5.2. Indigenous Minorities of the North and Gazprom: Constructive Collaboration

The Gazprom Group’s regions of operation include areas populated by indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North. In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, in particular, the Federal Law On Areas of Traditional Natural Resources Use of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East of the Russian FederationFederal Law No. 49-FZ dated May 7, 2001 On Areas of Traditional Natural Resources Use of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East of the Russian Federation., the Group’s companies strive to protect the native habitat and traditional way of life of indigenous minorities, preserve and develop the local culture, as well as maintain biodiversity in the areas of traditional use of natural resources.

The Company abides with the overriding priority of the local communities’ rights to maintain the traditional lifestyle in their ancestral habitats. Gazprom implements its projects taking into account where and how the indigenous peoples currently live, with no relocation programs being developed.

When collaborating with the indigenous minorities of the North, Gazprom is guided by the following principles:

• partnership — establishing partnerships with the unions of indigenous peoples of the North;
• ensuring that indigenous peoples and PJSC Gazprom cooperate on an equal basis and share a common interest in delivering on their objectives;
• specificity — factoring in the specifics of the economic and social development of the indigenous minorities of the North;
• social responsibility — taking part in solving social issues of indigenous peoples.

The Gazprom Group’s entities regularly sign cooperation agreements with administrations of municipal districts where the indigenous minorities of the North reside. These agreements formalize mutual obligations in property and business relations, capital construction, energy saving, natural resources use, as well as the social policy and promotion of traditional activities.

The design of subsoil assets factors in solutions and technologies aimed at reducing the impact on the environment, resettlement process, and natural resource use by the local communities, which contributes, in particular, to the protection of the native habitat and traditional way of life of indigenous peoplesAs is required by the Order of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment No. 639 dated September 20, 2019 On Approval of Rules for Preparing Technical Design Documentation for Hydrocarbon Field Development.. These activities seek to identify the potential ethnological impact, define the steps to reduce adverse impacts on the native habitat and traditional way of life of indigenous peoples, and measure any potential losses inflicted on the unions of indigenous peoples by the proposed construction.

In 2019, the Gazprom Group companies implemented the following activities under cooperation agreements with the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area — Yugra, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Sakhalin Region, and other regions:

• holding seminars and round tables attended by representatives of the unions of indigenous minorities of the North living in the territories where the production activities are carried out;
• providing financial support to local authorities with the aim of implementing socially important projects related to the development of the indigenous minorities of the North;
• providing financial support to national communities to preserve indigenous peoples’ way of life and develop national crafts;
• organizing traditional national holidays and setting up the prize funds for Reindeer Herders’ Day, Fishermen’s Day, and World Indigenous Communities’ Day;
• contributing to the preservation of the traditional habitat of indigenous minorities of the North and their access to essential natural resources;
• financing the development of reindeer herding in the North, which is the backbone of indigenous peoples’ traditional culture and way of life;
• transporting nomadic peoples and supplying food to hard-to-reach areas by air;
• providing financial aid to national communities for indigenous peoples’ medical treatment;
• offering healthcare services provided by subsidiaries’ medical units to indigenous peoples.

In 2019, no violations involving the rights of indigenous peoples were identified across the Group’s license blocks.

No significant disputes with local communities and indigenous peoples were recorded in the reporting period.