Редакция журнала «Позитивные изменения»
Позитивные изменения. Том 2, № 1 (2022). Positive changes. Volume 2, Issue 1 (2022)
Для глобального ритейлера мы разработали стратегию предоставления равных возможностей всем группам общества, независимо от их физиологических, этнических, культурных, социальных и иных особенностей. В рамках этого проекта были выстроены бизнес-процессы, коммуникации и система управления для формирования инклюзивной потребительской среды, а также сформирован пул товаров, появление в продаже которых будет соответствовать запросам разных целевых аудиторий.
Мы запустили несколько пилотных проектов. В Перми и Уфе занимались созданием программы улучшения жилищных условий для малоимущих семей. В нее входила разработка регламентов и критериев отбора участников проекта, отбор первых семей, подготовка «пакетов» помощи (товары, необходимые для ремонта определенного типа). В Москве и Санкт-Петербурге это была программа трудоустройства для бездомных, поиск партнеров из НКО и выстраивание процесса взаимодействия, профориентация и вовлекающие мероприятия.
ЧТО У НАС В ПЛАНАХ
Мы верим, что за любыми проектами, действиями и изменениями стоит человек. Поэтому мы принимаем участие в организации Первой национальной премии «Хедлайнеры ESG-принципов» в качестве официального партнера номинаций, имеющих отношение к экологическим и социальным программам и решениям.
В самых ближайших планах – создание профессионального сообщества для молодых специалистов в области ESG, где мы сможем делиться опытом, знаниями, вакансиями и формировать системное мышление.
МОДЕЛЬ ФИНАНСОВОЙ УСТОЙЧИВОСТИ
Наши ключевые клиенты – крупный и средний российский и международный бизнес. Мы готовы как разработать и реализовать стратегию устойчивого развития под ключ, так и предложить эффективные решения для отдельных задач в рамках уже согласованной в компании ESG-политики, а также провести оценку компании на предмет соответствия национальным и международным стандартам в области устойчивого развития.
New Life of the Publishing Project “Catalog “Social Entrepreneurship of Russia”
Vladimir Vainer
Social enterprises are now increasingly seen as a new element of the Russian Federation's economy. The SME Corporation has created and maintains a special register of such enterprises. Their geography and the range of areas of social impact projects is expanding. In many regions, social enterprises and their projects are supported by the government and big business.
Vladimir Vainer
Director of Positive Changes Factory
Social enterprises are innovating, generating solutions to problems and acting as key players in replicating and scaling successful practices in the most complex social issues. Now it is important to take a new step – to start looking at social entrepreneurs as social investors.
Obviously, it is social entrepreneurs who nowadays constitute the main layer of social investors. And social investing takes many forms. This can be investing everything they have in scaling a project from a personal decision to the public good, a contribution from the family budget to a territorial development project, a step from monetizing a hobby to creating creative industries, and so on.
Yes, so far social entrepreneurs are not visible in Forbes rankings or in closed business clubs of millionaires. But it is hundreds or even thousands of such investors who are now shaping the landscape for the transition to a new quality of life in the country.
This issue presents several cases of social enterprises that can definitely be called social investors. These include the well-known federal brands Mi&ko and Pure Water, as well as territory development projects such as the "Golubino” Cultural and Landscape Park and the Russian consulting-integrator in the ESG You Social field.
Enjoy discovering a new, positive economic agenda for the country!
Mi&ko
Organic Cosmetics
https://clck.ru/SpgPF
Production of organic cosmetics with 100 % natural ingredients. More than 90 % of products are Ecosert Cosmos Organic certified. Mi&ko products are not tested on animals. Products are bottled in eco-friendly glass and recyclable plastic. All packaging is made of recycled cardboard.
SOLUTIONS USED
Since 2011, Mi&ko has been a social entrepreneur (certified social entrepreneur status by an international certifying organization) and supports other social projects:
• Collaboration with the "Gift to an Angel Foundation” 2018–2019 to support families with children with disabilities in rehabilitation programmes for young children.
• Collaboration with the "My Family Foundation” from 2018 to the present for the project "Save Life!” – support for pregnant women in difficult life situations.
• Annual support for the Kirov Retirement Home with products to maintain the health of the wards' skin. Mi&ko cosmetics have not been tested on animals since the company's founding, supporting laboratories with alternative testing methods since 2009.
• Objective for 2022: to promote the adoption of the Technical Regulations for CMCs with the inclusion of alternative testing options for household chemicals in the Russian Federation. ISO14001 environmental management system implemented in the company – we reduce the negative impact of our production and office facilities on the environment every year.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS
Best of beauty 2021 award from Glamour magazine.
