Personnel
GRI 3‑3
Self‑realisation opportunities and talent development form cornerstones of our personnel policy. We emphasise creating comfortable working environments and establishing trust with employees through adaptation and training programmes, professional skill development, and expanded benefits packages, including voluntary health insurance (VHI).
Key 2025 results
employees
hours per employee
FESCO successfully implements its HR management strategy, which encompasses all aspects of employer‑employee relationships.
Staff acquisition:
- youth engagement development (Youth Council);
- wider geographical outreach and deeper student engagement;
- enhanced presence on social networks and specialised career platforms;
- automation of the staff recruitment process and development of the employer brand.
Staff development:
- corporate university and shared training system advancement;
- key position talent pool formation;
- career growth pathways;
- participation in cross‑functional projects.
Corporate culture and social protection:
- improvements in employee engagement;
- enhancement of the employer’s social responsibility;
- uniform corporate culture development;
- interaction with trade unions.
Remuneration and incentives, employee benefits and organisational development:
- unified remuneration and incentivisation system;
- unified system of employee benefits;
- unified system for salary indexation and payroll reviews;
- staff performance management system;
- unified system for building organisational structures.
Collective bargaining agreements extended in full through 31 December 2027
Staff composition
GRI 2‑7, 405‑1, SASB TR‑RA‑000.E
MED 25, 44, SPBC 21, 25, 38, 49
In 2025, FESCO’s average headcount increased by 4.6% to 7,112 FTEs. The increase was driven by business growth and the development of new business lines.
FESCO’s workforce spans many age groups, with an average age not exceeding 42 in 2025.
Most employees (69%) work in Vladivostok, where the Company’s key assets are historically based.
| Location | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | YoY change, % 2025/2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 5,702 | 6,313 | 6,540 | 6,776 | 3.2 |
| Overseas assets | 181 | 236 | 258 | 336 | 30.2 |
| Total | 5,883 | 6,549 | 6,798 | 7,112 | 4.6 |
White‑collar employees make up 51.1% of all employees, reflecting the Group’s business profile. Women dominate this category (55.6% in 2025), but across the Company as a whole, men remain in the majority at 63.5%.
FESCO strictly observes Russian labour laws, respects employee rights and freedoms, offers equal opportunities, and guarantees employee protection against any form of discrimination.
No labour law violations that incurred fines were recorded in the reporting period.
Personnel turnover
GRI 401‑1, MED 33, SPBC 34
Our effective HR policy and use of a variety of staff retention methods helped reduce the voluntary personnel turnover rate by 11% to 12.2% in 2025 – our lowest figure in four years.
The highest turnover rates were recorded in the under‑29 age group, which is due to their traditionally higher mobility in the labour market. Group‑wide turnover has been steadily declining across all age groups in recent years.
Responsible hiring
FESCO recruits staff based on the principles of equal opportunity, transparency, and impartiality. In 2025, the strategy’s focus shifted from hiring volume to quality, inclusiveness, and long‑term social effectiveness. The key emphasis moved to ensuring that new hires align with the Group’s long‑term goals – a change that both improved recruitment efficiency and strengthened team stability, reducing turnover and associated costs. In 2025, 1,608 new employees were hired, 36% fewer than the previous year.
The shift to targeted recruitment of highly qualified specialists for key projects was supported by the introduction of digital tools that ensure transparency and objectivity at all stages. Recruiters worked closely with hiring managers to define job profiles, ensuring new hires matched the team both professionally and culturally, thus laying the foundation for long‑term loyalty and involvement.
The Company relies heavily on internal channels to attract talent. The Bring a Friend referral programme strengthens social ties within the team and helps bring in candidates who share the team’s values. The Rehiring programme welcomes former employees back, bringing their unique competencies back into the Company.
Greater workforce stability has reduced the need for replacement hiring, freeing up resources for qualitative team development.
Recruitment of young professionals
To attract young professionals, we have a standalone function – Young Talent Engagement and Cooperation with Educational Institutions, which pursues three primary objectives:
- staff FESCO with qualified personnel, including by building an external talent pool;
- attract young professionals from universities and vocational schools in the regions of operation, including through internships, apprenticeships, and employment;
- provide career guidance for schoolchildren in the regions where FESCO operates.
FESCO’s youth policy has four focus areas:
- Cooperation with educational institutions. Engagement with existing students and young talents to get them work in FESCO Transportation Group.
