In 2020, Acron Group allocated RUB 650 million for programmes aimed at employee development, motivation, and social support.
Social support for employees is a critical element of the Group’s sustainable development policy, which includes preventive health care, medical services, and insurance; professional training and career growth; sports and healthy lifestyles; engagement and retention of highly skilled employees; cooperation with educational institutions; and goal-oriented social programmes.
Chairman of Acron’s Board of Directors Alexander Popov sees the employee social support programme as a key component of Acron Group’s ESG efforts. ‘We allocate significant funds to this programme each year. In addition, in 2020 we introduced comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among our personnel, their families, and the residents of our footprint regions.’
In late 2020, all Acron Group facilities signed new three-year collective agreements that include an extended package of social benefits and guarantees and are aimed at improving the quality of life for employees and their families. The social package includes voluntary health insurance, which totalled RUB 88.9 million in 2020. Acron Group provides employees and their children with the opportunity to receive treatment at health resorts and recreation camps on discounted terms and pays part of the attending cost. In 2020, the Group spent RUB 88 million on health resorts and recreation camps.
The Group’s facilities run support programmes for long-time employees and young specialists. In 2020, approximately RUB 16 million were allocated to the housing programme for young specialists. Additionally, the Group reimburses its employees for relocation expenses and rental housing and provides them with the corporate housing. In 2020, the Group spent approximately RUB 11 million on housing support.
Acron Group’s training system is aimed at improving the skills of its specialists and also provides opportunities for secondary school students and college and university students. In 2020, over 1,500 employees took advanced training and professional retraining courses. The total cost of the Group’s personnel training and development programmes was RUB 29 million in 2020.
The Group employs more than 11,000 people. Over the past several years, staffing levels have remained stable and met the Group’s needs. The Group enjoys low staff turnover due to positive working conditions, an attractive social benefits package, and social activities for employees. The turnover rate fell to 6.6% in 2020. The average monthly salary at the Group's facilities is historically higher than both the average for Russia’s chemical industry and the average across all professions in the Group’s footprint regions.