In the EU countries, apart from laws limiting discrimination, diversity is increasingly being talked about not just as the morally right thing to do. The business reasons why team diversity is good for employers are explored. Companies that want new ideas, strong growth, a positive company image, fewer discrimination lawsuits, and an improved ability to hire skilled workers should implement diversity policies.
Encouragement from Europe
One way a European company can brand itself as diverse is by sharing its diversity and inclusion policies in an accessible and visible place on its website. At a policy level, the European Commission is encouraging employers to voluntarily place diversity management more firmly in their strategic business programmes, as diversity statements can promote the company as a “diversity-led employer” and a “great place to work” to attract diverse candidates. Incorporating branding can be beneficial in your quest to be an employer of choice.
The situation in Bulgaria
In order to investigate how companies in Bulgaria practice diversity branding, in this initial study the websites of 20 companies were included. They were divided into two categories – affiliates of foreign companies operating in Bulgaria and Bulgarian companies without representation abroad. It was assumed that since foreign companies operating in Bulgaria are required by their headquarters to have a diversity policy, they are more likely to have shared it on their website compared to Bulgarian companies without offices abroad.
The analysis includes companies from various sectors, for example services, telecommunications, information technology, energy, the food industry, consulting and others. The websites of the companies were reviewed at the end of March 2023. The results show that foreign companies with offices in Bulgaria largely have visible diversity and inclusion policies on their websites. 90% of the analyzed companies have placed these policies in the information about the company itself or in the part where there are job advertisements. In contrast, of the Bulgarian companies without representations abroad, only 20% share information about their diversity policies on their corporate websites.
Examples of policy excerpts posted on company websites include “We welcome diversity and work continuously to maintain an organizational culture and inclusion” from A1 Bulgaria, “We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive with the right workforce, which means that we recognize the visible and invisible differences between our employees” from Lundbeck Bulgaria and “For us at PRESTIGE, diversity in the company is not just a goal, it is part of our culture and the way, by which we do business.”
The results
The study of how companies in Bulgaria practice diversity branding proves that currently foreign companies with offices in Bulgaria largely have visible diversity and inclusion policies on their websites. The opposite is true for the Bulgarian companies, since most do not have or do not share their policies publicly, regardless of the sector in which they operate. In order to respond to the trends imposed by the EU, it is expected in the coming years that more companies will develop and highlight their diversity and inclusion policies on their websites.
*The text is part of a scientific report “European policies for diversity, equity and inclusion and their application in Bulgaria” by the author, published in a collection of papers at the doctoral conference “For people and institutions – time for decisions in the EU”, organized by the “European Studies” Department, “Political Science” Department and “Public Administration” Department at the Faculty of Philosophy of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” on May 13th, 2023