- Career guidance and industry promotion. Engagement with school students and graduates to help them choose their future profession and to raise awareness about opportunities offered by the Primorye Territory and the Russian Far East.
- Industry ambassadors. Transfer of practical professional knowledge to students and professors, development of communication between educational institutions, industry representatives, and FESCO.
- Social and sponsorship support for key educational partners.
Cooperation with educational institutions
We actively engage with educational institutions in Vladivostok, Moscow, St Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Novorossiysk and Kaliningrad to facilitate student practical training, internships, and graduate employment across Group divisions.
Partnerships were established with the following Russian universities:
- Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok);
- Admiral Nevelskoy Maritime State University (Vladivostok);
- Vladivostok State University (Vladivostok);
- Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University (Vladivostok);
- Siberian State University of Water Transport (Novosibirsk);
- Siberian Transport University (Novosibirsk);
- Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management (Novosibirsk);
- Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping (St Petersburg);
- Saint Petersburg State University of Economics (St Petersburg);
- Russian University of Transport (MIIT) (Moscow);
- Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI) (Moscow);
- Admiral Ushakov Maritime State University (Novorossiysk);
- Baltic Fishing Fleet State Academy (Kaliningrad).
Collaboration with universities is structured around four areas:
- science and education (teaching, workshops, conferences, open lectures);
- selection and assessment of students for future employment in FESCO Transportation Group (case tournaments, project activities, participation in state examination boards);
- development of professional skills in students (apprenticeships, internships, employment, involvement in projects, work in a project management office at Far Eastern Federal University);
- social and sponsorship support (classroom renovations, establishment of public creative spaces (co‑working spaces), assistance in maintaining administrative and household property).
FESCO’s 2025 student project collaborations highlights:
- a record 335 participants in the annual FESCO Marine Championship, an inter‑university industry contest for maritime cadets;
- the multi‑city expansion of the annual logistics championship, with four universities from Vladivostok, five universities and four vocational schools from Novosibirsk, and one university from Moscow.
2025 saw the highest number of student practical training and internship placements in three years
| Year | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical training | 135 | 193 | 236 | 378 |
| Internships | 38 | 71 | 85 | 281 |
| HiredFirst‑time employment only. | 102 | 115 | 98 | 67 |
Incentives
Financial incentives GRI 201‑1, 202‑1, 404‑3 MED 24, 26, SPBC 19, 26
The Company views investment in human capital as a key factor in long‑term business sustainability. Its remuneration and motivation policy is based on the principles of social responsibility and guarantees equal opportunities, market competitiveness and process transparency for all employees without exception.
In 2025, the ratio of the Company’s minimum salary to the statutory minimum wage (as established by Federal Law No. 365‑FZ) was 1.74 for women and 2.34 for men. The difference is due to the nature of the work performed.
An employee’s total income comes from two sources: a competitive salary and a merit recognition system designed to sustain team well‑being and engagement. FESCO Group’s payroll expenses in 2025 amounted to RUB 25 billion. The Company’s average salary rose by 13.3% to RUB 174.6 thousand.
In 2025, the Company transformed its approach to setting key performance indicators by introducing cross‑functional metrics to strengthen synergy between units in achieving the Group’s strategic goals. Alongside the development of its financial incentive system, the Company actively introduced recognition tools – letters of acknowledgement, certificates of merit and valuable gifts – helping to foster mutual respect and team spirit.
Social protection GRI 401‑2, 403‑6, MED 28, SPBC 36, 43, 74, 76
FESCO provides its employees with social protection and benefits over and above those provided for by the Russian labour laws, which helps increase labour efficiency and performance. All Group employees are covered by VHI through their primary employment, giving them access to timely, quality medical care at both public and private healthcare facilities specified in their insurance contract. The VHI programme covers outpatient and inpatient care, emergency and planned hospitalisation, seasonal vaccination against flu and tick‑borne encephalitis, dental care, treatment procedures, round‑the‑clock trauma services, diagnostic testing, healthcare at home, an office doctor, telemedicine, and emergency medical assistance anywhere in Russia and abroad.
VHI policies are made available to all of the Company’s employees in the first month of their employment. In 2025, VHI expenses increased by 16.5% compared to 2024, reaching over RUB 186 million.
