Business Programme 2023. Theme: Sustainable Development and the Climate

October 11, 2023
09:00-10:15

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall A

Sustainable Development and the Climate

Climate Projects: A Real Mechanism for Achieving Carbon Neutrality or a Hindrance to Business?

Russia’s fuel and energy sector continues its transition to a low-carbon development path. In September 2022, Russian businesses had the opportunity to implement climate projects that allow companies not only to reduce their carbon footprint but also to conduct transactions with carbon units. This fact necessitates special attention to the issues of financing and the implementation of such projects, as well as the verification of their results. Today, Russia already has organizations accredited as bodies for the validation and verification of greenhouse gases, and the register of carbon units includes several registered climate projects and more than 80,000 issued carbon units. At the same time, most of the projects are implemented by energy companies. Despite the current small volume, according to experts, the Russian market of carbon units has great potential. At the same time, businesses note that, although the climate project agenda is relevant to them, there are some barriers and uncertainties that hinder the development of the carbon unit market. How are the initial results of the carbon unit market in Russia assessed? What opportunities do companies have to realize climate projects? What barriers do they face? Are financial organizations interested in investing in climate projects? What opportunities exist for international cooperation? Can carbon units produced in Russia be in demand abroad? Is it necessary to consider climate change in strategic planning, and how susceptible is the economy to the impact of such changes?

Moderator:
Ivan Lobanov — Rector, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

Panellists:
Oksana Gogunskaya — General Director, Kontur
Maksim Evdokimov — Director of Division Ecology, Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects (ASI)
Alexey Kulapin — General Director, Russian Energy Agency (REA) of the Ministry of Energy of Russia
Andrey Lisitsyn — Head of the HSE Department, Russian Railways
Sergey Machekhin — Deputy General Director for Project Engineering, Sustainable Development and International Cooperation, RusHydro
Milena Milich — Special Representative of the Governor for Climate and Sustainable Development of the Sakhalin Region
Irina Petrunina — Director of the Competition, Energy Efficiency and Ecology Department, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Anna Romanovskaya — Director, Yu.A. Izrael Institute of Global Climate and Ecology of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environment Monitoring
Yury Stankevich — Member of the Energy Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Front row participant:
Natalya Sokolova — Head, Energy and Environmental Security Union (SEB); Head of the “Ecology and Environmental Protection” Section of the Expert Council of the Federation Council Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management

October 11, 2023
16:30-17:45

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall C

Sustainable Development and the Climate

New Challenges in PR, Benchmarks, and Opportunities: Adapting and Developing

The role of communications in the strategic development of fuel and energy sector companies is becoming an increasingly high priority. This is especially true in today’s turbulent environment with increased reputational risks. In addition to the core activities of information support, energy companies are faced with the need to create new opportunities in communications and establish non-standard information campaigns. The competencies of communication specialists are evolving, and new tools and technologies for engaging with target audiences are emerging to effectively implement business strategies and achieve economic results. Alongside new digital technologies, which not only shape global challenges but also expand communication opportunities, energy companies will have to adapt to the new public agenda and break existing templates. The polarization of society, the proliferation of digital content, and cancel culture are setting precedents for transforming the role of a communicator into that of a negotiator. In the current environment, the vulnerability of fuel and energy sector brands is higher than ever. Simultaneously, they continue to implement their corporate social responsibility programmes, support cultural and environmental projects, and enhance internal communications. How can companies make their communication processes more effective? What approaches should they choose to create a communication strategy in the context of turbulence and a short planning horizon, while considering new constraints and opportunities in the current environment? How can they develop crisis communication plans, including anti-fake and fact-checking technologies? Furthermore, how can digital technologies be leveraged to optimize all communication processes?

