Corporate responsibility towards children: The state of affairs in Bulgaria

Abstract

Child-centred corporate responsibility has significantly evolved in the 21st century. Starting from banning child labour and restricting the advertising of unhealthy food and drinks, through corporate philanthropy, understanding and assessing the overall impact that the business sector can have on children throughout the value chain: in the workplace, marketplace, community and environment. Despite the advanced practice of adopting the "National Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy" and the commitment of the business sector to corporate responsibility in functional, organisational and budgetary terms, the opportunity to integrate children's rights into the strategies and policies of the state, and procedures and practices of the business sector in Bulgaria is missing. The paper gives an overview of how to enhance the National Strategy and expand the priority areas of corporate responsibility for the business sector to systemically improve children's rights in the business principles of responsible companies. As a result, it would allow monitoring the Bulgarian business sector's impact on the full range of children's rights, which is vital for a country facing a gloomy demographic picture and unmet labour market needs.