MTS builds and consistently implements long-term social investment programs aimed at achieving sustainable positive changes in society, improving the quality of life of the population, digitalizing the economy, increasing digital security by providing a wide range of services and developing innovations in education, social services and urban infrastructure.
The Company focuses its efforts on the implementation of the UN goals that best meet the main areas of its business strategy. Thus, the main principle of MTS social strategy is the focus on the effective solution of social and environmental problems with the help of technological tools and digital expertise of MTS.
At the same time, the Company actively engages a wide audience in its social programs, provides an opportunity for personal contribution to solving urgent problems, thereby creating a basis for high-quality and long-term interaction with the public, develops partnership practices and intersectoral interaction to achieve synergy in solving socially important issues.
Charitable activities of the Group are a continuation of the business strategy and social strategy of the company. It is regulated by the Policy “MTS Activities in the field of charity”, mandatory for all subsidiaries.
In 2022, the expenses on social and charitable projects, including social support for employees, amounted to RUB 603.5 million. Significant initiatives include: MTS federal social programs:
- Generation M: MTS online platform for the creative development of children and adolescents in a digital environment with vivid educational content from more than 350 masters of art and competitive mechanics. The project is among the world’s best practices recognized by the UN as advanced for achieving Sustainable Development Goals
- MTS “Place of Power” and “Urban Legends” programs for the creation of free digital products (VR films, audio guides, smart video monitoring systems, educational materials with AR elements, interactive books, etc.) for the preservation of natural and popularization of cultural values using digital technologies operate in 69 cities and 10 national parks countries.
- Volunteer project “Cultural Code” to support unique cultural values in the regions of the country and original ethno-cultural formations to preserve the national identity of the peoples of Russia.
Developing an Inclusive Environment and Information-Oriented Society
The MTS program is based on the principles of inclusivity, equality and diversity. The program is implemented within the framework of the company’s ESG strategy and DE&I1 — Policy — “MTS activities in the field of diversity, equality and inclusivity”2. The DE&I policy applies to all subsidiaries of the MTS Group. Since 2022, the Company has been an official member of the National Inclusive Agreement.
1 DE&I — Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
2 Approved by the Board of Directors in 2021
In 2022, a comprehensive audit of the Company’s business processes was also conducted from the point of view of DE&I metrics, growth points were identified, and a work plan for 2023 was drawn up taking into account the results obtained. Following the study, 60% of MTS ecosystem employees and leaders are ready to help the company develop the inclusion principles.
As part of the development of a corporate culture of inclusivity, MTS, in partnership with the All-Russian Society of the Disabled (ARSD), conducted an audit of the conditions of an accessible environment at workplaces in the Company’s offices. A survey of employees with health limitations recorded that most of them (80%) are satisfied with the existing working environment.
MTS has started implementing a large-scale project to translate KION online cinema films into Russian sign language.
The Company actively helps form an inclusive culture both within the company and in society. The company has special HR initiatives for recruiting employees of “unpopular” age groups, as well as people with disabilities; training, adapting managers and teams to work with inclusive target audiences. These programs have already shown results: more than 70% of employees are in favor of hiring people with disabilities and mature age, in 2022 alone 420 candidates with health problems have completed training programs and internships.
Head of the MTS Center for Corporate Social Responsibility, Diversity and Inclusion
Digital Inclusion
In 2022, MTS launched a project to train employees in all areas and create manuals for specialists to increase the availability of the Company’s products and services.
Training will help make digital products accessible, convenient and understandable for anyone. The course provides cases on all stages of inclusive development practice: design, WEB, IOS, ANDROID, testing.
Program: “MTS – a Company for Everyone”
- Short list of ESG AWARDS RUSSIA 2022
- is included in the collection “Successful CSR practices” of the educational acceleration program of corporate social responsibility “CSR University”
Project “MTS Inclusive Culture”
- HR IMPACT award in the nomination “Diversity&Inclusion”
Project “Inclusive Hiring”
- 2nd place of the People Investor Award in the nomination “Human Resource Management”
Corporate volunteering
A separate area of the Company’s social investments is corporate volunteering. MTS volunteer movement “Simply Do Good!” has a long history bringing together 7.5 thousand volunteer employees of the Group.
The main areas of the volunteer movement in MTS include: assistance to children, people with disabilities, the elderly, mentoring, assistance to people with low starting opportunities, cultural support, donorship, digital volunteering, and eco-volunteering.
Employees have 3 additional paid days to carry out volunteer activities
MTS implements a special incentive program for volunteers annually celebrating the most significant initiatives of employees. In 2022, 255 social Ecosystem projects from 25 regions of the Russian Federation took part in the competition for the Best social project.
Acknowledgement of the Resource Center of Volunteerism in Russia “Mosvolonter”
for contribution to the development of the volunteer movement in the capital and socially significant public activities in the nomination “Responsible business”
Acknowledgement of the Moscow Regional Duma
for volunteering to MTS employees in Moscow
Award “Time of Innovations”
in the category “Telecommunication technologies”, nomination “Social Innovation of the Year” by the project “My country SvyaziyA”.