From the beginning of 2024, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) becomes mandatory for certain companies in the EU and Bulgaria. According to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), companies will have to publish non-financial information in the form of an ESG implementation report. The changes will affect not only large companies, but also their partners and suppliers. Banks will also apply stricter lending requirements to companies that do not meet ESG standards.

The new sustainability reporting standards will affect over 50,000 companies, and from 2028 non-EU companies operating in Europe will also have to report their impact using ESRS or equivalent standards. This regulatory framework is designed to standardize and improve corporate sustainability reporting practices across the European Union. However, recent assessments have revealed that nearly half of the affected companies are currently unable to comply with the new requirements, as the topic of reporting ESG policies is still poorly addressed.

In this regard, Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with the leading consultants from denkstatt Bulgaria, will very soon be holding an ESG event where you will find out more:

• For the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive or CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), which the EU adopted at the end of last year.
• How is the project to create the ESG report, what resources does it require from you, how long does it take?
• How to keep running a successful business while you are busy with yet another bureaucratic task?
• How The EU taxonomy, which defines which activities are sustainable, gives additional access to financing to companies that report on CSRD?

Follow the events on our website!

ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance and Reporting) is a sustainable development concept that is no longer voluntary but institutionalized. This means that all businesses, regardless of size, must comply with it. The sooner you start applying ESG principles, the easier it will be for you in the future. But where to start? How do you know what affects you? And how to prepare?

Where does ESG come from??

ESG is a concept of sustainable development that is based on three main principles: environmentalism, social responsibility and corporate governance. It is not something new, but in recent years it has gained more and more popularity and is already institutionalized.
The need for regulation in this area arises from the capital markets. Investors want to know how companies manage their impact on the environment and society. ESG provides a standard against which to assess this impact.
ESG requirements affect all businesses, regardless of their size. They can have a significant impact on the financing of companies, as they are tied to lending and investing.
However, there is no reason to stress or worry. Many companies are already working in this direction, even if they don't call it ESG. They monitor their carbon footprint, strive for energy efficiency and take care of their employees.
In conclusion, ESG is an important concept that will become a major factor in business success in the future. Companies that are already working in this direction are in a better position to adapt to the changes and deal with the challenges that lie ahead.

How ESG is linked to success?

It's very simple - by better monitoring your performance, you understand what you need to improve. This is good risk management. What does good governance mean in general and what does it have to do with ESG? G is for Governance and equals integrity – what a company has declared as a value is seen in leadership and supported by relevant policies, rules, systems. Good governance in today's sense means inclusiveness, reciprocity, transparency. Integrity is what I think, what I say and what I do. Separately, some of the environmental and social topics today influence values - for example, diversity from the point of view of human rights. It's just that this wider palette creates contradictions within the company and is even more difficult to manage. For example, what is more valuable - a company adhering to its understanding of the presence of both sexes equally or hiring the person whose qualities make management want to invite him to their team?

Does ESG apply to all businesses or industries??

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), adopted at the end of last year, leads to increased obligations for companies to report on sustainability. In this line of thinking, you fall under the scope of the new European sustainability and reporting requirements and are obliged to provide an ESG report if:

• you are a company with more than 250 people;
• you have a turnover of 40 million euros per year;
• you have a balance of EUR 20 million.

Regardless of the size of your company, you better take the path of sustainable development now in achieving your business goals and interests. Business in Bulgaria does not always think in perspective, but the smaller a company is and the fewer resources it has, the more it is subject to what happens.

What practical steps should companies take??

Many companies have probably already taken concrete actions without even realizing it. In recent years, there has been increasing talk of a circular economy, and this is due to factors such as difficult access to resources, negative environmental impacts from unsustainable production activities, overconsumption and overproduction of goods. Here are some pointers on what you can do:

• reduce the use of natural resources and primary raw materials at the expense of secondary ones;
• ensure that products have a longer life if they can be repaired or reused;
• recycle the products and the separate materials contained in them;
• reduce the use of non-recyclable products and materials;
• try to reduce waste generation etc.

Ultimately, there will come a point where all companies will have to adopt and comply with ESG regulations. However, they can also be seen as an opportunity for companies to create value by finding more efficient ways of doing business. Here are some specific benefits:

• Reducing the cost of resources and waste
• Increase efficiency and productivity
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Improving the reputation of the company

If this information has piqued your interest, then we are happy to share that Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with leading consultants in the field of ESG will very soon hold an information event for all companies that fall within the scope of the new European sustainability and reporting requirements, as well as for those that are on the path of sustainable development. Follow the events on our website!

