The Academy for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion completed its third edition

Sofia – 15 April 2025 – The third edition of the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Academy ended with an official ceremony on Friday, 11 April. The initiative of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria (CWBB) and the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” is supported by Lidl Bulgaria and is the only certification program in Bulgaria aimed at building knowledge and skills for creating an inclusive work environment.

“The good news is that after the third edition of the academy, the number of people who believe in equality is increasing. The big test is whether we genuinely believe in diversity and inclusion. I am sure that gaining knowledge, thanks to all the lecturers, increases our confidence that this is the right direction and that the road to more tolerance is irreversible”, said Milena Dragiyska, CEO of Lidl Bulgaria, in her welcome speech to the graduates.

This year 20 participants successfully graduated, bringing the total number of those trained under the initiative to 63. Five representatives of thematic media and NGOs received full scholarships from Lidl Bulgaria.

“In the year that the Faculty of Economics celebrates its 35th anniversary, we are honoured to once again host and partner with the Academy for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. In these challenging times, we have the opportunity to show that what we have said can be delivered, whatever the environment. Each of us will go through a test to prove the autonomous desire for more tolerance“, said Assoc. Kliment Ohridski”

Gergana Ivanova, founder and partner at The Smarts Advertising Agency, member of the Board of the JWBB and lecturer in the program, also welcomed the participants and encouraged them to apply what they learned in their organizations and to continue to upgrade their skills. Members of the NWBB Alumni Club Board presented opportunities for community involvement. Among the guests were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iya Petkova, Gergana Manolova and Valeria Doycheva, who besides being speakers are also the driving forces behind the implementation of the program.

The initiative is implemented with the participation of speakers from business, academia and the civil sector, including representatives of companies – members of the JWBB such as Siemens, UniCredit Bulbank, The Smarts Group, Lidl Bulgaria, Coca-Cola HBC, Shell Bulgaria, HP Enterprise, Progress, Mileslava Legal, M-Gas, Interlang and Chocolate House Stanimira, as well as lecturers from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski. They shared knowledge and best practices free of charge in 7 modules and a total of 56 training hours on key topics such as inclusive leadership, unconscious bias, inclusive communication and opportunities for strategic implementation of diversity policies in organizations.

“As a participant in the Academy, which is one of the successful initiatives of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria, I had the opportunity to be inspired by the examples and shared practical experience of the speakers in the program,” said Hristina Staneva, Executive Director of CWBB.

“I feel enriched by the good acquaintances and prepared with professional tools to be an ambassador of the topic in my field of activity,” says Chavdar Mihaylov, Sales and Logistics Director of Lidl Bulgaria’s regional office in Ravno Pole.

“I can already see the impact of everything I have learned on my professional activities. I am clearly aware of the benefits of what I learned at the Academy, I feel prepared, I consciously work to overcome stereotypes and I reflect on my behavior in a way that I can be a worthy ambassador of the topic”, adds Petya Ivanova, Head of HR Services at Lidl.

Lidl Bulgaria supports the initiative for the third year as part of its diversity and inclusion programme “Lidl Palette”. The cooperation with the Academy is a logical continuation of the sustainable efforts to create a work environment where every opinion is valued and diversity is recognised as a strength. This is also one of the strongest themes reported in the annual certification by the international Top Employers Institute, within which Lidl Bulgaria for the sixth consecutive year received the prestigious title of Top Employer in the retail sector for Bulgaria and Europe.

The Women’s Business Council in Bulgaria (WBCB) aims to promote best practices and programs to encourage the professional development of women in small and medium-sized businesses and their advancement to managerial positions. The organisation also aims to support young professionals and talents to realise their potential in Bulgaria and to assist socially disadvantaged young people in their education.