Boyko Takov, PhD. – Executive Director of the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA) and Head of the Bulgarian National Contact point for Responsible Business Conduct, participated in an event on the topic “Due Diligence in Bulgaria: Roadmap and Institutional Implementation”, organized by the Bulgarian Foundation for Business and Human Rights, ESG Lab at the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.

The event is dedicated to the development and implementation of due diligence processes in Bulgaria in the context of international standards, European regulations and the OECD accession process. The current state of the institutionalization of due diligence in Bulgaria was presented, with a focus on existing policies, coordination between institutions and the relationship with the OECD accession process.

The newly created Roadmap for Due Diligence in Bulgaria, prepared by the Foundation for Business and Human Rights and ESG Lab, was presented, as well as the different levels of its implementation – national, sectoral and corporate. The links with key international and European frameworks were discussed, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct and the Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

The event concluded with a discussion: “How to ensure real implementation of due diligence in Bulgaria?” with main highlights:

What are the first realistic steps for institutional implementation?

Where is the biggest gap between policy and practice? How can coordination between institutions be improved?

What role can academia and experts play?

What does a working model for Bulgaria look like in the next 12–24 months?