Indigenous Peoples
NOVATEK’s approach to community engagement is centered around unwavering respect for human rights. We pay particular attention to the indigenous peoples of the Far North and recognize their various vulnerabilities as well as the need to preserve their cultural and spiritual values. We strive to prevent the risks of violating the rights and interests of local communities and regularly evaluate the performance of ongoing social projects and the Company’s impact across its footprint.
To make informed decisions that factor in the needs of all stakeholders, NOVATEK seeks free, prior, and informed consent from indigenous peoples with regard to projects that affect their livelihoods.
Cooperation with the indigenous peoples of the Far North
NOVATEK applies a systematic approach to engagement with local communities, driving long-term improvements. NOVATEK regularly engages in community monitoring and hearings across its regions of operation, holding direct consultations with indigenous people and uses a hotline to collect feedback from stakeholders.
Regular quality control of ecosystem services and analysis of the effectiveness of measures for interaction with the indigenous peoples enables the Company to promptly respond to queries and take the necessary measures.
Another lever to enhance our social projects is strategic cooperation and engagement agreements with regional governors and non-profit organizations representing the interests of a wide range of stakeholders.
The Company takes measures to preserve the culture, language, and traditional lifestyles of the indigenous peoples of the Far North by organizing and staging ethnic festivals of indigenous peoples such as Reindeer Herder’s Day and Fisherman’s Day as well as supporting cultural heritage preservation projects such as the project Khorei — the Yamal Literary Map, the Treasures of the North international trade fair, and the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. NOVATEK supplies indigenous people with food and essential goods and organizes the supply of supplementary feeding and necessary veterinary medicines to maintain the size of reindeer herds. NOVATEK also finances targeted training programs to provide the necessary support for young talents from among indigenous people of the Far North.
