Nornickel’s contribution to the UN SDGs and Russia’s strategic priorities
Nornickel made a commitment to contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) up to 2030. The Company also helps implement national projects and supports the fulfilment of Russia’s national goals.
The Company has analysed UN SDGs and matched them against its own strategic priorities, material risks, goals and commitments, as well as best peer practices. The analysis showed that Nornickel makes a significant contribution to 13 SDGs, focusing specifically on Goals 3, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 13 as its core priorities.
Nornickel’s contribution to the UN SDGs in 2023 and progress along the national strategic priorities
SDGs
Goal 4:
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- In 2023, the scope of employee training increased by 45% y-o-y to 314,000 man-sessions per year;
- the average number of annual training hours per employee (based on the average headcount) grew by 3% y‑o‑y to 88;
- the number of university students covered by Nornickel’s corporate scholarship programmes increased six‑fold to 454 people vs 2022;
- we created a digital encyclopedia‑type platform, City of Professions, to facilitate career guidance for children in the cities where the Company operates;
- Nornickel developed an innovative educational solution, a chatbot with built‑in AI to implement training programmes for line managers.
The Company carried out projects aimed at:
- the development of a youth ecosystem in order to unlock engineering potential for kids, teenagers, and young people aged 5 to 27;
- repairs and construction of educational infrastructure across the Company’s footprint;
- cooperation with universities and vocational schools, including by signing partnership agreements, developing joint educational programmes and plans, and organising internships.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National projects:
- Education
- Science and universities
National goal:
- Opportunities for self‑fulfilment and talent development
SDGs
Goal 6:
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- In the reporting year, reused and recycled water accounted for 83% of total water consumed;
- the Company supplies water to Norilsk;
- in 2023, Yenisey River Shipping Company’s fleet collected 13.3 kt of waste water and over 1 kt of waste, while also providing 4.36 kt of drinking water to vessels.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National project:
- Environment
National goals:
- Comfortable and safe living environment
- Maintaining the population and supporting the people’s health and well‑being
SDGs
Goal 7:
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- RES share in the Group's energy consumption rose by 7 p.p. y‑o‑y to 55%;
- the Company supplies electricity and heat to Norilsk residents;
- in 2023, Nornickel began to develop a partnership project to build small‑capacity nuclear power plants in permafrost areas.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National projects:
- Comprehensive plan for upgrading and expanding core infrastructure
- Environment
National goal:
- Comfortable and safe living environment
SDGs
Goal 8:
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- In 2023, Nornickel performed a salary indexation by 6.1%, with average monthly salary amounting to RUB 184,100;
- the share of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements stood at 94%;
- the Company expanded the range of social programmes, with over 51,300 participants joining the Digital Investor motivation programme;
- we increased spending on improvements to social and working conditions by 40.6% y‑o‑y to RUB 4.5 bn;
- the Company builds ties with small and medium businesses across its footprint and implements initiatives to support entrepreneurs.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National projects:
- Labour productivity
- Small and medium enterprises and support for individual entrepreneurial initiatives
National goals:
- Decent and efficient labour and successful entrepreneurship
- Opportunities for self‑fulfilment and talent development
SDGs
Goal 9:
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- We implemented 117 projects in IT, innovations, and digitalisation (totally funding of RUB 7.6 bn).
