The project aims at highlighting the nuclear power engineers values of discipline, responsibility, accurate and careful performance of the set tasks, collaboration with colleagues, all of which have made Kozloduy NPP a unique company in Bulgaria, and one of the best nuclear power plants in the world. A role model for such a professional is the long-time director of Safety and Quality, Mitko Yankov. In recognition of his example, the Safety First collective contribution award was established in his name.

The project addresses the internal corporate audience - the workers and employees of Kozloduy NPP.

The project was launched in 2019, but awarding the prize will continue in the future in order to encourage responsible behaviour, leadership in the workplace, and inspire people who set an example and promote the development of a positive safety culture - key components in the organisational culture of the nuclear power plant.

The nominations for the new award were collected together with those for the Best performer in ... that have been traditionally conferred on the occasion of the professional holiday of the NPP employees. The plant department that was the first winner of the prize established in the name of Mitko Yankov was announced on the Power Engineer Day, 22 June 2019. This was a reminder of the example he had set of the importance of working responsibly, continually focusing on safety and performance excellence. The Electrical Equipment Operation section with its proven dedicated team work deservedly won the new award. The Kozloduy NPP CEO, Nasko Mihov, presented a certificate and a statuette to the head of the section, Emil Krastev. In order to consolidate the high results achieved and to increase the motivation of the section, as a reward for the whole team of 130 people, in October 2019, a team building event was held on the topic: Inspired together! Building of skills and enhancing the team work competences.

The project brought to the forefront the professional values shared by generations of nuclear power workers throughout the 45-year history of the nuclear power plant. The importance of the high level of safety culture, teamwork and leadership in the workplace has once again been the focus of attention of employees - both among the awardees and among their colleagues from the rest of NPP departments.