Social policy

Contribution to the UN SDGs

Development of local communities

In 2024, the Company’s social spending amounted to RUB 12.0 billion, with charity expenses of RUB 14.0 billion and accruals and changes in estimates of liabilities under social programmes of RUB 4.2 billion (revenue).

For more details on the charity expenses, please see the Charity section of this Report

Nornickel is playing an important role in the Russian economy and has a strong impact on the social and economic life in its operating regions. With its enterprises located mostly in single‑industry towns, Nornickel seeks to foster a favourable social climate and create a comfortable urban environment, providing its employees and their family members with ample opportunities for self‑fulfilment.

The harsh climate faced by Nornickel employees in life and at work, the remoteness of the Company’s key industrial facilities, and the increasing competition for human capital across the industry call for a highly effective social policy that would promote Nornickel’s reputation as an employer of choice.

Nornickel fosters partnership relations with local communities in all its regions of operations and actively participates in developing and implementing social programmes.

Support for indigenous peoples

Nornickel’s engagement with the indigenous peoples of the North is guided by the goals of promoting their sustainable development, enhancing their quality of life, and preserving their traditional habitats. They cover Nenets, Dolgans, Nganasans, Evenks, and Enets on the Taimyr Peninsula, and Sámi, Nenets, and Komi in the Murmansk Region. Nornickel compiles with all applicable international standards and regulations regarding the support for indigenous peoples of the North and recognises the rights of local communities to maintain their traditional lifestyle, indigenous trades, culture, and historical heritage.

Although Nornickel is not a resident of the Arctic zone, the Company voluntarily adheres to the provisions of the Standard of Responsibility for the Residents of Russia’s Arctic Zone, integrating them into its principles of engagement with indigenous peoples living on the Taimyr Peninsula.

In 2024, the Board of Directors approved a new Policy of Engagement with Indigenous Small‑Numbered Peoples, which is based on international standards and the experience gained during projects and programmes to support the indigenous peoples of the Taimyr Peninsula. The document was prepared jointly with independent experts and with the direct input of representatives of public organisations and indigenous peoples. The new policy emphasises respect for the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples, provides for additional due diligence measures, and is based on the following approaches:

• Free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) in line with standards and recommendations of the International Council on Mining and Metals
• Support and development of traditional trades
• Commitment to the principle of consultations in good faith
• Application to contractors.

The policy also established an independent grievance mechanism.

To maintain a systematic dialogue with indigenous peoples of the Taimyrsky Dolgano‑Nenetsky Municipal District:

• the Norilsk site has a dedicated department working with the indigenous minorities and staffed with the right level of indigenous talent
• on the initiative of the indigenous peoples, the Indigenous Communities Coordination Council was established comprising representatives from 58 indigenous tribal communities living on the Taimyr Peninsula.

Nornickel’s strength in engaging with indigenous peoples is driven by its ongoing dialogue with indigenous communities and families and regular discussion of issues as they arise, contributing to better understanding and inclusive engagement.

Nornickel uses a comprehensive approach to engagements with indigenous peoples, consistently scaling related support programmes.

Support programmes are run in the following key focus areas:

• Promoting the development of the Taimyr indigenous communities and traditional economic activities
• Contributing to housing and social infrastructure development in Taimyr communities
• Improving the availability and quality of medical care
• Promoting education and culture
• Supporting sports projects and facilitating tourism.

In 2020, the Company started the Programme for Promoting Social and Economic Development of the Taimyrsky Dolgano‑Nenetsky Municipal District of the Krasnoyarsk Territory (the “Programme”) with a funding of RUB 2 billion. The programme incorporated proposals from members of the indigenous peoples of the North living in the Taimyr Peninsula and associations representing the indigenous peoples’ interests, and was completed in 2024. The programme’s terms were detailed in the quadripartite agreement on engagement and cooperation with associations of indigenous peoples..

The programme comprised activities in several focus areas:

• Economic support of traditional lifestyles
• The World of Taimyr grant competition for members of the Taimyr indigenous peoples and non‑profit organisations implementing projects on the Taimyr Peninsula in the interests of indigenous peoples
• Infrastructure projects
• Educational initiatives
• Cultural and language projects
• Healthcare.

