ABOUT BBLF

BBLF HISTORY

November, 1998 - Inauguration of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum
The Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF) was set up by 12 leading international and national companies and inaugurated by former President Stoyanov and HRH The Prince of Wales on 6 November 1998 in Sofia.

 

January 4, 1999 - Meeting with H.M. King Simeon II

A meeting with H.M. King Simeon II was held on January 4, 1999. The purpose of the event was to outline potential domains of interaction when assisting Bulgaria in the difficult period of transition. Guest of honor was the UK Ambassador, Mr Richard Stagg.  

 

October, 1999 - Launch of the Code of Business Ethics Project
The project was launched on October 27, 1999 when several BBLF member companies presented their codes of business ethics and shared examples of good business practices. Special contribution was made by Mr. Bill Drysdale - Managing Partner of KPMG and then Chairman of BBLF. The strategic goal of the project was to initiate the preparation of a Code of Business Ethics on a voluntary basis by companies operating in Bulgaria. The first draft of the Code was presented at a press conference on September 26, 2000, and its latest version broadly discussed with Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha, Deputy Prime Minister Nikolay Vassilev and the business community on September 3, 2001.

November, 1999 - International Hotels Environment Initiative (IHEI)
The first awareness raising event of the Initiative in Bulgaria was held on November 30, 1999. It was sponsored by BBLF, Charities Aid Foundation Bulgaria and Ambassador Hotel, supported by IBLF, the Hungarian Hotel Association, Kempinski Hotel Zografski Sofia and the Sheraton Balkan Sofia. An Annual Award for the hotel with best environmental practice was instituted under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment & Waters and the BBLF on March 15, 2001.  The initiative is aimed at raising the awareness and facilitating the process of harmonisation of the Bulgarian legislation with the EU Standard ISO 14001.

 

May, 2001 - Launch of the Career Advisory Project
BBLF and AIMS Human Capital Bulgaria in cooperation with the Student Career Advisory Center launched their joint initiative called Career Advise Project. Due to the fact that the project turned out to be quite successful, the Managing Board decided to keep it as an ongoing one. It was completed in three consecutive years with over 6,000 students participating in the professional seminars for career orientation in May, 2003.

October 2001 - HRH Prince Andrew met BBLF Representatives

During the second day of his visit to Bulgaria, HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York, had a luncheon meeting with a group of BBLF members. They discussed the business climate in Bulgaria, the current legislation and the ongoing changes in the country.

 

October 2002 - Launch of the BBLF Business Ethics Standard
The Business Ethics Standard is a set of ten rules of business conduct, aiming at fostering good corporate practices, and building correct and trustful relations. Close to 300 companies, including all BBLF members, have signed and adopted the Standard in the past year.

 

November 2002 - Launch of the Open Doors Initiative

In November 2003, the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum started the Open Doors initiative, which aims to "open the doors" of companies for the students, in the form of trainings, internships, seminars etc. AstraZeneca and Curtis/Balkan are the first two companies, who welcomed students to their offices as part of the Open Doors Initiative.

 

December 2002 - HRH The Prince of Wales met BBLF Chairman Maxim Behar at St. James's Palace

Mr. Behar delivered to the Prince of Wales an official invitation to visit Bulgaria in 2003 to participate in a BBLF conference devoted to business ethics. Prince Charles received also from Maxim Behar his personalized copy of the Business Ethics Standard.

 

March 2003 - Prince Charles visited Bulgaria

HRH The Prince of Wales came to Bulgaria for the second time upon the invitation of BBLF. He took part in the "Practical Management of Business Ethics" conference and a consequent meeting with BBLF members.

 

April 2003 - BBLF Welcomed its 100th member

MobilTel is the 100th member of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum.

 

July 2003 - Launch of the ENGAGE Project
The ENGAGE Project aims at increasing the extent and quality of employee engagement in the development of healthy and sustainable communities. It was launched with a conference on the topic "Community Involvement and Volunteer Work in the Corporate Sector".

 

October 2003 - Launch of the Business Master Classes
The Business Master Classes came as a natural continuation of the BBLF Career Advice Project, only more professional, practical and selective to both lecturers and students. BBLF's partner in masterminding the Business Master Classes is AIMS Human Capital.

June 2004 - The first Business Leaders Olympics
On June 12, 2004, BBLF brought together its members and friends for a meeting that is slightly less business, more fun, but just as challenging as any business venture. More than 200 representatives of the big business faced each other on the field in 15 different sports. Results were reported to be positive on all physical, mental, and communicative levels. We are definitely doing it again!

 

September 2004 - Launching of the HE+AL Partnership Project
On the first day of school in Bulgaria, September 15, BBLF, together with its active members Astra Zeneca and Aqua Source and with the kind support of famous eurhythmics coach Ms. Iliana Raeva, launched the IBLF HEAL Partnership Project, standing for Healthy Eating and Active Living. HEAL Bulgaria started in two Sofia schools, ambitiously enough to go national as early as in its second year of existence - 2005.

 January 2005 - Publishing of the first in Bulgaria 2005 Responsible Business Directory in co-operation with UNDP Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation. The Directory features the CSR Profiles of 70 Bulgarian and multinational companies doing business in this country, as well as analyses of CSR development and trends in Bulgaria, Europe and the rest of the world.

 

February 2005 - BBLF, BIBA, BCVB Launch Joint Anti-Corruption Statement

The Statement provides a list of 11 recommendations to the Bulgarian Government on emergency steps to be taken to eliminate corruption-breeding conditions in the system of the State Administration. The Anti-Corruption Statement was backed by 400 companies.

 

October 2005 - Meeting with Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev

VAT decrease, faster introduction of e-government, creating financial, human and technical capacity for immediate reaction in case of crises and natural disasters - these were some of the topics discussed at the meeting of the BBLF members with Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev.

 

November 2005 - Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivaylo Kalfin

The fight with corruption, the efficient absorption of EU funds through closer cooperation between local authorities and private sector and the maintenance of favourable public opinion towards Bulgaria in the EU member states were discussed as being among the top priorities for the Government.

 

January 2006 - Mr. Stamen Tassev becomes Executive Director of BBLF

After holding the post of Deputy Minister of Finance of Bulgaria during 2003-2005, Stamen Tassev joins BBLF to give the community a new face and to increase its influence in society.

 

March 2006 - Launch of the Business Master Classes in Varna

BBLF launched officially in Varna the pilot edition of its biggest educational project - the Business Master Classes with two classes in the University of Economy and in the Technical University.

 

April 2006 - BBLF hosts an assessment panel for the Alcan Prize for Sustainability

Sixteen representatives of private and nongovernmental organisations evaluated together in Sofia projects nominated for the international Alcan Prize for Sustainability worth 1 million US dollars. BBLF organized the daylong panel in partnership with the International Business Leaders Forum of Prince of Wales (IBLF).

 

September 2006 - Launch of the project "Business Hour" 

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science Daniel Valchev opened in the National Financial and Economic School the new initiative of the BBLF. The project is part of the international initiative of the IBLF - ENGAGE. In those business hours the employees of the companies, members of the Forum will meet the pupils from the professional schools in Sofia and introduce them with the most interesting market innovations, concrete situations from their everyday practice, and to give the students valuable professional advice.