CEE startup nPloy uses AI to engineer equality in the workplace in Bulgaria and region

On this year’s Equal Pay Day, March 12, nPloy reaffirms its commitment to advancing fair and equal pay practices in the workplace in Bulgaria and the CEE region, the company said in a media statement.

Despite significant strides, gender disparities persist, with women often receiving lower compensation for equivalent work.

“Nploy, leveraging its innovative AI-driven job platform with anonymity feature and also through comprehensive communication, is committed to combating this issue and fostering a more inclusive and equal workplace environment,” the statement said.

The latest research by Eurostat shows that on average women in Bulgaria earn 13 per cent less than men, with the gender pay gap widening to 30 per cent+ in financial and insurance activities and close to 20 per cent in the Information & Communication sector.

Data by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute shows that in 2022 women earned significantly less than men in industries like Healthcare and Social Work (24 per cent), Manufacturing (22.8 per cent) and Culture, Sports & Entertainment.

nPloy’s data from anonymous surveys conducted in 2023 further reveals that over 50 per cent of employees and more than 40 per cent of HR specialists in Bulgaria acknowledged instances where colleagues of different genders, but with equivalent experience and competencies, received different remuneration for the same position.

Moreover, 73 per cent of employees report experiencing discrimination during the selection process or in the workplace. However, there is a positive trend, with 50 per cent of HR specialists and 76 per cent of employees supporting the need for increased investment in diversity and equality initiatives.

Through its AI-driven platform, nPloy facilitates fair and transparent job matching, ensuring that candidates are evaluated solely based on their skills and experience, free from bias, the statement said.

Its anonymity feature removes personal identifiers such as name, gender, age, and picture, from the initial stage of the selection process, thus promoting a fair and unbiased evaluation.

“In addition, our platform stands out as the sole provider in Bulgaria and the region that mandates employers to specify the salary range in their job postings,” the statement said.

“This approach not only champions equal pay but also empowers women by providing them with equitable opportunities to advance their careers.”

Maria Petrova, Head of Business Development and Sales at nPloy, said: “”Our mission is to organically support fairness in all job markets we are present in, including Bulgaria, Romania and further all over Europe as per our upcoming plans.

“For both the team and me as a woman and a professional, it’s more than just a job; it’s our mission,” Petrova said.

“We are here to tear down barriers and ensure transparent and open communication between employers and candidates.

“I am extremely happy that our corporate customers quickly recognize the power of the anonymous preselection and matching model, being able to easily find the right candidates based on skills, not prejudices. This, in turn, is a signal of positive change for the entire market,” she said.

(Photo: Bulgarian National Bank)