Trusted relations with local communities

Moscow Exchange Group is cognizant of its responsibility to catalyze positive change in society and create benefits for the public. By uniting financial market participants (novice and professional investors, issuing companies, financial analysts) and other stakeholders, exchanges help mobilize capital, seek out new opportunities for economic growth, and solve global problems. Moscow Exchange Group helps create social value by supporting charity organisations, children and youth, and wider society.

This section describes the Group’s major programs, which are aimed at various stakeholders. They include educational and partner projects and charitable and voluntary corporate initiatives. Moscow Exchange Group advocates for financial literacy and strives to support socially vulnerable groups. Throughout its history, it has consistently worked to support its community and taken various actions for the benefit of the market and the public, and to protect the environment.

Moscow Exchange Group’s objectives and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG 4.3 Improve the financial literacy of the public
• SDG 5.5 Contribute to ensuring equal opportunities for women in business
• SDG 12.6 Develop corporate volunteering and charity activities, integrate corresponding information into the reporting cycle
• SDG 12.6, 12.8 Improve the quality and quantity of ESG information disclosed by issuers
• SDG 12.6, 13.3 Raise companies’ awareness of sustainability trends, standards, and practices
• SDG 17.16, 17.17 Expand partnerships for sustainable development with various institutions to spread knowledge and experience in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Moscow Exchange Group’s efforts to improve financial literacy

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The Group is expanding its involvement in projects to develop the financial market by attracting new participants and improving their financial literacy. Moscow Exchange’s educational programs have different formats, and most are designed for novice investors.

Against the background of high volatility in the financial markets, the educational initiatives and training activities of the Exchange gain particular social significance.

Over 280 events were conducted in the reporting period to improve financial literacy, which were attended by some 850,000 people.

In 2024, Exchange continued promoting “The Investor’s Way” basic course both at the Moscow Exchange School. High levels of financial literacy coverage were achieved by using a new format for presenting the course—mini-articles placed with popular bloggers on social networks like VK and Telegram channels.

In 2024, the Moscow Exchange School launched new educational courses on investments and released a significant amount of new content covering the most relevant topics: bank deposits, pension savings, long-term savings programs, inflation, and financial crises. In 2024, professional investment advisors were also involved in conducting classes at the School.

Educational and outreach programmes of the Exchange also continued in the reporting year. All programmes are constantly being improved based on the analysis of the students’ activities and their feedback.

Besides the Exchanges’ own educational programmes, partner projects with the Bank of Russia were proposed and the following actions were taken in 2024.

• Support of all-Russian Online Financial Literacy Test for Population. Traditionally, the event is open to everyone. In the reporting year participants were given the opportunity to participate individually and in groups. A family test was offered as well.
• This year, for the first time, interactive classes using a game format were introduced for children of younger preschool age (https://www.moex.com/n73814?utm_source=www.moex.com);
• The Exchange participated in “The Financial Literacy Week in Russian Regions” project. About 1 thousand schools participated in the project, and more than 20 thousand schoolchildren simultaneously connected to the webinars (https://dni-fg.ru/)
• Also MOEX continued its work in the Expert Council for Financial Literacy under the Bank of Russia and in working groups of the Financial Literacy Development Association.
• Group ‘Moscow Exchange’ conducted a series of lectures on career, investments, fintech, and information technologies at the World Youth Festival in Sochi (https://www.moex.com/n68354?utm_source=www.moex.com).

Charity and sponsorship

Main charity partners of Moscow Exchange Group in 2024:

• “Vera (Faith)” charity foundation;
• Federal State-Owned Unitary Enterprise ‘National Medical Research Center for Rheumatic Diseases’ of the Ministry of Health of Russia;
• Charitable Foundation ‘Club of Good People’ (NCO);
• Charitable Foundation ‘BELA. Butterfly Children’ (NCO);
• Federal State-Owned Unitary Enterprise ‘National Park ‘Meshera;
• Russian Red Cross;
• Charitable Organization ‘Orthodox Elizabeth Children’s Home’ (NCO);
• Charitable Foundation ‘Penetrating the Heart’ (NCO).
• Charitable Foundation ‘Old Age with Joy’ (NCO).
• HSE University;
• NP RTS Association;
• Nikitsky Scientist and Entrepreneur Club;
• MEPhI foundation;
• MGIMO International Business faculty foundation.

