Social and labor relations
We strive to improve employees’ working conditions, safety measures, and other social aspects to ensure people’s wellbeing. Regular sociological research in all portfolio companies and the development of corrective measures are carried out continuously. GRI 3-3
The inalienable rights of employees include the right to freedom of association, the right to unite in trade unions to protect the interests of labor collectives. We fully support this right and create a favorable environment for developing this institutional structure. GRI 407-1
One of our strengths is the presence of qualified and competent personnel focused on common corporate values. Trade unions are an excellent example of a platform for dialogue, as evidenced by global experience. The share of employees covered by collective agreements is 97% of the total number of employees of the Fund. GRI 2-24 GRI 407-1 GRI 2-30 SASB
Regulation of social and labor relations and the development of social partnership is carried out through the Center for Social Interaction and Communications (hereinafter referred to as CSIC) in the Fund’s Group of Companies. To coordinate the interaction of the Fund’s divisions and portfolio companies in the event of crisis situations and the organization of anti-crisis measures, the Fund’s Operational Headquarters has been operating since 2021.
The Center for Monitoring Social Stability operates under the CSIC, which collects and analyzes 24/7 operational data on the preconditions or facts of the emergence of social tension in work collectives through 5 communication channels (email, telephone, WhatsApp messenger, website). Since April 2023, a new fifth communication channel has been launched — a QR code that directs the applicant to the website https://nysana.cscc.kz/website. QR codes are placed at the Fund Group enterprises, allowing employees to quickly resolve conflict situations, get answers to questions, and be heard.
The Fund has approved a Comprehensive Plan to Ensure Social Stability. The interactive Social Stability Map system allows monitoring of the situation in real-time at the enterprises of the Fund’s Group of Companies (there are 12 portfolio companies in the perimeter, more than 230 thousand people).
The level of social stability in the Fund’s Group of Companies at the end of 2023 is satisfactory — the overall SRS indicator was 70%, remaining unchanged since 2022 (coverage of more than 72 thousand respondents). The study was conducted via SMS (online survey) and telephone survey.
More than 84% of the Fund Group companies’ production personnel are trade union members.
Our comprehensive educational project, “Corporate School of Trade Union Activists,” has nurtured professional trade union employees of a new generation for over six years. The training program pays special attention to issues such as conflict management, mediation, the psychology of effective communication, and forming a collective agreement. GRI 407-1
In 2023, more than 300 participants participated in 2 Forums of trade union activists, mediators, and Ombudsmen of the Fund Group of Companies, held in June in Almaty and December in Shymkent.
To promote alternative methods of resolving conflicts and disputes without leading to litigation, a special mediation course, “Pool of Mediators,” has been organized since 2022. In 2023, 63 mediators completed advanced mediation training, and another 4 mediators completed the initial basic course in mediation in various portfolio companies. GRI 407-1 GRI 2-24
Another direction is the introduction of IR (Industrial relations) methods in the Fund’s Group of Companies, which will improve the level of social and living conditions in production.
Based on the results of IR screenings to study social and living conditions in 2023, 43,602 sanitary and epidemiological wellbeing inconsistencies were identified across the Group of Companies of Samruk-Kazyna JSC. For the Fund Group, level 1-2 inconsistencies (19,537) must be eliminated by the end of 2024; currently, 5,664 inconsistencies have been eliminated.
The training program for IR specialists of the Fund’s Group of Companies was completed in the reporting year. In five months, employees could improve practical skills in industrial relations and develop an introductory course for new employees. In addition, they presented possible solutions to real cases recorded by the Nysana contact center.
As part of implementing the “listening state” concept, as well as taking into account the interests of civil society and public opinion to discuss a wide range of issues, we have created a Public Council, the role of which will grow.
