“It is now cleaner, cozier, and nicer to be at”: corporate volunteers in Nizhnevartovsk cleaned up the banks of the Ob

25 august 2025

Nizhnevartovsk’s corporate volunteers cleaned up the Ob’s banks in Old Vartovsk, collecting more than 150 bags filled of trash. The cleanup was organized by the Regional Office of the National Corporate Volunteering Council in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug–Yugra (NCVC in Yugra) with support from SIBUR’s Formula for Good Deeds social investment program.

The environmental campaign drew 78 volunteers representing eight different outfits, including Zapsibtransgaz, SiburTyumenGaz and their respective grassroots-level trade union organizations, the Russian Post, the Sibriskiye Uvaly Nature Reserve, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of the Nizhnevartovsk city administration, the Yugra branch of Sberbank, and Yunirest.

The cleanup campaign opened with welcoming remarks by: Alexander Olifirenko, General Director of SiburTyumenGaz; Elena Snezhko, head of SIBUR’s Formula for Good Deeds social investment program and chair of NCVC’s regional offices in Amur Oblast and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug–Yugra; and Inna Lunyak, an expert with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Nizhnevartovsk’s city administration.

Alexander Olifirenko, General Director of SiburTyumenGaz:
“Corporate volunteering is the embodiment of partnership between businesses, the government, and society. By combining our efforts, we can build something worthy and meaningful that would benefit us all. Such environmental initiatives are essential for protecting the natural heritage of our region and for building a comfortable life for our residents and visitors. Together with members of the regional NCVC office, we have contributed in a visible way to preserving Nizhnevartovsk’s environment today. This serves as the starkest example of how everyone’s small contribution can benefit us all in a major way.”

Liya Markova, a researcher and a local history scholar at the Sibirskiye Uvaly Nature Park, took the eco-activists on a tour titled Old Vartovsk: the history of the place, what grows and who lives here. According to Markova, the cleanup’s location is closely related to the history of the Nizhnevartovsk fish plant. The remains a wooden vessel that can be seen lying on the riverbank, was likely used by fishermen heading out to fish on the Ob in the years after WWII. Over the years, the ship has grown covered by silt, but it still is an object of historical value. That is why the cleanup was not only important environmentally but also quite significant culturally.

Elena Snezhko, head of SIBUR’s Formula for Good Deeds social investment program and chair of the regional offices of NCVC in Amur Oblast and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug–Yugra:
“Today marks an important milestone for our Council, because together we have just held our very first joint campaign. It was great to see an idea conceived by the council’s members at its meeting in Surgut getting converted into a tangible and kind deed. I would like thank all the participants for their empathy, energy, and cohesive teamwork: your passion serves as a great example for others and is truly beneficial to our environment.”

In the aftermath of the cleanup campaign, Yugra Ecology, the regional solid municipal waste handler, sent all the trash collected by the volunteers to a sorting center to sort it into recyclable fractions so that valuable raw materials can be returned back into the production cycle and thus reduce the environmental impact.

To find out more, join the activities of the NCVC’s Regional Office in Yugra, propose joint volunteering initiatives, or ask a question, contact our coordinators at +7-963-641-39-68, volonter@formula-hd.ru.

Vladislav Rudenko, an expert with Zapsibtransgaz:
“I attended the cleanup campaign together with my son. It happened so that my daughter was at a kids’ camp that day, but next time around our whole family will be in attendance. It was a special day for me as I was able to spend quality time with my son teaching him responsibility and the importance of contributing to a common cause. Dear colleagues, bring your whole families to these cleanups! It’s a great opportunity to spend time together, teach your children how to care for their native land, and feel being a part of a big friendly team.”

Oksana Onufrak, a legal counsel at Sberbank’s Yugra branch:
“This was an excellent opportunity to contribute to a common cause and make the area around us better. I was particularly inspired by the atmosphere of cohesion and common understanding shared by the participants: we worked next to each other, supported each other, and celebrated every achievement. Thanks to our joint efforts, we have been able to truly transform the cleaned-up area: it got cleaner, cozier, and nicer to be at. Everyone was in good spirits, this filled us all with positivity and the energy of kindness and creativity. I am really grateful for this initiative and for the opportunity to be a part of such an important event.”

Vera Grigoryeva, a regional manager for Yunirest:
“I would like to thank everyone for the excellent organization of this volunteering event, for the invitation, and for the opportunity to be active and to help others. Everything had been well thought out in advance including logistics, gear, consumables, photography, music, and delicious food. All participants were treated with great respect and attention, while the presence of the leadership underscored the importance of this event for the region. Many thanks! We will look forward to taking part in future events like these.”

Background:

The National Corporate Volunteering Council’s regional chapter in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra was established in 2024 thanks to the efforts of SIBUR and the Yugra Center for Civil and Social Initiatives Foundation to coordinate socially impactful initiatives implemented by large businesses, SMEs, non-profits, volunteering centers, and other stakeholders.

The community’s members include Zapsibtransgas, SiburTyumenGas and their respective grassroots-level trade union organizations, MTS, the KhMAO-Yugra Office of the Social Fund of Russia, Russian Post, Rostelecom, Russneft, Sberbank’s Yugra branch, Surgutneftegasobank, Philip Morris Sales and Marketing, X5 Group, as well as experts from local volunteering and resource centers and charitable organizations.

Further details are available at https://www.formula-hd.ru/nskvugra/.

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Background:

Further details are available at https://www.formula-hd.ru/nskvugra/.

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Background:

Further details are available at https://www.formula-hd.ru/nskvugra/.

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