According to the company’s press service, Sber held a series of events on Volga Day, which is celebrated on May 20. They aimed at preserving the river and its ecosystem, as well as improving the ecological culture of the inhabitants of cities in the Volga region.
More than 30 thousand people attended Sberbank events that day. At the same time, the action “Respect the Volga on Volga Day”, organized by Sberbank and the non-profit foundation “No River, No Hand” became the main event. Water samples were taken simultaneously in 15 cities along the entire river from Tver to Astrakhan. The study makes it possible to evaluate the impact of various factors on the quality of Volga water and to understand the origin of potential sources of water pollution. Due to the regularity of measurements, the reports received make it possible to monitor the dynamics of the state of the river ecosystem.
As emphasized by Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Sberbank, the development and support of green projects is part of Sber’s ESG strategy. According to him, the protection of water resources, water quality and aquatic ecosystems is one of the priorities of the country’s environmental policy, and Sberbank, of course, could not fail to solve this problem.
“The Volga is not only the main transport artery of Russia, but also a natural monument, cultural heritage of the country. It is extremely important to control its condition in order to reduce the negative human impact on water quality. The action “Respect for the Volga on Volga Day” has not only scientific and practical, but also educational value. Its purpose is to draw Russian attention to the state of water bodies and the importance of caring for the environment in general,” he said.
Also on this day, a children’s eco-quiz was held in Nizhny Novgorod, Naberezhnye Chelny, Cheboksary and Yoshkar-Ola, in Dubna, Ivanovo, Kostroma, Tver and Yaroslavl – lessons and thematic drawing competitions in schools, in Astrakhan, Volgograd and Saratov – master classes, tutorials and ecological games. In Samara, on the Volga embankment, the Sberbank Community Center held an eco-festival where various topics were discussed, from the history of the Volga to organizing an environmentally friendly picnic on the shore of a reservoir.
Recall that the campaign has been held since 2021: then 15 water samples were taken. In 2022, the number of samples was increased to 30 for a more complete analysis of the hydrochemical parameters of the Volga. Also this year, 30 samples were taken from the entire water area of the Volga. They were transferred to a private accredited laboratory for further research. Water intake locations were determined by environmental experts, and the procedure was carried out by specially trained Sber volunteers.