(scan-interfax.ru) - In recent years, there has been an increased focus on environmental, social and corporate governance, as well as the transition to renewable and low-carbon energy sources. In Russia, this topic began to be given serious attention only in recent years, and an explosive growth of interest in the topic occurred in 2021.
The number of publications on ESG topics in the Russian media space in 2021 tripled compared to 2020 and continues to grow, but not at such a high pace: the increase in 2022 was 6%. In 2022, as the media has shifted attention to the topic of a Russian special military operation in Ukraine, political and sanctions pressure, these growth figures indicate the relevance of ESG issues in Russia. To the greatest extent, the growth of the indicator is provided by the attention of the business community to the subject of ESG. Thus, in 2022, the share of the ten most mentioned companies in the ESG topic amounted to 11% of the total volume of publications on this topic (a year ago this figure reached 16%). Moreover, about 6% was provided by the three largest Russian companies SBER, Gazprom and VTB.
Compared to last year, in 2022 the number of publications on ESG topics in the media field of the TOP-10 Russian companies decreased by 23%. The decrease in indicators is associated with sanctions pressure on the Russian economy, which forced many companies to adjust their development models. Gazprom Neft and RUSAL paid the most attention to ESG issues - 20% messages in their media field dealt with this topic. Next come Nornickel, Rosneft, RusHydro and MMK - attention of these companies to the ESG topic ranged from 12 to 15%. At the same time, it should be noted that this topic was not often heard in the media field of SBER and VTB – 7 and 6%, respectively, and high quantitative indicators are associated with extensive media coverage of their current work. In the media field of the largest companies with state participation (Gazprom, Russian Railways), the topic of ESG appears infrequently - 3 and 2%, respectively, and high rates of references to these companies are achieved due to wide media coverage of their activities. The structural composition of organizations mentioned in the context of the ESG in 2022 has not changed significantly by 2021.
The role of the Russian President, legislative and law enforcement agencies (State Duma, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Internal Affairs and NATO) has grown significantly, European (European Union, European Commission, UN) and Russian government organizations (Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Government of the Russian Federation) have decreased.
Dynamics of ESG mentions in the media
In 2018-2022, there is a steady increase in attention to ESG topics: the number of publications on ESG principles has increased by almost 6 times. Over the past five years, the cumulative share of the ten most mentioned companies in the ESG topic has been 13%. If in 2018 this share was 9%, then in 2022 it increased to 11%, and the highest peak of attention to this topic was recorded in 2021, when the mentions of the TOP-10 companies was 16%. Sberbank, VTB, Gazprom, Rosneft, Norilsk Nickel, Gazprom Neft, RUSAL, Russian Railways, RusHydro and MMK are the top 10 most mentioned companies in the ESG topic.
Share of ESG in the media field of TOP-10 companies
In 2022 the TOP-10 companies decreased the number of publications on ESG topics compared to 2021. Gazprom declined it largestly - by 44%, Rosneft - by 36% and RUSAL - by 31%. An increase in the number of mentions was noted only by Russian Railways - by 6%. In the share ratio, a decrease in the overall share of ESG mentions in media publications was also recorded. The largest decline in 2022 was observed at RUSAL - by 5 percentage points, MMK - by 4 p.p. and Rosneft - by 3 p.p.
A significant increase in the share of ESG in 2022 was noted in the media field of Gazprom Neft - by 3 p.p. - up to 20%. At the end of 2022, Gazprom Neft became the best company in this study in terms of the effectiveness of the company's work in this area.
ESG matrix in the media field of TOP-20 organizations
In 2022, the structural composition of organizations mentioned in the context of ESG roughly corresponded to 2021. During the year, the role of the Russian President, legislative and law enforcement agencies (the State Duma, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Internal Affairs and NATO) has significantly increased. At the same time, the role of European (European Union, European Commission, UN) and Russian government organizations (the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Government of the Russian Federation), as well as the largest Russian companies (SBER, Rosatom, Gazprom, VTB and Russian Railways) has decreased.
