Tatyana Ermolova: "Good deeds change not only those we help, but also ourselves"

27 july 2026

In the July edition of the series "About People and Good Deeds", Tatyana Ermolova, a process engineer at SIBUR-Khimprom JSC, talks about how a chance participation in her first volunteer campaign became the beginning of a long journey. Today, Tatyana is the leader of the volunteer movement of the enterprise's Youth Group, a winner of the 6th SIBUR Corporate Volunteer Forum in the "Breakthrough of the Year" category and the author of three volunteer projects being implemented with the support of the "Formula for Good Deeds" social investment programme. We spoke with her about what inspires her to help others, how volunteer initiatives are born and why the most important results cannot be measured in numbers.

Tell us a bit about yourself: what do you do at SIBUR and how did you get into corporate volunteering?

In 2022, after the "Trajectory" programme, I came to the plant as a chemist in the central plant laboratory. Then I took part in two digital office projects, and this year I moved to the Chief Technologist's Department. Now I work as a process engineer: I build technological models of equipment and support production tasks. I got to know corporate volunteering at SIBUR. Before that, I couldn't even imagine myself in this role.

Your journey began in 2022 with New Year campaigns for children. Do you remember your very first volunteer day? What stood out most and what emotions remained?

Of course. In the Youth Group chat, I saw a message that volunteers were needed to hand out gifts at the Trade Union's New Year tree for employees' children. I arrived, knocked, and was asked for a password with a smile. Without hesitation, I replied: "Youth Group" – and they let me in. That day, I was struck by the incredible team atmosphere. I didn't even notice how I became part of that shared enthusiasm. The most vivid moment was when a mother of one of the children, after a short conversation with a volunteer, confidently climbed through the gift distribution window into our back room and started helping. It turned out she was an experienced volunteer and simply couldn't stay on the sidelines. It looked very inspiring. I returned home with a pleasant fatigue and a real feeling of New Year's magic.

Over several years, you have tried yourself in many different areas: helping children, the elderly, people with disabilities, homeless animals, environmental campaigns and event volunteering. Why is it important for you not to limit yourself to one direction?

At first, I wanted to understand what resonated with me personally. But over time, when I became the leader of the volunteer movement of the enterprise's Youth Group, I also took on another responsibility – to create opportunities for others. Different directions help every employee find what is close to them, and help us to develop ourselves. The beneficiaries are very different, but they are all part of our common life. Moreover, diversity prevents us from acting out of habit: every new project brings new people, new emotions, new experiences and the opportunity to see the world more broadly.

Volunteering is always about stories about people. Was there a moment or a meeting after which you felt particularly strongly that your efforts were truly changing someone's life?

Such a moment happened last year during Anna Demidova's project "Theatre of Impressions", when we organised a big horse riding trip for children with autism spectrum disorder. The preparation was very serious – not only on our side, but also on the side of the children, parents and teachers. For many of the children, the trip outside the city itself was already a big challenge. So we were very worried. Everything went wonderfully, and a few days later the centre sent us feedback: parents told us how strong an impression the trip had made on the children. It was then that I realised how tense I had been all this time, and I could finally breathe out.

17 July is Corporate Volunteering Day. For you, as the leader of the volunteer movement of the SIBUR-Khimprom Youth Group, what does this day mean?

We don't mark this day in any special way, but for me it's another reason to say thank you to our volunteers. Thank you for their genuine commitment, for their willingness to find the time and energy to make the world a little kinder. As one of my mentors in volunteering says: "We do one thing." I think this phrase reflects the essence of our team very accurately.

At the 6th SIBUR Corporate Volunteer Forum, you became a winner in the "Breakthrough of the Year" category. What does this award mean to you?

For me, it is a great honour and at the same time a powerful incentive to keep moving forward. This award is about sleepless evenings when we were putting together New Year's gifts before the trip to Kudymkar. About the children who run from the doorstep with hugs shouting: "SIBUR is here!" About dozens of meetings, calls, discussions and the enormous work of our entire team. I see this award not as a personal achievement, but as recognition of the volunteer movement of SIBUR-Khimprom. It confirms that we are on the right track and inspires us to set even more ambitious goals.

