The Diversity Charter is a brief document outlining around ten key principles, primarily focused on the idea that people in the workplace should be valued and treated based on their professional qualities, rather than personal characteristics such as skin color, race, nationality, age, or gender. It is a European initiative, and each EU member state participates in the European Union’s Diversity Charters platform. This was explained by Dimitar Markov, an expert from the Center for the Study of Democracy and a member of the team that developed the Bulgarian Diversity Charter, during the program “50 Reasons More” on Radio Focus.
“Diversity builds upon what the law already guarantees. It’s something businesses and companies can choose to implement as an extra step – not because they are legally required to, but because it brings real benefits”, said Dimitar Markov. “The core idea is that diversity adds value. Sometimes, it may be enough just to ensure the rights protected by law. But when slightly better conditions are created for people to work in, they become more productive. Diversity is not an obligation – it’s an advantage, and it should be understood and embraced as such; otherwise, it simply doesn’t work.”
He also expressed regret that workplace diversity in Bulgaria remains at a minimal level. “Many companies are unfamiliar with the concept of diversity itself, and most lack any policies, guidelines, or measures to promote it. Companies need to be convinced that diversity truly brings value”, the expert added.
“The Diversity Charter encourages employers to create working conditions that ensure all employees – including those in disadvantaged positions – feel valued and are treated equally. This includes equal pay, equal living conditions, and equal opportunities, so that they are not forced to rely on social protection. In this way, diversity becomes something that businesses can contribute as an alternative to state-provided social support”, he explained.
According to Markov, digitalization and technological advancement bring clear benefits – both for businesses and for society as a whole. However, he believes that a major gap in Bulgaria is the lack of public awareness. “The state does not do enough to inform citizens about systemic innovations”, he explained. “Bulgarian governments have traditionally assumed that people here are highly intelligent and capable of informing themselves. But the reality is that without proper communication, people often don’t understand or take advantage of new systems. In the case of major reforms, this lack of awareness becomes a recipe for difficulties and failure”.
Markov firmly stated that labor legislation is evolving – albeit more slowly than real-life developments. “The state tends to move sluggishly. It struggles to grasp the changes and to identify effective ways of regulating them. Still, it is moving – albeit in small and gradual steps – in the right direction.”
He also emphasized that the government is falling short when it comes to enforcement: “Reforms are welcome – I fully support them – but we also need a strong and reliable system of state oversight to ensure those reforms are actually implemented.”
Listen to the full interview here.
