RESILIENCE MARK is a professional award recognising Ukrainian teams that implement effective business resilience practices during the full-scale war. It honours specific initiatives with proven results that can serve as examples for other companies.
The ESG Leaders Assembly brought together business leaders, experts and professionals from various sectors of the economy to discuss practical approaches to sustainable development during wartime. The event was organised by the Office of Sustainable Solutions, an expert consultancy, and the ESG Liga PAEW business community.
“Thank you for this recognition. It confirms that we are moving in the right direction, and we will continue to develop our veterans’ programme,” said Svitlana Parova, Head of Veterans’ Reintegration Projects at Metinvest Group, during the award ceremony.
Metinvest established its veterans’ reintegration ecosystem in 2023, drawing together the experience that it had accumulated since 2014. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Group has expanded its support for Ukraine’s defence forces, local communities and employees who have defended the country. It has also developed programmes to support those returning from military service.
“We knew the war would be with us for a long time. That is why we began by assessing veterans’ needs, organising our various initiatives and bringing them together into a comprehensive support system for veterans and their families. It was important for us to have a clear understanding of the assistance we were providing and the results we were achieving,” explained Parova.
To identify priorities for support, Metinvest conducted an internal survey of employees who had returned to work after military service. It also analysed the findings of nationwide studies involving active military personnel, demobilised service members and their families. The research showed that veterans’ most pressing needs related to physical and mental health recovery. In response, the Group expanded its health insurance programme to cover services ranging from treatment for chronic conditions to dental care.
Another aspect of the programme involves veterans’ rehabilitation camps, which combine treatment at health resorts with physical and psychological recovery. This year, Metinvest piloted a family-oriented camp format, which proved successful.
The Group has also expanded its Free Waves programme, which provides rehabilitation through swimming using a method developed by Olympic swimmer Denys Sylantiev. The programme has attracted participants from among Metinvest’s veterans, as well as other Ukrainian defenders in Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Kamianske.
Metinvest is developing several approaches to providing psychological support for veterans. Experience has shown that rehabilitation camps make it easier for psychologists to establish rapport with veterans and build the trust needed for ongoing support.
Another effective approach involves in-person meetings with experienced psychologists and guest speakers. Among fellow veterans, participants can speak openly about their concerns, share their experiences and support one another on a peer-to-peer basis.
An important part of the programme is veterans’ professional and social reintegration. After returning to work, they need time and support from colleagues to refresh their professional knowledge and skills. At the same time, teams must also prepare for the return of colleagues who have served in the military.
“None of us will ever be the same as we were before the war. Veterans, too, are changed by their military service. Our task is to understand one another and take a step towards each other,” said Parova.
To this end, Metinvest provides training to prepare teams for the return of veterans. The Group also organises programmes to help veterans readjust to civilian life and find a renewed sense of purpose after military service. These programmes are complemented by informal activities, including fishing trips, community volunteering events for veterans, weekend outings, quizzes and guided tours. Such activities provide further opportunities for social interaction and shared leisure.
“I cannot say that we have already found answers to every question or done everything we could and wanted to do. But we are moving forward with confidence, listening to veterans and welcoming their feedback. We also support veterans’ communities because we understand how important the support they provide is. I hope that, once the war is over, we will be able to say with confidence: ‘We did it,’” concluded Parova.