The first youth ambassador forum has taken place on July 8-10 at the production sites of the Group’s Voronezh division. The meeting brought together students with proactive attitude representing 25 leading universities and colleges in different regions of Russia.

Young people from all over the country came here: Moscow, Kazan, Ryazan, Tomsk, Penza, Orenburg, Saratov, Volgograd, Voronezh, Orel Oryol, Saint-Petersburg, Barnaul and Yekaterinburg. The forum’s main aim was creating a loyal student community, building EkoNiva ambassador network that will promote the HR-brand and the Group’s values.

An extensive educational program with practical classes, master classes and an introduction to the Group’s advanced production technologies was arranged for the participants. The ambassadors visited the Dobrino service centre, the Bobrov 1 and Bobrov 2 dairies and a cheese plant in the village of Shchuchye.

The most important task at the meeting was strengthening of the team spirit and horizontal ties between representatives of different regions. As a result of intensive work, a detailed plan of brand promotion among the student youths was developed, a collection of the best ambassadorial movement cases approved, and a sound foundation for a promising partnership with the younger generation of farmers laid.

‘The young people are going to promote the company’s brand in their immediate environment, on social media and in the professional sphere to raise awareness and attract students for internships and also employment. Our forum is a springboard for a new generation of agricultural managers and specialists. We believe that our ambassadors will play a key role in developing the domestic industry and improving EkoNiva’s competitiveness on the Russian market’, says Vasilisa Tsybina, EkoNiva Group HR Manager.

‘A community of up-and-coming specialists sharing and promoting EkoNiva’s values is born and starts to evolve here and now. The guys are growing as professionals, developing leader and communicative skills. This is a huge investment into the future of the company. Our ambassador is, first of all, a person that sees their career path in the agricultural industry, trusts in the company’s future and their own future in it, and ignites others with this passion. I wish for our ambassadors to approach everything with an open mind, not to be afraid of making mistakes or going through ups and downs and turns. Success is the reward enjoyed by the brave and persistent, not those who have chosen the easy path’, comments Maria Eichholz, Internal Coach of Training and Development Department, EkoNiva-APK Holding.

‘An ambassador must be ambitious, competent and open to people and everything new! I want to become part of something bigger and represent the best, the coolest company, i. e. EkoNiva. Aside from that, the from-field-to-shelf principle really appeals to me, and the fact that the company takes care of not only its reputation, but also its animals and, naturally, workers makes me proud. It’s a big, united team here, and it’s really cool to be a part of it’, shares Galina Isakina, a student at Institute of Applied Biotechnology and Food Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences n. a. I. A. Rogov.

The forum successfully completed all the tasks and will become an annual event set to strengthen EkoNiva’s positions amongst the youth and to attract talent for the group’s enterprises.