Background information

Ficosota is a large Bulgarian enterprise having six factories in Bulgaria for production of hygiene and sanitary products, detergents and food, and offices in Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and the US. Since the beginning of the pandemic the company has introduced safety measures which have never been loosened since then. Planning process has been completely changed – from annual-based planning to quarterly planning. Projects and advertisement costs for 2020 have been re-planned.

A special focus has been put on online sales. The demand for some categories of products has notably increased through online channels. The company has invested in developing relationships with new e-sales partners and has expanded its staff dealing with them.

A new portfolio of disinfectants for personal and home use has been developed in two of the company’s best known brands on the Bulgarian market.

Content of measure

• Four and six-hour as well as full-time remote working schemes have been introduced.
• Employers at the age of over 60 have been put on paid leave.
• Strict measures for disinfection, hygiene and safety have been taken.
• Two to three times more buses for transportation of factory workers have been rented in order to reduce the number of people using one vehicle. Additional incentives have been provided to factory workers to come to work by private vehicles. Protection consumables have been provided not only in the factories, but also for the homes of the employees.
• A daily newsletter entitled Ficosota Daily has been introduced since the beginning of the pandemic. It has been written by the manager and after the first two months turned on a weekly basis. The contents were focused in four directions: safety recommendations - not only at work, but in general; sharing an internal website with suggestions of employees; information on how sales are going (how many trucks had left the factories, for which countries, which products were sold more and which – less, etc.); information on the "Help Now" campaign of the management of the company. This information tool has been very well welcomed by the employees.

Use of measure

1,300 employees of Ficosota company, Bulgaria.

Contents

• Health and safety
• Work organisation

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	SMEs	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Company / Companies	Companies

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

No involvement.

Views and reactions

No involvement.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 15 March 2020: Capital media: Interview with the owner of Ficosota (www.economic.bg)