General interest
Results from a NAFI study show the top areas for corporate volunteering in Russia are patriotic and environmental initiatives, along with giving help and financial support to those in need. About one third of companies run these programs, and roughly 30 percent actively involve employees in volunteering while helping to organize large cultural or sports events.
Volunteering has long been valued in Russia. Today, 82 percent of residents believe that the state and society should work together on social problems, with volunteering playing a role. Businesses increasingly weave volunteer projects into corporate culture and mobilize employees to participate in these efforts.
Employees show genuine interest in volunteer work. Participation in corporate volunteering is widespread and benefits both workers and the companies that sponsor such programs. This view is shared by 91 percent of employed Russians.
One third of participants feel that taking part in voluntary initiatives makes employees feel socially useful and needed. An almost equal share of workers, about 29 percent, believes volunteering improves the overall atmosphere and team communication. Additionally, 22 percent see volunteering as a driver for company development, and 21 percent feel it strengthens loyalty and trust in the employer.
The emergence of corporate volunteering programs is seen as a new form of investment in personnel and brand value. Participants in these programs confirm that team communication becomes stronger, teamwork improves, soft skills develop, and loyalty to the employer increases [Source: NAFI Analytical Center].
Do good
Among the largest corporate volunteering efforts are those led by Rusal and EN Plus.
Speaking about volunteers, Anastasia Kovenkina, director of the Rusals Social Programs Center, notes that after fourteen years the act of simply helping has become a defining hallmark of volunteering. The identity of a volunteer is formed, the desire to assist becomes a personal life orientation, and the community of corporate volunteers remains tightly knit.
More than 4,000 Rusal employees now participate in environmental and donor activities, help arrange public events, and support community projects across cities. There is consideration of federal funds to expand these efforts further, while expert assessments help volunteers structure activities more effectively.
Today Rusal’s corporate volunteering spans dozens of projects in philanthropy, culture, education, research, support for social institutions, environmental work, and care for animals. All these areas are integral to the company’s sustainable development strategy through 2035.
Since 2011, the New Year Marathon Believe in a Miracle has become a flagship volunteering tradition whose aim is to connect volunteers with wards of social institutions for planned activities in the year ahead.
One notable project in 2023 was Good Boomerang, implemented in the village of Tayzny. The team established a charitable aid center by repairing and equipping facilities at the village council, turning the center into a hub for residents and a safe, welcoming space.
In Achinsk, a project supporting children undergoing ongoing medical treatment was launched. With Won Grant, volunteers helped improve the psychological well-being of young patients in a medical facility.
Fourth start
To sustain volunteer projects across Russia, grants are issued to support educational activities, environmental actions, and financial literacy programs.
In 2004, Oleg Deripaska founded a tradition of systemic support for social volunteering in Russia. This led to the creation of the Social Programs Center and the Aid Foundation, organizations dedicated to backing socially important initiatives.
In 2013, under Deripaska’s initiative, the volunteer program Help Simple emerged, and in 2022 the Inspiration and ACT project was launched to support corporate volunteering and more than 120 volunteer projects over two years. The effort fosters collaboration with foundations and expands practical activities based on programmatic principles.
One example of a programmatic approach is the Alternative Future initiative, developed with the foundation to use role play as a tool for guiding teenagers from orphanages toward career orientation and health awareness.
Recently Russia announced the start of a fourth grant competition for corporate volunteers. Projects supported will aim to assist social institutions in company regions, running as part of the Help Simple program to engage socially active employees.
The competition offers three nominations. The first honors long-standing projects that have demonstrated impact and are ready for scaling. The second seeks volunteer initiatives that contribute to community development with proposals in education and voluntary competencies. The third, Ambassadors of Change, invites non-profit organizations, social institutions, and specially protected natural areas to pursue long-term collaborations focused on expanding partnerships or creating new ones to address urgent social and environmental challenges.
The competition aims to empower employees to drive change within their roles. This year the grant budget has risen to 80 thousand rubles, and applications and ideas supported continue to grow compared with prior years.
Today Rusal’s institutional volunteering encompasses dozens of projects across philanthropy, culture, education, social aid, environmental studies, animal welfare, and more.
Applications are open through March 31, and winners will be announced by April 21, 2025.