BILLA Bulgaria - The Peer Awards

BILLA Bulgaria

Category:

Responsible Business

Brief History

❖ 2000 – BILLA stepped in Bulgaria and became the first international supermarket chain on the

local market

❖ 120 outlets in 37 cities in Bulgaria – leader in number of stores on the local market

❖ More than 4500 employees

❖ Network of 160 stores – BILLA’s investment plans for the next few years

❖ More than 1.5 million Bulgarians do their shopping in BILLA every week

❖ Supporting local producers as establishing partnerships with farmers from the whole country

and buying up their production

Brief History

❖ Bulgarians’ most favorite shopping chain

for 2016 and 2017, according to the only

consumer rate in Bulgaria “My Love Marks”

❖ The first retail chain in Bulgaria to win the

prestigious award “Customers’ Friend” –

result of an independent research of the Swiss

organization ICERTIAS

❖ “National Champion” in the category

“Ecological and Corporate Sustainability” at the

European Business Awards 2016

❖ 8 golden medals QUDAL (QUality meDAL)

for highest quality in Bulgaria in the

categories: “Symbol of Quality”, “Retail chain”

and “International retail chain” (2014/2015);

“Fruit and vegetables”, “Fresh meat” and

“Loyalty programs” (2016/2017); “Symbol and

best example of top quality in Bulgaria” and

“Retail chain” (2018/2019).

Brief History

Bulgarians’ most favorite shopping chainCustomers’ Friend

Business with a Cause

Apart from following successful business practices,

BILLA also supports significant social causes. The

company’s aim is to make responsible business

and to work in favor of society. Its efforts in the CSR

field are focused on four key pillars:

❖ more sustainable products

❖ preserving the environment

❖ motivation and qualification of employees

❖ corporate social engagement

BILLA is the one and only company in the retail sector

in Bulgaria to issue a report, summarizing its

achievements in the field of corporate social

responsibility. The shopping chain has issued two

reports so far – in 2016 and in 2017.

Business with a Cause

BILLA is a trustworthy partner of a number of non-profit organizations in Bulgaria, in

cooperation with which it develops long-term projects in favor of society. Some of the NGOs the

company works with are: Union of the Blind in Bulgaria, Bulgarian Red Cross, “I want a Baby“

foundation, SOS Children’s Villages.

Protecting Environment

Realizing that natural resources are limited, BILLA Bulgaria has developed a sustainable policy

for minimizing the impact on environment and for increasing its energy efficiency. The

company sets clear goals for protecting the environment and has achieved impressive results:

❖ Lower greenhouse gas emissions – nature friendly refrigerants were brought in all stores in

Bulgaria and thus the greenhouse gas emissions were decreased with 21%.

❖ Waste=valuable resource – BILLA is the first retail chain in Bulgaria that started working

actively on utilizing biodegradable waste. As a result, 28% of BILLA’s biodegradable waste was

utilized and biogas was generated and later used for energy production. The company also

increased the amount of recycled paper with 31% compared to 2014.


❖ Energy Efficiency – BILLA is the first retail company in Bulgaria to be certified under the

international energy standard ISO 50 001. The company introduced an energy management

system, thanks to which it has the opportunity to set annual and long-term goals for decreasing

the energy consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the major factors for the successful energy management is the innovative system,

monitoring the consumption of electricity, called “ELECTRA“. It is fully automated and

submits information to a web-based platform every 15 minutes, thanks to which detailed energy

consumption analyses can be conducted. The system was launched in all 120 BILLA stores in

Bulgaria, as well as in the storehouse in Stolnik.

In 2017 BILLA achieved a relative decrease of used electricity per square meter sales area of 1

%, compared to the previous year. Despite the unfavorable weather conditions in the winter of

2017, the company also decreased the consumption per square meter sales areas of natural

gas with 3.1% and of diesel for heating with 23.8%.


BILLA has its own energy management

team that includes representatives of

different departments. All employees of

the retail chain have undergone special

interactive trainings, related to the

energy management process.

