bg/i-biznesat-i-darzhavata-pechelyat-ako-investirat-v-integritet/
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