Moderator:
Irina Esipova — General Director, Center for the Development of Communications of the Fuel and Energy Complex (TEK)

Panellists:
Ekaterina Kolyada — Member of the Board, Russian Association of Communication Directors and Corporate Publishing
Margarita Nagoga — Director of the Corporate Communications Department, RusHydro
Valery Presnyakov — Editor-in-Chief, Power and Industry of Russia Newspaper
Nadezhda Rukina — Strategic Communications Director, T Plus
Andrey Timonov — Acting Director of the Communications Department, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM

October 12, 2023
10:00-11:15

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall A

Sustainable Development and the Climate

The Energy Transition and Its Potential: The Future of Low-Carbon Energy in Russia

Achieving carbon neutrality and the “energy transition” to clean energy sources by 2060 is a strategic goal for which Russia has a good head start. Currently, the share of low-carbon and completely carbon-free energy sources in the structure of electricity generation exceeds 85 per cent. To further increase this share, the country is expected to actively develop renewable energy, construct new nuclear and hydro generation facilities, and implement several other measures to address climate and environmental challenges. However, the low-carbon energy sector is now confronted with new threats posed by sanctions, which necessitate a reevaluation of its development. Will the low-carbon energy pathway be maintained? What incentives are necessary for this? What will the country’s energy mix be in 10, 20, and 30 years? How can consumers be engaged in environmentally responsible energy consumption? What green financial instruments should emerge in the energy market? How can the reliability of energy supply be ensured while maximizing the use of environmentally friendly energy sources?

Moderator:
Maxim Bystrov — Chairman of the Board, NP Market Council

Panellists:
Pavel Barilo — Executive Director, Siberian Generation Company
Roman Berdnikov — First Deputy General Director, Member of the Management Board, RusHydro
Alexander Vedyakhin — First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Alexey Zhikharev — Director, Russia Renewable Energy Development Association; Director, ENSOLVE
Francesco La Camera — Director General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Andrey Maximov — Head of the Department of Electric Power Development, Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation
Fedor Opadchy — Chairman of the Board, System Operator of the United Power System
Natalya Sokolova — Head, Energy and Environmental Security Union (SEB); Head of the “Ecology and Environmental Protection” Section of the Expert Council of the Federation Council Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management
Alexander Shutikov — General Director, Member, The Board of Directors, Rosenergoatom Concern

October 12, 2023
14:15-15:30

Manege, –2nd floor, conference hall A

Sustainable Development and the Climate

I Want to Work Here: Building an Employer’s Brand in the Fight for Talent

More than 2.5 million people work in the fuel and energy sector. Industry companies consistently rank high in annual national employer ratings (HeadHunter, SuperJob, Forbes). However, in today's context of worsening demographics and the emerging “job seeker’s market”, competition for qualified personnel, particularly among young individuals and talented individuals, is intensifying. It’s not only employers but also entire industries that are vying for this valuable resource. How can the best personnel be attracted to the fuel and energy sector? What are the most effective labour market positioning strategies today? How can an employer’s value proposition be formulated? How can unique advantages be discovered? Is it possible to ensure a competitive edge without offering the highest salary on the market? Can non-material incentives be more effective than monetary incentives, and how can valuable employees be retained?

Moderator:
Anastasiya Bondarenko — State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Dmitry Artyukhov — Governor of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region
Olga Golyshenkova — President, Association of Civilians and Organizations for Corporate Learning and Development MAKO
Elena Egorova-Kirillova — Deputy General Director – Director of the Methodology and Development Block, Corporate Academy of Rosatom
Natalia Kurchakova — Head of the Center for Development of Corporate Functions, Gazprom Neft
Irina Petrova — Deputy General Director for Human Resources and Administrative Affairs, Unigreen Energy
Danil Rasskazov — Director of Human Resources, SIBUR
Vladimir Kharitonov — Deputy General Director – Chief of Staff, Rosseti

Business Programme 2023. Sustainable Development and the Climate

Climate Projects: A Real Mechanism for Achieving Carbon Neutrality or a Hindrance to Business?

New Challenges in PR, Benchmarks, and Opportunities: Adapting and Developing

The Energy Transition and Its Potential: The Future of Low-Carbon Energy in Russia

I Want to Work Here: Building an Employer’s Brand in the Fight for Talent