Improving the well‑being of local communities
Nornickel’s contribution to the Self‑Fulfilment of Each Person, Unlocking Their Talents, and Educating a Patriotic and Socially Responsible Person national goal
Targets and objectives:
a) Create conditions for bringing up harmoniously developed, patriotic, and socially responsible people on the basis of the traditional spiritual and moral as well as historical and cultural values of Russia by 2030
c) Increase the proportion of young people participating in projects and programmes aimed at professional and personal development as well as patriotic education to at least 75% by 2030
e) Increase the proportion of young people engaged in volunteer and community activities to at least 45% by 2030
Nornickel’s performance highlights and plans
- Development and implementation of cultural, scientific, educational, and social‑impact projects and initiatives under the World of New Opportunities programme (more than 21 thousand participants in 2024) and as the Company’s stand‑alone charitable efforts (RUB 14 billion – total funding directed to charitable projects in 2024)
- Social and environmental initiatives as part of the Plant of Goodness corporate volunteering programme (about 4 thousand participants, 410 completed campaigns in 2024)
- Engagement of young people in the Company’s business activities and development of their potential (Nornickel’s youth ecosystem)
Nornickel’s contribution to the Comfortable and Safe Living Environment national goal
Targets and objectives:
a) Improve the quality of life in key communities by 30% by 2030 and 60% by 2036
Nornickel’s performance highlights and plans
- Annual improvement in the Urban Environment Quality Index of the Russian Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Utilities (across Norilsk, Monchegorsk, Zapolyarny, Murmansk, and Chita). Continued implementation of social projects across the Company’s host regions will further improve the figures in the long term
Nornickel is committed not only to fully delivering on its business production targets but also to contributing to the social development of local communities, since improved quality of urban life is one of the most important levers for addressing HR challenges and building an image of a socially responsible brand as well as a significant factor influencing a range of decisions made by local residents and potential employees. For many years, Nornickel has prioritised creating opportunities for the residents of Norilsk, Monchegorsk, and other host cities, including fostering a culture of giving and volunteering, building up young talent development practices, establishing conditions for successful entrepreneurship, and implementing initiatives of non‑profit organisations and citizens to improve the quality of life and address the most pressing social issues. All these efforts are reflected in the results of independent national comprehensive assessments of the quality of the urban environment and life in regions.
The Urban Environment Quality Index of the Russian Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Utilities is a tool for assessing the quality of the physical urban environment and the conditions for its development. The Index is assessed across 36 parameters, with an average score of 200 points for 2023 (out of a maximum of 360).
In 2023, the City Life Index developed by VEB.RF and its partners featured 218 Russian cities, including Norilsk, Chita, and Murmansk, with assessments covering 11 focus areas and calculations made for more than 300 indicators.
To improve the quality of life and urban environment in its host regions, Nornickel is building an ecosystem that brings together non‑profit foundations, endowment funds, and other organisations committed to local development.
The World of New Opportunities
Run for more than 10 years now, this charitable programme is focused on supporting local community‑led initiatives, fostering social partnerships, and rolling out innovative social technologies. Activities under the programme are delivered in a range of formats, thus reaching a wider range of people interested in these initiatives For more details on the programme’s focus areas and activities, please see the official website of the programme, the Company website, and a dedicated article..
DEVELOP!
(support for community initiatives and local development through partnerships and systematic work)
Goal: bring together all stakeholders in the educational process – children (Peremena.Teen), parents (Peremena.Team), and teachers (Peremena.Edu).
For the 2024 Peremena.Urban Summer Academy, the programme followed a three‑stage structure: research, design, and trial. Participants attended guided tours and master classes and presented their ideas. A distinctive feature of the 2024 Summer Academy was the involvement of mentors – experienced students who had repeatedly participated in the project. Some ideas that emerged from the Summer Academy were submitted to the Socially Responsible Initiatives Competition and received support.
I was truly impressed by my conversations with the participants – these young people are incredibly intelligent, warm‑hearted, and deeply engaged with the issues that matter to them. Their proposals were well thought out. The participants not only identify problems but also propose practical solutions.
Vitaly Drozdov, Chairman of the Committee for Natural Resources and the Environment, Legislative Assembly, Krasnoyarsk Territory
INVENT!
(fostering R&D creativity and the spirit of invention)
Goal: spark interest in science and engineering among young people and support school students in developing creative engineering ideas and innovative thinking.
In 2024, for the first time since the festival was launched in 2015, all formats were integrated into the concept of the City of Engineering Solutions – a space where exploration, invention, and improvement are constantly taking place. Festival activities included demonstrations of VR technologies, an exhibition of metal art and mini‑sculptures Welding: The Poetry of Metal, drone racing, meetings with Nornickel employees, and city tours in the immersive performance format.
