Baikal Lobridge took part in the annual Social Investment conference hosted by “Vedomosti”, a leading business publication, where experts discussed the key challenges facing the social sector. Anastasia Tsvetkova, Senior Partner for Climate and Sustainability, spoke at the session “Trust Within Communities: Creating Cities for People.”
At the session, she focused on how NGOs design social programs that attract expertise, funding, and media attention — and, most importantly, drive systemic change. Using the “National Parks Without Waste” program run by the Lake Baikal Foundation as a case study, she shared seven years of experience introducing waste separation systems in protected natural areas across the Baikal region.
The project shows how to bring together local communities, beneficiaries, businesses, and authorities — and build cooperation that creates lasting environmental and social impact. The program is currently active in three national parks around Lake Baikal. Its methodological guidelines are now used nationwide, and the analytical data collected during its implementation has been incorporated into the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s roadmap for reducing waste impact on protected areas.
According to Anastasia, what makes such initiatives work is a clear focus on fundamentals: addressing root causes rather than symptoms, prioritizing ecosystems and local communities, and planning for the long term — typically over three to five years ahead.
Baikal Lobridge has extensive experience in developing strategies for charitable foundations and supporting businesses in selecting NGO partners. The team helps define key selection criteria and supports the entire collaboration process — from designing joint initiatives to evaluating their impact. This approach fosters strong, long-term partnerships between business and the non-profit sector.
The Social Investment conference brings together representatives of business, government, and NGOs to exchange best practices, address current challenges, and set priorities for the year ahead.