Beyond the Sea of Emotions: How Nornickel Organizes Summer Vacation for Employees' Children
The "Golden Standard of Corporate Support for Demography," adopted in May, establishes new benchmarks for Russian employers in supporting employees' families. Nornickel has long been putting one of the standard’s core provisions into practice by offering comprehensive summer vacations for employees’ children—many of whom grow up in the harsh Arctic climate. Time spent soaking up the sun, enjoying the calm sea, and tasting a greater variety of fresh fruit, combined with days of active recreation, fills the children with positive energy for the year ahead. The chance to spend time with peers under the guidance of educators and creative mentors also helps them form new friendships and discover their talents and strengths.
From Lama to the Black Sea
Nornickel runs an annual summer health program for employees’ children. The initiative covers workers based in the Arctic, the Far North and territories equated to them, as well as staff from the company’s regional divisions and the head office in Moscow. The company’s first workers’ camp was established in 1939 on Lake Lama in the Krasnoyarsk Region. Since then, its children’s summer program has evolved substantially to meet modern standards and requirements.
Over the years, employees’ children have spent summers at camps in the Krasnoyarsk Region, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and various parts of Russia. During the past decade, the summer health campaigns have been held primarily in the Krasnodar Territory.
Over the years, employees’ children have spent summers at camps in the Krasnoyarsk Region, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and various parts of Russia. During the past decade, the summer health campaigns have been held primarily in the Krasnodar Territory.
Irina Zabolotnaya, Deputy Director of Nornickel's Social Policy Department:
"When distributing vouchers, several criteria are taken into account. An employee must not be on leave during the child’s stay at the sanatorium, and the child must be enrolled in a general education institution. Employees who have already received corporate vouchers for joint sanatorium treatment with their child during June–August are not eligible. If these conditions are met, the child may spend the summer by the warm sea, benefiting both their health and personal development. Parents pay only a portion of the voucher cost; the company covers the larger share. Camp sessions for children from northern regions last 41 days — a duration chosen to accommodate the longer acclimatization period these children require. Participants from Russia’s central region attend 20-day sessions."
Beaches, Greenhouses, and Sports Trainings
Nornickel places special emphasis on selecting locations for its summer programs. Priority is given to seaside sites that have an on‑site medical facility. For more than ten years the company has successfully partnered with the Vita sanatorium in Anapa, a resort known for its favorable climate. The shallow, warm sea is particularly safe for children who are weak swimmers. In addition, the benefits of marine air and a well‑organized healthcare infrastructure make this location especially suitable for restorative and preventive stays.
In 2024, because of an unfavorable environmental situation caused by a petroleum spill in the area, employees’ children were relocated to the Morskaya Volna (Sea Wave) camp in Tuapse. About 1,500 people enjoyed unforgettable days on the Black Sea coast. Few could imagine how much effort went into re-signing contracts at short notice and arranging the summer sessions at an alternative location on the Black Sea. Thanks to that work, the summer program proceeded at the same high standard as in previous years.
This year, employees’ children will return to the Vita sanatorium. The facility has thoroughly cleaned the coastline and replaced the top half‑meter of sand along the beach. All relevant authorities have granted permission for children to swim at the beach. In addition, high‑capacity open‑air pools have been installed on the sanatorium grounds to ensure children can enjoy water activities even if sea swimming becomes unavailable.
A small greenhouse will also open at Vita this season, where children can grow, tend and harvest a variety of plants. The company hopes this activity will engage children of different ages—particularly those from the Far North, where gardening is difficult due to harsh climatic conditions.
A small greenhouse will also open at Vita this season, where children can grow, tend and harvest a variety of plants. The company hopes this activity will engage children of different ages—particularly those from the Far North, where gardening is difficult due to harsh climatic conditions.
Alongside the health program, the company places strong emphasis on sports. Young athletes from Norilsk sports schools travel with their coaches, joined by a group from Monchegorsk, to specialized training camps. In past years the sports camp operated in Greece and Bulgaria; for the last three seasons, young athletes have trained at the Universiade Village facility in Kazan. Training is paired with entertainment events, master classes led by renowned athletes, and off‑site excursions.
Children at the sanatorium have no time to be bored. They attend studios and master classes, take part in creative performances, and join clubs and sports sections. Each year Nornickel stages the "Nornickel Festival" at its children’s vacation sites, featuring an extensive program that includes career-orientation activities. The festival helps employees’ children get to know the company better, showcase their creativity and resourcefulness, and demonstrate their sporting achievements. As a special gift from Nornickel, every participant also enjoys an excursion to a water park—a highlight that delights all the campers.
