Every sixth employee of ours is mobilized – the director of sustainable development and interaction with the personnel of the Metinvest Group

Of the more than 500 people who returned from the front, about 85% are working in their previous positions. If a person returns from the front, then he is the same member of our team as everyone else. But we understand that its adaptation requires a little more time and effort.

If necessary, we help with treatment, rehabilitation, help with prosthetics. We have introduced additional psychological screenings.

We have developed and implemented a whole ecosystem of integration of veterans into civilian life. Some companies allocate a separate direction of work with veterans. We do not single out a separate direction, but adapt all our business processes to new realities. We have four core principles that underpin our program.

First is the responsibility of every employee in the company. A separate unit in the company should not work with veterans. This is the task of all Metinvest employees – from the general director to the fitter in the workshop.

Second – priority. Internal veterans are our DNA with proven professional experience, qualifications and skills. During the period of long-term absence, they may lose/forget some of their abilities and skills, may lose the right to continue to perform their pre-war work on medical indicators – but it is important for us to preserve our personnel potential as much as possible.

The third principle is systematic. That is, this is not a one-time action – something was done, distinguished, brochures were distributed and that was the end of it. This is the direction with which we will work constantly.

The fourth principle – justice. We do not divide approaches into veteran or non-veteran. We have heroes who return from the front, and there are also heroes who stand every day at the marten or at the blast furnace, in the quarry or in the mine. Therefore, the system of remuneration and non-material remuneration, evaluation of personnel and positions remains the same for all employees. Commemoration and support of veterans should be organized in such a way as not to divide, but to unite collectives.

Another major area of ​​work is teaching teams how to receive veterans. We tell you what questions you can ask and what you can’t, how to greet, how to meet, what we can do, how to help.

There is also a separate training program for working with veterans for managers. We teach them how to anticipate conflicts in the team, because there is a heightened sense of justice.

We are working on the creation of veteran associations, veteran spaces.

On the other hand, we see people coming back from the front with the skills we used to look for in the talent market. It is about leadership, the ability to work in a team, orientation to results, mutual assistance, etc. Veterans have developed these skills even better than those who participated in fashionable soft skills training.

Another area of ​​work is the retraining of veterans who, for some reason, cannot return to their previous position. We also provide higher education at our first private polytechnic university, where we pay for veterans’ tuition and offer preferential terms for admission.

On the other hand, I always say that it is not necessary to impose something on veterans if they do not need it. Therefore, we accept them as ordinary people, ask if they need help. If needed, we help.

There should be tools, readiness, knowledge of how to do it, but there is no need to impose your help. It will come with time and society will learn it.