On 16 October, the National Network for Children (NNC) presented two key initiatives supporting children and families to representatives of the business community: the Child-Friendly Company Certificate and the development of the Children’s House. The meeting took place as part of the Meet BBLF Success series organised by the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF) in Sofia and focused on opportunities for long-term partnerships between business and civil society.
The event was opened by Anton Panayotov, Managing Director of Alaric Securities and Chair of BBLF, who welcomed the guests and highlighted the importance of partnerships that create a positive impact on society.
“Children today are tomorrow’s interns, employees, partners, taxpayers, employers and leaders. All the efforts we invest in their well-being matter and will bear fruit in the very near future.”
Alexandra Mircheva, Programme Director for Education and Skills at the Association for Innovation, Business Services and Technology (AIBEST), highlighted the connection between education, young people’s skills and the future of the Bulgarian economy. She emphasised the importance of cooperation between businesses and civil society organisations in defining shared priorities and developing sustainable solutions.
“Education is about the kind of economy we will have in the future. I am glad that, together with the National Network for Children and other expert civil society organisations, we are working on advocacy and building a common agenda around important issues and the reforms needed. I encourage businesses to actively support civil society organisations and causes for children. The need is enormous, and support is not only financial — it is also important to define and advocate for society’s priorities together,” said Alexandra Mircheva.
Maria Brestnichka, Programme Director at NNC, presented the Network’s mission and some of its most significant achievements over the past 20 years.
“Over these 20 years, together with our member organisations, partners and the support of businesses, we have helped bring about important changes in the lives of children in Bulgaria — from developing family-based care and promoting child participation to ensuring access to medical foods for hundreds of children and enabling 20,000 children to receive the book they had wished for. This shows how much we can achieve when we join forces for children.”
The Child-Friendly Company Certificate: Making Child Well-Being Part of Business Strategy
Georgi Bogdanov, Executive Director of NNC, introduced the Child-Friendly Company Certificate — an initiative that helps companies assess the extent to which children’s rights and interests are integrated into their policies, governance and everyday practices.
The certificate does not simply recognise individual charitable activities. It assesses a company’s long-term policies and practices across four key areas:
- Employees and families — supporting working parents and promoting work-life balance.
- Corporate governance — responsible employment practices and policies that take the impact on children into account.
- Products, services and communication — responsible marketing and appropriate treatment of children and young consumers.
- Community impact — long-term initiatives and investments in the well-being of children and communities.
The certification process includes a self-assessment, an independent audit, an analytical report with recommendations, a review by a certification committee and subsequent monitoring. This gives companies an independent perspective on their practices, helping them identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. BBLF also contributes to the independent assessment process through its representation on the audit committee.
The certificate helps companies identify both their strengths and the areas in which they can improve. It supports employers in creating a family-friendly working environment, attracting and retaining employees, strengthening trust and better accounting for their social impact within the context of ESG and sustainable development.
The model developed by NNC has been registered as a European trademark. Its first international step was the licensing of the model to the Kosovo Network for Children (KOMF).
“For us, it is important that businesses see care for children not only as charity, but as part of the way a company plans, manages and develops its operations. The certificate helps employers assess their actual practices, identify opportunities for improvement and build a more sustainable environment for children and families,” said Georgi Bogdanov.
Become a Child-Friendly Company!
Find out more about the certificate and the certification process at child-friendly.eu.
During the subsequent Q&A session, Vanya Bozhilova-Stoyanova, PR and CSR Manager at dm Bulgaria, shared the company’s experience as it approaches the final stage of the certification process. She highlighted the value of an independent external assessment and the opportunity for companies to receive objective feedback on their practices and identify new areas for development.
“For me, the most valuable aspect of certification is the opportunity for a company to gain an objective perspective on its own practices and understand how they can be improved. This is not a process in which someone tests you; it is an opportunity to receive useful feedback and discover new directions for development,” she said.
Companies certified in Bulgaria include Lidl Bulgaria, UniCredit Bulbank and Kaufland Bulgaria.
The Children’s House: A Shared Space for Children, Families and Civil Society
The second main topic of the meeting was the development of the Children’s House — a future community centre for early childhood development and a national centre for training and advocacy on children’s rights.
The Children’s House will welcome children and young people from across Bulgaria, regardless of their background, social status or health condition. It will host educational programmes, training sessions, interactive activities and child participation initiatives. The space will also provide opportunities for parents and families to meet and receive support, as well as for professionals and organisations working with children.
The project also envisages the development of a social enterprise that will offer opportunities for young people in vulnerable situations to gain work experience and skills, including young people leaving foster care or residential institutions.
Georgi Bogdanov presented NNC’s vision for the Children’s House as a space that will bring together children, families, civil society organisations, public institutions and businesses, while supporting the development and participation of young people.
Dr Eng. Krum Rangelov, the project manager, outlined progress on the construction, the next stages and the resources needed to complete the building. He also presented opportunities for businesses to contribute through financial donations or by providing construction materials and equipment.
A Brick with a Purpose — Everyone Can Help Build the Children’s House
As a gesture of appreciation to our hosts, the Bulgarian Association of Innovative Technologies (BRAIT), we presented them with a “Brick with a Purpose” as a symbolic contribution to the development of the Children’s House.
Anyone can support this cause through the charitable initiative “A Brick with a Purpose.” Donations range from EUR 50 to EUR 300, giving individuals, companies and organisations the opportunity to help create a space for learning, development and participation for children and young people from across Bulgaria.
Every donor will have a place on the future Wall of Hope at the Children’s House. The names of those who contribute to its construction will be engraved on the wall, allowing children, families and visitors to see the community that helped make this space a reality.
Join the initiative and choose your “Brick with a Purpose” to help create the Children’s House — a place for every child in Bulgaria. Choose your “Brick with a Purpose”
At the end of the meeting, guests had the opportunity to visit the Children’s House construction site and see the progress first-hand.
We would like to thank the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF) for the opportunity to present NNC’s initiatives to the business community, the Bulgarian Association of Innovative Technologies (BRAIT) for its hospitality, and A Data Pro for providing the venue for the event.