FESCO offers its employees financial aid on special life occasions or to help them and their families overcome serious health issues. In 2025, the nine types of financial assistance previously offered were extendedSee FESCO’s 2024 Annual Report, for a detailed list.. FESCO Group’s financial assistance expenses in 2025 amounted to RUB 198.9 million.
FESCO also runs programmes that partially cover the cost of wellness recreation for employees and their children’s as well as health resort treatment for pre‑retirement and retirement‑age employees and employees in harmful or dangerous jobs.
Personnel training and development GRI 3‑3, 203‑2, 404‑1, 404‑2, MED 30, 31, SPBC 31, 32
Key 2025 results
110 hrs
34 hrs
9 hrs
With FESCO’s 2030 Development Strategy underway and logistics chains being transformed on a large scale, developing employee competencies has shifted from a supporting activity to a key driver of operational resilience.
FESCO views human capital as a critical asset for leadership in maritime, port and intermodal logistics. Training aims to build a high‑performance, agile organisation ready for technological change and market shifts.
| Workforce resilience | Building a protected talent pool and reducing dependence on the external labour market |
| Operational efficiency | Directly enhancing labour productivity through the development of professional expertise and digital competencies |
| Safety and risks | Minimising occupational injuries and ensuring 100% compliance with regulatory requirements |
| Digital transformation | Preparing staff for a logistics environment shaped by AI and automation |
FESCO Academy: development ecosystem
Training management is centralised at the FESCO Academy, which by 2025 had established itself as the Group’s knowledge and expertise hub. The management system is based on the principles of continuity and integration with business processes.
- Efficiency mechanisms: centralised model, uniform staff training standards, scale‑driven cost optimisation.
- KPI alignment: development targets integrated into performance reviews for HR teams and unit managers.
- Adaptability: programmes regularly updated based on operational division needs and legislative changes.
2025 training and development programme results
The Group significantly improved the reach and quality of its learning solutions in the reporting period.
Professional expertise
The main focus was on ensuring safety and developing unique industry competencies in the maritime, port and rail segments. The launch of training programmes on AI‑based solutions accelerated the deployment of digital tools in operations.
Leadership and management potential
Developing the management pipeline is key to succession planning and decision‑making quality. The main focus in this area is on building behavioural competencies, crisis management skills and cross‑functional collaboration.
Digital learning environment
Scaling up the Company’s own LMS platform and making it multilingual provided equal access to knowledge for employees across all regions of operation, including remote assets. Developing in‑house courses using generative AI significantly reduced content creation costs and timelines without compromising quality.
Monitoring and quality control
The Board of Directors oversees training effectiveness using a multi‑tier indicator system:
- compliance control: 100% completion of mandatory occupational health and industrial safety programmes;
- economic impact: analysis of training’s effect on productivity and turnover metrics;
- feedback: regular monitoring of satisfaction (NPS) and programme effectiveness (Kirkpatrick modelA model for evaluating training effectiveness.).
Outlook and goals
The Group will continue to invest in human capital development, focusing on:
- strengthening partnerships with dedicated Russian and foreign universities to attract and develop talent;
- further digitalising learning content and expanding the training solution portfolio;
- introducing innovations (VR simulators, use of AI);
- developing training programmes for employees in new regions of operation as part of FESCO’s international expansion.
Corporate culture
SPBC 28
Key 2025 results
Spartakiad held
Corporate culture development approach
FESCO’s corporate culture is a system of values, norms and management practices that ensure the achievement of the Group’s strategic goals. The initiatives we implement help strengthen corporate identity and foster a stable, collaborative environment for employees.
Key focus areas:
- developing youth engagement and supporting initiatives of the Youth Council;
- improving internal communications and feedback mechanisms;
- organising cultural and corporate events;
- promoting corporate sports and a healthy lifestyle.
The Corporate Culture and Internal Communications Department, within the HR Directorate, coordinates the development of the corporate environment in cooperation with heads of divisions and functional areas. Regular engagement surveys and direct dialogues between employees and management help drive these initiatives forward.
Youth engagement (Youth Council)
The Company continues its systematic work on youth engagement. FESCO’s Youth Council brings together active employees and serves as a platform for implementing corporate culture initiatives.
In 2025, the Youth Council held 37 events in five Russian cities: Moscow, St Petersburg, Vladivostok, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg. Key activities included three site tours, nine joint projects with Rosatom, and seven initiatives targeting external audiences.