RESOURCES RAISED IN 2021
We create equal opportunities for people, which is why 10 % of our working places are reserved for people in difficult circumstances. The Company has a Corporate and Social Code to support its employees.
Up to 10 % of funds are donated to charities and foundations we work with. Employee training upon hire and quarterly training aimed at clarifying the Company's environmental policy and sustainability targets for the next 3 years (adherence to standards within the Company). Conducting training sessions for employees on greening their own lives, with the aim of improving the environmental culture and health of employees. 4 times a year, corporate eco/health/social events for employees (Eco-races, Vyatka River Bank Clean-up, Best Environmentalist Awards, Donor Day or Eco-Donor Day, "Second Life of Things”).
STEPS TAKEN LAST YEAR
• Organization and participation in events aimed at environmental education, drawing attention to environmental problems, informing the public about the importance of environmental conservation, as well as healthy, conscious lifestyle.
• Promotion of environmental education to the public (publication of posts, placing materials on environmental conservation, healthy, conscious lifestyle in the media, cooperation with eco-bloggers and opinion leaders, educating on the themes of conscious lifestyle, consumption and care for the environment).
• Promotion of the Zero Waste concept – mass production of new types of environmentally friendly products that reduce water and logistics costs.
• Promotion of cosmetics and household non-chemicals, their values for the environment and humans, the importance of eco-packaging, minimizing the impact on the environment and human health at the time of production, delivery, use, after (disposal) of products and packaging.
• Migration to EDI by the end of the year for up to 40 % of all sales and purchasing counterparties.
• Organization of return and collection of recyclable packaging from 5 % of our wholesale customers.
• Reduction in total waste by 5 %. Increased recycling rate by 5 % y-o-y.
• Energy consumption (per unit of output) reduced by 5 % y-o-y.
• Accounting for the organization's environmental activities by type and location of negative environmental impact, as well as linking these costs to specific types of products, i.e. maintaining detailed analyses of environmental costs.
• Reduction of indirect adverse environmental impacts.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT
One of Mi&ko's key success criteria is the social impact of its business.
Our main goals are to improve the quality of life and health of people and reduce the impact of business on the environment. We produce natural cosmetics that keep people healthy, including those with atopic dermatitis, allergies and asthma. Our products create no chemical waste after use.
PureWater
Household Non-Chemicals
https://clck.ru/SpgPF
PureWater household non-chemicals contain more than 97 % naturally derived ingredients, all products are eco-friendly and degrade in the environment >78 % in 28 days.
PureWater detergents contain no palm oil-based ingredients – our goal is to preserve the planet's biodiversity. Our range includes products for both laundry and general housekeeping. Thanks to their composition they are safe for septic tanks and ideal for country houses.
SOLUTIONS USED
Collaboration with the Worldwildlife Fund (2018–2020) on a programme to direct 3 % of funds from the sale of Pure Water household chemicals to the "Adopt an Animal” programme – to restore the snow leopard population in the Russian Federation. We have implemented the ISO14001 environmental management system – each year we reduce the negative environmental impact of our production and office operations.
STEPS TAKEN LAST YEAR
We create equal opportunities for people, which is why 10 % of our working places are reserved for people in difficult circumstances. The Company has a Corporate and Social Code to support employees. We allocate up to 10 % of our funds to charities and foundations we work with. Employee training at hiring and quarterly training aimed at clarifying the company's environmental policy and sustainability goals for the next three years (adherence to standards within the company). Conducting training events on greening their own lives for employees, with the aim of improving the environmental culture and health of employees. Corporate eco/health/social events for employees are held 4 times a year (Eco-races, Vyatka River Bank cleanup, Best Environmentalists of the Year Awards, Donor Day or Eco Debt Day, Second Life of Things).
SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT
Produce household non-chemicals that keep people healthy, including those with atopic dermatitis, allergies and asthma.
Golubino
Cultural Landscape Park
https://clck.ru/eBYEs
"Golubino" Park is a place where comfortable conditions have been created for year-round recreation for guests wishing to explore the unique history and heritage of the Russian North and see the beauty of nature: canyons, winding rivers, waterfalls and karst caves. We offer cosy hotel rooms, a restaurant with northern cuisine, organization of excursions and transfers. By employing local people and creating attraction for the depressed area, we promote sustainable tourism where we carefully balance the interests of locals and visitors to the area, thus creating an interesting future.
PROBLEM TO SOLVE
Preservation of natural and cultural heritage of the Russian North.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS
"Golubino” Park has won in three categories of the All-Russian project "OPEN YOUR RUSSIA”. Agency for Strategic Initiatives.
