The Career Orientation Week “Career in ESG” was held at the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” from October 11 to 17, 2025, providing participants with an opportunity to learn more about career opportunities in the field of sustainable development. On Wednesday, one of the thematic days, the focus was on the environmental aspects of ESG.
The moderator and participant in the discussion was Gergana Manolova, author in ESGnews.bg, who is also responsible for sustainable development at the Bulgarian company M-Gas. The panel included established experts from various industries – Petya Manastirska, Manager of Sustainable Development and Quality at Devin EAD, Adriana Todorova – EHS Officer (Environmental, Health and Safety) at Siemens Mobility Ltd, and Evgenia Pavlova, Sustainable Development Manager at Vivacom EAD.
The ladies shared their professional paths and first steps in sustainable development with the participants, most of whom were master’s students from the Responsible and Sustainable Management program at the Faculty of Economics. It was noted that work on the topic of sustainability dates back to before the term ESG became widely popular, as in the case of Petya Manastirska.
Adriana Todorova recalled the difficulties associated with access to up-to-date resources and the lack of educational programs in Bulgaria in the past, while Evgenia Pavlova talked about her 17 years of experience in the company, the last three of which have been dedicated to ESG.
The main challenge that united the experts was the need to win over every employee to the cause and overcome misunderstanding of the topic within the organization. Although they represent different industries, all companies are equally affected by the impact of ESG on their business decisions. Common priorities remain cost optimization and employee safety, proving that sustainability is an integral part of corporate strategy.
The panelists offered specific advice to future sustainability managers, recommending that they actively seek opportunities to build on their knowledge in a rapidly changing environment. Analytical thinking, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities were identified as key skills for success.
For the experts themselves, the main motivators and drivers in their work are achieving success after overcoming a number of difficulties and the satisfaction of seeing the results of their hard work.
In conclusion, the panelists called on participants to actively communicate with each other and with their like-minded colleagues, as the exchange of ideas and information is the driving force behind the development of sustainability in Bulgaria.
