Human Rights Policy
Respect for human rights is one of fundamental principles of Nornickel’s operations. Being a socially responsible business, a major employer and a taxpayer operating in the territories with a mature legal culture, the Company promotes human rights. No operations are run in areas involved in military conflicts.
The Company complies with the applicable laws of the Russian Federation and other countries of its presence and respects both international standards for human rights protection and labour standards set out in the International Bill of Human Rights, the International Labour Organisation Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
This principle is set out in the Company’s by-laws governing the HR, environmental, social and other matters.
Nornickel takes steps to prevent and remedy any human rights violations, if any, across its assets and operations.
The Company’s President is responsible for ensuring that Nornickel respects human rights. The Company’s management at all levels is committed to respecting human rights and complying with the Russian and international laws and the Company’s by-laws on human rights. The Company has a clear management structure alongside escalation and reporting lines to address human rights.
Alleged human rights violations can be reported to Nornickel’s Corporate Trust Service. The Company guarantees confidentiality for whistle-blowers. Report statistics are submitted to the Audit and Sustainable Development Committee of the Board of Directors and to the Company’s operations on a quarterly basis.
Interaction with indigenous northern minorities
Polar Division and Kola MMC, two production assets of the Group, are located in the Arctic, the region playing a major part in sustaining the global ecosystem of our planet.
The Company is constantly focused on reducing the environmental footprint in the Arctic Region. Since 2013, pollutant emissions have reduced by 12% and emissions within the city of Norilsk have considerably dropped following the plant shutdown.
Nornickel is active in promoting renewable energy sources in the Arctic, with the Taimyr HPP Cascade upgrade being one of the Company’s major investment projects.
Nornickel recognises the right of indigenous northern minorities to preserve their traditional way of life, stick to the age-old environmental management practices and have decent living conditions.
The Company seeks to promote constructive cooperation with other enablers of the region’s development as part of the State Commission for Arctic Development, where the Company’s Vice President is a member.
Nornickel respects the rights, traditions, long-standing values and interests of indigenous northern minorities inhabiting the Company’s regions of operation. Nornickel’s operations and companies located in traditional settlement areas of indigenous northern minorities, include the Polar Transportation Branch, Norilskgazprom, Taimyrgaz and Norilsktransgaz. Nornickel’s key commitments to further strengthen and develop relations with indigenous northern minorities that benefit both parties are set out in the Indigenous Rights Policy1. 103-2
Representatives of the Group companies are members of indigenous northern minority commissions organised by local authorities. ММ6
1 Approved by the resolution of the Board of Directors in February 2018.Nornickel’s key human rights policies
| Document | Area of relations | Key affected stakeholders |
Applicability | Approving body |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Ethics Code | Employees’ labour rights No discrimination Favourable working conditions and occupational safety Respect for human rights across the Company’s regions of operation |
All stakeholders | To the Group companies | Board of Directors |
| Human Rights Policy | Respect for human rights across Nornickel’s businesses, operations and regions of presence | All stakeholders | To the Group companies | Board of Directors |
| Indigenous Rights Policy | Respect for rights of indigenous people, their living standards and development | Indigenous people affected by the Company’s operation | Group companies, suppliers and contractors | Board of Directors |
| Working Conditions Policy | Working conditions No forced and compulsory labour |
Group companies’ employees Suppliers, contractors |
Group companies, suppliers and contractors | Board of Directors |
| Occupational Health and Safety Policy | Working conditions Health protection and safety |
Group companies’ employees Suppliers, contractors |
Group companies | Management Board |
| Equal Opportunities Programme | Recruitment No discrimination Sports and cultural development Employment for people with disabilities and vulnerable population groups |
Group companies’ employees | Group companies | Board of Directors |
| Personal Data Policy | Personal data processing | All stakeholders | Group companies | President, Chairman of the Management Board |
| Freedom of Association Policy | Freedom of professional associations | Group companies’ employees | Group companies | Board of Directors |
| Local Community Relations Policy | Quality of life | Local communities | Group companies, suppliers and contractors | Board of Directors |
| Environmental Policy | Environmental protection, lower environmental impact | All stakeholders | Group companies | Board of Directors |
| Environmental Impact Assessment Policy | Favourable environmental conditions, comfortable living environment | Group companies’ employees Local communities |
Group companies | Board of Directors |
| Biodiversity Policy | Conservation of the natural diversity of ecosystems | All stakeholders | Group companies | Board of Directors |
Key areas of interaction with indigenous northern minorities
The Company has been supporting initiatives to improve living standards of the Taimyr Peninsula’s indigenous people. The initiatives cover housing construction, maintenance and social projects in small and remote settlements on the Taimyr Peninsula, along with delivery of social aid for indigenous northern minorities and food for children of reindeer herders, and other projects.
To preserve national traditions and culture of indigenous northern minorities, the Company participates in staging annual professional festivals for tundra inhabitants on the occasion of the Reindeer Herder’s Day and the Fisherman’s Day.
In 2017, the Company did not commit any violations affecting the rights of indigenous minorities.
