Contribution to local communities
GRI 3‑3, 203‑2
En+ Group promotes the economic development of its regions of responsibility through active engagement with local communities and employment of their representatives. The Company gives priority to local candidates when recruiting and hiring employees.
GRI 2‑29
The Company’s operations in the regions of presence are governed by the Stakeholder Engagement Policy. The document formalises the core principles and procedures for liaising with government bodies, local communities, non‑profit organisations (NPOs), and the Company’s employees living within its areas of responsibility.
GRI 411‑1, 14.11.2, SASB EM‑MM‑210a.2
When engaging with local communities, En+ Group pays special attention to observing the rights of indigenous minorities. The Company does not operate in the territories or near the places where they live and avoids actions that entail the need for resettlement. In 2024, no violations of the rights of indigenous minorities and no instances of forced resettlement were recorded.
GRI 413‑1, SASB EM‑MM‑210a.3
The Company’s social investments are aimed at developing infrastructure facilities, increasing the availability of educational and medical services, and supporting cultural and sports initiatives. To identify the needs and expectations of local people, the Company annually conducts a social survey for subsequent development of special‑purpose programmes to solve the most pressing problems of local communities. Moreover, En+ Group routinely hosts forums and meetings with local community members and actively engages local communities in the Company’s volunteer projects.
GRI 3-3, 14.10.1
Sustainable Cities Responsibility Index
The Sustainable Cities Responsibility Index is a tool for a comprehensive assessment of the appeal the Company’s regions of responsibility have as a place to live and work. The Index helps identify priority areas for the development of local communities and measure the public effect from the implementation of En+ Group’s social projects within its areas of responsibility. The 2023 assessment of the regions of responsibility included more than 40 cities and municipalities, with the total number of respondents exceeding 7,500 people.
The identified areas for improvement facilitated the allocation of En+ Group’s community investments designed to improve the quality of life in the regions in which it it operates. In 2025, the Group intends to allocate 100% of its social investments based on the Index.
GRI 2‑13
En+ Group’s social investment and project management structure
GRI 203‑1
The Company organises and participates in urban projects, including those implemented together with local authorities through public‑private partnership (PPP) initiatives. In addition, En+ Group ensures uninterrupted power supply within its areas of responsibility thanks to improvements made to the power supply system.
| Project | Objective | Investments | 2024 results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power segment | |||
| Cities with a Plus Sign grant competition | Supporting long‑term projects to improve the environment in the cities where En+ Group operates | 238 applications for grants were submitted. Grants were awarded to ten participants who will receive financing of RUB 3 to 5 million to implement their projects. | |
| Up and Do comprehensive community support and development programme | Supporting initiatives of local communities and municipal institutions | Four workshops, seven marathons, and 13 meetings were held as part of the mini‑grant competition in Divnogorsk and Bratsk. 131 applications for participation in the mini‑grant competition were considered, 66 projects were financed and implemented. | |
| Metals segment | |||
| Agreement with the Krasnoyarsk city administration to implement social projects | Creating a comfortable urban environment in Krasnoyarsk | RUB 2.3 bn (USD 24 mn) | An agreement was signed with the Krasnoyarsk city administration to implement urban improvement projects: reconstruct the Central Park, restore buildings in the Historical Quarter. The project is scheduled for completion by 2026. |
| Health care and creation of significant social infrastructure for the people | Assistance in diagnosing and combating infectious diseases to local residents | RUB 26.3 mn (USD 284,000) | Construction and repair of various social infrastructure (drinking water wells, first‑aid posts, etc.) were financed. |
GRI 203‑2
The Company implements environmental initiatives in cooperation with volunteers, non‑profit organisations, and national parks. En+ Group’s environmental projects are focused on preserving natural ecosystems and biodiversity and providing local communities with environmental education.