• The tours "Get to know the Russian North” and "Zapovednaya Chud” were among 30 winning itineraries selected by the competition committee chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government, Dmitry Chernyshenko.
• The "Zapovednaya Chud” tour is among 10 itineraries recommended by the Federal Agency for Tourism (Rostourism) to apply for the "National Brand Route status”.
• The "Northern Canyons” tour was among the 10 winning itineraries in the nominations from the project partners. We were selected by Renaissance Insurance in the "Conquer the Four Elements category”.
RESOURCES RAISED IN 2021
Grant in the form of a subsidy to support public and entrepreneurial initiatives aimed at developing domestic and inbound tourism from the Federal Agency for Tourism – 3 million rubles.
STEPS TAKEN LAST YEAR
Deer Festival – an inter-regional event in support of indigenous minorities of the North (1500 participants) was held on March 08, 2021.
DIRECT RESULTS FOR 2021
Tourist flow: 18.5 thousand people.
SOCIAL EFFECTS ACHIEVED IN 2021
The project of author tours from local residents "It depends on me”, which allows solving social problems in small territories.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT
LLC "Golubino” is an investment donor of the territory, a rare business in the area, which works to attract external financial flow. The park, using the funds of the investor and its own funds, is primarily developing the infrastructure, which is used not only by the visitors of the territory, but also by the locals.
You Social
We Create Space for the Best in a Person, Business, Community
https://clck.ru/TJqJt
Since 2016, we at You Social have been systemically engaged in implementing sustainable development projects. Over this period, our team has implemented 123 projects in 71 regions. We prepare non-financial reports, develop strategies for sustainable development, ESG, corporate diversity and inclusion, D&I, and integrate them in corporate business processes. We also develop in-house communities and implement social and ecological projects in cities of company presence and projects involving customers. We draw on our experience to offer solutions for all business development stages and at all scales.
PROBLEM TO SOLVE
Attracting investments and optimizing costs through the “green shift” in the company's activities and building a responsible brand. We are confident that the relation between environmental (E) and social (S) policies is not just that of interconnection, but interdependence, and we are ready to prove this using best practices and solutions that we develop taking into account the requirements of business, society and the state.
SOLUTIONS USED
You Social always focuses on all three aspects of ESG. We help companies establish a three-way communication where each participant receives meaningful benefits, whether it is improving the quality of life and well-being, reducing poverty or caring for the environment. Our team consists of more than 150 experts, which allows us to conduct nationwide research, initiate co-branding projects, create and support communities within companies, develop and implement educational programs.
STEPS TAKEN LAST YEAR
It has been a very productive year. Together with a University, we have created an educational project for regional ESG managers that allows employees to improve their skills, present their own project, defend it and proceed with its implementation, and enables organizations to gain a common understanding of ESG policies and actions.
We were engaged in the creation of a life cycle laboratory for a federal umbrella brand as part of a project to introduce the principles of closed-loop economy into the company's activities. Our efforts encompassed several areas: the Ecooffice project, the collection of E-waste, the creation of a responsible supply chain, an environmental educational program that helped involve employees in all ongoing processes.
For an international retailer, we have developed a strategy to provide equal opportunities to all social groups regardless of their physiological, ethnic, cultural, social and other backgrounds. As part of this project, we built business processes, communications and a management system to create an inclusive consumer environment, and we created a pool of products for sale that would meet the needs of different target audiences.
We have launched several pilot projects. In the cities of Perm and Ufa, we took part in developing a program to improve housing conditions for low-income families. It included the development of regulations and criteria for selecting the project participants, the first families to receive the benefits, the preparation of "help packages” (goods needed for various home-improvement projects). In Moscow and Saint Petersburg, we launched a job placement program for the homeless people that involved looking for partners among NGOs and establishing interaction process, career guidance and engaging events.
OUR PLANS
We believe in human aspect behind any projects, actions and changes. Therefore, we take part in organizing the First National ESG Principles Headliners Award as an official partner of nominations related to environmental and social programs and solutions.
The nearest-term plans involve establishment of a professional community for young professionals in the field of ESG, where we can share experience, knowledge, job offerings, and develop systemic thinking.
FINANCIAL STABILITY MODEL
Our key clients are large and medium-sized Russian and international businesses. We are ready to develop and implement turnkey sustainable development strategy as well as offer efficient solutions for standalone tasks within the framework of the ESG policy that has already been established within the company. We also conduct company assessment for compliance with national and international sustainability standards.