The Programme made a positive impact on the social and economic life in the Taimyrsky Dolgano‑Nenetsky Municipal District and brought the indigenous peoples’ quality of life in the Arctic to a new level:

• The number of orphans needing housing decreased
• The housing stock increased (more than 20% of the housing stock in the Volochanka and Ust‑Avam settlements was renovated)
• Medical care became more available (the number of rural health posts in Taimyr settlements grew by more than 25%)
• The traditional economic activities of the indigenous peoples were supported
• The logistics and sales for produce of indigenous peoples were streamlined.

In 2024, in addition to the Programme financing, the Company allocated RUB 100 million to support the indigenous peoples of the North, in particular develop family (tribal) communities, ensure they have all the necessary supplies, and help them prepare for hunting and fishing seasons. These funds were used to purchase snowmobiles, boat motors, satellite phones, quad bikes, inflatable motor boats, and rafts.

In addition, through the Company’s charity programmes, indigenous family (tribal) communities were able to complete a number of important projects on the Taimyr Peninsula:

• A pantotherapy centre, joinery workshops, and a souvenir pavilion were opened
• Necessary fishing quotas were purchased, and commercial fishing grounds were rented
• Several glacier storages at fishing points were repaired
• Offline translation apps supporting indigenous languages were developed
• Assistance was provided to settlement residents in desperate need
• Domestic reindeer herding was supported.

As part of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages proclaimed by the United Nations, the Company financed events on the Taimyr Peninsula aimed at preserving and promoting the indigenous culture: the Indigenous Nomad Camp festival, a youth forum, a folklore festival, and a project to create language nests. The list of events also included Voice of the North, the literary competition in the languages of the Taimyr indigenous peoples; launch of a mobile app to promote ethno‑tourism; the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples; and master classes in choreography and decorative arts.

Under an agreement with the Russian Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs and jointly with MGIMO University, Nornickel supports the Social Diplomacy educational project, which promotes the institutional development of the indigenous peoples of the North, enhancing their legal literacy, social skills, and effect from participating in decision making on matters related to their rights and legitimate interests.

The Company helps authorised representatives of indigenous peoples from its regions of operation to contribute to the work of national and international bodies dealing with the rights of indigenous peoples.

Youth programmes

Charity programmes

World of New Opportunities

Nornickel’s World of New Opportunities charity programme is focused on building social skills among local communities, demonstrating and incorporating new social technology as well as supporting and encouraging community initiatives and intersectoral partnerships.

In 2024,

>30 thousand people

attended the World of New Opportunities events.

The programme’s goals include developing the service economy across Russian regions, improving the business climate, and facilitating the development of small‑ and medium‑sized businesses, including social entrepreneurship. The Company annually delivers programmes for business communities and provides support from trainers and mentors. On top of this, in 2024, Nornickel provided access to entrepreneurship trainings and financial aid for launching a business to high school and university students based in Norilsk.

In 2024, Norilsk provided refinancing for SMEs that had received the Company’s support in 2020–2023. Businesses could obtain interest‑free loans to expand existing operations and start new projects, provided they had not previously defaulted on payments. Nine entrepreneurs based in Norilsk took advantage of this support measure, with the total amount of interest‑free loans at RUB 29.1 million. In the Murmansk region, nine entrepreneur projects received financing of RUB 7.5 million in 2024. The Second School centre for community initiatives in the Pechengsky District also allocated more than RUB 15.9 million to support three projects.

In 2024, Nornickel launched the Business in a Good Company programme as part of its corporate youth community, aimed at stimulating interest and positive attitude towards entrepreneurship among young Company employees, building employees’ entrepreneurial skills, and encouraging their intra‑corporate entrepreneurial ventures.

Nornickel was assigned an A+ in the Corporate Philanthropy Leaders 2024 rating by the Donors Forum.

Socially Responsible Initiatives Competition

The Socially Responsible Initiatives Competition under the World of New Opportunities programme has been held since 2014. Over 3.6 thousand applications have been submitted to the competition over the 11 years, with support granted to more than 950 projects for a total of more than RUB 1 billion. The competition’s sponsors note that each year, the quality and definition of applications improve, the number of partnership projects increase, and the range of social services provided by participants is expanding.

In 2024, 371 participants applied for the competition, with 168 initiatives highly rated by independent experts and making it to the finals. The Norilsk Industrial District traditionally accounted for the largest share of applications. For example, one of them, submitted by young teachers, envisages fitting out Norilsk schools with equipment to develop students’ technical skills.

