The study presents the economic, managerial, and societal perspectives on corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a basis for adding value to enterprises. It investigates the interplay between the digitalisation of activities and the management of Bulgarian financial enterprises, with a focus on HRM and CSR initiatives in a pandemic situation. The study tests the hypothesis that, in pandemic conditions, the CSR of Bulgarian financial enterprises is positively correlated with the digitalisation of general and human resource management. To assess the level of engagement of financial enterprises with CSR causes during the pandemic, the study employs a methodology comprising descriptive statistics and ordinal regression. The main conclusion, based on a nationally representative survey of Bulgarian financial enterprises, is that banks and insurers that heavily invest in digitalisation have demonstrated a higher level of commitment to CSR causes during the COVID-19 pandemic, while conservative and less digitally advanced financial enterprises have had limited CSR activity. By adopting fintech and insurtech solutions directed towards societal needs, market demands, and customer satisfaction, financial enterprises increase their efficiency. Our analysis confirms the interplay between the digitalisation of financial enterprises and support for CSR causes.

Purpose: The aim of the research is to study the various aspects of the circular economy in Bulgaria and the countries of the European Union. Method: The article evaluates the circular economy by applying different statistical analysis approaches: multivariate statistical methods, convergence analysis and cross-correlation analysis. Results and conclusion: First, as a result of the conducted dynamic classification of EU countries, it was found that the transition to a circular economy is most advanced in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Luxembourg. Second, according to each of the indicators included in the analysis, the absence of a process of general convergence and the presence of club convergence between the EU-27 countries during the period 2012-2019 was established. Convergence among countries in four of the clubs formed is relative, while in the others there is a process of transitional divergence and phase reversal. Third, based on the cross-correlation analysis, we find no relationship between generated and recycled packaging waste in Bulgaria from 2005 to 2019. Between these indicators in the European Union for the same period, there is reason to argue that there is a relationship that occurs within the current year. Fourth, the values of the indicators of waste utilization and rendering waste harmless clearly show that in Bulgaria the waste from economic activities is mainly landfilled, and this is associated with additional costs and leads to environmental pollution. Fifth, the taxonomic analysis shows the existence of minimal differences between the Bulgarian districts in terms of municipal solid waste management.

The European Green Deal creates both opportunities and challenges in the process of transition to sustainable farming models. In modern conditions, it is crucial that this transition leads to a higher degree of sustainability of a healthy and environmentally friendly food system. The role of farmers is becoming particularly prominent due to their efforts in introducing environmentally friendly agricultural practices for effective combat against climate change, protection and conservation of biodiversity and the environment. On the one hand, agriculture stands at the “front line” as regards the consequences of climate change and biodiversity loss, and on the other hand, unsustainable agricultural practices are a major factor in biodiversity loss. The aim of this study is to identify the differences or the regional specificities of an innovative agricultural model and its potential for developing and strengthening socioeconomic indicators on a national scale. The thesis of the study is that organic agriculture in Bulgaria, as a sustainable model for agricultural production, not only has the potential for development but is also an opportunity for diversification and development of agricultural business on the regional level, with a key role and priority in the national agricultural policy.

The establishment of trends and intensity of ongoing processes is important for revealing the causes and differences in the development of regions, the disproportions that have arisen and the need to apply adequate measures for their reduction and limitation. In today's economy, undergoing increasing transformations towards sustainability in each of the developing sectors in Bulgaria and especially in the sensitive regions, sustainability in the context of sustainable development is becoming even more important. Two of the poorest regions in EU are located in Bulgaria – the Northwest and the North Central Region (NWR and NCR), and this is the main reason to analyse the indicators characterizing their economic, social, demographic and environmental condition in this article. The main objective of the study is to analyse important indicators for two of the statistical regions in Bulgaria (NWR and NCR) related to the current vision for their economic, socio-demographic and environmental condition. The study found that, unfortunately, the negative trend of the NWR and the NCR being the least populated regions in the Republic of Bulgaria is still growing, where the population in the NWR manages to stay within the upper limit, while the NCR is emerging as the region with the fastest depopulation. Enterprises with high risk potential have a larger relative share in the NCR, and those in the NWR have lower values. The higher relative share of enterprises with low risk potential in the NWR indicates the possibility of increasing sustainable territorial development and connectivity between different territories, between urban and rural areas. A sustainable trend is observed towards reducing the carbon dioxide values in the sectors of construction, energy, industry and waste. The same trend is noted for methane in the sectors of agriculture, construction, transport and waste, and for the nitrous oxide component in the agriculture, construction and energy sectors. Alarming is the trend in both studied regions for increasing values of CO2 in the agriculture and transport sectors, and of methane in the energy and industry sectors.

The statistics indicate a significant growth in the global organic food industry. This growth impacts rural economies, employment, and the rural landscape, affecting the structure, services, and amenities available to the rural population. Most of the Bulgarian municipalities have rural characteristics. The primary objective of this study is to analyze and assess the impact of organic farming on rural development and to formulate recommendations for fostering a stronger relationship between organic agriculture and rural regions in Bulgaria. Due to the complexity and comprehensiveness of this study’s primary objective, the authors employ a combination of three methods: statistical analysis (correlation, regression, and chi-squared), a survey focused on consumer attitudes towards organic products, and a SWOT analysis. There is a strong correlation between the expansion of organic production, the demand for such products, and the rural regions’ development. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.678044) has been demonstrated between the number of enterprises and the number of people employed in rural regions. The frequency of purchasing organic products is increasing, with 28% of consumers using these products in 2014 and over 45% expected to do so in 2024. Based on the SWOT analysis, the authors outline key recommendations in four areas in the context of strategic rural policy: stimulating demand, stimulating supply, stimulating and expanding production, and improving the legislative framework.

This article is devoted to assessing and analyzing the development of municipalities from 10 to 30 thousand people in the Bulgarian Northeast and Southeast regions on level 2. At the beginning, a characterization of the ongoing processes and the importance of the regionalization process for the spatial development of individual territories is presented, the purpose of the article is formed, and the leading task is to make a statistical analysis of leading socio-ideographic indicators that bring to the fore the characteristics of these territorial units and present to our attention their state. It is important to be able, based on the assessment of the situation and the reference to expert assessment, to take the appropriate measures and sets of actions to promote the regional economic development of these municipalities. Comparing municipalities in these two regions, the southwest and south-central areas of the country emerge as the richest and most developed regions regarding household income, techno-social equipment, and endowed and economic potential. The analyses revealed several detailed aspects of the typology of problems specific to the various municipalities, which can be examined in more detail in another study. The conclusion draws relevant recommendations for improving regional development in these territories.