The Energy manager holds meetings in

the stores in case the system shows an

issue and thus manages to resolve most

of the problems.

For More Children in Bulgaria

As a socially responsible company, BILLA Bulgaria is

motivated to fight one of the major problems in

Bulgarian society – negative demographic trends.

One of the reasons for the low birth rates is the

reproductive problems many couples have. That is

why BILLA and “I want a baby” foundation have

united in the mission for supporting people who

dream to have their own child. The retail chain and

the organization have implemented two joint

campaigns so far:

❖ In 2016, specially designed cards with photos of

babies were sold in all BILLA stores, in order to

collect funds for IVF procedures for couples with

reproductive problems who could apply for the

financial support. Almost 15 000 USD were raised

only for a few months. 6 couples were randomly

drawn and each of them received 2400 USD for an

IVF procedure.

For More Children in Bulgaria

❖ In 2017, BILLA organized another successful campaign, aiming to support couples with

reproductive problems. Within a month, 0.5 cent of each sold BILLA brand product was donated

for IVF procedures. 9 300 USD were collected in the campaign. 4 couples were randomly drawn

and received a financial support of 2 300 USD.

The most important result of the joint campaigns of BILLA Bulgarian and “I want a baby”

foundation in 2016 and 2017 is that two of the couples supported have fulfilled their biggest

dream and now have babies. One of the babies, Martina, was born on February 25th after her

mom and dad had been waiting for their own child for 18 years. The other happy couple now has

a lovely baby boy.

Supporting Visually Impaired People

BILLA Bulgaria’s major priority is making its

stores easily accessible for all customers. That

is why the company is a long-term partner of the

Union of the Blind in Bulgaria, with which it

works actively, in order to facilitate the daily life

of visually impaired people:

❖ BILLA is the first retail chain in Bulgaria to

introduce assisted shopping policy for visually

impaired customers. The staff in all stores of the

chain have undergone a special training, so that

they could help and service blind people.

❖ BILLA introduced an innovative technology, in

order to make its online brochures accessible

for blind people. The content on the company’s

website is played as a sound.

❖ BILLA regularly provides members of the

Union of the Blind with special facilities such as

white canes and talking blood pressure monitors.

Helping People in Need

In 2016 and 2017, BILLA Bulgaria and the Bulgarian

Red Cross worked on a joint project, aiming to support

indigent people, youths with mental disabilities, sick

and lonely elderly people, single mothers with many

children, etc. Specially branded shopping trolleys

were positioned in all BILLA stores. All customers who

wanted to support the cause could buy food products

and leave them in the trolleys.

Every month the retail chain donated 10 kg. of flour in

each of the stores. The collected donations were given

to the local branches of the Bulgarian Red Cross

that distributed them to people in need. The project

achieved significant results:

❖ 29 tones of food products collected since start

❖ More than 10 700 individual beneficiaries supported

❖ More than 90 institutional beneficiaries such as care

homes for elderly and disabled people and family-type

accommodation centers supported

All Children Deserve Support

BILLA Bulgaria does believe that all children

deserve a safe and supportive environment.

That is why the company is a long-term partner of

“SOS Children’s Villages” organization that takes

care for more than 600 kids and youths in foster

families in Bulgaria. The retail chain regularly

supports the organization through different

campaigns:

❖ In 2016, BILLA donated almost 18 000 USD

(12 000 USD – money and 6 000 USD – food

vouchers) to “SOS Children’s Villages” and

supported 203 kids and youths. The funds were

used mainly for furnishing and renovation of the

houses, where the children live together with the

foster parents.

❖ In 2017, BILLA donated 3 700 USD to “SOS

Children’s Villages”. The funds were used for

covering the living costs of the children and for

improving the conditions they live in.

Preserving Bulgarian Culture and Historical Heritage

One of the most significant CSR projects of BILLA Bulgaria is the long-term national campaign

“We love Bulgaria”, whose goal is providing financial support for some of the most

significant monuments in Bulgaria. Official partners of the project are the Ministry of Culture

and the Ministry of Tourism. The campaign has been implemented two years in a row so far (in

2016 and 2017).