In charitable and sponsorship activities, the Moscow Exchange Group focused in 2024 on providing support to Russian universities, by allocating to them over 106 million rubles. The main areas of support for universities are provided by financing educational and learning activities.

In 2024, the Group continued cooperating with a number of charity foundations and organisations. The projects aimed at helping orphans and children with serious diseases were supported. In particular, RUB 11 million was sent through the Vera charity foundation to support institutions providing palliative care. Additionally, the National Medical Research Center ‘Rehabilitation and Treatment Center’ of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation received support in the amount of 20 million rubles for the purchase of equipment and an ambulance to provide rehabilitation and diagnostic assistance for severe illnesses.

As part of its cooperation with charitable foundations, in 2024, NSD provided assistance in the amount of RUB 4 million to five charitable foundations (“Penetrating into the Heart”, “Butterfly Children”, “Elizabeth Orphanage”, “Kind Kindred Club” and “Old Age in Joy”) . Targeted assistance was provided to 118 beneficiaries of charitable foundations, 100 of whom are disabled and elderly. The fund for paying the cook’s salary at a mixed children’s home for children with Down syndrome has been financed for six months.

Moreover, in the framework of veteran the Group provided support assistance to 21 participants of the WWII.

“The Donor’s Day” events were held under volunteering projects in the Group. Thanks to two events arranged over a year together with the Blood Centre of the Russian Federal Medical and Biological Agency, the employees donated 31 litres of blood to young cancer patients of Dima Rogachev’s Center (Dmitry Rogachev National Research Centre of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology). During the year, two charity fairs were organised with the participation of the employees to collect funds and gifts for the foundations wards, In addition, the Groups’ employees participated in the More than Jogging project, under which funds were raised for treatment and rehabilitation of two wards of the Volunteers for Orphans foundation. NSD employees regularly collect bottle caps and allocated the proceeds received from collections points to the treatment and rehabilitation of the foundation wards of “Volunteers helping orphaned children”.

Interaction with stakeholders

Interaction with the regulatory authorities on sustainable development issues

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In 2024, Moscow Exchange Group participated in four official bodies tackling sustainable development issues:

• The Central Bank Expert Council for corporate governance;
• the Central Bank of Russia Working Group on Carbon Regulation;
• the Interdepartmental Working Group on Development of Investment Activities and Raising Extra-Budgetary Funds for Sustainable Development;
• the Expert Council on Sustainable Development and Green Financing of the State Duma’s Subcommittee for Sustainable Development and Green Financing.

International organisations and initiatives

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Over the years, the Group has cooperated actively with international financial organisations to study global best practices and share experience.

In 2024, the Exchange continued to deepen and expand its relations with foreign trading platforms in Southeast Asia, focusing both on maintaining, and developing existing relationships with financial institutions in China and other countries in the region. In addition, cooperation with exchanges in the CIS countries and the Middle East was strengthened, thereby emphasizing the continuation of the course towards international cooperation and expansion of partnerships.

• The Group participates in the UN initiative of Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) representing a single platform to learn, how exchanges in cooperation with investors, companies (issuers), regulators, politicians, and competent international authorities can improve their sustainability performance and contribute to the development of responsible investments, including funding of UN SDGs.
• On the eve of March 8, mechanisms for ensuring gender equality in Russian business were discussed at a round table together with the global initiative of world exchanges Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.
• The exchange participates in the BRICS Working Group on ESG & Green Financing, where principles for financing and developing carbon markets are being developed.

Partnerships with universities

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Moscow Exchange Group collaborates with a number of Russian universities on an ongoing basis. It organizes field-specific contests and conferences to develop students’ financial market knowledge and skills.

The Group actively engages in promoting its brand within the student community and enhancing students’ awareness through participation in career fairs, publication of job vacancies in university career groups, and involvement in educational events targeting students and youth.

• In 2024, Moscow Exchange PJSC became the general partner of the Bank of Russia’s youth program, Finopolis.365, for the first time. Under the guidance of Group experts, student teams tackled cases related to prospective directions and products for the Group.
• In May 2024, the Group, in collaboration with the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), organized a student conference on financial markets, MOEX Progress. Top-performing students received opportunities for internships within the Group.
• Traditionally, Moscow Exchange supports intellectual competitions in financial themes, such as the Fincontest for schoolchildren and students, and the student olympiad “I am a Professional.”