The Council independently organised 18 internal events to onboard new hires, increase staff loyalty, and support employees’ families and Group labour veterans – reaching 1,298 people.
Engagement and feedback
The Company continued its systematic engagement measurement and feedback collection in 2025, running an annual engagement survey, two pulse surveys and a series of focus groups.
The findings help refine social programmes and fine‑tune communication formats.
The effectiveness of corporate culture management is assessed based on:
- employee participation in engagement surveys;
- reach of corporate and sports events;
- analysis of employee involvement in direct dialogue with management;
- monitoring of youth and sports initiatives implementation.
Cultural and corporate events
With a geographically dispersed workforce, FESCO focuses on employee engagement, regular communication, engagement surveys and direct dialogue with management. In 2025, four Director’s Day and Information Day events were held, reaching over 4.6 thousand employees.
The combined budget for cultural and sports events in the reporting period was RUB 235 million. As part of the events marking FESCO’s 145th anniversary:
- over 7 thousand employees received commemorative gifts;
- over 7 thousand employees and their family members took part in FESCO Time events;
- 335 employees’ children received school backpacks;
- 4.5 thousand employees’ children received New Year gifts.
Sports and healthy lifestyle:
- over 30 sports events were held;
- the first FESCO Spartakiad was organised;
- 320 employees took part in the Hero League events;
- over 700 employees participated in Rosatom’s industry‑wide sports events.
In 2025, FESCO kept its sports programmes running, with regular training (football, hockey, volleyball, swimming, etc.) organised in Moscow, Vladivostok, Novosibirsk and St Petersburg.
A modern gym at VMTP offers both group and individual training sessions. Port employees get free access to sports sections and friendly competitions.
Corporate teams VMTP Tigers (basketball), Portovik (football), and VMTP Sharks (hockey) continued to develop, with employees participating and winning prizes in regional Primorye Territory competitions.
Trade unions GRI 2‑30, MED 32, SPBC 33
FESCO’s trade unions are represented by eight shop‑floor trade unions consolidated into regional trade union organisations of Vladivostok and the Primorye Territory and forming part of three public organisations: the Primorye Territory Public Organisation of Sea Port Workers of the Russian Dockers’ Union, the Water Transport Workers Union, and the Russian Seafarers’ Union which is affiliated with the International Transport Workers’ Federation.
In their activities, the trade unions of dockers and seafarers represent and protect the rights and legitimate interests of the trade union members in matters associated with labour relations and coordination of the trade union organisations’ efforts to protect trade union members’ individual and collective social, labour, professional, and other related rights and interests.
Over 30% of FESCO employees are trade union members, of whom approximately 20% are managerial staff and 80% are operational personnel.
In 2025, the trade unions provided social support to trade union members and their families in the following areas:
- financial support (in connection with illness, death, child birth, marriage registration, employees’ anniversaries, retirement, as well as for families with multiple children and those raising disabled children), benefitting 517 members;
- recognition of 26 members for 25 years of professional service;
- 75 corporate events for trade union members;
- tennis and chess tournament organisation;
- greetings for Port Workers’ Day and Sea and River Fleet Workers’ Day;
- recognition of trade union members who placed 1st to 5th in the Professional Skills Competition – with certificates of merit and participation certificates;
- gifts for employees’ children – vouchers for children’s entertainment centres, a contact zoo, and tickets to New Year children’s performances;
- cultural outings for trade union members, such as night fishing, river rafting and paintball.
The trade unions maintain an ongoing and constructive dialogue with the employer – FESCO Transportation Group.
In 2025, all collective bargaining agreements were extended in their entirety through 31 December 2027.
FESCO Council of War and Labour Veterans
FESCO provides financial support to both the FESCO Council of War and Labour Veterans and the VMTP Council of Veterans.
Funding supports:
- financial assistance provided in connection with illness and costly medical treatment, including for the purchase of medications, dental treatment, and prosthetics;
- partial compensation of funeral costs to the families of deceased veterans;
- operations of the Council of War and Labour Veterans;
- quarterly pensioner payments;
- jubilee payments;
- one‑time financial assistance paid on the Victory Day, on the Day of Sea and River Fleet Workers, and to the widows of deceased sailors. In 2025, a one‑time financial assistance payment was also made to mark FESCO’s 145th anniversary.
In 2025, payments to veteran organisations totalled over RUB 43 million.