Breaking News 10/4/2024 Read 7 min

First Ever Nomination: Reuters Sustainability Awards 2024 Recognises Metinvest Group’s Reintegration Programme for War Veterans

On 1 October, a gala ceremony was held in London to honour the finalists and winners of the Reuters Sustainability Awards 2024: a leading global award recognising leadership in sustainable business development.

Metinvest Group was among the top eight finalists in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category, recognised for the “Hero’s Path: Metinvest’s Ecosystem for Integrating Veterans” project. Among the finalists, Metinvest’s programme was the only project focused on supporting war veterans. Holcim, a Swiss company, won in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category with its “Women On Wheels” project, which focuses on engaging women in production as truck drivers.

Tetiana PЕTRUK, Metinvest Group’s Chief Sustainability Officer, said: “For Metinvest, being among the top finalists of a globally recognised award is, above all, recognition of the daily work carried out at our enterprises by managers, supervisors and ordinary employees who welcome veterans returning from war into our family. The reintegration of former military personnel is both a challenge and an opportunity for the Group. This is our future and the path for every large Ukrainian business. Metinvest is ready to lead in this area in Ukraine, as one out of every six employees is currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We are ready to welcome all veterans returning from war and are committed to actively developing a support programme for them that meets the needs of former military personnel.”

Metinvest’s “Hero’s Path: Metinvest’s Ecosystem for Integrating Veterans” project, which was shortlisted as a finalist, is a comprehensive programme with a set of actions undertaken by the Group during the reintegration of former military personnel when they return to work. In total, over 1,000 veterans have now returned to work at Metinvest, while 8,000 employees are still serving in the Ukrainian armed forces, defending Ukraine from the Russian invasion.

The Reuters Sustainability Awards is the world’s leading award that celebrates the leadership in sustainable development of globally renowned brands and businesses. It goes beyond recognising the best sustainable development strategies, as it honours those making a real impact on business, society, and the environment, creating a new way of doing business in the 21st century. Over the past 14 years, the award has served as a benchmark for companies worldwide. In 2024, a total of 16 winners were identified in four main areas of sustainable business development: Climate & Nature, Strategy & Leadership, Driving Social Change (this category includes the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion award) and Reporting & Investment. For Metinvest Group, this is its first ever nomination for the Reuters Sustainability Awards.