The Company took the following steps:
- participated in the Metallurgy and Environment industrial competence centres;
- helped foster the information security market in cooperation with developers and vendors of relevant products and services;
- implemented digital projects in the regions of operation (increasing the reliability of Norilsk Airport IT infrastructure, construction of a fibre optic communication line in the Norilsk Industrial District, creating a digital renovation platform for Norilsk);
- took part in a project to monitor the foundations of buildings and structures in Norilsk and monitor the air quality in the regions where the Company operates.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National projects:
- Digital economy
- Environment
National goals:
- Digital transformation
- Comfortable and safe living environment
SDGs
Goal 10:
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- Expenses on relocating Norilsk and Dudinka residents to regions with better climate conditions stood at RUB 830 mln;
- the number of participants in the relocation support programme increased to 4,615 people;
- population mobility across Nornickel footprint increased (in 2023, Norilsk Airport was named an international airport);
- the Company provides financial, consultation, educational, and other types of support to local indigenous communities.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National projects:
- Housing and urban environment
- Comprehensive plan for upgrading and expanding core infrastructure
National goals:
- Comfortable and safe living environment
- Opportunities for self‑fulfilment and talent development
SDGs
Goal 11:
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- Pollutant emissions from Kola MMC decreased by over 90% vs 2015;
- the Sulphur Programme started at Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant in Norilsk;
- since the launch of the Clean Norilsk programme, 347 abandoned buildings were dismantled, over 1 mt of waste and 80 kt of scrap metal were disposed of, and a total area of 4.1 million m2 was cleared;
- the Company piloted an air quality monitoring and forecasting system in Norilsk, Monchegorsk, Nickel, and Zapolyarny;
- the Company contributed to land improvement in the regions where it operates, housing construction, and infrastructure upgrade;
- the Company сontinued to implement tourism investment projects Valla Tunturi and Zatundra and support for the Bobrovy Log Fun Park (opening of new pistes; launch of Snow Class, a social, tourist, and sports project; staging other environmental, awareness‑raising, and educational events).
Russia’s strategic priorities
National projects:
- Environment
- Housing and urban environment
- Tourism and hospitality
- Culture
National goals:
- Comfortable and safe living environment
- Maintaining the population and supporting the people’s health and well‑being
SDGs
Goal 12:
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- In‑house waste recycling and treatment amounted to 29.9 mt in 2023 (flat y‑o‑y);
- the Company continued to implement initiatives and projects contributing to increased waste recycling and treatment;
- we continue to adopt and use more advanced production technologies and take steps to upgrade and modernise our facilities (for instance, NMP’s new furnace enables the plant to process concentrates with lower sulphur content).
Russia’s strategic priorities
National project:
- Environment
National goal:
- Comfortable and safe living environment
SDGs
Goal 13:
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions shrank by 2% y‑o‑y to 9.7 mt of CO2 equivalentIncluding a provision for the Sulphur Programme and GHG emissions generated from heat and electricity supply to the public.;
- We implemented the Roadmap to comply with the TCFD recommendations and developed a Climate Change Action Plan through 2025;
- the Company adopted the key focus areas for carbon neutrality through 2050.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National project:
- Environment
National goal:
- Comfortable and safe living environment
SDGs
Goal 15:
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- We completed in full the rehabilitation of land plots contaminated by the fuel spill and disturbed during clean‑up activities;
- 131 ha of disturbed land were rehabilitated, including landscaping of 5 ha, reforestation of 112 ha, and reclamation of 14 ha;
- we organised a second season of the Big Scientific Expedition to study biodiversity in the regions of operation.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National project:
- Environment
National goal:
- Comfortable and safe living environment
SDGs
Goal 16:
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- We informed 100% of ouremployees about our anti‑corruption practices;
- Nornickel developed an online anti‑corruption course for the Board of Directors, the Management Board, and top managers;
- We organised an educational campaign on managing conflicts of interest for employees responsible for implementing anti‑corruption procedures and legal team members across the Group;
- the Company approved the principles of interaction among its structural units engaged in contractor due diligence and corruption risk assessment;
- we drafted communication procedures to inform employees on effective anti‑corruption measures, including the way, form, and frequency of educational and awareness raising events.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National goal:
- Decent and efficient labour and successful entrepreneurship
SDGs
Goal 17:
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
Nornickel contribution in 2023
- Produced and exported metals supporting the development of low‑carbon energy;
- took part in the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), the UN Economic Commission for Europe’s forum in Geneva, and the Sustainable Mineral Supply Chain International Forum in Chengdu;
- built international ties in science, technology, and innovations;
- implemented a number of cooperation agreements with Rosprirodnadzor in order to preserve the environment and ensure environmental safety;
- engaged international experts, including from the UN, to develop a new policy on interactions with indigenous northern minorities.
- Nornickel Group was represented in 25 working bodies (committees, expert and working groups, etc.) established by non‑governmental organisations and government authorities.
Russia’s strategic priorities
National projects:
- International cooperation and exports
- Science and universities
National goals:
- Comfortable and safe living environment
- Decent and efficient labour and successful entrepreneurship