Many say that volunteering changes not only those who are helped, but also the volunteers themselves. What has it changed in you personally?

I still remember how one evening I received a call from the General Director's advisor, suggesting I organise my first volunteer trip. For the first time, I found myself not as a participant but as an organiser, and honestly, I was very nervous. Now, when I see events taking place at our site or at other SIBUR enterprises, I understand how much work lies behind each one. This has taught me to truly appreciate the work of other people. Volunteering has also given me confidence. If before I asked myself: "What can I do?", today I know the answer for sure – a lot.

This year, with the support of the "Formula for Good Deeds", you are implementing three projects. Let's start with the "Curious Friends" project. How did the idea of holding science classes for children in a tuberculosis sanatorium come about, and what do you want to give the children beyond new knowledge?

It all started with Vladimir Zamorin's project "Together All Year Round", within which we held career guidance sessions for pupils of a children's home. Among them were science-related professions – chemist, physicist and others. We saw that these topics generated particular interest among the children, and we decided to create a separate project. At the same time, a tuberculosis sanatorium approached us with a request to hold educational sessions for the children. We met the children, visited the centre and realised that this was exactly where we wanted to implement the new grant. This year we completed a full cycle of sessions. We managed not only to interest the children in science, but also to spark their curiosity about the world around them, showing them how interesting it is to explore nature and take care of it.

The "Kudymkar" New Year project has already become a good tradition. Why is it especially dear to your team, and why is it important to maintain such initiatives year after year?

This year, our trips to Kudymkar will mark 11 years. For SIBUR-Khimprom, this is a special project that we are genuinely proud of. Every year, we visit families raising children with special needs and bring a real New Year's fairy tale: we perform a play ourselves, run masterclasses, games, round dances and, of course, give gifts. The children already know us by name and look forward to meeting us every year. It was with "Kudymkar" that the development of the enterprise's volunteering direction for working with children with disabilities began. Over the years, we have grown, accumulated a great deal of experience and can now share it with colleagues from other enterprises. For our team, this is the biggest trip of the year. It brings together not only volunteers but also the families of the children with special needs. That is why it is very important for us to maintain this good tradition.

Another of your projects is "Melodies of the Soul", which brings together beneficiaries of a nursing home and a boarding school for children with disabilities. Why did you decide to combine these formats of communication, and what emotions do you hope to give the participants?

When we were first preparing for a trip to the nursing home, we were sure that our beneficiaries would enjoy calm activities – chess, checkers and other board games. But we always discuss the programme with the heads of the institutions beforehand, and this time we were told a wonderful phrase: "Work with our girls as if they were kindergarten pupils – they love everything bright, active and emotional." We completely revised the programme and arrived with sports games and active board games. Everything went brilliantly. It so happens that in the women's unit, about 90% of the beneficiaries are young women with disabilities. Gradually, the idea was born to bring together two generations in one project – the older and the younger. We already know that our meetings will definitely feature children's excitement, happy eyes, lively communication and, most importantly, an opportunity for the social adaptation of the participants.

How do you know that a project has truly succeeded? Is there a measure of success for you that cannot be quantified?

In recent years, I have realised that the most successful projects continue to live on even after they have ended. When a few days later the head of the institution sends pictures drawn by the children after Chemistry Day. When, six months later, volunteers smile as they remember playing football with water pistols. Or when you learn that employees themselves travelled to another city to visit a children's home graduate to give him a gift and greetings from the whole team. It is precisely such stories that, for me, are the main indicator that a project has truly succeeded.

If you had to convince a colleague who has never taken part in volunteer campaigns, what would you say to them?

First of all, don't be afraid to take the first step. The campaign coordinator is always there – a person who will support you, answer your questions and help you deal with any nervousness. Don't know – we'll show you. Can't do it – we'll teach you. All it takes is the will and an open heart. Volunteering is very multifaceted. Some are drawn to environmental campaigns or charity collections, others to helping children, the elderly, people with disabilities or animals. Everyone can find a direction that resonates with them. The main thing is to remember: good deeds leave a mark not only in the lives of those we help, but also in ourselves. And the more such marks there are, the more confidently we together change the world for the better.

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