Interros Holding Joins UN Global Agreement Initiative

During a round-table discussion between top UN officials and leading Russian businessmen on Monday, President of the Interros Holding Vladimir Potanin announced that Interros had joined the UN initiative Global Agreement. According to him, the Agreement promotes the practice of basic human values in the business world. Some of the 9 fundamental principles of the Agreement (child labour, discrimination at work) are no cause for debate in modern-day Russia, but others do need to be addressed. Potanin said that Interros firms were actively engaged in environmental programmes and socially orientated partnerships. He highlighted such efforts as re-housing refugees from Russia's extreme north in better conditions, the 100% employment record of graduates from Norilsk educational establishments and the 7-year maternity leave plan for holding employees. The holding president also said that Norilsk Nikel employees earned about 1000 dollars a month, while workers in the social sphere received about 500 dollars. Vladimir Potanin stressed that the holding's participation in the UN initiative corresponded to the interests of Russian business and the country's long-term interests.