The International Communications and CSR Practice Director at Baikal Communications Group Anastasia Tsvetkova addressed the audience at the section “Science and education in sustainable development”.

Within the 13th Russian International Studies Association Convention (RISA Convention) a number of leading specialists in the field of sustainable development, representatives of international institutions, academic circles, business and nonprofit sector discussed relevant issues of carrying out scientific research and educational process in the context of developing the concept of sustainable development and ESG-transformation.

During her address Anastasia Tsvetkova told about versatile trends on the labor market within the context of current global changes. She also provided the example of research, made by Deloitte and the International Institute of Finance, according to which every sixth modern international company has already established the position of a specialist in sustainable development. According to the estimates of experts, the demand for such specialists will continue growing in the near future. Russian organizations have begun more often to focus on the necessity of development in this regard, this is why it is already necessary for students and graduates of the management course to enhance the competences in sustainable development and CSR.

The growing demand for the implementation of sustainable development programs within the corporate strategies is explained by the current ESG-transformation, which especially affects the exporters of hydrocarbons and other commodities. On top of that, climate changes trigger the necessity of new competences both for business employees at the background of the EU requirements to reduce greenhouse emissions, and for public officials in the context of the adopted Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, as of December 25, 2019 № 3183-r “On the approval of the national action plan for the first stage of adaptation to climate change for the period of up to 2022”.

According to Anastasia Tsvetkova, among the most sought-after competences of young specialists are the systems thinking skills. Future multi-skilled managers will have to analyze cause and effect connections of versatile multi-level processes and predict environmental changes in terms of systemic transformations. There are specialized master’s degrees at foreign universities, aimed at developing the leadership skills with the very focus on the systemic analysis, however, such kind of domain is still just the prospective dimension for growth for universities in Russia.

In conclusion, Anastasia Tsvetkova shared the expertise of the Lake Baikal Foundation, which in collaboration with the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at HSE University and the leading foreign experts held the discussion session on the prospects for development of the Russian water strategy. Exchange of opinions among experts proved the thesis on the shortage of the narrowly specialized personnel, such as water resources economists and water management staff.

The section was held on October 14, 2021. The section’s moderators were Kapitolina Turbina, Acting Head of the MGIMO Department of Risk Management and Insurance, and Angelika Mirzoeva, Director of the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency. Among other participants of the discussion were representatives of international universities, the MGIMO Center for Sustainable Development and ESG-Transformation, the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS in Istanbul and the charitable foundation “Sistema”.

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