OREANDA-NEWS. June 25, 2013. Spearheaded by MMC Norilsk Nickel a panel on How to Host a Grants Competition featuring new approaches to fostering welfare took place in Norilsk.

“The former policy of corporate assistance was rather traditional, whereas now we are looking at new growth points of conversation with our partners and local community leaders. A social program contest is but one mechanism of bringing the Company’s mindset and values to the broad spectrum of the city’s organizations” – said Svetlana Ivchenko, Head of the Social Programs and Corporate Events Division of MMC Norilsk Nickel.

The panel was conducted by the Donor Forum – non-for profit organization of grantmaking foundations – a partnership of major Russian and Foreign charities operating in Russia. The Donor Forum hosts meeting and conventions, disseminates information required for day-to-day work of the charity community. The main areas of focus include information and experience exchange between various charities, development and proliferation of ethics standards of philanthropy; representation the donor community.

The event was attended by MMC Norilsk Nickel, the Company’s Polar Division, Kola MMC and Norilsk and Taimyr civic authorities.

Implementation of more efficient welfare programs aimed at fostering social and economic development of areas of operations is one of the key corporate and social responsibility concerns of MMC Norilsk Nickel.

The Company addresses those concerns by evaluating and benchmarking the current activities in those focus areas, applying the modern methods of corporate social responsibility comprehensive analysis instruments. A social programs audit is to completed by the summer’s end and a new social programs framework will be developed.