ARMZ presents to RF Council of Federation key social projects of the holding company in the Trans-Baikal Territory

ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. attaches the utmost importance to social responsibility of its business. The company is implementing a number of projects aimed at developing social environment in the regions of its operation.

Within the framework of a session of the Russian Federation Council of Federation’s Council for Development of Social Innovation at Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation, held on May 31, Marina Liborakina, Deputy Director General for Business Strategy and Development, JSC Atomredmetzoloto, took part in the discussion of social and innovation projects involving contribution of businesses towards regions’ development.

Galina Karelova, Deputy Chairperson of the Council of Federation, chaired the session. She noted that during the current half-year period, the Council for Development of Social Innovation has worked along a number of major lines of activity. Firstly, one of these assumes involvement of socially-focused non-profit organisations in the process of rendering social services. A respective draft law has already passed its first reading at the State Duma. The second topic being in the spotlight of attention is the development of social innovation. Moreover, proposals on furtherance of social legislation are expected from the business community on a continuous basis.

Elena Feoktistova, Managing Director of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, noted in her turn that additional contribution of businesses to social programs of the regions amounts to over 100 billion rubles annually.

At the session, Marina Liborakina talked about key social projects of the holding company in the regions of its operation and made a presentation on the development of social entrepreneurship under conditions of business re-structuring.

“Social responsibility is an undisputed priority for the company, despite the fact that the uranium industry is in a complicated economic environment. Realising this fact, management of the holding company supports key and most significant projects for promoting small- and medium-size business entities and furthering self-employment among residents of Krasnokamensk, where JSC Priargunsky Industrial Mining and Chemical Union, the holing company’s oldest production site, is located. Together with the regional authorities, we try to pursue a comprehensive approach towards solving the task of promoting initiatives of local communities and business development with the use of the best Russian and international practices,” JSC Atomredmetzoloto’s top manager said.

In particular, in 2016, JSC Atomredmetzoloto is planning to hold yet another competition for providing financial support under conditions of co-funding implementation of projects in Krasnokamensk.

Representatives from SUEK, MMC Norilsk Nickel, United Company RUSAL and Metalloinvest took part in the session of the Council. Participants in the discussion noted a particular importance of social responsibility of businesses under existing economic environment, as well as the necessity to further interaction between state authorities and commercial organisations, to support best practices and to disseminate successful experience in implementing innovative social programmes based on the principles of partnership. Currently, social and innovation projects of large businesses serve as one of the means to efficiently solve social problems that regions face and to ensure companies’ sustainable development. The speakers dwelled upon topics relating to partnership with state authorities in solving social issues of regions and made their proposals on how to improve the legislation.

A decision adopted following the results of the Council’s session included recommendations to administrative authorities of constituent entities of the Russian Federation aimed at efficient use of private-public partnership patterns in the social area, as well as on support of socially-focused activity of companies. It is suggested to establish a working group involving representatives from the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, a number of state agencies and representatives from the business community in order to summarise advanced technologies and practices and to prepare proposals on perfecting this line of activity.