It is the first so large-scale campaign in Bulgaria, devoted exactly to preserving culture and

historical heritage. Both in 2016, and in 2017 “We love Bulgaria” managed to unite Bulgarians

around a significant cause and to focus the attention of the whole society on a really important

topic.

The logo of “We love Bulgaria” campaign


There are many monuments in Bulgaria in a poor condition, but the resources of the

responsible state institutions are limited, so restoration sometimes seems like “mission

impossible”. That is why alternative solutions need to be sought, so that these sites could be

restored.

“We love Bulgaria” campaign “makes this mission possible” and thus contributes to solving a

serious problem such as the maintenance of the culture and historical sites. This is a problem

not only of the institutions, but also of the whole society, so the project turns out to be a strong

connection between the state and the people. However, what is more important is that the

funds, collected, within “We love Bulgaria” are a valuable support for the monuments. This money

enables carrying out renovation activities and introducing innovative technologies.

I save the Madara Rider – a logo for “We love

Bulgaria” 2017 campaign


The main source of funds is a spectacular

charity concert with the participation of some of

the most famous Bulgarian singers. The event

has been organized in two consecutive years in

the largest Bulgarian hall Arena Armeec and has

attracted 9000 audience.

The first edition of “We love Bulgaria“ supported

the restoration of the glorious Monument of

Liberty at Shipka mount, which is very special

for every Bulgarian, because it keeps the memory

of the heroism of Bulgarian freedom fighters. More

than 40 000 USD were donated for the

monument.

In 2017, “We love Bulgaria” supported the Madara

Rider, which is the only one rock relief form the

Early Mediaeval in Europe. More than 57 000

USD were collected for the significant monument.

The Monument of Liberty at Shipka Mount

The Madara Rider


Charity concert “Stars Sing for Bulgaria“ 2016

Arena Armeec hall, 31.05, 7 p.m.

Tickets cost 3 USD and 6 USD

Participants:

Signal

D2

Veselin Marinov

Toni Dimitrova

Poli Genova

Neli Rangelova

Panayout Panayotov

Mariana Popova

Nevena Tsoneva

Preslava Peycheva

Vessy Boneva and VS Dance

LaTiDa

Bon-Bon


Charity concert 2017

Come to the charity concert, supporting the Madara

Rider

with the most beloved folklore, pop, rock and hip-

hop hits

Arena Armeec hall, 31 May, 8 p.m.

Tickets cost 6 USD and can be purchased from

BILLA stores in Sofia and on www.ticketpro.bg

Participants: Orlin Pavlov, D2, “Bulgare” ensemble,

Tedi Katzarova, 100 KILA, 100 bagpipes, Silviya

Katsarova, Preslava, Panayot Panayotov, Desislava,

Slavka Kalcheva, Ivelina Koleva

http://www.ticketpro.bg/


One of the most famous Bulgarian rock groups - D2 The young pop star Poli Genova and the talented little singers from Bon-Bon

The unique “100 bagpipes” – playing the traditional Bulgarian bagpipeThousands of audience enjoy the concert at the largest Bulgarian hall


Thousands of audience enjoy the concert at the largest Bulgarian hall

Hundreds of people dance traditional Bulgarian dances – “horo”The Bulgarian pop legend Toni Dimitrova

The bagpipe player Peter Yanev and the folklore singer Valya Balkanska, whose

song “Izlel e Delyo haidutin” was included on the Golden Record with sounds of

Earth carried on board the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes


In 2017, one of the key focuses of “We love Bulgaria” campaign was Bulgarian folklore,

especially traditional dances. They are an essential element of Bulgarian national identity and

spirit. That is why BILLA wanted to revive people’s interest towards folklore, so that this

unique heritage could be preserved and transmitted to the next generations.

The company organized free folklore dance lessons at the parking lots of 25 of its outlets in

20 cities. The events were attended by people of different ages, but all united by their love to

Bulgarian culture heritage.

THANK YOU!

BILLA Bulgaria - The Peer Awards

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