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Sustainable development

Sustainable development

SFI is a large investment holding that owns assets in various sectors of the economy. We take a responsible approach to the choice of objects for investment, including in terms of ESG factors. In this section, we talk about which SFI has chosen for itself the sustainable development goals and what it is doing to comply them. Here are the main policies and reports, news of the holding companies related to ESG initiatives. Also we talk here about charitable activities and SFI ratings in the field of sustainable development.

SFI sustainability principles

In its activities, the SFI investment holding adheres to the principles of responsible business conduct. They are integrated into SFI's investment strategy, corporate governance and decisionmaking processes, day-to-day operations, and reporting and disclosure system.
We are confident that our contribution to the development of the ESG agenda will allow us to build a foundation for trusting relationships with shareholders, investors, and partners, as well as improve the business and social climate in Russia.
We have identified eight global UN Sustainable Development Goals to which we adhere and to the achievement of which we can make the greatest contribution out of our portfolio assets:
3 Good health
and
well-being
8 Decent work
and economic
growth
9 Industry,
innovation and
infrastructure
10 Reduced
inequalities
12 Responsible
consumption and
production
13 Climate
action
15 Life on
land
17 Partnerships for
the goals

SFI bases its activities on the principles of corporate behavior contained in the Corporate Governance Code, which was approved on March 21, 2014, by the Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia. The holding regularly assesses compliance with the corporate governance principles set forth in the Code. The assessment results are contained in the Report on Compliance with the Principles and Recommendations of the Corporate Governance Code and are published annually together with the holding's Annual Report.

The holding fully abides by the corporate governance principles and the independence criteria for the members of the Board of Directors in accordance with the Listing Rules of PJSC Moscow Exchange. It also submits quarterly compliance reports to the Moscow Exchange.

SFI is committed to providing shareholders and investors with open access to information, limited only by the law and competitive conditions, and accounts for their demands, claims, suggestions, and expectations in its work. Each shareholder may participate in General Shareholder Meetings and vote on issues on the agenda, as well as access the documents that the holding is obliged to provide in accordance with the Law on Joint Stock Companies.

SFI has Regulations on Information Policy in place in order to protect the rights and legitimate interests of shareholders and investors, provide access to complete and reliable information about the holding's operations, improve corporate governance, make informed investment decisions, and increase the value of its financial assets. The Regulations define the goals and principles of information disclosure, the list of information (in addition to the information required by the laws), regarding which SFI undertakes the disclosure obligation, the procedure and timing of information disclosure, as well as measures to ensure control over compliance with the information policy.

Personal data security is the most important attribute of interaction with employees, counterparties, investors, and shareholders. To ensure the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in the processing of personal data, as well as for the purposes of compliance with Russian laws in the field of personal data, SFI has developed, and adheres to, a Personal Data Protection Policy. The holding has also developed Personal Data Regulations.

These documents specify the composition of personal information that SFI collects about employees, partners, and shareholders, as well as the purpose of its collection, the scope of its application, and the terms of transferring such information to third parties. All new employees sign the consent to the processing, storage, and dissemination of their personal data. Employees must also familiarize themselves with SFI's Personal Data Protection Policy and other local regulations upon getting hired.
SFI employees are the most important asset of the holding. SFI takes all necessary measures to protect their occupational safety and health, including COVID-19 safety measures, and operates a program of financial incentives for employees, including bonuses, financial aid, and allocated funds for employee training. Interaction between the holding as an employer and employees is regulated by Russian law and local regulations, which include the Internal Labor Rules, Regulations on the Labor Protection Management System, and Regulations on Remuneration and Incentives.

SFI uses a limited amount of energy resources in its work, taking a responsible approach to their consumption. The holding and its subsidiaries and affiliates continuously implement measures aimed at reducing fuel, power, and heat consumption.

