Nizhny Novgorod "Kulibin" entered the top three of Russia's SEZ sustainable development ranking.

      18 September 2025 16:43

      [186]

      Economy. The results of the third sustainable development (ESG) rating of special economic zones were presented at the III International SEZ-2025 Forum (18+), which is being held in Nizhny Novgorod on 18 September. The study was prepared by the Association of Clusters, Technoparks and SEZs of Russia with the support of the Ministry of Economic Development.

      The leader of the ranking was the SEZ "Technopolis Moscow". The second position was shared by the SEZs "Dubna" and "Saint Petersburg". In third place was the Nizhny Novgorod SEZ "Kulibin".

      Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Svyatoslav Sorokin noted that the ESG agenda has become the most important criterion for assessing the effectiveness of SEZ management companies: in his words, the principles of sustainable development strengthen the zones' positions in the economy and form long-term competitiveness, and the ranking itself helps identify best practices and scale them. He clarified that the methodology is based on non-financial reporting disclosure standards and takes into account three indicator blocks: environmental policy, social responsibility and corporate governance.

      Director of the Association of Clusters, Technoparks and SEZs of Russia Mikhail Labudin stressed that the ranking has proven its relevance and demand for the third year in a row. According to him, the number of participants and the depth of the data provided are growing, and the zones themselves demonstrate a more mature approach to ESG transformation. This, he noted, confirms the viability of the methodology and serves as an incentive to increase transparency and the integration of environmental and social practices.

      Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Andrey Sanosyan recalled that the region is consistently implementing a sustainable development concept. A law on the development of responsible business conduct was recently adopted, and in 2024 the Analytical Credit Rating Agency assigned the region an ESG-AA rating for the first time. The SEZ "Kulibin" is implementing a business social capital standard, and resident policy is built on the principles of sustainable development.

      The SEZ "Kulibin" is managed by the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation. The corporation's and the zone's CEO Igor Ishchenko noted that significant attention is paid to the Sustainable Development Goals: "Kulibin" is the first among Russia's preferential territories to implement a low-carbon development strategy, and the construction of a residential complex next to the site is planned to create comfortable conditions for enterprise employees. According to him, third place is a good result, but there is still much work to be done.

      Other sites received separate recognitions: for a high level of environmental policy — the SEZ "Titanium Valley"; for social policy — the SEZ "Togliatti"; for systematic work in the field of sustainable development — the SEZ "Avangard".

      NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay up to date on major events, exclusive materials and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is required. This resource may contain 18+ material.