SIBUR Volunteers, You Are Superheroes!

8 october 2024

The 5th forum of SIBUR’s corporate volunteers titled People Changing the World brought together superheroes from across our vast country, from Tver to Svobodny in Amur Oblast, who attended the event held on October 4 in Moscow.

The forum opened with remarks by Elena Snezhko, head of The Formula for Good Deeds, SIBUR's social investment program. She emphasized the value of each participant's contribution to transforming society through volunteering. This year's theme was superheroes: people willing to make this world a better place and help those in need. The forum provided its attendees with an opportunity to both share their experiences and get inspired with new ideas for their upcoming projects.

The first event on the forum's program featured a motivating training session led by Sergey Kofanov, a master of sports in Alpine climbing, Russia’s mountaineering champion, and the youngest Russian Everest summiter. He shared his personal experience, demonstrating how to achieve ambitious goals by overcoming hindrances that may get in one’s way.

The forum's opening ceremony kicked off with a welcoming speech by Mikhail Karisalov, SIBUR's Chairman of the Management Board and CEO, followed by an awards ceremony recognizing most active participants of the People Changing the World volunteering movement. 28 corporate volunteers and volunteering teams received awards in ten different categories: Social Volunteering, Inclusive Volunteering, Eco-Volunteering, Animal Volunteering, Intellectual Volunteering, Blood Donorship, Breakthrough of the Year, Volunteer as a Leader, and Volunteering Team. The award in the Partners for Growth category honored organizations that are actively involved in the activities of the Amur Office of the National Corporate Volunteering Council (NCVC).

Mikhail Karisalov, SIBUR's Chairman of the Management Board and CEO:

“I remember very clearly how almost 10 years ago the Formula for Good Deeds program got founded at the initiative of Dmitry Konov. And today we are celebrating the fifth installment of the forum of corporate volunteers. What this means is that the idea that was born back then still lives on, it continues to evolve and benefit people. All of this, of course, is thanks to the efforts of our volunteers . They are people who care, who carry love and compassion for their neighbors in their hearts. In and through you, I am delighted to welcome all those who choose not stand aside and instead take an active part in shaping the future we all want to live in. Together we are really changing the world for the better”.

The forum’s program continued with a panel discussion dedicated to “Modern Society’s Superheroes: the Present and the Future” that brought together an impressive lineup of star panelists including Kseniya Alferova, actress and cofounder of the I exist! charitable foundation that supports people with developmental needs, Irina Zhukova, NCVC chairperson, and Igor Zolotovitsky, stage and film actor, and the rector of the Moscow Art Theater Studio and School. The panel was moderated by journalist, blogger and eco-activist Irena Ponaroshku.

The panel's speakers discussed current trends in the volunteering movement, talked about support for volunteers, the importance of charitable deeds, and the challenges that today's superheroes have to deal with. The forum's delegates also reflected on a number of urgent matters: how to maintain reasonable balance between continued efforts for the benefit of others and one's own well-being; what helps one to stay motivated and inspire others; and how each volunteer sees their future and their place in society?

The event was made memorable by its atmosphere of cohesion and partnership, something that happens when people who are joined together in their desire to do good deeds share their personal stories and experiences. The forum turned into a festive occasion that highlighted the extensive contribution of the company's employees to the social development of the cities where the company has a presence and to supporting disadvantaged social groups.

Elena Snezhko, Head of the Formula for Good Deeds, SIBUR's social investment program:
“We are convinced that corporate volunteering is not just another way of providing assistance, but also a powerful tool for changing society for the better. The fifth forum of SIBUR's corporate volunteers People Changing the World is a powerful demonstration that the energy of each volunteer translates into tangible activities that make a difference to our communities. Let's keep on sharing ideas, pooling our efforts and, by working together, making our cities even more comfortable and friendlier for everyone”.

Irina Zhukova, NCVC chair:
“The Forum serves as a powerful demonstration of how the combined efforts of the business community and the public at large can produce meaningful change. Participation of every company and every volunteer makes a huge difference, and I am proud to be a part of this process. Together, we are forging a culture of kindness and responsibility, with initiatives like these helping us build a stronger and more cohesive society.”

SIBUR's forum of corporate volunteers People Changing the World is held annually within the framework of the company's social investment program, The Formula for Good Deeds. This year's event drew more than 200 attendees from 25 cities across Russia who are the most enthusiastic participants in the company's sweeping volunteering movement whose ranks number more than 9,600 employees.

Irina Kalyazina, a process unit operator at Sibur- PET:

“This was my first time attending the forum. I had expected that it would be interesting, intense, and vigorous. But the reality has surpassed my expectations. I loved the forum! To begin with, I came here with a close-knit team of like-minded individuals. Secondly, the forum's organization and program were flawless. All of this taken together inspires us to keep on volunteering, and not as passive participants, but as active doers. It's important to ensure that becoming a volunteer be not a one-off thing, but a lifelong commitment”.

Tatiana Raimova, a section head at BIAXPLEN:
“I'd like to thank the forum’s organizers and participants for the warm and friendly atmosphere that reigned in here all these few days! Thank you for this festive occasion and for the opportunity to get to know each other and attend talks by such amazing speakers who motivated us and inspired us to pursue new ambitions”.

Irina Gaidamak, a media relations specialist, Svobodnensky Line Management Department in charge of operating Main Gas Pipelines, Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk, a member of the Amur Office of the NCVC:
“The forum was very inspiring. It also fills you with energy for a long time to come. It's indescribable how glad I am to have taken part in such a major gathering, where every attendee is filled with positivity and boundless kindness! I am extremely thankful to the organizers of the Forum for such a unique opportunity. You really turned it into an unforgettable festive event!"

[TYPE] => HTML ) [~DESCRIPTION] => [DISPLAY_VALUE] =>

Mikhail Karisalov, SIBUR's Chairman of the Management Board and CEO:

)

Mikhail Karisalov, SIBUR's Chairman of the Management Board and CEO:

Summer camp participants in Blagoveshchensk master designing environmental quests as part of the "Living Symbols of SIBUR" project

Blagoveshchensk (RB), 19 June

Project "DobroAgroSchool" in Kazan: inclusive environmental education for children with disabilities

Kazan, 18 June

How to stay home alone and not panic? How to avoid becoming a victim of fraudsters? How to survive at the dacha?

Tomsk, 18 June