After the successful completion at the beginning of 2022 of the pilot edition for Bulgaria of the ESG Academy of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, with more than 35 graduates who are employees of UniCredit Bulbank, among them also the Chief Executive Officer Tzvetanka Mintcheva, the bank and the university implemented in partnership the second ESG Academy and conducted the first edition of the Academy in English language. Three members of the Management Board of the bank enrolled as well – Borislav Bangeev, Chief Risk Officer, Mario Collari, General Manager, and Velko Dzhilizov, Head of Legal Division.

 “We are happy that we had the opportunity to implement the second edition of the ESG Academy in partnership with UniCredit Bulbank. The training of a growing number of experts in the field of sustainable development gives us confidence that the corporate world is aware not only of the need for ESG transformation, but also strives to achieve that transformation as efficiently as possible and with a long-term positive effect on society”, shared Assoc. Prof. Atanas Georgiev, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Sofia University.

 “In 2021, UniCredit Bulbank was the first bank which launched in partnership with the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Sofia University the first ESG Academy. After its great success, we decided to implement a second one, and this time 50 of our employees joined. We are extremely happy about the interest and willingness of our employees for an in-depth knowledge on the topic. Today we have almost 90 certified ESG specialists who support our colleagues and customers both in understanding and implementing the purposes of sustainable development”, commented Andrea Tognetti, Head of People and Culture of UniCredit Bulbank.

The Academy for management of the environmental social and governance aspects of the activities of organisations (ESG Academy) is also the first national certification programme for training specialists in sustainable governance. Its implementation at UniCredit Bulbank comes as a result of the ESG Strategy of the bank whose aim is to support and develop the in-depth knowledge of its employees in the field of environmental, social and governance factors. The Academy is a part of the dedicated holistic programme of the bank – “ESG Learning Journey”, in the scope of which is also the partnership between UniCredit Bulbank and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration concerning the first jointly implemented Master's programme “Responsible and Sustainable Management” of Sofia University. Among the future MA graduates in ESG are also more than 40 employees of the bank, whose training is provided entirely by UniCredit Bulbank.

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Additional media information:

Ekaterina Ancheva, tel +359 894 518 193 , flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Darina Radoslavova, tel +359 887 505273, Ebsjob/SbeptmbwpwbAVojDsfejuHspvq/CH