HSE University at EEF: 'We Are a University Integrated in Its City'
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Addressing the Eastern Economic Forum, HSE University's experts discussed the role of universities in the integrated development of territories, Russia-China cooperation on carbon neutrality, and the role of businesses and non-profit organisations in society's pursuit of a better future.
New Understanding of Responsible Business
Nikita Anisimov, Rector of HSE University, moderated the session 'Responsible Business: The Foundation for the Sustainability of the State.'
Nikita Anisimov noted that in recent years, sustainable development, along with environmental and social responsibility, has become an integral part of the agenda for both governments and businesses.
'Twenty years ago, a business could be considered responsible if it simply paid taxes and wages on time and operated within the law. Today, however, the concept of responsible business is different—far more comprehensive and meaningful,' emphasised the HSE University Rector.
Igor Shchegolev, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District, discussed the National Entrepreneurs Business Reputation Index—the EPS rating, which is now applied nationwide and is increasingly associated with the concept of 'responsible business.'
'The responsibility of a business is primarily manifested in its treatment of its own employees, including the working environment and the level of pay. Next, it reflects the extent to which a business is responsible towards the environment, and how its technologies contribute to preserving our planet for our children. It is also important to evaluate how responsibly a business engages with the regions in which it operates and what social projects it undertakes. To evaluate all of this, we developed this system,' he said.
According to the Presidential Envoy, Russia is one of the first countries to elevate the assessment of business responsibility to the level of a state standard. The rating is based on principles such as accessibility, broad coverage, reliability, relevance, and transparency. It covers seven million companies, accounting for approximately 95% of all existing businesses.
Land Is a Scarce Resource
Veronika Minina, Vice Rector of HSE University, participated in the session 'The Integrated Development of Territories: New Horizons of Housing Construction,' supported by DOM.RF. Representatives of the state and business, together with experts, discussed the Integrated Development of Territories (IDT) mechanism as one of the most promising tools for urban development and thorough renovation of urban spaces.
Considering the goals of national and regional development, improving quality of life, implementing master plans for the development of Far Eastern cities, and expanding these practices nationwide, 'land is becoming a major resource,' said Vitaly Mutko, General Director of DOM.RF, as he opened the session. 'To develop cities effectively, good planning is essential... We need smart and efficient land management. We have made significant progress in digital technologies and big data, allowing us to gain extensive insights,' he stressed and presented in detail the work of DOM.RF, including its efforts to implement the IDT mechanism.
According to Veronika Minina, industrial zones can serve as one of the most important resources for urban development and the construction of new urban facilities. At the same time, it is essential to consider local aspects, incorporate local symbols into urban planning, and address the needs and requests of local residents.
She recalled that HSE University has partnered with DOM.RF to implement, for the first time in the country, a rental housing project for HSE University’s students, and plans to extend this initiative to other campuses. 'We are a university deeply integrated in its city: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Perm, and Nizhny Novgorod,' Veronika Minina emphasised.
How to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint
The Eastern Economic Forum session 'Russia and China: Working Together towards Carbon Neutrality by 2060' focused on strategies for reducing the negative environmental impact of the economy. The session was attended by Alexander Shokhin, President of HSE University, and Igor Makarov, Head of the HSE Laboratory for Economics of Climate Change.
Opening the session, its moderator Andrey Sharonov, Chief Executive Officer of the National ESG-Alliance, noted that China is the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, accounting for a third of global emissions, with Russia coming 4th in this regard. The countries plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
According to the HSE President, the current global climate agenda for business is stalling due to differing interests, approaches and priorities among countries, particularly between the Global South and the collective West. In his opinion, Russia and China need to stay informed about global trends to avoid damaging their economies and to make a significant contribution to shaping a rational global climate policy.
It is crucial to find a balance between the green transition and stable socio-economic development. The most effective approach may be to reduce net emissions and promote genuine climate cooperation through the global carbon market. Alexander Shokhin stressed the importance of accelerating the launch of quota trading within the BRICS framework. 'We plan to develop joint Russian—Chinese approaches, create infrastructure, harmonise the methodologies for climate projects, and negotiate mutual recognition of carbon units and verifiers,' he said.
ZhongXiang Zhang, Founding Dean and Professor of Ma Yinchu School of Economics, Tianjin University (TJU), emphasised the need for detailed decarbonisation plans tailored to individual industries and companies. New emission reduction technologies are crucial, especially in the electronics, aluminium, ferrous metallurgy, and electric power industries, which together account for approximately 75% of carbon dioxide emissions. In particular, plans should focus on further replacing coal with alternative energy sources, increasing energy production through renewables, and reducing the production of internal combustion engines. He also emphasized the importance of data quality. Currently, in his opinion, some enterprises and industries appear to manipulate data for profit, and this issue should be monitored and addressed.
Care and Rehabilitation
Lilia Ovcharova, Vice Rector of HSE University, participated in the discussion 'Sustainable Partnership. What Can Businesses and Non-Profits Do Today for a Better Tomorrow?' She believes that the primary area of engagement is that of providing care for citizens with disabilities, including the long-term care system.
All countries that have taken this approach have implemented extensive rehabilitation and care programme, which contribute an increase in life expectancy of two to three and a half years. Where effective collaboration has been established between the state, the non-profit sector, businesses, and families, this contribution is even greater. Lilia Ovcharova emphasised the importance of providing sustainable financial support to non-profits working in this field. At the same time, the role of business is crucial not only as a source of grants but also as a provider of technology and management practices.
The EEF programme also featured a discussion titled 'Aviation of the Far East: Accessibility for People' attended by Fedor Borisov, Chief Expert at the Institute for Transport Economics and Transport Policy Studies of HSE University.
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