Forum materials

Russia's exclusion from the global agenda and the simultaneous withdrawal of Western companies from the country has left many brands wondering whether they should continue to engage in deep systemic change or temporarily switch their attention to more pressing issues. Is it profitable to continue focusing on ESG projects in the current environment? Together with the speakers, we will discuss the long-term effects of current events on global industry.

• The power of feedback: how to move towards the future from a point of deepest uncertainty
• New vision for ESG: how have the focus and the priorities of companies and their leaders changed?
• The right to conduct business: the ethical dilemma of ESG
• How to remain part of the global economic and humanistic world?
• New drivers of sustainable development and transformation

Moderator:
Alexander Ivlev, independent expert

Speakers:
Raphael Zohrabyan, CEO, Saint-Gobain in Russia and the CIS
Natalia Zubarevich,Professor, Lomonosov Moscow State University; Principal Researcher, Institute for Social Policy, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Oleg Paroev, CEO, Vkusno i tochka
Daniel A. Russell, President, The U.S.-Russia Business Council
Elena Tyabutova, CEO, Unilever RUS
Mikhail Yartsev, Retail Marketing Director, Pyaterochka

Today we are faced with an existential crisis of humanism as the highest value. How to stop feeling desperate and powerless when for years we have been building responsible businesses, developing charitable projects, helping vulnerable groups, and now everything is falling apart right in front of our eyes?

• In the beginning was History: el click
• What is happening to people and society? How have attitudes, values, goals and needs changed?
• Cancel culture vs. diversity & inclusion — a global contradiction
• The butterfly effect: collective impulse vs individual impact
• Humanism and social justice: how can an NGO help?
• How to overcome powerlessness?

Moderator:
Guzel Sanzhapova, Founder, Cocco Bello

Speakers:
Alexander Asmolov, Psy.D., professor at Moscow State University
Alexey Levinson, Professor at the Higher School of Economics
Arina Khodyreva, Vice President for Creative Strategy and Innovation, PBN
Nyuta Federmesser*, Founder and Head, Hospice Charity Fund "VERA"

Summing up the zoom-out part of the forum.
Discussion on the future of the ESG agenda and Russia's integration into the global context

Moderator:
Alexander Ivlev, independent expert

Speakers:
Paul J. Ostling, Independent Non-Executive Director, Polymetal
Andrey Sharonov, CEO, ESG-Alliance

The current events strongly affect the tone and themes of brand communications: even responsible marketing no longer works the way it usually does. What is happening to people and society, how have meaningful goals and needs changed, what values are now at the forefront?

• Continuum of communication positions: caution, courage, safety, silence, hypocrisy
• Turning upside down and shaking up Maslow's pyramid: what the 'new old' consumer needs
• Consumer demand for a brand value position
• Analysis of communications during the times of acute crisis
• Tools: building short-term survival marketing and moving towards long-term strategies
• New paradigm: restriction of communication channels and promotion tools, censorship and freezing of advertising campaigns
• Sustainability — the current focus of Russian companies. Presentation of the 5th wave of the joint Kept and E+ Change survey

Moderator:
Maria Kolosova, CEO, Group4Media
Speakers:
Marina Bezuglova, Executive Director, Ipsos
Natalia Chuich, Director of Strategic Department, BBDO Moscow
Igor Korotetsky, Partner, Head of Operational Risk and Sustainability Group, Kept
Natalia Kochneva, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Event Marketing, Senior Vice President, VTB

• A tangle of social contradictions: disconnecting the interconnected
• Obstacles on the way towards an equal and inclusive society
• How brands work with the social agenda in a 'narrow corridor' environment: teaching, empowerment, partnerships
• The role of brands in changing the image of an aid recipient: the good, the bad, the disempowered
• Purposeful TECH: a step towards equality of opportunity

Moderator:
Marina Karban, Vice-rector for educational programs, director of the FLOW Program, SKOLKOVO School of Management

Speakers:
Anna Chechik, Development Director, Charitable Foundation "Sistema"
Daria Filimonova, Head and Curator of the #LifeAfter Project, Skillbox
Ekaterina Kameneva, Curator of the project "Sport without exceptions", Motorica
Elena Kojadei, Director of Corporate Communications and Advertising Department, Rosbank
Anastasia Malkova, Managing Partner, Stone Hedge,Daria Baibakova, Director, Nochlezhka, Moscow