Metinvest veterans’ reintegration program was recognized by Reuters: Sustainability Awards 2024

Metinvest Group is among the top eight finalists for the Reuters: Sustainability Awards 2024 in the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion category. The nomination for the world-famous award was the first in the company’s history. This is stated in the group’s message.

The project “The Hero’s Way: Metinvest’s Veterans Integration Ecosystem” was recognized in this category. The company’s initiative was the only one among all the finalist programs focused on supporting war veterans. The winner in the nomination was Swiss Holcim with its Women On Wheels project focused on engaging women in production as truck drivers.

Reuters gala award ceremony for the finalists and winners: Sustainability Awards 2024 took place in London on October 1.

According to Tatyana Petruk, Director of Sustainable Development and Human Resources at Metinvest, the company’s shortlist is primarily an assessment of the work done on a daily basis by managers, executives and employees who welcome veterans returning from war.

“Reintegration of former military personnel is both a challenge and an opportunity for the company. This is our future and the way for every large Ukrainian business. “Metinvest is ready to be a leader in this area in Ukraine, as one in six of our employees is now in the Armed Forces. We are ready to accept all veterans who return from the war and will actively develop a program to support them, depending on the needs of the former military,” she said.

Metinvest’s project, which was shortlisted as a finalist, is a comprehensive program with a number of areas that the company is implementing to reintegrate former military personnel when they return to work. In total, more than 1,000 veterans have already joined the company, and 8,000 employees of the group continue to serve in the Armed Forces.

Reuters: The Sustainability Awards is the world’s leading award that recognizes the leadership of brands and businesses in sustainability. Over the past 14 years, it has served as a benchmark for companies around the world. In 2024, 16 winners were selected in four main areas of sustainable business development: “Climate and Nature, Strategies and Leadership, Driving Social Change (this category includes the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion award), and Reporting and Investment.

Metinvest has been ranked second in the top 50 largest Ukrainian investors in more than 2.5 years of wartime by NV.ua. According to the publication, the company has spent more than UAH 28.1 billion on CAPEX, including joint ventures, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.