The SFI investment holding itself does not employ more than 50 people. The holding has minimal impact on the environment. At the same time, the employees are aware of the importance of responsible consumption.
When selecting investment targets, the holding prioritizes companies that adhere to the principles of sustainable development and conscientiously monitor their impact on the environment and society, minimizing the risks of negative effects and creating and expanding opportunities for positive change. The investment process at SFI is governed by internal documents and procedures.

Sustainable development
of SFI assets

SFI and the companies that make up the holding's portfolio make a significant contribution to the environmental agenda and environmental protection, the development of infrastructure and industry, job creation, the formation of a competitive labor and procurement market, and ensuring social and environmental well-being in the regions where we operate.
1Personnel
development
2The growth of financial
literacy of the population
3Improving the environmental
situation of the country

Europlan pays great attention to the sustainability agenda. The company' is responsible for providing high-quality leasing services, ensuring that resources are used rationally, and that the principles of social justice and best corporate governance practices are adhered to.

The company actively participates in the institutional development of the leasing market in Russia through various industry associations and events, shares its expertise, and promotes financial literacy improvement among the general public.

Europlan contributes to the improvement of the country's environmental situation by playing a key role in the process of renewing the vehicle fleet of Russian businesses. The company monitors how exporters and manufacturers pay the recycling fee for leased assets in compliance with the applicable laws. Europlan has a successful Ecoplan project initiated by employees and actively supported by the company's management.

Paying great attention to charitable activities, Europlan has been actively supporting children's charities since 2011, helping them with money and organizing company employees who wish to volunteer.

More information about Europlan's ESG-programs can be found on the company's website.
1Social
guarantees
2Charity
projects
3Environment
protection

The work of VSK Insurance House in the field of corporate social responsibility involves improving the system of management and interaction with clients and partners, as well as increasing investment attractiveness and information transparency.

VSK implements special programs for safeguarding the lives and health of its personnel, in addition to providing social guarantees and environmental protection. Charity projects are one of the important aspects of VSK's social responsibility.

In addition, the company takes care of the environment: it implements processes to decrease energy consumption and use energy more efficiently, reduce and sort waste, and manage paper and water consumption. It also organizes environmental campaigns.

In 2022, VSK reaffirmed its social responsibility by earning a high rating from the BusinessDrom analytical agency.

More information about VSK ESG-programs can be found on the company's website.
1Environment
protection
2Personnel and
clients care
3Best corporate
governance practices

One of M.Video-Eldorado's values is accountability for the future of the industry and society, and this is what guides the Group's ESG standards and initiatives.

M.Video-Eldorado considers it important to contribute to global challenges and create long-term sustainable value for society as a whole. The group has identified a set of key priorities and growth vectors in the field of sustainable development.

Here, M.Video-Eldorado's goal is to improve the environmental performance of its own operations and supply chain. Therefore, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the principles of a circular economy are the key factors in determining the company's environmental impact.

M.Video-Eldorado is a major Russian employer and creates a safe and comfortable work environment for its employees, where everyone can achieve their potential and contribute to society. With an extensive network of stores throughout Russia, M.Video-Eldorado is also actively involved in the development of local communities and territories in the regions where it operates.

M.Video-Eldorado's corporate governance bodies are committed to fully and accurately following the principles of the Corporate Governance Code approved by the Bank of Russia, as well as international best practices in this area.

More information about M.Video-Eldorado ESG-programs can be found on the company's website.
1Development of regional
economies and community welfare
2Environment
protection
3Charity
projects

The oil company RussNeft adheres to the principle of a responsible attitude of business to society.

The company seeks to fully contribute to the development of regional economies and community welfare. The holding makes significant tax payments to local budgets, creates new jobs, and implements large-scale social programs on the basis of agreements with the administrations of Russian regions. The company works hard to protect the environment. It operates in the energy sector, which is considered one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, RussNeft is closely following the climate agenda and the development of green technologies in hydrocarbons production and processing. It is also working on its own strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, along with a number of measures to manage climate risks.

RussNeft and its subsidiaries systematically contribute to charity in the regions of their presence.