Annually, students and university graduates are hired for paid internships in Group companies. Top interns are offered permanent positions. The Group actively collaborates with career centers of leading economic universities in Russia. Within the partnership with the Center for Career Development and Leadership at the Russian Economic School (RERS), meetings were held with representatives of the Group’s management and experts, who discussed work directions, prospective projects, and possible career paths within the Group. These events were attended by students of master’s programs in “Finance,” “Economics,” and “Data Science.” As part of a strategic collaboration with leading universities in Russia, the Group established exchange laboratories, MOEX LAB, at MGIMO University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. These labs provide students, faculty, and researchers with access to Moscow Exchange products and services for educational and research purposes, along with a comfortable learning environment for conducting academic programs, practical classes, masterclasses, and events.

The Group regularly holds educational lectures and master classes for students. Representatives of the Group’s management and experts speak to students, some employees are involved in the educational process at partner universities as part-time teachers and associate professors.

Enhancing the professionalism of the investor relations (IR) community

In 2024, Moscow Exchange resumed the Corporate Governance Forum, which became a key event for the entire industry, gathering prominent speakers, experts, and market leaders for discussions. The forum’s relaunch coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Corporate Governance Code. Corporate governance is becoming a critical factor in the further development of Russia’s financial market, with its role steadily increasing. At the Exchange, the MOEX IR Club operates successfully—a platform for dialogue within the IR community, aimed at exchanging opinions among IR professionals and serving as a discussion club and center for developing professional principles and standards in the IR field.

In 2024, four IR Club meetings were organized: “Vox Populi – the Voice from ‘Telegram,’” discussing the risks and benefits of communication with bloggers, the language of retail communications, and the role of retail investors in the stock market; “Promising to Marry Doesn’t Mean Committing,” focusing on the art of making forward-looking statements, working with analysts, the importance of analyst coverage, and assessments in social networks; “Analyst Day: The Oil and Gas Industry – 2024.”; “Effective IR: The IR Budget and MOEX IR Services for Issuers.”

In 2024, Moscow Exchange launched an updated practical course, the MOEX IR Academy’s “IR Workshop: Basic Course for Investor Relations Specialists.” Within the practical webinars, participants were introduced to all key topics for IR professionals, from basic concepts in the relevant field to building strategies and establishing effective communications with the investment community, considering the key trends of the financial market. Over 500 financial market participants enrolled in the first course cycle.

Under the educational track focused on ESG, seven webinars were conducted: “Corporate Governance System: Constants and Variables”; “The Role of ESG Indicators in Business Valuation by the Russian Investment Community”; “New Social Taxonomy”; “Transition Climate Bonds”; “Assessing Nature-Climate Projects: From Theory to Practice”; “New Requirements of Moscow Exchange for Disclosing Non-Financial Information”; “Methodology of the MOEX Climate Index.” Additionally, one conference, “Exchange Instruments for Decarbonization,” and two roundtables were held: Jointly with the analytical platform INFRAGREEN: “Prospects for the Sustainability Agenda: Results, Meanings, and Images of the Future.”; Jointly with the rating agency AKRA: “ESG Reporting of Russian Companies 2024: The Season Begins.”

In 2024, the traditional annual roundtable of Moscow Exchange, “Equality of Opportunities – the Foundation of Social and Economic Development,” was held in support of the UN and global exchanges’ initiative “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.”

In 2024, the XXVII Annual Contest of Annual Reports of Moscow Exchange took place. 106 companies participated in the contest, competing in 13 categories, including sustainability-focused ones: “Best Report on Sustainable Development” and “Best Disclosure of ESG Information.” After the contest, the Exchange conducted the traditional Practical Conference on the results of the XXVII Annual Reports Contest of Moscow Exchange, where recommendations, best cases, and key areas for companies to focus on and improve were discussed. Within the series of online meetings, MOEX Home Talks, representatives of the Exchange communicate with top executives of issuing companies, discussing business operations in changing conditions, as well as plans for development and new opportunities for the Russian economy and private investors. In 2024, a meeting was held with the leaders of the company “Renaissance Insurance.”

Plans for 2025

Within the framework of the project for private investors, “Moscow Exchange School,” plans are in place to train 100,000 new investors through the accredited course “The Investor’s Path” and other courses.