November 6th marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the "Atanas Ts. Burov" Industrial Technology Research Group.

The high school will celebrate its 100th anniversary on November 6 at 5:30 p.m. in the Income Building.

PG in Industrial Technologies is a direct successor of the first Chirash School in Ruse, established by the decision of the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry, whose chairman at the time was Atanas Ts. Burov - a prominent politician, banker and public figure. During this period, Atanas Ts. Burov took an active part in many economic initiatives, engaged in charity work, helped the economic and cultural development not only of the city of Ruse, but also of the whole of Bulgaria. With his far-sighted look into the future, he realized the need to create a school that would meet the needs of Ruse for the so-called "modern crafts" at the time - tailoring, tailoring, shoemaking, ironwork. At that time, young men and women from all over North-Eastern Bulgaria studied in the school.

In 1948, the school was transformed and the first factory school in Bulgaria was established. Over the years, its name has changed many times, but its profile has been preserved - specialists are trained for the needs of industry, energy and mechanical engineering.

In 1997, the school restored its name "Atanas Ts. Burov", which was taken away after 09.09.1944.

Since 2003, it has been the Professional High School of Industrial Technologies "Atanas Ts. Burov". At the moment, graduates of the school have the opportunity to study under a dual education system in the following specialties:

• "Industrial aesthetics and design"
• "Machines and systems with CNC"
• "Welding machines and equipment"
• "Welding"
• "Measuring and Organizational Technique"
• "Word Processing"
• "Industrial Design"
• "Heat engineering"

A key theme of the events in 2023 is: "How humanity should adapt to one of the most serious threats today - climate change, which affects all regions of the world and has an impact on many aspects of people's lives".

The events for Ruse are free, and the program is:

Location: "Children's Palace", Olimpi Panov 12 Ruse

All events are free entry, workshop type and suitable for children 4-12 years and their families.

17:30 - 19:30 - "Filter my water!" - In this workshop we will have the opportunity to build our own water filtration system from natural materials. In this way, we will learn more about how we can improve the state of water, which is one of the leading problems related to climate change. The presenters will be Gonyul Seidova and Elise Artunyan. 

17:30 - 19:30 - "Musical - creative workshop" - music pedagogue and teacher in RU "Angel Kanchev" Petya Stefanova will present a special educational musical game made of paper and cardboard together with its electronic equivalent.

17:30 - 20:30 - "Energy Conversion" - In this workshop we will be able to assemble a solar grasshopper, a solar cart and a hand-held generator. We will get to know the modern options of energy generation in the context of environmental protection. The leader of the workshop is Katya Stefanova - engineer and pedagogue.

17:30 - 20:30 - "sort the waste" game - The first and most important step in recycling any waste is its correct and separate collection. This activity is a whole science, and in order to understand it more easily, we will make a competitive game with presenter Ina Ganeva - Montessori teacher and pedagogue. 

17:30 - 20:30 - "Let's bury ourselves in the past" - in the foyer of the Children's Palace we will open an exhibition of children's works on the theme "Prehistory". The guests will be welcomed by archaeologist Kristina Yanakieva, from whom we will find out how the works were created and what inspired them. 

18:30 - 19:30 - "The climate - the main reason for the evolution of man". Archaeologist Kristina Yanakieva will tell us why and how man evolved. We will be able to play the role of real archaeologists as we dig up prehistoric finds in the first Laboratory of Experimental Archeology for children in the courtyard of the Children's Palace.

Location: Olimpi Panov Elementary School, 2 Sarnena Gora Street, Ruse

17:00 – 18:00 Opening of the European Night of Scientists with Associate Professor Lachezar Hristov - from the Rapid Thunder Corps.

18:00 - 19:00 "In class with climate change" - is an interactive workshop with Petya Krasteva and Zehra Yuseinova, teachers in Olimpi Panov Elementary School. They will introduce us to climate changes in Bulgaria. We will make a map of the climate zones of planet Earth and learn what will happen when the water in the seas and oceans rises. Together we will do group experiments "Climate and Me" on the following topics:

1) The climate and its importance; 2) The human footprint on the climate; 3) Climate change.