| Project | Objective | Investments | 2024 results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power segment | |||
| Project 360 environmental volunteer initiative | Protecting Lake Baikal and protected areas from negative environmental impacts | The project was supplemented with such activities as clean‑up events, arrangement of eco‑trails, improvement of the tourist infrastructure, and maintenance of protected areas. 83 environmental campaigns were run in 13 Russian cities (+2 compared to 2023) with the participation of 48 municipalities. 5,216 En+ Group’s corporate environmental volunteers and city residents took part in the campaigns and collected 186 tonnes of waste. | |
| Metals segment | |||
| River Day Marathon annual environmental initiative | Cleaning the banks of rivers and other water bodies within areas of responsibility | RUB 1.7 mn (USD 18,300) | The event was held in 15 cities where the Group operates. More than 2,500 volunteers cleaned the banks of water bodies from 40 tonnes of waste. |
| Green Wave traditional environmental initiative | Running urban greening initiatives selected on the basis of the Sustainable Cities Responsibility Index study | RUB 5 mn (USD 54,000) | 400 trees and shrubs were planted in 22 cities by the initiative participants. |
Baikal Plastic Free Alliance
In 2022, the Company launched the Baikal Plastic Free Alliance, with the goal of shifting how the public views the issue of plastic pollution affecting the lake and its nearby areas. The alliance comprises more than 25 companies (+3 companies in 2024), including business representatives, research organisations, non‑profit and public organisations. Baikal Plastic Free supports limiting the distribution of disposable plastic items within the core ecological region of the Baikal Natural Area, implementing separate waste collection and waste recycling, and educating visitors on the significance of protecting the water body.
GRI 203‑2
The Company implements professional development and support programmes for talented young people, provides targeted assistance to educational institutions, and participates in career guidance events. The En+ programme “Knowledge with a Plus Sign” became the winner of the national award “Leaders of Responsible Business” in the nomination “Ensuring Technological Leadership”.
| Project | Objective | Investments | 2024 results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power segment | |||
| Krasnoyarsk 5.0 national championship | Creating a professional environment for future robotics engineers | More than 2,500 people took part in the championship. | |
| Knowledge with a Plus Sign is a comprehensive programme to advance education in the Group’s regions of operation and promote the job of a power engineer among local community members. | |||
| Energy School | Educating school students interested in the power industry | Over RUB 5 mn (USD 54,000) | Over 100 schools in the Irkutsk Region are participating in the project. 184 events were held. More than 1,000 school students are participating in the 3rd year of the project. A total of 4,777 individuals (including parents and teachers) have registered on the Energy School’s portal. |
| Energy Classes | Free tutoring for the Unified State Examinations for admission to universities focusing mainly on specialties required in the energy sector | Over RUB 2 mn (USD 21,000) | 46 school students attended Energy Classes and 74% of them were admitted to Irkutsk National Research Technical University (INRTU) and Bratsk State University (BrSU) where they will study for a degree in power engineering. |
| Multilabs | Establishing state‑of‑the‑art centres of competencies in robotics, electronics, engineering design, and multimedia | RUB 66.2 mn (USD 715,000) | Three multilabs were launched in Bratsk, Nizhny Novgorod, and Ust‑Ilimsk. 5,683 events were held in seven existing multilabs. |
| Energy in Every Drop | Developing hydropower‑related skills among school students using robotics | The third educational camp of the project was held. 80 teachers and school students from 23 cities of Russia took part in it. | |
| RoboSib robotics festival | Promoting robotics among young inventors aged 4 to 18 | 800 young inventors from the Irkutsk Region, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Novosibirsk, and the Republic of Buryatia participated in the festival: Ten teams received vouchers totalling RUB 150,000 for purchasing robotics equipment; Nine teams were awarded with trips to the All‑Russian finals – Krasnoyarsk 5.0 National Championship; In total, the festival was attended by more than 5,000 people. | |
| Metals segment | |||
| RUSAL FestivAL#Science | Unlocking the potential of school students in En+ Group’s regions of responsibility | The festival was held for four months in 16 cities and included more than 100 scientific shows and workshops. 36,000 children and adults took part in the festival. | |
| Scholarship programmes in Guinea and Jamaica | Providing financial support to foreign students from Guinea and Jamaica studying in Russia | RUB 962.7 bn (USD 10.4 mn) (support for students from Jamaica) | 113 students from Guinea and Jamaica continued their studies at Russian universities. |
| Grants for students in Jamaica | Providing grants and scholarships to outstanding students in Jamaica to realise the potential of future specialists | RUB 1.4 bn (USD 15.6 mn) | 73 students from various universities and colleges in Jamaica received grants or scholarships. |
En+ Group promotes sports and healthy lifestyles in the regions of responsibility. The Company’s projects and events attract local community members, including En+ Group’s employees and their families. The Company invests in both amateur and professional sports development by providing financial support to sports teams and implementing sports infrastructure projects.
