Social responsibility and sustainable activities
Index

9Social responsibility and sustainable activities

The United Nations global sustainable development challenges and goals motivate enterprises to review their current business models, bringing the topic of sustainability increasingly to the forefront. It is clear that the sustainability and competitiveness of enterprises increasingly depend on their ability to respond to the global environmental, social and governance trends (the ESG Goals).




VKG’s sustainable development priorities



Increasing the efficiency of the main activities
  • Production and occupational safety
  • Minimising the environmental impact
  • Energy efficiency and saving
  • Development of employee potential
  • Supporting regional development
Supporting initiatives and membership in associations
  • We share the principles of the United Nations Global Compact.
  • Our sustainable development objectives and areas of activity are related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
  • We take into account the Paris Climate Agreement objectives and the goal to achieve climate neutrality in the EU by 2050.
  • Participation in associations: Vastutustundliku Ettevõtluse Foorum (Corporate Social Responsibility Forum), Hoolime ja Vastutame (Responsible Care), United Nations Global Compact, Global Reporting Initiative
Guiding principles
  • Openness and transparency
  • Honesty and correctness
  • Principle of acting responsibly
  • Compliance with international standards



Organisation culture



We integrate the principles of corporate responsibility into our organisation culture: the prevalence of the safety of people, the environment and the Group’s property, compliance with human rights, equality of opportunities, and compliance with occupational ethics standards.


The Group’s values - openness, commitment, development – as an integral part of our business activities and consolidate the interests of the Group and its employees. The values influence the adoption of decisions, shape our reputation, and determine our work principles.



Organisation culture values and principles that support sustainable development:


  1. Safety of people, the environment, and property
  2. Working conditions based on respect
  3. Attentiveness and respect towards colleagues
  4. Equal and understandable requirements for all business partners, compliance with business ethics standards
  5. Responsible attitude towards assets
  6. No corruption, conflicts of interest and misuse of inside information







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Cooperation with stakeholders

Viru Keemia Grupp constantly cooperates with stakeholders, holding dialogues for the purpose of analysing the internal and external social environment and taking into account the Group’s strategic objectives and the priorities of the stakeholders.

Cooperation with stakeholders is aimed at achieving the goals of sustainable development and mapping the expectation and common interests of the parties. We have selected a number of target groups whose interests are notably related to our activities and may have a significant effect on the achievement of our strategic objectives.






Main stakeholders
  • the local community
  • employees
  • state and local government institutions
  • shareholders
  • clients
  • suppliers and partners
  • NGOs and civic associations
  • professional unions
Principles of cooperation with stakeholders
  • respect for the interests of the parties
  • constructive cooperation
  • transparency of information concerning the Group’s activities
  • regularity of joint activities
  • fulfilment of obligations
Main mechanisms of cooperation with stakeholders
  • business contacts, cooperation contracts, and agreements
  • work-related meetings and presentations
  • the Group’s communication system
  • public hearings
  • joint workgroups
  • surveying and studying the opinions of employees and clients
  • membership in social and expert associations
  • conferences and roundtables
  • reporting

Projects and support principles to promote life in the region

Our priority is to support Virumaa and the activities of the organisations and people operating here. The group pays particular attention to the development of the region, maintaining close liaison with local authorities (primarily the city of Kohtla-Järve and the rural municipality of Lüganuse) and residents.

The Group can provide its assistance and support to any non-profit association and/or organisation operating in Estonia, which is interested in improving life in Ida-Virumaa or in Estonia as a whole. VKG supports athletic, cultural and educational initiatives and contributes to the promotion of local life through the voluntary work of its employees (volunteer workday at the Kiikla Orphanage, cooperation with blood centres, etc.). At the same time, we are interested in making our own contribution into long-term projects carried out within the community (including in cooperation with other organisations), the goal of which is to develop and promote the local living environment.

The Group has a number of its own initiatives which are aimed at promoting life in the region: the Five Schools Competition, the Jõhvi Ballet Festival (in cooperation with the Jõhvi Concert Hall), educational projects, e.g. STEM, and celebrating the Day of Miners and the Day of Chemists. Instead of making business presents, we support the Paediatric and Maternity Department of the Ida-Viru Central Hospital alternatively every year. The support is usually intended for acquiring equipment or improving the everyday conditions of patients.

More information about the Group’s activities in that area is available in the Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Report 2019 (prepared in accordance with the global social responsibility reporting standard GRI G3). The 2020 report will be published in the 3rd quarter of 2021.