18:00 - 20:00 CO2 - "Global WarNing"
/presentation, discussion and educational games/

Together with senior teacher Ivelina Pasheva. shall we talk about what we know about carbon dioxide? How is it produced and why did it turn from a vital gas into a threat to the planet? We will learn what Global WarNing is and Global WarMing and how we can adapt to the coming climate changes.

Once we have mastered the useful knowledge, we can test it in the Climate Change Quiz and the Preserving Life Quiz

17:00 - 20:00 - "Green Deal"

In the school lobby, there will be an exhibition by students dedicated to the difficult choices we must make to limit the negative human impact on the environment.

Location: Kindergarten on the square "Al. Battenberg" 3 Ruse

17:00 - 21:00 "With love to the heart" students from the National School of Arts "Prof. Veselin Stoyanov" the city of Ruse will create an art installation dedicated to heart health. To the sounds of musical accompaniment, we will be able to open special messages in a bottle dedicated to heart health. 

19:00 – 21:30 Chemical miracles with the Rapid Thunder Corps

The chemical trials and experiments of The rapid thunder case at SU "St. Kliment Ohridski" will convince you that chemists are more than magicians. Attractive trials and demonstrations await you. The demonstration is suitable for young and old.

Location: "Lyuben Karavelov" Regional Library, Ruse

17.00 - 19.00 - "The air in my city" - A team of students from the "Ivan P. Pavlov" Vocational High School for Tourism together with their teacher - Yordan Adolfov will present a practical study of air pollution in an urban environment. Using their knowledge of geography and specially made measurements they will tell us how the different pollutants in the ground layer of the air affect man and nature. We will learn more about the different factors that contribute to climate change in an urban environment. And based on the results obtained, the team of young scientists will present solutions to the climate changes that have occurred.

18.00 - 19.00 "The human body in 60 seconds" - Sevdalina Todorova

In the workshop "The human body in 60 seconds" we will have the incredible chance to look at what is inside it. Through the special interactive t-shirts with a smartphone application, we will be able to view the human heart in 360 degrees and also the human skeleton. We will learn how to measure our pulse and trivia about the structure of the different systems in the human body. Workshop for children 6+

18:00 - 18:30 "How IoT solutions can make our lives easier and healthier?"

Internet of Things - The Internet of Things is a modern technology that can improve our daily lives in many ways, including helping us to be healthier and more productive. We will learn how this is possible from Hristo Atanasov - founder and executive director in Qnectd. He will introduce us to the specifics of IoT and demonstrate the operation of this technology through the use of specific sensors to track indoor air quality. We will do a visual experiment on the spot and learn how by controlling the air in our offices and classrooms we can achieve better concentration and productivity.

19:00 - 20:00 "Play without toys" with Greta Zufelde and Liliana Koeva

Is it possible to breathe new life into a waste? Is it possible to turn trash into a beautiful toy? The answer is yes! In the studio "Play without toys" we will be able to make fun and unique toys from waste products. Things that we would otherwise throw in the trash will become wonderful, personalized, play equipment, desk accessories, pet toys and much more.

We will learn more about the recycling cycle and some interesting facts related to it. Workshop for children 6+

19:00 – 20:00 Application of 3D technologies to reduce the carbon footprint – from art to industry. With Prof. Dr. Eng. Georgi Hristov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Plamen Zahariev and Assistant Eng. Georgi Georgiev, we will find out how 3D technologies can help us reduce our ecological footprint. There will be presentations and demonstrations.

Location: NUI "Prof. Veselin Stoyanov", city of Ruse

13:30 - "The Way of the Bulgarian Book"

In the "Ruse" hall of NUI Prof. Veselin Stoyanov the STEM project "The Way of the Bulgarian Book" will be presented. The STEM project combines the disciplines BEL, Geography, Economics, Computer Graphics, Prepress Preparation, History of Art, Civic Education and has an environmental focus. Come to the place to get acquainted with the work of young scientists.

Location: Otets Paisii Primary School, Ruse

During the school day on September 29, the following activities will take place with students from the school:

1. Visit to the Ecomuseum - Rousse with 20 students of grades V-VII
2. Together with RIOSV - Ruse, a talk on the topic "The influence of climate on biodiversity" will be held for V-VII grade students. Venceslav Petkov - curator of the "Nature" department at the RIM - Ruse will present to the graduates of the "Otets Paisiy" OU - Ruse interesting facts about the influence of climate change on the animal and plant life.