| Project | Objective | Investments | 2024 results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power segment | |||
| Nation’s Health in Women’s Hands | Providing support and advice to parents of children with special needs | Ten meetings with psychologists, speech pathologists, and other specialists were arranged. | |
| Metals segment | |||
| Sokol martial arts centres | Supporting the development of martial arts in the operating regions, providing beneficial recreational opportunities to children and young adults | RUB 772.5 bn (USD 8.3 mn) | Martial arts centres were built in the following cities: Achinsk, Volgograd, Divnogorsk, Krasnoturinsk, Krasnoyarsk, Severouralsk, Shelekhov. A total of nine centers were built. |
| Laboratory for Highly Infectious Diseases | Assisting Guineans in combating infectious diseases | Investments were made to develop the Research Institute for Epidemiology and Microbiology and reorganise it into a laboratory for analysing highly infectious diseases. | |
En+ Group promotes culture in its regions of responsibility through arranging events and financing cultural and artistic institutions.
| Project | Objective | 2024 results |
|---|---|---|
| Power segment | ||
| Energy+ festival | Promoting culture in the regions of responsibility | Musical and dance performances, lectures, film screenings, public talks with famous Russian writers, directors and actors were held in four cities where the Company is present – Irkutsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Divnogorsk, Bratsk. An exhibition of art objects made of straw was held in Irkutsk and Divnogorsk, 20 teams of sculptors from all over Russia took part in the creation of the exhibition. |
| Energy of Colours street art festival | Promoting the street art culture | Creative master classes and a sketch competition were held among residents of Divnogorsk, Bratsk, and Ust‑Ilimsk. 117 applications were submitted for the competition. Three murals were created on the facades of apartment buildings. Free painting workshops were attended by 300 people. |
En+ Group supports volunteer initiatives to involve people in social activities. The Company develops the volunteer movement by involving both its own employees and local community members in social and environmental initiatives.
| Project | Objective | Investments | 2024 results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helping is Easy | Promoting corporate and community volunteer initiatives | RUB 24.7 mn (USD 266,800) | The results of a survey conducted among 370 volunteers of the project from 29 cities showed a high level of their engagement and satisfaction – 79.6%. |
GRI 413‑2, SASB EM‑MM‑210b.1
Based on the results of the assessment conducted in the reporting period, the Company did not identify any significant risks associated with local communities. To prevent such risks, En+ Group regularly organises forums and meetings with local communities to discuss its projects and works to develop feedback mechanisms.
In the reporting year, En+ Group recorded no violations of the rights of local community members or social and economic incidents related to such violations.
| Project | Objective | 2024 results |
|---|---|---|
| PLUS public space | Implementing ideas and projects of local community members | 220 events with 2,000 attendees were held. As a result of the events, 15 applications for participation in grant competitions were submitted and eight start‑ups were launched. The Company’s methodological support helped raise third‑party grants for project implementation in the amount of RUB 1 million |
| Pro Irkutsk debating club | Fostering dialogue between En+ Group and local authorities of the city of Irkutsk for joint development of the region | The Company identified the need to promote environmentally responsible behaviour and launch educational programmes on eco‑friendly lifestyles for school and university students, and the need to arrange green spaces/plant trees and shrubs in the city to create a comfortable urban environment. |
| Pro Bratsk social club | Establishing an open dialogue with local authorities and communities of Bratsk | En+ Group’s representatives arranged weekly meetings with local community members in community liaison offices. More than 100 visitors were received. The causes for their visits included mainly social issues, discussion of proposals for improvement, construction of parks, complaints about urban infrastructure, requests for financial support. |
| Goals | Status | Progress made in 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Expand social initiatives and engagement with stakeholders, including through a robust dialogue with youth and work councils and partnerships with public organisations and national parks | On track |
|
| Develop innovative tools to engage local community members through workshops, task‑based activities, games, etc. | On track |
|
| Commission several sports infrastructure facilities, including a football pitch and a multi‑use track for bicycles, scooters, and skateboards | On track |
|
| Expand the volunteer movement | On track |
|
| Align 100% of community investments with the Sustainable Cities Responsibility Index methodology as part of the Metals segment’s transformational project | On track |
|
GRI 203-1, P2-1.4, P2-1.8, P2-2.4,
P2-2.8, P2-2.10, P2-3.1, P2-3.3
Plans for 2025 and the medium term
- To continue environmental education activities under the auspices of the Baikal Plastic Free Alliance.
- To implement a year‑round educational programme for corporate volunteers to increase involvement and develop employees’ soft skills.
- To ensure the information system implementation at all stages of managing social investment and charity projects.
- To re‑calculate the Sustainable Cities Responsibility Index.