Social Responsibility
SITRONICS acts as a major economic entity which is addressing a crucial task of supporting the social and economic development in its operating regions.
SITRONICS follows the guidelines of the United Nations Global Compact, the world's largest initiative for the promotion of corporate social responsibility, which is certified by the official Memorandum of Corporate Social Responsibility.
Taking into consideration the market's industry characteristics and the world's best practices of ensuring social responsibility, as well as based on the Company's long established administrative traditions and its business strategy, SITRONICS has determined 5 key areas reflecting those components of the quality of life, to which it has been contributing and will contribute in the future.
Company's Employees
SITRONICS's social policy is based on the efficient labour organisation and social security for its employees. SITRONICS enterprises fully comply with the labour laws of the Russian Federation. The statutory social benefits apply to every employee category.
At the same time, SITRONICS gives more than is provided for by law, by offering its employees additional benefits, such as reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses for employees from other towns, voluntary medical insurance, financial assistance, mobile communication, subsidies for meals and sports activities, foreign language courses, presents for employees and their children, sanatorium and summer camp vouchers for employees and their children.
SITRONICS pays great attention to professional development of those of its employees who are capable of effectively achieving Company’s day-to-day and strategic goals. The Company considers its investments into personnel as a guarantee of a long-term strategic competitive advantage. All employees have an opportunity to improve their qualification by attending both certified training sessions held by the Company and third-party training programs.
SITRONICS together with Moscow University of Industry and Finance, the Synergy business school and the Arsenal management school launched a development program for middle managers called 'Corporate mini-MBA' at the SITRONICS Corporate University.
Education
In addition to events intended to encourage employees' professional growth, SITRONICS is implementing and participating in various educational projects to improve the quality of education, sharing its expertise and experience to create new hands-on courses, as well as realising projects to promote interest in scientific and technical education.
As part of its youth initiatives, SITRONICS is offering scholarship programs, arranging practical studies for students, providing assistance in preparation of conferences at specialised universities, as well as granting scholarships to employees to encourage enrolment in master's programs and trainings at universities of Greece, the Czech Republic, Armenia, Albania, Moldavia and Romania.
SITRONICS has set a social goal that is to contribute to the restoration of Russia's scientific and technological human resources. In order to achieve this goal, SITRONICS launched an all-Russian project named 'Learn Mathematics!'.
Science and innovations
Investments in R&D in 2010 amounted to approximately US$ 18.7 million. The Company is planning to increase its expenses on R&D by 30% in 2011.
The key advantages of this strategy are a comprehensive R&D system from research projects and through to the launching of new products, solutions for energy saving, the RFID technology, smart cards, biometric and navigation systems, as well as the long-term partnership with the Russian government in fields such as promotion of scientific and innovative projects.
The research and development projects are being realised by the SITRONICS business lines and also through mechanisms such as global and local partnerships, as part of cooperation with international research organisations and venture funds. The laboratory equipment, software and testing aid level at R&D centres in Athens, Prague and Zelenograd meets the highest international requirements.
Environment and Infrastructure
The SITRONICS's prime goal with regard to the environment protection and infrastructure development is to ensure the required environmental safety in core activities.
The NIIME and Mikron plant was the first among Russian semiconductor manufacturers to be certified under ISO 14001, the environmental management system (EMS) standard. The EMS has been developed, implemented and successfully certified at the new 200mm / 0.18 micron IC wafer manufacturing facility.
SITRONICS is providing support for social and economic infrastructure in the regions where its subsidiaries operate, including equipping of public institutions with necessary devices and state-of-the-art technology, gardening, illumination and electrification of city districts. The Company started implementing an automated system for energy fiscal metering at its enterprises in 2010.
Charity
In compliance with the Regulation on Charitable Work and High Responsibility adopted in 2009, SITRONICS consistently pays great attention to philanthropy by realising projects to support people in need and disadvantaged population.
In Russia
Cooperation between NIIME and Mikron and charitable foundation Miloserdiye is one of the most large-scale SITRONICS's charitable projects. In 2010, assistance was provided to veterans of the Great Patriotic War, combatants, workers of the home front, disabled and underprivileged children, and money was donated to purchase expensive medicines and conduct ceremonial services. In total, 300 people in need received assistance.
Within the scope of a charitable program named 'Give the Dream', which has now been in place for two years, SITRONICS has been granting wishes of veterans, disabled people and orphans.
The Company also took part in a charitable program called 'Wish Tree', which was arranged by the Moscow Department of Social Protection and intended to provide assistance to people in need. Among the presents were a pushchair for a disabled child, a TV set and a mobile phone.
As part of its social project 'Be an engineer!', SITRONICS held a charity event to promote interest in engineering professions among young people and donated computers to the school for young software engineers under the Moscow Centre for Scientific and Technical Creativity of the Youth. The school has started exploring a new area such as robotics, so the students now have the opportunity to control and program new devices.
Anomalously sultry summer of 2010 turned into a disaster for the central part of Russia. Conflagrations devastated 14 regions, having wiped out thousands hectares of forest land and housing. In this connection, SITRONICS employees donated their money to the Sistema's charitable fund, which went to the construction of the village in the Vyksunsky area of the Nizhny Novgorod region.
In Ukraine, Greece and Bulgaria
During 2010, SITRONICS subsidiaries provided pro bono assistance to veterans' organisations, orphanages and social organisations in Ukraine, Greece and Bulgaria.
Thus, the 'SOS Village', a Greek charitable foundation for abandoned children, received donations from SITRONICS to improve its infrastructure and living conditions for children. The Company has established cooperation with the St. Christopher Athletic Union, and is providing gratis computers to specialised schools and non-commercial organisations for children.
More information you can find in Company’s Social Report.