European Night of Scientists is an initiative in which more than 300 cities in Europe and around the world participate every year. The SEARCH project in Bulgaria gathers participants from all over the country. The initiative is financed by the European Union under the "Marie Sklodowska-Curie" program (MSCA & Citizenz).

To learn more details about our activities and speakers join our Facebook event or become part of the community – Friends of the European Night of Scientists SEARCH. You can find more about the European Night of Scientists - SEARCH 2023, as well as the program for the entire country, at the links below:

https://fresher-researchersnight.bg/
https://www.facebook.com/ResearchersBG
https://www.instagram.com/researchersnightsofia/
https://www.tiktok.com/@searchbg?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

We will be waiting for you again this year on September 29!

#SEARCH2023

The two contests have a deadline of 18.09.2023, and a jury of scientists will announce the winners and runners-up in each of the categories in the two contests. There will also be an audience vote. The winners will be awarded at the opening of the European Night of Scientists, which will take place on 29 September 2023. The venue will be announced further.

The topics of the contests are: 

1)     Competition for podcast "Young votes 2023' on project SEARCH  

The competition is open to students living in Bulgaria from the following two age groups:

• 12-14 years;
• 15-18 years.

Tell a personal story about climate change in your town/village/ or region, presented as a 5-minute audio podcast.

We expect your stories to be interesting and express your views and opinions on climate change. Tell about unusual manifestations of climate change on the environment that you have observed - e.g. global warming, climate change, planet pollution, endangered species, deforestation. Make us feel them through your words. Explain to us why these changes are happening, how they are manifesting, what you can do to help. It is possible to participate in a team of two or more students.

Tell us your story in the form of an audio recording, upload the recording to YouTube and send a link to it to: association.cra@gmail.com, citing in the subject field - for The competition "Young Voices 2023" of the SEARCH project.

Write in the email

• your first and last name as the author of the podcast
• podcast title, short description
• contacts: email address, telephone, postal address
• your age and which school you go to

2)     Competition for young people for visual work "SEARCH Instagram Looking Glass 2023"

Students aged 15 to 18 who live in Bulgaria can participate in the competition.

The visual work may take the form of a short video up to 2 minutes or photo up to 5 MB with description.

The work should reflect challenges existing in the environment around you (school, village, city, family, other) or opportunities for positive solutions. You can present unusual manifestations of climate change on the environment – e.g. global warming, climate change, planet pollution, endangered species, deforestation.

Save and upload your creative project to Instagram, and send a link to it at: association.cra@gmail.com, citing in the subject field - About the SEARCH Instagram Looking Glass 2023 Competition.

Write in the email

• your first and last name
• project title, brief description
• contacts: email address, telephone, postal address
• your age and which school you go to

The SEARCH project team is eagerly awaiting your proposals, and we at RTIK hope that among the awardees there will be representatives of our city!

If you wish to learn more about the requirements for participation in each of the competitions, you can download the complete invitations from the following links:

The main points during the meeting were:

• The discussion of the project policy and the future participation of the Federation and its individual members in projects with European funding and discussion of the mechanism of cooperation and engagement of the chambers in joint initiatives.
• Announcement of the date and place of the General Assembly of the Federation - Vienna, Austria, September 27, 2023.
• Discussion of common joint initiatives related to transport and logistics along the Danube River.
• Discussing the possibility of the Federation becoming a member of the Brussels-based Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry - Eurochambres.

In addition, the executive director of RTIK, Mr. Milen Dobrev, discussed with the current president of the Bucharest Chamber, Mr. Iuliu Stoklosa, the next steps in implementing the Memorandum of Cooperation signed two years ago between the two chambers. The representatives of the two oldest organizations of this type in Bulgaria and Romania exchanged ideas for cooperation in the scope of the policy to attract investors, in which the efforts of the two chambers will be united in the promotion of the transnational region along the Bucharest-Rousse axis, which will take shape as a center of attraction for foreign investment. Information was also exchanged in connection with the resumption of the long-standing plans of the two countries for the construction of navigation canals - from Bucharest to the Danube River for Romania and from Ruse to Varna for Bulgaria, for which a discussion initiated in the European Parliament recently began.

The Federation of Danube Chambers is one of the most important international organizations for cooperation in the Danube region. Its members are representatives from Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Germany and Turkey.

Solar MD was founded in the summer of 2014. The company is a leader in the production of energy storage systems in Africa with over 7,000 successfully implemented projects over the past decade. Twice awarded best solar company in Cape Town, South Africa. In addition to manufacturing products, it deals with system integration, installations, as well as monitoring and maintenance.