RussNeft has been actively engaged in compensatory tree planting since 2017. The reforestation plan for the period from 2020 to 2024 involves planting 2 mln trees, which will absorb 493 tons of CO2 annually, starting from 2024.

More information about RussNeft ESG-programs can be found on the company's website.
1Reduction carbon footprint
2Decrease energy
consumption
3Personnel care

The use of the cloud for games from the game service GFN.RU, the exclusive partner of NVIDIA in the development of GeForce NOW in Russia and CIS, has a long-term effect on the environment.

The company chooses data centers with a minimal carbon footprint, which are the most efficient solutions in the market. GFN.RU users also reduce their workload and carbon footprint because they consume less power while playing games: the average electricity costs are five times less per person. Choosing the right servers gives is beneficial to energy consumption rates, both per person and per server, which is important for business and its social responsibility.

The GFN.RU team tries to strike a balance when selecting employees: there is no preference by age, gender, or race among those looking for work. GFN.RU has only one criterion when recruiting employees: professionalism. And this brings results. The team is represented by both men and women with different hobbies and very different views on life. Such diversity is considered the norm, and is the key to the mental health of the team.

Charity

The SFI investment holding is one of the donors supporting the SAFMAR Charitable Foundation, which implements long-term social projects in the field of culture, sports, health, art, education, and spiritual enlightenment.
Key parameters of the Foundation's charitable activities:
10 сharity
areas
30 regions of
Russia
42 targeted
charity
programs
2,5 bln rub
of targeted
funding
Learn more
The Foundation's activities are overseen by the Advisory Board, the Board of Trustees, and the Revision Commission. The SAFMAR Charitable Foundation is a member of the Donors Forum, a non-profit partnership of grantmaking organizations that unites the largest charities in Russia. Members of the Donors Forum participate in the development of a professional philanthropic community in Russia and promote best practices in the field of philanthropy.
The Foundation is guided by the following principles in implementing its programs:
  • Transparency
  • Targeting
  • Financial transparency
  • Expert approach
  • Accountability
  • Significant social impact
The main goal of the Foundation's projects is the all-around spiritual development of the individual, as well as the promotion of a healthy lifestyle and a widespread physical culture and sports movement. All programs of the SAFMAR Charitable Foundation meet the criteria of transparency, clarity of strategy, and consistency in implementation. In its work, the Foundation relies on Russia's best traditions and practices in the field of charity.


More information about SAFMAR Charitable Foundation can be found on the website.

Ratings and rankings

The SFI investment holding makes the ESG ranking of financial service companies published by the Russian National Rating Agency (NRA). The holding has come fourth in the group at the developing ESG implementation stage.
In 2022 SFI has been listed on the RBC and NKR rating agency's ESG index.
Learn more

ESG ranking of financial service companies NRA

The NRA report states that the ESG implementation as a concept is included in the terminology and internal SFI documents, even though the company does not currently have a sustainable development strategy. NRA experts point out that the holding does carry out certain activities in terms of ESG integration.

NRA publishes ESG rankings of securities issuers that are on the quotation lists of the Moscow Exchange at the first and second levels. The ESG ranking is presented in sectors – industrial, consumer, and financial.

The ranking that SFI has been included in provides data on the ESG profile of financial service companies and features 30 issuers, i.e. banks, financial and infrastructure institutions, and insurance companies.

RBC and NKR rating agency's ESG index

Per the survey results, the holding was categorized as belonging to the group with «above average» ESG observance level. On top of that, the VSK insurance company, in which SFI holds 49%, entered the high-level group, while M.Video-Eldorado was named on a group with an average ESG observance level.

The NKR ESG index included real economy businesses, as well as financial institutions and insurers. For the final list, a total of 115 questionnaires were chosen. According to the points earned, the index participants were grouped into three categories: average compliance with environmental, social, and governance requirements; above average compliance; and high compliance.

Contacts

Department of Communications and Investor Relations +7 495 901 03 61