Since 2014, the CWBB organizes annually free of charge Leadership Academy “We succeed in Bulgaria”, invigorating ladies in mid-management roles for their next level of professional development. UniCredit Bulbank is the leading partner of the program.
Since 2015, CWBB inaugurated the National Internship Initiative “We remain in Bulgaria”, dedicated to the youngest professionals, who could prove their abilities and skills, to enter the world of business and to obtain development opportunity in an environment, which stimulates their realization in Bulgaria. The Initiative comprises various trainings and company visits, organized by the members of the Council. Interns from all over the country participate in the program, and every year between 20% and 25% embarked on permanent employment in the member companies of the Council.
In 2021 Council of the Women in the Business in Bulgaria started the project INCREDIBLE US – SUCCESSFUL TOGETHER in partnership with HP Enterprise. During the project, female leaders in business work for over a course of one year with members of the Alumni Club of Leadership Academy of CWBB to advance their leadership skills, motivation and idea generation. The annual mentoring program completed two editions and a third is upcoming.
CWBB hosts the Global Women Leaders Forum, which unites female leaders from business, politics, as well as the social and cultural world. The Forum has three editions in 2016 with UNESCO’s partnership, and in 2018 in partnership with the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU and in 2021 jointly organized with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation under the title New Normal for Women @ Life and Work.
In 2020, CWBB in partnership with America for Bulgaria Foundation started the project BASE – Business Academy for Starting Entrepreneurs. In over 3 months training, managers and entrepreneurs from CWBB share their knowledge and skills as speakers and mentors. The business plans of the starting entrepreneurs compete for a monetary prize to be used to realize their idea. The program is currently in its sixth edition, with trainings organized in Blagoevgrad, Lovech, Veliko Turnovo, Troyan and Gabrovo.
The forum “INSPIRATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS FOR DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION” is organized in November 2022 for the first time by the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria (CWBB) in partnership with the European Investment Bank (EIB). With the realization of this project, CWBB once again confirms its commitment to continue working to promote equality and diversity, to promote good practices and programs to promote the professional development of women and their growth in managerial positions, to support young specialists and talents, to realize their potential in Bulgaria. The second edition is upcoming in 2023.
In January 2023, the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria launched the country’s first certification Academy for “Diversity, Equality and Inclusion“. Its overall concept and training program are the result of a fruitful partnership between the organization and the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. The Academy is organized with the support of Lidl Bulgaria. The “Diversity, Equality and Inclusion” program has in a total of 7 thematic modules spread over 4 months. They cover the topics of equality, the benefits of inclusion, overcoming unconscious differences and the inclusive role of leadership and communications. Among the speakers in the program are Bulgarian and foreign leaders involved in the management of companies such as Lidl Bulgaria, Coca-Cola Company, Siemens, UniCredit Bulbank, Progress, The Smarts Group, as well as professors from SU “St. Kliment Ohridski”. A second edition is upcoming in 2024.