Safety and Comfort Standards
In addition to favorable climate, warm sea and abundant sunshine, Nornickel applies strict selection criteria when choosing health facilities for employees’ children. The company prioritizes locations within walking distance of the beach, accommodation that houses no more than four children per room, and well-developed sports and medical infrastructure to ensure comfortable stays and varied leisure activities. Child safety is ensured through outdoor video surveillance and 24‑hour security posts.
Children’s nutrition is treated as a distinct priority. In addition to strict adherence to sanitary standards, the company favors a buffet (self‑service) system, which offers greater variety and better accommodates children’s tastes. Meals must include at least 300 grams of seasonal fruits and berries per child each day. The vacation site must also provide an adequate number of drinking fountains to ensure ready access to potable water.
Logistics of Children's Vacation
Organizing summer vacations also requires careful planning of transport to the sites, a challenge especially for the company’s remote regions. Since 2022 Nornickel has used a multimodal transport scheme combining air, rail and road travel. Organizers design the schedule to minimize risks from group flight delays and staggered arrivals. Typically, three charter flights arrive and depart together carrying roughly 540 people, while about 100 additional participants travel to the site on regular commercial flights.
Irina Zabolotnaya:
"This year three alternative routes were prepared as contingency plans, with stops at Krasnodar, Sochi and Mineralnye Vody airports. Considering the technical feasibility of accommodating children during flight delays, two of these routes were deemed most suitable.
Charter flights arrive at Mineralnye Vody; from there children travel on a dedicated charter train organized by the Federal Passenger Company at Nornickel’s request. If departures from Mineralnye Vody are delayed, the EXPO pavilion has been reserved to provide temporary accommodation, meals and entertainment.
Groups holding 20‑day vouchers who arrive on scheduled flights land at Sochi Airport and then continue to Anapa in carriages attached to a regular timetabled train. Medical staff and company security personnel accompany the children at all times. Hot meals and drinking water are provided en route. For departures from Sochi, a program of on‑site entertainment is planned; if departures are postponed, arrangements have been made for comfortable accommodation at the Rosa Khutor resort until departure. Children travelling to the mountains will be transported by buses escorted by traffic police (GIBDD)."
Information Detox and New Standards
The company always takes children’s and parents’ feedback into account when planning the summer health campaign. At the end of the season, organizers conduct surveys, prepare a report, and, together with the host organization, analyze issues and suggestions raised. They then develop a plan to address complaints and implement viable proposals. During the vacation, children have direct, ongoing contact with accompanying staff. Each week, educators and camp counselors who have completed pre-selection and training submit reports on how the program is progressing
Thanks to this feedback and the strict criteria used to select vacation sites, the health campaign runs at a consistently high standard and leaves children with many positive memories. Many return to the sanatorium year after year, keeping in touch with friends from other regions and with their favorite counselors. Each reunion brings a range of heartfelt emotions, and when it’s time to say goodbye the children often shed tears and promise to come back next year.
Organizing summer vacations for Nornickel employees is an evolving process. It responds sensitively to current challenges, adapts to participants’ needs, and takes into account the high infrastructure requirements for children’s accommodation.
In cooperation with the sanatorium, the company reviews best practices and redesigns the educational programme and activities to reflect guests’ preferences and the different age groups. In 2025, Nornickel introduced an “information detox” for the first time: children handed their phones to counselors for safekeeping and were allowed to use them for only two hours a day to contact family and friends, after which they returned to full participation in camp life. The measure was prompted in part by a rise in fraud targeting children, who—being far from home and parents—were especially vulnerable to scammers. Reducing screen time also had another positive effect: staff observed that children interacted more with one another and read more books.
In cooperation with the sanatorium, the company reviews best practices and redesigns the educational programme and activities to reflect guests’ preferences and the different age groups. In 2025, Nornickel introduced an “information detox” for the first time: children handed their phones to counselors for safekeeping and were allowed to use them for only two hours a day to contact family and friends, after which they returned to full participation in camp life. The measure was prompted in part by a rise in fraud targeting children, who—being far from home and parents—were especially vulnerable to scammers. Reducing screen time also had another positive effect: staff observed that children interacted more with one another and read more books.
At Nornickel, we are confident that this year—just as in previous seasons—the summer programme for employees’ children will run smoothly. Children who spend their vacations at the sanatorium and sports camp will return home with lasting memories, old and new friends, and renewed energy to pursue new achievements in their studies and hobbies.
Photo: Vita Press Service, Nornickel photo archive
2026-06-19 17:10
Russia
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SocialPolicy
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