Social and Educational Projects

Winner of Effie Awards Russia 2019, a gold medal in the Positive Change – Contribution to Society and Sustainable Development. Brands category.

Laureate of the Corporate Philanthropy Leaders in the Sustainable Development Paradigm 2019 award, first place in The Best Program that Contributes to Sustainable Development and Achieving the Goals of Charity Work with the Help of IT category.

Laureate of the Digital Communications AWARD 2019 Award in the CSR Communications category.

MTS has been running its flagship social project Generation M since 2014 to provide equal opportunities for creative education and development to children from all across the country, regardless of their location or family finances. The project’s online platforms are available to children from across Russia, offering multiple development opportunities, including competitions, online master classes and interactive activities with Russian celebrities on a variety of subjects. The project’s educational videos have already drawn more than 30 million views.

The project is supported by over 200 partners, including creative organizations, large businesses, the media and non-profit organizations. The project is also actively supported by authorities, with whom more than ten agreements were signed to develop social and cultural environment in the respective regions.

Winners of Generation M competitions get ample opportunity, from internships with Russia’s largest animation film studios and popular bloggers to taking to the big stage alongside stars and exhibiting their works in Russia’s main museum of national arts. Since the project launch, 450 children from 67 regions of the country were selected as winners and laureates, with the project becoming their creative launchpad.

To support online activities and promote territory development, MTS arranges major free events with the project’s star mentors as well as local creative associations in Russian regions with master classes on the same subject: performances by youth icon singers and popular bloggers Generation M: Blog & Voice with local star participation, photo exhibitions of World Press Photo winners, exhibitions of world-famous robots, educational tours for young designers FashionDay of Generation M, etc. This gives people living in regions an opportunity to meet world-class figures in person, provide inspiring and enriching experiences to kids, as well as preserve and promote local cultural heritage. A total of 25 major federal-level events involving national stars were held in Russian regions in 2019 as part of the project. Over 2,500 volunteers took part in arranging the events.

Within the project, MTS develops a mass movement of young philanthropists in Russia, as all activities in groups and on the Generation M website are converted into actual money which MTS donates to provide treatment to seriously ill children. The unique charity mechanics have generated more than RUB 18 mln, spent to help 57 children.

In 2011, in order to protect children from unwanted content and fraudulent resources while teaching them to use the web for learning and development, MTS together with Moscow State University’s psychologists developed the Useful and Safe Internet Lesson which was used as a basis for the Children on the Internet federal educational project. More than 400 thousand school students from over 40 Russian regions completed this program over the seven years of its existence. An entire range of measures were implemented over the period: interactive themed exhibitions, internet literacy lessons for elementary school students, workshops for teachers and parents, etc.

In 2019, MTS employee volunteers played an active role in the project, training children both in large cities and small communities at their own initiative. In one year, our cyber security lessons reached 50 cities in 18 Russian regions.

The gramota.mts.ru special portal helps bridge the digital divide, introducing older generations to the capabilities of mobile devices and the internet and highlighting modern technologies and services that can be of great help to people in various life situations, from taking medications to sports and active lifestyle. The portal-based training is free, and thanks to its online format, people with reduced mobility and citizens in remote parts of Russia can now learn mobile technologies.

The goal of the MTS/Media publications is to explain difficult technology-related topics in a way that is simple and easy to understand for anybody. Incorporating materials into direct customer channels (bulk SMS and email messaging, welcome programs and others) allows us to promote MTS products and services and boost MTS’s profile as a digital company offering a full range of innovative services to the mass and business markets.

In 2019, more than 2,000 posts were published in various VKontakte groups featuring MTS/Media materials which highlight the Company’s digital products: lifestyle apps, media products and B2B services. Over 1,200 publications featuring the project’s CSR content were also posted in social media. The stories discussed various topics such as paying taxes, social benefits that can be claimed by Russian citizens, what to do if one’s social media account was hacked, safeguards against fraud, etc.

MTS is committed to sustainable business development principles in its activities and therefore seeks to share its experience in this area with its partners to ensure further successful cooperation.

• The Sustainable Business Development course uses the webinar format and comprises eight lessons. Its training program includes viewing video lectures and studying associated materials, small introductory homework and tests, and final knowledge testing. Upon successful testing, a course graduate is issued a certificate from the MTS Corporate University. The course is intended for general public and does not require any prior special training.
• Sustainable development. Be better every day! is an annual practical conference for MTS Group partners and employees.