For the first time, the final of the IMAKE invention competition was included in the Arctic Wave programme, with projects publicly defended in front of local residents and the media.
Another new festival format introduced in 2024 was the engineering career guidance contest, where participants constructed, sawed, drilled, soldered, and glued together a large chain illustrating Nornickel’s production process. IMAKE League members, students, and participants of the In Good Company career programme were grouped into mixed teams to exchange skills and generate a synergy of experience, creativity, and innovation.
Arctic Wave is an opportunity to grasp the ungraspable and move from theory given at lectures to hands‑on practice at interactive and scientific venues.
Visitors of the festival in Norilsk
ACT!
(growing the service economy, improving the business climate, and creating opportunities for SME development)
Goal: support start‑ups and existing business projects through training, mentoring, and expert assistance.
Refinancing programme
Amid high borrowing costs and inflationary pressure in 2024, a refinancing programme was launched in Norilsk for loans issued by the Company to SMEs between 2020 and 2023.
In addition, the Company continued to provide interest‑free loans in 2024 for the expansion of existing businesses and the launch of new projects. This financial support was available to entrepreneurs who had previously received Company loans and demonstrated strong repayment discipline (with no overdue payments), including those with outstanding Nornickel loans.
Nine entrepreneurs took advantage of this support measure, receiving a total of RUB 29.1 million in interest‑free loans.
For the 2024 programme for entrepreneurs in the Murmansk Region, 108 applications were submitted, with 54 entrepreneurs included in the programme, 18 reaching the investor session, and nine receiving financing from Nornickel to a combined total of RUB 7.5 million. Three projects were also supported by the Second School centre for community initiatives in the Pechengsky District for a total of RUB 15.9 million
Participants of the accelerator programme openly share their experience: for their stories about launching and developing their Nornickel‑sponsored projects, please see the dedicated webpage.
In Good Company youth programme: Business track
In 2024, the Company launched a programme to spark interest and foster a positive attitude towards entrepreneurship among young employees, develop their leadership and business skills, and create conditions for internal entrepreneurship.
The programme consists of seven educational modules (theory, training, and group‑based practice, totalling 144 academic hours).
By the end of 2024, the programme had 460 registered applicants, 1.1 thousand views for the kick‑off webinar, and 176 offline participants from Norilsk, Chita, and Monchegorsk.
Plant of Goodness corporate volunteering programme
Employee volunteering at Nornickel
Ensuring social well-being of employees
Human capital development
Fostering horizontal ties
Shaping a culture of giving and volunteering
Involving employees in addressing socially significant issues
Developing communication and emotional skills
Addressing social challenges
Creating opportunities for every employee to realise their personal potential
Building partnerships between stakeholders
For 10 years now, the Plant of Goodness programme has united committed Nornickel employees who care about the future of their home communities and work together on impactful social and environmental initiatives supporting regional sustainable development. Employees actively involved in volunteering at Nornickel often go on to initiate their own projects. The skills they acquire through this experience help them both in everyday life and in developing soft skills and career pathways.
The Green Trail team of 12 volunteers has launched a project to create a hiking trail in Gazimursky Zavod. The route will include five stops with information boards featuring short descriptions of each location, its history, and key events, with further details available on the project website.
Since 2024, the team has also participated in the Icebreaker educational programme, supporting the Family rehabilitation centre. In 2025, the Green Trail team plans to help the centre set up a sewing workshop – a winning project of the Socially Responsible Initiatives Competition under the World of New Opportunities programme.
A full interview with Anna Yevstremskaya, head of a project on the history of Gazimursky Zavod, is available on the Company website.
Plant of Goodness initiatives in 2024
Siberian Perspective sustainability summit
Held for the fourth time in 2024, the expert summit focused on shaping and discussing strategic plans and identifying areas of synergy in environmental volunteering and partner activities. In the reporting year, the key theme was the ecology of Siberian cities. More than 230 participants took part in expert sessions and TED‑style talks on creating greener living environments. Employee volunteer teams traditionally supported area improvement works in the Krasnoyarsk Pillars National Park and the Bobrovy Log Fun Park.
Nornickel was assigned an A+ in the Corporate Philanthropy Leaders 2024 rating by the Donors Forum.
Regional development agencies
Established with Nornickel’s support, development agencies offer educational, informational, advisory, marketing, and other forms of assistance to local residents; they also contribute to infrastructure development, the creation of business activity centres, and act as a liaison between government authorities and local communities. Based on a survey of 8 thousand residents across seven cities, they identified priority focus areas for sustainable regional development.
For us, city dwellers, what matters is not only urban infrastructure and appearance but also the community we live in and the norms that shape our behaviour. New life scenarios and creative economy careers are emerging, while the education and hospitality sectors are developing systematically – all of which align with the values of the new generation: positive emotions, connection, and life diversity. These profound changes are made possible in part thanks to the development institutions initiated and established by the Company. We are fortunate to have this opportunity to develop our cities together with Nornickel.
