Within the framework of the International Year of Chemistry declared by the United Nations for 2011, SIBUR is implementing a comprehensive programme of events.

The chemical and petrochemical businesses are actively involved in promoting innovations, thanks to which it has become possible for an increasing number of people on the planet to lead a modern lifestyle. Since petrochemical products form the basis for new technologies, improving people’s quality of life in the present and creating the necessary conditions for a more stable world in the future, SIBUR is bringing one of its events – the International Competition for Innovative Ideas for Applying Synthetic Rubber and Polypropylene – to a new level. In contrast to the first competition held in promotion of such ideas, held in 2010, in this International Year of Chemistry, the list of nominated projects will cover a wide range of issues. Nominations shall include a sections dedicated to innovative solutions for the production and use of synthetic rubbers, plastics, and monomers, and solutions to environmental problems associated with the production and utilisation of petrochemical products. Preference will be given to ideas that have already been proven to work in practice based on the results of experiments and field research. In addition, the geography and the range of potential participants has also expended so that now it can also include scientists, professors, graduate and undergraduate students, and people who are employees of companies and organisations.

In accordance with the Responsible Care® initiative (which promotes responsibly), participants in the chemical industry assess existing risks, inform the public, and improve their performance indicators in relation to their impact on the environment, and human health and safety. During the International Year of Chemistry, SIBUR has launched an integrated environmental programme in the regions where it conducts operations, which is based on collaboration with regional environmental non-governmental organisations. For instance, in March, within the framework of such cooperation, the company organised an environmental press tour at the company's facilities in the Nizhny Novgorod region. In April, work began in terms of restoring a large forested area in the Samara Region, which was damaged last year.

The chemical industry unites people who work together to make an important positive contribution to their society and the world at large. Throughout the International Year of Chemistry, SIBUR will continue to maintain its traditional focus on the development of chemistry-related education. The company opens or upgrades chemistry labs in regional schools and holds open days for schoolchildren and students at the Holding’s various enterprises. For instance, in March, a chemistry lab that was modernised with funds from SIBUR opened at Schools #108 in the city of Perm. In April, the city of Kstovo in Nizhny Novgorod Region hosted a corporate Chemistry Olympiad for students from technical schools and colleges with the respective prizes provided by SIBUR. The partners in the event’s organisation included the Kstovo Oil Technical School and the Dzerzhinsk Polytechnic Institute. Participants and guests of the Olympiad had the chance to visit the ethylene, propylene and benzene production facilities of SIBUR assets in Kstovo. Local chemistry teachers also had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Lyubov Strelnikova, the Editor-in-chief of the journal “Chemistry and Life – XXI Century” with respect to the latest developments in the sphere of chemical sciences.