The reason for the opening of the new production unit is to optimize deliveries to the company's customers in Europe, explains one of the company's co-founders, Kaloyan Dimov, a native of Ruse.

According to Forbes, the company's investment in Ruse is about BGN 3 million.

The production capacity of the facility will be about 60 megawatt hours per year with a tendency to expand. Initially, 15 employees will be hired.

During the ceremony, representatives of business, trade unions, local and state authorities were also present.

The second edition of the Digital4Ruse conference took place last Saturday and turned the Danube city into a kind of e-commerce hub. Twelve lecturers from Bulgaria and Romania took part in it, who elaborated on the topic of international online trade in front of nearly 170 visitors. How to prepare for online business and what are the advice of lawyers, what we know and what we don't know about international e-commerce and how to successfully present our online store on the international stage were some of the questions that received answers from the experts, speakers of Digital4Ruse .

The conference was held on April 8 in the Kanev center and was opened by the mayor of the city Pencho Milkov, Lyubomir Atanasov, founder of Digital4 conferences and the rector of RU "Angel Kanchev" Hristo Beloev dtn, who hosted the event. Pencho Milkov welcomed the participants and emphasized "Dozens of ventures start from Ruse and I am satisfied that the great potential of our city is appreciated by the digital industry and will be invested in its development". He added that Digital4Ruse and similar meetings will contribute to the discovery of new opportunities for the leading companies in this field. After his welcome to the participants of Digital4Ruse, Academician Beloev noted that the hosting of such type of events contributes to more prestige of Ruse University, and Lyubomir Atanasov expressed his gratitude for the support and hosting of Ruse. He emphasized that an event is successful when future business partners meet and get to know each other at it, and for its 8 years Digital4 conferences have created many such meetings and continue to create conditions for this.

Ruse was the first stop of the event calendar of the initiatives united under the Digital4 brand. This month, two more cities will host the conferences - Blagoevgrad on April 22 and Burgas on April 27 and 28. The pilot edition of Digital4Blagoevgrad will present the New Digital Opportunities for 2023 and offer visitors a useful and interesting program. The theme of online commerce will be continued at Digital4Burgas: Innovation, Technology and E-commerce in the first two-day event in this year's calendar.

Digital4Ruse was implemented in partnership with the Municipality of Ruse, the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Business Center for Small and Medium Enterprises, Enterprise Europe Network Bulgaria and the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev".

The city of Ruse will host a regional meeting "Business for Education". It will be held on March 9, 2023 in the "Europe" hall of the Profitable Building, and during the event, good practices from the dual form of education in the country, shared by participating companies and vocational high schools, will be presented.

The meeting is organized under the project "Dual education in Bulgaria" / GODUAL at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce/AdvantageAustria, and the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the main partner of the event. Special guests at the event will be: Mr. Philip Kupfer, Commercial Counselor at the Austrian Embassy and Director of AdvantageAustria, Mrs. Polina Zlatarska, expert in the Ministry of Education and Science and Mr. Pencho Milkov, mayor of Ruse Municipality.

The purpose of the project GODUAL is to ensure the much-needed qualified personnel for business through better professional education in Bulgaria. The resulting dual training will guarantee lower unemployment among young people and better economic development of the country's regions. As a reflection of this, the image of the professions will be raised, migration abroad will be reduced and young people will be retained.

In order to express your interest in participating in the event, you need to contact Mrs. Sofia Damyanova on tel. 0888 725 700 or email sofia@godual.eu, no later than 03/07/2023.

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Arbitration Court at the BCCI - a leader in alternative dispute resolution - answers all these questions by providing you with the opportunity to take part in "Training Course for Lawyers on Arbitration Court Issues", which will be held for the sixteenth year in a row in the period February 16 - May 3, 2023, once a week, during non-working hours in a combined format - present in the BTPP building and via video conferencing, through the google meet platform.

The training aims to popularize and confirm arbitration proceedings as a method for resolving commercial disputes. Particular attention is paid to the particularities of the arbitration process. Alternative methods of resolving legal disputes, mediation and conciliation, are also included as topics.

Additional information about the course and registration of participants, as well as the program, can be obtained from the website of the Chamber, section "Upcoming Events - Online Registration".

Questions can also be sent to: phone: 02 / 8117 561, 02/ 8117 546 and email address: acourt@bcci.bg