These changes reflect the response of the state apparatus to the challenges faced by the country after the launch of the special military operation in Ukraine. Traditionally, the role of the president, as well as law enforcement and legislative structures, increases in crisis situations, while the role of the business community decreases. In comparison with the matrix of 2018, the structural composition of organizations in the ESG subject has undergone significant changes in 2022. In particular, the role of the Russian President, the Bank of Russia, and the largest Russian companies (SBER, Rosatom, Gazprom, and Russian Railways) has grown significantly. At the same time, the role of European organizations (the European Union, the UN, NATO) and the Government of the Russian Federation has declined.
TOP 10 people in the ESG topic
In the media coverage of ESG issues, Russian President Vladimir Putin is most often mentioned, from the business community - Oleg Deripaska (here it is worth noting that the references to O. Deripaska were mainly of a contextual nature).
In the main role, the media most often mentioned in the ESG topic is also Vladimir Putin, who was an active participant in events widely available in the Russian Federation and Alexander Vedyakhin, the first elected president of Sberbank, who commented on Russia's turn in the East. According to Vedyakhin, this ESG agenda is again relevant for the Russian Federation. Alexander Vedyakhin also actively participated in the international conference on artificial intelligence and data analysis, commenting on the launch by Sberbank of the ESG self-diagnostics service for medium and large businesses. We can say that in 2022, Alexander Vedyakhin took over the palm from German Gref, who was the frontman of the ESG theme in 2021.
ESG | Sources
In 2022, the topics of environmental, social and corporate governance were most actively covered by the TASS news agency. The structure of source levels was dominated by regional media, and the largest number of materials on ESG topics was published in Internet sources. The picture was similar in 2021 as in all the past five years: TASS, regional media and Internet sources were the leaders in covering ESG topics.
*One of the global investment principles is ESG (environmental, social, governance).
Study period: January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2022.
The study was implemented using the SCAN information-analytical system.
Only materials published in Russian media were analyzed.
The information field is analyzed in terms of quantitative and qualitative parameters.
To exclude background publications, the analysis of the information field of companies in the context of ESG topics was carried out by their mentions in the main role.
The number of publications on ESG topics in the Russian media space in 2021 tripled compared to 2020 and continues to grow, but not at such a high pace: the increase in 2022 was 6%. In 2022, as the media has shifted attention to the topic of a Russian special military operation in Ukraine, political and sanctions pressure, these growth figures indicate the relevance of ESG issues in Russia. To the greatest extent, the growth of the indicator is provided by the attention of the business community to the subject of ESG. Thus, in 2022, the share of the ten most mentioned companies in the ESG topic amounted to 11% of the total volume of publications on this topic (a year ago this figure reached 16%). Moreover, about 6% was provided by the three largest Russian companies SBER, Gazprom and VTB.
Compared to last year, in 2022 the number of publications on ESG topics in the media field of the TOP-10 Russian companies decreased by 23%. The decrease in indicators is associated with sanctions pressure on the Russian economy, which forced many companies to adjust their development models. Gazprom Neft and RUSAL paid the most attention to ESG issues - 20% messages in their media field dealt with this topic. Next come Nornickel, Rosneft, RusHydro and MMK - attention of these companies to the ESG topic ranged from 12 to 15%. At the same time, it should be noted that this topic was not often heard in the media field of SBER and VTB – 7 and 6%, respectively, and high quantitative indicators are associated with extensive media coverage of their current work. In the media field of the largest companies with state participation (Gazprom, Russian Railways), the topic of ESG appears infrequently - 3 and 2%, respectively, and high rates of references to these companies are achieved due to wide media coverage of their activities. The structural composition of organizations mentioned in the context of the ESG in 2022 has not changed significantly by 2021.
The role of the Russian President, legislative and law enforcement agencies (State Duma, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Internal Affairs and NATO) has grown significantly, European (European Union, European Commission, UN) and Russian government organizations (Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Government of the Russian Federation) have decreased.