In the Murmansk region, the most popular competition categories were Pole of Energy and Pole of the Future for projects promoting sports and healthy lifestyles as well as introducing new methods and technologies to work with children, teenagers, and youth. In the Trans‑Baikal Territory, one of the largest projects will be a project to preserve the Mongolian gazelle. Another project provides for area improvements in the Gazimursky Zavod village.

The Company takes systematic steps in working with competition participants, offering educational programmes and travel grants, engaging employee volunteers in various projects, and facilitating partnerships with local businesses to monetise and scale social projects.

Peremena: Change Starts with You education project

During the year, the Company continued its Peremena: Change Starts with You project, which brings together all stakeholders of the educational process: children, parents, and teachers. Over 2 thousand people from six localities took part in the project.

The project includes the annual Peremena: Urban Academy. In August 2024, Krasnoyarsk hosted another Academy, attended by school students of grades 8–10, accompanying teachers, and Academy graduates.

The summer Academy offered its participants master classes on public speaking, production, project approach, social design from idea to reality, urbanism, and event management. In addition to the classes, they had tours around Krasnoyarsk, the city port and shipyard, the Yadro creative coworking space, the School of Gastronomy at SibFU, and the Krasnoyarsk Pillars nature reserve.

IMAKE engineering marathon

The IMAKE engineering marathon brings together aspiring makers, future engineers, inventors, and scientists. The Company leverages this project to build a system of educational activities that promote science among children and teenagers.

In 2023, the Company launched IMAKE.PRO, an idea packaging course on how to turn an idea into a quality application, identify the necessary resources, calculate the budget, and make a project implementation plan. In 2024, more than 20 students applied for various competitions, including four applications under the World of New Opportunities programme.

Between December 2023 and the end of 2024, school students from Norilsk, Monchegorsk, Chita, and Nikel participated in several international competitions, including the PowerTech 2024 / PowerTech STEAM‑Star International (Overseas Invitational Contest). With four IMAKE teams participating, the Monchegorsk team topped the competition, and the Norilsk team ranked second.

In 2024, school students from Arctic cities also topped the International Exhibition for Young Inventors (IEYI) 2024, collecting a full set of medals.

Corporate volunteering

Nornickel has been running its employee volunteering programme since 2015, bringing together many volunteer and charity projects across its footprint. The programme supports employee volunteers’ social initiatives aimed to contribute to the social development of our operating regions and better quality of life for local communities. Since the programme’s launch, the employee volunteer community has grown significantly, from a few hundred to more than 4 thousand members. Nornickel volunteers annually engage about 40 partners and organise over 410 events, ranging from educational to environmental projects.

Nornickel has been running its employee volunteering programme since 2015, bringing together many volunteer and charity projects across its footprint. The programme supports employee volunteers’ social initiatives aimed to contribute to the social development of our operating regions and better quality of life for local communities. Since the programme’s launch, the employee volunteer community has grown significantly, from a few hundred to more than 4 thousand members. Nornickel volunteers annually engage about 40 partners and organise over 410 events, ranging from educational to environmental projects.

To involve employees in addressing pressing local community issues, the Company has a programme of employees’ personal donations for charity and other public benefit purposes. In 2024, over RUB 3 million was raised through such donations, and Nornickel added the same amount to the total. Among other things, the Company collects humanitarian aid to purchase hygiene items, clothes and shoes, and stationery for children from boarding schools as well as large and low‑income families. More than 200 children received the assistance in 2024.

Tourism

Nornickel promotes tourism in the Arctic zone to contribute to the local social and economic development, helps equip quality recreational areas and put a spotlight on the unique nature, and creates jobs, including for its own employees released after production upgrades.

For example, in the Norilsk Industrial District, close to the Putoransky Nature Reserve borders, the Company is building the Zatundra tourist facility, in line with environmental laws and the principles of respect for environment. The project includes renovation of the historic house at Lake Lama, built in 1941 for the recreation of children of Norilsk Plant employees. Another project facility, the four‑star Neralakh park hotel, is currently under construction. While the project is not yet fully complete, Zatundra already welcomed more than 350 guests in 2024.

In the Murmansk Region, the Valla Tunturi tourist centre is being built at the Barents Sea. There are already 32 guest houses operating under the Whale Coast brand, road construction is underway, and hiking trails and routes are being prepared. In 2024, Whale Coast was recognised as the best glamping site in Russia.