The President congratulated the winners of the competition and thanked all the participants for their useful and important work for society and the state.
In his address at the ceremony, Mr Putin said that the social well-being of employees was one of the conditions of successful entrepreneurship. Today the social responsibility of businesses is not limited by taxes. It also includes creating new jobs and normal working conditions, and providing a standard social package.
However, the President said much depends upon the state: social and labour laws should meet the demands of life, the economy and the country’s development.
The results of the All-Russia competition, The Russian Organisation of High Social Effectiveness, were announced in four categories: Wages and Salaries, Industrial Safety Measures, Personnel Qualification and Implementation of Social Programmes. In 2002, over 1,000 companies and organisations from 81 Russian regions took part in the competition.