Dynamics of ESG mentions in the media
In 2018-2022, there is a steady increase in attention to ESG topics: the number of publications on ESG principles has increased by almost 6 times. Over the past five years, the cumulative share of the ten most mentioned companies in the ESG topic has been 13%. If in 2018 this share was 9%, then in 2022 it increased to 11%, and the highest peak of attention to this topic was recorded in 2021, when the mentions of the TOP-10 companies was 16%. Sberbank, VTB, Gazprom, Rosneft, Norilsk Nickel, Gazprom Neft, RUSAL, Russian Railways, RusHydro and MMK are the top 10 most mentioned companies in the ESG topic.
Share of ESG in the media field of TOP-10 companies
In 2022 the TOP-10 companies decreased the number of publications on ESG topics compared to 2021. Gazprom declined it largestly - by 44%, Rosneft - by 36% and RUSAL - by 31%. An increase in the number of mentions was noted only by Russian Railways - by 6%. In the share ratio, a decrease in the overall share of ESG mentions in media publications was also recorded. The largest decline in 2022 was observed at RUSAL - by 5 percentage points, MMK - by 4 p.p. and Rosneft - by 3 p.p.
A significant increase in the share of ESG in 2022 was noted in the media field of Gazprom Neft - by 3 p.p. - up to 20%. At the end of 2022, Gazprom Neft became the best company in this study in terms of the effectiveness of the company's work in this area.
ESG matrix in the media field of TOP-20 organizations
In 2022, the structural composition of organizations mentioned in the context of ESG roughly corresponded to 2021. During the year, the role of the Russian President, legislative and law enforcement agencies (the State Duma, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Internal Affairs and NATO) has significantly increased. At the same time, the role of European (European Union, European Commission, UN) and Russian government organizations (the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Government of the Russian Federation), as well as the largest Russian companies (SBER, Rosatom, Gazprom, VTB and Russian Railways) has decreased.
These changes reflect the response of the state apparatus to the challenges faced by the country after the launch of the special military operation in Ukraine. Traditionally, the role of the president, as well as law enforcement and legislative structures, increases in crisis situations, while the role of the business community decreases. In comparison with the matrix of 2018, the structural composition of organizations in the ESG subject has undergone significant changes in 2022. In particular, the role of the Russian President, the Bank of Russia, and the largest Russian companies (SBER, Rosatom, Gazprom, and Russian Railways) has grown significantly. At the same time, the role of European organizations (the European Union, the UN, NATO) and the Government of the Russian Federation has declined.
TOP 10 people in the ESG topic
In the media coverage of ESG issues, Russian President Vladimir Putin is most often mentioned, from the business community - Oleg Deripaska (here it is worth noting that the references to O. Deripaska were mainly of a contextual nature).
In the main role, the media most often mentioned in the ESG topic is also Vladimir Putin, who was an active participant in events widely available in the Russian Federation and Alexander Vedyakhin, the first elected president of Sberbank, who commented on Russia's turn in the East. According to Vedyakhin, this ESG agenda is again relevant for the Russian Federation. Alexander Vedyakhin also actively participated in the international conference on artificial intelligence and data analysis, commenting on the launch by Sberbank of the ESG self-diagnostics service for medium and large businesses. We can say that in 2022, Alexander Vedyakhin took over the palm from German Gref, who was the frontman of the ESG theme in 2021.
ESG | Sources
In 2022, the topics of environmental, social and corporate governance were most actively covered by the TASS news agency. The structure of source levels was dominated by regional media, and the largest number of materials on ESG topics was published in Internet sources. The picture was similar in 2021 as in all the past five years: TASS, regional media and Internet sources were the leaders in covering ESG topics.
*One of the global investment principles is ESG (environmental, social, governance).
Study period: January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2022.
The study was implemented using the SCAN information-analytical system.
Only materials published in Russian media were analyzed.
The information field is analyzed in terms of quantitative and qualitative parameters.
To exclude background publications, the analysis of the information field of companies in the context of ESG topics was carried out by their mentions in the main role.
