The Sustainability Academy platform for online training is now accessible in Bulgarian, Serbian and Croatian languages. Thus micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) from the three countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) will have free-of-charge access to offered trainings in their native languages.

In Bulgaria the Sustainability Academy platform is being realized as a partnership of UBB, part of the Belgian KBC Group, SIS, the Coca-Cola Foundation and Cleantex Bulgaria. It started with two main courses in Bulgarian language and will gradually expand its resources in accordance with the specific needs and requirements of businesses in Bulgaria.

Online trainings aim at supporting businesses in the process of rendering them compliant with the applicable EU regulations, as well as granting access to information and practical advice as to the effects and benefits, being added by the new sustainability requirements.

„UBB is strongly committed to support its SME customers. Being leaders in the domain of Bulgaria’s sustainable development, we aim at helping our customers meet all challenges and opportunities, linked to their transformation towards long-term sustainable business models. KBC Group’s experience so far shows that it is crucial for SMEs to find their way through and to timely obtain the needed knowledge, skills, and experience, which to apply in their daily activity. With their support for the Sustainability Academy and for the Transformer programme we make yet another big step in supporting Bulgarian businesses along their road to responsible management, while caring for the nature, people and society.“, said Mr. peter Roebben, Chief Executive Officer of UBB.

The Sustainability Academy in Bulgaria is accessible at www.akademiya-za-ustoichivost.bg and is part of a larger regional programme, called Sustainable Futures. Apart from participation in the Academy trainings, 15 SMEs will have the opportunity to join the TRANSFORMER - a quarterly intense programme, which will help them make their business models more resilient. The invitation to apply under this programme will be opened at the end of June, while trainings themselves will be held in the autumn of 2024.

The Sustainability Academy platform has been created with the support of the Coca-Cola Foundation, as in 2023 the Social Innovation Solutions (SIS) Association launched it in Romania. Over the first 12 months more than 13 000 Romanian SMEs registered in the platform.