Maxim Mironov, Director of the Norilsk Development Agency
| Norilsk Development Agency | Monchegorsk Development Agency | Second School centre for community initiatives in the Pechengsky District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business and investment | Supporting investment projects, including tenant companies in the Arctic zone A series of trainings for entrepreneurs (ABC of an Entrepreneur, No‑Conflict Tuesday, and others) Norilsk business fest | Agency academy of grants Business House online show | Business Residence Business Goes to School |
| Development and urban environment | Presentation of Residents Change the City initiatives Tower public and culture space A polar night festival | Update of the city master plan Consumer demand survey of Monchegorsk residents | — |
| Tourism | The Norilsk Trail cross‑country run X‑WATERS Yenisei 2024 Seminar on mandatory certification of guides to the state standard | City tours in Monchegorsk Cooperation agreement between the Agency and the Tyumen Region Guide school Imandra projects RuTrail | Gastro Industry Fest 2024 Industrial tourism development programme in the Pechengsky Municipal District Tourism to School educational field trips |
| Social and cultural projects | Gastro Forum 2024 Lake of Winter Impressions, a festival of winter outdoor activities Summer handmade fair Exhibition and an art master class by contemporary artist Mikhail Rubankov Animation educational course New Names music competition Singing workshop | Rebooting the Arctic Creative Cluster Lakes Around Us, a festival of short videos About You women’s forum Live in the North, Work in Monchegorsk forum GARAGITIZENS 2024 festival | Nikel – Polar Night 2024 winter art residency Woman of the North: Path to Your True Self forum Arts workshops (painting, ceramics, etc.) |
Endowment funds
The Our Norilsk endowment fund was established to support social development in Norilsk and the Taimyrsky Dolgano‑Nenetsky Municipal District. The fund serves as a unique long‑term support mechanism and an additional source of funding for positive social initiatives and social‑impact projects run by non‑profit organisations. By enabling resource pooling, fostering collaboration, and facilitating effective communication among participants, the fund seeks to bring together those who feel personally connected to Norilsk and Taimyr and are committed to their social development.
The list of projects supported by the fund includes the From PolArt to AMMA project to develop an institute of contemporary art, equipping the Victoria rehabilitation centre for children, setting up an emotional burnout prevention centre, launching a theatre studio, creating and equipping a space for mothers and children, and other initiatives; for more details, please see the fund website.
The Kolsky endowment fund operates in the Murmansk Region as a regional endowment that invests in non‑profit organisations and social‑impact initiatives aimed at creating new opportunities for self‑development, living, and working in Monchegorsk, Zapolyarny, and Nikel.
The Kolsky endowment fund supports non‑profit projects across three areas: creative industries, human capital, and digital environment. The fund was established for an indefinite term to use and allocate income from the placement of its capital to support non‑profit organisations, including non‑governmental organisations and public and municipal budgetary institutions (excluding state corporations, political parties, and social movements), active in the Murmansk Region in the areas of education, science, healthcare, culture, physical culture and sports (excluding professional sports), arts, social assistance (support), and environmental protection. For more details, please see the fund’s report.
Nornickel’s contribution to the Tourism and Hospitality national project and the Stable and Dynamic Economy national goal
Targets and objectives under the national goal:
o) Increase the share of the tourism industry in gross domestic product to 5% by 2030
Relevant UN SDGs
Related federal projects
Creation of Hotel Capacities, Infrastructure, and Points of Attraction
National Tourist Attractiveness
Nornickel’s key initiatives and focus areas
Implementation of the Valla Tunturi and Zatundra tourism investment projects (total spending in 2024: RUB 3.0 billion)
Projects of the Norilsk Development Agency, the Monchegorsk Development Agency, and the Second School centre to promote tourism and recreation initiatives
Reimbursement of holiday travel expenses for a round trip and baggage fees for employees and their families living in the Far North and equivalent regions
For more details, please see the Social Support for Employees and Their Families section
In 2024, the Pechengsky Municipal District hosted the Shine public art festival, supported by Nornickel. The festival showcased diverse forms of public art, including street art, vocal and musical performances, and dance. Master classes on recycling and reusing pre‑collected plastic were also held for all interested participants. During the festival, more than 3 thousand local residents attended creative laboratories, master classes, and workshops, with the most active participants receiving prizes.
For 11 years, Nornickel has been holding its annual Add Colours to Your Town art contest for children and young people living in Norilsk and Monchegorsk. The idea of the event is to foster open dialogue between local authorities and residents, build a positive image of Nornickel, increase loyalty to the Company and its visibility, and support the improvement and beautification of local communities in partnership with residents. For example, in 2024, a unique mural was painted in an aboveground pedestrian crossing at Copper Plant.
